Friday Thoughts
Hi, friends! We are more than midway through October, and it feels like the right time to check in with a Friday Thoughts post. Itโs a long one (no pressure to read until the end ๐).
Just a quick heads up: a lot of you have been asking, so I wanted to let you know that Iโll be posting my annual holiday gift guides on Friday, November 1, so stay tuned for those! This yearโs game gift guide is SO GOOD.
Also, cookbooks and hoodies have been restocked for the holidays!
Halloween: Love or Hate?
Letโs just start out this Friday Thoughts post with a bang, shall we?
How do you feel about Halloween?
I must confess that I am not a Halloween fan. I hope we can still be friends.
I like the fun, yummy food traditions surrounding it, but thatโs about it. Iโm kind of a Halloween grinch. We donโt do elaborate family costumes (although I do greatly admire the effort many of you put into those!), but I will pull out my Viking beanie that my sister crocheted for me and wear it to church trunk-or-treat parties and football games around this time of year (it helps that our high school mascot is the Vikings). ๐
Iโm dying to know your thoughts about Halloween. (Yes, my kids go trick-or-treating, but once they hit a certain age, they are on their own for costumes โ I did my due diligence when they were younger coming up with creative costumes. Iโm off the clock now!)
Tell me youโre 46 without telling me youโre 46
At the risk of sounding like Iโm positively ANCIENT, the last few months have been hard on my middle-aged body.
There is nothing life threateningโฆrather, itโs all just annoying.
Since Iโm at the age where conversation usually leads to physical ailments, the weather, or politics (and I am definitely not going there, haha), let me just go ahead and give you a bulleted list.
- threw out my back a few weeks ago and literally couldnโt move for days. There is no dramatic story, I JUST MOVED WRONG โ ๏ธ
- apparently I am now wearing house shoes FULL TIME because my feet scream without arch supports
- increasing hand pain and numbness was confirmed by a hand specialist as carpal tunnel syndrome (trying some splint/brace/supplement treatment in the hopes of avoiding immediate surgery, but goodness my hand hurts) ๐๐ผ
- finally scheduled a colonoscopy since Iโm over 45; that fun event is happening next week ๐ฅด
- sleeping terribly (thank you, hot flashes) and hormones all over the place (not letting my family chime in on the comments of this one ๐); seeing an integrative womenโs health doctor next month
Behold, the joys of middle age! (To be fair, I actually love being in my 40โs โ favorite decade so far for many reasons โ just wish my body would be a bit nicer to me!)
Likes and Dislikes
Books I Liked
Really loved these books. (Google content warnings specific to each book if you need a heads up for language, etc.)
James by Percival Everett (enjoyed this immensely)
Here One Moment by Liane Moriarty (entertaining story; gave me a lot to think about)
The Small and The Mighty by Sharon McMahon (so inspiring)
Books I Did Not Like
The Unmaking of June Farrow by Adrienne Young (audio version dragged and didnโt keep my interest)
The Women by Kristin Hannah (Yes, I know Iโm in the minority here)
Fave Jeans Right Now
The Kessler Wide Leg from Piper and Scoot (shoot, looks like these arenโt available anymore!)
Jeans That Made Me Giggle and Immediately Return
Wide Leg Stovepipe Cuffed from American Eagle
Treats I Find Dangerously Good
Skinny Dipped Peanut Butter Dark Chocolate Cups (a Costco find)
Treats That Got My Hopes Up and Then Made Me Sad
Dark Chocolate Almond Creme Almonds (also a Costco findโฆwanted to love these, but they just were not for me)
A Few Updates + Favorites
My temperature blanket is coming along! Itโs been stalled a bit because of the intense hand pain Iโve been having, but Iโm plugging along and trying to get caught up (currently 60+ rows behind, ITโS FINE EVERYTHING IS FINE).
A few weeks ago, I hosted a Homecoming dinner for my son, his date, and their group. Iโve done a lot of โdance dinnersโ and usually they are pretty formal, but this time, we decided to change it up a bit.
Thanks to my connections knowing a guy with a printing company (ahem, Brian ๐), we printed a huge coloring page banner (found it on Etsy) to go down the length of the tables and put sets of crayons at each place setting. This ended up being a HUGE hit with the teens.
For the menu, my son helped brainstorm a fun diner theme. Each of the kids got a menu to fill out (designed it on Canva using one of their templates), and my adorable 10- and 12- year old servers gathered the menus and gave them to me and a few other moms, and we quickly filled the orders. I had everything cooked, prepped and staying warm in the ovens, so it was really easy to assemble them in these cute baskets.
It was such a fun and easy dinner! And totally worth giving up some of my precious huckleberries stashed in the freezer for their gourmet milkshakes. ๐
Last week I put on real pants, left my house (SHOCKER), and took a quick trip to Charleston, South Carolina, with my mom and sister to see my brother and his husband who live out that direction. It was an amazing trip! We only had about 1 1/2 days in Charleston, but we fit in a lot. Namely, we fit in a lot of food. ๐ I ate the best shrimp and grits of my life at the Charleston Crab House. And of course we had to get Jeniโs ice cream while we were there. I also ate at Boxcar Bettyโs TWICE because I loved their chicken sandwiches so much.
In addition to the food, we took a carriage tour of downtown Charleston and did hours of walking and exploring the history in that area. It was so fascinating! And beautiful. The next day we spent the morning at the Boone Hall Plantation, and it was such a highlight for me. Humbling, intensely interesting, and the avenue of the oaks was stunning. Charleston, you did not disappoint!
Like I always say: if you made it to the end, you deserve an award! Thanks for being here, truly. ๐
Whatโs New with YOU??
We used to do this little thing at dinner time where we would go around the table and everyone would say what their ROSE and THORN was for the day. We havenโt done it in a while, but now that Iโm typing it out here, Iโm determined to bring it back into play with my family.
Iโd love to know how YOU are doing.
If you feel keen on the idea, tell me in the comments what your ROSE (highlight/something good) and THORN (challenge/something less than good) is right now.
Iโll go first.
My ROSE: this space (truly, I love connecting with all of you) + watching my kids work hard and compete in the sports they love (my sophomoreโs football season is ending, my seniorโs wrestling season is beginning, and my 7th graderโs volleyball season ended a few weeks ago).
My THORN: some particularly tender worries about my kids + a new skin spot on my face that I am nearly certain is basal cell carcinoma (as you know, Iโve had two basal cell carcinoma spots on my face and subsequent MOHS surgeries already, and Iโm really bummed out about this one; seeing a dermatologist next week).
And donโt forget to tell me your deep, dark or happy, joyful thoughts about Halloween. Weโre all friends here. ALL OPINIONS WELCOME. ๐ป
I would LOVE your thoughts/ideas/tips on hosting dinners before dances for high school kids. I love what you posted here, but you mention youโve done many. If you need an idea for a blog post, that would be an excellent oneโฆ we are hosting a dinner for high school kids before a sweethearts dance Feb 1 and I am here mining your website for ideas. Thanks for your blog and recipes!!
Late to this postโฆ but I LOVE how real you are. Thank you. Thank you for posting real thoughts and real pictures and real fears and real joys. Thank you for being vulnerable and honest and all the things. As one who finds that social media sends me to a deep dark place (aka- I donโt do it) I just find you beyond refreshing!!!ย
Raising teenagers is HARD. The worry is intense and reasons and basically never goes away.
I hope your spot on your face is fine. I had a basal cell on my lip- had to have it completely reconstructed and it it was 100% awful and traumatizing and to this day I shake and cry going to the dermatologist. But we keep going, right.ย
Youโre amazing and inspiring, Mel. Even if you donโt like Halloween ๐
It makes me happy to agree with you on Halloween! I think Iโma pretty fun mom and I help my kids with their costumes, but Iโm always so happy when itโs over!!
My rose is watching my kids grow and finding tender mercies from God each day. Because I find at least one every day.
My thorn is making myself do physical therapy after tearing my Achilles tendon/surgery. I know it will ultimately make me stronger. But it hurts.
Love these Friday thoughts! I love that you hosted a dinner for the kids going to the Homecoming Dance!ย
Halloween. Take it or leave it. I do like your Viking hats.ย
Mental-pause (what I called it) was horrible. Hot flashes, weight gain, (although I blame chocolate cake for that) no sleep, I had it all, oh and I was pretty much a nut job crazy person too, sometimes. Iโm 57, itโs been over for me for a while and Iโm happy to report for me it really is over, I do get the occasional hot flash, but Iโve noticed that diet plays a huge roll in that. The best part is that I love sex again which I was thinking wouldnโt happen, but I chase my husband around now, he canโt run fast enough to get away. ๐ TMI? Sorry.
Thinking about the Colonoscopy is worse than the actual colonscopy.
Surgery to fix broken parts for me has been better than suffering, I didnโt have problems with my hands, but had surgery on both feet! Would do that again in a heartbeat, only regret was I waited. I donโt like to take pain medication and other pharmaceuticals, so I suffered and should have just had the surgery.
Crossing my fingers for you that the possible skin cancer isnโt.
A few days late responding to this, but thanks for the gift guides too!ย
Please donโt ever stop blogging! I need your inspiration.
Do you have a link for the menus for the dance dinner by chance? Such a fun idea, thank you for sharing!
I pretend Halloween doesnโt exist. ย Donโt even go to trunk or treat. ย I used to love it and had boxes and boxes of fun decor and costumes. ย (Although, I never felt comfortable displaying my witches dancing around their cauldron across from my Christus statue.) ย We stopped celebrating it about 8-9 years ago when one of my little boys was particularly creeped out by neighborhood decorations and asked why we celebrate Halloween anyway. ย Well, that took me down a rabbit hole researching the roots of the holiday. ย I didnโt like what I found out. ย We talked about it with our boys and asked them what we should do. ย I have five boys and it was unanimous that we shouldnโt be celebrating Halloweenโฆ.. so we stopped. ย Yes, people think weโre weird, but we are so proud of our boys. ย And people usually donโt know why they do what they do other than they were raised that way, so it doesnโt really bother me. ย Search ex-satanists and ex-witches and Halloween on YouTube-it will freak you out. ย Havenโt missed it at all. ย Thereโฆ. Now you can all tell me how weird I am. ย ๐คฃย
I love long Friday thoughts posts!! Donโt love the dark Halloween decor some people go in for but my kids and their cousins love carving pumpkins and coordinating their costumes so it has be one more fun for me. Will pray for your skin spot and carpal tunnel. My rose is watching my kids (2 high schoolers) mature and become more self sufficient. My thorn is watching my kids not need me so much, bittersweet!:) Love your site more and more after 13 years of following you
Get the carpal tunnel surgery! ย Itโs life changing! ย Such an easy recovery too. ย Donโt wait. ย Thatโs my recommendation. Iโm so so happy I got both my wrists done. ย
Find a good massage therapist for your carpal tunnel. Many times this is caused by nerve compression in the neck, chest and/or arm and can be released with specific techniques. You may be able to avoid surgery. Iโd treat you but unless you want to fly to Floridaโฆ
I really like the idea of loving Halloween, but it always feels stressful to get kids costumes on time, etc etc, and so Iโm always relieved to see it go. Being in my 40s is so different, and I have to wear pillow slides in the house to heal my lack of padding in the ball of my foot (and no more cheap shoes ever, either. My get canโt take it anymore. But Hokas have completely healed my feet for exercising too!!). Weight lifting has helped my body feel SO much better all the time (no more neck pains and nearly no back pain. . . ) and Iโm getting sick much less since I started weight lifting. And. . . I just love you and your work here. Good luck with the upcoming doctorโs appointments๐๐๐ค
First off, I love Halloween for the fall colors, the creative costumes, pumpkins, pumpkin recipes but no scary or dark stuff. I like your book reviews. I just read an excellent book
โBeneath a Scarlet Skyโ Mark Sullivan. About WWII from Italyโs point of view.
My menopause was brought on at 52 when I had chemo for breast cancer. I have been very fortunate with mild symptoms. I only get hot flashes when my husband drives crazy!! Best of luck with your cancer spot and your sweet kiddos. Love your Friday thoughts and your fabulous recipes.
I am also in the unpopular opinion boat when it comes to The Women. Really, really, did not like the relationships. Iโm neutral on Halloween. I donโt dress up (not even in a cute viking beanie), but my kids do and they, of course, love trick-or-treating. Their costumes, though, are whatever they can scrounge together from our bin of dress ups.
So excited for you gift guide!!
Mel โ I always love reading your Friday Thoughts. We are in similar ages and stages, and I appreciate your honesty! By the way, I have really loved your cookbook. The pages are beautiful, and weโve gotten good use out of it already. I will be 49 soon, and I very much relate to how our bodies keep up with that aging process. I hope all is well with the spot on your face. I was so over Halloween this year. My 10-year-old got out the decorations. I showed up to a trunk-or-treat. I might pass out candy for 30 minutes. Loved your homecoming dinner theme. What a cute idea!
Rose โ senior kid moments watching โThe Voiceโ in the middle of the day when itโs early release for her. (Iโll trade checking email for that any day.) Watching my freshman march for the first season.ย
Thorn โ a new back issue that might be a bulging disc. Neck stiffness that has reared its head again. Moody teenagers. Moody and chronically tired mom (aka me).
Halloween: no thank you. Grotesque.
Colonoscopies: Iโve had three or four. They were no problem except that the gallon of stuff you have to drink makes me gag. I have heard that there are also pills you can take, so next time Iโll request those instead. Re peri-menopause and menopause: Iโm 71 but I donโt remember any particular issues. I think I had maybe five hot flashes all told. However, I have recently started BHRT (bioidentical hormone replacement therapy) and, after three months, am happy with it with respect to energy levels. I am commenting here because I want to recommend a different approach to health care โ functional medicine. A functional medicine provider works to reestablish balance in all the various systems. Sheโll probably start with a number of tests to see whatโs going on, and then make some recommendations, including supplements. Repeat the tests a few months later, and so on. I know that supplements are a pain, and can be expensive, but itโs really hard to get everything you need otherwise, and there are things you donโt even know you need.
If you donโt have a functional medicine provider in your area, you can probably do this remotely. Iโve met with mine face to face only twice, and that was more for making the connection than for anything else.
If this is a very long run-on paragraph, Iโm sorry but I canโt figure out how to insert paragraph breaks ๐ And, Mel, youโve had your colonoscopy by now and hopefully youโre just relaxing in the aftermath ๐
Always great to hear from you on these Friday posts. ย Youโre so much fun even when things are bumpy. ย Hope you feel better soon and that your skin check goes ok. ย The colonoscopy was nothing for me โ from prep to procedure. ย I couldnโt believe all the fuss people make about it??? ย I love your dinner party burger menu. ย So clever and fun for the group to pick and choose from all those delicious choices. ย You always make everything special. ย I do love Halloween. ย Look forward to all the kidsโ costumes and giving out the candy. ย My birthday (60!) is today and maybe thatโs why Iโve always loved it. ย My brotherโs is 10/27 (we are two days shy of a year apart) and we always had Halloween themed black and orange decorated cakes when we had our birthday parties in our basement. ย Those were the good old days! ย So simple back then! ย Iโve been enjoying my cookbook and of course the blog, which Iโve been following for so long. ย Thanks for all you do! ย
As a baker/crafter/creator, I struggle with carpal tunnel as well and have managed to put off surgery for years. One thing that helps me a lot is wearing a brace when I sleep. It seems to help strengthen and prevent my hand/wrist from bending in weird angles. I still use a brace during the day, depending what Iโm doing but wearing one is preferable to surgery for me.
I like the cute fun side of Halloween, cute little kids in costumes, happy pumpkins, yummy treats, but am the biggest wimp ever when it comes to scary. I donโt even like to walk in stores with big creepy things that make noise!
Love your recipes and your blog!
I love Halloween, ย but ONLY the cute, fun parts โ cartoon witches, Frankenstein, ghosts, etc. My kids are still little, so itโs fun to listen to fun music and craft / color / partyM with them.ย
Rose: So many things. Being a mom to special little people is my top one. Fall time is another huge one. I love the colors, smells and flavors.ย
Thorn: Time โ too many wants / needs, not enough time to do it all.ย
Iโve never been a Halloween fan either, but when the kids were really little it was so fun to dress them up and go trick or treating. Now Iโm loving watching my oldest (15) who is learning to sew make her own costume. I just think the holiday has gotten so over the top in the last 10-15 years and it annoys me.ย
I came to say that I bought an Eight Sleep mattress cover and it has been LIFE CHANGING. I used to wake up with random night sweats (not menopause related as Iโm in my 30s) but now I *never* wake up hot any more. It wasnโt cheap but it was worth every penny.ย
Also I love your recipes and your Friday thoughts. Thanks for always bringing goodness to the internet!
Morning Mel,
Iโll tell you Iโm 55 without telling you Iโm 55:) I can relate to every single one of your current ailments. I became post-menopausal July 2024. The average age is still 51 1/2, so yay me for suffering through an extra 3 1/2 years before reaching it. I always have to be differentโฆUGH!!! The โchangeโ is REAL!!!! I believe the list of possible symptoms beginning in peri-menopause and throughout menopause is now up to something like 34. Between the fatigue, mood swings, brain fog, newfound anxiety and depression, weight gain, headaches, hot flashes and insomnia, you really can feel like youโre losing it. A good book that really helped me is The Wisdom of Menopause by Christiane Northrup, MD. If possible, could you possibly share whatever guidance you receive from the new Dr. you are seeing? Unfortunately, just because one reaches menopause, it doesnโt mean that the symptoms magically disappear. I have a friend who has been post-menopausal for a decade and still has lingering symptoms. I just spoke with a friend who turned 86 in September and she still has hot flashes and trouble sleepingโฆ..say it ainโt so!!!! Have a great week Mel:)
I am not a Halloween fan. It could be that my kids are getting older and want more complicated and costly costumes. I am not a fan of so much candy all around. I hate that I feel pressure to pay lots of money for something that you wear once or twice. I guess Iโm just a stick in the mud in that area. ย ๐ฉ I am also in my later 40s and have been pretty bummed about my body. Iโve tried to exercise regularly for years now. I love health and fitness and love jogging on trails. Now, in the last 6 months Iโve fallen twice while jogging. This last time I sprained my ankle pretty bad. I feel so old!! I hate that in my head Iโm a young spring chicken but my body is telling me otherwise! Love reading your posts. Thanks for sharing and hope you feel better soon!ย
I hate Halloween. I have zero interest in dressing up. Weโve been blessed with hand me down costumes. I give my kids the bin and tell them to figure it out. I hate all the candy my kids get from trunk or treats and trick or treating. I donโt like managing it or them eating all of it in a matter of days. One year I gave them the option of turning in all of their candy in exchange for me bringing them fast food for lunch at school. All of my kids took my deal. Thank goodness! Anyhow, I donโt mind fun things, but overall itโs the worst holiday.
Your Friday Thoughts are always an inspiration โ I Love Fall โ Iโm lukewarm about Halloween โ but we have some fun family food traditions and celebration that even my married kids insist on every year / so I love the family time that starts with Halloween and goes on until New Years and involves lots of great food traditions /THANKS TO YOU !! ย Aging is not for the faint of heart โ I empathize with so much of this !! ย Roses โ itโs Holiday seasons โ my favorite 3 months of the year and Hallmark Christmas movie season ย Thorn โ my dishwasher has been broken for months โ is unrepairable โ and is low on the budget priority list ! ย So glad we got to meet in person this summer โ confirmed that we are meant to be friends outside of cyberspace / hope our paths cross again soon โค๏ธ
Boone Hall Plantation was amazing to me. I learned so much. No fan of Halloween here and Iโm a 70-year-old Grandma and my poor kids had to recycle the same 3-4 costumes. Loved your Homecoming Diner dinner. Lots going on in your life right now, Mel. Looking forward to your gift guides. Made three of your recipes in the last week including your protein balls. Yum!
Hello Mel! Longtime reader/fan hereโฆ we also are not big Halloween fans. But I do decorate for fall. I also am dealing with perimenopause at 49. Not fun. Thankfully the ย hot flashes are only at night right nowโฆitโs when I roll over in bed. Itโs weird I know but it is a thing, looked it up once. Roseโฆmy grandsonโs first birthday on Saturday. Being a grandma is the best!! Thornโฆour best friend is dying of cancer. Rough time right now. I know you know what thatโs like. As far as your thorns, I will be praying for your potential skin spot and I just want to encourage you regarding your kids. Mine are all married now but we have been through all sorts of stuff with them and the biggest thing I have learned is to trust Jesus. I think as a mom itโs so hard to not be worried about all sorts of stuff but itโs amazing how faithful he is and he cares for them so much more than we even do. โค๏ธ I can tell you are a really good mom!!ย
Rose: creating fun food for Halloween and doing some fun things with other moms. Also having kids in the neighborhood my kids can play with. This is new for us and itโs crazy but so good.ย
Thorn: my 12 year-old her attitude and lack of wanting to put forth effort in hard things. My 10 year old not learning from natural consequences.ย
Iโm another one who doesnโt love Halloween. ย We still do candy for trick or treaters, and my kids like to carve a pumpkin, but thatโs about it! ย No parties here!
Perimenopause is not fun. ย I am at high risk for osteoporosis due to a medication I have to take, plus the hot flashes and achy joints annxiety and losing words, so I got low dose hrt (will likely have to increase when I hit full menopause). My anxiety and achy joints are improving, hot flashes are decreasing, I am sleeping better, and I get peace of mind knowing that I am protecting my bones. ย However, my โthornโ is that my family dr wouldnโt even consider prescribing because sheโs โnot comfortable,โ so I had to use a telehealth service (menopause specialists are a 2 year wait here!). ย But, โrosesโ are healthy kids who are doing well in school, work is going well, and I am slowly feeling better!
I have never been a big fan of Halloween- even as a kid. So I get it. ย I love fall and fall decorating so I do that instead.๐
Agreed!
Not a Halloween fan either! Well, really just the helping my kids come up with a costume part. Donโt want to make something. Donโt want to spend lots of money on it. Just want the thrift store to magically have something perfect for everyone, with is a rarity. Kind of like Halloween Grinch mom. Ha!
I really appreciate your honest thoughts on aging. I am the oldest of my siblings and donโt have a very close relationship with mom/grandma/older women. I yearn for female relationships that are just a bit ahead of me to learn from, ask questions to, and better know what to expect as I get older (37 now). I really do appreciate your openness in sharing that content (sprinkled in with all the AMAZING recipes you share!)
Thank you, Bri! I also wish women around me would have/would now talk about aging more? Iโm grateful for what Iโm learning from those that do share, because my goodness, if we have to go through it, we might as well have a little help and sharing along the way.
I love your Friday thoughts Mel! I love to hear what is going on in your life. Sorry about all of the annoying health bumps in the road. Praying you a speedy recovery and some long-term solutions.
Halloween. I love fall time so I love a lot of the fall traditions that come along with it. Dressing up and trick or treating is fun for me and my kids. Iโm a fan of keeping it simple and letting my kids lead the way with costumes (they are pretty atypical ๐)
My roses right now are enjoying the stages of my young children. Watching them grow and learn and become resilient. Family time โฅ๏ธ
My thorns are how fast time goes as well as feeling overwhelmed and inadequate most days.ย
Thank you for wonderful space you cultivate here. I truly enjoy reading your blog and of course cooking your recipes. You are incredible!! Thank you!!!
Thanks, Nat! Fall is my favorite time of the year, too. Family time is the best. You sound like an amazing, intentional mom. So glad you are here!
I donโt mind Halloween, but I donโt have kids so I can do as much or as little as I like. So I carve pumpkins with my nieces and nephews until they are too old to want to do it. Plus, I like to roast the seeds.
I thought I was doing pretty well with perimenopause until this year when my body decided to mutiny. For me the worst has been the brain fog. I swear I canโt keep thoughts in my head for more than about 15 seconds. Like itโs noticeably different than any โforgettingโ I did before. Iโve noticed it at work too, not being able to remember things. I keep a notebook, but one day I forgot to open it. LOL Itโs so weird! So far I havenโt had hot flashes, but a few years ago I went through a period of night sweats. I bought moisture wicking sheets (Sheex) and still use them.
Love your recipes and blog. Itโs truly a bright spot on the internet. Hang in there!
Pumpkin seeds are so yummy roasted! Hahaha, laughing (but only in solidarity) at the notebook experience. My main question when I get to heaven is going to be: WWWHHHHYYYY??? (And why not for men? haha)
Hi Mel! Iโm a long time reader and user of your recipes. I have never commented before, but Iโm so very grateful for the many, many recipes Iโve used over and over and loved. My family (5 kids and a husband)is certainly grateful, too! I also love reading about your family and feeling a connection to you as you navigate your forties and all that goes with this stage of life โ Iโm there, too! Looking forward to your gift guide. ๐
Rose โ like you, watching my kids participate in things they love, but arenโt always easy for them, and seeing the growth that happens.ย
Thorn โ watching friends and neighbors go through hard things and feeling helpless to change anything for them. But a yummy treat delivered to them can brighten their days, and thatโs where your recipes come in!
Thanks for taking the time to comment, Raelyn! I appreciate it so much. Your friends and neighbors are certainly lucky to have you. That helpless feeling is so hardโฆI love that youโve found a way to channel that energy into something yummy. Food is such a love language!
Hi Mel! I practiced massage therapy for over 10 years and really found one modality that was a game changer for carpal tunnel. Repetitive Use Injury Therapy focuses on the Muscle Release Technique. Before going the surgical route, maybe there is a massage therapist near you that incorporates this technique into their practice. I promise it will be worth the search! Just read the testimonials. In my practice it is the only technique that has worked!
https://www.mrtherapy.com/
Before we married, I confessed to my potential husband that I do not celebrate Halloween. Much to my relief, he agreed! First 12 years of marriage, we lived in a very popular trick or treat circle neighborhood. One time we participated โ and were so disgusted by the ugly costumes and the 16-18 year olds demanding candy (umโฆ.old enough to buy your own!), that we vowed to never do it again. When we had kids, we introduced October Treats โ candy corns the entire month of October, given out randomly, spontaneously, and generously โ to make up for no trick or treating. (Otherwise, candy was very, very rare in our house.) My four kids are 13 and up now โ and they still love our October Treats tradition!
Iโm in my early 50s and I think Iโm hitting menopause โ irregular cycle began this summer. Iโve been taking magnesium for 5 years, and it has been a life changer!!! My cycles became more manageable (shorter duration, milder cramps, etc), my mood swings improved, and I sleep thru the night better (not perfectly, thank you overactive bladder). My prayer is that magnesium will help me get thru menopause with grace. (Did I mention three of my teens are girls?!) Both sides of my family have horrific menopausal issues. Praise the Lord I have not experienced any of them yet.
Rose โ it finally rained this past weekend after 25+ days of no rain; sweet relationship with my hubby of 22 years; fun friend group of four survivor moms launching first born to college
Thorn โ armadillos; plantar fasciatis making much needed exercise difficult; and overcommitted schedule this semester making us miss family moments
Thanks for sharing about your October treats tradition! Sounds like thatโs been a fun one for your kids to remember โ do you think theyโll all adopt that in their adulthood with their own families? Iโm glad youโve had the terrible menopause symptoms kept at bayโฆand hope it stays that way! I definitely need to look into magnesium. I have a sensitive stomach with supplements and magnesium is really hard on my stomach, but Iโm guessing it could help me with some of the things Iโm experiencing. Thanks for sharing your roses and thorns! I hope you find a way to manage that overcommitted schedule. I feel you on that one.
Thanks for the tip on the shoes.
Tip for the colonoscopy: Desitin. Also do not schedule it for Nov. 1. Answering trick or treaters and the chemically enhanced call of nature is next to impossible.
Rose: Our congregationโs childrenโs presentation is over, and the kids did fantastic! (Iโm the Primary President, so I can brag!)
Thorn: The ever present crises that are my children and their future.
Just love your Friday Thoughts and all the comments โ so many lovely people here.
Make sure your doctor keeps an eye on your thyroid levels. I thought I was just feeling old โ tired, a bit achy, and so on. Nope! Thyroid malfunction that is common with women after menopause.
My rose: my dog is over Lyme disease and is back to her feisty self and up for long walks in our beautiful fall.
Thorn: arthritis acting up in my thumb.
Thanks, Mary! I do see an endocrinologist regularly for thyroid because of a past thyroid cancer history, but thatโs a good reminder to stay up on that! So happy your dog is feeling better! And I hope you can figure out how to find relief from the arthritis. That doesnโt sound fun!