I'm curious what BS you were hearing? What would you have preferred to hear? Feel free to pm me if you'd prefer not to post it publicly. Or not, if you'd rather not. I'm honestly just curious and not trying to start anything. I actually prefer to read Amanda Gorman's poem because it has a lot of nuance in it and while I do love spoken word poetry, I don't always 'get' it until I've had the chance to read it multiple times.

Go for it! You have a great plan. What an amazing experience, and like you said.... so empowering!!!

I've tried both of those and they are gritty! I'm much happier with my smoother protein powders!

I second the NO OXY pain killers. Icing is the biggest help in the first 48 hours, alternating acetaminophen and ibuprofen, and keeping his head elevated. I hope it went smoothly, that he wasn't too out of it when you got to see him (that totally freaked me out when my oldest has his out; I made dh take the other kids) and that he's recovering easily.

Protein powder is a great way to build muscle, so if your dh his trying to do that, or if he doesn't have time to eat a complete meal in the morning or at lunch, a protein shake with lots of leafy greens and less fruit is a good alternative to a bagel or an apple. My favourite protein shake is cup of oat milk, half a banana (preferably frozen), 2 handfuls of spinach, and a scoop of plain protein powder (I use Ripple). Protein shakes made with mainly fruit are very carb heavy due to the sugar in the fruit, so I avoid those.

I used the bike trailer for my 4 year old and she loved it. Like a PP said, you can always resell it if it doesn't work for your family.

No, sorry. I need the camaraderie of a gym to workout. Even in COVID times we did Zoom classes! I don't have the discipline to workout on my own.

It's funny that this is a zombie thread because I was actually thinking about asking the exact question!

My 2 sisters and I look so much like our mum and her sisters. I sometimes have to check the dates and locations of FB pictures to see if it's me or one of my sisters, or perhaps my aunt! And, my oldest son and I have the same eyes, so I do see him in me at times too.

I'm thinking of adding a Green Tea Extract supplement and possibly a Garlic supplement as well. If I do add them, I'll do one for 3 weeks and see what effect it has and then try the other.

Chickadee for me! My new rule was that I have to see the bird on my feeder, as opposed to the crow I saw while driving to the gym. I put seed out yesterday and I have about half a dozen chickadees around. I'm also seeing tufted titmice, nuthatches, juncos, cardinals, finches, LBBs (sparrows), and red bellied woodpeckers this morning. I love watching them ❤️

Do you know anyone who belongs to a local gym? That would be one place to find a Personal Trainer. Or, do you live near a university or college that has athletic teams? You could contact their Strength and Conditioning coaches. If not, look for reviews on the local gyms, read the online reviews, and contact the good ones to see if they have anyone on staff who would be willing to work with you.

Noise can be a big issue in rural areas. At one of the local meetings where my parents live, some new folks complained about the noise from the dump trucks on their road. They didn't realize there was an active gravel pit about 10km away from their property. So, yes, noise from dump trucks, farm equipment, off-road vehicles, etc And then there is the smell of the country - something I happen to love, but not all people enjoy aroma of farms and their animals! Also in my parent's area - someone has an organic fertilizer business and that stinks far worse than any farm!

I really need a new planner and I had one on my Christmas wishlist, but didn't get it. To be fair, I only shared it with older ds, and he and the other kids pooled their money to get me one big gift, so I'm ok with that. I'll just have to order it for myself 🙂 Some little things... bed between 9-10pm and read for 30 minutes before sleep take an interesting online course each month walk with dd 5 days/week (trying to help her with her health) be patient with my shoulder rehabs so I can get back to full workouts and eventually playing (when COVID restrictions are lifte

It's so interesting when someone discovers a game that I've had since I was a kid! We all love crokinole here, but one's fingers can get a bit sore! Have you seen this video? It's a combination of curling and crokinole. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4aHdSNzlWsU