Have any questions about how to use the community? Check out the Help Discussion.

Just need to talk to my friends(201)

189101113

Comments

  • Lorita
    Lorita Member Posts: 4,545
    Legacy Membership 2500 Comments 100 Care Reactions 100 Likes
    Member

    Morning, really was foggy this morning but all at once it was gone. Also had a heavy frost.

    Before I got up I heard birds singing and even an owl. Don't remember ever hearing an owl that near the house but have seen them in the barn. I was out there one night and there was a beautiful white one in there. Guess I startled him because he flew and instead of flying out the tall doors he flew into the window above the door. He fell to the ground but was up and off again in a minute.

    It was so peaceful to hear the birds and owl but then there were five or six gunshots and all was quiet. Too foggy to see anything. We don't allow hunting so guess it was on our neighbor's land. Girls were behind the barn and I saw car lights at the main gate. Never came up so don't know what was going on.

    Called and made an appt. For 2 p.m. to get my free oil change. Good to get it done today while it will be near 60 because it will be really cold tomorrow.

    Everyone seems so busy with cooking and gift wrapping. Makes me feel lazy but I did get my cards mailed.

    Carl, I cook a pound of beans in the slow cooker, then freeze two or three containers after the second day. They always seem better the second day. I have one serving left so will need to cook mire. I also like butter beans but not navy beans as much.

    Iris, I usually know when FedEx will be coming and do have a driveway alarm. It usually takes them a little while to get things out of the truck so I go out on the porch to make sure they bring it in. This time it didn't take them.but a couple of minutes so I didn't get out there in time. I imagine I'm not the only one having occasional problems.

    Hope all of you are well this morning. I need to call Joan before Christmas. Do wish we could hear from Ron maybe he is visiting relatives. Back later.

  • jfkoc
    jfkoc Member Posts: 3,936
    Legacy Membership 2500 Comments 500 Likes 100 Insightfuls Reactions
    Member

    Lorita…the day will come when you really hurt yourself picking up the pet food. Best to figure out somethiing now rather than later. My suggestions would be to order smaller sizes more frequently and to see if WM or Amazon have what you want.

    As for selling the house??? What will happen to it when you die since you have no one to leave it to? If you sell to Mike now you will not be responsible for fence/barn etc. Plus you will have some cash to use elsewhere. Hmmm, Denim and Company???

    HB,,,what are piggies? Two old cookbooks are Good Housekeeping and Fannie Farmer. What is a MAP carrier?

    Ron…really concerned, Does anyone know his last name?

    Iris,,,nothing like a good night's sleep.

    The only bean we has was Green Giant….yes the frozen beans.

    More end of year meetings this morning. This afternoon is laundry. I bought some Borax to try to soften my towels. Then will double check items received against Christmas list. Then onto my favorite, NetFlix.

  • BethL
    BethL Member Posts: 881
    Ninth Anniversary 500 Comments 100 Likes 25 Care Reactions
    Member

    Judith, I received a Better Homes and Gardens cookbook as a wedding gift in 1976. I've got 2 newer versions since then but still use the original most. This is the red and white plaid cookbook.

  • David1946
    David1946 Member Posts: 850
    500 Comments 100 Likes 25 Care Reactions First Anniversary
    Member

    Hello everyone, sorry I haven't posted lately but since I've been home for a visit from the VA I've gone to 5 Christmas parties a d have been to busy to post. Can't wait to go back for a rest. Then on December 23 I come back home to spend 5 days with my family for Christmas.

  • harshedbuzz
    harshedbuzz Member Posts: 4,576
    Seventh Anniversary 1,000 Likes 2500 Comments 500 Insightfuls Reactions
    Member

    Judith—

    Piggies are pigs in blankets with the little cocktail franks as opposed to sausage links in pancakes. I used Pillsbury cresents but you could be fancy and break out some puff pastry.

    MAP is Medicaid Advantage. Hers is through Aetna, as is mine. Both are retiree plans that couldn't be replicated for less. Hers is particularly generous— they cover all kinds of things many plans don't plus she can earn up to $300/year in Nordstrom notes by doing wellness tasks like preventative care. Last year she wanted to schedule a colonoscopy just to max out her benefit. I said no. Fortunately her doctor agreed with me. My DH had Good Housekeeping when I married him; his version seemed very 1960's to me. We both had a Joy of Cooking; and he bought the new version and tried to give it to me as a gift. I have no idea why he thought that was a good idea.

    If I'm going to eat beans, my preference would be B&M.

    HB

  • Iris L.
    Iris L. Member Posts: 4,478
    Legacy Membership 2500 Comments 500 Likes 250 Care Reactions
    Member

    My mom had a Betty Crocker cookbook. I found a Campbell's Soup cookbook that uses the various soups as the basis for different meals. For a novice cook like me, this was perfect.

    HB, my Simon was throwing clots snd had a bad heart for the last year of his life. He needed very close caregiving. I did it for him, because he was so special to me. My girl Seven just recovered from some sort of virus, she was very sick and barely ate for about a week, but she is better now. I never had sick cats, but apparently, when they reach a certain age, they do become very sickly.

    Iris

  • Lorita
    Lorita Member Posts: 4,545
    Legacy Membership 2500 Comments 100 Care Reactions 100 Likes
    Member

    Carl, I had never heard that poem about beans. Thanks for posting it,- I read it and laughed out loud. Charles grandma would cook beans and a while before they were done she would cut a Couple of potatos in halves or quarters, maybe a Couple of carrots and an onion and lay on top to cook. That way you have a whole meal and it was supposed to help take care of the musical sounds. I always do that now and it's delicious, everything done at once.

    Iris, I just got home from having my car serviced, too. A message came on the dash that it was time to have it done, and it was free this time! Had to get it done this month.. Cannot believe it has been a year, almost, since I.bought it. Stormy and Sheena were so happy when I.got home.

    Judith, I can carry half the case of dogfood at one time.. The case weighs 23 lbs. I can carry.one of those but the 35 pounds Of cat litter is too much. Tried to order lightweight litter but they were out. But you are right, I should order smalle sizes. Sandy has been telling me that for years. Guess I just hate to give in to needing to do it. I will eventually sell, most likely to Mike. Not doing upkeep on fences now. The whole farm has new/good perimeter and cross fences except for a quarter mile. I'm waiting for him or one if his hands to close the North barn doors. He has found something to put across the inside of them so guess I will wait. There will be shoveling to do. Right now the men who work for him are working cows and moving big calves. Heard three men at the vets office saying they were finishing moving cows and bulls. Busy time of year for ranchers. I get inquiries about selling at least once weekly from land companies but I don't like what they would probably do with it - wind farms and solar panels most likely. Mike won't do that. It's hard to think about selling a place where I was born and that my parents worked so hard for.

    Beth, when I got married the Head Nurse on my ward gave us a Better Homes and Gardens cookbook, red plaid, and a Betty Crocker one. I've used them for 59 years. Mother had an old Watkins Cookbook that had lots of good recipes. She used it and then my sister used it, then me.

    Iris, Lilly, my mother cat, is licking her hair and has some little places on her neck. Not scratching much, just licking. On my way home I stopped at the vets to see if there was an oral medication but they were uber busy and I don't think Mike was there. So, guess I'll take her in. She is hard to give meds to.

    HB is B&M a brand? If I eat canned beans, I think Bush's is a good brand. May only be in Oklahoma though.

    David, sounds you may need to go back to the Vets Ctr. To rest.

    I have written way too much so will stop and eat some beans and cottage cheese.

  • David1946
    David1946 Member Posts: 850
    500 Comments 100 Likes 25 Care Reactions First Anniversary
    Member

    You bet your ass it needton go back for arest

  • Carl46
    Carl46 Member Posts: 261
    100 Likes 100 Care Reactions 100 Comments 25 Insightfuls Reactions
    Member

    Our Betty Crocker cookbook is a 1967 model. Very popular wedding gift in those days apparently. My mother had a book on housekeeping that her mother had received as a wedding gift in 1920. It included treating childhood illnesses, making a garden, and keeping chickens. "Housewife" was quite a job in those days!

    I like the bush beans (pinto beans) better than pole beans too, but we got more corn by planting the pole beans with the corn, and we weren't going to waste the beans. When we had eaten all we could hold and were out of canning jars, I was sent out to sell them door to door. $0.25 for a small sack, $3 a bushel for those who wanted to can or freeze them. That was a long time ago, when a dollar bought several gallons of gasoline.

    HB, I'm sorry about your knee. I hope you can get it fixed as you did the other. The man across the street had his knee replaced last year, and I see him and his wife taking long walks around the neighborhood.

    B&M is a brand of baked beans, I think. I've seen them in stores but have never bought them. I do like Bush's. Green Giant used to sell canned baked beans but I haven't seen them in years. They were real good if you set the opened can next to the campfire and let the sauce thicken while they heated.

    We took DS to the optical shop to get his glasses repaired today. One pair was loose on his head and the other lost a limb. He doesn't keep the screws tightened, and sometimes falls asleep wearing his glasses, so their maintenance is a recurring problem. Tomorrow we'll get the car serviced.

    We went to the mall but I didn't see any sweaters I liked, so I bought a couple of flannel shirts to replace the threadbare shirts I've been wearing. The old shirts are soft and comfy but not so warm as they were, and winter is upon us. We are expecting a wind chill of 11F in the morning. I'll have to order the bathrobe I want, and I think I'll have to get a divorce from the old one, we've been together so long. :-)

  • Carl46
    Carl46 Member Posts: 261
    100 Likes 100 Care Reactions 100 Comments 25 Insightfuls Reactions
    Member

    Mint, what are buckeyes? I have seen horse chestnut seeds all my life, and we call them buckeyes. But if you make them, are they a candy or pastry?

  • ronald71111
    ronald71111 Member Posts: 1,237
    Tenth Anniversary 1000 Comments 250 Care Reactions 250 Likes
    Member

    Morning, I apologize that I haven't posted in quite awhile. Ive been on a roller coaster with my emotions and recently my dosage of depression medicine has been increased. Ive also been having more problems with my breathing and getting in to see a pulmonologist has been a struggle. I had been going to care in the community pulmonologist, but the VA switched me back to the VA. The Dr I was supposed to see either left or was sick; I don't know which, but I was canceled. I had a follow-up visit previously scheduled with care in the community for the 18th of this month. That referral had expired and I spent two weeks trying to get a new referral. Finally did and made the appointment. A nabilizer was ordered for me and I was told I should have already been using one. Also I am scheduled for a full pulmonary function test in March. Hopefully once the holidays are over I'll do better for my front porch friends. I'm posting a picture of my first Christmas 57 years ago with Lou and its sad this will be the first without her.

    Ron

  • JeriLynn66
    JeriLynn66 Member Posts: 883
    500 Comments 100 Care Reactions 100 Likes 25 Insightfuls Reactions
    Member

    RON !!!!!!

    There you are! Oh, we are so glad to hear from you! I'm sorry you are having such difficulties getting the care you need. Hopefully this nebulizer will help and put you on the mend. I know you are missing Lou. Just know we love you and miss you and wish you peace.

    We'll save your seat on the porch and you come back to check in. We love you.

  • Mint
    Mint Member Posts: 2,808
    Eighth Anniversary 2500 Comments 250 Likes 100 Care Reactions
    Member

    Good morning

    HB my mom did not want us in the kitchen either except when she needed a dishwasher.
    Hope things go well today and all things work out.

    Lorita I love hearing the birds sing too.

    I have heard several people mention they like the older Betty Crocker cookbook the best. I have never had any of them.

    Lorita doesn't it feel nice to laugh out loud once in awhile. I like Bush brand of beans too, have never had B&M. None of my grocery stores carry them.

    My grandmother pickled polebeans. I didn't care for that. I did like most. Things pickled though. My grandmother sold things she had preserved. Know they sold tomatoes, not sure about other things.

    Aah flannel shirt. I have been thinking about ordering myself one, we will see. My dad liked them.

    Buckeyes are a candy. There is a buckeye tree. I just looked it up and it is a member of the horse chestnut family.I will post a picture of what the buckeye looks like it may be what you’re

    familiar with? I mix butter, condensed milk, peanut butter, and powdered sugar. You formed that into balls. Then you dip them in chocolate but you leave the top part uncovered so it looks like a Buckeye. They’re very good kind of like a Reese cup.

    Today I hope to make oreo balls.

    Nice to hear from you Ron. Hope the nebulizer helps. You were a nice looking young man.

    I enjoyed the supper last night with mom. They had pizza, salad, cookies, cheesecake and grinch punch. I liked the grinch punch, it was refreshing. They did karoke and mom sang silent night. Think mom is among the few more engaged patients there. Mom is very inquisitive about everything that’s going on. There’s two ladies there that live in the same room. They walk a lot and they hold hands a lot of times and they both have canes, Mom told me she asked them if they were sisters and she said no we’re just good friends. I didn’t catch on at first but I have now, one of them is very engaged but the other one is not at all. The one not engaged doesn't talk and just has a blank look in her eyes all the time.
    quite a few of the patients had no family there. It was probably maybe half-and-half. I’m not sure cause it was kind of crowded. I sat in between mom and another lady. I have never seen that other lady before. No one was there with her so I tried to talk to her some. she was kind of slow with giving me answers. Then at some point She said something to me and I can’t remember exactly what it was but she was kind of dreading doing it because it was dark I started being more convinced that she probably had dementia. So I said to her well maybe we could just stay here tonight and then we won’t have to worry about it being dark. She didn’t really know about that but she didn’t say anymore about it. Bless her heart. She did eat well. The two ladies across from me had no family. I know they both were having a struggle. The one didn’t eat anything despite the workers trying to help her and encourager the other one slowly ate her pizza. there were a few children there, there was a dog there, so that was nice, and mom enjoyed seeing them. The one little girl was sitting at the end of our table with what I am guessing was mom, grandma and great grandma. The other guy at our table did not have family either but I know him, I’ve seen him a bit. He did not eat any pizza or salad, but he did seem to enjoy his cookies.
    take care

  • harshedbuzz
    harshedbuzz Member Posts: 4,576
    Seventh Anniversary 1,000 Likes 2500 Comments 500 Insightfuls Reactions
    Member

    Good morning. We have snow forecasted for this evening— that should make things look Christmasy. Perhaps we'll do the drive-through light show that DH loves. They've completed the conversion to LEDs and it really pops this year. Mom's PCP's office overlooks the farm that hosts it and it was beautiful when we were there Wednesday evening.

    ________________________________________________________________________________________________

    Lorita— I almost can't believe you've never heard the "musical fruit" ditty before. It was one of dad's go-tos ; he was born in '34. I'm glad you were able to get your car serviced— and for free. It doesn't seem like it's been a full year since you were car shopping. Have you figured out all the bells and whistles yet?

    David— That's a lot of parties. You must be quite the social butterfly.

    Iris— I am glad you were able to keep your comfortable at home. We were able to do that with my son's himmie. The vet thinks the clots are in the lungs which could be potentially painful and/or cause shortness of breath. She doesn't share your medical acumen and might miss subtle signs of distress. Mom's used to cats having long lives. My mom's original cat, gifted to her for her 14th birthday, lived long enough to still be around when I was 10. Her last 2 boys lived to be 20 and 21— to her 15 is a "kid".

    DH and I are dithering over next steps when the inevitable happens with the cat. I can't imagine her not having a pet, but it's a responsibility that could largely fall to me. When mom is hospitalized, DS and I tag team her cat; I have arranged with a cousin to adopt the cat should she outlive mom. FTR, DS and I are allergic. We can be OK with certain long-haired breeds and wash them to keep allergens down. I might be OK with a retired breeding queen— maybe a ragdoll (good sized, sweet natured and calm) whose fur passes the allergy test, but mom would never spend for a cat. She often acquires them via The Cat Distribution System.

    Carl— I wonder if the shower/wedding gift cookbook choices are regional or generational. When I got married the first time, I and all my friends were gifted Joy of Cooking. My SIL, who lives in the midwest is a bit older than me, is Team Betty Crocker. I'm not a fan of her cooking; it's a lot of "secret ingredient" cooking where folks are supposed to guess what it is over dinner.

    B&M might be made to a more Yankee palate. They used to be canned in Portland ME. I think they taste more like the beans I would bake from scratch— more molasses and less sugar.

    Ron— If you're reading, I hope you are OK.

    ______________________________________________________________________________________

    My plan is to finish my living room tree. I have one tote of ornaments on it with 2 more to go. Then maybe garlands on the staircase and hang stockings. And lastly DS's Polar Express snow globe in the powder room. It has a motion detection function. When it senses movement, Tom Hanks yells "ho, ho, ho" at random times.

    One last gift to wrap— a receipt for plants to arrive next spring for my niece that I forgot. DS and I finished the rest. I needed help as mom's new safe was too heavy for me to move easily. His exercise bike was no picnic either. Today he has an appointment near Costco, so we're going to do that on the way. It might be snowing and his Miata is awful in snow.

    Be well.

    HB

  • JeriLynn66
    JeriLynn66 Member Posts: 883
    500 Comments 100 Care Reactions 100 Likes 25 Insightfuls Reactions
    Member

    No pictures to share yet, but Miss Betty the goat gave us twin babies for Christmas this morning! She had just delivered and was standing with them almost finished cleaning them up ❤️

  • Lorita
    Lorita Member Posts: 4,545
    Legacy Membership 2500 Comments 100 Care Reactions 100 Likes
    Member
    edited December 20

    Morning, congratulations on the new babies, JeriLynn, how sweet.

    Okay, Ron, so happy to see your post. We truly missed you and were ready to send out a search party. Now we need to find Zetta. I need to call Joan today and. Hopefully, she will be able to post soon.

    Cold here this morning but sunny. HB, it is hard to believe that I have had this car for almost a year. Still learning things about it, when I have to. They had two Dodge Challengers in the showroom yesterday. A couple were test driving the white one and when I left the salesman was working on them. The other one was bright orange!

    Quiet here but need to mail a letter and take some mail to our neighbor's mailbox that got in with mine. I opened it by mistake so hope they won't mind.

    Mint, those buckeyes sound really good.

    Carl, are you close to Rockaway Beach on Lake Taneycomo? That used to be one of our favorite places but haven't been in years. The last time we were trying to find a place that served trout. Finally did and it was served with the head on. Charles had to take care of that for me. That last time the area had really changed, or we had.

    Enjoy the day. Back later.

  • Iris L.
    Iris L. Member Posts: 4,478
    Legacy Membership 2500 Comments 500 Likes 250 Care Reactions
    Member

    Welcome back, Ron! Feel better soon!

    JeriLynn, how nice to have healthy new kids!

    My car is 6 years old, I still haven't learned everything about it.

    We had B&M beans back east, but I don't think I've seen that brand here in CA.

    Iris

  • David1946
    David1946 Member Posts: 850
    500 Comments 100 Likes 25 Care Reactions First Anniversary
    Member

    Well I'm back at the VA and had lunch with some of the Veterans I know that I belong here but seeing some the Veterans I feel like I'm to young to be here because they have worse problems than I have.

  • jfkoc
    jfkoc Member Posts: 3,936
    Legacy Membership 2500 Comments 500 Likes 100 Insightfuls Reactions
    Member

    B&M with a can of Hatch (degree of heat up to you)

    Ron…please think about leaving a contact number with someone here.

  • Mint
    Mint Member Posts: 2,808
    Eighth Anniversary 2500 Comments 250 Likes 100 Care Reactions
    Member
    we had a little snow this morning. It was pretty but very little accumulation.

    New baby goats, so cute

    David I feel that way about my mom a little too but she is doing so much better there. She is happy and the others don't seem to bother her.

    will leave a picture of my Buckeye candy.

  • Lorita
    Lorita Member Posts: 4,545
    Legacy Membership 2500 Comments 100 Care Reactions 100 Likes
    Member
    edited December 21

    It's pretty and sunny here, 38 degrees but feels so cold. I have been watching the cow who lost her calf year so drove up to check on her and everyone. All was okay.

    I just called the office of Personnel Management in Washington DC and the woman said it was snowing there.

    Mint,your buckeyes are so pretty and I bet they taste as good as they look. I used to have a couple of real buckeyes one of the social workers brought back from a trip. They don't grow around here.

    I use Libbys green beans and they're really good. Never liked green beans until I was an adult but we always grew them because mother loved them. Taste changes as you age.

  • Iris L.
    Iris L. Member Posts: 4,478
    Legacy Membership 2500 Comments 500 Likes 250 Care Reactions
    Member

    I took my cat 15 year old Adam in to a vaccination clinic and the vet says he has a heart murmur. So now I have to take him to the animal hospital for testing. It appears that all my older cats become sickly.

    Mint, your buckeyes look yummy!

    Iris

  • Carl46
    Carl46 Member Posts: 261
    100 Likes 100 Care Reactions 100 Comments 25 Insightfuls Reactions
    Member

    Mint, those buckeyes look delicious! Now that I see them I realize I have eaten buckeyes and liked them a lot.

    The buckeyes from the tree are the ones I was talking about. The buckeye is a rare tree in SW Missouri, but my artistic aunt had one in her barn lot. She picked up the buckeyes and sold them at craft fairs for a quarter. Children came to her booth to buy the buckeyes, and their parents followed them and saw the tole paintings, painted hedge apples, and other things she had for sale. Pretty neat marketing trick.

    Lorita, I am about an hour's drive north of Rockaway Beach, but I haven't been there in years. We used to go to Rockaway Beach, to shows in Branson, to Silver Dollar City, and to see the Shepherd of the Hills Pageant, but we're home before dark now since DW started sundowning. Rockaway Beach was a resort town before Tablerock Lake was built and was very popular when Branson was a wide spot in the road. My mother told me her parents took her and her sister there on holiday in the 1920s, in a Model T on dirt roads. Quite a trip in those days. Now US 65 is a 4-lane highway from about three miles east of my house to Branson.

    I love trout. I don't remember being served trout with the head on, but I recall decapitating a sea bass in a Washington, D.C. restaurant because the man seated next to me was uncomfortable with the fish "looking at him" while I ate it. Sea bass is really good, but Missouri isn't a good place to get it fresh. It was the catch of the day in Washington, a wild fish caught that morning.

    Got the car serviced today. Oil change, air filter, new battery, tires at 33 psi. With my new flannel shirts and my old wool ivy cap, I'm ready for winter now. Just in time, too. The high today was about 34F, and the winter solstice is December 21.

  • Carl46
    Carl46 Member Posts: 261
    100 Likes 100 Care Reactions 100 Comments 25 Insightfuls Reactions
    Member

    I was wrong about the cookbook. Our wedding gift cookbook is the Better Homes and Gardens cookbook. The Betty Crocker cookbook is a diabetic cookbook with nothing but really healthy recipes. Neither of us is diabetic but eating healthy is a good thing for anyone. After Christmas, of course.

  • Carl46
    Carl46 Member Posts: 261
    100 Likes 100 Care Reactions 100 Comments 25 Insightfuls Reactions
    Member

    Iris, I hope Adam has nothing serious. Old cats are like old people, we start to need some care.

  • Mint
    Mint Member Posts: 2,808
    Eighth Anniversary 2500 Comments 250 Likes 100 Care Reactions
    Member

    Good morning

    22 this morning, see 27 is high for day. We have a little snow on I see.Guess that will give me another activity for today. I try to keep my drive clean. I don't like slopping through the snow.

    take care

  • JeriLynn66
    JeriLynn66 Member Posts: 883
    500 Comments 100 Care Reactions 100 Likes 25 Insightfuls Reactions
    Member

    Morning,

  • David1946
    David1946 Member Posts: 850
    500 Comments 100 Likes 25 Care Reactions First Anniversary
    Member

    Looks like that we will have a White Christmas it's not supposed to go above 32 before Christmas so what snow we have will not melt.

  • eaglemom
    eaglemom Member Posts: 591
    Legacy Membership 500 Comments 100 Likes 25 Insightfuls Reactions
    Member

    Good morning……….

  • jfkoc
    jfkoc Member Posts: 3,936
    Legacy Membership 2500 Comments 500 Likes 100 Insightfuls Reactions
    Member

    Played my first game of Mahjong yesterday. I do not think I will be a fan.

    Still waiting for some gifts to arrive from Amazon. Upon checking found they were still in my basket…lol

    Maybe I need to call the Office of Personal Management……

Commonly Used Abbreviations


DH = Dear Husband
DW= Dear Wife, Darling Wife
LO = Loved One
ES = Early Stage
EO = Early Onset
FTD = Frontotemporal Dementia
VD = Vascular Dementia
MC = Memory Care
AL = Assisted Living
POA = Power of Attorney
Read more