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

[AuntieMe3]

Good morning. I'm so over the cold... I'm ready to complain about the heat. We had some icy rain last night and winds, OMG, our winds have been crazy. We're in the desert so it's always a bit windy but lately it's been really bad. It's calm right now but the next storm is moving in this evening, winds and then snow/rain mix tomorrow. We're driving 3 1/2 hours away this weekend for a quick overnight with friends. It's on the border of Nevada and Arizona so I'm hoping it's a bit warmer there. We're going to leave early Saturday morning, hang out in the casinos for the afternoon and then dinner for our friends mom's 80th birthday. We'll have breakfast in the morning and then head home.

Have any of you seen or used one of these?

We used something like this https://www.homedepot.com/p/Lasko-3...ith-Timer-and-Remote-Control-T36211/319310245 at the daycare I worked out. Half of the playroom was an addition so it was cooler than the rest of the room. It wasn't hot to touch so safe to have around the little ones and kept the room nice and toasty.

Here are some pics from last night:

Beautiful...wish I was there right now. Enjoy your time.

Hope you all have a good day today.

 

[easyas123]

I'm so over the cold... I'm ready to complain about the heat.

I don't mind the cold & winter, I'm still sore we didn't get any measurable snow this year but I'm with you at this point! Bring on the heat & humidity. I'm ready for the hair frizz fairy to show up!

 

[flyingdumbo127]

Happy last day of February, everyone.

Today is Shirley's Memorial Service at It would also have been her 96th birthday. I believe from Heaven she is celebrating in some way perhaps even with my grandma who she never met here on earth but had a lot in common with, including a sweet tooth! Extra reminder to tell someone you appreciate, care for, or love that you do today! Please don't ever wait to bless both the recipient and you with this gift! After all, God gifted you with that person to begin with. Speaking of which, an extra thank you to each of you from me

All is thankfully dry at the moment. Praying it stays that way until dad gets home from laundry and Ralphs. Still freezing here for me.

Lucky Rabbit for taking the care and time to share such wonderful heating advice. I really appreciate it, my friend and always you! I'll share with dad when he comes home from morning laundry and Ralphs. It does sound like any space heater needs to be plugged directly into a wall socket which is what I have always thought. Since, I'm not sure we have a free socket, this may not work unless we could temporarily unplug something else while using the heater. I will keep you and everyone else posted and as always, it's so good to see you post in our thread. that you are staying warm!

Thank you also, Snowysmom. that you stay warm and have a good Tuesday. Treat yourself some to some hot chocolate or some other warm comfort!

PollyannaMom, beautiful pictures! God's handiwork is miraculous indeed! Thank you for sharing with us. Enjoy the rest of your trip.

Footballmouse, I appreciate your kind and compassionate nursing care! that you and you colleagues are indeed recognized extra this week at work. I think will be on sale starting tomorrow at Ralph's (may be Kroger where you are) for $3.99. Dad and I will thankfully take the $2 savings off the regular these days $5.99 price when he buys more eggs on Friday.

Thank you, Bobbiwoz also for your heating good wishes. I Googled Amish Milk That sounds like something even I (very plain and picky eater) might like to try. I'm so glad you and Tom got to enjoy a cooking demonstration and how cool that the library offered it. Dad would have enjoyed going, too.

Lynn and remodelingI'm so glad Dave was able to clear his schedule. May all the work go smoothly! How is Don doing today? Many prayers the answer is better!

Easyas, enjoy for me please some and of, course, prayers for safe travels to you. May any remodeling you take on also go well, my friend.

Stay warm please, AuntieMe3 and thank you so much also for the heater recommendation. Sounds like Lasko is a definite winner. I really appreciate that from you and of course Lucky Rabbit, too. Safe and warmer travels to you

Have a warm and good day, friends. I'll check back in later.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

Hard to believe it’s almost March! Where does the time go? Glad to be headed toward spring, though. It was yucky overnight here with a relatively big storm predicted that’s turned out to be rain and a tiny bit of snow (looks like they got more in CA!), so a bit of a bust. It cracks me up that so much gets cancelled now at the hint of a “storm”. I was supposed to get a delivery of our new pool deck today and it got postponed till later in the week. DH’s workplace was supposed to have an FDA inspection today it got postponed. Pretty sure schools either got cancelled or delayed. We’re in New England, we’re supposed to be able to handle this, lol. Not that I really care that much. Thankfully I’m off and can stay home today, (but I would’ve gone in had I been scheduled, of course). I might venture out in a little while, I haven’t decided yet.

@PollyannaMom I‘m glad you’re in a warm and beautiful place and seeing your folks. Enjoy for all of us!

Mona it sounds like you’ve gotten some good suggestions on the heaters. A few weeks ago when we had no heat during that cold spell my brother had suggested running out and buying the radiator type heater, but we didn’t really need it, we were ok. (And DH has one out in his workshop if we did.) But he has that type and recommended it.

I think you know I’d gotten hearing aids last fall. I didn’t mention it here because I was still coming to acceptance about it (lol) but I did do a thread on the BB (that I probably should update at some point). The beauty, for anyone who doesn’t know, is that, thanks to some senators who got a bill passed about it, hearing aids became more affordable by making them for sale OTC or direct to consumer, which lowered their cost significantly. Good ones prior were typically in the $6K range and few could afford them. I’d been budgeting when word came out, so that was great news for me.

I researched up the ying yang, and several people close to me had gotten them and were able to advise me a bit. I went with the Lively brand, which was renamed Jabra Enhance, and I’ve been happy with them, although they do take a while to get used to. I’d had my own audiogram from my own ENT office (which they used for my prescription), but I work with an audiologist through the company too, and nice that one was assigned to me so we ”met” online for 30 mins and she’s available to me anytime I have questions or concerns (which I haven’t yet). For me, I only wear them at work where the environment is very loud, with a goal of improving hearing with one on one conversations, and for that, they’ve been good. (Though it can be challenging wearing masks and using stethoscopes and such there with them.) I was able to use my FSA card directly with the company (which you can’t do with some big retailers due to potential for fraud) and, after two discounts that added up to $400 at the time, the out of pocket cost to me was just $1600 ETA $1500 (or thereabouts, I forget exact amount). Mine have everything the better hearing aids have including Bluetooth (which isn’t a feature I thought I’d need but I like having it now) and connection to smartphone for controls (though manual, too) and the big part is audiologist support. Mine were considered direct to consumer. Hope this helps anyone in the market for HA’s! Feel free to PM me or ask here if you have ?s.

Love the baby pictures! And your renovations sound nice! We have some projects coming up soon, one is to paint the outside of the house and update some of the landscaping, most of which we’ll be doing ourselves. We wound up buying a new pool deck, that was a bit of a pain. DH was debating on building one but said the cost would be about the same (since price of wood has gone up so much) so we might as well just get the same one we’ve had, and he and DS can put it up. Ours had bent during a storm when the [above ground] pool collapsed a few yrs ago. We got a new pool at that time but we Mickey Mouse’d the deck for a while. Then the rust got to be too much. Now they make it out of resin instead of metal so it should last longer this time (hopefully). Cost went up $1000 since we bought the last one about 12 yrs ago, more than the pool itself! If we ever decide to take the pool down I’m sure we could sell it as they are hard to find.

Snowysmom that would’ve annoyed me, too. Just the thought of adults behaving like middle schoolers! Pretty soon you’ll be out of there. The new town sounds nice, I love the sound of a general store and being just 12 mins from Kenny and the kids as well as near 495 and all that. But I can understand you’re taking your time to really be sure it’s the right move for you. I hope you get your sign. Meditate and pray about it before you fall asleep and maybe your dreams will reveal something!

Getting long here, I hope everyone has a good Tuesday.

 

[flyingdumbo127]

Pea and thank you for trusting in all of us to share your own hearing better courage. I did PM you before reading this post! Thank you so much for your kind, as always, offer. extra you are continuing to heal and staying warm too. for a day off and always cheers for dear you!

 

[tazdev3225]

I'll catch up when I get back home again but wanted to say a quick hello. I did meet the new dr/nurse practitioner. I liked her enough to make an appointment for Jim in a couple of weeks. She does agree that the seafood allergy can be life threatening and ordered an epi pen. I did explain that I am being very proactive and taking care not to get food that can be contaminated in cooking with contact. This means quite a few places where I get wings and fries from are out as I know they also fry shrimp in the same oils. I even let her do blood work and I usually avoid that if at all possible. She is not my old dr. but she does understand that she has some big shoes to fill. For now I think she may work.

Hope you all are having a good day. It's cold and wet here in Philly.

 

[flyingdumbo127]

Taz and I am so glad you felt comfortable enough with the new doctor/nurse to make an appointment to come for Jim. You are both in my Get home safely and stay there and be warm!

Dad is finishing up at Ralph's and thankfully will soon be home himself. No rain yet either here, extra blessing this morning from God indeed!

Wishing all of dear you a great rest of the day.

 

[Judique]

I don't mind the cold & winter, I'm still sore we didn't get any measurable snow this year but I'm with you at this point! Bring on the heat & humidity. I'm ready for the hair frizz fairy to show up!

With the crazy weather I think it may be too early to give up yet. 60 degrees here right now.

This morning I had an endoscopy (upper). Found a hiatal hernia and also took some biopsy samples. Hopefully nothing comes of those. I have to start the Prilosec in the meantime.

 

[flyingdumbo127]

dear Judique for all clear results! I am very grateful that the endoscopy is over with. Take extra care this afternoon.

The sun is out a dash here at the moment. No rain just freezing inside. We will be looking into heaters later. Thank you all so much again for your suggestions and warm wishes. Prayers each of you are cozy right now.

 

[tazdev3225]

I am in for the day and thankfully we put off the visit downtown until next week. I was afraid I would miss the once an hour train and not get back in time for the boys.

I got the Epipen and I think I will stick to a large dose of Benadryl next time. It was almost $400. I really miss my old coverage where it would have been $20. I think if it was something I really needed I could handle the sticker shock better, but this is one of those meds that you don't use until you need to use it. Jim wasn't upset by it though. He said $400 is a small cost to pay for me not to die from a bee or an accidental seafood exposure. I know he is right though I will never tell him that. The new dr. I saw did say that because I was never allergic before and the symptoms appeared so suddenly and progressed so rapidly that I could be in real danger of anaphylaxis next time. I have to be very proactive now to make sure I am not exposed. This has me worried with the Disney trip coming up. I can't even have French Fries if they are made in the same oils as seafood was. The worst part is knowing I can never have shrimp, scallops or calamari again.

@Pea-n-Me - thanks for the info on hearing aids. I didn't know that they have been made more affordable, the cost was a big factor in my not wanting them. My whole family has been pestering me about getting them. I know my hearing is bad, but for a while I was having chronic ear infections. I do need to consider it though because I really can't hear my grandsons, they are so soft spoken. I hate getting old and I had a job that didn't help. I was exposed to heavy traffic noises for 14 years.

Dinner tonight is grilled cheese and tomato sandwiches with soup. Tomorrow I am trying that Marsala sauce from Aldi's and then a stir-fry on Thursday with left over roast pork. I need to go to the discount produce store for that tomorrow. I know it sounds crazy but bok choy there is $1.50 a bunch while it is $2.50/$3.00 a pound at the grocery store. I am trying to eat a little healthier so stir fries will be on the menu quite a bit, thankfully Jim loves them and I will have enough for 2 meals that way.

May check back later. Have a good night if I don't get on.

 

[flyingdumbo127]

Jim is absolutely right, dear Taz!I'm so glad you have each other. Thank you also for trusting in us, your Quacker family, to share about your own hearing. You are absolutely also courageous to seek out options. You know, I wish you the best always and to find a hearing aid that will be of true assistance to you. Dad is most likely going to try Costco's recommendation. His insurance doesn't cover the cost which for us is a fortune at over $1500. To better his life, of course, is priceless. He's going to do a bit more research before deciding. Thank you and everyone else for your loving extra care and prayers to us both.

I talked with Barbara Ann who said Shirley's memorial service was beautiful. By the Grace of God, she felt Shirley was present. That was my own prayer this morning from home. I was disappointed that my tribute wasn't read. Unlike other memorials that had a time for anyone to speak, apparently this one didn't. I had thought I was scheduled through my frirnd. I did get a copy to Shirley's family. All that matters ever, is giving thanks to God in all and for those He gives us to love. That happened today and His angel Shirley was well remembered. Praise be to God!

Dad and I are going to bake cookies in the morning. He will either bring most of them tomorrow or for sure on Thursday to the fire station. He can talk with them about heaters in person. Should he not go tomorrow, he can always call. It's so chilly in here. I want him especially to be warm. I would appreciate continued heater prayers. for everything dear Quacker family. Be cozy and have sweet dreams tonight.

 

[PollyannaMom]

A few pics from today's boat ride:

Turtles:


An alligator:


Someone's little gnome village:


And this one DS took, just because I like it:

 

[easyas123]

With the crazy weather I think it may be too early to give up yet.

That's true, I can recall a few March snow storms around here. Still, I'm thinking that I'm outta luck for this season

A few pics from today's boat ride:

ahhh , looks nice. I missed it - where are you at?

 

[Pea-n-Me]

A few pics from today's boat ride:

Turtles:
View attachment 743130

An alligator:
View attachment 743141

Someone's little gnome village:
View attachment 743146

And this one DS took, just because I like it:
View attachment 743147

Haha I wanted to do the love smilie, but that alligator freaked me out!
Be careful out there!

J/k

 

[Pea-n-Me]

That's true, I can recall a few March snow storms around here. Still, I'm thinking that I'm outta luck for this season

ahhh , looks nice. I missed it - where are you at?

She is in FL visiting her folks!

 

[theluckyrabbit]

... It does sound like any space heater needs to be plugged directly into a wall socket which is what I have always thought. Since, I'm not sure we have a free socket, this may not work unless we could temporarily unplug something else while using the heater...

You could try plugging other things into a power strip, e.g. lamps or a clock, so that the outlet plug would be free for a space heater.

 

[PollyannaMom]

Haha I wanted to do the love smilie, but that alligator freaked me out!
Be careful out there!

Don't worry. That pic was zoomed in and cropped after the fact. We were quite a distance from him in my uncle's boat. They are fascinating to see, though, just so ancient looking.

 

[Snowysmom]

@PollyannaMom Love the pictures. I am one of those crazy people who like to see alligators but at a long distance. They always look like they are smiling. Probably picturing everyone as lunch.

@TazDev Glad you are getting your health issues resolved. Epipens are expensive but so necessary. Chris had hearing aids but he went to an audiology office. Our insurance covered then except for our deductible which was still alot. I like that it has been made more affordable now. I would not follow what Chris did but more like what Pea-n-me did.

@Judique Glad the endoscopy is over. Now you will know what is going on and how to treat it. Kenny has been on prilosec since his teenage years. He has severe acid reflux to the point that he couldn't breathe one night as a teenager and we had to call the ambulance. He has periodic endoscopies to be sure everything is OK.

@flyingdumbo127 Glad your Dad is getting his hearing needs taken care of too. It is nice of you to make cookies for the fire fighters.

It is a cold morning. We did not get as much snow as they predicted. We only got a couple of inches and that was on the grassy surfaces. Once the pavement was cleaned off in the morning it stayed clear.

I did my taxes yesterday and was so overwhelmed by what I owe. My mistake. I forgot to change my withholding from married filing jointly to single. That makes such a huge difference. Plus I collect social security in addtion to working which hurts me. I don't make a ton of money but most of the SS is taxable. State was fine and I owe what I usually owe. Federal was a shock but as I said, single filing put me into a higher tax bracket which really hurts. I think they need to have a tax bracket for widows and widowers that is between married and single. I feel like I am neither.

Off to work. First day of the month so my busy week is starting.

Have a good day.

 

[footballmouse]

Happy Hump Day!

Bailey called me yesterday while I was at work to ask if I could pick Mia up, she had to go to work on her off day. No big deal, I pass that area on the way home. Boomer was happy to see her when I got home. Met up with Evan for dinner a couple of hours later for the baby swap.

Jacob's girlfriend, Livia, texted me in the morning with pictures. She wanted to know if I thought her foot was broken, a fire extinguisher fell on it while she was at work. She went to the urgent care and they said it was severely bruised. I suggested that she try to find a walking boot because it was going to hurt for the rest of the week. She's constantly on her feet at work. Checked with her this morning, foot is really bruised and unable to move 2 toes but she's going to work. Told her to keep it elevated.

Everything went smoothly for the employee luncheon that I ordered food for. Food was good, saved some for my lunch today. I really need to get back to cooking dinner, I either order out or eat junk food.

Today it's supposed to be 75 out! I really wish I was working from home today, the dogs would be laying outside on the deck all afternoon.

Back to work, have a great day!

 

[Judique]

A few pics from today's boat ride:

Turtles:
View attachment 743130

An alligator:
View attachment 743141

Someone's little gnome village:
View attachment 743146

And this one DS took, just because I like it:
View attachment 743147

I went on a boat ride with my brother and sister in law in Mt Dora similar to that one. Afterwards we had a great day wandering the streets and eating outdoors at one of the restaurants.

The gnome village is what sparked my memory.

And we also saw a giant Eagle nest that they said weighed around a ton.

(Now, I hope I'm not superimposing 2 or more boat rides into this memory!)