Just need to talk to my friends (196)

Lorita · May 14

Thunder Up!!! What a good basketball game, especially the fourth quarter. The OKC Thunder beat the Dallas Mavericks tonight, 100 to 96 to tie their playoff series 2 to 2. Next game is on Wednesday in OKC. Series is best of 7. Now I can go to bed.

Mint · May 14

Good morning everyone

ronald71111 · May 14

Morning

Lorita · May 14

Morning, looks like a beautiful day in store. Just fed Gray Lady and put her up so Toad can feed. There was a big dew last night everything is wet! Ron, bet you're happy this morning and I'm happy for you.

Sandy, thanks for the call and information. Everything is working this morning except for on/off function. Glad to get the volume turned down. Hope you enjoyed your walk.

harshedbuzz · May 14

Good morning.

Ron— I was delighted by your good news.

Lorita— Ugh do I remember the windows when we had our old St. Bernard. We were living in a MCM home with 40' of sliding glass doors in the LR/DR area. I got to be a pretty dab hand with a squeegee given that mom had me do them every Saturday morning and sometimes ahead of entertaining.

Judith— I hear you on doing the garden butt-scoot. Me, too. Kneeling on my new knee is uncomfortable. Sometimes I sit on a little Rubbermaid step stool, but one needs some very strong quads to stand up from that low to the ground. Someday I want to treat myself to one of those purpose-built seat/kneelers.

DH is watching the trial coverage. The channel he's watching has an older retired federal judge offering commentary which he is finding very interesting as well as the updates in the NYT.

Iris— I hope you have a successful appointment with your new sleep specialist.

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

DS is out mowing the lawn today. Between the fertilizer and cool rainy weather, it's looking lush and growing faster than usual. The front is no longer the eyesore it had been. Most of my neighbors have a service for fertilizing and for mowing, so the bar is fairly high. I still need to get mulch down.

I got wonderful news from my friend. She got her genetic testing results yesterday— she does not have the familial form of polyps. She'll still need the surgery next month but it means her daughter is not potentially at an elevated risk of colon cancer.

Mom's cardiology appointment went well. He didn't think her cardiac symptoms were related to Lyme. He suspects it's a worsening of pulmonary hypertension and COPD symptoms. He said that could be confirmed by a right heart catheterization procedure but that it wouldn't change how she is being treated in any way. I think she would have gone for it, but the doc and I were able to convince her the information wasn't worth the risk. All in all, a good day.

Hb

JeriLynn66 · May 14

Good Morning. I need your prayers today. I'm touring private licensed homes for my FIL to age in place. No real improvements, I believe he has a post op infection. Everyone wants to "keep him for more rehab after this cert period so he can go to our Memory Care". NO. He cannot stay there if he cannot transfer with only the assist of one person. I willl NOT put him thru two moves.

So, here we go. I'm making the absolute best decisions I can. My DH and children agree. Why do I feel all alone?

David1946 · May 14

https://alzconnected.org/discussion/comment/209106#Comment_209106

You have my prayers

Lorita · May 14

Prayers. for you today, JeriLynn. I think you feel alone because even though others agree with your decision, ultimately you are the one who will make the final decision and carry it through. Making these decisions is not easy. I commend you for deciding what's best for your FIL. He is lucky to have you watching out for him.

I had a very dear friend, Karen, who was in a terrible car accident and had broken bones. She was finally able to walk some between the parallel bars. One time only one person came to help her into her wheelchair and she let her fall. She never walked again. She needed two people to get her into the chair. You can never be too careful.

Mint · May 14

Why do you feel alone JeriLynn? This is just a guess on my part but thinking you feel like I feel , that there’s a sign on my desk that says the buck stops here. We are carrying the load, even though others are trying to help us for various reasons.

I pray for all of us every day because we all need prayer to get through this. Some days are just so hard other days not so bad.

they are giving rain. This morning it was actually sunny so I got out and got all the rest of my petunias planted. I think it was about 16 of them. I was very happy to get them off the porch. I feel like I’ve got to start putting things out and take the chance of them getting killed because plants can only tolerate those pots so long. I also have a few more seeds I want to plant but the ones that I’ve got left are castor beans and they need to be soaked for 24 hours and i didn’t do it yesterday and I should have but I didn’t, so hopefully soon. I planted a few more marigold seeds yesterday and I would like to plant just a few more sunflowers possibly. It’s starting to get cloudy now so I think I’ve done enough stooping and bending for the day so I’ll go to the grocery store if nothing happens after I get my dishes done.

Tomorrow is the day I have to clean mom‘s house, so I don’t plan a lot for that day but maybe after that I can . Looks like they’re giving a lot of rainy days coming up but sometimes you still can get things done in between. I’ve really been very blessed this year because as you know, I’ve done a lot of work between moms and my house but I’ve spread it out took my time, and I probably had less trouble with my muscles than I have in a long time. I think it’s been a more normal sore this year but nothing that makes it too hard.

Ron hope things coming along ok at home.

Beth hope you are doing ok with all that work, you too Zetta.

jfkoc · May 14

here…

Ron…know you are doing the happy dance.

Jeri…I was rooting for the private home. Come to the porch this evening for a drink of iced tea or maybe Bombay gin.

Caro_Lynne · May 14

JeriLynn I too am praying for you - good luck.

Lorita is your ankle all healed? So sad what happened to your friend Karen. It was a great game! Go Thunder (since the Heat are out LOL). Any new babies?

HB that's great news about your friend. She must be so relieved.

Ron, so happy Lou is home. Waiting to hear how you are both doing.

You are so right Mint, we carry the load.

Iris, I hope you're getting some sleep and feeling better.

Zetta, Beth, Marie, Judith hope you are well xo

It's 90 degrees here today, feels like 100! My house is on the water so we get a nice breeze but still hot. No rain in our forecast for next couple of days.

Iris L. · May 14

I'm up, bbl.

ronald71111 · May 14

JeriLynn, you are in my prayers! We have similar situations, I also felt alone often and always tried to make what I thought was best for Lou. I was beating myself up after allowing her to be put in the behavioral clinic. Wondering why with all the prayer God would allow her to go through what she did. I now realize that without what happened I wouldn't have considered hospice even with all the recommendations I had to do so. God has a plan for everyone and Lou is now getting better care than she has ever had.

Ron

jfkoc · May 14

Please take advvantage of everything Hospice has to offer Lou and you too…

JeriLynn66 · May 14

Hello again everyone,

Thank you each for your prayers, wisdom and never-failing support. You are my lifeline to sanity and rational thinking. I appreciate you so much.

FIL will be assessed tomorrow by the personal care home. This lady is an RN, she has 3 homes. She finishes school as a Geriatric Nurse Practitioner this summer. She's got 4 children. I got a good feel. The home is a nice, roomy rancher only 15 country road miles from my house. I really liked the lady and hope FIL is accepted. If not, I have a Plan B and C. And God is in control.

I ran into the Physician at the Rehab and got the appointment for FIL to travel to the Ortho office cancelled. The facility will remove his staples. He looked so pitiful today. I shaved him and trimmed his hair. Talked to the OT and instructed he be placed in a geri-wheelchair to get his legs elevated and make him more comfortable. I'll go back tomorrow to make sure that is accomplished.

I pray for each of you by name and your loved ones, your animals, your whatever concern you mention here, each evening. I'll do that as long as I draw breath. You feel like my family.

Gotta run now and see about 2 new baby goats and a pregnant Mama. Gotta get some homemade chicken salad and fruit popsicles made. We've got a huge 5 family yard sale coming up this week/weekend at the Huntland farm. Still have seeds and some plants to get in the ground. Lots to do.

Sending you love and hugs from Alabama where it is raining off and on for the next 2 weeks.

Lorita · May 14

JeriLynn, sounds like everything went well today. Good for you! You know I've also got into the habit beach night for praying for each none on our thread(forum included). Prayers do help.

I just mixer up an angel food cake. I don't have a cake cover large enough for the traditional cake so used two glass, loaf pans. Read again and it said to use three! I may have cake all over the inside of the oven. An old episode of I Love Lucy comes to mind when she was making bread and used too much yeast and the bread literally opened the oven door and grew out into the kitchen.

I'm anxious to talk to Darwin to learn what his doctor told him about the type of surgery he will have. Carol's daddy had it done successfully about 60 years ago and went on to live three more years. I'm sure the procedure has improved since then. This tablet has a mind of it's own. It types words I haven't typed so please excuse weird words I might miss when proofreading.

.

Lorita · May 14

Hi, just got good news from my neighbor, Darwin. He saw the doctor and likes him. He told D he has done lots of these repairs. He'll do an EVAR- Endovascular aorta repair (like a laproscopy).Said will only take about an hour and he'll stay overnight. He told him he could go back to his normal life - cutting wood, etc, in five days. Darwin is thrilled and so relieved but he worries about Donna and how she will be. I'm relieved, too.

The cakes did go over the edges of the pans so there will be some oven cleaning to be done. They're laying on their sides cooling now. No fresh strawberries but do have a can of cherry pie filling. I think cake will be enough.

Mint · May 15

JeriLynn fruit popsicles sound good. I am hoping to order some silicone popsicle containers soon. Saw a lady take her homemade yogurt and use immersion blender to mix in frozen dark cherries. Think she added some maple syrup also. I bought the cherries today and make yogurt frequently. Hope to try this soon. When your life calms down maybe you can share how you make your fruit Popsicles

So glad Darwin got to meet his surgeon. Prayers continue for him and Donna. Feel like they are part of our porch family.

Ron many times Ive wondered why something happened. Way down the road I see. My Aunt and I used to talk about things and say I’m not in charge referring to that God was in charge. And then we would always say it’s a good thing I’m not I’d really mess it up. He can see way farther down the road then we can.

hope each one of you has a good nights rest and gains strength for your journey tomorrow

Lorita · May 15

JeriLynn, I agree, the fruit popsicles sound good.. Also the yogurt pops, Mint. They would be better for us than storebought. Mint, how do you make the yogurt pops? Do you use a yogurt maker? I have one I used to use but broke one of the little jars so think I have five left. Again, would probably be better for us. The only yogurt I can now find that doesn't have gelatin in it is Chobani which is pretty good. Really like Dannon All Natural but they quit stocking it.

Mint, I could hear the relief in Darwin's voice this evening. I will be glad when next Tuesday comes for both of them. They're a cute, little couple.

Iris, did you get some good advice today from the sleep doctor?

Sleep well everyone.

Iris L. · May 15

Lorita, I had planned to come back to post but I was busy all day. This sleep doctor was very good, he listened to me, gave me a different sleep aid and scheduled a new overnight sleep study. I scheduled for June because I am preparing for another trip.

I'm glad Darwin feels relief after speaking with his doctor.

Mint, how do you make yogurt pops? I tried to make some popsicles but they were straight ice, not easy to eat.

Iris

Mint · May 15

good morning everyone

Lorita I do not have a yogurt maker but I understand they work well and also that an Insta pot works very well but I don’t have an Insta pot either. I simply heat my milk up to 180°F and I maintain that temperature for about 30 minutes because I use skim milk. If you use whole milk, you only need to do it for about 15 minutes. That’s simply time for the water to evaporate so the yogurt thickens better. Then I take it off the heat and let it cool till it gets around 115°F. Then for each cup of milk stir in 1 healing tablespoon of a yogurt that’s plain with live and active cultures, and I do happen to use Chobani. Then I just put it in a jar set it in my oven with the oven light on and you need to let it sit about six to eight hours. Mine usually goes about 10 and it’s fine and then you put it in the refrigerator and that’s it. The chobani leftover I freeze. That does not kill the culture so it works fine for yogurt later on.

I have not been able to make the yogurt pops yet. I hope to order the stuff for it real soon and then I will try it because I have all the ingredients I just don’t have the little cups to make them in or any popsicle sticks.. I buy the Yasso brand of yogurt pops at the store. I can only get certain flavors. I have to watch the ingredients in them. But they’re really good so I’m already thinking of different flavors I can try. They’re pretty expensive to. I’m pretty sure I can make them cheaper.

Hope each one has a peaceful day

JeriLynn66 · May 15

Good morning!

I will try later today when I am awake to post a link to the recipe I picked. It has 4 fruit combos to choose from but after reading it I thought, well I'm gonna change that up a bit. So we'll see how it turned out.

Went to be at 8pm and woke at 2, but rolled over and went back to sleep on command from DH "it's too early for you to get up, go back to sleep!" lol. it worked. I was beat. And still groggy now. I'm trying to get this new printer to scan all the documents I need for FIL to move to a new place. I needed to do that anyway. But first, COFFEE!

I think my daughter may be bringing the great granddaughter over today sometime. I'm thinking maybe go to the facility around 7 am and then see if I can get back home. I really need to be at home today and get more ready for the yard sale. And the donation box. I've got clothes stacked along the bedroom wall, bagged in the garage and more in the guest room. It's progress but I'm ready to get this mess cleaned up.

Iris, glad your sleep doc visit went well.

Lorita, good news about Darwin. These surgeries have certainly changed over the years.

Mint, I hope the day goes well for you at Mom's.

Caro, being on the water sounds inviting.

Ron, hope Lou has a good day.

HB, thinking of your friend and praying her well.

Beth, y'all coming along with the clean up?

Judith, I'm a sissy. I'll need some tonic water to go along with the Bombay. lol

David, we need to get window cleaning done here. I always seem to be able to justify NOT doing the windows, lol.

Zetta, what are you up to today?

I know I've missed somebody. I need to start taking notes while I read. Hoping everyone has a good day. Back later. Hugs.

ronald71111 · May 15

Morning

Lorita · May 15

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harshedbuzz · May 15

Good morning.

It's gloomy here but I don't have to go out, so it's not so bad.

Ron—How is Lou doing now that she's back home?

Jerilynn— The care home sounds wonderful. I've not seen these near me in lieu of a MC/skilled nursing recently. It would be nice to find a place that allowed him to age-in-place.

Mint— the yogurt pops sound amazing. I have a friend who used to make them in the 3 oz disposable cups sold for bathroom cup dispensers— they were delicious but messy without a drip catcher. I use the organic frozen cherries from Costco in my yogurt most morning for breakfast. They're so sweet it doesn't really need an added sweetener.

I hope your cleaning day comes off without incident.

Lorita— That's wonderful news about Darwin. You'll be back to worrying about him overworking again before you know it. My favorite yogurt these days is Fage Greek. It's got no gelatin and it isn't as tangy as most yogurts. The full fat version is almost dessert once you add a little fruit to it.

HB

BethL · May 15

Good morning Rockers!

Ron, so glad you are getting help with Lou. Life will be easier for you. You did the right thing. May God bless you both during these times.

Iris, glad you met with the sleep doctor and got a new medication to try. I am one of those people who wake up during the night and have trouble getting back to sleep. I got some Trazadone, but it leaves me feeling "soggy" in the morning when it's time to get up. Hubby has in the past used gummies (cannabis) and it helped him a lot. That might be an option for you.

Caro_Lynne, living on the water sounds so nice. Ocean, gulf or lake? I hope the temps moderate for you; 90 is too hot. Our highest so far this spring has been 83 (in Iowa).

Lorita, I hope your tv is working for you now. Any new babies? Glad you are supporting Darwin. You are good friends to each other.

JeriLynn, praying for you. I know what it's like to feel alone in caregiving. I did it with my mom. Does FIL have any kids besides your late husband? Anyway, I know you will do your very best and things will work out, eventually. You are very busy. Please make sure to get some rest.

Zetta, hope the downsizing you are doing/prepping your home for sale is going well. You will enjoy your daughter but will miss your son.

HB, I am happy for your BFF and glad your mom got a fairly good report with the cardiologist. Hope you are getting to the yard work. Yes, it's hard with bad knees! I used to have a little 3 wheeled cart you could sit on and propel yourself around, but it didn't work out for me because my garden paths are flagstone and rather uneven, so it didn't roll very well.

Mint, hope you have a good day working at your mother's. I know it can be challenging at times. I admire your cooking skills and gardening skills too. Thanks for sharing; I always enjoy reading your posts to see what you are up to.

Marie and Judith, hope you are doing well. Judith, I know you love art. You should google "Akiane Prince of Peace." Akiane had visions or dreams of Jesus when she was a child and did an amazing painting of Him when she was just 8 years old. In 2019, it sold for $850,000.

Regarding fruit pops, I like Outshine bars, especially grape.

Our neighbor is getting a new roof today. We see his house (& roof) when sitting in front of our bay window and it has been an eyesore/horrible condition for years. Finally, the tornado caused further damage and it is being replaced. Glad we won't have to look at it anymore.

Tornado clean up going well. Contractor is coming today so hopefully we can get the gutters, siding and fence taken care of soon. The yard is good except for one area where two large trees were uprooted. I need to get some dirt to help fill the holes, and then mulch the area. We will replace the trees, probably this fall.

We have grape jelly out for the orioles. We are seeing LOTS of them. Finches, catbirds, cardinals, rose breasted grosbeaks, robins and even red bellied woodpeckers have also been seen on the oriole feeder. I enjoy them and hope to get some good photos.

Have a good day, everyone! Prayers and good wishes for all.

jfkoc · May 15

here…

Beth….that is a beautiful painting…thank you

ronald71111 · May 15

Is Lou spoiled? Peeling her grapes where they are easier to swallow.

Lorita · May 15

Hi, I wrote a long post this morning and I just saw it said there was an error in posting it. Never saw that before.

Beth, no new babies I have seen. Need to get out among them today to check. Someone asked about my ankle. Seems fine-just bothers me occasionally.

Talked with Darwin. He slept better but was thinking tomorrow was the surgery day. Relieved it isn't. He has some sort of thing he has to use to help his breathing before surgery says he has to blow into it.

Don't think I will go into town today. Not out of anything except bananas. Need to change out my winter for summer clothes I wear around then house. Dishes are always on the list to do. How does one person use so much silverwear? Back to possible severe weather tonight and early tomorrow, then 90 degree weather. Will post more later.

Mint · May 15

I would say she is spoiled Ron. Looks delicious. I hope she ate it for you.

House cleaning went well today.

Poor J, I have received three texts from her today. None of them spell anything it’s so pitiful. For the newer people, J is the lady who used to be my neighbor and is in assisted living now. Her son that helps her lives in another state. He does come fairly frequently. So I go get her little things that she wants which is mainly fresh fruit. Anyway, the last several weeks, getting close to a month now, she’s really going downhill. I’ve thought that before and she seems to bounce back but usually before it’s just lasted a week or so I’m afraid maybe this time it’s only going to get worse. She’s around 90 years old.

Beth I watch a YouTube channel called celebrating Appalachia. One of them on there likes the grape outshine bars, their favorite. I think it’s the guy and I think the lady her favorite is coconut. Maybe if we have a hot summer I’ll try the grape ones.

Lorita useto get that posting error but I haven’t got it in a long time.

it’s been a gray wet day here too. When I got home though it wasn’t raining so I got out and checked all my seeds and several had come up so I’m glad I checked and I put slug bait around them. That’s the biggest enemy when plants first pops through the ground is slugs because there’s only two leaves. Then I picked some lettuce and made a salad to go with my spaghetti. Fresh lettuce is so different than lettuce you get out of the store. I think my lettuce is doing better this year than I’ve ever had it to do. For the most part, I’ve been disappointed in how my lettuce would do. One year I had a really good lettuce crop. In fact, I had enough to share with people . One came up on its own so when it bolts, I’m gonna let it go to seed , it’s a very good lettuce it’s kind of a curly leaf. The other one I bought four plants of it and it’s called Paris island. It’s a Romain type of lettuce that you can keep picking the outside leaves instead of waiting for it to get to be ahead . So that’s what I’ve been doing.

I see in my new flower bed. I have a volunteer lettuce coming up. I’m not sure how things are going to do in that bed. This is kind of a trial. I planted Mexican sunflowers and regular sunflowers are on the back and they’ve came up well, so hopefully they’ll grow nicely to. I put zinnias in there, but I put them in grow bags and they’re all up and alive so far. In the front I planted some marigold seeds the ones I planted first only two have came up so far the others I just planted the other day, so we’ll see. I have lots of coneflower babies so last fall I transplanted six of them down there to the bed and they made it through the winter and so did the blanket flower. I see volunteer dill and buckwheat coming in the new bed to. I know a lot of people use buckwheat for a cover crop but I like letting it bloom and go to seed. It attracts pollinators and it seIf sows. Like anything that self-sows as long as it isn’t invasive.