Community Chat

[SportyShorty07]

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@Enufstuff wrote:

@SportyShorty07  I'm sorry to learn that you have been having a  rough time. I know that last month was so disappointing for you.

I hope that you are doing better now. There are so many great things ahead for you. It is hard to be patient, waiting for those good things to happen.

After being married for 21 years and raising five children, I was devastated by being divorced and single for 8 years, getting my degree and working two jobs, to keep things together. My dance classes were what got me through the rough times.

During that time, I never thought that I would remarry, but I did, at 45.

Things can always get better and I wish the best for you. You have many talents and abilities. Your art and culinary skills can

bring you happiness and fulfillment. I know that it is hard to stay positive during rough times. You are a strong young lady and you will get through this. What doesn't kill us, makes us stronger.

You and your sisters must have been adorable in your poodle skirts. I thought that maybe you would be too young to know what that syle was.

I never had one, but when the older girls were wearing poodle skirts, I was about 7 years old. My mother made me a red felt Christmas skirt with little green satin bows on the the front. Attached to each bow was a little jingle bell. (I have some teeny tiny jingle bells and may make that skirt for Toni, for next Christmas.)  I would have loved to have had a poodle skirt like the big girls had.

 The skirts that I am making are #1 pink with a black poodle,

#2 gray with a pink poodle and #3 aqua with a white cat. I'm also making blouses, two white ones and a pink one to go with the gray skirt. I'll post those outfits, when they are completed.

  Before I started the poodle skirts, I felt like doing some baking. It has been years since I made Baklava, it is time consuming and standing for a long time kills my back, but I wanted to make it. My family loves it.

 Ramadan ended at the time of the eclipse and I knew that my neighbor family from Iraq would be celebrating Eid. I wanted to bring them some Baklava.

  First, I got out my art supplies and made them a lovely card in green and gold, traditional Eid colors. The next day I baked and made them a lovely tray of Baklava, cut in diamond shapes, in green foil cupcake cups, covered and tied with a green satin ribbon. They were surprised when I brought it over.

  Of coarse, we enjoyed our share of it too. This week, I plan on making a pineapple upside down cake. That is another thing that I have have not made in many years. But there were some posts here about it and they inspired me to make it again.

   Last week I made your recipe for the Lemon Pepper marinated chicken, again. My guys love it. Thanks again for the recipe. Have you done any baking lately?

  Stay well and take care,

                                   Donna

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@Enufstuff  Oh Donna/Enuffstuff, you are an absolute dearheart and you made me tear up reading such tremendously kind words of encouragement .  Thank you so very much.  Your story is so inspiring- you got your degree and supported your children and pursued your love of dance and have done so many beautiful creative things with your artwork adn cooking and you remarried.  I really admire your intelligence, perseverence and creativity- you are a one of a kind lady and a strong lady too!   I'm thinking up a creative game plan for  the next few months in terms of potential career steps.  I'll reapply to this position in 2 years, but I've got to make a great life for myself in the meantime.  I've been heartbroken by the news of not getting this job, but each week I get a little more of my spirit back slowly but surely.  

     I've been cooking a lot for my family- I've made lemon pepper chicken wings with a kale apple almond salad with a lemon dressing.  I made chipotle marinated boneless chicken thighs with a tabouli salad.  I cooked a crowd pleaser crispy chicken wings tossed in a garlic parsely parmesan sauce and I made my signature savory popcorn party mix.  In terms of baking, I made a Boston cream pie and a NY style cheesecake and I'll follow your lead and make a Pineapple Upside Down cake too.

   My sisters and I loved our poodle skirts as kids- we used to run around the backyard in them and twirl around.  Your jinglebell Christmas skirt that your Mom made you sounds absolutely lovely! Ooh Toni would look very nice in that skirt for Christmas.   Your Toni Poodle skirts and their coordinating blouses will be so lovely- and I bet the cat applique that you're going to sew on one will be such a marvelous treat.  

    You are so kind to make your Iraqi neighbors delicious Baklava for Eid- and I love the fact that you put them in green and gold Eid colors! I like how you are so thoughtful and so sentimental in your creative touches when you make artwork, host parties or bake and cook things.  I am so glad that you enjoy the lemon pepper chicken recipe that I gave you! It's one of my signature dishes and I made it yesterday for my family.  I'll go through my recipe cards I've written out and I'll give you another recipe this week  Thank you once again for your kindness, Donna- I really sincerely appreciate it! -Louise 

[SportyShorty07]

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@on the bay wrote:

@Enufstuff,

Those were such  kind and encouraging words to @SportyShorty07. I hope the same for her

And I will be so looking forward to the poodle skirts and especially the Christmas dress with little bells! 

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@on the bay  Thank you so much for your kind words too, On the bay and Enuffstuff!. I typed out a response to Enuffstuff extending my heartfelt thanks too! I am so touched by and so very grateful for the support from you, Enuffstuff and everyone who took the time to write me words of encouragement when I didn't get the job.   I'm also looking forward to Toni's Christmas dress with little bells- I enjoy everything that Enuffstuff creates!

[on the bay]

@SportyShorty07,

I hope you have sweet dreams and a good night. And tomorrow a brand new morning

[LuvSoCal]

@Enufstuff What an absolutely precious picture of you on your First Holy Communion. I remember mine like it was yesterday. Yes, I felt extremely special that day. All the preparation! I wish I could post my picture too.

[SportyShorty07]

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@on the bay wrote:

@SportyShorty07,

I hope you have sweet dreams and a good night. And tomorrow a brand new morning

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@on the bay  Thank you very much, On The Bay! I hope that you have great dreams, a wonderful rest of your night and a really great day tomorrow! .

[Enufstuff]

@ECBG   Thank you.  I read that you fell on the stairs yesterday.  That is so unfortunate to have happen with your back and ankle issues.

   You have had a tough year with injuries. How are you feeling today?  Many times we don't feel the pain until the next day, after an injury or a fall. In recent years, I've had two falls. One with a head injury. It can take months to recover. Please be careful and don't push yourself to do too much, too soon.

   I was so glad to see 2023 end. I didn't post about all the things that plagued me, but from January on there were health issues all year, being in the hospital on a heart monitor, a medication causing that problem,gout and kidney issues. Another medication giving me allergic reactions that took months to recover from. Both times having to take prednisone,

which does not agree with me and I can't sleep when taking it.

For the past three years, I have been getting injections in my knee and shoulder for bone on bone pain. They want to do replacements, but I'm trying to avoid surgery. I have problems with anesthesia and am allergic to just about every medication that is given to me. Plus I'm allergic to latex and the adhesives

in bandages and tape. The last time I was in the hospital, four doctors were on my case. One told me that I am a puzzle. I have too may allergies and sensitivities. They took away two of my medications, one being for Fibromyalgia and this week,

I'm feeling that pain again.

In August, I had laser eye surgery for Glaucoma, for the second time  and it went badly. It gave me shooting pain in my forehead  and had headaches for three months. For a couple of weeks, I couldn't even think of what I was doing. For example, I would walk to the microwave, but I couldn't remember how to use it. I would start to do something and forget what I was doing, scary.

The night after the eye surgery, I woke up in the middle of the night and my face was red and a rash was going down my arms

and back. It was an allergic reaction to one of the five things that they put in my eye.

I saw five doctors and no one had ever seen this happen before.

My face got worse and I had to wait three weeks to get an appointment with a dermatologist and then took prednisone again. The skin on my face turned like leather, tight and painful, then peeled off. I said that I had a chemical peel, but from the inside out. I still wake up in the morning with headaches. When I went for new glasses a few weeks ago and the examined my eyes with the bright light, it caused pain that lasted for a couple of hours. I know that laser surgery did something wrong to my right eye.

I have cataracts and the start of macular degeneration. That is why I am sewing and doing all the writing and craft projects that I can do now, before I lose my vision. It is hard to see out of my right eye now. My two aunts lost their vision from macular degeneration and they could no longer drive, read, sew, knit or paint. Another reason that I'm trying to do more now is, after having arthritis in my hands for more than 25 years, it is getting more difficult to sew and do intricate things

that I love to do.

I fear the day I need the cataract surgery because of the allergic reaction to the last eye drops.

In the meantime, I just do the best I can each day. I can put myself together when I go out and no one would guess that I have any issues. I have stage 3 kidney disease and only one functioning kidney. You can't see that or any of the other things, including high blood pressure.

But like Billy Crystal said on Saturday Night Live, "It's better to look good than to feel good darling." At least we can look good.

[Enufstuff]

@LuvSoCal  Thank you very much. If you have access to your picture, post it. I would love to see it.

I have a shoebox full of all my pictures that my mother gave to me years ago. Being the first child, they took a ton of pictures.

My first month was spent in a Boston hospital,but I have pictures from 6 weeks old to high school age.

[stellabystarlight]

@Enufstuff   You brought back so many memories.  I had almost the identical veil, and a dotted swiss organza first holy communion dress in pure white with white anklets and white mary jane shoes.  Your work is outstanding.  I love Toni.

[lynnie61]

@Enufstuff   Beautiful work!  I love Toni's communion dress and veil.  I made my communion in 1968, and my brother made his in 1973, maybe it was a regional thing, as everyone wore suits and our lovely white dresses and veils.  Now I'm curious to hear of what they are wearing today.  And, our second grade class had close to 90 kids, unlike the catholic classes today.  

Your work is impressive and so kind to your neighbors.  I can't wait to see the poodle skirts and jingle bell skirt or dress for Christmas for Toni.  Your communion picture is precious, thank you for sharing that.  My favorite communion piece was my tiny white purse..  There were pressed flowers on the flap, I loved it!

Sorry for your health and allergy issues.  It's a lot.  I'm blessed with fairly good health, but had a knee issue in 2022.  The pain!  Yikes, but PT helped a lot, and it was not bone on bone, so I was lucky.  My SO has so many eye issues from undiagnosed diabetes  early last year.  He was always thin and fit, and he thought it was a cataract, but sadly it was a detached retina.  He had major surgery on that eye, but could not save the sight in that eye.  He was just one that never went to the dr.  Very sad.  

Thank you again for your kindness, sharing Toni with us.  I love your story telling about Toni.  Thanks for making some days so bright.

Hi @SportyShorty07   Hope you are doing ok.  I know it was tough, but wherever you land career wise, I am sure you will excel. Please try to stay positive.  You are so kind and sweet.  There are better plans out there for you.  Sorry to hear of some depression, I know you were devastated at the news off not getting the job, but read so many positive comments in that thread. Please take care. Most ladies here are SOOOO positive and kind here, and just want you to be happy whatever you do.  You have so much to offer and kindness in your heart.  Love hearing your cooking, baking and make up conversations.  You are someone that anyone would love calling you daughter, sister or friend.  Take care!  Hugs (((❤️))).  

[Witchy Woman]

@Enufstuff 

Your Toni Communion dress is exquisite.  And, you were such a beautiful little girl...I got teary-eyed thinking of you on your special day. 

I have photos of my First Communion, but cannot remember how I felt.  I did not attend Catholic School and was a little older than most of the kids when I had my Communion.

I was taller than everyone and felt self-conscious.  My mother made my dress and it was very pretty, but all I can remember is feeling very shy about the whole thing.

My mom always posed us in front of her lilac bush or rose bushes.  I'm going to look for those photos today.

As everyone has said, your attention to detail and workmanship is amazing.  Toni's hair is glorious, and the little silver cross is such a special touch.

As always, thanks for sharing.