As Christmas gets closer, so the stress levels increase for many trying to put on a big shindig. We've agreed to dial it back in an enormous way this year as I have one daughter moving across the country while the other is having a rough time affording things on a day-to-day basis. I've got some plans after the holidays to give a little money to each of them, but I don't want to give it beforehand and have them spend it on presents for other people.

It was a fun week for us, as my eldest arrived for a visit before heading West. I'll be dogsitting my granddog, as she has accommodations for three months at her new workplace, but dogs are not allowed. Raya and I are getting along splendidly. She's very well-behaved and very mellow. Her hobbies are playing fetch and keeping a watchful eye on my cat, who scares her a little. The cat is likewise a little less than pleased to have a new roommate. But there's been no bloodshed, and they're inching closer together every day. I keep wondering if they'll get past mere annoyed tolerance and become buddies. I hope so - that would be fun.

My apartment is in utter chaos since my eldest removed her things from her car so she could drive us places. Every time I get annoyed by that, I remind myself that I'm so lucky that my girlies love spending time with me,. And one day, I'll probably look back longingly at these days when we were all together, jammed into a tiny space, playing games and looking at old pictures.

Regarding my slow-healing ankle, I've begun a laser protocol on it, and plan to get PRP injections in January. PRP was recommended by one of you and when I brought it up with my doctor, he said I was an excellent candidate. PRP stands for Protein Rich Plasma. Here's what Johns Hopkins says about it.

Platelet-rich plasma consists of two elements: plasma, or the liquid portion of blood, and platelets, a type of blood cell that plays an important role in healing throughout the body. Platelets are well-known for their clotting abilities, but they also contain growth factors that can trigger cell reproduction and stimulate tissue regeneration or healing in the treated area. Platelet-rich plasma is simply blood that contains more platelets than normal.

To create platelet-rich plasma, clinicians take a blood sample from the patient and place it into a device called a centrifuge that rapidly spins the sample, separating out the other components of the blood from the platelets and concentrating them within the plasma.

After creating platelet-rich plasma from a patient’s blood sample, that solution is injected into the target area, such as an injured knee or a tendon. In some cases, the clinician may use ultrasound to guide the injection. The idea is to increase the concentration of specific bioproteins or hormones, called growth factors, in a specific area to accelerate the healing process.

What I find incredibly interesting (and frustrating) is that the insurance company will pay for me to have surgery and be in a cast for six months, but laser treatment - which is definitely providing some relief - and PRP treatment are not covered. They're both 100% out of pocket. So, despite the fact I finally have insurance after years of not being covered, I'm still struggling to pay thousands of dollars for appropriate care. Our system is a mess, isn't it?

I won't complain too much - improvement is improvement and I'm so glad to be able to see the light at the end of the recovery tunnel.

Speaking of MONEY, please check out some of our links for holiday shopping and please consider buying some of our books for the holidays! All your purchases directly benefit The OP and our writers! I did a round-up here of all our gift ideas, books, and money-saving and preparedness tips. Your support means a lot to us!

I hope you have a wonderful week ahead!

Having something to eat isn't guaranteed.

We're facing threats to our food supply from many different angles: supply chain breakdowns, drought, food facilities being ravaged by fires, skyrocketing inflation, and outright shortages. No longer can we live in the comfort of unthreatened abundance. We're learning exactly how delicate the system really is.

Prepping and putting back supplies is incredibly important but what we're seeing now goes beyond that. You have to be able to produce and acquire more food. You have to be able to put back your harvests to eat during the winter. You have to be able to prepare items that once were as convenient as popping open a can or little plastic container.

You need a paperback copy of How to Feed Your Family No Matter What, our Organic Prepper anthology with ALL of our content about food. You'll get more than 500 pages of content that are all about food when you can't just go to the store and buy whatever you want.