Just need to talk to my friends (209)
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Happy birthday Sandy! I hope it's a good one.
Lorita - I've had 8 spam phone calls today and the day isn't over yet. They're all blocked now. I got an interesting spam email message today too. This one informed me that I have an encrypted voice mail message waiting for me and to go to some particular website. I didn't even open it, just deleted it.
Iris - It wasn't the flavor that I had to get used it, it was the way it looks - a blocky square mass in liquid. Not very appetizing. 😄 Tofu by itself doesn't have much of a flavor, but it picks up the flavor of the things around it. I tend to put it in a stir fry (like kung pau tofu) and it's pretty good. We also have a recipe for chili-garlic tofu. It's got a chili-garlic sauce, baked tofu, green beans, broccoli, and fresno peppers, then you stir fry it all together. Serve it over lime brown rice. Mapo tofu is one of my favorite things. Here's a recipe for a vegetarian mapo tofu - I've never made this one, but I would! It looks tasty.
I think your towel animal is supposed to be a bear, because Alaska-bears….
HB - I had such a difficult time getting myself to track Peggy. I did, but being the privacy advocate that I am, my aversion to tracking people is strong. I was never comfortable with it even though it was the right thing to do.
Since we were talking about protein and making sure you get enough … I saw this article today on NPR - and it's all about strength training, foods to eat to ensure we get enough protein (particularly as we age). It's so on point to what we were discussing, I just have to post it.
Millions of women are 'under-muscled.' These foods help build strength
Today as we were eating lunch this huge hawk flew into the yard. That bird was so big that at first I thought it was an owl (from the back). We watched that hawk for quite some time. He (or she) was scanning for lunch time snacks.
And now back to work for a couple of hours before my friend gets here.
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Went to the mailbox, checked the barn and watered plants and It is still hot! Going to watch MSNBC a couple of hours and go to sleep. Good night, sleep tight. Happy things are well tonight, Sandy.
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Good evening everyone. Checking in late today as I felt anxious and overwhelmed this morning so I have myself a time out. Feeling better so I need to remember that strategy.
Zetta, thank you for the warm welcome! And TY for continuing to be here sharing your experience and knowledge of us
GG my husband was born and raised in SF and still has family there. His 10 year old mother with severe dementia still lives in the family home cared for by my SIL. I don’t know how she does it.
Jfkoc I’m also battling ants. They show up twice a year- when it gets hot then when the rains start. Terro works for me but only when I’m patient. I need to let them take the bait and stop wiping them up. I was introduced to the work of Ansel Adams when I lived in Monterey CA.
Carl your veggie/fruit sharing with your neighbors is familiar to me. I have newer neighbors, the best we’ve had here. This week we also traded melons (Kajari) for tomatoes. My own tomatoes never really took off but melons are doing great. Thanks for sharing the tip on which decks can lessen sea sickness. When this journey ends I hope to be able to cruise again as well as visit Japan. One can dream.
Iris so glad to hear that you’re feeling better! The towel animal reminded me of a cartoonish tv character from years ago, Alf. Hadn’t thought of that in years.
Lorita your experience with the scammers remind me of one day when the “your PC is infected” scammer called and spoke with my husband. My husband played along for SO long the scammer wound up cussing my husband out and hung up on him.
Off to water the gardens and harvest some more melons and peppers. A good evening to all.
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Lorita…I will join you under the covers. Ants remained corraled all day but now the toilet is backing up!
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I used to frequent an Indian restaurant that served tofu in a brown sauce that was really good. No idea what was in it, but I liked it from the first time I ate it. My parents ate tofu frequently, and they said it tasted like whatever sauce you cooked it in. I'll bet tofu sliced on a bun with BBQ sauce would be good, if you like BBQ.
Eggs are pretty bland, too. An egg is a lot better if you plop it on top of the hash brown potatoes or a stack of pancakes. The veggie omelet at the diner is too bland to suit me, but the Mexican owners make a good tomato salsa, and a little bowl of salsa poured on the omelet makes it pretty good. I know people who season their eggs with catsup and some who use hot sauce, but I'd rather have salsa.
Saw a sad thing at the senior center today. The 80+ year old man ahead of me in the blood pressure line had really high BP, because he was so upset his hands were shaking. His girlfriend's son had signed her into a nursing home, despite her preference that she stay with him and be cared for by him, and changed her phone number so he couldn't call her. That's the trouble with living together versus marriage. No matter how committed two people are to one another, they have almost no legal rights with respect to each other. I'm not saying the son was wrong. I have no idea if the old man was capable of providing adequate care for the woman, who apparently needs 24-hour care. I was just sorry for him.
The wind picked up this afternoon, the temperature dropped ten degrees, the lightning flashed, the thunder roared, and the rain fell just about the amount you would sprinkle on a cotton shirt you were about to iron. Sigh. Good night, friends.
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Carl, I have to.have salsa or hot sauce on eggs and other things. We used to make our own salsa years ago when we had a garden. I feel sorry for the little man, too. Bad to have a life you enjoy being disrupted.
Judith, I hate to say this but deaths and bad things usually.come in threes, sometimes fours.Plenty. of room under the covers.
Eve, we all need "me" time when caregiving. Mine was usually very early.in the morning before Charles woke up. He was ambulatory and even helped feed the cattle before the last winter. He enjoyed living in the country with all the fresh air and animals.
Our weatherman says tomorrow will be uber hot before the temps begin to go down some. He says eighties next week. The girls will be happy!
You all sleep well tonight.
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Today was a good day. I woke up with absolutely no signs of seasickness! I'm so glad it's over. I heard that several crew members were seasick, due to the waves. I've been on rough seas before but didn't get seasick. Beth, the next time I will prepare myself with an acupressure wrist band. And bring my own ginger tea. I think the earplug helped, too.
Lorita, today we arrived in Juneau, the capital of Alaska.
Tourist shops and restaurants along the harbor
Tram going up the mountain
I went on an excursion to the Mendenhall Glacier. But first we stopped to see a life-size replica statue of a humpback whale.
This area is home to the Tlinglit Native Alaskans, whose presence has been traced back 10,000 years. Here is a totem pole. Tomorrow we will have a talk about their culture.
Iris
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On my first cruise here I flew on a helicopter to land on and walked on the Mendenhall Glacier, I also drank fresh glacier water from the ground. So today I just looked and bought a few souvenirs.
Mendenhall Glacier 13 miles long, 1 mile deep
Nugget Falls—can you see the people at the base of the falls?
Bears live here and might appear on a trail!
Be mindful!
A bit hard to see but this is a salmon swimming in the creek—there were many of them
We then visited the Juneau Pregnancy Resource Center where we spent some time helping out. The group I am traveling with is a Christian travel group and they offer volunteer opportunities.
After the excursion I had my first acupuncture treatment for my chronic back pain. The needles were prickly but not painful. But I don't feel any improvement yet. The acupuncturist says it may take some time to feel relief. I could come back for more treatments, but they are expensive, over $300.
Tomorrow we visited Glacier Bay!
Iris
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Dinner tonight: beef tenders with potatoes and spinach
Strawberry crumble for dessert
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Good morning. It's still dark at my end of the porch and cool for a change.
Iris— The pictures are great. I've always heard lower level/midship is the calmest ride.
I think the towel animal is meant to be a bear, but at first glance I thought it was Yoda.
Zetta— Maybe you and your DD can find a gentler workout once you're moved. Mom's pulmo pushed Tai Chi— could that be an option for you?
Judith and Lorita— I'm sorry your appliances and plumbing are ganging up on you. That is so annoying. I swear that every time I repair/replace something house-related, 2 more things break on me.
Carl— We had a storm like that a few nights ago. All hat and no cattle as they say. The sky got dark, winds kicked up, lights flickered and we got barely a sprinkle of rain for 10 minutes. The temps dropped at least— about 15F after the spritz.
I must be the outlier; I love eggs just as they are. Freshly ground pepper is enhancement enough unless they're scrambled and I have fresh chives on hand.
Gothic G— I see to find getting protein more of a challenge as I get older. I try to do the Greek yogurt, fruit and granola thing for breakfast but DS keeps pouring milk over the homemade granola, so it goes fast. It's easy enough to make, but annoying to clean up after.
Seitan is interesting stuff. I have a friend who once ordered a seitan cheesesteak; she said it was surprisingly good.
Tracking people can feel kind of icky. I started tracking mom's phone when she first moved to the area and "lost" it a couple times. I don't track her watch although I am notified if she has a fall. Then I found it handy when her great-grandson was in the NICU downtown and I would be picking her up at the train station after. My cousin's husband was trying to sell me on Life360 which they use to track each other saying it would allow me to know where DS is at any moment. Oh hell no. His "kid" is 44 and they know where he is 24/7.
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Mom got home last night at 6:21. She called to rave about the trip and complain mightily about niece's friend. I don't know if she was tired, had something to drink or what, but the word-finding was worse than ever. LOL, I asked her where they went to eat and she couldn't name a single restaurant and defended herself saying "it's not like they have big signs outside telling you". Niece left me a text last night saying she was "looking forward to unpacking this with you soon".
I need to make some calls today. Hematology is not returning my call. The new patient scheduler message says they'll return calls within 24 hours. I called at 8am Friday and [crickets].
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Good morning, rockers. It is blissfully cool in NYC; today’s high will be 77. I am really enjoying it, because the only thing worse than taking the subway in a walking boot is doing it in a boot and 90-degree heat. My foot is getting better, but the progress is slow. Thank you for all the sympathetic posts!
Carl, you are right that crossing the street in this thing is a challenge. The weatherman says that Hurricane Erin will hang a hard right around North Carolina and head out to sea. She will come within 300 miles of NYC, however, and bring 11-15 foot waves and ferocious rip tides to our shores. i will be staying off the ferries until next week. It sounds like you have wonderful neighbors. I am blessed with them, too. I have a bowl of beautiful heirloom tomatoes from one right now. And my dad always put catsup on his eggs. It’s a Canadian thing.
GG, i would really like to see that squashable silicone teakettle. I am having a hard time imagining it. No wonder TSA wanted to use it for a training session
Iris, i am so glad you are feeling better and enjoying your cruise. Your picture of Juneau reminded me of Ketchikan. My husband and i chartered a sailboat out of Ketchikan for our honeymoon. We cruised the Revilligado Channel. It rained every day, but it was still magical. Alaska is like no other place i have seen. And I agree with GG that your towel is probably a bear.
HB, glad your mom made it home safely, and hope that your beach cover-up made it home to you, too. My sister had a scooter for her boot, but I fear my house has too many levels to make it practical for me. And our sidewalks are very uneven. For now, i am trying to stay in and off it as much as possible.Judith, you are right that home repairs come in twos. My rule when we owned our old house was, “Fix one thing, break something else.” If they replaced the carpeting, they also loosened the staircase. If they fixed a toilet, they disconnected the water line to the freezer’s icemaker. Etc., etc., etc.
Today will be a quiet one for me. We are having a neighborhood dinner outside on Thursday. I have volunteered to bring two desserts — one vegan, one not. I will be making Marian Burros’ plum torte from The NY Times and Isa Chandra Moskowitz’s banana everything cookies. I often seem to draw the dessert straw for these parties.
I hope everyone has a good day. I know it is still pretty hot for all you rockers south and west.
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GG, thanks for the article! Lots of good ideas on getting adequate protein. I do believe I need to count my protein grams (just like I do my calcium intake) to be sure I am getting enough.
2 of my easy protein sources are Fairlife whole milk (in 1 cup: 13 grams protein and 380 mg calcium) and Fairlife protein shakes (these are kind of like Boost or Ensure but probably healthier); they have 30 grams protein and over 700 mg of calcium. Regarding calcium, the body can only absorb 500 mg at one time so take in 500 mg and then wait at least 4 hours before ingesting more. I'll drink half of the bottle and the other half later.
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Eve, what area do you live in? For privacy, you need not get too specific.
Same question for Tigersmom. I know you are in NYC, but it sounds like you live in a house, not an apartment, so I'm thinking you do not live in Manhattan. I'm guessing Brooklyn or Queens. I really do not know much about NYC. I have visited. One time my sister's teenaged daughter was doing a ballet school most of the summer and my sister rented an apartment. I went to visit. We saw a Broadway show: "Sister Wives." We went to a place in or near Times Square to buy discount theater tickets. I imagine you know what I'm talking about. We walked up to Rockefeller Plaza where the Today show was in progress. See pic below. I was there for a week or so.
I am from Iowa, small town/suburb and I'm a retired nurse. If you have more questions for me, please ask.
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Iris, I absolutely LOVE your photos! Keep them coming! We enjoy traveling virtually with you!
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Good morning from a tired old rocker! I love all the beautiful photos that my friends on the porch have been posting. I use to enjoy gardening, traveling and just soaking in the beauty that God created. The beauty i see all around me in Missouri is so different from my Louisiana home.
I just received a call from primary Dr's nurse who stated I possible have pulmonary fibrosis from the ct scan results and I need to follow up with my pulmonologist. Sad thing is, I haven't even seen a pulmonologist since my move. After a community care consult was put in the pulmonary clinic wanted the results from my pulmonary function test and a recent ct scan (which was Friday), before making a appointment. Hopefully I'll hear something the next day or two, if not, I'll call them.
Ron
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It is still morning, so Good morning!
This is the second day of my home being invaded laugh out loud. They are installing new windows and new front door.
They weren't in kitchen yet so I made a big pot of spaghetti.. Guess I will rest on porch rest of day.Iris enjoy pictures
Ron thinking of you
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Ant report….none, then some, then a few, then a lot. Peppermint oil is helping.
Toilet…google said to use dish soap. Dawn may have solved the problem.
Dr Appt at noon…checking to see how CPAP is working. I will ask him about the spot on my lung that showed up. How he concurs that it just needs to be watched.
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Testing from moderator. 8/19
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Beth - I live in the foothills in Northern California about 1.5 hours east of Sacramento and 1.5 hours west of Lake Tahoe. Beautiful area, but hot at this time of year.
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Good afternoon Rockers.
Lorita. I hope you finally got through to Sears. Now you got a TV problem to worry about, I for one could not go without a TV. I'm watching Wagon Train right now, i prefer it to be on twice for one hour each and not just for 1.5 hours. Do you watch it on INSP.
Ron. I know what you mean about views. In Arizona it's too hot to view anything, i miss the calming views I had in Oregon. Hopefully my move to Bosie, Idaho will have cooler calming views. We will be there October 1st.
Carl. BBQ sauce goes good on anything. I liks eggs on toast with avocado on top and eggs on top of the avocado spread. Also hash browns and eggs, I just like eggs.
Tigersmom. I bet that boot is a pain to deal with. I was also thinking a scooter would be good, but in your case maybe not. Get rest and take care of that ankle.
Eve. I was born and raised in Sacramento and my grandparents had vacation property in Lake Tahoe. I guessing your around Auburn or maybe Donner Pass? Alone time is always a blessing, I live with my DD and SIL I don't get too much alone time. She works from home, so that leaves me in charge of 2 dogs and 3 cats, who keep me busy. 🥰
Iris. I love those pictures please keep them coming. Ths statue of the whale looks real, I like the way they have water dripping off her lower fin. I'm glad your having fun. I hope the acupuncture starts working. I loved ths harbor picture.
HB. My DD and I like to walk, so with us having cooler weather, we hope to be doing a lot of walking with Molly and Fiona. 🐕 🐕 we will be right next to The Oregon trail and some walking trails that take us out to some of the preserved wagon ruts. I bet your glad your DM is home, now you get the real stories. Your DM sounds very entertaining.
I better go before my battery dies. Hugs Zetta
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We had a beautiful exhibit at the museum re the Raven. It was created by a Tlingit artist Preston Singletary.
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smithsonian-institution/artist-preston-singletary-sheds-new-light-on-the-tlingit-raven-tale-180979675/
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Zetta - we’re off hwy 50, nearest “large” town is Placerville. My husband’s diagnosis and disease management are through the VA At Mather and SF, so we head toward Sacramento fairly often. My dog, a German Shepherd Great Pyrenees cross is my walking partner. Toss in the 2 black feral-ish cats who walk with us and we make quite a picture.
The Oregon Trail sounds like such an interesting place to hike, especially to see the wagon trail ruts.
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Good morning. Today was a wonderful day. First we were treated to views of Margerie Glacier at Glacier Bay National Park. Glaciers are formed by compacted snow over years and decades and are constantly advancing and retreating.
Margerie Glacier
Close-up view of Margerie Glacier
We did not see any "calving" at this time
Seagulls on an iceberg
The National Park Rangers gave a talk about how glaciers are formed.
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Seagulls following the wake of the ship—the ship churns up fish for them to eat
Lamplugh Glacier--Alaska has over 10,000 glaciers
Johns Hopkins Inlet
Mountains
Another glacier—many of these glaciers have names but I don't remember this one's name
Another cruise ship—note the absence of fishing boats, yachts or any other type of water vehicle—the waters are clear of traffic--it's so quiet and peaceful
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Another glacier and snow-capped mountains
Leaving the inlet, heading south—Alaska is covered in trees
A bald eagle
Riding the Icy Strait Point Tram to the top of the mountain 1600 feet
View from 1600 feet
Another view from 1600 feet
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Giant fireplace at 1600 feet
My ship from 1600 feet
Traveling down on the tram—a 10 minute ride
A deer—the first mammal I saw
People bathing in the icy waters
Replica of an orca (killer whale)
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Judith, a Tlingit man came aboard and educated us about his family and culture. They are a matrilineal culture, not matriarchal, meaning that their lineage is traced down through the mother. The clans are divided between eagles and ravens. They are not supposed to marry within their own clan in order to avoid inbreeding.
The people have been in the land for 10,000 years. But when the National Park Service was formed, they were forbidden to carry out their traditional foraging, such as gathering seagull eggs. As a high school project, he and another Tlingit student petitioned the federal government to allow Tlingits to gather seagull eggs. His grandfather told him, if there is one egg, you may take it because the gull will lay another one. If there are two eggs, you may take one and leave the other. If there are three eggs, leave them all, because you don't know how far along those eggs are.
The eggs that the boys gathered were given to the elders, who wept, then sang songs because their tradition had been returned to them.
The Tlingits live in southeast Alaska. They carved totem poles to communicate and to remember their family histories.
There are three tribes in north and west Alaska which used to be called Eskimo. That term is not appropriate now.
Iris
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Good Morning,
Welcome Eve. We're glad to have you on the porch! I live in North Alabama and cared for my late father-in-law with vascular dementia before his passing.
Our heat wave continues with very high humidity but rain is supposed to be on the way this afternoon, hopefully without the high winds predicted.
Iris, really enjoying your pictures! I'm with HB, I thought the bear was Yoda. lol
Have a good day everyone.
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Good Morning Porch Rockers, I have been a part of this group since last summer and while I don't post often (yet) I read nearly everyday. As many of said you ALL are such a lifeline of experience and support. I have so enjoyed learning where everyone is from, currently living, or visiting. Since there doesn't seem to be anyone near my neck of the woods I thought I would pipe in with we are located in western Colorado near the Utah boarder, it is a high mountain dessert climate here, very hot, and we raise honey bees.
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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
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