Family caregivers: did you do something for yourself today? Big or little, post it here and celebrate it!

@Rainmom - *cries for lack of edible stuffing* Lol! I'm kinda with you on Bogey! Definitely the eyes.

@MsMadge - do you know, I think that's one of the few old movies I haven't seen! I'm surprised at myself.

@Lonelysolonely - that sounds like a lovely evening! What did you make for dinner?

@cwillie - I know just what you mean! When I was a kid I would roll my eyes at whatever old movie mom insisted on watching, but now I'm kind of fascinated by the styles, and all the things I missed in the dialogue because I was too young.

I am not being very good about doing something for me today, so far. I had to cancel my appt. with the massage therapist, because I didn't want to share my cold with him or the rest of the people in his building. Boo. I don't have a lot of luxuries in my budget, and I sooooo look forward to that one! Now I must wait. Stoopid germs.

Hopefully I'll figure something else to do for me before the end of the day.

I don't remember most of Peck's movies, but I do remember Guns of Navarone; he was masterful in that tense movie.

Madge, thanks for the reminder of Clark Gable. He had such a unique style, that almost sly grin that appeared at strategic times. I don't think any other actor could smile like Gable did.

Interesting comment, CWillie. The older movies were more subtle in interactions, more sophisticated and less tawdry. It wasn't a mystery what happened when Rhett carried Scarlett upstairs in that dramatic scene at their mansion. These days we'd probably have to go endure several minutes of frenetic writhing, leaving nothing to the imagination.

And on the subject of inference, one of my favorite movies was Mayerling, with Omar Sharif, Catherine Deneuve and Ava Gardner (magnificent as Empress). The smiles and admiration expressed between Sharif and Deneuve were legendary. That same smile appeared as well in Funny Girl; I think it was his characteristic, gentle, affectionate smile.

Off the subject of stars and onto that of holiday movies, does anyone watch Ovation's "Battle of the Nutcrackers"? It's not really a battle, rather a multiple showing of specific Nutcracker versions with the audience voting on favorites.

There are some choreographic and staging concepts that I still haven't figured out. The Royal Ballet's staging is the most sumptuous and traditional. But in the past there have been some that were somewhat peculiar. One was apparently a substitution of the mouse squad with sword wielding dancers. I think that was the one which also appeared to include a kidnapping by Clara, as opposed to her being romantically swept off her feet by a dashing Nutcracker. And another one I watched several years ago seemed to be set in a orphanage. I never did figure that out.

Lonely, yes, chocolate is a food group unto itself. No question about that, and now that it's the holiday season, the chocolate selections are soooo enticing.

Hershey's has a new product - chocolate bells with a minty filling. Of its holiday line though, the cherry cordial are my favorites, with the new minty bells and candy cane mint close runners up.

Rainmom, does SIL do email? I love email because a brief note keeps you connected but doesn't come across as rudely too short, but so many people don't check their emails anymore because they are all on facebook or texting.

Speaking of old movies, when I was sitting in the NH lounge with mom my eyes were drawn to the TV and the movie playing on it. I have no idea what it was but it was but I was struck by how young and handsome/beautiful all the actors were, how perfect their hair was, how stunning their clothes... there was even quite a lot of subtle sexual innuendo going on. Funny how ones perspective changes with age, in my youth I just thought it was all terribly old fashioned  and fusty.

@dorianne I consider chocolate ice cream as a whole food group unto itself and have not met optimum nutritional standards the past few days due to running out )':

Today I got off work a bit early so met my other half for a quick cuppa, then went home and cooked dinner for my oldest friend in the world (that is, the friend I've had the longest, she's not that old)

Did someone forget Clark Gable?

Of course, the scene in an affair to remember when Cary grant and Deborah Kerr hold hands on the stairwell of the cruise ship is sheer poetry

GA - I’m with you on Gregory Peck! Roman Holiday is one of my top three favorite “old” movies. The Barefoot Contessa is in my top three as well. Call me crazy - but Humphrey Bogart - I don’t know why... maybe it’s those soulful, sad eyes of his. Loved him in the original Sabrina, as well.

After looking through my old recipe files - I’m about ready to give up and try to duplicate the recipe from memory and use elements of the similar ones I’ve found on line. My last resort - prior to that is to call my sister-in-law. She was at the TG dinner when I made it and liked it so much she asked for the recipe. I know she’s used it many times since then. But I’m wondering if - as most cooks do - in time she’s changed it or even does it by route now. Plus - I really don’t want to call her - her moms not doing well and since I’ve known SIL and her mom since I was a two y/o - I’m afraid SIL will tell me all about it. Plus, SIL is very likely to bring up my mom as well. I know that sounds so horribly selfish but like I said - this is the first holiday I’ve felt anything besides dread for in soooo long - I just don’t want it spoiled.

Anyhoo - I’ll share what I come up with. I should say - it’s not a stuffing for eating - it’s for flavor and keeping the turkey juicy. Although, I did see several eatable stuffing recipes on line that incorporate apples. I’m just not a stuffing eater. (I know, Dorianne - I know).

Stuffing is my favourite part! If I could convince my friends to celebrate American Thanksgiving on top of the Canadian one, I could have stuffing in October, stuffing in November, and stuffing in December. All my stuffing needs would be satisfied for the year! But I have to wait till Christmas now....

Ha ha, I put something on Netflix a couple of weeks ago for mom, starring Robert Redford and Jane Fonda. After about 20 minutes, she said, "You know, some men just don't age well." And then she didn't want to watch it anymore! Lol. I find it difficult to crush on my mother's crushes, 'cause it feels weird. ;-)

Add Gregory Peck to the list. Some of those men had charisma in their acting, that old model of strong and silent, so much more so than some of the actors today. That was part of their charm.

RainMom, if you find that stuffing recipe, would you mind sharing it? I've been thinking about a creamy fruit salad in whipped cream (I think) that I had at Win Schulers back in the 1960s. Found a few recipes so I'll start experimenting.

Chugs sounds like an interesting mix with good potential for maximum cuteness. Pugs crack me up - they always look so worried.

And speaking of looks - as old time heartthrob go - Cary Grant and Tyrone Powers! But for me it just doesn’t get any better than Robert Redford circa Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid and The Way We Were. They just don’t make ‘um like they use to - but George Clooney does come close.

Just rolling all these great looking men around in my head has seemed like doing g something nice for myself today.

Now - off to find the recipe I used the last time I actually cooked a thanksgiving dinner - back in my pre-caregiver days - 1000 years ago, it feels like. This is the first holiday I’ve looked forward to - and had any enthusiasm for in even a longer time. Now - if I can just find the recipe! It involves stuffing the turkey with apples and oranges... nothing I’ve found on line has been exactly right.

They are adorable!! And the adults at the breeder bark a lot,, but so does our Chihuahua!

@cwillie - I am in the interior....we are scheduled for some flurries tonight, but it's too warm for it to last. What kind of Canadians are we that we can't share snow with our American friends? ;-)

@GardenArtist - I vote hot chocolate! I don't know if he was a heartthrob, but I've always had a little crush on Stewart Granger....I think maybe after watching Prisoner of Zenda as a kid. Lol!

@pamzimmrrt - I had to google a Chug because I could NOT visualize what that combo might look like! Sounds adorable!

Looking for my winter boots, gear, and thinking what I should bring to dash up to Port Huron and get across the bridge to see CWillie's snow.

But, alas, we had more snow here, soft, gently falling and slowly changing the landscape. Winter has arrived! And so has the cold.

Now, the dilemma - hot chocolate or hot cider tonight to keep me warm?

Or maybe just more posts on the old "heartthrobs" as we used to call them?

rainmom,, we are getting a Chug,, a mix of pug and Chihuahua. We already share custody of an adorable Chihuahua with our daughter, and mom loves that dog! The Chug will be a bit bigger (bella is 5 lbs, and these are 10 - 12) We got the "runt" so we are hoping she will stay smaller, and be company for Mom. I wanted to name her Karma,, but no one else seems to like it.. so Chloe is next in line..LOL I figure she will pick her own name once she settles in. We get her Wed.

Dorianne I'm in SW Ontario, the second wussiest part of Canada when it comes to winter (after coastal BC of course). I've been checking the forecast and they say everything here should melt tomorrow, so GA had better hurry across the bluewater bridge soon if she wants to get some.😄

@GardenArtist & Rainmom - Paul Newman was definitely a heartthrob I appreciate! And yeah, for sure there is something I find extra crush-worthy about guys who are devoted to their spouses, especially in celeb-land.

@cwillie - What part of the world are you from? I'm in BC, Canada but our first snowfall in my town lasted a week and it's all gone.

@BarbBrooklyn - Well, good for you for finding time to go, and just in time to get on those problems, maybe!

I am still sick. This stupid cough!!!! Mom has been sleeping again today, so I took a 3 hour nap. Napping and kitten-snuggling - I guess that's all I've really done for myself today!

Oy, went to the dentist for the first time in over a year today. Two cavities and gum problems.

GA, snow is blowing in off the lake today, you are more than welcome to come and get some... aw heck, take it all. 😒

GA - Jason Momoa was also in the tv series Game of Thrones, which is a gigantic phenomenon currently. I tried watching it but didn’t even make it through the first season. I don’t get it... the huge allure. Anyhoo-

Nothing wrong with
Paul Newman and Sean Connery. Especially, Paul Newman- his devotion to his wife all those years and his dedication to helping the world through his charities make him as sexy as it gets in my book. Those baby-blues didn’t hurt either!

Enjoy your pine cone hunt. I have such admiration for people who are creative and crafty. I get ideas in my mind but on implementation- my projects look like something a 12yr old Brownie would get excommunicated from the troop for.

Well, I'm really showing my age. I couldn't even begin to think who Jason Momoa is until I googled him and learned he was in Stargate Atlantis; that photo helped me remember.

Any other old gals here? Back in "the day" Sean Connery, Paul Newman and others were the heartthrobs. It's amusing how life changes from one decade and one generation to the next.

And back to the original topic, my mind has been churning with ideas but they're all tangled up and I can't get them straightened out.

I did leisurely peruse another Christmas magazine last night and easily became mentally whisked off to a land of beautiful holiday fabrics, clever and lovely decorations, and eventually to thoughts of tramping through conifer forests searching for cones to use in wreaths, enjoying the wonderful respite of that fresh scent that's found only in areas filled with evergreens.

But winter is not far away -- it snowed here for about 5 minutes. Not much, but it's a start. I'm anxious for the first blizzard, when the kitchen will be filled with the fragrance of tempting delights from the oven.

Dorianne- I’m sure it doesn’t hurt that Lisa Bonnet is exotic, beautiful and the ultimate in hip and cool. All that and hot hubby(s) too. Some girls have all the luck!

pamzimmrrt - what type of puppy are you getting? I’m a dog person - three fur babies of my own.

Hmmm... Jason Momoa shirtless - holding a puppy...

I'm afraid I started getting sick yesterday so I haven't really done anything for myself...except lie in bed all day. Mom seems to be pulling one of her all-day sleep-a-thons, so it's working out so far. (She is usually very exhausted after the week of dialysis.)

One thing I did do for myself this week was join up with a friend in brainstorming a little home-based business idea that might bring us a bit of extra cash, and would still let us look after our moms. We even took an afternoon to go "spying" on local stores to see what's they're selling, or not selling. We are starting very small with a holiday product, which we'll sell through a friend's store. But I've been able to source wholesale ingredients right here in Canada that would let us, possibly, make products that are organic, cruelty-free, ethically-sourced, locally-made, etc. We are both science nerds and concerned about the future of the planet, so doing something like this seems right on time.

I'm on this HUGE learning curve right now, which I am enjoying tremendously. And it's also nice to be able to think about the future a little bit, because honestly, up until now most of my thoughts about the future have centered on AFTER my caregiving duties are done, if you know what I mean. And I don't want to have to think that way!

@stacyb - I haven't been to a movie since Wonder Woman. Let us know how this one is!

@pamzimmrrt - Woohoo for the puppy! I bet it feels good to put in extra time knowing the money is going towards something awesome like that.

@Rainmom - Don't apologize for naughtiness! I think naughty times are part of self-care, aren't they? ;-)

Also I'm a little jealous of Lisa Bonet's ability to get some of the hottest men in the world. First Lenny Kravitz, then Jason Momoa....like, write a book, lady! Tell us your secret!

I went to work today on my day off, for double time!! Putting that toward the puppy we are getting to pick up Wed, and it will cover her price and the vet bills for her first visit,, yeah me!! And even though we were still short staffed I had a great day, and I know my patients were taken care of in a better manner than if I had not gone in!

I intend to get out and see the new movie WONDER, as it sounds like a very inspirational movie, and quite a tear jerker too!
We all need a little inspiration, and more compassion in our lives, and it's good to reset our appreciation of what other have to endure in life.

Caregiving is such hard work, but when it's a child, suffering from bullying from a disease they cannot prevent, it definitely pulls on your heart strings, and makes you rethink how you can have compassion for others, and make changes for the better in our own lives.

Jason Momoa - YUM! He could spank me and make me write bad checks.

6’4” and 235lbs of pure eye candy. 

He’s definitely something I’d like to do for myself!  So naughty- sorry!

@Lonelysolonely - chocolate ice cream counts as a dairy serving! In my world, lol.

@BarbBrooklyn - good for you for getting it done! I keep procrastinating.

@cwillie - working on overcoming fears totally counts!

@Guestshopadmin - I can't wait to see Jason Momoa as Aquaman! Rowr, indeed!  And I ADORE Wonder Woman, have since I was about five!! I felt like I waited a hundred years for the WW movie. Saw it twice in the theatre.....took my mom the 2nd time. She read the comics as a kid, too, and literally DID wait 75 years for the movie!

@GardenArtist - I haven't done much art at all in the last 4 years - lost my stepmom to cancer, then was working 2 jobs to buy a vehicle and some music gear, then I started caregiving for my mom. But I don't think I ever stopped working with coloured pencils from when I was a kid! I just have better and more expensive ones now, lol. Some of the good quality ones (I'm thinking of Derwent and Prismacolor Artist's) have lasted me a couple of decades; they are worth the money. Have you tried blending or smearing them with mineral spirits and a q-tip yet? That is one of my favourite methods of making them more "painterly." I also like mixing media - I've done a lot of mixed pieces with coloured pencil, watercolour, and ink. I do love pastels and I don't mind the mess, but I'm not very "free," if you know what I mean. I get sucked into details and precise edges! I did try making my own (chalk) pastels once, though, to make custom colours - that was fun! Do you mean oil paint or oil pastels? I've done some pieces with oil pastels, but the paint and I don't get along well!

I actually bought only a few graphite pencils this time, because mine were all stubby! And some blending stumps. I thought I'd dip my toes back in gently. I do have my coloured pencils here though, and I got an amazing deal on a new set of 60 from Amazon - I thought mom might get interested in adult colouring books, but she didn't. (I did pick her up a little sketchbook and some pencils too, though, just in case it piques her interest....she IS the one who taught me how to draw!)