Quarantine and chill and kindness chatty clubhouse: Jump in and join the conversation! All is welcome!

[lynxstch]

Good morning all. Gray and cloudy now. Nothing new here..no sleep last nite till after 4 am for me. Tired, cranky, not in a good mood.

Second med approval came yesterday for the most expensive one..hurray!

Have a nice Sunday all

 

[Judique]

Good morning.

Too excited to sleep. One more “sleep” until we leave for the auto train and Florida.

Today is packing day.

Oooh!! I want to do the auto train so bad but keep on pushing it back to 'next time'.

Did you get a sleeping car or are you doing coach? To be honest, I want to do it one way - coming home! The last part from Richmond is the part of the drive I dislike. Going down is fine as I'm excited to get there.

I'll post some from the wedding (in December). This is the color that I'm ordering, keep in mind that I'm not going to look like the model!

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You will look gorgeous! I was recently in September the mother of the groom when my son got married! I worried about that dress all summer and finally chose 2 pieces, a long dark filmy skirt and a sparkly silver top. I posted this picture of my son and daughter in law on another thread but will post here also:

 

[Judique]

Sun came out, now back to rain again..high temp is now 65. Our Medicare Insurance Agent is right on top of things. Enrollment just started yesterday, and the girl just called us to see if we needed any changes. She said Plan N and Silver Script are still the right ones for us..and that N shouldn't go up more than $10 a person, if it does, she will see if there is anything else comparable, but she thinks that will be the only increase, other than a very small increase in Silver Script deductible. So the phone call Mr L was going to make on Monday, won't be necessary..lol..

Did dishes, stripped bed, but haven't remade it yet, going to sit and take some tylenol and rest my back for awhile first

As far as I can tell my Silverscript deductibles copays didn't change. I am still actually confused by the whole Medicare/retirement/getting old changes.

So far, I haven't had to pay for much other than the prescription copays. I compared my premiums with a friend who is covered under Kaiser and I am slightly cheaper with what looks like more choice. Hopefully I haven't miscalculated anything.

 

[Judique]

To all who are having a tough time. I did see the news about Feralpeg. I always liked her posts. She was a kind and caring person. I think about her daughter.

Friday I went to the house by myself and did some administrative stuff that I had to scan. DS could do it at his house but I wanted to do it all by myself like a big girl. As long as I kept busy I felt OK and liked being in my own house and just getting what I wanted where I put it. Once I stopped being busy the tears started and I knew I had to leave. I feel weak that I can't go back to my house to stay. My kids tell me not to think that other women could do it and I am weak because I find it hard. I am me and I have to do what is right for me. I may try to stay a night here and there down the road. I told my older son that and he asked why. Maybe I will feel closer to Chris? But I am hoping Chris is here with me wherever I go. I sure need his help and support. I am definitely flounderng now.

I am frustrated with our trash collection people. I called last Tuesday to have the couch and a chair picked up. They said it would be done Thursday. Knowing them I figured by Saturday. I have a way to see my house and this morning they are still there. GRRRR! Phone call tomorrow morning.

Today my sons and I are heading to the house to really start the massive cleanup. I am so overwhelmed by all the stuff we collected over the years along with all the stuff Chris kept. I don't think the house will be ready until at least Spring. My patience may not take me that far. We are being very selective about what we save as we don't have room to keep alot of things that have not been used or looked at in years or decades. A lesson I learned is not to let the stuff get out of control. Chris always said he was going to clean up the house once he retired. Unfortunately that did not work out and we have to do it.

@lynxstch I am looking at medicare for the first time and it is daunting. Why do they have to confuse people so much? I have called our town's advisor for seniors trying to navigate the process. She sent me some info and it is like reading Greek. I have to get a letter from DH's company stating my coverage period and when it ends. Then medicare has to start. Once I have that letter I will contact the women I spoke with and she will guide me, I hope. This is just one more thing on my plate and my plate is already overflowing. Oh well, something to talk about at therapy.

Have a good Sunday.

You are going through a lot and seem to be taking many positive steps. I've been through divorce and death and neither are easy.

Medicare is a challenge. For me it was because I simply did not understand the options. I'm well covered, as I have a retirement work coverage for what Medicare doesn't cover, and by some miracle have the coverage I need. But I have an acquaintance who missed the window for part b and ended up with penalty payments, so it's not just me not completely understanding the process.

 

[Judique]

Good Wednesday morning everyone!

Should be a beautiful day in my part of town. Hopefully I'll remember to water my mums when I get home.

I took the bandage off of my tattoo this morning so I figured I would get a picture before it starts to scab.
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Nothing much going on today. I have a work meeting late in the day that I have to be at. Not happy at all, usually I get off work at 3:30 and the stupid meeting starts at 3:30. I just like having that extra time when I get home from work to chill before I start dinner and feeding the animals. I'll be lucky to get home by 5:00 and by the time I make dinner, eat and clean up it will probably be 7:00 . Oh well, bright side is that Survivor is on tonight!

Making some salmon tonight for dinner. I made this last week and it didn't come with seasoning like the last pack that I bought so it was up to me to add some flair to it. Wrong person to add flair . I did the best I could and Mitchell said it was okay but liked the other ones better. Guess I'll be looking for the seasoned salmon at the store for now on.

Have a great day!

I'm definitely not into tattoos but if I were choosing to have one, I really like the themes of yours.

 

[flyingdumbo127]

Good Morning

Yikes, I'm sorry a few of you are having the virus warnings on this site, that's awful. Thank you Lynn for the webmaster contact reminder! Also a reminder for any Quackers who feel comfortable doing so and who have not already, when Carol comes home, reach out to her. I know she was keeping a list of Quacker email addresses for just such purposes as Dis outages or trouble so we could all still be in touch. Carol, I hope this was okay to post as a reminder!

Great advice, Judique and a beautiful picture of your son and his wife!

to all with health insurance concerns/questions. Indeed it is so confusing.

I'm going to soon watch online worship and then later my first Hallmark Christmas movie of the season

I'll check back in later. Wishing each of you joy today and always.

 

[Kirby]

Beautiful picture of your son and daughter in law Judique!

 

[flyingdumbo127]

Good afternoon, friends

I did enjoy worship service this morning. The Reverend always does such a good job of putting the morning's passage into context with other passages, what else was going on with Jesus and His followers at the time and in her upcoming sermon. I also enjoyed hearing today's hymn of Be Thou My Vision.

I'm off to shortly start watching a Christmas movie. I'll share later how I liked it.

 

[tazdev3225]

Well the virus issue seems to be gone right now, hopefully for good.

Been a quiet week for the most part. Unfortunately I seem to have a broken tooth or lost part of a filling. No pain so that is a good thing but I have a severe dental phobia. I need to have gas just to clean my teeth. My dentist died a few years ago and I haven't been back. I did google and it seems as though the office is still around but in a different location. Just the thought of going to the dentist has me shaking. I shake when I have to take the grandkids for an appointment and I'm not even being seen. Sadly I was born with the worst teeth in the world. When I was a kid the dentist made my mom bring me on saturday as his last patient. He went to confession on his way home. I actually bit him once and my jaw locked. I didn't break the skin or anything I just couldn't relax with him screaming at me.

Don't think I will get much sleep tonight. Hope everyone else is having a better day.

 

[AuntieMe3]

No pain so that is a good thing but I have a severe dental phobia. I need to have gas just to clean my teeth. My dentist died a few years ago and I haven't been back. I did google and it seems as though the office is still around but in a different location. Just the thought of going to the dentist has me shaking.

You have my sympathy because I am the same way and my last dentist left me feeling even more traumatized. I actually have an appointment tomorrow with a new dentist and I'm praying it goes well....my whole mouth has been hurting and I think I might even have a tooth infection as I've been really pretty bad over all for a little while now.
I don't know if I've mentioned before that I'm a bit of a hypochondriac so of course I've been telling DH I think I have Covid again. Of course I don't(tested) but just like last year any type of off feeling I have, I start panicking its Covid. Terrible time of year for me with that...lol My allergies are terrible right now.

We went to a small little Halloween themed gender reveal party yesterday for our best friends son and his wife. They are having a girl...did a cake and popped a balloon. LOL DH and I are going to be honorary or pretend grandma and grandpa for the baby since the mom doesn't have contact with her family and we're so excited. So it was Halloween themed and some dressed up....I dressed as an angel and DH was a devil, well he just had a tail and horns which he took off about 5 minutes into the party. We were up late the night before helping them get ready for the party so we tired and weren't there long after the reveal.

Oh and I haven't been on much lately to share we got new couches yesterday. Friday, DH and I were on our way to Costco when we stopped at a local furniture/appliance place. DH found a set he like, they were in stock and as soon as they did we could have them as soon as the next day, he got them. We got a pretty good deal on them to, they're reclining couch and love seat with cup holders and USB plugs. LOL They are so nice and comfy. The three of us, each in a recliner, all day together watching TV last night. We ended up skipping Costco but glad we finally got some a comfy couch, our old one was getting painful to sit on. LOL

 

[flyingdumbo127]

Two big 's to two dear Quackers, Taz and AuntieMe3!

Firstly, Taz, I've never had a dentist fear but can relate to being traumatized by a long term bad medical doctor as a child. Years ago I needed to have a root canal with a new to being my dentist doctor. I had actually known this man for years but saw his practice partner. The root canal was only needed due to my own negligence at having a small cavity filled solely because at that time I had no clue that topicals existed for dental work. I was terrified of the thought of the injection. This was definitely a disservice the former dentist (practice partner) did me. I overall liked her very much. Longer story shorter is I found this website through Google: Dental Fear There was (I have not checked it out in years so am not familiar with current content) a wonderful message board forum on which a few kind dentists posted. No judging just true support. It was through that forum, I learned about topicals for dental work. I also now know, as I have posted before, about topical creams for medical shots. Keeping you in extra prayer, my friend. Please know, always, we are here and care about you.

AuntieMe3, I certainly pray you don't have Covid again Dentist prayers for you, as well! If my own dentist were not retiring, I'd recommend him in a heartbeat but he is and I know you also live a distance from me. I could let you know if you want) how I end up liking the dentist replacing him. I'll be meeting her next week. You just take care and, of course, always know we all indeed care. I "liked" your post for the gender reveal party and being made honorary grandparents--what a sweet idea and Blessing!

Wishing all of you a good night!

 

[Pea-n-Me]

I can join the dental problems crowd, too. Ugh. Times, of course, were different back then, like before fluoride was widely used in toothpaste, but when I was young, my teeth weren’t cared for properly because there were a lot of crazy issues going on in my household. I’ve paid the price for that all my life, basically. Fortunately, I had two really great dentists for much of my adult life that I found on my own and who took really good care of me. (Childhood dentists were an absolute nightmare.) So I was super sad several years back when my beloved dentist retired. In her place came a new dentist who let me down big time after a filling fell out in the midst of my mother being hospitalized for repair of a hip fracture and in full blown delirium, concurrently getting a metastatic cancer diagnosis, etc. (New dentist was too busy renovating her office, posting glam selfies on Instagram, and being “all about her” to help get me in for repair.) So I decided to find a new dentist, but was pretty terrified that no one would measure up.

Sounds strange, but because this has always been such a big issue for me and the way I found the dentists I loved seemed to be heaven-sent, I found a new one by happenstance one day when I really wasn’t actively searching for one. I happened to wander into a store which was my first - and last - time visiting that store since it later closed, and I happened to notice a nice dental office next door, which was connected. So I went in to inquire, and met the loveliest desk staff, who raved about the dentist, so I decided to take a chance and meet him. In our first meeting, upon telling him my history, I became quite emotional, and started to cry. Lots of tough memories, and there I was in the chair sobbing like a fool. And what did he do? He listened, and then he hugged me! And I saw tears in his eyes, too. He shared with me that he himself had been strapped down to dental tables when he was young and understood how [emotionally] painful it was. Wow! I think I found my guy! So we’ve been going there since and we all really like him. Fortunately (knock on wood) I only have to keep up with cleanings and don’t need any major work done at this time, but if I do, I have confidence that he will take good care of me. I had a patient who was a professor of dentistry once and in talking, he told me that my dentists had done a good job and that meant a lot. I am so grateful for the good dentists I have had!

Not everyone understands how difficult this can be. So hugs to taz, Auntie and flyingdumbo. Hoping things go well for you at the dentist’s!

 

[Pea-n-Me]

Btw, the wedding photo was lovely, @Judique, and I like your tattoo, @footballmouse!

 

[Pea-n-Me]

QOTD: Are your medical and dental memories good ones, or hard ones? This could be for you or your family.

 

[footballmouse]

Happy Monday morning

It's been a cloudy and rainy weekend here by me. It's really coming down this morning, glad I'm working from home. Two of my boys are landscapers so I don't think they'll be working today.

Not much going on today. I'll get my laundry done in between working. I'll probably clean my house. I usually do it all on Fridays when I work all weekend but I just wasn't feeling it this past Friday.

That's about it. Hope everyone has a good day! (I put this in since it's 2 months until Xmas, better get shopping!)

 

[Snowysmom]

QOTD: Are your medical and dental memories good ones, or hard ones? T

I need a distraction and this question is a good one. I have very bad medical memories. I have been heavy all my life. I have met doctors who insulted and ridiculed me for being what they called really fat and I was a "big girl." My pediatrician even told my mother to call me fat so I would want to lose weight. I know this because when my mother called me names I asked her why she was doing that. She told me. One time a doctor insulted all through the exam. The medical assistant actually apologized to me. She was appalled. Chris wanted to send him a dead fish. LOL! My wonderful DH looking out for me. Now I would send him a dead fish. I have a PCP now that maybe is not the best but he is kind and not judgmental. I know he is going to retire soon and the thought of finding a new one gives me an anxiety attack. I have lost alot of weight but I am still considered overweight. AS far as dentists go, I am not a fan of going to the dentist but I will go for cleanings. It is just when he starts telling me I need crowns etc that make me say not right now. I always told DH that dentists are liked used car salesmen, always trying to get you to buy something. My dentist of decades retired a few years ago without warning and sold his practice. The office staff stayed the same and I really like them. So I continue to see this dentist as he is kind and is technically good. I tried a mouth guard for grinding my teeth and I could not wear it. It gave me a jaw ache and headache. The dentist was so upset that I couldn't use it. He was asking if he needed to adjust it or what I needed and I had to tell him it is me. not you.

I am trying to get through each day. This weekend I did a sleepover at younger DS's house with my 3 grandkiddies there. I had a good time but it was sad the Chris was not there. Then younger DS and DDIL told me they are expecting baby number four at the end of May. I just sobbed because I know how much Chris wanted another grandbaby and how he would have been so excited. They understood. It is a good thing but a sad thing for me in a way because of losing Chris. We did more house cleanout. It seems like that will be a never ending job. Chris had so much stuff saved. We are renting a dumpster for a couple of weeks to throw out outside stuff and all the bins older DS found under our sun porch. Chris told me there was some stuff under there but it is filled to the top. I am so overwhelmed by all the stuff he saved. It is not quite like hoarders, more like pack rat gone wild. As I go through the stuff upstairs in drawers and closets etc I find so much stuff that makes me cry. I don't know how I am going to get through this myself. I know I should take it one minute, one hour, one day at a time but I do look out years and think of being alone. Thank you for giving me a place to write out my thoughts and feelings.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

I need a distraction and this question is a good one. I have very bad medical memories. I have been heavy all my life. I have met doctors who insulted and ridiculed me for being what they called really fat and I was a "big girl." My pediatrician even told my mother to call me fat so I would want to lose weight. I know this because when my mother called me names I asked her why she was doing that. She told me. One time a doctor insulted all through the exam. The medical assistant actually apologized to me. She was appalled. Chris wanted to send him a dead fish. LOL! My wonderful DH looking out for me. Now I would send him a dead fish. I have a PCP now that maybe is not the best but he is kind and not judgmental. I know he is going to retire soon and the thought of finding a new one gives me an anxiety attack. I have lost alot of weight but I am still considered overweight. AS far as dentists go, I am not a fan of going to the dentist but I will go for cleanings. It is just when he starts telling me I need crowns etc that make me say not right now. I always told DH that dentists are liked used car salesmen, always trying to get you to buy something. My dentist of decades retired a few years ago without warning and sold his practice. The office staff stayed the same and I really like them. So I continue to see this dentist as he is kind and is technically good. I tried a mouth guard for grinding my teeth and I could not wear it. It gave me a jaw ache and headache. The dentist was so upset that I couldn't use it. He was asking if he needed to adjust it or what I needed and I had to tell him it is me. not you.

I am trying to get through each day. This weekend I did a sleepover at younger DS's house with my 3 grandkiddies there. I had a good time but it was sad the Chris was not there. Then younger DS and DDIL told me they are expecting baby number four at the end of May. I just sobbed because I know how much Chris wanted another grandbaby and how he would have been so excited. They understood. It is a good thing but a sad thing for me in a way because of losing Chris. We did more house cleanout. It seems like that will be a never ending job. Chris had so much stuff saved. We are renting a dumpster for a couple of weeks to throw out outside stuff and all the bins older DS found under our sun porch. Chris told me there was some stuff under there but it is filled to the top. I am so overwhelmed by all the stuff he saved. It is not quite like hoarders, more like pack rat gone wild. As I go through the stuff upstairs in drawers and closets etc I find so much stuff that makes me cry. I don't know how I am going to get through this myself. I know I should take it one minute, one hour, one day at a time but I do look out years and think of being alone. Thank you for giving me a place to write out my thoughts and feelings.

Hugs, Snowysmom. It sounds very overwhelming. You will get through it with the help of your family. I wish we could fast-forward to next year at this time, when things might be seeming a little less overwhelming. My sister in law keeps talking about “forever”, as well, as in, “this is now forever my life and circumstance”, etc. It seems hard to think about now, but life will go on. And Chris would want you to enjoy your life. So try to keep an open mind about what life might be like once you’re more “settled” after this event. Try to think about what things you still have to look forward to. Though Chris’s life has ended in this world, yours has not. It may feel like it has, but it hasn’t. I think you are doing a good job getting up every day and going over to the house, making some progress, interacting with your family, etc.

My DH has a lot of hobby stuff, too. We lost it all in a fire at one point, but he’s rebuilt. Fortunately most of it is out in his workshop. Glad that DS and him have some of the same hobbies and that DS would likely like to keep a lot of it himself were anything to happen. But I’ve been talking to DH a lot about this as we get closer to retirement age, and we need to really start working on some of this stuff, as well. Not just his stuff, but the accumulation of stuff we have over 40 years. (We’ve only had the one house, so everything is here, we’ve never really culled through it. Plus we’ve taken on a lot of other peoples’ things when they passed.) We’ve had to do it for both our parents and that’s been the catalyst. But we still have so many other active issues going on it‘s hard to find the time.

I’m sorry, too, about the problems you’ve had with doctors. That must’ve influenced your son, somewhat. Doctors when we were growing up, I think, were different than they are today. I had a mean one, too, and avoided like the plague, lol. My mother had some cruel things said to her, as well, even in the setting of losing a baby or having mental health issues. I hope to all get out that things are better today. I try really hard to be accepting of patients and to look forward and not back. I also like to help patients feel I’m not judging, because we all have issues we’re dealing with, too. People seem to appreciate that when I take time to explain. I’m sure, though, that even today it can be difficult at times. Ugh.

 

[lynxstch]

Good morning..sunny and bright. Slept great,,from 3 am till 8 am,,sheesh. Stepdaughter came before dinner, brought laundry up for me, took trash out, brought Mr L 2 double cheeseburgers and me a small one,,and I ate the whole thing, which was an accomplishment, since my appetite still hasn't come back fully. I am willing to be the pain in the butt from next door knocks and asks if he can mow, even though I told him I would call him if needed.

Not a Dr or a dentist person, especially the second. I too bit a dentist when I was small, and he slapped me,,which caused anxiety the rest of my life as far as going to them.

Hang in there @Snowysmom--I think you are doing amazing, and congrats on grandbaby #4 !

Have a nice morning all

 

[Dead2009]

Apparently we're in line for nasty storms tonight. Cant wait.

 

[easyas123]

I shake when I have to take the grandkids for an appointment and I'm not even being seen.

'

My husband has such a tooth phobia that he never once was able to take the kids to the dentist or orthodontist. He can't even watch anything about teeth in any situation. He wasn't able to handle the kids having loose teeth either.

QOTD: Are your medical and dental memories good ones, or hard ones?

Good question.
No bad medical memories...well, having two kids w/o any pain meds pretty much pissed me off to no end, but that wasn't anyone's fault except Mother Natures!
I'm conflicted on how to answer the dental memories. I had a very odd situation, I only had about 6 adult teeth, total. That's right -...very long story short when I was 18 (they had to wait for my body/bones structure to stop growing + I have a small mouth) I was outfitted in dental implants top and bottom, left & right and full bridges.

months until Xmas, better get shopping!

We were talking about this over the weekend. My family - my brothers, SIL's and parents have long since decided against exchanging gifts and we've since done the same with my husbands brother & sister. His folks won't give it up so he still does with them, and we buy for any nieces & nephews under 18, so we've really pared things down. This year we are giving our kids airline gift cards for travel and keeping the actual gifts to a minimum. The dogs will get the majority of gifts under the tree! Still, I love a good stocking, so everyone will get a stocking full of fun/different/odd ball/silly items.

Then younger DS and DDIL told me they are expecting baby number four at the end of May.

CONGRATULATIONS! How wonderful to have that to look forward to next spring.

We’ve had to do it for both our parents and that’s been the catalyst. But we still have so many other active issues going on it‘s hard to find the time.

We have managed to keep our house fairly free of tons of stuff, but that is mostly due to my husbands parents being hoarders and him having a aversion to to much stuff....mind you, he & the boys have stalls full of decoys and crab traps in one of the barns so we do have that to contend with! We have, over the years, formulated a plan between the two of us for the day it comes when one or both of his folks are gone and the massive amount of stuff needs to be dealt with. I'm talking sheds full of stuff and a house that is almost to the point of paths thru some of the rooms. And cats, so damn many cats. Like many hoarders, they think it has value but in truth it does not. It will require a few sled dumpsters I think. They have a 30 year old huge chest freezer that probably has stuff in it as old. That will be fun -

Hope everyone had a great weekend. I did a marathon day of shopping Saturday and managed to find 3 pairs of pants - 2 jeans and 1 slack. It's a start at least. I found some cute sweaters and hit the jackpot at Home goods as I came across my Spode pattern and was able to get 10 bowls! Every year they have a bit of it this time of season so I grab what I can when I can. Went to Costco as well, and grabbed a few things - butter, half & half, some lamb & whole roasters and coffee.

I've got a nail appt. at 5 this afternoon and stop at Lowes to make as well, so I guess I'd better get myself to work.

Sautéed shrimp over salad this evening for dinner -