January 23, 2021 - Msg 116068:
Hey Boo! Not to disappoint, but I'm actually a registered Republican, have been since 1980 when I was finally old enough to vote 😁
I gave up on the crochet practice for today, my hands are hurting a bit and I'm out of my little blue pills so I'll go back to piddlin on something else while I watch for the eagles.
Later taters
*Mavis
January 23, 2021 - Msg 116069:
Well now, looks like I still remember how to sweep too. *big grin*
*Mavis
January 23, 2021 - Msg 116070:
Well, I guess the cheese stands alone. Bahahaha
Boo
January 23, 2021 - Msg 116071:
Good sweep Mavis. I tried to view the eagles, but all I got was "Signal Lost." so I guess I'll try again later. Sounds interesting tho.
Boo, at Floyd's bequest, I'll hold off comment;but Ro's dad said my thoughts pretty well. I am still praying for poor Erin. I sure hope she is doing better and getting proactive, and that she will blossom in a beautiful way.
:)
RO--you may have missed my question about the pressure cooker. How did the
lesson go with Stacey? Did you make something delicious?
GF--how is your new hip doing these days? I bet you could beat Opie in the
100 yard dash! Well, I guess Everybody beat Opie in the 100 yard dash! ha
Well, we got a little more rain today, and more expected on Sunday and Monday!
Bring it on.
GOOD SABBATH to all,
MDC
January 23, 2021 - Msg 116072:
Hey MDC we've had rain and winds off an on the last couple days and I think that has messed with that camera, they are supposed to try to work on it, hopefully they will get it fixed soon. Here's the link to the other ones in Johnson City. They aren't on the nest right now, but they did sleep in the tree it's in last night according to the FB group info
Camera 2 which is an overhead cam: https://livestream.com/accounts/16155302/events/6577026
and
Camera 1 which is in a tree across from the nest:
https://livestream.com/accounts/16498826/etsu
Later taters
*Mavis
January 24, 2021 - Msg 116073:
Mavis I have tried several times to crochet but don't have the patience. My Mother loved to crochet and I have many of her pieces that I treasure. If you are looking for something to do to keep busy try a jigsaw puzzle. My daughter gave me one when I retired and got me hooked. I went from a 100 piece to a 1000 piece. Sarah
January 24, 2021 - Msg 116074:
I tried crocheting but it cause wrist pain that felt like carpal tunnel so I had to stop. Knitting doesn’t seem to bother me though.
Thanks for this prayers, MDC!
I saw in the news that there is a new covid strain in England that seems to be more deadly. I hope and pray the vaccines get out to more folks. Challenging times we are living in, for sure. Take your vitamin D.
Boo
January 24, 2021 - Msg 116075:
Funny thing Boo...I have a friend who only crochets 🧶 She says there are definitely two different opinions on the craft. Its all Greek to me. But I DO appreciate the gifts I get from you “yarners” ... I can work with wood, glass, paint and other things but 🧶 is not one of my talents.
But I have to admit wood & stained glass are my hobbies of choice...WHEN I’m in the mood to do it!...
I’m in the process of making my Sister a tin watering can wind chime made with stained glass...The main problem, I ordered the watering can from Amazon and it appears “LOST in TRANSIT” by the USPS’s delivery problems I guess Andy was right....Don’t OVEREXPECT!.....
Hey Billy Ray, can ya help a Goob out before you retire your mail bag?.....G-F
January 24, 2021 - Msg 116076:
Fly away buzzard
Fly away crow
Way down South
Where the wind don't blow
January 25, 2021 - Msg 116077:
Good morning, porch! Wow, G-F. I didn't know you work in stained glass. I've always admired that particular art, but have never tried it. If you get a chance, send me some pictures of some of your projects!
Personally, I crochet, or rather I used to. I haven't worked with yarn in years, but I used to do a lot of it. I even crocheted a little dress with a matching little bag-type purse for my youngest daughter, when she was about four or so. I still have it, in a cedar chest. She was thrilled, loved the dress, and wore it a lot. It even survived being washed (very carefully and gently.)
I also tried knitting. I spent $5 on yarn and needles, and bought an instruction book. I followed a written pattern, and spent about two weeks knitting, unraveling and knitting again, until I finally finished a cute little red stocking cap with a fluffy ball on top. I was so proud - until I was in a J.C.Penney store and saw an almost-identical cap, priced at $1.95. That was the end of my knitting endeavors. I was slow and awkward with it, but with a crochet hook, I was a giant! I made a hearth rug and some round "rag rugs" to go under some captain's chairs in the kitchen, to protect the vinyl floor. You need special yarn and an enormous hook for that. I'd love to get back into it, but with the arthritis in my hands and wrists, I think it would be too painful.
I'm fortunate in that my arthritis is not the "visible" kind, it's not rheumatoid arthritis. It just hurts! Actually, I think it would not even be a problem if I didn't spend so much time pecking at my phone's keyboard and games with the little stylus the phone uses. Mostly the games, I think. I don't actually text that much, but I do play a couple of word games every evening, while watching TV. Still, it's a lot of repetitive motion, and that stirs up the painful joints.
Does anyone else watch "Treehouse Masters" on Animal Planet TV? The key man, Pete Nelson, is just a genius, and builds these wonderful and very functional tree houses for people with more money than they need. The best part of it is Pete's joyous enthusiasm for the project. He really loves those trees, respects them, and has a great eye for selecting the right trees and designing the house, making the best use of the support the trees offer. It's a great show, if you haven't seen it, check it out.
Well, guess I'd better get busy around here. Trinket has been gently reminding me that she hasn't been fed yet. Actually, what she wants is for me to eat something and share it with her. She has an ever-present bowl of kibble in the kitchen, but she sees that as a last resort, to stave off starvation. Before that, long before that, comes whatever she can beg or cadge from me. Spoiled little thing, but I love her!
Blessings, friends! Keep looking up! --Romeena
January 25, 2021 - Msg 116078:
I have never seen the treehouse show, Romeena but will look for it. Sounds interesting. As far as arthritis goes, I know I am going to have some trouble with my fingers as I age. I have one little finger on my right hand that is somewhat "visible," as you put it. Years ago when I was working in labor and delivery and we did hours and paper charting each day, I noticed some problems with the little finger on my right hand. One day I was standing at patient's bedside, charting, when it suddenly felt like someone took a hatchet to one of the joints in the little finger. The pain was staggering! Right before my eyes it began to turn red and swell at the joints. I took some ibuprofen and iced it best I could and the pain went away. It wasn't too many years later I noticed the difference in the way it looked. That first joint is crooked and at rare times, I have pain in it; never as severe as that first time, though. Kind of strange because I don't have it anywhere else.
I don't really knit anymore because it was causing me pain in my shoulder for some reason. I know, I am getting old. ha
Erin is doing much better, thank you for the prayers. I have been praying that she somehow gets herself out of the relationship she is in. The family she is involved with is really bad news and it worries me some. I wont go into details but there is reason for real concern. I wish Erin would get the counseling she needs and find healing from some of her need to be attached to someone else at all times. Its as if, since she stopped the drugs, she has to have something else to take their place. Very unhealthy but at her age I don't think she really gets that. I have seen how things that I think are very obvious, she just cant see until something catastrophic happens and then she will get it. She is one who seems to have to learn everything the hardest way possible and that sure is hard on parents! She will be 20 in 6 months, if you can believe it. She is going to have to learn to get it together because we wont always be here. She tells me she wants to begin taking some college classes but I hesitate because of the cost and knowing if she is really ready. She is going to have to work part time and prove some things to me first. The priority right now is getting to the bottom of her health issues and luckily she has been in agreement and cooperative with that. Thank you for your prayers. I am seeing results.
Better go get some laundry taken care of.
Blessings,
Boo
January 25, 2021 - Msg 116079:
Oh, one other thing, if I may.. Sean has been offered an interview for another job working for an insur@nce company, helping people on the phone. It is nearly double what he is now making and would allow him more autonomy and enable him to learn some skills that might benefit him. It also offers health insur@nce, which he really needs now that he is turning 26 in April. The job he has now, he takes quite a bit of abuse from the boss, who treats all of his employees very badly at times. Its a very stressful work environment and I have been proud of Sean for sticking it out, but the employer cant offer any kind of benefits to his workers and doesn't even give a paid vacation. I don't get it because he owns three auto parts stores in the area, but I guess that is just the kind of guy he is. Anyway, this job opportunity sounds good, I think. There is a six week training period so I think sean could do it. Sounds like he wouldn't be just thrown into it without any training, as he has been in other jobs. If you are so inclined, please send up a prayer for his situation. Thank you.
Boo
January 25, 2021 - Msg 116080:
Just had a great trip to Mount Airy, it was so nice to breathe in the fresh air and get away from the world for awhile. ❤️
January 25, 2021 - Msg 116081:
Was that post Possum or Maude?
January 25, 2021 - Msg 116082:
Romeena....One of yours?.... https://youtu.be/ygT3-8J6Zow 🤣🤣....G-F
January 26, 2021 - Msg 116083:
BOO--I will be praying for both Erin and Sean. One thought about
Erin, have you ever discussed 'goals' with her? Something like,
"OK, you're going to be 20, you've gone in various directions for a few years,
so now let's talk about what you want to accomplish in your life.
It's time to sit down and map out some goals, make some decisions,
and buckle down and get to work to achieve those goals."
("Tough love" of sorts) I worked part-time during college, first community college,
and then while at ASU.
Just throwing that out there to get her thinking about what she can do
to be a productive member of society. :)
Prayers for Sean too. Is it a reputable Insur@nce Company? I will pray that he
has the phone skills necessary to do such work for 8 hours a day.
I gotta tell ya, I worked phones for a while before my first teaching job.
Just didnt cotton to it at all. Others there loved it tho.
I was watching Gomer Pyle USMC tonight, and there were several tags folks in it,
as well as the Darling's truck! Pretty fun to watch.
A few weeks ago I mentioned that I was getting new glasses for something call prism.
I was seeing a slight double image recently. Well, I got the new ones last Friday, and boy,
what a difference! Like the song says...I can see clearly now... ha
GF, how goes the new hip these days?
Hey to SPOT, NN, MAUDIE, SARAH, ASA, PH, POSSUM, MAVIS AND ALL!
Pax,
MDC
January 26, 2021 - Msg 116084:
Oh GF, very funny dancing squirrel!! lol
January 26, 2021 - Msg 116085:
MDC...My hip is doing well, still have to be careful tho especially here with Ohio’s winters. We had freezing rain snow mix this morning, that it my only fear is slipping on the ice. I try to be EXTRA careful, I don’t want to mess up all the hard work I’ve done.
G-F
January 26, 2021 - Msg 116086:
Good morning, porch! That dancing squirrel was adorable, and looks much like the one (or ones) who visit my window ledge. So cute!
G-F, there is only one way for you to walk on ice. Just don't! As a Texan, I have very limited experience with ice, but one event stands out and has shaped my attitude toward ice for the rest of my life! I may have told this story before - if so, please forgive. Anyway, it happened in the first winter after my Dale passed. It was the middle of January, and we had just experienced a bitter cold snap, temps down in the teens. There had been some light snow, and sleet. My driveway was a sheet of ice. It was late evening, around 11 pm, and I was moping around, missing Dale, and missing the beautiful roaring fires he used to build in our over-sized fireplace. I finally decided to pull myself together, and if I wanted a fire, build one! So, I went through the garage and when I opened the door, I was met with all that ice. I nearly reconsidered, but decided that since the woodpile was just around to my right, stacked against the outside of the garage wall, I could bring in a few logs. Bad decision. I made about three steps on that ice, my feet went out from under me, and suddenly I was in terrible pain, lying on my side on the ice. I thought I had broken my hip. I have a very high pain tolerance, but that pain was overwhelming, and my leg wouldn't move, which made me think the hip was broken. Sometimes the body will suspend function in the face of bad pain, but I didn't recognize the shutdown as such.
Instead, I lay there fighting tears, and looking at the dark houses all around me, knowing full well that no one would see or hear me until morning. Finally, the icy cold numbed the hip enough to dull the pain, and I began to try to get up. Not going to happen. I couldn't get any traction, none. After another ten minutes or so, I was able to just wriggle a little bit, and managed to cross the four feet or so of ice beside me, to reach the icy grass. Once I made it off the driveway and into the grass, I found I could roll over onto my stomach, and from there, I was able to stand up. The pain in my hip and leg was blinding, but my leg would support my weight, so I knew it wasn't broken. No longer concerned with getting logs, I made it to the garage wall, and holding onto the bricks with my fingertips, I navigated back across the strip of ice until I could put one foot on the dry garage floor. Back inside, Sugarplum met me, all worried and whining. From her post at the kitchen door, she had seen me fall and watched my attempts to get up. I got back into our chair, snuggled down, and I think I slept there most of the night. The next morning I had a bruise that was a record-breaker. My hip and most of my upper thigh looked like a huge eggplant, and was extremely sore, but functional.
A couple of weeks later, I bought a set of artificial logs, easily lighted with the gas starter that was already in the fireplace. It's beautiful, looks just like the real thing, but doesn't make the beautiful bed of glowing coals that used to project heat throughout the room. No one guesses that it isn't real, but I miss that coal bed. Not enough to risk the ice, though. The bruises went away after a few weeks, the hip is sound, and I want to keep it that way.
Boo, thanks for the update on the kids. I hope that job works out for Sean, and I think MDC is right, about having a talk with Erin and encouraging her to set some goals and make a plan for achieving them. I'm sure you've done that before, probably several times, but she's a little older now, has some hard experiences behind her, so maybe she's ready to get serious. She definitely needs to leave that toxic family behind. They're the serpent, holding out the shiny apple.
Well, better get a little something done around here. Trinket needs some combing and brushing done, I've got some bulbs to get in the ground, and several phone calls I need to make. I also need to do some grocery-shopping, but I think not today. They restock the store on Wednesday, so I'll wait until tomorrow evening or Thursday morning. Blessings, friends! Keep looking up! --Romeena
January 26, 2021 - Msg 116087:
Oh..My Romeena!...That is why I stood IN the garage and threw the salt 🧂 OUT on the driveway!...
Snow ❄️ I can deal with, ice is a whole different story!... Errands will have to have wait 🤷🏼♂️ Oh Well....G-F
January 26, 2021 - Msg 116088:
Evening Porchsters!
How are you on this fine evening? Guess what? I can't tell ya. LOL No really, guess what?
We have an egg!! Frances and Eugene at the Bluff City nest, the one about 10 minutes from me have their first egg!
https://livestream.com/accounts/22320199/events/6623203
They worked on the cam and hopefully have it fixed now, the IR was messed up last night dadburn it so I didn't get to see when she laid.
Sarah I love working puzzles, but unfortunately so do my cats 😝
G-F I miss working in my stained glass. I'm determined to get back into it at some point, but for now, the fumes from the flux and the dust from the grinder really mess with my breathing even when I'm masked up. I'm not giving up hope though, I'll get there!
Boo Healing energies going out for Erin and positive energies headed Sean's way as well. (((hugs))) to you. You amaze me with your positivity in all you are going through!
MDC I'm so glad your new glasses are helping you see much better! Thanks for the ear worm, I like that song LOL
Romeena I took a fall like that a couple years back, I was black and blue for weeks it seemed.
Not sure how many of you remember my Jacob, but he sure can use some prayers and positive energies right now. He's in jail on the Tennessee side right now for misdemeanor drug possession and possession of drug paraphernalia. He was out on a pre-trial bond in VA for felony drug possession, possession of drug paraphernalia, failure to appear, driving on revoked and a few other charges when he was arrested in TN so when he gets out there he'll be back in jail on the VA side. He's going to be incarcerated for a while it seems, the felony charge carries a fine of up to 10 years. He's mad at me and his dad over not putting money on his books or hiring an attorney, but we helped him the first arrest and he was warned if he didn't get clean and pulled this cr@p again, he'd get no more help from us. I am so sad for my 3 grandbabies, they miss their daddy. I'm sad for me and his dad, we miss our son. This mama's heart is broken. Meth is a demon sent from the deepest, fiery depths. Thanks in advance y'all.
Welp, time to go watch the eagles some more and take my mind off the sad stuff.
Later taters
*Mavis
January 26, 2021 - Msg 116089:
Hey Mavis..It’s great that you do glass too!...I prefer the foil and solder method and not the lead channel way. I always have been good with soldering and cutting glass for my job back in the day. So I guess it was a easy transition.
Sorry that it’s a challenge for you these days, but I fully understand. I have to be in the “mood” mainly because I do my own creations and rarely do somebody else’s. I like the challenge of coming up with my own ideas....
I’m finishing up on a wind chime for my Sister right now so she will have it when the camper season opens in May.
We will keep you Son in our prayers 🙏🏻 Sometimes you do have to implement Tough Love!....
G-F
January 27, 2021 - Msg 116090:
HI ALL! Tonight's ep was about Otis suing the county. There's some great lines in that one.
"She's everybody's Juanita."
"If you want a good suit, you gotta go to Mt. pilot."
One thing I have always wondered is why would it take the county's "legal beagle" TWO days to get to mayberry? Hmmm.
Mavis, I will for sure pray for your son. I am so sorry.
I can 'hear' the pain in your voice. Lord be with him.
Wow RO, that was quite an experience. It sounds like you kept your wits tho, and did some good thinking. :)
Well, it's late, I'm off to the ironing board!
MDC
January 27, 2021 - Msg 116091:
Good morning everyone, has anyone here gotten the covid vaccine yet? I am registered on three sites but no vaccine available at this time. Correct me if I'm wrong but didn't our current president say he had a plan on day one for this virus. I want to know what his plan was? Maybe I missed it cause I don't watch the news like I had in the past. I don't mean to get poltical here just have to vent. Mavis you and your family are in my prayers I can certainly relate to what you are going thru. The situation with your son is the carbon copy of what happened to my nephew except he didn't have any children. Sarah
January 27, 2021 - Msg 116092:
You got me Sarah 🤷🏼♂️....G-F
January 27, 2021 - Msg 116093:
Good morning, porch. Sunny but chilly here, at 47°. Heading for the mid-50s today. A good day to plant bulbs, but the ground is still pretty muddy from all the rain in the last few days. Tomorrow should be just about right, and Eddie is coming to help me with the planting. My job today is to explore the garage, kitchen, sunroom and any other area with flat surfaces where I might have put down a box or bag of bulbs! I order or buy the things, then forget where I put them! Most of them are stacked in a corner of the garage. Also, there are some amaryllis bulbs in the sunroom that have finished blooming, and are ready to be put outside. Big old beautiful Red Lion blooms - one of my favorites. Amaryllis can just be spectacular!
Yep, that was quite a tumble, on that ice that night. I didn't mention that my driveway has a "wing-out" that extends about five feet past the four feet of garage wall, so I had that extra five feet of ice to wiggle across. That wing was put there to accommodate an extra car. You do things like that when you have teenagers. Two cars in the garage (mine and Dale's) and the current teen's car on the wing, so no one had to move a car when someone else needed to leave. That wing still comes in handy today, when the family is all here, or when Eddie is here working. He can park his truck without worrying about blocking me.
Mavis, I am so sorry that you're dealing with such stressful issues right now. It's not enough that your health is a problem, you've got to worry about your son as well. I agree, drugs are of the devil. Why anyone chooses to experiment with them, I'll never know, but so many people do. They just don't think it will happen to them, that they can "handle it." No one ever thinks "Hey, I think I'd like to be a drug addict", and takes their first hit. For that matter, no one ever expects to be an alcoholic either, but it definitely happens. The gene for it runs strong in my family, which is why I have never taken a drink, not even beer, with the exception of some unbelievably foul-tasting, fermented mare's milk, in Mongolia. It's a delicacy to them, and my nomad host was so eager to offer it to us, so we tasted it. Then, a bowl was passed hand to hand, containing what I took to be water, and I took a big swallow to get the mare's milk taste out of my mouth. Well, it wasn't water. It was vodka - homemade potato vodka. That stuff could strip paint, and I'll never know how anyone could drink it. You could blow stumps with it, and that's what it felt like it was doing in my stomach! Yuck! Ick! Eeew! Never again!
No, I haven't gotten the vaccine. I've had a notice from my local hospital, asking me to register, and informing me that my site for receiving it will be at the Big Baylor hospital over in Dallas. Our local hospital is now an affiliate of the Baylor system. Well, guess what. I do not drive in downtown Dallas. Therefore, I'll try to arrange for a different site. Failing that, I'll schedule for the site they want me to go to, and just call an Uber car. It'll cost me about $40 for the round trip, but it's worth it. You cannot believe how complicated that area is. Downtown Dallas is bad enough, but imagine a hospital complex that grew like Topsy, with little roads and lanes snaking through all the stacks of buildings, and worst of all, the parking lots are all at least a 300 yard walk or more from any place you might want to go. I did one semester of nursing school clinicals at Baylor, and that was in 1978. At the time, it convinced me that I didn't want to work there. I can imagine what it's like now!
Well, guess I'll go have a little bite of lunch, and cuddle Trinket for a while. She's very cling-y this morning, for some reason. Sweet little old thing! Blessings, friends. Keep looking up! --Romeena
January 27, 2021 - Msg 116094:
Makes me so sad to hear about Jacob, Mavis. I sent you a private message on facebook.
The weather here today has been so beautiful Hope you are all experiencing the same.
Sean had a first interview for the job but has another pending. I was eavesdropping while he was on the phone and was very pleased with the ease with which he answered the questions and how well he did. Whats funny about it is that he had just stepped into the bathroom for a shower and removed his clothes already when the phone rang. He told me later that he had to do the interview naked while sitting on the toilet. lol!! Poor Sean. He did really well, even so. ha
Better go do some chores. Stay well!
Boo
January 27, 2021 - Msg 116095:
Good evening folks! Well, I'm not too sure about Gabby Hayes,
but Dabbs Greer sure shows up on a lot of old TV programs.
Dabbs is the actor who played the husband in tonight's tags episode. He and his wife look over Andy's home for possible purchase. In the afternoon I happened to see him as a crooked jail guard on The Rifleman. Like Allan Melvin, there were a lot of good
character actors back then. Oh, and Harlan Warde, Arnold's dad, was Howie's dad tonight! ha
After two good days of rain we had a bright sunny day today!
I got in a good bike ride earlier too.
Boo- that is pretty funny about Sean's interview. In today's world
of cell phones, ya just never know. It also just dawned on me that i guess face to face
interviews are not such a good idea right now.
Sarah, so sorry to hear of your nephew. I hope he is fully recovered.
RO--our downtown Phx sounds like your Dallas. they have changed traffic patterns, one way streets, and now a light rail. i havent been down there for years. But, on the other hand, your flowers sound nice! :)
Prayers for all, keep well,
MDC
January 28, 2021 - Msg 116096:
Hello porch. we made it to Thursday. :) posting from work today.
its cold and windy on my end of the porch and having some snow flurries. we were supposed to have snow accumulations to day but it didn't amount to much. which is a good thing .
we finally closed on my Mom's house on Tuesday.
Many mixed emotions in the process but its all good. A sweet young couple with a 1 year old daughter bought it so makes us feel good that another family will grow and flourish just as we
did there.
work is staying busy as folks deal with all that is going on not only in their lives but with the world we live in.
I better go fix us some lunch: beef stew, grilled cheese sandwiches. chocolate chip and oatmeal cookies for dessert. tea, milk, kool aid to drink.
prayers and blessings to call
Big Maude
January 28, 2021 - Msg 116097:
G-F I always hate to hear about undelivered packages. If your tracking doesn't show any movement, there's really nothing to be done. Everyone in the Post Office hates that, the public doesn't understand it, but all you can do, like Andy with Luke Comstock, is wait.
Billy Ray the Postman
January 28, 2021 - Msg 116098:
HI ALL! BOO--I heard the following on a TV talk show this morning, and i thought of Erin. When talking to a son or daughter about their future, approach them with this: Someday, he/she will be telling her life story to her grandkids, and perhaps even great-grandkids, and what would she like that story to be?
A life squandered on the mundane, or a life of achievement,
no matter what her chosen profession might be. Just some food for thought. :)
Today I saw the tags reluctant salesman, Bert, on Hazel as a reluctant milkman. I guess he played those kind of roles quite well! ha
Mavis, thanks for the lunch, very tasty! Glad things went OK with the house. My folks had theirs for 50 years, and was so hard to let it go.
Many parts of the nation are getting good snowstorms, even northern AZ is covered in 2 feet of the stuff! :) Our state really needed it, and more on the way.
God's blessings to all,
MDC
January 29, 2021 - Msg 116099:
Hey Billy Ray...Yes, I finally got my package after all...👍....G-F
January 30, 2021 - Msg 116100:
G-F, not too long ago, someone told me a postal joke. Why is the cost of mailing letters and packages so expensive? That is because 50% of the cost was for handling and 50% of the cost was for storage.
Boo, your son's story about the job interview brought back some memories. In my old US house, we had a wired wall mounted telephone in the small hallway leading to our bathroom. It had an extra long cord that allowed some of us to sit on the toilet bowl while using the phone.
That is sad to learn about how stingy Sean's current boss is. I think it is time for Sean to move on especially since he does have someone else interested in him. I don't understand why that current auto parts owner does not offer benefits to his employees. A few years ago, a businessman donated $50 million to a Toronto hospital in memory of his son who died from cancer at age 13. I was surprised to learn that the father had made his millions in the auto parts business. The hospital administrators even changed the name of the hospital from Toronto East General Hospital to the Michael Garron Hospital in a deathbed promise from his parents that he would not be forgotten. This family had previously had donated $30 million to another Toronto hospital as well as untold millions of dollars to other hospitals in the Canadian province of Nova Scotia.
Mavis, that is sad to learn about your brother Jacob. I have always believed in a famous Dirty Harry (Clint Eastwood) movie quote:
"A man's got to know his limitations". I avoid anything that can control my behavior negatively.
My Mother and I attempted to keep my uncle away from alcohol but we failed. He died from cirrhosis of the liver from alcohol abuse.
Sarah, here in Canada, people on the low end of the priority list have to wait until the summer for their covid vaccine shot. So some snow birds (Canadians who spend winter in the US) are in the US where they don't have to wait that long. But some states are upset about this and are considering restricting the vaccine to residents first.
Romeena, I never knew there was a biological gene that makes people prone to alcohol abuse. I am proud to say that except for the celebratory wine on special occasions, I never drank alcohol fully aware of the possibility of addiction and abuse.
Big Maude, I understand the emotion letting go of something that has memories attached to it. I experienced something unusual. I still own the free and clear US house I grew up in even though my widowed Mother passed away over twenty years ago. I use it when I come to the US to visit. But I am finding it hard to sell or rent it out because we are the only family that ever lived in it. I have a cousin who is a real estate agent but I refused her offer to sell that house even though it sits empty most of the time.
from Poor Horatio
January 30, 2021 - Msg 116101:
Good morning, porch! Trinket and I slept very late this morning, much later than usual. We were both very comfortable, and it just seemed like the thing to do, to cuddle up and sleep. Sure felt good! She's a great cuddler, and "Lie down and go to sleep" has become a clearly-understood command for her, whether we're in my recliner or in bed. She can be scampering around on the bed, playing with a toy, or trying entice me to play, but all I have to do is say that phrase and she comes along side, flops down, curls up, and is soon asleep. We had a big breakthrough Thursday night. Usually, getting her into the bathroom where she stays when I'm gone is a big battle, though it has been getting easier lately, in little increments. That evening, I didn't have time to argue with her. A friend had called and asked me to come over. Her granddaughter, about age 30, has developed blood clots in her legs following some surgery, and one had moved to her lung. So, she had been back in the hospital on a heparin drip to try to dissolve the clots. She had been released that day, and sent home with a supply of Lovenox injections, to be given every 12 hours. No one in the household had any experience with giving injections, and when they opened the supplies, they felt a little overwhelmed. So my friend called me to come over and observe, and teach. I let them give the injection, it's not hard, and they mostly just needed moral support. Also, I checked and confirmed the dosage when they got to that point. Lovenox is a drug that requires very precise dosage! It's a potent blood thinner.
They had called me just a little before her dose was due, so I didn't have time to chase Trinket around to get her in the bathroom. The pillow trick still works, but it was late, I was tired, and just wanted to get the job done. So, I got the bathroom set up for her - water, toys, commode closed, wastebasket off the floor, etc. Then I turned to Trinket and said (laughing to myself), "Come on, baby, you need to get in the bathroom." To my utter shock, she looked at me for just a minute, then just trotted right on in there, got in her cuddlebed and curled up! Much high praise from me, more treats added to her bowl, and she didn't even body-slam the bathroom door when I closed it! Amazing! When I got home, there was much rejoicing on her part, and I noticed the laundry cabinet door was open, so apparently she had been holed up in there while I was gone. I think she goes in there because everything in that hamper carries my scent, especially my most recently worn clothes. She is a bird in this world!
Billy Ray, we have a terrible problem with "porch pirates" around here. I guess it's pretty much the same everywhere. Some of them actually follow the delivery trucks and the mail carriers, and as soon as the vehicle is out of sight, the pirate ambles up to the porch, picks up the package, and returns to their vehicle, to catch up with the delivery truck and watch for their next victim. One guy, whom the NextDoor service has named "The Pooper-Scooper Pirate" has a whole new idea. He carries a poop-scoop and a bag, and actually walks along the streets scooping up the little monuments left by dogs. One camera caught him up close, very identifiable, and it appeared on NextDoor. It shows him walking along the front sidewalk, he turns and follows the walkway to the porch, scooping here and there, but not picking anything up. He made it to the porch, opened the mailbox and removed the mail, dropped it into his bag, and went back down the sidewalk to the street. If you look closely you can tell there is no poop in the bag, just mail! Folks, unless I'm mistaken, that's a felony! A Federal offense! Amazing that anyone would do that, with everyone having cameras around their house these days. If the Feds get that film, he's toast. At one point, he looks right at the camera! No way he can deny it. Bright idea, but a dumb guy!
Well, guess I'd better get moving. I've got some prescriptions to pick up, and I just remembered the pharmacy closes at 2 on Saturday! Guess I'd better make tracks. Blessings, friends! Keep looking up! --Romeena
January 30, 2021 - Msg 116102:
Afternoon Porchsters
Big Maude thanks for that stew, you got me thinking I might make me some for the cold that's fixin to set in here. Hoping we don't get that snow er'body is hollerin about. I'm trying to decide between Irish Stew or Tater Soup.
I remember when we finally closed up everything with Mama's estate, mixed feelings for sure. Happy that it's finally done, sad that it's finally done.
Billy Ray I bet you are worn out from working, I'm reading stories about how backed up y'all are. Try not to work too hard. I'll save you a big ol' bowl of soup to get you through your sinkin spell though.
MDC everytime I see that episode with Bert, the reluctant salesman I think of Winnie the Pooh. I need to go look it up, but I'm thinking he's the voice behind Pooh.
Poor Horatio Jacob is my son, not my brother and that quote is perfect, only thing is, an addict does know his/her limitations but they fool themselves into thinking they can stop before they get there. Jacob has told me that more than once. I told him years ago, when he first got his driver's license and started venturing out on his own that he knew wrong from right and I expected him to act accordingly. I did my best to keep him pointed the right direction and away from the wrong people, but you can't be with them, watching over them 24/7 and I refuse to take the blame for where he is right now. Doesn't mean I don't love him, just means I'm not going to enable him anymore.
Welp, back to working on my family tree until time to go get things together for supper. Tonight will be Pork Chops Ole, a big favorite here and with my grandbabies as well.
Pork Chops Ole
Ingredients:
1-1/2 cups water
1 can (8 ounces) tomato sauce
1 medium green pepper, chopped
3/4 cup uncooked long grain rice
2 tablespoons taco seasoning
6 pork loin chops (1/2 inch thick)
2 tablespoons canola oil
Seasoned salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Minced fresh cilantro, optional
Directions:
In a greased 13x9-in. baking dish, combine the water, tomato sauce, green pepper, rice and taco seasoning. Cover and bake at 350° for 1 hour or until rice is tender.
Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook chops over medium-high heat in oil until juices run clear, 4-5 minutes on each side. Sprinkle with seasoned salt and pepper. Set aside and keep warm.
Sprinkle rice mixture with cheese; arrange chops on top. Bake until cheese is melted, about 5-10 minutes. If desired, sprinkle with cilantro.
Let me know what you think if any of y'all decide to make it.
Later taters,
*Mavis
January 30, 2021 - Msg 116103:
Well, St. Susan's son, Matt has covid. He is the one who had the heart attack over a year ago and is an alcoholic, so we were pretty concerned. He never got severe symptoms, though. He had a fever of 101 the first day and something like cold symptoms and he stopped tasting food. The second day he was already much better and temp was 99. Today is doing pretty well and no fever, thank God. He is keeping himself quarantined from the rest of the family but Sean and I visited with him on Tuesday before anyone knew he was sick, which was the first day he started feeling a little off, but didn't suspect covid. So, Sean and I were exposed but so far we are ok. I woke up night before last with a little sniffle and slight cough but no fever, just a few body aches and I am fine today. I never went for testing because we are quarantined anyway. Bruce and I were able to get our first dose of the vaccine on Friday. We both qualified as first responders. His employers demanded it and since I want to go back to work, I got it. It was no easy task since we went to a mass vaccine event south of Corpus Christi. It was held at the fairgrounds, and what an operation it was! We got there at 4;30am and already miles of cars in line. They had hundreds of volunteers and police officers on site to make everything run smoothly and it did. It was like something out of a science fiction movie. We registered on our cell phones once we got there, with help from volunteers, we were given a card to show and then we just waited in lines that filled nearly the entire fairgrounds. There were only about 300 cars ahead of us and once they started giving the vaccines at 8am, we were done by 9:30. They moved everyone along very quickly and we drove into this huge hangar full of medical personnel in full isolation gear. You rolled your windows down flashed you card and a nurse gave you a shot as you drove through. The nurse that vaccinated me shot me in the arm, said "congratulations" and we drove on through. After the shot, they held us in line for 15 minutes and told us, if you feel anything or any kind of reaction, honk your horn. After 15 minutes we were free to go. It was quite an experience and Im glad we went. I was concerned about Bruce since he is a heart patient and now has some kidney issues. He is 63 now, too.
I agree, PH (concerning Sean's employer). It doesn't make sense since the owner owns three auto parts places and they are busy. His is the only shop in the area that not only sells auto parts, but also boat parts, and lawnmower parts. Something doesn't add up. He lives in a very modest home on the wrong side of the tracks. I know he overbuys and is kind of a hoarder so that may be the problem. His son works for him and told Sean he is about to quit because his dad treats him so badly. Its really a shame. Sean has been looking for a better job with benefits for a long time but jobs are hard to come by these days.
MDC, yes, I have that talk with Erin a lot and we use some tough love. I see that it has made a difference over the last year. She went to the appointment at the neurology clinic in San Antonio but it was really a follow up after her accident and they couldn't tell her much. They are going to refer her to neuro doc here in Corpus Christi. She still has to see the cardiologist, too.
Mavis that recipe sounds like it would go with chicken, too. I don't eat pork but will try it with chicken and see how it is. I wish I had a bell pepper on hand. I just watched a video on YouTube of a woman making chicken and dumplings and they looked so good, but for some reason chicken and dumplings causes my IBS to flare up. don't even know why..not that you needed to know that. lol
Well, I got a good night's sleep and am feeling pretty chipper today so will go finish up some chores. Stay safe and well!
Boo
January 30, 2021 - Msg 116104:
Boo...Praying nobody else gets sick 😷 Girl...You NEED some good luck about now!..Stay Strong 💪🏻 G-F
January 31, 2021 - Msg 116105:
Hello gang,
It had been so long since we had gotten 3 days in a row of decent rain here, that I
actually 'forgot' that rainy weather really activates the arthritis
in my back! Oh yes, I got the misery in my lower back to beat the band. I did a good soaking in the tub with epson salts, and i increased my magnisium
and turmeric intake. That has helped quite a bit along with a lidocane patch! Such goings on! ha But I AM thankful for the rain! Northern AZ got lots of snow!
Oh Romeena, you may remember my experience with lovanox after my hip operation.
They had given me a #10 coumadin (which both my wife and i questioned) followed by
a lovanox 'chaser.' That caused that terrific hemotoma. Potent stuff for sure.
It seems odd tho that the hospital would send her home with hypodermics!
Is that a normal practice?
BOO--sounds like you have done all the right things with Erin. Now it is up to her.
Just as the Lord gives us free will, so too does she have free will over the decisions
that she makes. Prayers continue for sure.
Glad all went well with the vaccine. Distribution is going pretty well here too.
I only wish they had 'short needles'for skinny armed guys like me. i swaer that my last
flu shot several years ago hit my bone! ha
PH, Mavis and all, good to see you settin' for a spell. :)
GOOD SABBATH,
MDC :)