Any one need to chat with someone for the holiday to help ?
 

If someone needs to chat with someone to cheer them up over the holidays I would be glad to be a Holiday pal. Say Hi to our Alpacas, goats, hens, Zobi, our adopted terrier, a rabbit, white face herfords, a feral cat, coyotes wandering around, deer in the woods, hawks that fly over, (and around). Fox, turkeys,and other things.

Where at in Vermont are you?
I was out there the first part of Oct.
Johnson. My daughter lives there. So yes I was a leaf peeper.
it was so pretty
Kathryn

Is your daughter affiliated with Johnson state College?

Hi Jet, I had a great Christmas. My dh is at the hospital about 45 minutes from here visiting his mom. then he'll drive about 30 miles east to go see his dad in a nursing home. My son came over last night about 12:30 am. He was at his friends having a party. My wish forever was to have my son home and a loving husband. I got it. that was great enough for me. They opened up their gifts, and i forgot there was a few things for me too. Gifts were sparse this year, but i got what i wanted. I hugged and kissed them both. They are what matters most to me. i am forever grateful for them. 10 yrs ago, I didn't have them, and was miserable. I'm the happiest person on the face of this earth!

What do you do with the alpacas? do you sheer them into wool for yourself? I love goats, especially those dwarf ones. and what is a ZOBI? I live in a condo community. across from my front patio is a small bit of woods. The wild turkeys come around about once or twice a week. about 35 of them. they wander over to the golf course from time to time. There are houses all situated around the course.they walk around it and make their way over to us. I guess they ground nest. Would you know that.

anyway. enjoy your holiday. I'm so grateful for my son and husband, and for all my QB friends. I've met 2 of my good friends from the board. Thank you everyone.

jetayre,

You are so sweet to volunteer to cheer up others. Your offer warmed my heart. You are showing the true spirit of the season. It's people like you that keep me visiting this board.

I have two sons in college that came home for Christmas and my daughter is visiting from Montana. Dh had a heart attack and 5 way bypass a few months ago. He has fully recovered. I feel extremely fortunate as I gather my precious family around me this Christmas. Life is good.

Merry Christmas everyone. It's a white Christmas here. :thumbup:

Elise

No she is with the County Sheriff dept. so she knew all the back roads. Boy it was really pretty out there. Had a fun time at the fabric store in Stowe (I believe)

I used to be a free-lance investigative reporter in the area probably before your daughter was born. The gal that runs the fabric store in Stowe is a really nice gal.

My daughter-in-law owns The Alpacas. yes she shears them and has yarn made and she makes felt liner for boots. She makes goat soap, salve, carmel, and fudge from goat milk
Turkeys like to rest in trees at night to stay out of predators way.

jetayre, just saw this today. You are a love, Christmas can be a tough time for some. What a great gift you offered. It helps knowing there are great people out there like you. Peace in 2017

Yes, you are a real dear to give so much of yourself. This board is filled with wonderful people.

Marcia

Didn't answer your question on Zobi....do not know the meaning....that was the name of the dog we adopted that came from pound. She is a terrier type and seems to love us and we love her She came to Vermont from Houston,
Texas

ZOBI, what a wonderful name for a dog or cat. I'm sure Zobi gives you lots of love and is a sweetheart.
How high up do the turkeys go? do they have nests like squirrels? We have over 30 here, probably about 60 by now from what i hear. do they each take a tree or a branch. they must be heavy. thanks for your answers.

I am so glad that you are blessed with so much joy! You are fortunate indeed to have such a wonderful family. Blessings for you and yours in 2017 and keep on quilting and sharing.

They are an awkward bird and cannot fly much but they can fly up in a tree...out of the way of most predators. I saw a fox stalking one once and finally the turkey got sick of it and flew up in a branch until the fox got sick of it and wandered off. They do not have nests so's to speak. They hide their young in the grass. One day i was walking in the field and a turkey flew up in my face.....that was some surprise and a little baby scurried out. They are heavy and awkward but they keep the grasshoppers and crickets down by feeding on them.

Thanks for your kind offer, and I am going to take you up on it. My Christmas was the brokest broke we have ever been due to my bad habit of helping my family members out. Three weeks before Christmas, my sister, who was staying with us invited her daughter and family to stay with us too. Her darling daughter was kind enough to bring huge cockroaches from Texas, which I did not realize until I reached for a utensil in my kitchen crock. Sitting on the spatula I grabbed was a HUGE ROACH! I had a horrible panic attack, could not bring myself to touch any of dinner, and when I contacted my niece, she replied that they would be able to pay for an exterminator in two weeks! Do you have any idea how many roaches can be hatched in two weeks? My DS and her hubby were king enough to come right over, and we spent last night emptying the cupboards and using some spider and roach spray (I keep it on hand to get rid of spiders from the field next to my house) and wiping the cupboards down. Today we are running everything through the dish washer! I am 58 years old, and have lived in some poor neighborhoods in my life, and even spent four years in Texas, and have never had roaches! I am also entomophobic! I don't do bugs! My dogs and cat have never even had fleas, I am that bug phobic. My darling room mates got up before I did and started cleaning. You know you are loved when you friends don't ignore your phobia. I had to throw out any container that was not sealed in plastic, all opened packages, I even dumped the salt and grinders, because I could not be sure they did not have any bugs in them. The only good news in all of this is we were able to locate my missing Tupperware pepper shaker that disappeared when the niece and nephew left. I was afraid they had thrown it out. They were the first thing I ever bought for my own home when I was seventeen. (Yup, been using the same little two ounce midget salt and pepper shakers since they first sold them, forty one years ago!)

Oh, madame Kelly, I'm so sorry you have had this burden added to your everyday burdens. It is very hard to draw a line in the sand with family isn't it? I'll be holding you in the pocket of my heart, all of our sorrows really.

my little brother tried to commit suicide yesterday. He is alive but they had to bring in a specialist as he severed the tendons in his wrists in his efforts. I've been expecting a call like this for years, but it doesn't make it any less of a jolt.

Hugs to all our friends here...distant but close

What a great thread, sorry I missed it over the holidays. I hope everyone has a happy new year.

I find a lot of enjoyment thinking about visiting your little settlement. I find for me that nothing like animals to give me the peace I need often in my life. If I could afford it I would have all kinds instead of two cats I basically rescued from babies. I grew up in NH on the border of Vermont and so know it well. My father was fieldman so many a dairy was visited throughout the state. I enjoy hearing about your animals. Thank you from all of us for thinking to reach out. Prayers and blessings to all with difficulties in their lives and troubles with their families. None of it is easy to get thru. Hugs.

this is a lovely thread, even with the huge cock roaches (Texas size I'm afraid). I'm back in Texas after 27 yrs in Colorado. I do hope not to even spy a roach of any size. Happy New Year to you all!!!

thanks for the quick lesson on turkeys.
those big roaches,,,they have them in FL, and they fly too. Massive nuisances. what nightmares are made of

LIke i said before, I am blessed with a darling husband and a great son. My son was living with my mom,(84). My lunatic brother from Tx came up for a few days. My son Ryan is 5-2 110lbs, and my brother is about 6-5 230 lbs. my brother took my son by the throat and tried to strangle my son. He was set off because my son was making tea. the cops were called, and my mom lied and said my son (little guy) tried to strangle his uncle (the tall guy). police reports were taken, and now my son lives with me and dh. My mom is a lunatic, and falsified police records to shine on my brothers side. sick family, hunh. They could have taken my son to jail last night. My mom lies all the time. She hates my husband because he's so good to me. She's just jealous. See, I'm normal like all of you, I just have a wonderful son and husband. and those roaches, they are disgusting. they should be obsolete. Have a good New Year all.

I understand the roach phobia, but roaches are actually very clean. As far as carrying disease and such, they don't. So don't worry if you see one. Much safer to have around than mice. (Although we'd all prefer neither!)

Lynnie, so glad you got your son back with you and I'm also thankful for your husband.

Kalama, I'm so thankful your brother is still alive and I pray he gets what he needs to feel the joy of living. My heart goes out to you!

What a great thread.....we had a nice Christmas with family and friends, but hot here....so the pool was put to good use. Just my husband and me rattling around in the house now....so now they've all gone home we are just pootling around and relaxing after the frenzy of activity. Sorry about your roaches Madame Kelly, and Lynnie, you are so not alone in the 'mad family members' department. Jet, your animals/farm sounds wonderful and they clearly bring much happiness. Good wishes for 2017 to you all .....from the land of Aus.xxxx

Okay, new one...because of the way it was used I know what pootling is, just never heard of it, I love it, lol.

MadameKelly, I hope the roaches are gone. Yuk!

Kalama, I am so sorry to hear about your brother. I hope you are doing okay and spoiling yourself a little.

Lynnie, I'm sorry you had such a bad time with your family. I hope everything is okay now.

Kalama,

My heart goes out to you. My son is bipolar and has struggled with the same demons as your little brother. It is devastating, terrifying and completely heartbreaking. I am so glad that your brother was not successful. Hopefully, he will receive the help he needs to not feel so despondent.

My son is now stable on medication but the worry never leaves me. Please know that you and your family are in my thoughts. You will do better when you see your brother doing better.

Many hugs to you,
Elise

I feel your pain. My little brother managed to finish the job on himself on 02/13/2016. I am glad you get a second chance with your brother. I would give anything to be able to hug my brother one more time. Please remember that suicide seems to be an answer to some folks, but all it does is torture those who love you. I will pray daily that your brother finds his answers. Peace.

MadameKelly, Elise, and Kalama: I hope you're all taking good care of yourselves. We so often focus on those we love who are hurting and neglect ourselves. I was so focused on my son's issues that I was unaware of what the stress was doing to me. I'm now addressing health issues of my own as a result.

I'm spoiled rotten all the time, I'm so blessed. But I have been in that beyond black place and understand where the suicide thoughts come in. I'm just really worried the pain meds I'm sure they gave him might set off his addiction again. He has been clean and sober for about 10 years, what a hardship to find yourself starting at ground zero again.

They released him from the hospital this morning, but the way they said it makes me think he has been transferred or accepted to a safe place. His daughter will call me before long and fill me in.

Hang in there ladies, any support system we can build is always a good thing.

Terrific idea you had.............so many of us need a listener.

Great thread. Our Christmas was a blessed family time, but oh the weeks leading up to it were a mess. Early November was the 2 yr anniversary of MIL death - and it was hard on us. The Sunday after Thanksgiving both DH and I got hit with a bug that lasted 3 weeks and trip to the Dr. The Dec 12 before Christmas I spent all day in urgent care because of an encounter I had with shell fish --a followup with the dr has given me a slew of appointments in January. Dec. 16 my car was in the handicapped parking space of the grocery store and a lady hit the accelerator instead of the break, jumped the little divider, and hit my car, knocking the sign into it too. That was in the shop over Christmas. Picked it up today, we went to gas it up and had steam coming out of the engine when we stopped. Had to wait for a tow and car went back in the shop -- got it back (someone forgot to clamp a hose). I crashed -- I think the stress is finally catching up with me and the cleaning lady is coming tomorrow (and I am one of those who has the house neat for her). I'm glad we had a great Christmas because I can count my blessings when all the rest piles up.

Why the red text? Kind of annoying for me to read....

sandy

I often use red to differentiate when the old stops and the new begins. To me it makes it easier to read....sorry it annoys you. I have been a writer for years and always personalized my writing in unique ways....capitalizing was one but that is a no, no in the modern world. You might say that I often stretch things. (Smiles)

Not so good here this year, don`t need material things, just less stress from things that can`t be changed. I know the good Lord didn`t for get me, I guess HE wants to know if I`m listening!

I too write, constantly, and love to stretch things, maybe I take too much liberty with it, but it is fun. Besides, why not let the imagination do what it wants at times, life dishes out enough real stuff to deal with. I definitely have you all in my prayers with the trials your life has dished out to you. I feel bad about things in my life until I read the things you people are going thru and realize I am more blessed than I feel at times. Thanks to this thread and all you wonderful people, I will come into the new year looking more at the positive things in my life and praying more for those, even if I don't know them that struggle. May everyone be blessed with a better new year for sure, but a better day each day. XX

I feel a little better knowing I`m not alone!!!

You are definitely not alone. Hard for me to reach first. Just read all those that are there with you and for you.

You stretched out your hand in starting this post. Thank you! You're a peach! It's nice to know in the quiet moments of the holidays that we're none of us alone.