Just need to talk to my friends (192)

jfkoc

Equinox;

2024 Chevrolet Equinox Review, Pricing, and Specs (caranddriver.com)

Iris L.

Lorita, I rented a car once at Enterprise car rental snd the agent said she really liked the Equinox.

JeriLynn, it's nice that your family is close and looks after each other. You are like the Waltons. The south part of Los Angeles county used to be sheep country for a long time. Dairy cows were introduced relatively recently, now they are all gone.

We are hoping for dry weather for the Rose Parade on Monday, although some rain is predicted.

Iris

Mint

Hope you heal quickly Eaglemom.

The fog finally cleared today. Much easier to drive. Went the long way to moms yesterday to avoid the interstate because visibility was very low. There’s a lot of semi‘s on that road I want to see them and I want them to see me.

My BIL had a Equinox, never heard him complain about it.

Lorita

Thanks, everyone. Sounds pretty good. I think they're pretty, too. This is just one more great thing about our thread, ask for help and you get it. Judith, I appreciate the link about the car. I've watched the test drive a couple of times and it looks pretty good. Guess I'll see tomorrow.This is just one of the many things good about our thread.

Joan, I've been thinking about you and hoping you are improving. When do you begin the deep muscle massage? Are you able to walk around inside your house without your walker? Are you getting snow yet?

Eagle, goodness what happened? I was praying for your quick recovery from covid. Hope things are better now.

Sara, I think taking another route was very smart. We hear about so many car pile-ups due to fog.

Been very cold and cloudy here today. Went to the mailbox and checked the heifers but forgot to wear gloves. Should keep them in my pocket.

Iris, sorry about Simon's upset stomach. Hope that is all it was. Max does that a lot after he eats. Getting ready to watch the Alamo Bowl - Oklahoma vs. Arizona. Hope I can stay awake.

See all of you tomorrow. Rest well.

Iris L.

Sayra, how long will you stay at your mom's place?

Eaglemom, keep healing! Can you walk? Are you getting PT?

Iris

telinde

Lorita, I, hope you enjoy the test drive tomorrow. It’s not too high to get in, but still feels like you’re sitting up and can see out well.

I had a deep tissue massage on Tuesday, and will have another one tomorrow. It seems to loosen up that area, and gave me a little relief. I can take a couple of steps on my own, but it feels like my back wants to collapse. I need to ask Jo is her dh felt that way too. I still think a brace would have been helpful, but too late for that now. I’m still pretty weak feeling, and need a lot of breaks to rest.

We had colder weather this week, but all the moisture went to the East of us. We are needing a good snow here, but sure is nice to have dry streets and sidewalks. I’m sure we will be getting a big snow storm soon. It usually starts in late December and early January.

Christmas was nice. We had a great visit, and the prime rib dinner was delicious. I don’t do anything for New Year’s Eve or day. I’m planning to keep up with pt exercises and rest. Have a good night. Joan

Mint

Good morning to everyone, Each of you still fighting hard battles think of you and pray for you.

How long I stay Iris with my mom varies. In the morning normally I probably just stay about a half an hour. I comb her hair and we get any clothes in the wash that need washed that day and I check to make sure she still has enough of certain foods like bananas, and boiled eggs. In the evening, I can stay anywhere from like 15 minutes to an hour. Again, I just kinda check on things and if we washed any clothes I hang them up to dry. She has a dryer, but it’s one of the things that agitate her she doesn’t want to use it.

Interestingly enough, I found the pipe from the dryer to the vent outside disconnected I don’t know how that happened. She blamed someone but I don’t believe that person did that. I wouldn’t be surprised if she disconnected it but I don’t know that either, probably will never know. So anyways, we just hang her clothes up in the basement and we have quite a few fans running down there, so it works fine and keeps her a little happy. What she really wants is for her clothes to be hung outside which we did all summer but I refuse to do that in the winter. The other day I changed the sheets on her bed, and then she told me not to wash them because she wanted them hung outside. And I told her that’s not happening in the winter, even if it is sunny. So I didn’t push the subject and the next day my sister washed the sheets and then I took them down the following day. Mom was agreeable to washing them that day.

I wish I could go there and just have a normal visit like we used to but those days are gone it seems.

Joan sorry you were having such a rough battle with your back. No it has to get wearisome.

Looking like it may be another gray day.. Much colder this morning than it has been. It’s really more our normal temperature for this time of year this morning we had been being unseasonably warm.

harshedbuzz

@Lorita

I hope the Equinox makes you happy. You should have a vehicle that works for you and on which you can rely. Bonus points if it's fun to drive.

@telinde

I'm sorry your back is wearing on you. I hope you're seeing some improvement soon.

@eaglemom

Two unpanned "procedures"? Yikes!! Take it easy.

@Sayra

I used to "look in" on the 92 year-old mother of a dear friend when she was likely in the earliest stages of dementia and my friend had to travel. Oma had a gorgeous little garden at her daughter's house. I was tasked with collecting mom at home and driving her to and from the garden which was about 1/2 a mile away. She'd insist on walking in all manner of heat, so I had to anticipate her shenanigans and get there early. Oma didn't like feeling "baby-sat" and would try to shake me off.

My friend's grandson created and installed a fabulous irrigation system for the garden that was on timers and included water cannons to shoo off the deer. It didn't need any human intervention unless we got massive amounts of rain. Oma would turn the thing off and insist it wasn't working so she could water using her watering can which meant my son and I would be conscripted into a bucket brigade re-filling her watering can so she could sprinkle "old school" which took a good hour while my bad knee made its presence known and my kid muttered under his breath. I miss her but not gardening in the heat.

@Jo C.

I hope you and your son are seeing some improvement.

___________________________________________________________________________________________________

It was a mixed bag medically this week. The oral surgeon was very happy with the healing of my tooth extraction. He said it looks significantly better than he anticipated but that I still have to wait 5 1/2 months to get an implant in that site and then another 3 1/2 to have a permanent crown installed. I get to be a toothless hag until at least the end of September. I am not happy about this. I can't eat with the Essex tray and wearing it gives me a lisp. Not wearing it makes me lisp, too. Aesthetically, it looks great.

I had to re-do a fasting basic metabolic panel. I did a comprehensive when I saw my PCP in November. She changed my BP meds to one that includes a mild diuretic and ordered fasting bloodwork to make sure I was tolerating it well. I failed the first round because I woke up 3 hours before the draw and drank 64oz of seltzer in place of my usual pot of tea which messed up my electrolytes. We talked about what I'd done and I how I really like the new medication, so she allowed me to re-do the test again without flooding my system first. I just got my results back and things were normal so I'm good for a year. Yay! Mere words cannot express how much I loathe fasting blood draws-- mine or mom's. I am not a morning person.

Today's a Costco run. I need sparkling water and toilet paper. DH has hoarding tendencies about TP. His late mom was like this, too. Whenever I asked her if she needed anything from the store, she'd answer toilet paper. It got to the point where I'd spirit them out of her bathroom and bring them later to keep the pile from becoming a trip hazard.

DH told me 2 weeks ago that he was going through a roll/day in his and DS's bathroom. He said he had 6 rolls left and no Kleenex under his sink which is a ridiculous thing to lie about. He's got 3 boxes of Kleenex and 15 rolls of TP in his bath alone when I checked yesterday. As a consequence of his actions, I made him go an extra week until the Charmin went on sale just to mess with him for lying about something so stupid. FTR, There are at least 15 rolls under the other bathroom sinks in the house. We've been married 38 years and I have never let him run out of TP. Crazy boy.

JeriLynn66

HB, you gotta love it😂 this why I’m sorting the pantry and kitchen cabinets! DH just asked if I wanted to run out to the $5 sale at the local independent grocery… NOT till I sort all this stuff!! I like to be able to see at a glance everything I have thus what I need. PS: I have discovered 12 cans of pork n beans 🫘

Lorita

Morning, It's cold and cloudy this morning and I have another sinus headache so not going in today to test drive. Don't know what good it would do anyway since I've watched several test drives of the Equinox. I'm a bit worried that driving the Charger spoiled me - sort of took me back to the days when I drove muscle cars (in my 20s). But, that was long ago. I didn't know how it worked but if a dealer doesn't have what you want, they can find it on the internet, contact that dealer and trade cars if need be. The salesman this morning said they were sending a driver to Arkansas today to pick one up - they're trading a Wrangler for a Grand Cherokee.

Joan, when I was reading your post I remembered that you tried to get your doctor to let you have a backbrace and he didn't. I was thinking - what about wearing one of those wide, elastic bands that warehouse workers wear to protect their back? It would give you some support and still not be a brace. I've seen them on Amazon. Glad the massage made you feel some better - maybe the longer you have them, the better it will feel. Please don't try to do too much at first. Glad you missed that snow. I heard that I-70 was closed from somewhere in Colorado to the Kansas State Line. There were a few snow flurries north of here and it feels like it could snow any minute here.

I did get out and drove the PU down the driveway a bit so I could see the heifers and babies. The youngest one is the cutest little thing - black as tar and long hair and he is so active. Just love little calves but they can kick like the dickens - found that out the hard way. Guess it's a protective move they have from birth on up.

You know I always try to keep at least one big package of TP ahead - same with paper towels. Still don't know why there was a shortage of TP.

, I need to rearrange my pantry in the worst way. I tend to let things expire and when I need them, it's too late. I bought some pie filling a couple of years ago and I bet they're at or near expiration date. I try to keep things in order but it gets away from me. I keep most things that aren't canned in Lock n Lock containers to keep them fresher and keep the bugs out.

Sara, you talking about hanging clothes outside in the wintertime reminded me of when I was younger, before we had a dryer, we'd hang out clothes to dry and when we went to bring them in, they'd be frozen stiff. But, I do love the way they smell when they dry in the sunshine. I don't even have a clothes line now though.

Weather's on and there's some sunshine way up north of here - still don't want to get out, tomorrow will be warmer. We're so used to above temps this December it's hard to get used to normal temps for this time of year.

Watched the Alamo Bowl last night. OU was not doing well at all at first - did really well during the second and third quarters, then lost in the fourth. Guess we'll have to switch to watching basketball pretty soon.

Ron, I heard something on TV last night that will be of interest to you. I think you're 100% SC Permanent and Total - so you have a tax exemption card. I have one as a spouse (do not like that word) - it said if you have one, you have to get a different one (for some reason). I called ODVA (Oklahoma Depot. of Veterans Affairs) this morning and she said everyone who has one has to change. There's a form you complete and return and a new card is issued. The one we have is still valid until we get the new one. No idea why they're doing this unless someone has figured out how to make fake ones. You might want to check.

I heard on TV this morning that there's a scam going around involving the Pioneer Woman. The ad with her voice talks about a free cookwear set she's offering. It's another thing with AI. Really sounds like her voice. Kind of scary that they can do these things. Carol has had a couple of the scams attempted on her using the voice of her grandson. I just do not answer any phone calls from a number I don't recognize. I bet I get more than half a dozen every day so am attempting to block those numbers but more keep coming through. I figure if it's a valid call they'll leave a message.

JeriLynn, do your dogs look like Australian Shepherds or Great Pyrenees? I absolutely love GPs. I have two that I got about a month after I lost Charles so they're nine and ten years old. We had one previously for about ten months but he got down and had to go to sleep. They are so smart. I can tell them to do something and most of the time they do - except I can't get Sheena to get into a car or let me trim her nails.

I'm going to quit writing - have written too much - again. Hope everyone is well this morning.

Eagle, so sorry about your legs - hope you improve each day. Oklahoma is having lots of cases of flu, Covid and RSV - better wear those masks. Weather just said Tulsa is about 3" below normal rainfall for the year. I think we're just about normal after the 2 or more inches we had last week. I'll be back later.

Iris, I think it's so sad that all the land once used for agriculture is being taken over by housing. Patsy has talked about that a lot - how California used to be when she moved there and how it is now. Maybe that's progress - I don't think so. How are all the people going to be fed if this continues.

Iris L.

Lorita, our main problem here in California is lack of water. For years we were in drought condition. Now, the powers that be have decided that toilet water will be recycled into drinking water! How low can we get?

I had been eating low sweets all month but this morning I had a craving for pancakes, so I had pancakes. Yum!

Iris

jfkoc

There is nothing more wonderful thann sheets hung out to dry. I have done that until recently. I bought mircofiber velour sheets and love them. Wash, dry and put back on the bed. No ironing!!!

When buyig a car at our age, Lorita, we need to be very certain we can easily get in and out remembering that next year it may be more difficult.

Wish all of you were closer. I seem to have ordered way too many paper white bulbs in order to get free shipping.

It is a glorious day. Bright sun and a nip in the air. I put on my sweater coat for the first time.

Iris...recycled sewer water is not new. A suburb of D.C. has been doing this for over 40 years. You will be OK..lol

I have two long underthe bed containers with wrapping stuff on my bed. They have been there foa a week. Today is the day do sort out all Christmas wrap and get them back under the bed.

Lorita...Winda says canned goods 6-12 months...then throw out.

J

JeriLynn66

Lorita: Lilly has the big floof coat and looks pure GP. Jake has the smooth coat and more Anatolian face and body. They look so different even though they are from same parents just different litters.

Lilly really spends more time interacting with the goats. Husbands grandson comes to feed everyone each time when we are away. He commented that JAKE would not let him get near the goats this time. Didn’t get aggressive but kept putting himself between grandson and the goats. Funny huh?

Hope everyone stays warm today: I made a big pot of soup, cornbread and pecan pie to share on the porch 😁

jfkoc

Looks good. I will meet you on the porch.

Lorita

Jeri, the soup looks delicious. Looks thick which I like. Haven't had or made pecan pie in years. Do you use brown sugar and white syrup or the reverse? I always used brown and white. Charles liked it with ice cream.

Sheena has the white, fluffy hair- all white except amber eyes. Has long hair on her feet. Stormy has long, hair that lays flat. No long hair on his feet and he has tan on his face - not much and black around his eyes like makeup. He's a badger face and had quite a lot of dark hair on his face when he was a puppy. They've never been off leash around the cows so when we're out around them, the girls are very curious and it scares Sheena. Very territorial of the yard, good watch dogs. When the driveway alarm goes off Stormy goes to the window if he's in the house, looks out and barks. Our mother cat's name is Lilly, rescued by Darwin. She was trying to live around some of his big bales of hay in the winter. She and Max had a litter of six kittens we kept Sammy.

Zetta, where are you? Getting worried. Maybe you're in Aruzona. Let us know, please.

Judith, for sure. It was sort of hard to get out of the Charger so hope it's easier with the Equinox. Jeeps are easy too. Getting out of the PU is easy but getting into it is hard especially without a stepstool. Are you going to plant your paper whites in pots or the ground?

Recycled water doesn't sound good to me but guess the astronauts use it, too. Well water is the very best, at least ours was, nice and cold. Our water is from a big lake but the line to our house has to be flushed occasionally. We're next to the last on our line with a bachelor being the last so neither of us use a lot. They put in some kind of flushing system at his house and when our water tastes funny, they flush the line.

Time to go check the heifers. It's sunny but still cold. Iris, I have on my gown and robe with jeans . Seems like I'm getting into that habit. Hope to go in and drive an Equinox tomorrow.

Lorita

Girls and boys look okay. Saw that baby walking around. Walks like he weighs 1,000 lbs. No mail! First time in many a day. Had to go out in Gator and Stormy was not happy that he didn't get to go. Still really cold but sunny. Need ba bowl of that soup,to warm up, Jerilynn.

harshedbuzz

@JeriLynn66

That soup looks amazing. I would be happy to have soup, a salad and some nice bread of some kind for dinner nightly.

@jfkoc

I do the same with sheets. I can fold them neatly, but why? My DH put his foot through the fitted Kirkland sheet. Again. I need a 100% cotton sheet or linen if I can get a good price. My pillow slip is silk charmeuse. Mom does microfiber and it's too hot for DS and me. I used to keep a set of cotton sheets at her beach house for our rooms.

Instead of buying an entire new set this time, I bought a Target Threshold fitted sheet that gets top reviews on Wirecutter. It's nowhere near as nice as the Kirkland ones but will have to do until they go on sale again. Maybe it'll soften with washing. I'm not looking forward to it tonight.

_________________________________________________________________________________

Mom graduated from PT today. I am amazed by the improvement in her strength, stamina and balance. A lady knocked into her and caused her to miss a step Wednesday and she recovered beautifully. Six months ago, we would have had a trip to the ER for sure. I can't recommend it enough.

HB

Mint

Oh Jerilynn thank you for the bowl of soup, was delicious.

When I was at my eye doctor yesterday they had some beautiful paper whites. They were in a very interesting container with moss. Their office is very simple, but whoever takes care of it does a fantastic job. They have some very neat plants. I meant to ask them whether someone takes care of it for them, or whether they do it themselves. I forgot we’ll try to remember to do that the next time.

Sheets hung outside do smell good. But I have no interest in being out in the cold anymore than I have to. I really dislike cold weather, to me it’s pretty miserable.

HB that would be something my mother would do too. She has pulled a few things sort of like that.

Take care, everyone

dayn2nite2

Soup looks great! I'll have a bowl. Just checking in with an update.

I am now 50% weightbearing and back to the orthopedist in 2 weeks for more x-rays to check progress. I am walking Chucky myself now, I use a cane to get down the stairs and we go slow outside. He does the stairs himself, so he just follows me down and goes up ahead of me.

While I'm healing, I will not be off the walker until mid-February and then if the fractures are healed they will send me to PT. I am doing little PT-type things to keep my muscles on that leg firing, but I can't do anything heavy.

Work is good - we never run out of complaints!

Lorita

Hi, good to hear you're making goodness progress, Day. Do you still watch QVC? Glad work is good. I imagine people will never stop complaining. Take it easy going up and down stairs.

Go outside and see the moon or look out the window. I let Stormy out just as it was breaking the horizon.. Thought it might be a fire because it was so bright and orange. It's a bit past full but gorgeous.

Iris L.

Soup, yum!

ronald71111

I can't win! The little Yorkie that Lou's sitter brought over with her passed away last night. She was only 2 years old and got sick with respotory problems this week. Took her to vet twice and last time kept her overnight abd didn't make it. This is why I don't want another pet! I had become very attached to her!!

Ron

JeriLynn66

Oh no Ron! I’m so sorry 😢 We aren’t going to get any more inside animals either and that makes me sad too. Big hugs to you ❤️

eaglemom

I can almost smell the soup. I think I'll go see what I have to make a soup. We both love soup and the bonus is the leftovers! Oh, and the cornbread!

Iris and everyone thank you for your concern about my legs. I've had 9 surgeries / replacements on my right knee and 3 on my left. In having that many it has caused issues with several of the veins, the deeper veins. One night I thought to myself - I wonder what a blood clot feels like because this just doesn't feel like a normal leg cramp. So I was at the surgeons office when they opened. While doing a Doppler I had another cramp and he said "no clots and we're going to make certain. See you at the surgical facility in an hour!!" Thus the first procedure on my right leg vein. I can & could walk, but zoowie was I ever sore and literally bruised from my groin to my shin. He put on surgical hose #40. I had a very strict protocol to follow. At the one week check he very much surprised me with the news that the next day he was doing my left leg. Surprisingly this bruising was even worse, but not quite as painful. I've been walking stiff legged, but that's much better now. I'm out of the hose, and to my surprise I miss them. I see him again in a couple of weeks for checkup and we'll see where we go from there. I have not had one leg cramp since the procedures & my legs over all feel slightly better, maybe!

Iris L.

Ron, I'm so sorry to learn about your little Yorkie. I heard there is a new virus going around that is dangerous, even lethal, to dogs. Your dog's short life was happy with you.

Eaglemom, I had to wear support hose for several months due to venous insufficiency, years ago. I don't have a problem now. I'm glad surgery is helping you and you're out of pain!

Iris

Lorita

Ron, I am so sorry. Had she given the Yorkis to you or were you just keeping her a while. It hurts so much to lose them but just think of the joy they give us and they're getting a good home. Sometimes I think I'd like to have another little dog but...

Eagle, did they strip your veins? What a shock to go to the doctor and end up in surgery an hour later. Glad you're getting along good just be careful.

Well, I but the bullet! Bought a 2024 Chevy Equinox ,tsight unseen. I did test drive one though.. They found an LS north of here and went to get it. They'll.check it over and dust if off and deliver it. Supposed to be silver with a gray interior. It'd be a shock if if turned out to be bright red. Hope I never have to go through carshopping again.

Sara,I asked the salesman I saw first saw how to keep the rats away. He said to wedge a bar of Irish Spring soap between the car body and air box. Says it really works because they don't like the smell.Hope this turns out all right.

Todd called while I was there. Said Sarah had another seizure and was out cold. He did CPR until the ambulance got there and I think he said she was still unconscious but breathing. The ambulance was still there. Tried to call just now and he didn't answer. Scares me.

jfkoc

Great news about the car. Celebration on the porch this evening.

Thanks for the update on Sarah. Do you think she will go to a hospital?

Mint

Sorry to hear about Sarah.

A friend told me today that she lost one dog to a stroke earlier this year. The only dog they have left now has stage four cancer. She said no more animals to. She said it’s just too hard.

Hope your new equinox works out really good for you.

Another cold damp day. Was hoping not to have to go out at all but I got a message that my meds were ready to pick up so at least I didn’t have to get out of the car. They have a drive-through.

Not much going on here today

Lorita

Judith, she's in the ER at Mercy.

Caro_Lynne

Prayers going out for Sarah. So sad to think about her quality of life. God be with her.

Congratulations on your new SUV Lorita - hope you love it!