Messages By: jbbatwot

Dearest Diane 

Words fail at a time like this.  I just wish I were nearby to give you a big hug.  You just hang in there and know that you have many friends here who truly care. 

With love from Julie. 

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVE TO ALL MY WONDERFUL FRIENDS!!!!! 

DH and I are at our oldest son's house in a suburb of Chicago.  It has been sunny all week and a lot of the snow has melted around the house.  But we are hoping for a White Christmas in the morning as we head off for Church on the day we celebrate Christ's birth. 

Church is at 8:45am.....  after a quick breakfast we will all head for services, then come home and have lunch, after which we will open presents.  We are so pleased that our grandchildren voted to postpone gifts until the afternoon.  They are all developing strong images of what is good, better and best in decision making. 

I see some long time friends have posted - those that we do not hear from very often.  SO very good to hear from you and know that you have not forgotten us! 

I have no idea how much weight I may have gained in the week that we have been up here but, I do know that my blood sugars have been in the safe range so that is usually a good indicator of how I am doing.   I've already begun to think about my New Year's Resolutions.....  2006  GEE!  How time flies.  I will be 65 this year in June.  Inside my heart and mind I still feel about 35.  Unfortunately my body is already acting 85.  I know that my mother was in much better health at 65 than I am now! 

Much love and Merry Christmas to all.........from Julie 

Happy New Year to all my WLC friends!  Julie here, in balmy Dallas, ready to start a new year with happiness, hopefulness and resolve to be a better me!  I'm excited to have all of you as friends.  Friends to turn to in happy times and sad.  Friends through bad times and good.   

On Saturday, Dec. 31 DH and I hosted our very first real party here in our new home.  First party since we moved to Dallas 3 years ago;  First party since we moved here into our retirement home; and First Party since my parent's death and my breakdown.   It sure was good to be mentally and physically healthy enough to host a party again.    

This party was "titled"  Family Get-Together.  All of the people invited live within an hour driving distance from us.  All of them are kin to us in some way or other.  When I listed all the invitees I was amazed at how many "relatives" live near us!  It is wonderful.  42  wow!  And out of that 23 were able to attend.  Several were still out of town for the holidays and a couple were home with bad colds.  All in all we had a wonderful time. 

The most exciting news that I have deals with diabetes.   I have been invited to participate in another diabetes study.  So for the next six months I will be given all my medicines, materials, and supplies.  I will have to weigh in weekly and also report my gucose test results.  This will help me. 

This new study includes a Continuous Glucose Monitoring System.  No more finger pricks!!  This device tests right through your skin with NO PAIN.  It tests 288 times every 24 hours!  Sounds like something from outer space.   I will also be using a PDA.  (not sure what that stands for)  it is like palm pilot....  electronically keeps all the test results, foods eaten, intentional exercise, medicines, all sorts of  data.  I will have to learn to use all this new stuff.  My daughter calls me "high tech mama"    LOL 

That's all the news for now.  I'll be back with you all later. 

Bye bye 

Julie 

Dear Mary and Carolyn, and everyone else! 

I was reading back over the last week's posts when my eye caught and my brain registered on your statement about sgs suicide attempt.  I'm sorry I did not comment sooner. 

This can be such a scary time for both the family and the person.  I know.  I have been both!  It is a real cry for help!! I certainly hope that he is getting some.  It seems to come and go.  One day I'm up and happy and giving a big party - and yes, it was a huge success and I was very glad to do it.  Then before you know it - my mood can crash!  The day after the party my sister informed me that she and her husband are separating and each taking one child.  My heart is broken!  I cannot think clearly and am not sleeping (note that it is after 1am as I write this). 

Mental health is a tricky thing.  Sure is scary.  I can be sane and happy and on top of the world one day and crashing in the depths the next.  I'm still on antidepressants but the dosage was not enough for my sister's sad information.  Then this afternoon my bro-in-law called and was crying and I just didn't know what to say to him.  I love him dearly, but I can't live their lives, and I can't make my sister think differently.  I know that she would not be doing this if our parents were still alive! 

Someone asked about my DH Christmas Concerts.  They went beautifully! Thank you.  He went back to rehearsals tonight.  They began getting ready for a February concert.  Unfortunately, with him gone all evening and me worrying about Sister,  I binged on cookies and cocoa (they were sugar free but not calorie free).  Why were they in the house?  leftover party things.  AWWWWKKK it sure did make me mad at myself - and upset my tummy too!  I just can't seem to hold everything together at once. 

Diane:  yes, normal people's blood sugar does fluxuate.  just like people without blood pressure problems have fluxation in their blood pressure.  It just doesn't stay that way long enough to hurt them.  I'll be interested to learn how the continuous glucose monitoring system reports my ups and down in blood sugar on an extended basis....  like how soon after a meal does it get back down to normal?  I'll be letting y'all know. 

Please pray for my sister and family.  The children 13 and 15 are, of course, very upset.  Pray for me too.  That I may be able to handle this wisely and not destroy myself over it. 

Love to all.....  Julie 

Good Morning friends, 

I come to you this morning with heavy heart.  My sister and her husband are separating and each taking a child.  This has upset me greatly and my concern is so much for my niece and nephew (ages 13 and 15).  I'm having great difficulty sleeping - even with heavy sleeping pills the last few nights.  No one can live another's life, I know this, it is so difficult to stand back and watch.  I'd love to give her Dr. Phil's new book on LOVE but for some reason my sister hates Dr. Phil so she would not read it.  (Probably because she knows he is right about things and she is SO SO independent!) 

Please pray for the family.  And I ask for prayers for myself, that I may be unjudgmental and loving, supportive and caring of each of them. 

JOYCE:  I was so thrilled by the reports of your two grandsons and their hugs.  The little autistic boy: WOW! what an amazing thing for him to want to touch and hug you.  That was a real Christmas Blessing.  And your Josh! So rare for a boy that age to show love and appreciation!  Another blessing!  My heart is happy for you.  Treasure those moments and bring them out in memory when the going gets tough. 

RUTURNER:  Aren't those winter colds and ear infections a real bugger?  I usually get at least one round each winter and just knocks me for a loop.  Sure hope you and Steve both recover soon.  I was impressed how Larry occupied Jenna while you and Steve were "under the weather".  Hope he got a great big "thank you" hug for doing that!  Jenna is sorda our little mascot here on the WOW board.  We've all watched her grow and change through your posts.  It's not always been easy for you to raise her, but just think of the progress so far.  My wish for 2006 is that she will make great strides toward improved mental health. Bless you for all you do! 

Special hellos to DIANE, CAROLYN, SANDRA, CONNIE, and others who have been posting regularly lately.  It's always good to hear from each of you.  Please know you are cherished friends! 

Love to all from Julie 

Each day is special to someone somewhere, 

It's the day of their birth and folks really do care. 

January 6, just wait and see, 

Is special for our friend Judi. 

Carol Ann and friends will surely celebrate, 

All day long on January 8. 

On the 16th we'd like to employ, 

A big brass band for our friend Joy. 

Ulnamn's day is the 23rd. 

She'll be real happy, so we've heard. 

The 25th will surely be, 

A glorious day for Judy T. 

To all of you we send Best Wishes, 

And may you not have to do the dishes!! 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JANUARY GIRLS! 

Good Morning, WOW's.   

Blue, it doesn't bother me that you are trying to learn something new for your MAC.  Just go right ahead and post until you get it right. 

Sandra, sorry you are having trouble sleeping.  I suffer with insomnia, also, and know what a frustration it can be.  Usually, I just give in and go with the flow.  I sleep when I feel sleepy and try to keep myself happy and busy when I am awake.  No matter what time of day or night that may be.  Thank goodness we don't have jobs or small children that require us to be on a schedule. 

Hi Diane!  I was just thinking about your safety.  Be careful walking around outside.  Especially, when just putting out the trash, etc.  It is easy to forget safety shoes and safety measures when doing just daily routine things like that.  And ZAP! before you know it you will be laying on the cold hard ice at the bottom of the stairs!  I remember that once, long ago, you told us the story about having tea with your great aunt, or grandma, or someone when you were a little girl.  It seems that it was in a hotel.  Would you mind repeating that lovely event?  I'd like to hear it again! 

Dear Judi, hope that your birthday was happy.  We still all miss Dyan as we know that you do. She overcame such fears of what she felt were her inadequate writing skills.  We all came to love her for her determination to be a part of this group.   

Carolyn, are y'all having grass fires over your way?  As you may have seen, the whole Dallas/Ft.Worth area is in danger of grass fires right now.  Even burning down some homes.  Our lake levels are dreadfully low.  Such a drought!  Hope your area is doing better?? 

Joyce - How is that bike doing? I forget it's name (LOL).  Have you moved it inside for the winter?  Sure hope you are using it every day!  How is your mother doing?  Bring us up to date on her holidays.  Hope she is well. 

Obie - where are you?  haven't heard much from you lately?  don't drift away from us!   

MaryB - such highs and lows of emotion going on with you right now....  don't take it out on food! 

Jackie - have there been fires near by your place?  I know it must be as dry there as here.  Bring us up to date on how the boys are doing.  Is your DH still driving cross country? 

Ruturner - I love to hear stories of Jenna and Larry.  Again, I praise God, for you and Steve and how you are helping in the lives of those two children!  Stand firm against all those who would interfer with what you know is best to do. 

I started my Diabetic Study Routine this morning.  Blood Sugar 78.  Weight 137.5  Breakfast: one egg - scrambled w/ pam.  two link sausages.  1/2 tomato sliced w/ salt.  one biscuit w/ sugar free jelly.  2Cups of 2%milk. 1cup coffee - black w/ splenda.  (I am a big breakfast eater - always have been.  But cut this back from 3 eggs, 5 sausages, 2 biscuits w/ butter.  So this is progress for me) 

I'll be in touch with y'all later and will have more messages for some of you!  Keep reading the posts everyone!   

Love from Julie 

OH DEAR.......  WHAT WISHFUL THINKING MADE ME REPORT MY WEIGHT AS 137 1/2.  When in truth it is 237 1/2....... I don't think that I even weighed 137 when I was in high school! .....  so please forgive my slip of finger on the keyboard.   

JOAN ... I will certainly add Mike and Jennifer & children to my prayer list.  It is so scary for young people to have cancer......  I'll pray for you to have peace, also.   

RAINY ...  Congratulations on your new car.  I've always loved Buicks.  But goodness - you sure made the most out of you '84 olds!  My car is '90 but I've just turned over 60,000 miles so I think I will have it for quite a while yet.  Did you give your hair to Locks of Love?  I used to know a lady with beautiful dark red hair.  She hadn't cut it since childhood, but when she heard of Locks of Love she went and had it cut very short and gave it all to Locks of Love. 

ELSIE ...  May I ask ???  you put 3 pounds of WHAT? out on the curb to be taken for free???  If it was personal fat (LOL) then I think all of us  might try that way to shed some pounds....ha ha ha ha. 

SANDRA ... Eating with your seafood fork!  what a clever idea!  I think I will try that! 

SPECIAL HELLO TO:  Den Mom Carole, and long time poster Eileen.....  I'm looking forward to reading a post from each of you soon. 

Love to all from Julie 

Tea Bags....  especially herbal teas can have thousands of uses. 

dampen a tea bag and bite it to help make tooth ache go away. 

us the stain of the tea to dye things (and color hair) 

wet tea bags on your eye lids help erase bags under eyes, wrinkles, and red eyes (will help hide the effects of dope or alcohol) 

But as to why it was behind the toilet with the soiled underwear -- well! that is a new one on me!!LOL 

Hi Diane 

One of my favorite shows on TV comes from the cable channel HGTV (Home, Garden TV)....  in fact I like to watch practically everything on that cable channel! 

This particular show starts with a family who buys a new house and moves away. 

Then someone buys their old house and fixes it up and lets them come back and see it. 

Then someone else buys that second person's house and fixes it up and lets them come back and see what they've done to it. 

Anyway.  One particular episode this past week had houses in Newport!   It did not mention if any of them were historical homes but I doubt that they were old - even tho they were at least 50 years old. 

The first lady - looked like about 60 or so, had lived in her house for 50 years but was getting remarried!!  and so she was selling her house and she and new hubby were moving to a new house somewhere.  It mentioned that she had two US Presidents in her ancestory!  They made a cute couple - looked to be in their 80's, both tall, gray haired, thin and "classy".    Their little "cottage" was purchased by 3 brothers who fixed it up for a family vacation home.  They would all go take their families there so they had to redo the basement into a big room for all the children. 

The three brothers had owned another house in town that they had been using for a vacation home for 10 years or so.  It seemed to sit right on the street with hardly even a sidewalk in the front between the house and the street.  It was a large 2 story, blue and white, house.  They sold this house to a lady who was in the real estate business and liked to move into houses and fix them up and later sell them for a profit.  She was fixing this one up to please her "boyfriend" of 16 years and hoped that he would like it enough to move from Maine and come live with her.  She was hoping for an eventual marriage proposal.  I'd say that she was in her 50's. 

I didn't like what she did to that precious old house.  Her boyfriend liked black and white and she fixed up the master bedroom to be all black and white (looked really ugly to me).  At the end of the show she said that he still wasn't sure if he was going to move down and live with her or not.  GEE, after 16 years you'd think a guy could make up his mind!  But as my Mother used to say  "If you give away the milk, who will want to buy the cow?"  LOL 

ANYWAY, Diane,  all this talk of Newport houses really made me think about you.  Sorry that they do not give addresses, and only use first names, so I can't identify the people for you.  But I enjoyed seeing the houses in Newport! 

As most of you can see.....   I'm having another one of my sleepless in Dallas nights!!  Love to all, Julie