Just need to talk to my friends (211)

Mint

Good morning

38 this morning

ronald71111

Morning!

I've still been confused about my test results and not having a follow up appointment till December 2nd. I called the pulmonologist office this morning and spoke with the nurse. Pulmonary function test was better than last, so my lungs are functioning better, but I do have Pulmonary fibrosis. I understood what she was saying but still not completely satisfied so appointment has been moved up to November 6th.

I'm staying in most of the day, one of their dogs got out this morning. He's a hunting dog, so I can't let the chickens out till I can get him back. The first batch of little ones they bought, he got out and killed all but one. That one hen that survived is the fastest hen of them all. Rooster even has a problem fertilizing her because he can't catch her.

Everyone in the path of the storm system that is suppose to be coming this weekend will be in my prayers.

Ron

harshedbuzz

Good morning. It's a chilly 41F on my end of the porch and a pleasant 63F in the house.

Carl— The HOA here is still pretty active in terms of aesthetics and quality of life. Mom's HOA is almost like a cult. They're not just very proactive about appearances they have a club of retired men who maintain some of the infrastructure and take care of odd jobs.

Is there a problem with the blue spruce? Dad planted one here when the house was built in '86 but it blew over in a storm in 2011. I was pretty sad about it as it was gorgeous. I've been tweaking the rest of his landscaping choices. He made a lot of amateurish decisions and then stopped maintaining things once he bought a place at the beach and started spending summers there. Over the years, I've removed things that weren't working but this year I pulled out a lot of dying shrubs and need to replace them. Deer are a huge issue here; the herds are bigger and more ravenous which limits what works.

Mint— It probably is an ADHD trait. Given him seeking out more exotic cuisines, it might be the adult version of "thrill seeking". Mine likes that sort of things too— Mexican, Indian, Middle Eastern, Japanese, Sichuan and, of course, pizza.

Lorita— I'm happy to hear Billy seems to be feeling better.

I think solar is mostly a good thing. There are a few places locally that have solar installations— the state park powers their main office with solar, and a number of office complexes have solar panels over their parking lots. I don't know how I would feel about it taking over farmland. There are 2 grow houses not far from me, but it turns out they're doing salad greens which is kind of boring.

I had no idea Corvettes were that expensive. My dad had one for a while. It was a distinctive purple. My old neighborhood was recovering from a moderate flooding episode and most of us were hanging around the neighbor's woodstove waiting for the HVAC techs to inspect and restart our oil burners when we heard a loud rumbling outside. The neighbor looked outside I said "It's just some old dude in a purple Corvette". I looked at DH and said "I bet that's dad"; he'd been complaining about his Town Car which had been stolen and then refurbished and returned to after it was found full of drug paraphernalia in the city. I was right. It was too much car for him, and he sold it after having 2 accidents in it.

Ron— I am not an RN but have noticed that sometimes there is considerable discrepancies in the reports related to different kinds of imaging. Sometimes the more detailed imaging shows mom's lung issues (COPD) to be less extensive than the more routine imaging studies; sometimes it works out the other way.

I wonder if the difference in price for the Mustangs was the engine and trim packages. Maybe Lorita had the sensible six-cylinder 120hp while you had one of the muscle-car versions. DH had the V-8 Fastback in the late 1960s right after he graduated from college. The payment was more than his rent. He still speaks fondly of it and was sad when he sold it before he moved to Boston for grad school.

Gothic G— One of my high school besties was gifted a brand-new B-210 for her 16th birthday. It was adorable but she was disappointed it wasn't the sexier coupe version and sold it right after graduation. My first new car was a Honda Civic Si which I liked so much I bought another one 10 years later. I have an Accord now but were I shopping just for me it would be a Civic RS.

Tigermom— Welcome back.

Guys— I love the picture. Ron you are as handsome as ever and Carl— your beard is amazing. Dad's was similar. Do little kids ever thing you're Santa? It happened to dad a lot.

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I'm still trying to track down contractors. I talked to the landscaper's crew yesterday. They called him and we talked. He should be around over the weekend. Now I just need to chase down the painter. He said he'd send a revised estimate Wednesday. He normally does paperwork over the weekends, so maybe something will pop up then. He didn't include my garage door in the scope of the work and it should be done at the same time.

I see the ortho at 1:30 today. I'm curious what he'll have to say.

I hope all have a pleasant day.
HB

Lorita

Morning kind of cool but supposed to be near 90. Storms and maybe rain tomorrow. Hope everyone is well today.

Gave Billy his medicine and he has four more days of It. Be back later.

BethL

Good morning! Great photo, Carl and Ron! I'm happy you got to meet.

I have a pumpkin pie in the oven. It smells delicious! I use the recipe on the Libby's pumpkin label.

I got my 20 bags of compost and 20 bags of mulch applied (2 bags left). That was heavy work!

Lorita

Beth, I love pumpkin pie. Haven't made one in a long time. If I have filling left over I cook it in a ramekin without a crust. Do you use pumpkin pie mix or pureed pumpkin? I usually use the pump!in pie mix in the can but o my use about half the amount of spices it calls for I have purred pumpkin so may try that next month.

Very warm and windy here. Gave Billy some hay and a couple scoops of feed.Will need to break another bale this afternoon and bring some of it to the yard. I think the girls are in the barn now do will have to wait into they come out.

jfkoc

Signed up for a course on early Christianity this morning. I am really looking forward to it.

Lorita

Sounds interesting, Judith. How long is the course?

ladyzetta

Good morning Rockers.

Tigersmom. We had a beautiful two day drive, and the 3 cats and 2 dogs, slept most of the way. I was very surprised how well they settled in their new home. It's nice hearing from you.

All of our unpacking is done, now we are having junk hauled away. My DD is now looking for a biweekly housekeeper, this house is way to big for me to keep up. This house is 2 story and I don't go up stairs often. My bedroom and bathroom are downstairs. 😁

I'm loving the Idaho, weather. Hugs Zetta

ladyzetta

Lorita . I found the western channel, so I'm now watching Wagon Train. 👀👀

jfkoc

8 weeks…it will include include influences on Christianity, development from oral to written sharing of the messages of Jesus and touching on differing interpretations. One example of this would be that all four gospels discuss the crucifixion but only John has Roman soldiers at the event. Another thing to ponder is which Bethlehem and the fact that there seems to be no record of the need for Mary and Joseph to travel. No record of Roman census being taken then

ronald71111

My brother just sent me a picture of their fig tree. It's about 4 times the size it was when I visited them last year.

Ron

Lorita

Ron, did it have figs on it this year?

Just got in from feeding Billy grain and hay. Broke a bale and I think I brought enough in for the next two days. Left some in the back of the car. Did this because it may be muddy around the barn Sunday. My arms are really itching now because of carrying the hay. Billy is still limping some but not as much. Will Probably let him out Tuesday morning after his last medicine.

Will Stop and finish watching Rachel, Sandy. Kind of tired.

Sleep well, everyone. Good night.

Carl46

The blue spruce: after 15 years of struggle and lots of bagworm spray, it was a beautiful 20' tree until a tornado came through this Spring. It now leans 45 degrees to the east and is growing up into a banana shape. I don't like it that way so it's leaving, along with a half-dead redbud. We talked about trying to straighten the tree, but it would be an arduous process with no guarantee that the tree would survive.

Santa: I see very few children now, but I actually played Santa 50 years ago when I was a JayCee. We took a busload of poor children to Walmart to buy gifts for their families and our wives helped them wrap them. Then Santa (me) arrived in a fake beard and gave them gifts. Then they got cookies and a ride home. The only person who teases me that I look like Santa now is a 91-year-old woman I see at the senior center, but I can see the resemblance, especially with the steel frame glasses. I have only had a real beard for about a month, because for 58 years I was married to a woman who hated face fur and I hadn't had a beard since I was a teenager. My new driver's license has a bearded picture on it, so I guess I'll have to keep it 😎

DS and I just got back from a day trip to Silver Dollar City. We had a lovely day outdoors, and so did hundreds of other people, because we expect a total washout this weekend with wind, hail, and possible tornadoes. Everyone moved their trips up to today, so the place was pretty crowded. Good times.

It has been a long day. Good night.

Lorita

Good night, Carl. You've had a busy day. Glad you and your son had a good time. Many years since I've been to Silver Dollar City. I bet it has really changed. Charles used to grow a beard every fall and really looked good in it.

Rest well tonight.

GothicGremlin

Hey there everyone -

We had a sunny day today, which was good because the next ten days are rain, rain, rain, and for a little variety - rain.

HB - I'm a Honda girl too. I love those things and I keep them until they're dead. I had a Civic, but it was silver and I could never find it in a parking lot, so I got rid of it. We had an Insight for awhile (one of the first hybrids), and we drove that one until it died, and now we have a CRZ (another hybrid). If Honda ever made another CRX, I'd be all over it.

Beth - My mom used the Libby's recipe for pumpkin pie too — it's pretty tasty. She always followed it to the letter, so if that's what you do too, I know exactly what it will taste like. 🙂

Judith - I always wanted to take a comparative religion class but I've never gotten around to it. Your class sounds interesting.

Zetta - It sounds like all of you are settling in nicely. I checked the weather in Boise and it looks perfectly lovely.

Ron - Your brother's fig tree is huge!! No one in my family ever had one that was that bushy. Does it produce a lot of figs?

Today when I got home from the gym, I saw an amazing spider web near the garage. It was so cool I had to take a picture.

It had rained earlier in the morning ….

We had a late dinner tonight - farro risotto with chanterelle mushrooms and green beans. It was really good. Farro is a type of wheat, but it's really hearty and looks like barley. Later on I'm going to make brownies - yes, the ones by Ghirardelli! Yumm.

I've been listening to Ashbury Height's Take Cair Paramour album today. Dancer's Nocturne always reminds me of a cross between Abba and The Beatles, especially at the 1:50 mark.

Iris L.

I have to get up early, I'm going to Ojai tomorrow. It's supposed to be on of the most beautiful places. I'll let you know.

Iris

ronald71111

Anyone in the path of severe weather today, I pray you stay safe.

Ron

Lorita

Morning, already rain north. South and West of us. I gave Billy his medicine and some feed and hsay, filled water tank and brought a big trash-like container filled with hay out of the corn crib to the yard . I will put the rest of the feed in it.

WM delivered groceries —stocking up on juices and a couple of bottles of bottles of Pedialyte for winter.

Now this is the scary part —I opened the back of the car where I have the feed for Billy and a rat or squirrel ran back under the back seat!!!! How it got in there, who knows.When I can let Billy out I guess I will open all the doors and use a spray bottle of water and start at the front to the back looking and spraying. Does anyone have a good idea? Hope I don't need to drive it until then. I would probably wreck it if whatever it is got on my foot. I.check under the hood everyday and no nests so far. Still haven't sprayed Grandpa Gus.

I need to find something for breakfast so will stop and be back later.

Have fun today, Iris.

Ron, it's getting darker and darker here. You and Carl be careful, too.

Mint

Good afternoon

not too many real pretty fall trees here so far. But I did see a beautiful orange tree today. It really stuck out because none of the other ones around it were pretty.

jfkoc

The rats…an unused car might be an ideal place for rats…I would turn the motor on every day and park it in the middle of the driveway.

The web…did the spider create the rim? Can you take a pic of the spider? A few more close ups? Google had no info.

Iris..I have always wanted to go to Ojai. Can't wait to hear all about it.

Carl46

Lorita, we had rain and thunder his morning but nothing serious. Your storm is heading our way, so what you are "enjoying" now we will have this afternoon. I'm glad you got your groceries in before the storm. I took DS home this morning and am inside for the day, God willing.

I don't know how to get a critter out of the car. I think I would find somewhere else to store Billy's feed, because that attracts rodents. That's how we began to keep cats as companions. When people learned to raise grain, we stored it in holes in the dirt floors of our houses. Pretty soon, we had rodents, and soon after that, cats came to hunt around human homes. The rest is (pre) history. 🐀🐈️

Lorita

Judith, the car isn't parked inside and I drive it almost every day. I don't know know whatever it is even got in the car. In the country when it begins to get cooler mice and other things begin to look for a warm place.

Carl, the feed has only been in the car a couple of days. I think whatever it is has been in there a while because the keys had been dragged way back under the seat and I have noticed shredded paper. I am going to put the leftover feed in that big trash can with a lid. We're getting s soft light rain but do hear thunder. We need heavier rain all day. Is Missouri in a drought? Most of Oklahoma is, more so West of here.

MInt. one of my maples is turning yellow. Another maple, a different variety my tree guy says, has leaves that are now a dark o!ive. Not many pretty trees around here turn pretty colors. Bradford leads turn reddish so should be pretty later.

Watching rallies all across the Country and in other countries. Are there rallies in OKC, Judith?

ronald71111

Well there goes my nap! Grandson even called to see if i was ok!! I wonder how load the thunder sounds if i had my hearing aids in, sounded like it was at my door. Plenty of rain.

Ron

Lorita

The rain is over. Skies are pretty and clear. We got a quarter inch , enough to settle the dust and leave a little puddle and some water in Billy's feed pan. Darwin, a mole East of us, got a third of an inch. Every drop helps though.

jfkoc

Unfortunately rain came when the protest waas planned for downtown OKC.

Rats/varmits will chew through plastic containers to get to food. Personal experiance!

Lorita

Did they not have the rally? I had that happen when I had bird feed stored in a closed kitty litter pail on the front porch.

Lorita

We just had a doozy of a storm, short lived but strong with heavy rain for a little while. We haven't had power in this area for over an hour. Thank goodness for the generator.. Security light is off so it is dark, dark outside. I don't remember if it's hooked up to the generator- must not be. The girls are upset because I hear them bawling. Seems odd to look outside and not see everybody's security light. Cell towers are lit up though. Good night, sleep tight.

eaglemom

Afternoon everyone. My calendar has had far too many things on it. Sadly most of the things are medical appt for DH. The cough is so much better, but still there. I have gotten him an appt with an exclusive lung specialist I've heard about for yrs. I can get him in as a new patient sooner there than I can to get him in to be seen by his regular pulmonologist. That just doesn't seem right to me. We're both excited to see this guy - the appt is the week of Thanksgiving.

Unfortunately DH's neck isn't doing well. The injection helped the tingling, etc and some of the arm pain. But he's loosing strength in the arm, but can now use it because it doesn't hurt. He's still doing PT just to keep everything neckwise moving. In chatting with the dr yesterday he decided he wanted to do an EMG on Monday. He thinks the compressed nerves aren't compressed now, but the joint around three of the neck discs have slipped. Thus the reason his head is pushed forward. This poor guy can't catch a break. I'm scared to death its going to be big time spine surgery and I just don't like the risks involved with his dementia. He asks for two Tylenol twice a day - to me that's not severe pain. But to ask him he thinks its pain. We'll see what Monday's test brings.

Love the pic of Carl and Ron. Two handsome guys for sure.

I'm going to go back and read everyone else's post and catch up - the guys photo caught my eye!

It's raining here, yea. Let's be safe everyone.

Iris L.

Lorita do you leave the keys in the car?

Ojai was very nice, we went to their annual street fair. I bought a beeswax sheet for covering fruits and vegetables in lieu of cling wrap. I also bought a plant that is like a Venus fly trap, it is supposed to kill fruit flies--it's called a butcher plant. The library had a book sale, 5 paperbacks for $1, and I also got a book by Mother Teresa.

Then we went to the home and studio of the late Beatrice Wood, a famous artist of the Dada style of art. She lived to be 105 years, and said she credited her long life to art, chocolates and young men. Here is a picture of her with the chocolates and young men in her art studio.

I also bought a quilt made of saris from India for $40, what a great price.

Ojai was used for outdoor shots in the 1937 movie Lost Horizon, representing Shangi-La, which was a fantasy utopia in the Himalayan mountains, so Ojai is supposed to be a type of utopia. I could see that. It is very beautiful and peaceful and is tucked away in the mountains, 100 miles from Los Angeles.

Beatrice, nicknamed Beato, built a beautiful home and studio in the mountains above Ojai at age 83 and lived there her remaining life. It is so beautiful. There are art workshops open to the public at times during the year, no art experience is necessary. Here is her philosophy.

Iris