Just need to talk to my friends (192)

JeriLynn66

Prayers for Sarah, and her husband and you, Lorita. We know you’re worried .

Cold and windy and dreary here today but we have a Birthday supper planned for my oldest daughter, she is 45 today! Cooking enough for everyone to take leftovers home and have for lunch tomorrow.

After church tomorrow we are driving to Hartselle for fence posts- again- but they’re 6 foot tall and only $3 each so it’s a good deal. I may pack us a little “truck”picnic rather than fast food after church. Tomorrow is supposed to be the prettiest day of the week. Hope everyone is doing as well as possible and staying warm.

Lorita

Thank you for the prayers, Caro, she needs all the help she can get. They transferred me to the nurse in Sarah's area but guess she was so busy she couldn't answer. Sarah's birthday is Jan. 2- she'll be 53.

Just had a call from the salesman who went you're t get it. They're really busy so I told him Monday is fine. He says it's really pretty- silver with gray and ash interior. I saw one online and interior was gray with tan - maybe that's what he calls ash. We'll see -either is fine.

I was going to our little store to get gas but will wait until tomorrow... Supposed to be colder but that's okay. May need a little bit in the PU but maybe should drive it some more to get the old diesel out. Do wish they could fix the gas gauge. I think I'll carry a gallon or so diesel in the bed just in case.

Sandy, that Charger was really calling me today but I resisted. They had a bright purple Challenger in the showroom - gorgeous! Never had a purple car or silver either.

Sara, odd you would mention a dog having a stroke. The salesman has a 13':year old Golden Retriever who had a stroke a couple of years ago. He has diabetes so gets a daily shot. Also has cataracts and a bad back. The salesman us only 21 but us taking care of him. Guess dogs have the same ailments as we do.

Caro_Lynne

Lorita, I did not know she was so young. Truly heartbreaking xo

Lorita

Todd just called while the doctor was in the room. She's being sent hone with a seizure medicine, liquid and Zofran to dissolve under her tongue plus a pain med. Think Todd said Tylenol 3. He says she seems pretty good. These seizures just happen all at once. Luckily Todd has been home the last couple of times.

Had a call from the man who's going to level and gravel the driveway. He still has a couple of days on his current job that he can't complete until a contractor does something. He's going to NM for a week on the second to hunt mule deer so it'll be the middle of January. The wet weather has really put him behind. That is not going to be inexpensive at $400 a load plus dozer work. Has to be done because I can't afford to lose the road.

Zetta??

ronald71111

Prayers going up for Sarah, she's had a tough time.

Lorita I'm happy for you getting a new car. I know how glad I am with mine. No, the Yorkie is not mine, she just brought her when she came over. I did keep her a couple of days when she went out of town. The little thing would come running over to me everytime the sitter came over. So sweet and easy to get attached to. I told the sitter to take off as much as needed that I would make out ok.

Ron

Iris L.

I'm sorry about Sarah.

Congratulations on the new car! I'm sure you'll love driving it.

Iris

Mint

Cold and damp again today.

Eating a sloppy Joe. I bought a mix in a jar. I won’t buy it again, but I forced myself to eat it all and I’m on the last round. I think I make a much tastier sloppy Joe.

I think you said you get your car tomorrow Lorita. That will be nice.

loveskitties

Yesterday was our family Christmas celebration at my mother's house. There were 20 of us there. A good time had by all...lots of laughs...lots of toys for the little ones...lots of food as everyone brought something good to eat.

Best wishes for better health, safety, and memories for the new year and always.

Marie

Lorita

Morning, , Marie, never have seen so many beautifully wrapped packages and the tree is beautiful. Glad everyone had a good time. When I was young daddy would go out and find a pretty cedar tree and that would be our Christmas tree. Loved decorating them and looking at the pretty lights at night but hated taking it down. The last tree Charles and I had was in the 80s when his mother was visiting.

It's 44 but the North wind is ice cold. It is sunny which helps mentally.. I did drive down a ways and saw all the heifers. Most of them are down in the meadow looking for green grass. All of the girls this morning were bawling and wstching. Either the sound of the PU or a truck somewhere made them think it was feed day.

Sara, I didn't know you could get sloppy joes in a jar. Is it the sauce and you add the hamburger?. I used to make those with barbeque sauce with a slice ot cheese on it - called them big chief burgers. I need to steam vegetables today. These are the vegetables from a month ago but still good. I'm Still thinking about that soup from yesterday.

Yes, the car comes tomortow. I watched a video of a test drive and the car had the ash gray seats. Not sure how that will work because the seat and back are light and the edges are darker. Kind of wish all of it was dark but I can cover the seat. Probably will be okay. I've been a lot of trouble to them so... If Stormy is with me I'll put something over the seat. Not sure if I'll ever be able to get Sheena in another car. If she would let me trim her nails I wouldn't have to.

Last night I had some sharp pains in my left midback. Only lasted a second or two. Some this morning so am leaning on the heating pad. Yesterday afternoon I lifted and carried some five gallon buckets and empty mineral tubs so that might be it. Hate that I can't lift like I used to without the fallout.

Haven't heard from Sarah or Todd this morning so will try in a few minutes.

Do hope everyone is feeling well this morning.

Iris L.

It sprinkled last night and the night before, so the ground was wet when I got up. Tomorrow will be the Rose Parade, and we want the streets to be dry for the floats and the performers and for the onlookers. Many people camp out on the parade route overnight in order to get a good viewing spot. There will be many marching bands and many equestrian units. There will be a flyover of some military planes, perhaps the Stealth Bomber.

I'll try to stay up tonight.

Iris

Lorita

Iris, why are going to stay up? We always watched the Rose Parade so many beautiful floats.Hope the weather is good. It's so cold here today -' high of 38 but feels much colder. Not going to take down trash. Not muchn so it can wait.

This morning when Stormy was out he was really barking . Went out and he was running up and down a!omg the south yard fence. There was a smallish brown dog or coyote running around in the garden. J yelled at him and he took off going northwest. Still don't know if it was a dog If so must belong to the neighbors on the farm west of hetre. It may be thr little dog with the puppy I saw a couple of months sago. No idea where she belonged either. Watching the Chiefs game.

jfkoc

I too, am thinking about that soup. How about a recipe.

I too, love all of the wrapped gifts under/around the tree. What a joyous time you all must have had.

How did you get someone to deliver a car on New Year's day???

Yea...Rose Bowl parade tomorrow. I think all my family will be out of town so I can quietly watch it from my bed.

Lorita

Judith, that car dealership is going to be open. At least the salesman will be there. He volunteered and I was surprised. Maybe he forgot it was New Years. I hope it's warmer. I'll be watching the Rose Parade, too. I just saw on the news that the band from Jenks, Okla. Will be in the parade. Jenks is a small town or suburb southwest of Tulsa.

I love tomato soup and found a good, easy recipe today. You melt 1/4cup of butter, add half an onion, quartered and a 28 oz. Can of whole tomatoes, a little salt and 1 1/2 cup water. Stir and break tomatoes in half with spoon and simmer 45 minutes. Then puree. I always add some oregano, pepper, garlic salt or powder and hot sauce. Then add a scoop of cottage cheese in the bowl before the soup. I'm going to try that.

I also love lentil soup. Used to make it and take it for lunch. Karen always said it looked awful and guess it does ,sort of grayish brown but it's good. Favorite is vegetable though.

Barbara, Happy New Year. You all are already into 2024. Just saw some of the celebration in Australia and New Zealand. Hope you are well..

ronald71111

I'm ready for some tomato soup! Is it being served on the porch?

Speaking of the Rose parade; James Burton who played the guitar for Elvis and many others, who is a home town Shreveport boy will be on the Louisiana float. I graduated with his brother Jimmy Burton, kind of odd one named James and the other Jimmy.

Lou has still been a handful! Hopefully fireworks want be to bad and make things worse.

Ron

Lorita

It's the full moon, Ron. Happy New Year. Afraid I'll be asleep at midnight.

JeriLynn66

Judith the soup is ground chuck, onion garlic ,carrots, diced tomatoes, potatoes, cabbage, whole kernel corn , cans of green/pinto/white/red beans. Beef broth, butter, bbq sauce , large cans tomato sauce, salt pepper pinch of sugar Italian seasoning and/or whatever leftovers in your fridge. I made 7 quarts and sent some home with the girls . It’s even better the second day.

Cold but sunny here today. Very successful trip to get fence posts. The man had found more that he didn’t need and gave them to us for the quoted original price Yay!! DH was happy. This should be enough to cross fence the 12 or so acres for the goats!

I made chicken Marsala for dinner tonight, got black eyed peas soaking and greens ready to go for tomorrow, so I guess we’re ready to start the New Year.

Lorita

JeriLynn, glad you were able to get enough fence posts. Are they T-posts or wood? Now for the work. The man who did our fencing with his son really built pretty fences and they were fast. His fence lines are so straight. Do you ever put rutabagas or parsnips in your soup? Charles always liked to add one at least.

I completely forgot to get black eyed peas this year. Thought of it last night. Would you eat one or two for me? I need good luck!

Iris L.

Lorita, I'll stay up to usher in the New Year. I even have champagne for my toast.

The tomato soup recipe sounds good. I had pizza for my last meal of this year.

I've got my black eyed peas and greens ready for tomorrow.

Iris

Lorita

Iris, guess I'm going to stay up, too. Watching Barney Miller and not sleepy. We never had greens and black eyed peas but black eyed peas and hog jowl. Different things for different areas, I guess. Happy New Year.

VetEly

https://alzconnected.org/discussion/comment/193050#Comment_193050

Happy New Year to all

Hoping this year we will have less stress

And peace in the country.

Lorita

Well, we're 30 minutes into the brew year and I'm wide awake. Like you, Shirley. I hope this year will be better than last. Would be wonderful if we could have peace worldwide. Hope Bill is well tonight. Shirley. I'm thankful for having you all as my friends.

JeriLynn66

Lorita, we got Both!! 20 wooden and 200 T posts!! Lots of work to do, but DH has a post hole digger attachment for the tractor. He nails fencing to the wood post, sets the Tposts. I help secure the fence with those wire tie hickey things that require you to use channel lock plyers . He can do 10 to my 2.. I have to use 2 hands to work the channel lock plyers . Then he uses the rhino to string barbed wire along the fence line, we attach to each post. Thank goodness he is very patient with me..

Got my peas going on the stove with smoked sausage links and butter. I cheated and will use canned greens, rinsed and cooked in broth with bacon, onion and red pepper. Cornbread is done. We’ll have leftover chicken with that and some kind of potato. Still got pie for dessert today but need to make something to take to the Shop tomorrow.

Today is “re-organize the garage day”. So, I’m just waiting on the sun to come up to get started on that project. Also my master bathroom vanity to do. Started yesterday but had company so had to stop. Back later 😁

ronald71111

Happy New Year's greetings to all my front porch friends! I'm getting to old to be hitting the floor thinking the fireworks are incoming mortars. Wonder why it bothers ne so much in my senior years? When Lou and I was raising our boys, I didn't think anything about it.

Lou's sitter is suppose to be back today, I'll go to the store and pick up pork chops and cabbage. I already have black eyed peas and will make some cornbread. Hopefully it will be a quiet day!

Ron

JeriLynn66

Well it’s 10:30 am and has gotten even colder with wind whipping.. too cold for any more garage work so back in the house for the day we got half the job done. But importantly got the outside fridge moved to the door instead of across the garage so that’s good.

Gonna organize the 2 million pieces of Tupperware in the kitchen: since we take food to my BIL and the Shop, we have and use LOTS. Makes me crazy when it’s all a jumble 🥺😳

Got a banana pudding done and meatloaf in the oven- these will go to the Shop for lunch, enough for 6 and leftovers. I’ll fry potatoes and onions on the griddle there tomorrow so they’re fresh. I usually have to either make something or order out for Thursdays. Ok, let’s get busy again!

jfkoc

Ah, the Tupperware. I stumbled onto two boxes full of the stuff. All with black lids....really good looking.

Did not get to the wrapping paper mess yesterday so I guess that is today's activity.

Lorita

Iris, you got your wish. I'm watching the Rose Parade and they said it's 70 degrees - pretty and sunny. I missed the middle part of it but got to see Jenks High School Band. The floats are beautiful. Have you ever gone to the place where they make them to watch - or maybe they won't let people in to watch. Anyway, beautiful.

JeriLynn, about the wire clips - go to your hardward store and find a fencing tool that fits your hand. The one Charles used was too big but I found a smaller one that's just right. No problem at all with them to put on the wire clips - you can do it with one hand - much easier. I know when we put in a fence around some hay it took me 15-20x to put in a T post - don't remember if it was dry weather. Maybe the ground was hard. Around here they use some kind of thing on the front of the tractor to push the T posts in, however, when Darwin was building his fences he used a T post driver - hard work building fences.

Well, my new Equinox is here. Very pretty - silver with darker gray and ash gray seats. Stormy might be able to get in but I'll have to figure out something for Sheena. I want to get some floor mats and a mat for the back and maybe even some light seat covers. The salesman said WM has them and many people use them. I'm also going to spray them with car Scotchguard. He drove the car and a new salesman drove the Charger - gave me a short tutorial and answered the questions I had. I'm sure I'll forget everything I didn't write down. It has On-Star so will have to call them back and do the short set-up. Later to do that.

Stormy keeps going to the window and barking. There's a car out there he doesn't recognize - yet. It's cold here this morning but sunny. I think I'll wait until tomorrow to get gas - maybe it'll be warmer, we'll see.

They came and fed this morning and the girls were ready for it. Somehow they know when the feed day is - maybe, too, they hear the trucks when they're feeding north of here.

I do hope this year is good for all of us - seems like 2023 was a short year - went really fast - just like our mothers said it would when we got older. Wish I hadn't forgotten black eyed peas but I'll eat some English ones - maybe that will be okay.

This month is the 30th year Denim & Co. has been on QVC so they'll celebrate all this month. First show is at 1 p.m. today. Day, maybe you'll be watching, too. Hope you're well this morning.

I wasn't sleepy last night so stayed up until 2 a.m. and got up just before 8 - may get in a nap this afternoon. I should start 193 later today. Enjoy your blackeyed peas, greens and cornbread.

Ron, sorry about your flashbacks. Charles was SC for PTSD and I remember one day we were sitting in the LR with the front door open and he had a flashback - thought Chinese soldiers were coming across the pond toward the house. That's about the only time I remember him having one that I knew about. One of our social workers was in VietNam and he said every time he heard a helicopter he had flashbacks. No visible wounds for them but the scars were there.

I'll be back later.

harshedbuzz

Wishing all my friends on the porch a peaceful 2024.

@ronald71111 I am sorry to hear of the passing of your dear little yorkie buddy. Such a young pup to lose. I wonder if the difference is about viewing them as an experience vs just hearing them.

Fireworks just annoy me in the hands of non-professionals. It's dangerous and just irresponsible. At our old house a neighbor would set a raft in the creek to launch on the 4th of July but he injured a young girl once with one that flew sideways and never did it again. Our previous neighbor had fireworks for all occasions. He was a menace that set off every dog in the area-- I was glad when he moved away. Of course, I happen to live across a 2-lane highway with the police station and county LE firing range built after we moved in. It's not so bad this time of year, but once it warms up it seems they all come to practice ahead of annual testing on their various weapons. I hate it. The motorcycle squads also practice on their Harleys when the weather is nice. I miss when they sent the handsome young athletic ones in shorts out on mountain bikes cutting through my back yard. But alas, no more.

@Lorita I do hope you get some positive news from Todd and Sarah soon. Good luck with the new car tomorrow.

@dayn2nite2 It sounds like your healing is going well. It must be a relief to be able to manage the dog walking on your own.

@loveskitties That is quite the bountiful display. I bet the gathering was a blast. Does your family do all serious or useful things or do the go rogue with funny things too?

____________________________________________________________________________________________________

Roast pork and sauerkraut here today. I'm thinking spätzle and applesauce as sides. I got a massive pork loin at Costco that was marked $18 with an additional $8 off. Any cheaper and they would have paid me to take it off their hands. DS wants a burrito bowl from Chipotle, so I'll grab that on the way from home collecting mom. Mom made a lemon pound cake which will make my DH very happy. However, she's misplaced the beaters to her hand mixer. She says she's torn the house apart looking for them but she's so short I'm guessing they may have gotten put away on the second shelf towards the back with the mixer itself. Or maybe on the 3rd rack of the dishwasher. I seem to think I may have put them there when I was loading the dishwasher before I left. If not, I can order the genuine Kitchen Aid replacements on Amazon or Target and have them by Thursday. She last used them Christmas Eve; I suspect my niece's friend put them away. Knowing this girl, it's probably a more logical place than mom would pick.

We did our NYE celebration a day early which means I was in bed last night by 9pm. A day early worked out great-- we were able to order off the full menu, we had the small dining room with a fireplace to ourselves and it was less than half the price of NYE. It was a little weird the first year, but it's actually better all around. DH tried to stay up until DS came home from a party but gave it up just after midnight.

Catching up on phone calls and reaching out to friends between loads of laundry. So much laundry. It's been a rough holiday for a number of my people IRL. My mom is sad and feels slighted that my dad's brother didn't reach out around the holidays to check in. They used to be quite close when they were younger. I encouraged her to call him for their mutual birthday back in February. He couldn't talk long but promised to come see her and maybe have lunch together. Since then? Crickets. I'm not really surprised; I'm not really a fan. But I suspect either he or his wife are having health issues. Mom always thinks of him as a kid, but he's 80 now. He's one to keep his own counsel, so I wouldn't expect a call if one of them is seriously ill. I ran into him about a year ago and it looked to me as though he might have Parkinson's.

A friend shared that her nephew and his family were badly injured in an accident on Christmas. The two younger boys have been released from the hospital, but the oldest and the dad are on ventilators and the nephew and his wife have been in surgery a couple of times. It doesn't sound good for either dad or the oldest boy. So sad.

Another friend's spoiled stepdaughter derailed her brother and sister's (and the spouses and grands) visit to their dad's for the first time ever on the west coast by planning what she's calling an "elopement" in FL last weekend. It's really an inconveniently planned destination wedding. This meant rescheduling plane tickets around the holidays and booking an Airbnb at a considerable cost. The flower girl granddaughter and her uncle both came down with Noro virus and suffered mightily traveling. They recovered in time for the wedding, but my friend came down with symptoms and missed the wedding entirely. The punchline to this superspreader event is that last she heard but bride and groom have tested positive for COVID. I wonder how many others got sick as well.

My bestie and I met in a random Chik-Fil-A parking lot after my Costco run. This is her first holiday as a widow. She's been keeping busy and has been able to put a brave face on but is crashing as I suspected she would. She's immunodeficient, so she needs to always mask and folks don't always understand. She's more isolated than is good for her. She's OK outside which is why we have these furtive meet-ups at parks, the feed store and such to touch base. Her grief looks like anger right now and it's almost all directed at her daughter (my godchild) which is kind of unfair. I don't know if my godchild thinks her mom is doing better than she is because she avoids people when she's down, or if the girl just doesn't get it or if she's so unhappy in her own marriage that she's avoiding distressing her mom with that. Her husband is not anyone I would have picked for her. He's kind of a jerk. I did try to talk reason to my friend but she's in so much pain it's not helping. She needs to be honest and tell her daughter what she'd like from her. They're both great people and very close, so this craziness is hard to watch.

HB

Mint

Have very little Tupperware but what I have I like.

All your meals sound delicious. I had stew and biscuits and I enjoyed it. Last night my sister made oyster stew. She had never made it before and I think only one of my brother-in-laws had ever ate it? Her husband didn’t think he would like it or that anyone else would like it so another sister made chili. We all enjoyed the oyster stew and the chili including her husband.

Nice to hear from everyone today

JoC if you are reading, I want to say hi and that I continue to think of you and pray for you

loveskitties

More on Christmas at Mother's:

We have some traditions such as Mother gives each of her great grands and great great grands a special ornament which opens and of course contains a bit of paper money...lol.

Most are a fan of Chex Party mix...with particular combinations of ingredients, so my daughter made sure each got what they "ordered" this year.

I give each person a gift and try to make a game out of how they are distributed. If I know they want or need something in particular and it is in the budget, I will get them that, otherwise they have been known to get some crazy but interesting things! This was a big book year this time for a number of the adults. In past years, I had had my 2 youngest grands as helpers. This year it was passed on the 2 oldest great grands and they loved it.

This year my daughter added the Saran wrap game...you create a large ball of Saran wrap with prizes at various levels...each person then tries to get to a prize when it is their turn...all this done while wearing oven mitts! Everyone had lots of laughs with that.

Always a good time had by all.

loveskitties

Lorita, I hope you enjoy your new vehicle. I have had mine 5 years now and am still finding out things I didn't know about it...lol.

I recommend you get out the owner's manual and read up on...how to open a locked door if the key fob is not working or the car battery is dead. While I hope you don't run into those problems any time soon...it is always good to know.

Most vehicles have day time running lights...just remember that only the lights in front are on...the rear lights are not. It can be an issue if you are out early or late as you think you have all lights. I usually just run with all lights on.

So much to learn about how the new cars operate, but I do like the increased safety features that are available now.