February 10, 2020 - Msg 113729: HI Folks! Boy, i leave town for a few days and so do
most of you! Ha
Hey to GF and frankie. We're in tucson tonight, then home tomorrow. I hope everyone is ok.
I heard TX and other southern areas are getting some bad weather.
Prayers,
MDC
February 11, 2020 - Msg 113730: Good morning all.

Mercy sakes, We made NDC sweep up in the middle of his trip. How dare we. :) Good to see you MDC. Drive safe buddy. I hear y'all are getting some weather in your travel area. Stacey and Matt and all the Gradkiidos (except Mariah) are going to New Mexico on Thursday to visit Matt's Dad who is having his 80th Birthday. Mariah has her first game on Thursday, so she is staying with us and then will be flying down on Friday with Matt's brother and his Wife. They fly into Tucson, and then still have a few hour drive to get to the ranch.

Glad to see Possum, Sarah, and Frankie holler. Glad you are all doing ok.

Boo, I do hope Erin is clean on her drug test. That is the last thing you or her need. I still maintain that she is at the most difficult age in growing up as far as the parent/child relationship is concerned. At least it was for me. They are old enough (supposedly) to make decisions for themselves, and you as a parent can only offer advice if you see them making bad choices. Then if you throw in a rebellious attitude into the equation it just makes it worse. I know with my oldest, he would seem to go out of his way to do things just to spite us. I would remind him that he was hurting us indeed. But he was hurting himself even more. Because we no longer had to deal with the results of his choices. It took a few years, quite a few for that to sink in. We could only hope and pray that he would mature before he self destructed.

Romeena, Amanda sounds like a real nice young woman for sure. I bet you have had a nice time visiting with her.

GF, Disco Darling. rotfl. You're funny for an HVAC tech. lol I can just picture MDC and Cecile cutting it up on the dance floor like Gomer and Mary Grace. I just hope MDC adorned her with a nice corsage. :)

Well better get some stuff done around here. My house is starting to look like Andy's did when Aunt Bee was gone for a few days. I declare, I don't know how I can be so messy.

Asa


February 11, 2020 - Msg 113731: Good morning, porch! It's rainy and cold here, at 42°, with heavy, sullen skies, just slowly dripping cold water everywhere. A little squirrel is perched in one of the leafless crape myrtles, munching on something, with his tail arched over his head like an umbrella. Squirrels are so cute!

I have to share this little confession. Saturday night, I got into bed, which is no small undertaking. My bed is quite high and I have to sort of climb/fall in, crawl across to my accustomed place, get the pillows set just so, with one on the upward slope created by Ted with a plywood frame beneath the mattress, to keep my head and shoulders elevated, and another big pillow under my knees so I don't slide down. Once settled in, I don't want to get up again. Then when I put the O2 lines over my ears, I realized my hearing aids were still in. Not about to get up and go through all that again, I just removed them and dropped them into the tissue box that sits near my pillow. (The O2 makes my nose run, OK? See how much fun it is to get old?) I shook the box, could hear them rattling inside, and knew they were safely down deep in the box. Well, Sunday morning, as I slid across the bed to get up, I felt something rough, which turned out to be - you guessed it - the remains of one of the hearing aids. Shredderteeth had managed to retrieve it from the tissue box and had chewed it into tiny bits, all left in a little pile on the bed. Scared me, because if she had swallowed the battery, it could have killed her, but she didn't. It was there, along with the little clear plastic tube that goes from the device to the earpiece, the chewed up bits of the housing of the device itself, and assorted little pieces of wire and metal. I know she swallowed part of it, because there's nowhere near enough there to make a complete unit.

I could have wrung her fluffy little neck, but then realized it was my own fault. I had visions of having to shell out $2000 for that one device, since the pair were over $4000, but the good news is it's covered by my homeowner's insur@nce, and the device supplier has a policy for one replacement for $250. So the most I can be out is $250. One thing is for sure, I won't do that again.

Boo, I'm praying for a clean test on Erin. From what you've told us, it seems to me that a big part of her problems is that toxic girlfriend, and if you can keep her away from that girl long enough, she may realize that there's another way to live, one that's a lot happier and more peaceful. God will bless you for hanging in there with her.

Well, better get moving. I have to see my endocrinologist today, regular 6-month visit. I don't expect any problems, A1C will likely be around 6, which is great. It has never, in all the years I've been diabetic, been over 7, except once when it was 7.1. The docs are thrilled with anything 7 or less. My very non-compliant friend typically runs 14 or more. His doctor is horrified, of course, but my friend just laughs it off. He's a nut.

Have a great day, everyone. MDC, if you and Cecile are driving today, be careful out there! Blessings, all. --Romeena
February 11, 2020 - Msg 113732: Asa, parenting isn't for cowards. The way I see it, Bruce and I have about 5 years to get Erin straightened out and able to manage on her own. We are certainly expecting that it wont take that long but he wont retire for 5 more years. She started on some different medication that is making her sleepy but it takes time to see how she will do on them, and hopefully with the counseling, things will begin to get better. The girlfriend isn't out of the picture but we are trying to help her move along, too, by talking to her caseworkers and getting her moving in the right direction too. The girl is a mess and very much alone for an 18 year old (who has the mentality and capability of about a 12 year old). Sean is hanging in there with his job and will have to because he has a car payment and phone payment to keep up with. He hasn't heard yet about the job with the city, but we are hoping.

Romeena, it is always my fear that my Poopsie will get a hold of one of Bruce's hearing aids and my they are expensive! He keeps them in his ear unless he is showering or sleeping and then they are kept in the bathroom out of reach of Poopsie. She would tear them up in about a minute if she could. I hate that it happened to you but very glad you have insur#nce. I know you will never let it happen again. Speaking of A1C, I had to switch dr's office because they stopped taking my insur@nce. I tried out a new nurse practitioner this week and really like her. She seems smart as a little whip and is from India. She listened and gave me what I wanted. Score! lol I guess because she knew I was a nurse she agreed with my opinions and suggestions concerning my own healthcare and that is what I was looking for. She was asking me if I was actually diabetic because my A1C is normal and she asked if it had ever been high enough to be considered diabetic. I told her that my former doctors had always diagnosed me as such because they told me, "If you are on Metformin and we took you off, you would be diabetic," but my A1C has never actually been that high. She told me I was pre-diabetic, which I think I can agree with. My last A1C was 7.5 on only 500mg daily of the Metformin, which I was originally taking for polycystic ovarian syndrome since 2001. you know you are getting old when you keep talking about your ailments...sorry about that. lol Its cold and drizzly here in south texas this evening so think I will put a fire in the fireplace tonight. Boo





February 11, 2020 - Msg 113733: The above paragraph is crunched together because the censor caught me and I had to copy and paste!

Boo
February 11, 2020 - Msg 113734: Forgot...Ro, how big did you say Shredderteeth is now? I took Poopsie to the vet today for vaccinations and she was only 10 pounds. I thought she would be heaver than that. Poor baby had 4 different shots and had her blood taken for a heartworm test. She is nearly always in the house but I do try to take her out for a little walk daily so there is the risk of heartworms. They gave her a shot that is supposed to work for 6 months to prevent heartworms. Poor baby is hurting this evening and when I picked her up she nibbles at me like she is trying to tell me it hurts. Right now she is asleep in Erin's bed. I was so proud of her at the vet's office, though. She sat in my lap very calmly and just took in all the sights. There was an absolutely humongous pitbull of some sort that came in and it was one of those with a monstrously big head and those little triangle ears on top. That dog was a great big baby that shook when my Poopsie looked at it. The little woman that brought him in was trying to hold it in her lap. Hilarious, but the poor thing had an eye that looked like it had turned red and cloudy and the owner was very worried. I hope it isn't anything too serious. I also so a medium sized female dog that had one of those cones on its head and it had one of its back legs amputated. I don't know how many days post-op it was but it acted like it was perfectly fine and so excited to be going home. The amputation was clear up to the hip but the dog was fine. Sweet baby.

Boo
February 12, 2020 - Msg 113735: Good Evening Porch,
Hope everyone is doing fine.
It is hard to believe that the MLB training is beginning this week. The news reported that the Oakland A`s and SF Giants should arrive in Arizona this week.
You all take care.
Frankie
February 12, 2020 - Msg 113736: HELLO! We made it home safe and sound! We ran into rain from LC to Tucson, with a hard rain as we entered Tucson up I-10. But all went well. We were able to have dinner with my wife's sister and her husband in Tucson last night, and then today we had lunch with some old neighbors who lived next door to us for 25 years. They now live in a retirement community.
ASA, not sure where your rels will be in NM, but SNOW was predicted for LC
today and Wed.! Thanks for all the prayers because as our car sat in our driveway tonite I noticed a nail in the front pasgr tire! I'll take it to Discount tire tomorrow to see if it can be plugged. I'm not sure if I mentioned that the wedding reception was a western theme. (ASA, it too was on a ranch!) I did a little two-stepping, but once the line dancing started, I had to sit it out! I did not get C a core-sage, but I did get her a blue bandana to wear. ha
RO, here is a little idea. What if you bought a small metal box with a good, tight lid, and set it next to your tissue box on the bed. That way, If you forget the earpieces again, you could slip them into that box for safe-keeping from LB. Just a tought :)
Also, speaking of A1C etc, my glucose is usually around 100. I take a cinnamon capsule in the AM and PM, and it sure helps keep it down.
I do, of course watch my sugar intake, but it does help.
I'm not sure what I missed with the BOO saga, but my prayers are still with you and yours. I'm not a big fan of young people being on medications, but if that is helping then I hope it works out and does some good. Glad to hear that Bruce is better too.
I'll try to post some FB pics soon of the trip. I was advised a while back not to
post whilst on a trip because it may be picked up by an unsavory lot who see you're not home.
Well, more later.
Love ya all,
MDC :)


February 12, 2020 - Msg 113737: Oh Frankie, yes, bring on the spring training!! :)

February 12, 2020 - Msg 113738: Morning all.

MDC, Glad you are home safe and sound buddy. And glad your tire stayed full so you could get home. I guess a bandana is good enuff for a western theme. lol

Romeena, Our little Barney was obsessed with ears it seems. He was always trying to lick my ears. Not sure if I ever shared this story, but one day I was getting ready to mow my grass. I always began with a poop patrol to get rid of Barneys deposits. As I was scooping up a deposit, I noticed something imbedded in his handy work. Almost looked like a bullet. So I looked a little closer (curiosity can be a harsh task master) and realized I was looking at one of those Styrofoam ear plugs that my Wife uses when she sleeps. Somehow he had gotten one and gulped it down. Silly thing. So I told Debbie she better store them somewhere that he couldn't get to them.

Yea Boo, Parenting is not easy for sure. And if you are trying to bring them up with an eye to God, mercy sakes, it really gets hard. The adversary doesn't like that I reckon.

Frankie, You do love baseball, don't you? You think your A's are going to have a good year?

Well I need to take Libby in and get her serviced and emission tested so I can get her registered for the year. And MDC, I bought some Melatonin at the store this morning. I will give it a try and see if it will help. Stacey bought me a pair of those glasses that blocks the blue light coming from our electronic devices. They say it can really mess up your sleep somehow. Well I have used them for a couple of weeks now and my sleeping has never been worse. lol I never have a problem falling asleep, just staying asleep for more than a few hours is my issue. But since wearing these, it takes me a lot longer to fall asleep, and I still wake up after a few hours. I have never been a heavy sleeper. I seem to function best on 5 to 6 hours a night. On those rare occasions when I sleep longer, I usually feel really sluggish all day. I know that sounds odd, but it is what it is.

Well prayers for all for a great day.

Asa
February 12, 2020 - Msg 113739: The last grand dog went home this morning and I've been busy de hairing the house. We were thinking about getting a puppy but have decided to wait after spending a week with the two grand dogs. If we change our minds it will be a Chesapeake Bay Retriever, we have owned two previously and love the breed. My husband is recouping from the 24 hour thing he had. I made vegestable soup for the first time in ages and it turned out great. The stocks that are available now are so good. So far the penny count is up to $110.00 and I still have more to take, thought I'd give the coin machine a break. Sarah
February 12, 2020 - Msg 113740: I feel you Sarah when it comes to the coin machine. When I was working we had laundry machines in my 12 Elderly buildings that were located all over the county. It was one of my MANY jobs as a Supervisor that I had to do every month.

It was a All day job collecting those heavy bags of quarters 💰 and taking them one of our offices that had one of the coin counters. It was nothing to have $2500 in quarters to count.

I always worried about getting robbed doing it, I tried to be inconspicuous but people knew what I was doing....💰💰

G-F
February 12, 2020 - Msg 113741: GF-youbetterkeepyourhandsoffofsarah! ha, just sayin'. mdc :)
February 13, 2020 - Msg 113742: Good morning!
I slept for 12 hours last night! Finally catching up from our trip. We didnt get much due to the many activities and being on a motel bed. I never do to well in motels, and I even took my own pillow since we werent flying.
Well, I hope you all have a good day. Not sure about the weather in your ends of the porch, but here it will be 70 today and sunny. May our Good Lord richly bless you all this day. :)
MDC
February 13, 2020 - Msg 113743: MDC, I do hope it was your goose down pillow you took. And we would love to hear about what kind of gas mileage you got. :)

Asa
February 13, 2020 - Msg 113744: Asa...You took the words right off my typing finger...🤣 G-F
February 14, 2020 - Msg 113745: Asa, I hope the A`s have a good year. Last year they made it to the wild card and lost. Maybe this year!

Happy Valentine`s Day to the Porch.
Frankie
February 14, 2020 - Msg 113746: Happy Valentine's Day to all the Porchsters!!

***********
possum u.a.r.
February 14, 2020 - Msg 113747: Morning all.
Mercy sakes, Valentines Day snuck right up on me. Thank you Frankie and Possum. I made a quick emergency trip to See's candy. That will keep me off the sofa tonight, providing I don't mess up something else. lol

GF, I have come to the conclusion that we are long lost brothers somehow. We think alike on most everything it seems. I feel sorry for you in that regard. lol

Asa
February 14, 2020 - Msg 113748: Yes Asa we are a dying breed for sure!...But it’s good to know I have someone of my own kind that understands me, and that certainly ain’t a easy task ...lol

G-F
February 15, 2020 - Msg 113749: Good evening. I hope you all had a nice St. Valentine's Day. I cooked t-bone steaks on the grill for my wife and I for dinner tonight.
Just a slight hint of pink in the middle...a little Aldoph's, poke the steak all over with a fork, grill 4 minutes on each side...and Voila! Delicious!
We are also in the pink with our weather. It is to be in the 70s all week, tho I know in a few months...back to the 100s. :(
Prayers for all,
MDC
February 15, 2020 - Msg 113750: Wow ..Hello gang...gona go back and read some, Hope everyone is doing great..Had lots of rain here in Georgia..Im gona take care of lunch:Grilled ham and cheese sandwiches,chips and tater salad, sweet tea and cheese cake...ready at noon EST..prayers ..MDC and race fans well this is the weekend ! The 500..been a great race week so far...SPOT
February 15, 2020 - Msg 113751: Good morning, porch! Spot, lunch sounds so good! Ham and cheese were just made to go together, and grilled in a sandwich, well, yum! That's all I can say. Love tater salad, too, and cheese cake? Mercy me!

MDC, your suggestion of a Trinket-proof container is a good one, and I have a little jar that was designed to hold my old ones. They weren't rechargeable. The ones I use now are, and are meant to be on the charger overnight. I think I'll put that little jar on my nightstand. If Trinket can get that jar off the nightstand, unscrew the lid and get the aids out, I'm going to sell her to a circus! Nah, I'd miss her. Maybe I'll just get a phone video of her doing it, and put it on Facebook. She is something else, that puppy.

Oh, about those T-bone steaks..... How thick were they? If you're ever grilling one for me, be aware that I like a little moo left in mine, so depending upon the thickness, you may have to shorten the grilling time. A lot.

Well, we were pretty chilly last night, down in the 30s, but warming up. It's about 46° right now, and heading for the mid-60s. I may actually feed my fish out in the pond today. Not much, just in case they aren't digesting well yet, but I don't want them to be hungry, either. As soon as it warms up and stays that way, I'll start feeding them and fatten them up. They are so pretty.

Well, guess I'll get in the shower and wash my hair. Eloise and Jerry and I are going out to David and Brittney's tonight, for Landry's birthday. I can't believe that kid is 19, but he is. He's as tall as his dad, at 6'5", and just a sweetheart. Hudson, at 16, isn't that tall, just right around 6', but he's still growing. He's getting better and better on the piano, all by ear, he never uses music. He still plays his bassoon in the Ft. Worth Youth Philharmonic Orchestra, and he appears to be using the music for that, but I'm not sure. He says the piano is "easy" by ear, but the bassoon is harder. I wouldn't know! Upon his grandpa Jerry's request, he taught himself "Music Box Dancer" and "The Sting", both difficult pieces, but he's got them down pat. He's all over that keyboard, I don't think there's one of the 88 that he doesn't use at some point. It's an amazing gift.

Well, off I go. Blessings, friends! --Romeena
February 15, 2020 - Msg 113752: Yep. that Landry is really good on the piano..saw a video of him on facebook. Amazing at his young age!

Hope you all had a happy Valentine's Day. I worked a difficult shift by myself but a new nurse was hired yesterday and that makes 2. Things should be looking up soon. Their orientation shouldn't be very long so could have them on fulltime soon. I am hanging in there for now. Not a romantic Valentines Day but came home to roses and an actual poem written by Bruce. He hasn't written me a poem in 30 years so that was a nice surprise. Luckily I remembered to leave him a card last night.

Been dragging around today trying to recover from work last night. I am definitely no spring chicken anymore!

Boo
February 16, 2020 - Msg 113753: Howdy porchsters. I've got a little question for ya all. Have you ever done something really dumb, and then regretted it for days afterwards? Well, I did at the wedding reception last Saturday. Most people were up dancing, my wife was helping clearing some dishes, and this lady across the table started going on about one of the far left
candidates. It wasnt proper, in my opinion, to be espousing that
at a wedding reception, and I dont know if she was a friend of the bride or groom, but I proceeded to start in with my two cents worth.
She got all offended and left the table. I felt really bad about it,
and I am just NOW starting to feel OK regarding it. I wish I could have said 'sorry I spoke that way,' etc., but didnt, and now will never have the chance. I've asked the Lord for forgiveness, and will go on of course.
SPOT! Good to see you! Thanks for the lunch. Hope you and your lovely bride are doing well these days.
BOO--glad to hear that things are a litlle better at work. I hope the new nurses work out well.
Good Sabbath to all,
MDC
February 16, 2020 - Msg 113754: MDC ...Sometimes it’s hard for some people to hear a different opinion, don’t beat yourself up about it..G-F
February 16, 2020 - Msg 113755: MDC I'm sure it was difficult to listen to that lady's views without giving yours. My previous co worker and I had opposing political views and there were times I had to get up and leave, we shared the same small office. She would get so hyped up she would be jumping up and down, I would look at her and think, you have lost your mind! Sarah
February 16, 2020 - Msg 113756: Our children don't share our political views and we DO NOT discuss politics. Sarah
February 16, 2020 - Msg 113757: Very sorry that happened, MDC. Hope you can just take it as a lesson learned. I see a very disturbing trend these days when it comes to expressing political views. I see it separating Christians and that is a terrible thing. I have noticed that here on the porch in recent years, we don't really discuss politics in any depth and I feel that is a good thing. I know of two former porchsters who no longer are part of our group because of some of the political views and attitudes expressed here in the past. It has been years since they were here but I keep up with both of them..one, in particular and I wish they would come back now. I don't think they would find anything that would make them uncomfortable now. Not that I am scolding or blaming anyone, its not that. I, of all people, have spoken very openly of things that may have made people feel uncomfortable, or even leave possible..I hope not. I try not to discuss my political views because frankly, they probably differ from most of my friends here. Maybe not so much, though. I wouldn't call myself conservative or extreme liberal, but somewhere in the middle. Anyway, MDC, I am sorry you felt bad but that says a lot about the kind of Christian you are to be so disturbed that you may have spoken in a way that didn't edify or that God may not have been pleased with. Above all, I believe God wants us to love others in deed and in word. The older I get, the more I realize it. I try to be careful because I see the damage some of my Christian friends are doing with their sharp words and judgmental opinions. Im glad you aren't one of those. You have always been very kind to me and if you spoke your opinion, I believe it was in love and concern. Thank you for your many prayers for my family.

Been a busy day today. I got myself up and ready for church. I attended the little Christian church up the road from my again. I know you would all approve of it. It is much like the little church in Mayberry. Such a cute little white church, just the same as it must have looked many years ago. It is just a typical service..a prayer, a few songs, a very good sermon, and they do communion at the end of every service. Im not used to that, but its ok. I am getting my feet wet with church again and its been good so far.

Seems like I got a lot done today as far as catching up on some cleaning and laundry but now its 8pm and time to relax for awhile. Hope you all had a wonderful weekend.

Boo
February 16, 2020 - Msg 113758: Thank you Boo and others. Yes, I remember that from several years ago. I always try to bring up and episode of TAGS or a blooper, or a quote, etc., along with other conversation here. I still think that Me-They may have left because of me and I feel very badly about that, and have tried since to keep things more tags oriented, tho i do still enjoy talking about work, (now more like lawn work tho),the weather, auto racing, HVAC happenings (ha) etc. As I have looked back at the history of our country, there were many times when it seemed even more divided, like boy do I recall those vietnam days, or 1861!! ,etc. But it survived, just as it did under 44 and now 45.
OK...on to racing! Nascar Daytona 500 today...er, maybe not! I was all set to watch it, tuned it in a little late, and bingo..RAIN! Well, that's life! ha
I hope everything is OK with everybody. You all are the cats. Prayers for all! :)
MDC
February 17, 2020 - Msg 113759: OK, I don't actually remember 1861!!! haha
February 17, 2020 - Msg 113760: Watching a western movie tonight and mr Foley and the guitar player are on there. I sure see many of the actors from tags on TV movies.
Been sitting around watching old TV movies and giving this old body a rest

Hope you all had a good weekend.
Frankie
February 17, 2020 - Msg 113761: Frankie, glad you have a chance to rest. I enjoy the westerns also
on GRIT TV. The other night I saw Mr. Jackson the publisher! :)
ASA--did the melatonin work? How much did you try?
Finally saw some of the delayed Daytona 500 today, but was also cleaning out the garage (my wife gave me a nickel!) ha
BASEBALL is back! They are starting the spring games earlier and earlier it seems. Most will kick off on Monday Feb. 24.
Have a great day!
MDC

February 18, 2020 - Msg 113762: Morning all.
I hope and pray all is well with everyone.
Hey Frankie, I enjoy seeing the many TAGS folks in other shows. Especially those who had a minor role on TAGS but a more prominent role in another show. Perry Mason, Twilight Zone, Alfred Hitchc@ck, and a lot of westerns as you mentioned seem to have a lot. Oh and I see a lot on The Fugitive also.

MDC, I didn't see the race but heard about the crash at the end of it. That's to bad. Sounds like the driver got hurt pretty bad. I need to get out and get my garage cleaned up also, but I'm going to wait until it warms up some. To dang cold to mess around with for me. If I wait long enough it will be to dang hot. (I think I may have some Henry Wheeler and Dave Browne in my DNA) lol

Boo, I'm glad you have found a Church close by that you feel good about. And hopefully your new nurses will work out well to give you some much needed help. Have things calmed down with the MIL?

Sarah, I had a coworker who had a hard time discussing religion, not politics. He would usually try to swerve any discussion to religion and then get pretty worked up about it. One of his lines he would often say is "well the bible says this about that", and then he would proceed to tell me what his particular interpretation of the verse "really meant". Then follow it up with "if you can't agree with that, you are not biblical in your thinking". Very pretentious and unattractive.

Romeena, I am still trying to find a remedy to your pump issue. As I said earlier, a flow switch installed on your discharge line would save your pump from running dry and burning up, but it would need a by-pass timer installed with it for initial start up. I am sure I saw a pump advertised that had all the logics for that already in the circuitry, but I have not been able to find it on line. But a good electrician could fix you up with your current system for not that much.

I hope Big Maude isn't getting flooded out. I hear her neck of the woods is getting a lot of rain.

Well off to fix some lunch and watch a little tv. I have plenty of stuff recorded on the DVR. I sure enjoy that. I can burn through the commercials. A 60 minute show is about 40 minutes that way.

Asa
February 18, 2020 - Msg 113763: Good afternoon, porch! Cloudy, drizzly and chilly here today. A very good day to stay in the house, under my lap blanket, with Trinket on top of it. Little pest though she may be, she's a good snuggler. We are making progress. After the little struggle we had that night a few months back, I am definitely alpha at bedtime. She bounces and plays around while I'm getting settled, but once I do, and I just say "Trinket, lie down and go to sleep" - she does! She aligns herself so that she's touching me as much as possible, and is soon off in dreamland. Very nice. And (drum roll, please) she has not wet the floor in about ten days. She does leave little gifts on the washable rug in the sun room, but a I just need a tissue to pick them up and flush them, so I'm not making a terrible issue of that right now. We'll get there. Right now, I'm busy reinforcing the use of her potty box for piddling. Last night, she was hanging around me, and even making little attempts to herd me in the direction of the bedroom. I finally caught on, went to check, with her bouncing joyfully along beside me, and sure enough - a big wet spot right in the middle of a fresh pad. That earned her the biggest treat I could find in the bag, and she was a happy puppy. Needless to say, that made two of us. She's going to be a very pretty dog. Bigger than I wanted, but really pretty, and maybe bigger is better at this stage of my life. She's stronger, less fragile.

Boo, thanks for the kind words about our piano player. However, it's Hudson, not Landry, who plays. I asked him to learn "You Raise Me Up" for me, and he said he would. He didn't know the song, will have to listen to it a few times, then will just play it.

Well, back to my blanket and my cuddly puppy. MASH is on, will have to rewind and see it from the first, as though I couldn't tell you exactly what's going to happen or be said from moment to moment, just like with TAGS. Blessings, all. --Romeena
February 18, 2020 - Msg 113764: HI all, some of you may have heard, but nurse Kellye from MASH passed away the other day, and she was only 72. She was highlighted in several episodes, like the one when she told off Hawkeye, but her best performance, IMHO, was the one when she consoled the dying soldier at his bedside. Gets me right THERE every time I see it.
Rip Kellye.
MDC
February 18, 2020 - Msg 113765: MDC...I didn’t know that..She was a good cast member...G-F
February 19, 2020 - Msg 113766: Morning all.

MDC, I failed to answer your question concerning the melatonin. It seems to have helped some, although I still find myself waking up after just a few hours of sleep. But most nights I will fall back asleep soon after. I still find I seem to do fine on 5 to 6 hours of sleep. I am taking 3mg as that was the only dosage I could find in the store.
I saw that story about Nurse Kellie. I really liked her, and I know the scene you are talking about. I think it was in the same episode in which she tells off Hawkeye. He witnessed her compassion to the soldier and that caused him to see her differently.

Romeena, glad that Trinket is coming along good in her manners.

GF, Has "Joe" gotten any work this year? Seems like you folks have been very mild.

Well off to the grocery store for me.

Asa
February 19, 2020 - Msg 113767: Asa...Joe has only worked TWO TIMES ...I think he’s feeling retired much like his operator!🤣🤣...G-F
February 19, 2020 - Msg 113768: Good morning, porch. Still cloudy, cold and rainy here. It rained a lot yesterday, and looks like it plans to repeat the performance today. Brrr. I'm ready for spring!

I got a weird phone call this morning, from my primary care doc. I say weird, because they were wanting to reschedule my appointment, which was for tomorrow at 11. The weird thing is, they wanted to change it to 7:00 a.m. Can you imagine?
Like I told the lady, the only place I go at 7 a.m. is my bathroom! I don't mind rescheduling, but not at that hour. It's just for the annual Medicare-required wellness check anyway. The woman got a big laugh out of my response, and found a later time one morning next week. I should think so!

You know, it's true - life will find a way. The big raised flower island in my backyard, where those tacky, overgrown zinnias were last summer, is bare at the moment, with a few small exceptions. There's a big clump of sundrops on one end, a small stand of irises on the other end, (neither one blooming yet), a lonely, tiny patch of daffodils are blooming along the back wall, about 5 feet in from one end. Then, right in the middle of the bed, which is about 23' long x 12' wide, there is one lonely, fat pink hyacinth, blooming bravely, sticking up out of all that bare dirt. You just gotta love it! That bed just looks pitiful, but that hyacinth doesn't care, she's going to bloom anyway!

A little closer to the house, there's an iris bed, with a lot of daffodils mixed in. The irises are just waking up, but those daffodils are up and blooming, the pretty little things. There's a washtub-sized boulder in the middle of the bed, and the daffodils are so pretty in contrast to the rough rock. That bed also contains a small crape myrtle tree and an American Beautyberry shrub, both volunteers. I just wish the Beautyberry had volunteered elsewhere in the yard, because when it's leafed out it completely blocks my view of the pond. Still, it's a beautiful thing in its own right, especially when the berries are on it.

Asa, my sump pump is working fine at the moment. How long that will last is anybody's guess, but for the moment, it's working. And yes, Trinket is coming along. She's finally gotten the idea, I guess. She's picking up on a few other things as well. I guess I just needed to wait until she grew up a little, and got out of that puppy stage where they have the attention span of a moth, and just want to play all the time. She is so funny, she entertains herself. She will get a small toy, shake it, throw it high in the air and then chase it. She will repeat that process - endlessly - and it's amazing how high and how far she can throw that toy!

I keep her hair pulled up in a topknot on her head, because it's about six inches long and when it's down, she can't see. It's funny to watch her if she has shaken, scratched or rubbed the little scrunchie out, and her hair has fallen over her face. She will still throw the toy, but she can't see where it lands, so she sniffs around until she finds it, then throws it again. Persistence pays off, and she has a lot of fun. Also, she has almost stopped fighting me when I'm trying to put her hair up. I think she has realized that what I'm doing helps her to see, so she tolerates it.

Well, guess I'll go scratch up something to eat. I think I've got some Egg-o waffles in the freezer. You know what, those little things aren't bad. I can make better ones, but for just popping something in the toaster, they'll do. I just rub a stick of butter over them, then put some of Amanda's homemade apple butter on them, and eat them like a big cookie. Not bad, and I don't have to dig the waffle iron out.

Boo, you and yours are always in my prayers, and the rest of you folks as well. Blessings, friends. --Romeena
February 19, 2020 - Msg 113769: Prayers for Boo and family. Sean posted on his FB page that Bruce's mom passed away this morning.

************
possum u.a.r.
February 20, 2020 - Msg 113770: So sorry to hear of Bruce's mom's passing.
It has now been 5 years since my dad's passing, and i still
miss him. His smile, his wisdom, his love. But we shall meet again. May Bruce's mom rest now in the peace of Jesus.
ASA--hang in there regarding the melatonin. 3 mg should work
pretty well. You have a lot on your mind. I find that 'praying myself to sleep' also helps! :) I hear what you mean about co-workers and WHATEVER they are espousing! That is one thing for sure that I do not miss at all. Some were very overbearing at times.
Speaking of GF's Joe, it seems like your Helen hasnt had too much to do either this winter. Here in my neck of the woods (as it were) it has been in the HIGH 70s,
yet RO is rainy and damp. And I sure hope that Big Maude is OK in TN. Maudie, please check in when you can.
Tonite's episode was with Don Rickles as Newton Monroe. Guess what, he's EPT! ha
Take care friends,
MDC


February 20, 2020 - Msg 113771: Good morning, porch! Another gray, drippy day here in the Dallas area. Chilly too, at 43°, going for a high of only 54°. Where, oh where, is spring??

Boo, I'm sorry to hear of Bruce's mom's passing, it's never easy to lose a loved one. The family and friends will grieve, but in time will also find comfort in the knowledge that she is no longer having to deal with the discomfort and, in her mind, the disagreeable state of her daily life. I think we all knew from your accounts that she was not a happy lady, and we can only trust that she is happy now. Only she and the Lord knew the state of her soul. I will pray for your family, especially Bruce, that you will all find peace in the hope that she's truly happy now.

I'm drinking what just may be the most delicious thing I've ever tasted. Most mornings, I have a glass of Treetop brand's cold-pressed Honeycrisp apple juice. Honestly, it's just so good! The local Kroger stores carried it for a few months, then in a bid to force customers to buy the house brand, they quit carrying it. Apparently they got some backlash from that little trick, because they're stocking it again. However, I've learned to buy three or four bottles when it's there, because it sells out quickly. The house brand looks just like it, label is almost identical, and it's pretty good, but just not as good as Treetop. It's not your typical amber-colored, clear apple juice. No, it's cloudy, has to be shaken up before using, and is so sweet, yet tangy, and tastes so clean and fresh - well, you just need to try it. Honeycrisp apples are my favorite variety, and this juice is just great!

Asa, I can't believe that 3 mg of Melatonin didn't knock you out. That's what I took, and it absolutely put my lights out. I bought a bottle of 1 mg tabs, and will take half of one next time I think I need something. Usually, I don't have any trouble getting to sleep, but occasionally, my motor just won't turn off, and I'll be awake all night. Usually that happens when I've got a story rattling around in my head, and I haven't gotten a handle on it yet. Sometimes I just get up and go to the computer, write the bloomin' thing, and go back to bed and fall asleep immediately.

Well, guess I'll go eat the pad Thai noodles I brought home from lunch yesterday. David came by and took me to our favorite Thai restaurant. They always serve a mountain of food, and I just get a take-home box when I order my meal, divide it, and eat what's left on the plate. The rest becomes dinner that night, or lunch the next day. I didn't want anything but some fruit last night, so I'll have that delicious little box of Thai food for lunch today. Usually I'd just skip lunch and have it for dinner, but I'm going to a dinner at the church tonight.

Peace and blessings, everyone! --Romeena
February 20, 2020 - Msg 113772: Thanks everyone. We are doing ok. Bruce was sad, of course but we all know that things were about to get very difficult for Ann and we see this as a mercy. As it turns out, she died from a hemorrhage in her intestinal tract so I expect she had colon cancer that we didn't know about, or cancer somewhere. She had lost a lot of weight but we knew she wasn't eating much at all so we attributed it to that. She was 87 and often people of that age have very little appetite. So, she bled out and died quickly, which I think was the best thing that could happen to her at that point. If she had lived longer and the dementia gotten more advanced, it could have been very bad for her and her kids. She was just starting to not recognize them at times. What bothers me some is that the doctor had written the order for hospice care the day before she died but the DNR was to be signed the day she died. They did CPR on her, which is was I feared. The nurse told us that she was already gone when they did it, though. I hope she is right. Thank you for your prayers. I think everyone is doing pretty well. Sean is having a difficult time because not only did grandma die yesterday, but his good friend Kiel died of a drug overdose. He is pretty down about it. He will be ok, its just a bad day.

I will try to get back on here soon and share more but have to run. Wanted to let you all know we are ok.

Boo
February 20, 2020 - Msg 113773: Boo, so sorry for your loss. But I think you are spot on in calling it as a mercy. I'm sure Bruce feels the same way, although I'm sure he is very sad right now. You guys are in my prayers. Sorry to read that about Seans friend. Was it accidental?

Romeena, I had higher hopes for the Melatonin, but so far it doesn't seem to be doing much. But I remember my Doctor telling me once when he was anesthetizing me for a procedure that he had to use a lot more of whatever he was using than normal because I was a tough one to put out. So who knows. My problem is hardly ever getting to sleep, but staying asleep. It seems after about 3 hours I fall awake, and struggle getting back into a deep sleep.

MDC, Yes, Helen has had a pretty quiet winter so far. But she has started right up every time she was called upon. So I'm proud of her. I wish it would warm up. Been colder than snot here this week. Peter Sinks Utah (up in them thar mountains) was 45 below zero last night. We were single digit last night with a bit of a north breeze. Not a good combination. They call it a lazy wind because it's to lazy to go around you, it just goes through you.

I have looked for that brand of apple juice Romeena, but have not seen it. I'll keep looking cause I know it's good cause you said so. :)

Well off to snuggle under some blankets and watch some dvd's.

Asa