Can we have a forum for "older" people with bc?

Our bear carved by a different carver, also in Park Rapids.

Over the years I have come to believe that life is full of unchosen circumstances, that being human has to do with the evolution of our individual consciousness and with it, responsibilities for choice.Pain and joy both come with life.I believe that how we respond to what happens to us and around us shapes who we become and has to do with the psyche or the soul's growth.

Not only is there often a right and wrong, but what goes around does
come around, Karma exists, chickens do come home to roost, and
as my mother, Phyllis, liked to say, "There is always a day of reckoning."
The good among the great understand that every choice we make adds to
the strength or weakness of our spirits—ourselves, or to use an old
fashioned word for the same idea, our souls. That is every human's life
work: to construct an identity bit by bit, to walk a path step by step,
to live a life that is worthy of something higher, lighter, more
fulfilling, and maybe even everlasting.

Donald Van de Mark
The Good Among the Great

I thought I posted this 2 days ago....

Adding a "hi" to Ritajean.
and
Carole, I love your eagle and bear. I would not have been able to pass those by!

Hi everyone,

I just read back all the pages I missed since mid August.

There is so much happening in our lives here....and I could not stop reading because I had to know how things were going for some.

Jackie, I am sorry for the loss of your cousin and your first husband. He was a part of your life and you are right to remain amicable. It takes a lot of energy to hate. I hope your memories are focused on the good parts of your lives.

Anne, I was so saddened to hear your brother passed. It must have been difficult to know you would not get there to see him. But timing is not ours to direct. You have been there to support your family through this. You were only a few hours from where I live...I had just visited near there in mid-August. I wish you good memories and peace knowing that your brother's life was complete and that he was so loved.

Sandra, it is quite amazing to hear of Mike's new found strength. I truly hope and pray he will continue to recover and be able to participate in the study. It would be wonderful to see you two out of there and home again...sharing the simple things you love. I will hold on to that vision and pray for you. I hope your children can be encouraged by the positive changes.

I cannot catch up on everything right now, but I do consider this a very important group of ladies who mean the world to me.
My DH turned 70 and we had multiple celebrations - we got all of my children and grandchildren together for a week end of celebrating. We had so much fun. It was a lot of work, especially since I do not multi-task well any more at all.
I am back to work and it is somewhat of a nightmare. I am setting a retirement date, even if I decide to override it. At least I have a target date; and it will help me cope with dysfunctional, dishonest, and narcissistic coworkers.

Belated birthday greetings, Jackie! You continue to amaze me with all you do, and for being here every day to encourage us. Thanks, Jackie, and keep your party going!!!

Sending hugs and good wishes to all.

"You can never regret anything you do in life. You kind of have to learn the lesson from whatever the experience is and take it with you on your journey forward."

-- Aubrey O'Day

Mother Nature playing tricks on ya Dara . Great photo

Carol -- those sculptures are great.

sandy -- what kind of music do you do

Elizabeth, I write and perform folk music, in a sort of “classic-folk" style (think Joan Baez, early Joni Mitchell, Judy Collins, Tom Paxton, Steve Goodman, John Prine, Phil Ochs, Pete & Peggy Seeger, John McCutcheon, Reilly & Maloney, Tom Dundee, etc.) rather than the more contemporary “alt-folk" or “acoustic rock" style like the Lumineers, Bon Iver, etc.; or “alt-country/Americana” like Lucinda Williams, Allison Krauss, or Steve Earle (though I did study with Earle). But I sometimes like to shake things up and play rock & roll dulcimer.

I know little to nothing about Elephant Revival, other than they're definitely not mainstream folk music. (They will be showcasing at Folk Alliance Int'l in KC this Feb., but lots of acoustic--and formerly electric--rockers do too, in order to attract media attention and boost attendance). The definition of “folk" has exploded over the past 20 years. The Old Town School of Folk Music is even teaching hip-hop dancing and occasionally rapping these days.

As Big Bill Broonzy once said, “Folk music? I ain’t never heard no horse make music."

Bluegrass & instrumental "old-time" and original string bands are making inroads into the folk music world--especially those comprised of very young prodigy or virtuoso conservatory-trained violinists-turned-fiddlers-and-mandolinists. I think that the Dixie Chicks may have been the first to bridge the gap between country and folk, and Nickel Creek and Old Crow Medicine show the divide between folk and bluegrass. One group to watch (all female) is Harpeth Rising, who also add intricate harmonies to their conservatory-grad chops. There’s also the Grammy-winning Carolina Chocolate Drops (an all-African-American string band), though they’re in flux due to founding member Dom Flemons leaving for a solo career and singer Rhiannon Giddens testing the solo waters as a side project.

No, it wasn't a damn "pamphlet!" It was a real book! So a "book" is something with lots of pages, that you can read whilst sitting down, and doing nothing else. Mine was like a "reference" book... Reference means something like you can go back go back on, and find answers to questions. See, while I was working at Coors, and giving tours, these visitors would ask all KINDS of questions, and sometimes, (I know it's hard to believe) I didn't know the answers! So I would research these things... (I know... don't laugh) But I finally found the "library" up on the 5th floor! I was like a kid in a candy-shop! I read everything pertaining to the "Family" about Malting, Prohibition, and the history of making beer. So what started out as typing a few pages, with "most asked questions"...turned into a book... ONE time, I checked out a book called "The Studies of the Enzymic Hydrolysis of Barley Endosperm During Malting."..... Because I didn't understand how barley could go through "changes" and become "malt".... But I was on Jury Duty, reading this book, and one gal asked "Is that leisure reading, or are you taking a class?".... Hah! And I'm too busy right now to explain all of that to you.....

Do you know how "beer" originated? Back over 3,000 years ago, near Mesopotamia, (they say) Barley was in a container... it rained, and after it set awhile, then dried out from the sun, it was now in the form of malt. THEN it rained again, and the natural yeast from the air, started fermenting this "malt" and some nut came along and DRANK it, and became drunker than a skunk.... That was the beginning of beer....! And the beginning of drunks...No.... just kidding.

I wrote about how Coors made their beer different than anyone else, how doing their own malting, assured a better, more consistent product. And I found a bunch of slides... Slides, little Cammi, or little things you stick in a projector, and this blows-up the images onto a "screen" !!!! Imagine THAT! Before CD's were invented, that's for sure... Before even VHS tapes happened along!!! So I set this presentation to music, and talked while showing slides of the tour, including the history of the family, brewing, and malting, etc.

I took this "show" to nursing homes, because my Grandma was in one... and those people couldn't go on the tour! And Coors would give me a few cases of beer, to take to the folks, and we had this after the "tour".... Along with pop-corn and chips.

THEN.... now wait.... THEN my department said they would film me, giving a tour, voice-over, showing all the different departments, and video's they had of bottling, packaging, etc.... So they sent me to California ...twice, to give the presentation to the Distributors... like an "incentive" thing. That was sooooo much fun! They had over 500 copies of my "pamphlet" printed over a couple years... And when I retired, my Supervisor gave me 2 hard-bound copies of my "book".... !! I had the BEST, job in the world... but then the company changed... and I decided to retire..... So see? I used to be intelligent... now I just have a million memories.... Hah!

I had to make sure I credited all of the information I used... Meaning you can't copy what someone else says, without crediting them... Another funny thing is.... I never have liked the taste of beer! I loved the family, company, and what they stood for... but couldn't ever drink beer... BUT, my Dad, Husband, and FIL all made up for this inadequacy of mine.

So what is this about you doing "something"? You mean like "working" or whatever it is that you do? Are you still drinking with all those OTHER drinkers on the drinking thread?

GEEZ I've missed you! You and Joey... What IS he now, 37 or something? You should post HERE more often, I mean beings that you are of the age, and all....

Jackie, make her stay! She's always off wandering around like playing with her phone, and her being the sole 1-900 voice for these people! Love you little Cams.... xoxo

After a second trip to the doctor for my bronchitis, 5 days of prednisone seems to have finally knocked out my cough. Now just need to get my strength back for Sunday's departure to Savannah, Georgia for a week of birding with Roadscholar.

First, glad you found the needed ingredient to get you going along the road to dismissing yo9ur cough and getting proper rest Puffin. I hope you have a fantastic "birding" Roadscholar trip. Sounds like you can make the most of it feeling well and not wearing out from coughing all the time.

Cami, you just can't imagine how delighted I am to see you. I had a momentary thought that I might be in the wrong place and scrolled up to look and make sure and that is REALLY catching me off-guard. I know those who may have come after you left would get as big a kick out of you ,as those of us who had the pleasure of your company for a long time before you abandoned us. I really do hope you'll consider hanging around. Even if you only came once a week --- I'd be so thrilled. I've never forgotten the "cheer and sunshine" of the Cam and Chevy show and I miss you both when you drift away for long periods.

Here's something too -- I never investigated how 'beer' became what it was. I do know my ex was a huge fan of Coors and never ordered anything else. Hearing that they have a recipe --- well, I've tried a number of beers along the way in my 71 yrs. and for the most part -- they all tasted almost alike to me. Not necessarily good nor bad but not too likable for my tastes. If I have any enthusiasm for alcohol ( and I don't have a lot ) it would tend to go towards sweet wines more than anything.

Hmm, I liked hearing about the music too. Coming from the 60's folk era, that is what I tend to like the most. We are really far past that now, and though I can listen to some -- bluegrass doesn't hold a lot of my attention. I think in reality music which once filled a lot of my life is just an occasional enjoyment on my car radio. I tend to go for country, and country gospel and a few artists that I've always loved -- like Zamfir ( pan flute music ) and some of the Canadian music artists like Sarah McLachlan. I guess you could say that I'm a bit eclectic.

Sun is out today -- hope it stays cool enough to enjoy. Fall is generally nicer all way around. The deer have been filling our yard. I think there were 14 our there a day or two ago. They just so love the acorns and our yard if full of them. Such gorgeous animals. God makes some really pretty creatures.

Well, she probably went back to sleep by now...... It's so hard for her to stay awake during day-light hours...... bein's is how she is out all night doing God only knows what...

It WAS a book! She thinks I wrote a pamphlet or a dissertation or something.... Carole is the one who is the well-known Author.... I am only some crazy gal who wanted to make it easier on us tour folks, and finding answers to questions, that you, the Public want to know... so Hah!

And YES! I DID have a typewriter! Damnit! It was my Daughter's typewriter from school, even! But since I thought I could do things FASTER, I went and got a Word Processor.... Never mind... I'm not going to explain THAT one.... See? I could save the floppy discs of which I recorded what I had written.... "copied" as you so nefariously said.....

But THEN, a friend at Coors, who had a real live COMPUTER tried showing me how to use THAT! A "computer" is something with a screen and a modem & comes with a mouse.... and lots of cords.

But as prolific.... I mean proficient as I became at that, I went to the flea-marke

t and bought my own.... for $100! And I sort of taught myself how to screw things up.... just like YOU.... and your learning how to spell, quest......

But no, I wasn't published.... just Coors Print Shop made all the copies... in those "plastic spiral binder" things.... It would have cost a LOT to publish it.... and it wasn't really to make money with.... It was just for the Coors Family, our employees, and distributors. It was called "A Rose and a Glass of Beer",,,, Because I had heard, that the first Adolph Coors would serve beer to guests that came to the Brewery.... In about 1873.... He would present each of the ladies with a Rose from the family gardens, and a fresh cold beer.

When I was working there, each of the tables in the Lounge, had a vase of flowers from the green-house.... It really was a great place to work...

Cams, it is so fun teasing you! I've missed you a lot.... well, ever since my friend, the Raccoon found somewhere else to hang out.

So what is a "word-smith?" I don't think I've heard THAT one before.... You mean a Black-smith??? Smithereens?

Okay.... I'm going back to doing whatever it was I was doing....

Talking about "panties in a knot".... One time my friend and I were going into Red Robin, to be seated, and she quipped.... "I wore my best panties for lunch today"..... I said "Since when did you start wearing panties?" For SOME reason, we both just cracked up....! Doesn't take much to amuse us.... Hah! xoxoxo

"Aspire not to have more but to be more."

– Bishop Oscar Romero

Of course Seedsally --- we all want you to have more luck than you know what to do with and then some. I'm thinking the x-rays have more to do with reconstruction, but I never needed anything like that ( reconstruction ) so it is only a guess and high hope on my part. It is really hard to stay focused ( meaning in this case un-worried ) about this dx. Everything most of the time SEEMS like it can be an ominous event ---- and then we find out it is normal procedure. Still, a little worry can be good, but hopefully we learn to have just enough. That should happen for you in time so chin up so you can get big hugs from all of us. Good Luck.