December 25, 2013 - Msg 95909: a long-along. Miss Crump
December 25, 2013 - Msg 95910:
Miss Crump--did you mean sing-along?
Yes, PH, I was reading in our paper of Detroit storms and all throughout that upper great lakes area. So sorry you had an "icy" Christmas instead of
a white Christmas.
SPOT--very nice of you to take the shift. Say hey to Martha for us too.
Our Christmas here was very nice. 72 today. Enjoyed lunch at dad's and then grilled steaks for
C and I here at home tonight.
God bless my friends!
MDC
December 25, 2013 - Msg 95911:
Oh, and miss Crump, thanks for sweeping up!
December 26, 2013 - Msg 95912: Merry Christmas porch!

I pray y'all are well and have had a wonderful day!

I'm still recovering from my 4 surgeries this year. Also still on my phone so it's not easy to type my typical long posts, but I want y'all to know that you're all in my thoughts and prayers. Much love to you all!

Blessings to you and yours,
Lucy Matthews
December 26, 2013 - Msg 95913: Good evening, porch! Just got home from Eloise's house, had a wonderful Christmas dinner and lots of good fellowship. Eloise's son is there, had his big Golden Retriever and a golden puppy, and of course Bentley was there with Dave and Brittney, and Toye Starr spent a lot of time up on the back of the sofa. The big dogs are very respectful to her, and gentle with her, but a galumphy, excitable golden puppy was about more than she could handle! The pup just wanted to play, but her nips were a little harder than she realized, and Toye Starr got enough pretty quickly. The puppy didn't honor her growls, so she just climbed me like a tree and settled behind my head on the sofa. The puppy just looked at her, like "OK, little grouch!" Poor little thing, she just wanted to play.

PH, I didn't read above my last post, and you evidently had slipped in there. I'm so sorry to hear about the ice damage. Believe me, I understand! I'm glad you at least have power, and hope the entire area is restored soon.

Lucy, it's good to hear from you. We do miss your usual posts, but are grateful for whatever you're able to do right now. Prayers for you, dear girl, that you'll get through all this and get healed up very soon.

Well, I recorded "A Christmas Story", so guess I'll get comfy, get a couple of cookies and some tea and settle down to watch it. We watched "Elf" at Eloise's. So funny! Will Ferrell is hilarious, but I declare, it's worth watching it just to see Bob Newhart in that elf suit. Good stuff.

Blessings to all! --Romeena
December 26, 2013 - Msg 95914: Well, Ive got 10 more minutes to say "Merry Christmas" before Christmas, 2013 is over. Hope you all had a blessed day. Ours was good. Will share more tomorrow. I'm tuckered out!

Boo
December 26, 2013 - Msg 95915: MDC-The previous post said something about a sing a long. I say sing along. I did not sweep the porch. It's pretty much automatic. Except on some occasions where that kid who steals apples from foley's shows up. I'd rather go fishin. Oh yeah, just step inside the circle.
December 26, 2013 - Msg 95916: Hello front porch! Otis Campbell just stopped by the hotel to wish me a Merry Christmas. He brought some brand xxx from the Morrison sisters. Mr. Sawyer
December 26, 2013 - Msg 95917: MDC...Nothing say's Christmas like steaks on the "Barbie".. Sounds Goood! I like mine med w/just salt & maybe just a little garlic. Humm, maybe I'll fire mine up, with the snow blowin' in the wind, and maybe wash the car too. All I have to do is put on my bathrobe & "Cousin Eddie" hat and have at it... Now put THAT vision in your head and think on it for awhile!
Or, I might just stay in and turn the furnace up to 70, and have a hot cup of tea & a piece of banana bread... Yep that sounds like a plan... Yep, tea, banana bread 70 degrees, that's what I'm gonna do...

G-F....
December 26, 2013 - Msg 95918: Hi All.
I just heard a good song!
HAPPY BRITHDAY TO YOU, HAPPY BRITHDAY HAPPY BRITHDAY MDC,HAPPY BRITHDAY.

TOM

December 26, 2013 - Msg 95919: Happy Day after Christmas porch, hope everyone had a Merry Christmas! had a good time with family at my house. lots of food and lots of leftovers for a couple of days.

Back to work for me for today for a few hours then will be off until January 6th. I decided to take the week after Christmas off since my business partner was off this week. Thought it might give me more down time.

glad everyone had a great Christmas! well gotta get my work day started.

Prayers and blessings to all.

Big Maude
December 26, 2013 - Msg 95920: Here is a solution to your Christmas dinner....

http://www.youtube.com/watch_popup?feature=endscreen&NR=1&v=niegc7QcilM

G-F....again...
December 26, 2013 - Msg 95921: no way kid

December 26, 2013 - Msg 95922:
Today is Boxing Day in Canada and it is an official holiday. It is similar to Black Friday in the USA (the day after Thanksgiving) so retail stores take advantage by offering big discounts. But not all residents will be shopping.
Last night, about 4 inches of snow fell on our ice covered ground. I just watched a television press conference explaining how the city services have been handling this crisis. Still there are about 50,000 homes without any power. Temperatures for this weekend are expected to be above freezing. That should melt some of the exposed ice. But the snow covered ice will remain. And arctic cold air is predicted for next week.

from Poor Horatio
December 26, 2013 - Msg 95923: Good morning, porch! PH, I have a solution for your weather problems. Move to Texas! --Romeena
December 26, 2013 - Msg 95924:
Romeena, I used to visit Texas back in the days when my sister lived in a suburb of Dallas. I did enjoy the visits because of the variety of things to do and see that Texas offered. But those hot steamy summer months, and having to deal with those fire ants, have convinced me that its a nice place to visit but I would not want to live there.

G-F, that Christmas dinner video link you posted stars one of the two actors who appear on the Red Green comedy television show here in Canada. Although that program seems to be popular here, I've watched it just a few times. Not only did I find it to be only marginally funny, the excessive canned laughter actually annoyed me.

from Poor Horatio
December 26, 2013 - Msg 95925: Hey Porchsters! Hope everyone had a great Christmas-I sure did! Santa brought me a new computer,which I desperately needed. One of the reasons I haven't been rocking much on the Porch was due to computer issues. Anyway,I was finally able to post the pics I took when I went to Mt. Airy/Mayberry last month. I think you'll enjoy them,so check them out on my FB page!

********************
possum under a rock
December 26, 2013 - Msg 95926: And a very Happy Birthday to MDC!!!

possum again
December 26, 2013 - Msg 95927: Good evening, porch. Back home after running errands and doing some grocery shopping. As is our family's habit, even though we had a full Christmas schedule on the actual dates, I'm also cooking a traditional Christmas dinner on Saturday. Eloise cooked dinner on Wednesday, and did a beef tenderloin on the grill. It was magnificent! Now Saturday, I'll do turkey and dressing and cranberries, etc. Best of both worlds, I guess.

PH, those fire ants don't have to be a problem. An application of dry molasses to the whole yard about three times a year and they go away. I don't think it kills them directly, but it encourages things like beneficial nematodes, which like to dine on ant eggs and larvae, so I guess it kills them indirectly. Anyway, they disappear. Now as for the hot steamy summer months, well, there you've got me. Not much I can do or say about that, except thank Heaven for a/c. I guess it's a trade-off. I would be terrified if I had to drive on ice all the time during the winter, and the long winters and short summer months would be a problem for me as well. I'm barefoot and out in the yard by March or April, and pretty much stay that way until late October or so. I feel really "stepped on" when I have to put on shoes to go somewhere.

Possum, congrats on the new computer. Maybe we'll see a bit more of you now, I hope. Have fun, my dear. You deserve it!

Well, guess I'll go feed my little sidekick, and myself as well. I've got four dozen tamales in there, made and sold by the parents of my grandsons' baseball team, and they're goooood! I've polished off a half dozen in the last couple of days, just eating them for a snack. I'll finish off that dozen, and guess I'd better freeze the rest. They made about $2000 for the team, with the tamale project, but as David said, they earned it! Those things, when made right, are really a labor-intensive project. Even when made wrong, they're a lot of work. They made them right, though. The masa isn't too thick, and there's plenty of meat in them, and they're seasoned just right. I've made the things myself, and I know how messy and labor-intensive they are, but when done right, they're wonderful! I think the parents actually had fun doing it, too. It's a lot of work, but a lot of joking and fun took place as well. Sort of a bonding process, you might say. So, being a good grandma, I bought four dozen. What was I thinking??

Blessings! --Romeena
December 26, 2013 - Msg 95928: Good evening porch family.

I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas. It sounds like most did. Ours was great. Had a full house here. SOL cooked prime rib. I smashed some taters, daughters did up some pies. Mercy sakes, I ate like a pig. Good company, good food. Great weather. Although we have close to a foot of snow on the ground, the temps were pushing 40. That feels like an heat wave after the 12 degree highs we had a couple of weeks ago.
Sorry to hear of your weather woes PH. Hope you thaw out quickly.

Great news about a new computer for you Possum. I hope that does mean you can rock more. I hope to get one myself here sometime soon. Trying to do this on my kindle with the finicky touch screen is maddening. That is one of the reasons I have not been posting much also. But maybe you all like it better that way. LOL

Happy Birthday MDC. Them Cards of yours could be a sleeper in the playoffs if they get in. Big game for them this Sunday. I think Ariens is a heck of a coach.

Well much more I'd like to say but this touchscreen is driving me crazy. So I'm off.

Prayers for all.

Asa
December 27, 2013 - Msg 95929:
Thanks for all the Feast of Stephen birthday wishes. 'Course, if I lived in Canada, I'd get to box with my neighbor today! ha
PH--how'd it get that name?
Glad all went pretty well for all.
BOO- I saw Erin's go-cart (on steroids) on FB. Very nice!
PAppabear called me today. He is doing well
these days, and promises to get to the library computer soon.
God bless all,
MDC

December 27, 2013 - Msg 95930:
BTW, today was 64th for me, so here is the Beatles
tune for ya. Thank God that my wife still needs me and feeds me!! haha
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ntn6XiXX1AQ

December 27, 2013 - Msg 95931: A letter from Fred....This will bless your heart..
"Warning" it'll make ya cry... Enjoy!
MDC...64? Good on ya! 64 is less than 65..No Problem! haha...
G-F....

http://vimeo.com/70426141
December 27, 2013 - Msg 95932: Hope everyone had a good Christmas....Glad Possum got a new computer...you had better rock more often now or Im coming after you! ;)

I've been busy..yesterday started off just swimmingly. Before mom got her diaper on, she left a trail of runny poo down the hall, through the bathroom, down the toilet, down her legs, into her houseshoes, all over her gown, all over her backside, and all over MY houseshoes! I had to mop three times, shower mom, and wash poopy clothes and shoes. Great way to start the day but that's just the way it is. My poor sister. ;)

I hear her tv, so she is up...better go get her up for her coffee, teeth-cleaning and fresh diaper.

Boo
December 27, 2013 - Msg 95933: Sorry Boo, That you had a crappy day...
December 27, 2013 - Msg 95934: Dear Lord. Boo, you and St. Susan will have stars in your crowns, for sure. I know exactly what you're talking about, because I cared for geriatric patients for 17 years in the hospital, before I moved to postpartum. The scene you described is not unusual. However, while it's not a pleasant chore in the hospital setting, it doesn't compare to what's involved when it happens in a home. In the hospital, you have easily-cleaned floors and an EVS person to do the mopping, you have a linen cart to dump the dirty linen into and you never see it again, and if you're lucky, you have an aide to help you with the showering. At home, with carpets and no laundry service, and maybe no one to help you, it's a completely different thing. God bless you.

Just a thought - how would she tolerate wearing those gripper-soled socks, instead of houseshoes? At least they can just go in the washer.

All this makes me ashamed of my cluttered house. I have no excuse. No one here but me and Toye Starr, and the place should be spotless all the time, but it's not. I guess I've gotten lazy. I was a better housekeeper when I had a family to contend with. Of course, I had a lot of help from that family, too. David was, and still is, a very handy little gadget to have around. He's a neatnik, and Landry is following right behind him. That sweet kid, only 12, got up after dinner (without being asked) at Eloise's on Wednesday, started clearing tables, scraped, rinsed and stacked dishes (Eloise likes to load the dishwasher herself), scrubbed some pots, put away food and generally did a fine job. Eloise's kitchen is pretty small, and there's not room for a lot of helpers in it, but Landry got in there early and had a lot done while everyone else was finishing up their meal. He is sooo like his daddy - who is also like his daddy! I guess it all started with Dale.

G-F, that video about Fred was wonderful. You're right, it does make you cry. Thanks for sharing.

MDC, you're still just a young'un. Seems like just yesterday I was 64, but it was ten years ago! Wow.

Well, guess I'll go scare up some lunch. Blessings, friends! --Romeena
December 27, 2013 - Msg 95935: Alright...who left the "crappy day" comment?! LOL

Well, Ro, it is certainly different in a clinical setting where there is teamwork in these situations. Fortunately mom's paid caregiver that comes twice a week showed up in time to help me shower mom. It saved my life! ha I made darned sure she was wearing that diaper first thing this morning.

Ro, we've been having some more drama from Bruce's younger sister. She came down here to her mom's for Christmas sporting a serious staph infection. I got a call from MIL on Friday evening saying she thought Vicki needed to go to the ER and would I come by. I did, and saw a terrible case of cellulitis with huge, rock hard and red lymphs under Vicki's right arm..redness all the way down one breast and in bad pain. I think it had been brewing for a week before she came down. I sent her off to the ER and they admitted her of course..turns out she has MRSA and is being discharged from the hospital on outpatient care and guess what? She wants to come stay with her mom who cant drive. She has two grown children in Corpus Christi and she is talking about coming all the way over here to stay with her 81 yr old mom and put her at risk. I told Bruce that it cant happen. As soon as she gets over here, MIL will be calling me to help and it is impossible for me to be in that situation again. She will have to stay with her daughter and that is that. There is no reason why she couldn't. I feel for her and I know it is a terrible infection but it would be very unwise to expose her elderly mother to a draining MRSA wound. Good grief!

OK, off my soapbox..better go get some laundry done.

Boo
December 27, 2013 - Msg 95936: For cryin' out loud! Does the woman have any brain cells working? I'm pretty sure the hospital staff would have made her aware of the dangers of exposing others to her infection. The answer, and your mantra to repeat to family, is stated very well in what you said. "I feel for her and I know it is a terrible infection but it would be very unwise to expose her elderly mother to a draining MRSA wound." Just keep repeating that to them until, with any luck, it sinks in. You might also add that you will NOT be going over to help, as you have Erin to consider and can't risk carrying it to her. My stars!

One more thing. This woman is, presumably, an adult. Why does she need to go "stay with mom", or for that matter, with anyone? It's not like she has a broken leg or something. Stay home! Keep your MRSA to yourself, take your meds, and don't put anyone else at risk. Doesn't she drive? If so, drive yourself to the doctor for followups. Grow up, already!

About your mom's situation - doesn't she wear the diaper at night? Or does it just make for a greater mess? Sometimes it does, it's better if they just have a large pad under them.

Well, guess I'll go feed my little angel, and maybe hunt up something for myself as well. Blessings, porch! --Romeena
December 27, 2013 - Msg 95937: Ro, remember she is the one that has been living with an elderly couple in Killeen for 2 years now. He is a retired pastor and he and his wife are too soft-hearted. She came down here with it to spend Christmas here with her mom and her daughter. She just didn't bother to see a dr before she came down here, I guess.

I just got a call from bruce's mom telling me that Vicki is supposed to come stay with her next week. I couldn't get her to hear me over the phone but bruce is going to have to go over there and explain the situation to her before.


Boo
December 28, 2013 - Msg 95938:
Wow, what next? As Ro said, she's a grown woman.
She should go back to the pastor's house then, and stay in her room for recovery. I honestly don't she how she would even be up to going anywhere with mrsa that bad! time to put down your foot on this one!
RO, when my mom was living, the nursing SNF had a policy of no diapers at night, So messes most mornings. I never understood it. They said it was to stop skin breakdown, but it seemed that the other was just as bad. Crazy rules.
C and I saw "Saving Mr Banks" on my BD. It is a very
good film with Tom Hanks, who plays Walt Disney,
trying for 20 years to get the film rights to the Mary Poppins book. Very emotional true story.
I watched the very first TAGS ep today, and always like the
ending of Opie saying How will Aunt Bee ever survive, who will teach her baseball, etc. ha
Prayers,
MDC
December 28, 2013 - Msg 95939: MDC, my mom sometimes has skin issues from the diapers and spends part of each day at home without them. It does help, but sleeping in a soiled bed certainly seems to aggravate the situation, doesn't it? I was trying to let mom leave it off for awhile the other day when we had the big accident. :(

Better hit the ironing board for some adventure sleeping...mom will be up bright and early.

Boo
December 28, 2013 - Msg 95940:
BOO- one thing that works great for bottoms is plain old Vaseline. (Sorry to other porchsters!)
It's one thing I INSISTED on instead of all those other products, and her skin never broke. Really, Vaseline once a day, and a "gel seat" for
the wheelchair and you will see amazing results!
Steve
December 28, 2013 - Msg 95941: Oops, that's MDC :)
December 28, 2013 - Msg 95942: Here at work...got a broke pole ...busy...someone gona cook?...SPOT

December 28, 2013 - Msg 95943: I'm up and got the coffee going, Spotty! You want MY cooking? Ha! How about some Krispy Kremes instead?!

*******************
possum under a rock
December 28, 2013 - Msg 95944: For those of you on Facebook,I finally posted the pictures of the rainbow I told you about that appeared after our Rev passed away-go look when you get a chance.

possum again
December 28, 2013 - Msg 95945: Spot, A broken pole? I hate it when that happens, it makes it hard to go fishing with a broken pole...ha!
Boo, If I may quote Dr. Phil: "What were you thinking"! Man, some people just don't think. Why take that chance.
MDC, Your advice on good old Vaseline is spot on, another one of the "wonder" cures, it's right up there with WD-40 as a must have in your home arsenal.

G-F......
December 28, 2013 - Msg 95946: Good morning, porch! It's beautiful here today. Cold, at 38°, but clear, sunny and pretty. Squirrels are already zipping around the yard, performing astonishing gymnastic feats, death-defying leaps and generally putting on a show. The leaves are almost all off the trees now, so I can really see them clearly, and they're just amazing. I worry about them, because that hawk is still around - saw him on Christmas Eve - and with no leaf shelter, the squirrels are much more vulnerable. I wish the hawk would go out in the country and hunt field mice, and leave my squirrels alone!

Yes, MDC, you're right about that policy of no diapers at night, in some facilities. I think the rationale is that even though there's still a mess, it's not closed up inside a diaper, there's at least a little air circulation. However, the scrubbing that's sometimes required to remove dried-on deposits can be hard on fragile skin. It's pretty much a no-win situation.

Boo, I had forgotten about SIL's living arrangement. That poor couple! She doesn't need to be around them, either! In a hospital, she would be in contact isolation, staff gowned and gloved when they expect to touch the patient, etc. Anything you read on the subject emphasizes the risk to the elderly, or anyone who is in fragile health. She is risking the health of that kind couple, and now she's planning to put her own mother at risk. What a sweetheart.

MDC, you're right about the protective qualities of plain old vaseline. Let me add, should a spot of irritation appear, apply the gel from an aloe vera leaf. Not the bottled, commercial kind. Keep a plant growing at home, and when needed, just break off part of a leaf, scrape or squeeze some of the "goo" out of it, and apply directly to the irritated area. The cure-up is amazing. In 1979, I had some pretty significant radiation burns after cancer treatment. I applied aloe juice, and within two days, it was healing nicely, and gone in four days. My doctor was impressed! Oh, it works well on a baby's diaper rash too, and equally well on the rashes of incontinent adults. I might add that aloe is one of the few medicinal plants mentioned in the Bible, that is still known and available today. Pretty good recommendation, I'd say.

Well, must get busy. I need to get my dressing made, and have the bird in the oven by 1 pm. Eloise and I have to be at a 50th wedding anniversary at 2, for some dear friends. We'll just stay a little while, then I'll be home by 3:30, the bird should be nearly done, and the rest is easy. My fruit ambrosia is made, cranberry sauce is made, cherries and jello salad made, and the rest is pretty much just heating stuff up. I'll stop at Spring Creek on the way home for a little barbecued brisket for Jerry, who doesn't eat poultry in any form, and there you have it!

So - off I go. Have a great day, everyone. --Romeena
December 28, 2013 - Msg 95947: Amen on the WD 40 GF. Water Displacement 40th try. A lesson in being persistent for sure. And the idea they came up with the flip up straw was almost as ingenious as the product itself. No more hunting around for a straw when needing a precise spay. Can I get an amen GF? :)

You are a wonderful daughter Boo, bless your heart.

Good to see you posting more Possum. I bet you're a great cook. I am slowly getting more comfortable in the kitchen and a bit more adventurous. Learning to taste as I prepare and adjust accordingly. And learning to add a few ingredients to some already prepared food can really improve it. Again I need to thank Ro and Boo and others who have coached me along. I'm no Bobby Flay for sure. But compared to where I was a few years ago, I'm right proud of my growth.

Cold and foggy here this morning. At least I ain't gotta shovel fog,although I hate driving in it.

Well better get moving. Laundry to do, vacuuming to do. Bathrooms to scrub. All in all it's a fun day.

Asa
December 28, 2013 - Msg 95948: Amen Asa... I first used WD-40 @ my Dads service station, if you had a Chrysler product on a wet damp day and "Did Not" have a can in your trunk to spray on the wires & distributor cap you were screwed! I am SURE it was invented by a Chrysler owner. That is why to this day, I have never owned a Plymouth or Dodge ( I did like the Duster tho) but I was smart and bought a me Chevy Nova instead.
Adventurous in the kitchen? Does that mean your putting oregano in your spaghetti sauce? lol

G-F....
December 28, 2013 - Msg 95949: Good for you, Asa. As time goes by, you'll learn to trust your impulses more, and you'll be surprised what may result. For example: My turkey and dressing is, if I may say so, really, really good. It is so simple! Start with a good-sized turkey, it will be more juicy. A fresh one is best, but if it's frozen, be sure it's fully thawed. Rinse the inside with warm water a few times. Melt a stick of butter in a very large skillet, and add a chopped onions, one bunch of celery and a bunch of green onions, all chopped. Saute them in the butter until tender. Add a can of chicken broth and three cups of water. Simmer until bubbling gently. Put two packages of Pepperidge Farms dry stuffing mix (I use the bread crumb kind, not the cornbread) in a very large bowl. Pour a can (or two) of diced tomatoes over the stuffing. Yes, tomatoes. Pour the boiling veggie mixture over it all and mix well with a wooden spoon. It will be much too hot to use your hands.

Assuming you already have your turkey in a buttered roaster pan, a big one with plenty of room, start spooning that scalding hot stuffing into the turkey cavity. Don't forget the little pocket at the neck. The hot stuffing will begin warming the turkey from within. Pack the remainder loosely around the bird, tucking it under the legs and filling any empty pockets. Start it at 425° for fifteen minutes, turn down to 325° and let it cook. Check it every 20-30 minutes, basting accumulated juices over the bird. In less time than all the roasting instructions say, the bird will be done, because it started out warm inside. Don't expect to put a whole bird on a platter, like in the movies. It will not come out of the pan whole, it's too tender, and the bones will just pull out. Still, it's beautiful, sitting there in that pan, with stuffing all around. Some of the stuffing will get very brown, almost burned, along the edges. That's the part Brittney likes best - she calls it "crunchies", and no one better get her crunchies.

OK, that's how I do a turkey, and trust me, it is good. Back to the impulse idea - that's how the tomatoes got in my dressing. One day I was making the dressing, and it occurred to me that a can of tomatoes would brighten the flavor and the texture a bit, and it worked. You really don't taste "tomato" as such, it just sparks the flavor a little. Try it!

OK, off I go to my friends' anniversary, while my turkey cooks. Back in a bit. Blessings, all. --Romeena
December 28, 2013 - Msg 95950: Romeena, We may have to get you your own cooking show on TV like Aunt Bee, is what I'm thinkin'....

G-F..
December 28, 2013 - Msg 95951: Happy Saturday everyone. Hope all is well. It's been a lazy Saturday for ole Maude. Took my Mom to the hairdresser this morning as her car battery was dead. Patrick went to her house and hooked the battery charger up. Hopefully it will take
care of it. She is almost 83 and does pretty well all things considered.

Anyway, went to the grocery store, come home, washed a load of clothes and did dome ironing but that is about all. I have been doing pretty much nothing this afternoon.

Mr. Maude is working til 6 pm so guess I will fix dinner.

Your turkey sounds delish Ro, I will have to try that..never thought of adding tomatoes. My Mom generally makes the stuffing and then makes in into patties and frys them in a little oil. They get nice and crusty on the outside but very moist and
Tasty on the inside.

Well, gotta get supper ready. The kids decided on hamburgers fixed in the cast iron skillet and French fried potatoes. Ya'll come on over and eat with us.

Prayers and blessings to all.
Big Maude




December 28, 2013 - Msg 95952:
SPOT- is a "broke pole" a person of Polish descent who has no money? OK, er-r-r-r! haha
POSSUM- saw the rainbow! wonderful! He's home! Giving God the glory!
RO- thanks for the aloe advice.
and RO, "delicious" last post! ha
G-F--will WD-40 work on my arthritis? teehee
I just came home from the Fiesta Bowl parade,
so I'm in a festive mood, with bands still playing in my head! Nothing like being 6 feet away from 20 passing marching bands!! I think they all
went to cymbal city (:
MDC

December 28, 2013 - Msg 95953: Maudie- you sneaked in there before me. Thanks for the parayers.
MDC
December 28, 2013 - Msg 95954: Thanks, Asa.. you make me smile. :)

Thanks for the Vaseline reminder, MDC. Mom likes to use A&D ointment, which is mostly petroleum jelly. It does work.

Watching mom is very sad because I am realizing that she does have considerable suffering and has had for 14 years now. Hard to imagine being in her condition for that long but I know she isn't alone. She is tough, that's for sure. You don't hear her complain much.

Sat with mom for quite awhile this morning, her in her recliner, me next to her in my easy chair and I felt her crippled little hand reach over for mine and heard her say softly, "I love you so much". Folks, that makes it all worth while. :)

Boo
December 28, 2013 - Msg 95955: MDC...WD-40 for arthritis? I suppose if you drive a Dodge or Plymouth maybe. If not try Windex..It works for a lot of things, but I think you have to be Greek. aka "My Big Fat Greek Wedding", where Michael Constantine fixed everything with "Windex"...

G-F
December 28, 2013 - Msg 95956: Well, with Sean's help I took the tree down and got it out of here...it was starting to smell bad so it needed to happen. It was completely dried up and a fire hazard, as well. I am leaving up the other decorations until after new years, though.

Any of you have anything exciting going on New Year's Eve/Day? Any resolutions?

I think we will have a few friends over like we did last year because we had such a good time.

Mom's in bed and I think I will go see if there is some TAGS on the tube.

Boo
December 29, 2013 - Msg 95957:
I'm back in the USA for a short visit. What a difference weather wise. Today near Chicago, it was in the low 50's.

Boo, if your mother has a incontinent problem, why was she not wearing diapers when the accident happened? When I was taking care of my mother during her final years, she always wore diapers. And although I had a portable toilet next to her bed, it was difficult for her to use it by herself. So to make it more convenient for her during the night while I was asleep, I told her to just stay in bed and let it go. Then I would get up early in the morning and give her a partial sponge bath before I left for work. She never developed any infections so I must have done a good job.
Also, that was a sweet tender moment sitting with your mom.
Finally, we have nothing special planned for New Year's. My only resolution is to never make any more resolutions.

Romeena, thanks for that tip about aloe vera leaves.

MDC, no one seems to know why it's called Boxing Day. The most popular possible reasons include:
#1 - Churches set up collection boxes to accept donations at Christmas time. Then on the day after Christmas, the boxes were opened and the donations were distributed to the poor.
#2 - For servants who had to work on Christmas, the were given the day off along with boxed gifts on the day after Christmas.

from Poor Horatio
December 29, 2013 - Msg 95958: Well, everyone has gone home, after a good dinner of a really succulent turkey and good dressing, ambrosia salad, green beans, corn, and a very good cherry/jello dish. The turkey was one of my better efforts, if I do say so myself! It wasn't an expensive one, either, just a plain old turkey, but it was fresh, not frozen. That helps.

I had a harrowing afternoon, though. I got the bird in the oven by one, as planned, and left here at 1:45 to go to my friends' anniversary party. Left the turkey cooking, heat down to 325°. Jerry doesn't eat poultry, so I left the party at 2, and stopped by Spring Creek to pick up a pound of BBQ brisket for him. Just as I parked the car, my phone rang. It was David, he had received a call from ADT, saying there was a fire alarm going off at my house, and fire trucks had been dispatched. They had tried to reach me, but I had my phone off because of the party. So David was on his way, but was a half hour away. I quickly forgot the brisket, and tore out for home! I was terrified, because little Starr was closed up in the back bedroom. Probably the safest place she could be, if the fire was in the kitchen, but still...

When I got home, the firefighters had left, and everything seemed fine. False alarm, maybe? No. When I got in the garage, I could hear the alarm going off, and while I couldn't see smoke, I could smell it. I felt the door to the kitchen before I opened it. Cool, so I went in. The house was absolutely filled with thick smoke. From the kitchen, I couldn't make out the Christmas tree in the living room, about 35 feet away. It was choking me, but I spotted the problem. I had left a pan with the giblets boiling on the stove! I had started them, meaning to turn it off before I left, and didn't. The pan was black, the giblets looked like charcoal, but they hadn't flamed up. I threw the whole mess in the trash, pan and all.

I opened everything I could open to the outside, turned on the ventahood and a bathroom exhaust fan, turned on all the ceiling fans, and turned the furnace off, but turned the air handler on. Of course, before I did anything, I had let Toye Starr out of the bedroom. She shot out of there like a rocket when I opened the door, totally unnerved by the alarm (which won't go off until the smoke is cleared) and I'm sure upset by the smoke as well. She may not be a little ditzy, but she's not stupid. She would know smoke meant danger, I think. She raced around the house, barking at the alarms, and coughing right along with me. The smoke was awful. Finally she discovered that the back door was open, so she went and sat there, where there was some fresh air!

So, there I was, company coming for dinner in less than an hour, and the house uninhabitable! I have a couple of box fans, so I set them up, aimed at the open doorways, and in time enough smoke left that the alarms finally shut up. I checked my turkey, it was beautiful, and fully done. I just turned the oven off and let it sit in there until we were finally ready to serve the meal.

The house still stinks, but at least it didn't burn down, Toye Starr wasn't killed by the smoke, and all's well that ends well. You can bet I was doing some serious praying as I shoved that car over the road getting home! Believe me, I was plenty scared! So - my New Year's resolution is simple. I will not leave this house unless the stove is off and burner covers are in place. I'll keep that one, too. Count on it. --Romeena
December 29, 2013 - Msg 95959: Correction - I left the party at 3, not 2. I got there at 2, and stayed an hour. I'm so glad I didn't stay any longer! --Romeena
December 29, 2013 - Msg 95960: Uh, referring to Toye Starr, that should be "she may be a little ditzy" - guess I'm still a little shook up. --Romeena
December 29, 2013 - Msg 95961: So where was Jerry during all this? And why did the fire dept leave the scene with a house full of smoke?
December 29, 2013 - Msg 95962: MDC.."broke pole"...good one !..Romeena im glad everything turned out ok...whew...hey possum,G-F,Boo and all...well back at work till two and one more Christmas get together today at 5 at my house...Miss Martha"s kids and grand kids..and my kids...got big ham and turkey...all the trimmings...well let me get started here at work...will be back with breakfast...let all you sleepy heads wake up....SPOT
December 29, 2013 - Msg 95963: And where are you working on a Sunday at 5:30 a.m. until 2?
December 29, 2013 - Msg 95964: Wow Romeena, that was a close one! Glad everyone is ok... Good thing Miss Starr is a little thing, she stayed low an close to the ground a tactic I'm sure she learned from watching Lassie. She probably was the one that called 911 too. Yep good thing she's short, now if she was a giraffe it may not have turned out so well. Any how, glad everything is ok (except for the giblets)....

My thought is the Fire Dept. didn't get the call from "ADT" but rather from "REV" is what I'm thinking....Amen?

G-F
December 29, 2013 - Msg 95965: I wouldn't be a bit surprised, G-F. Not a bit. Actually, I think he might have prompted me to leave the party and start for home. Not sure how long little Toye Starr could have lasted.

Masked Poster, to respond to your question - Jerry is my son's father-in-law, and at the time this was happening, he was across town in someone's attic, repairing a furnace. As for the fire department, I have asked myself the same question. Part of the answer is that they probably didn't know the house was full of smoke. From the outside, absolutely nothing was visible. This house is extremely tight, and when I drove up, I saw nothing at all. However, had they gone into the back yard, they could have looked through an 8' picture window on the back of the house, and the smoke would have been visible inside. Apparently, since nothing was coming through anywhere, they considered it a malfunctioning alarm and left. Part of me is glad they didn't smash my door down, and part of me wonders what would have happened to Toye Starr, if I hadn't gotten home. The bedroom where she was confined had much less smoke than the rest of the house, but still, every time the furnace kicked in, it was picking up smoke from the rest of the house and blowing it into that room. There are air returns in every room. Also, the burner was still on under that burned pot, and eventually, that possibly could have ignited something - maybe. Maybe not, since it hadn't done it yet. Still - good question.

Yuck. The house still smells like smoke. It will probably take a while to get that smell out of here. Maybe I'll get my Febreze and go on a de-stinkifyin' mission. Might work. Yeah, but it might not. --Romeena
December 29, 2013 - Msg 95966: The fire department should have taken a closer look at the house, Ro. I don't like that at all. Thank God everything turned out alright. Glad you are going to make sure the stove is off and burner covers on when you leave. Once you make it a habit, it shouldn't be a problem in the future.

Better get going..I am going to the church of a friend to see her baptized this morning. Most of you will remember my best friend Karen, who passed away 5 years ago. She had a daughter named Jill who has had a rough life with an alcoholic and abusive husband. They have 2 little girls, so it has been a very concerning situation. In the small town in which they live, the local Baptist minister began visiting and trying to minister to them. Jill's husband came to the Lord and is doing better, according to Jill and now Jill is giving her testimony and being baptized so I don't want to miss it. I will be there in her mother's place. Sure wish Karen was here to see it but maybe she will see it. :)

Boo
December 29, 2013 - Msg 95967: ps-Ro, sis-in-law is going to stay with her daughter and away from her mother. She is, however, planning to go back to live with the elderly couple in Killeen on Tuesday. Nothing I can do about that. I hope they know what they are dealing with.

Boo
December 29, 2013 - Msg 95968: Hi All
Will it look like someone have some spring cleaning to do now!

TOM

December 29, 2013 - Msg 95969: Good Sabbath porch pals.

My goodness Romeena, I am glad your event wasn't worse than it easily might have been. That is bothersome that the Fire department did not do a more thorough job in assuring that there was no fire. I agree it saved you a door or window being destroyed, but the whole purpose of smoke detectors is to save lives and property. I imagine they get a lot of false alarms but still I would think that they should have been a little more thorough in their response. Anyway I'm glad all you have to deal with is a smokey house.

Boo, thank you for sharing that tender moment you had with your Mom. Those are memories that you will have for the rest of your life. And I'm sure moments like that more than compensate you for those other moments that are not quite so pleasing.

MDC. A broke pole joke. Had you a little A. Bunker moment? LOL

Well we are going into another temperature inversion here. Foggy again and cold. A few thousand feet above us the sun is shining and the temperature is warmer. Oh well, that's life through and through.

Asa


December 29, 2013 - Msg 95970:
Romeena, you are a very lucky lady and Toye Starr is a very lucky dog in spite of your fire department's shocking and inept behavior! This is a very serious, and I believe requires further action on your part. Contact fire department management and discuss this incident with them. Not only do you need an explanation, but the fire personnel need some additional training. I can think of no reason why "heroic" fire personnel should leave a smoke filled residence unattended. They supposedly have methods and equipment that can detect heat and smoke even when it can't be seen. You got lucky once so don't tempt fate.
When I was a child, one of our neighbors was cooking supper while his wife was at work. Since they lived less than one mile from their house, he put the flame on low when it was time to pick her up. By the time they got home, their kitchen was on fire. It took over two months to get rid of the smoke smell. As a result of this incident, my mother warned me never to leave anything cooking when I leave the house. So even today, I will not use a slow cooking crock pot if I am not home.

from Poor Horatio
December 29, 2013 - Msg 95971:
Oops, that sentence should be "Since they lived less than one mile from where she worked, he put the flame on low when it was time to pick her up."

from Poor Horatio
December 29, 2013 - Msg 95972: Good afternoon, all. Your observations regarding the performance of the fire department are noted and well taken, and you'll be glad to know that I'm already on it. I talked with ADT, learned that they had issued two calls, but that the trucks went out only once. So, today I called the non-emergency office, who had a transcript of the calls. I learned that they did receive two calls, but when the second call came through they were still on the scene, so they recorded it as one response. I talked with a nice gentleman there, and expressed my concerns, specifically that my dog was in here, and I could have been, but no one would have known it. No visible smoke, true, but had they gone to the back yard they'd have seen it in the window. For that matter, had they opened the mail slot on the front porch, smoke would have come out, which they would have seen and smelled. The man agreed, and gave me the number of the fire marshall, whom I will call tomorrow. We'll have a friendly conversation, in which I'll express my concerns, and will then listen to what he has to say. I also gave my garage door codes to ADT, which eliminates the smashed door problem. I don't intend to get into a "thing" with the fire marshall. I see this as an opportunity for a citizen to interact with them, raise some valid points, and perhaps end up with an improved policy. We'll see.

Blessings, friends! --Romeena
December 29, 2013 - Msg 95973: Romeena, oh my gosh, so glad no one was hurt and you and
Toye Star are safe and sound.

Just posting that BBQ chicken, baked potatoes and mixed veggies for supper at my house! Come one come all.
Big Maude
December 29, 2013 - Msg 95974: Sounds good Maude. Sounds really good.

I love your attitude Romeena. I'm sure that the Fire marshal would see this as an opportunity to learn and change procedures for the better. You could gently tell him had you not returned when you did they might have gotten a third call. And the third one would have had flame. And with your alarm company recording all these calls.... well, he'll get the drift. :)

Asa
December 29, 2013 - Msg 95975: This talk about Romeena's brush with a fire got me to thinking what about Mayberry's Fire Dept. I can recall town volunteers helping put out the fire at Jubal's when he knocked over the lamp in his barn. But I don't recall mention of a fire department.
Did they have a fire department? I Can't recall Andy calling anyone when his chicken cooking project went array... I just suppose they call Sarah and say: "Mayday, "Mayday"....Just curious

G-F...

December 29, 2013 - Msg 95976: I think Andy asked Jubal why he didn't call the Fire Department and he said there wasn't enough time.
December 29, 2013 - Msg 95977: Correcction: Andy said why didn't you call in the volunteer fire brigade.
December 29, 2013 - Msg 95978:
Good point GF, I don't think any episode actually shows any
firemen on scene.
As to Andy's chicken incident, I have always thought it odd
that he carried that flaming pot to the sink (that had curtains above it) instead of just covering the pan on the stove.
That said, I also agree that some sort of divine intervention was involved here. But, RO, you should leave your phone turned on, especially if that is ADT's first number to call.
I can see valid auguements both ways tho. Without the firemen breaking down anything, it saved RO a whole mess of trouble trying to get things repaired, etc,
but on the other hand, it does indeed seem strange that the fire dept didn't do their job better. There are companies who will come out and get smoke-smell out of houses, you may want to check it out.
Prayers,
MDC