Just need to talk to my friends (144)

Lorita

.Morning,

 Was a bit late in starting a new part of our thread - we got up over 7,000 readings.  We are a talkative bunch and I so enjoy learning about what everyone's doing.

 Iris - we have one water tank in the corral, near the barn and two in the what used to be a garden, south of the house, near where we feed the girls hay.  They each hold about 100 gallons.  The girls drink a lot of water.  I have them so I can keep them away from the ponds in the winter so they don't fall through the ice (that has happened) and also years ago we had a terrible drought and almost all of the water dried up so it was dangerous for them to be around that, too.  A calf and I got stuck in the mud (old story).  I use metal hoses that are much lighter - the only problem with them is that Stormy likes to bite on them so I have to try to keep them up on the fence away from him and it doesn't always work.

 Our water district gets water from Lake Eufaula so there's plenty.  I imagine it's hard to be short on water.  I can relate to that though because when I was growing up we didn't have city water.  We had a well and later a cistern.   Our well was a really good one - really good, cold water.  Then a neighbor dug a well and got into our water vein so our water capacity was reduced.  Daddy and one of my uncles built a cistern to use when the well water ran out for a while.  We'd switch back and forth.  Sometimes when we didn't have rain the cistern would go dry and we'd have to buy water so we were very careful in our water usage.  I still am - can't let the faucet run while I'm doing something else.  Old habits are hard to break.

 Thanks, Jo, I do love the farm and I hope I never have to leave it.  I've often mentioned that when I'm stressed out or not feeling well I can go out and be with the girls and feel so much better.  My parents moved out here in 1936 when they made everyone move out of an area that was to become Camp Gruber.  They had the option of this place, another one closer to town and Alaska.  I think they made a good choice.

 Just got back from seeing all the girls.  The two little boys are staying together and with the other cattle.  They're so cute - this is the first time, well yesterday was, they've been in that pasture.  I didn't take Stormy with me because there's some rain moving in so I wanted to hurry and get back to the house - and we could have seen a coyote and I don't know what he'd do if he saw it.  As I left I heard him crying so after I got back decided I'd take him for a ride.  We drove all the way to the mailbox and back.  Later today I'll take both Sheena and Stormy.

 Everything's so pretty and green - makes the air seem green.  It was 80 yesterday and in the 70s this morning.  After the front comes through it's supposed to be in the 50s with a little bit of rain.

 Sara - how nice that your nephew cooked for you.  Does he do that often.  I've never had curry either - heard it was kind of hot.   How's your mother doing?  Hope things are well with her.

 Jo - what a letdown about the cleaning lady.  I don't blame you one bit not wanting several and different people in your home.  I felt kind of odd having Darwin and his wife in the house even though both had had both their shots so can't imagine having three strangers, not speaking English, and not knowing about their vaccinations in the house.  You'll be able to find someone, I'm sure. 

 I'm sure there were other things I wanted to comment on from your posts but can't remember now and can't look it up so I'll stop for now.  Hope all of you are well this morning.

 Very interesting all the information about glass in the lungs.  Had never heard of that before. 

 Ron, I think I remember you were going to have some more tests done today.  Hope that goes well.

 Back later.

Mint

JoC tea and cookies sound good.

My nephew had never done that before.  Curry is a little hot.  Would not want it any hotter.  Would consider it medium heat for me.  

Thanks for asking about mom.  She is about the same.

That cleaning business would not work for me either.  Hope you find one soon.  Here my understanding is, it is hard to find a good one.  Understand if you do a good job you can make pretty good at it.  Wouldn’t know where to start looking if I needed one.

Well lunchtime is over.  Time to get back to work.  Pretty warm today, sweating a little bit.

Lorita

Hi,

 It's turned out to be a beautiful day - sunny with little wind.  Much cooler than early this morning or yesterday - might be 60.

 Sara - don't work too hard this afternoon - take a little time to get your muscles back into doing the things you usually do in the spring and summer.   I'm not in the mood to do  much of anything today - after being out this morning I've sat in my chair and even took a 30 minute nap. 

 Friend, Carol, called this morning and we had an hour's visit.  She's about the only person I know now that is familiar with things around here.  She was born in 1936 and my parents moved out here in 1936 - they were here a few months before she was born and her family moved away.  I think I've mentioned she was born in the house across from our farm.  No one lives there now and it's sad to see the house going to rack and ruin and the yard all grown up.  I can't remember how many families have lived there since I've been here and now no one for a few years.

 It was raining at her house off and on when we talked but guess it all went north and east of us - didn't have a sprinkle here.  The bigger babies have come up to the creepfeeder to get a snack and I see the cows just behind the barn.  I talked with the man who will clean the barn - he'll be here Friday or early Monday morning.  I'll be glad to have that done.  Not sure if I'll leave the hall doors open yet - usually open them in May.  His company will be the one I have replace the utility room floor - when things are better. Like Jo, don't want to have people in the house I'm not sure about.  Didn't even invite my nephew into the house.  I know he hadn't been vaccinated and wasn't wearing a mask.

 I am doing a load of throws so I'll dry them and get them put away and that'll be about it for today.

 Funny thing - Carol said she had been to the grocery store this morning before she called - Homeland.  She said before when people were told they had to wear masks only about half the people wore them.  Now that our Gov. has said we don't have to - everyone except one person had on a mask.  Reverse psychology, I guess. 

Sara - that was so nice of your nephew to cook for you.  I don't care for hot foods either and like I said I've never tried curry.  I'm not much for trying new foods.  Glad your mother is doing all right.  Did she get the vaccine?

 Hope all of you are enjoying the day. 

SQBEAR50

Hi all,

Nothing exciting going on here. Just had a few more cameras installed in my uncle's room. I needed a better angle to see when he falls to the floor. These cameras are set up to let me know when there's movement in his room and bathroom. Also brought a mattress alarm. 

I have committed to being here in Vegas for another 12-18 months to allow my uncle to stay in his home. My cousin is going to be making arrangements to move him to Atlanta (she and her husband live there) and place him in a memory care facility. This way they can go visit him. 

I personally don't think he will be able to handle the flight to Atlanta (even with a private nurse) due to his increased weakness and progression of the disease but my cousin seems to think it will work so i'll let her deal with that.

Been trying to get an appointment to get my Covid vaccine,  no luck so far. At least my uncle has had both of his. 

Been getting into the 80's here, so not looking forward to the heat...ugh!!! 

Nicole

Lorita

Nicole, have you tried calling your local health department to see if you can get the vaccine there?   I didn't even have to go on the portal -  just a call to see if they were giving the vaccine and they put me on a call list in case there was a cancellation. They called me in an hour and gave me an appt. for that afternoon.  It's probably different in a big city though.  I recall how hard it was for my friend who lives in town to get an appt.  They had to travel 60 miles to get theirs.   I hope you can get one soon - amazing how better it makes you feel about things.  I still haven't made my two weeks after the second shot but it's getting close.

 Is your cousin going to wait that long to place your uncle - 12 to 18 months?  After that length of time he probably may not be able to make the flight if he keeps progressing.  I bet it makes you feel better that you have more cameras installed so you can watch him better.

 How's your weather in Las Vegas? Getting warm yet?   It's 60 degrees here - it was 80 yesterday but a cold front came through.  I walked down behind the barn to see the girls a while ago and it was cold - NW wind was blowing.  I had on a coat and my trapper's hat and it felt good.  I had turned off the two electric heaters yesterday but just turned them back on.

 I've laid around and watched TV too much today - feel kind of out of sorts as far as energy goes.  I didn't eat well today either and  got a little hypoglycemia so had a bowl of Ramen soup and feel better.  Thought about a white blouse with white embroidery across the front so found that and another one - both are going to have to be pressed.  I don't like to iron and can't believe I used to iron Charles' uniforms after we got married.  I bet I haven't ironed or pressed anything in five years - but, I do know where the iron and ironing board are.  I have the same iron I got in a bridal shower - 50 years ago - and it still works! - I hope.

 I don't normally have allergies but something is doing a job on me today.  I've sneezed 8-10 times several times today and my throat and nose is itchy.  Forgot to take my Loratadine this morning.    I think it's Hackberry and Maple - just what we have along with Elm.  Also noticed this evening that the Royal Empress trees are leafing out - everything's pretty and green.  When I was walking out among the girls I was amazed at how much the grass has grown.  Rose Bud's out front grazing but I think I'll wait until tomorrow to feed her.

 Maybe I can find something good to watch on TV tonight - I've watched westerns all afternoon so need something different.

 Enjoy the night and sleep well.

  

Iris L.

Lorita, thanks for the info about the water tanks.  My older family members lived on a farm from the late 1800s until the 1980s or so in North Carolina.  The land is still being farmed but the cabin has disintegrated.  My brother and I used to visit in the summer.  The family got their water from a well, cooked on a wood- burning stove, and used an outhouse.   They had chickens and pigs and a cow and a mule.  They had a big garden and a root cellar.  We learned where eggs came from and where milk came from.  We also learned where our chicken dinner came from.  There was no telephone or television.  We got bathed in an iron tub.  Very interesting for us city kids!  

I'm so glad we got to have real world experiences and didn't have to read about how people really lived from books.  You are very fortunate to still live on your family farm.

Iris

Mint

Lorita mom will not get the vaccine.  She did not want me to take it either.  Just made no comment.  The men are going along with her so that doesn’t help any.  

Nicole in our area the easiest way to get signed up for vaccine has been through the health care systems.  Here if you go to their websites, usually you can sign up on line or they will have a number you can call.  Just another idea.

Have all those same memories too Iris.  My family lived in Kentucky.

Suppose to rain a little today.  Guess  I will go do a little shopping and fix up some more pots for seed sowing if nothing happens.

Woke up early this morning.  Think I got too hot.  We have been having summer temperatures.  Was in high 70s yesterday.  Going to cool down they say and looks like it might be rainy for a bit.  We shall see.

My friend was two weeks post second shot yesterday.  Some day before too long, when it’s nice, we are going to meet up for a meal at a park.  She and her sister got together for Easter.  Said it was so nice. 

ronald71111

Good morning, early on the porch this morning, but sleeping hasn't been working for me lately. Went to bed at 9:30, awake at 11 with hot flashes, up again at 1 for bathroom trip and finally up at 3 with more hot flashes. Urologist told me he could give me medication for the hot flashes that is due to my harmone shots, but didnt want to unless it became unbearable for me. 

My petechiae spots have just about cleared up and dermatologist told me she couldn't tell anything about them unless she could see it. Visit was a waste of time! I did get my antibiotics and spirometer for my pneumonia and started treatment. 

All the talk about farm life has brought back memories. Being a city boy, visits to relatives in the country was exciting. I can remember helping to gather eggs, grandma milking a cow and us kids standing with our mouth open waiting to see how good of a shot she was. Grandma sitting over a butter churn for what seemed like hours just to get some butter (it sure was good). Grandpa plowing behind a old mule, his shirt soaking wet with sweat and so many other memories. Cant forget about the outhouse with the spider webs and catalogs. I remember one with a two seater and never could figure out why anyone would want to sit next to another person.

After Lou and I married and even moved to Louisiana we would go back to Kentucky to visit her kin. One of her uncles, aunt and cousin had a big farm and I enjoyed the different stages of the tobacco growth. Her aunt also set the best table at dinner time, I'm hungry now just thinking about it. 

Once again the tornado stayed below us but the heavy rain and lightning made it hard for me to convince Lou it wasn't close to us. Even our Shih Tzu was nervous this time and wanted to snuggle up close for protection. 

Guess I've rattled enough, hope all of you have a good day!

Ron

jfkoc

Hot flashes?  You will likely get a lot of understanding and sympathy here.

What is everyone doing up in the middle of the night? Is everyone having hot flashes...lol.

I have absolutely no farm experiences but I am familiar with the word kin and use it a lot. My mother was raised on a farm in Adams County, Mississippi. She was very talented....could call the pigs with the best of them but turned out to be a concert pianist.

Went to the safe deposit box yesterday and was delighted at what I found. I feared that the papers I was looking for were somewhere in my house waiting to be found.

Jo...how are you feeling?

Rescue mom

Some of my family in NC mountains and nearby SC used outhouses—had no indoor plumbing or water at all—into the 60s. They had wood stove to cook, and fireplaces in most rooms for heat. Somehow they had a few electric lights hanging from ceiling, but mostly used kerosene? Lanterns. It seemed like an adventure to visit. Also had the milk cows.....

Jo I thought about you with the earthquake, wasn’t sure where you lived in Cali but it seemed wideapread. I remember staying up late with DH to watch coverage of the big SF quake back in the 80s IIRC.  We were so upset, it was a favorite city for us to visit. I was in a quake years ago in Nicaragua. It was terrifying. Just indescribable to feel the ground move like that under your feet. I felt seasick for a few minutes. So, so weird and scary.

Glad your litho is over and hopefully did the trick. I had a stent after my last litho, having it in it was noticeable, but not really painful, at least for me. My broken-up bits mostly passed without notice, I still have some but docs thought they are so small to leave them be. Also noticed your lemon drink, everybody was telling me to drink cranberry juice but the docs said that’s an old wives tale, no better than most other liquids.

I will have an endoscopy in a couple weeks re; my digestive probs. (I’ve had endoscopy before NBD) Docs think there is something wrong with the lining of my stomach and/or upper small intestine so I do not absorb food or medicine correctly. Bile is involved someway but I honestly don’t understand that part. 

Means I am now officially anemic, malnutritioned (sounds so third world), hugely underweight, and my thyroid problems are back bigtime because that medicine has not been getting absorbed. I’m now on a regimen of injections to try to replace some pill meds. Bottom line is, I have not been doing much of interest, no energy to do anything.

Our weather is postcard perfect now. I would love to go to beach (30 mins away normally) but too tired, plus the seasonal tourists are still in town, beaches and roads are jammed. So many here have vax now I guess less worry about that, our numbers are way down. Usually tourists would be leaving now, but since tax day was delayed, news is saying that influences them to stay here longer.

Lorita, you asked about hot curry. I used to make and order curries a lot. They can be hot, or not, depending on what you want/how they’re fixed. A lot of people like them fruitier or sweeter, made with pineapple and/or coconut. I like them hotter, so use jalapeños or hot chilies. There is big variations in that. The little bottle of “curry” spice you can buy at store is actually a mix of several spices, and usually not hot, but very flavorful. Same for the bottle curry sauce you can buy for chicken, veggies, rice, just about anything.

Funny several friends IRL are looking for housecleaning help now. It’s really hard, at least here. Theirs have “aged out.” Friends say they are unable to find anyone who speaks English well enough to communicate. They don’t mind the helpers speaking another language, but do want to understand what’s needed. 

My own Housecleaner—whose English is not great—says she can’t find helpers of any language who will do the work, except for far far more pay.  (I have not seen a non-immigrant person working as a house cleaner OR caregiver in years). Nobody will do the work unless the pay is much greater than the norm, around here the standard has been about $25-30 per hour. 

.I know there are lots of Help Wanted signs in stores, too. I guess it means there are plenty of jobs out there, but not many to fill them—unless the pay goes up considerably.

Lorita

Morning,

 Cool enough this morning to wear a fleece jacket and my hat.  Drove up to see the girls - so pretty to see the black cows grazing on the green grass.  Saw both little ones before I went outside.  When I first get up in the morning I look out the bedroom window to see if the cows are in that pasture.  They're in the process of changing pastures now.  Took Stormy with me - he's always so excited.

 Iris, glad you did get to visit the farm and to find out where our food really comes from.  So many people and kids think everything comes from the grocery store -  no idea at all what the origin is.   We had an outhouse until I was around 12, got our water from a well, raised almost everything we had to eat including milk, butter, eggs and meat.  We thought it was just the way things were because everyone else was living the same way.  I do feel lucky to be able to still be living where I grew up.  My family has been here on this land for 85 years.  When I was growing up there were 4-5 farms on each section - not so now because ranchers have bought the smaller farms after people got older, moved away or passed away. 

 Sara, our weather is very warm, then cool so it's hard to decide what to wear in the mornings.  Won't be too  long before I'm complaining about the hot weather - dread summer.  Kind of wish the weather would be in the 70s all the time but I do enjoy the seasons - makes you look forward to the next one.  We're supposed to have rain tomorrow.  You said you were from Kentucky and Ron's relatives were.  Some of our ancestors also were in Kentucky.  I have a distant cousin who still goes back to Kentucky and looks for the family's old graves so he can put markers on them.  I've never been there but imagine it's beautiful.

 Ron, now you're bringing back old memories for me.  Before we moved to McAlester in 1946 or 47 daddy worked the farm with a pair of Percheron horses.  Somewhere we have a picture of me sitting on one of them with my legs straight out - they were huge, white and gray horses.  After we came back to the farm, a year later, daddy bought an Allis-Chalmers tractor - made his work a lot easier but not as easy as it is now with huge tractors that have air conditioning, heaters, radios and who knows what all.

Your comment about the kids standing with your mouths open waiting to see how good your grandma's aim was made me laugh.  My parents had a small dairy before we left the farm and I can remember sitting in the cowshed watching daddy milk and seeing him squirt milk into the cat's mouths.  We had chickens and he raised hogs, made our own butter and lard.  I'm sure grandma had a churn but I can remember her putting whole milk or cream into a gallon jar, putting on the lid and giving it to me to sit and churn.  When we moved to town for that year we had to buy margarine - I can still remember watching grandma mix the coloring into the white margarine - didn't taste anything like our butter and buttermilk.  Mother also made her own cottage cheese.

   No experience at all with raising tobacco - daddy raised corn and cotton mostly, also some head feed.  I've lots of experience chopping those crops and picking cotton and pulling bolls.  Also loved to help daddy haul hay.  We had a three story barn and somehow he'd get the bales (small ones 70-80lb.) up in the second story window and it was my job to pull the bales back to where he'd stack them.  It was cool up there because there was a window in each end of the barn for the air to blow through.  The floor was as slick as if it had been waxed - from pulling the hay on it.  I'm not hauling hay now but still keep up to 60 bales in the crib to feed cows I have up.  Not sure if I could buck a bale now - getting weaker in my old age.

 Sorry about the hot flashes - how long do you have to take the hormones? 

 Glad the storms were south of you.  Saw some interesting weather facts last night.  Seems during this time of year - March and early April, more tornadoes are in what they call the Dixie Belt (in your area and Mississippi) instead of Tornado Alley.  Gradually this changes until all but about 11% are in Tornado Alley instead of Dixie Alley - so, our time is coming.  Always dread that part of Spring.  My new weather radio came a day or two ago -  haven't opened it yet - but will so I'll be ready.

 Judith, glad you found the papers you were looking for in the safe deposit box.  We had one in town but gave it up because I seldom get into that town.  Probably should get one in our closest, bigger town where the papers would be safer than in the house.

 Talk about calling pigs - I remember daddy calling them.  We heated with coal when I was growing up - they'd dump it in one corner of the back yard and when it got down to small pieces daddy would feed it to the hogs.  I loved to listen to them crunch the coal.  Funny, I was thinking about that a day or two ago when I was walking beside a cow and watching and listening to her graze.  I thought about hogs eating coal and how I liked to hear that.  Can you tell I'm a country girl?   That's one reason Carol and I have so much in common - both grew up on the farm, in the same area. 

 I'd better stop and see what I need to do.  FedEx will bring cat and dog food today so should get Sheena inside.  Hope all of you enjoy the day.

VetEly

Ron

doctor gave Bill when he was having hot flashes during his treatment.

B Complex And Vitamin E. He still takes it since the cancer has mastasterzed.

It helps alot, if he has one it is mild and not as often.

Shirley

Mint

Ron I have wondered about that two seater thing too lol.  

As a child can remember my dad and uncles throwing down tobacco worms when they were putting the tobacco in the barn and it was my job to stomp on them.  As an adult helped some friends set tobacco one time.  Thought what would those people at work think if they saw me out here planting tobacco.

It is a good feeling when you find a paper you need and have been looking for.

Rescue mom sorry to hear you are not feeling any better.  Hope they are able to find out something and help you.  Have a sister who does not absorb her food right and she is very thin. Not sure why she does not.

Western Kentucky, around Lexington is beautiful.  I’m from NE Kentucky.  Very hilly, fairly poor, very little work, not good.  When I talk to older people here in Ohio, can tell those where I’m from had it a lot rougher than they did here in this part of Ohio.

Very warm here again today.  Has not started raining yet.  Guess I will go out and water newly sown grass etc. since it is windy and may not rain.  Took it easy this morning.  Went to a few stores and took mom her groceries.  

ladyzetta

Hello All,

Beautiful day here, the sun is shinning right now but a few hours ago we were getting lots of rain and hail. The hail was so fine it looked like rain. It was pretty.

 Lorita,    No I did not know that about James Arness, did you know that his brother is Peter Graves? Your farm has a lot of history I can see why you never want to leave it. I hope you never have too.  I also hate to iron I don't think I have ironed for 30 years. Then the only thing I ironed was the ruffle on the bottom of my DD skirt so it would lay down. I found if I took things right out of the dryer and hung up nothing ever needed ironed. I don't even own a iron. 

Nicole,  You take real good care of your uncle he is so lucky to have you there for him. I hope you get your shots. It sounds like they are easier to get in places now.

Sara,  That was real nice of you nephew to come cook for you I bet you enjoyed that and hopefully he comes back more often. It is sad you DM won't get her shot and encourage those around her to get theirs. Maybe if she does not get out often she will be safe. In my state of Oregon I still see a lot of cases and people still  dying. I am guessing they are the ones who choose not to get their shots. I would hate to think it was just not their time to get the shots.

Rescue Mom,  I am sorry your not feeling well. Maybe with your weather being so nice you will be able to get out and enjoy the sun and fresh air, if only to sit in it. Maybe a hour or two relaxing by the ocean will help. I love the sound of ocean waves. I also remember the SF earthquake in the 80s. I was living in Sacto when that happen. 

I also have no farm background. I grew up in the City of Sacramento. We still do have a outhouse on our property in Oregon. When we got the property it was just a acre of land. So Dan built a outhouse and  a cabin . The outhouse is full of old tires and my Son lives in the cabin. I hated to use the outhouse I was always afraid something was going to come up and bite me. I would not use it at night I would just go in the woods next to the cabin. 

I hope it stays warm today my son and I are going to fence in the back porch so Molly can't keep chasing the wild rabbits. With the porch being fenced it she will be able to get outside more. She loves laying on the back porch in the sun but I don't trust that she won't chase something so I don't let her stay out too long. 

Good Day, Hugs Zetta 

ronald71111

Just got back from taking Lou and little bit for a ride on this beautiful day. Lou really enjoys going for rides and I made sure I stayed away from areas that had odors due to my pneumonia. 

Sayra, I believe I mentioned this before, but I met Lou in Hopkinsville, KY and she grew up in Cadiz, KY. I remember driving through Cadiz on our way to Puducca, KY to met her aunt.

Lorita, I have to take the harmone shots for three years. Lou never had hot flashes and I guess I'm making up for it. 

Ron

Iris L.

Regarding hot flashes:  I took black cohosh for about two years with no adverse effects.  It is an herb and available over the counter from the health food store. It is sold in many women's menopause remedies.  It might be worth it to discuss with your doctor, Ron.  

Iris

Jo C.

Well, another busy day trying to find things online.  Need some new shoes for wide feet; still looking; never did find them last month.

Having two to three different people on a cleaning team in the house each week and having those teams change is not acceptable for us. We want to know who the people are.  Would be best if we found someone who has been vaccinated, but that is not the main big concern.  Out here, some of these teams have been rather sticky fingered and after a few visits, things go missing.  In a couple of instances, the sons or husbands of the workers came and burglarized  houses - they knew all access and egress and where belongings were kept and knew when family was out.  SO . . . . we will continue a search for one person who has a good track record.  I do not care if the person has a thick accent, I just need to be able to communicate for a variety of reasons.

Our last dear person who helped every other week was with us 22 years!  She came after my car was rear-ended and I got a nasty whiplash; she was such a boon, and I was working fulltime while pursuing my Masters Degree, so she stayed on with us.  We are not demanding as long as work gets reasonably done, and we are very kind to such helpers.  I have a possibility that I must follow up on and see if she is available; she comes with good recommendation.

Heavens, I remember the wood stove my mother cooked on, and our only toilet was in the basement; in freezing Northern Michigan winter, one had to walk through the freezing storm shed to go down to the basement; oh, how cold.   We went out to camp alot and there were the outhouses.  I too could never understand a two or three holer.  Geeze.  I hated going in them as I was concerned about snakes.  Boy; one can never forget the odour of those places.  At camp, we pumped our water.  Mom had a big, prolific vegetable and fruit garden in the back yard of the house they bought.  Her strawberries were huge and awesome; then the old man who lived next door told Mom she had planted where there used to be outhouses some years ago.  Poor Mom.  Turned white as a sheet.   Had wild gooseberry bushes, wild rhubarb, a chokecherry tree and crab apple trees.  So much room to run and play.  Lots of stories about that.

I really do think the good old days even though tough at times  had a lot to be said for it.

Guess we could all sit on the front porch and share hot flash stories; we could laugh a mile a minute while fanning Ron and serving him iced drinks.  Oh those rocking chairs, one for each one of us; we never run out of room, the weather is always just fine on our porch and as said before, those chairs fit every size behind, so no one gets jammed in. 

Perhaps we could take a little walk to see the girls out in the field; when I see them lying in the shade, the remind me of cats doing that.  The girls too puruse their element and feel the peace.  Lovely, lovely place our Lorita has.

Off I go, need a shower and shampoo, I put it off this am now have to catch up.

See you back on the front porch soon.

J.

jfkoc

Jo....I recently bought from Orthofeet and Brooks. I have a wide foot and am pleased.

Lorita

Hi,

 I'm so enjoying the stories everyone's telling.  Sounds like most of us have had a taste of the great outdoors. 

 About outhouses.  We had one until I was at least twelve when daddy and one of my uncles (mother's brother) combined the two closets between bedrooms and plumbed that area for a bathroom.  Ours had a little probably 12 x 12 door that you could open to look outside or get some air.  We always had a catalog in the cubbyhole used for paper - and it was used in a couple of ways.  I'm not sure if daddy built it but do know he improved it. It had a concrete base and stool and they put the wooden part you sit on and the lid on.  I was always afraid of something biting me, too.  We still have that concrete part out in the SW corner of the yard.  Before Charles and I enlarged the yard, it was outside of the yard.  A long way to go in the middle of a cold night.

 Just saw the cutest thing.  They've been moving hay off the meadow today so I went out to see if they were finished - I think they are but not sure about the west meadow.  I looked down to what we always called the hog pond and one of the new moms was down there with the two little boys.  They were right at the edge of the water - this always scares me - so I waited and watched.  They fooled around there for a few minutes then she started taking them down to the others.  Just like people they always have someone with the babies and others besides the moms babysit with them.  I've seen Jasper and Domino babysitting.  Those were a couple of our big Brangus bulls - each weighed over a ton but they did their part of caring for the babies.

 Can't add anything to the discussion about hot flashes - only had a couple - I consider myself very lucky.  Ron, I hope some of the things discussed will help you.  I hear they're an awful thing.  What a nice day for a drive with Lou.  It's such a beautiful day here and I know it must be there, too.

 Rescue Mom - so sorry to hear things are not well with you.  I hope the doctors can find something to help you. 

 When I was six years old I was anemic so didn't get to start to school until I was seven.  Mother gave me some kind of medicine - it was very thick and dark brown and she mixed it with water.  It tasted good - no idea what it was and probably not around anymore since that was 72 years ago.  I'm sure there are much better things now so hope you're able to find one.

 Iris, I'm tempted to try some of the curry sauce.  Can you use it on anything except meat?

 Zetta - I did know about Peter Graves and James Arness.  Graves is blond so guess that's how Arness used to be.  Have you noticed how his hair color changes?  Sometimes it's brown, sometimes much darker and even red in one I saw yesterday. 

 Sounds like weather is pretty nice all over the Country.  Supposed to rain off and on tomorrow.  Wish it would hold off because the guy and his men may come tomorrow to clean the barn.  It's dry around it now so it would be a good time.  Talked with Mr. K about the little part of fence they missed fixing.  He'll come as soon as he can - says they're very busy.

 Jo, hope you're feeling better and have recovered from the lithotripsy.  I don't blame you at all for wanting one person you can trust and depend on to clean your house.  I wouldn't have three different people each week in at all - even before the virus.  I doubt anyone could find someone to clean house way out here anyway. 

We never had a wood cookstove but I do remember a Warm Morning pot bellied stove we had in the living room.  We burned coal (at that time not a lot of trees here on the farm).  Daddy would get up first in the mornings and get the stove going so it would be warm when we got up.  When I was in the 5th grade our school burned and we had to go to a couple of different, vacant ones in the area.  The one I attended when I was six was a two-room school house with a bot-bellied stove for heat.  Of course we had to take our lunch and I can still remember how my cheese sandwich tasted at noon - so good with the cheese just a bit warm.  Sometimes I had half of it at recess.  That school was Elm Grove - I remember I had a pair of red jeans when I went there.  Why in the world do we remember things like that.  Carol went to Victor School when she was in the second to fourth grade.  Years later I \went there when I was in the fifth.  That school, well, both of them, are gone now.  Don't know why I got into all of that - guess it was the wood cookstove Jo was talking about.

 Girls are way down in the NE pasture.  I'm going to watch Cheyenne, then Stormy and I will drive down to see if everyone's okay.  I'm trying to check them morning and night in case someone has a new baby.  Can't call on D. to help me get one up so if I can't by myself, it will have to stay out in the pasture.  If they're among the other girls it's okay but if they change pastures the cow and baby will stay behind until he's older and that's not safe at all.  I may take Sheena with us - she's been wanting to go. 

FedEx delivered Chewy and WM things this afternoon. Stormy and Sheena are always so curious when there's new boxes out there.  I think I'll save some of them and change out some of the clothes in the closet.  They're crowded and are wrinkled when I take them out to wear.  I've never gotten the knack of using a steamer - wish I could because it looks so easy.  Do you all think of clothes you used to wear when you were much younger - in your 20s or 30s?  I do and wonder what happened to them.  I used to make all my clothes and in the late 60s and 70s they had the prettiest material that was so easy to sew, no ironing and laundered so well and some of it had beautiful designs in it.  It was called double knit.  I can remember all of the dresses and pantsuits I made from that.  The only thing in that material I have left is my wedding dress that I made.  It was white and looked like broken ice cubes. .  Of course, it doesn't fit anymore but I still have it.

 Cheyenne's on so I'll stop for now.  Still missing Mr. Barclee.

Iris L.

I learned to sew in junior high school, and was able to sew my skirts and dresses.  I haven't sewn in years, now.  I miss sewing.  I also could knit sweaters.

When I was a small kid I put a piece of coal beneath my mattress.  I thought the pressure could turn it into a diamond LOL!

What are Stormy and Sheena?

Iris

jfkoc

Iris...if only one could make diamonds right in their own homes.

I become more and more grateful listening to you all that I had my very own bathroom...sink, bath tub and toilet.

I did go to summer camp and was even a camp counselor but even there the toilet were located around the cabins and they flushed. Additionally there was a shower house sort of nearby. It was a magical time. So magical that we have a facebook page and reunions.

Grow buckets...are they reusable?

Just open some frozen artichoke hearts....badly freezer burned so I opened broccoli...same thing. How does that happen? Yes, I am taking them back to Trader Joe's after my appt with CPA.

It was a beautiful day and it looks like all of the leaves left on the damaged trees have greened up. Now we can really see the horrible damage from the storm. Very sad. 

Lorita

Hi,

 Judith, they were either old or somehow air got into the bag.  I have a bag of California mix and it feels like there's ice in it, too.  It's over a year old.

 Wouldn't that be great if we could make diamonds like that?  We'd all be rich - if we could find the coal.

 I still haven't started working on compiling my tax papers.  But, I always wait until the last minute and Sam has to do an extension.  Maybe - this year I'll get it into him before he has to do that.  If I would just get started it wouldn't take too long.  Maybe I'll do it a little each day.

 Iris, Stormy and Sheena are my Great Pyrenees dogs.  About seven years ago our neighbor had a GP puppy that would come up to our house with another of their dogs and one day the grown dog left it.  He came back the next day and the puppy went back with him.  A few days later they came back and the puppy never left.  I thought he was the prettiest puppy I'd ever seen - looked like a polar bear cub.  Sadly, something was wrong with him that the vet couldn't fix. We tried everything - laser treatments, everything.  Finally he got down and couldn't get up - he was ten months old.  Our vet came to let him go to sleep, told me he forgot the medicine so took him back to the clinic and let him go to sleep.  Ever since then I had wanted another Pyrenees. 

  A client of our vets passed away and his daughter couldn't keep his Pyrenees - just a year old - so I took her and renamed her Sheena.  Then a week or so later our vet told me about a neighbor who raises Great Pyrenees had puppies he was trying to give away.  This is the way I got Stormy - he's a Badger-Faced Pyrenees. He was about eight weeks old when I got him.  Sheena raised him and they are good buddies.  I think Stormy thinks she's his mother.   Now his face just has a little tan and he has dark hair around his eyes like he's wearing eye makeup.  Sheena was seven years old  in February and Stormy was six in March.  They're wonderful - great housedogs and they are really good watchdogs.  I'll post a picture of them so you can see what they look like.  In a couple of days I'll get another good one for you - haven't take one in a while.  Hope you like them.

ladyzetta

Lorita,  Sheena and Stormy are beautiful. I love my little Molly but I miss having a big dog. I am sure they are great protectors. 

Good Night to All, Hugs Zetta 

Iris L.

Ooh, what wonderful dogs!  They look like they are looking over their kingdom!  I can see that they are great companions.  

If I had a large place I would have a dog.  I live in an upstairs condo.  Instead I have five cats.  

Iris

Mint

Ron I never had very many hot flashes.  Feel for you though from the few did have.  Can remember thinking if get any hotter will blow up.  If was able to have a glass of ice water that really helped, wasn’t always able to do that.

Understand your frustration with shoes JoC.  Find clothes a bit that way too.

Remember the Warm Morning stove too.  My poor sister got burnt on it at least twice at grandmas.  Made me be very cautious around it.

Iris that is funny about you laying on the coal.  Always thought coal was so messy.

Grow bags are reusable.  Some of mine are going on their third year.  Have been emptying them and storing in garage.  Tried an experiment this winter by leaving one outside.  It did fine so will leave all of them out next winter.  Less things in my garage.

You have pretty dogs Lorita.

Take care everyone

Lorita

Morning,

 Glad you all liked the pictures.  The one of Sheena and Stormy standing was taken a couple of years ago and looks like Stormy is muddy.  They like to lay in the dirt and he's filled out more since then.  I'll try to get a good picture of both of them together.

 Iris, I love cats, too.  I have four inside cats and Tom and Jerry outside.  One of my inside cats is a tabby, another is a tuxedo cat who is almost blind.  A tom cat scratched his eye when he was young and it had to be enucleated - not much vision in the other.  The other two inside cats are what I think are Savannah Cats - they're big and striped.  A neighbor had a lot of big, round bales of hay and during the winter of 2020 he noticed this cat staying around the hay. He picked her up, took her home to stay but she didn't get along with their other cats so I took her.  She had six kittens with our tabby and I still have one of them, a boy.  The two outside cats are feral but I feed them every day and occasionally they'll let me touch them when they're eating.  We've had as many as 25-30 cats in the barn at one time but I guess the coyotes and wolves have gotten all but Tom and Jerry when they were out hunting even though I fed them.

 Just came in from driving up in the pasture to see the girls. I could see most of them from the house but not the two little ones.  So, I was worried.  They were with one of their moms exploring while she grazed so I think everyone's okay.

 Again, dear friends, I come to you for advice/suggestions/whatever you have to offer.  How do you get someone to go to the hospital when they are refusing?  Their life is at stake because of their condition.  You all know who this is.  Had a call at 2 a.m. last night. She was so bad he had called an ambulance and she was refusing to go with them. Her feeding tube is stopped up so she can't get nourishment and is vomiting almost nonstop. She's not taking her medication - scripts have run out and she won't go have them rewritten.   I tried calling the case worker at OUMC as one of the ambulance attendants suggested but had to leave a message - said someone would call back within two days. 

 Jack and I went through this with Patsy just a few days before she passed away.  So, what can a person do?  Can't get in touch with T or S this morning - she hasn't answered a call in two days.  An ambulance will not take someone who is refusing to go and, of course, she won't keep an appointment.  He was going to take her today but looks like that won't happen.  I really think she's afraid to go because of what they'll tell her.  She keeps telling both of us that she's dying - maybe she wants to but can't imagine that. 

 So, any suggestions will be appreciated.  I think APS is mostly in cases of abuse or neglect and that doesn't apply so doubt they could/would help.

  

jfkoc

I can well imagine that she wants to die. Her life is miserable and nothing has helped. I believe that people who want to die should be allowed to.

I would try to get Hospice onboard. I would also get someone from a place like Home Instead or Todd will have to stay with her. 

I do not know if she can get Hospice w/o a Dr referral. Maybe Jo knows. She is so good at finding out these things. This is all I can find re Oklahoma and the same may apply to pallative care.

To qualify for hospice care, a hospice doctor and your doctor (if you have one) must certify that you're terminally ill, meaning you have a life expectancy of 6 months or less. When you agree to hospice care, you're agreeing to comfort care (palliative care) instead of care to cure your illness.

Lorita....I think all you can do is listen and have some suggestions to offer when asked. We will all come up with as many ideas as possible. Additionally we continue to wrap our arms, tightly, around you .  Please tell Sarah that she is in our hearts.

If I can help from this end just let me know. 

Rescue mom

Lorita, if you think that point has been reached, you can at least call APS and ask. “Neglect” includes self-neglect, which sounds like the case here. 

She is not taking care of herself, not taking meds, not eating, not seeing doctors, etc. and nor allowing others to care for her. Here APS absolutely does handle such cases as self-neglect. You can always ask your APS, but once you open that bottle, hard to put it back. That’s a call you and/or her husband must decide. But if you really do want that help, don’t just assume they won’t, call and ask.

Florida also has other laws that say a person judged  to be a danger to themselves, can be involuntarily hospitalized, held, evaluated, and treated for about 72 hours. Usually it’s cops or EMS who make that call. Here it’s called “Baker acted,” as in somebody needed help and got Baker acted. Many other states have same law, don’t know about yours.

You have done so much already, and for years. At some point the person has to decide. She is 50....Maybe she has decided, and I agree with Judith. There is only so much others can do. It’s still heartbreaking to watch somebody give up on life.

ronald71111

Well, still cant sleep! In bed at 9, awake at 10:30,again at 12 and finally up at 3. I'm beginning to wonder if it's the antibiotics, I dont sleep well anyway, but this is worse.

Talking about stacking hay, I remember when Grandpa had the loft full. We couldn't wait until enough was used where we could rearrange the bales to make us a hideaway. You know the song by little Jimmy Dickinson, I got my education out behind the Barn. I got my education in the old haystack. 

Expecting another round of storms today. Hopefully these want be bad, worse is suppose to be late tonight so I want have to worry with Lou. 

I believe I'm going to recline in my recliner and rest some.

Ron

jfkoc

Rescue mom....our involuntary admittance here seems to be for mental illness but still worth looking at the small print.

ladyzetta

Lorita,   I am so sorry this is happening and the worry you must be having.  One time Dan fell and I could not get him up so I called 911 and the paramedics came and got him up and set him on the bed. I wanted them to take him to the hospital because he was leaning side ways on the bed. He said he did not want to go. The paramedics ask me if I had POA and at that time I did not. Because he said No and I did not have POA they would not take him. If he had been unconscious they would have taken him.  Hugs to you.