Senior Golden Sneakers
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Good morning everybody! I didn't go anywhere yesterday and I read everybody's posts, viewed the beautiful photos and decided my own life was completely boring for everyone else to read about. It wasn't boring for me, I wrote numerous letters and emails, and I shifted the furniture around a bit to make it all more winter comfy. Jill is a wise little dog, normally she follows me everywhere, but she took one look at me swinging the double bed around and decided to retire to the back room with her chewy bone. I do all this manual work at snail pace, taking numerous breaks for the British standby of fortifying cups of tea, and we eventually get done. I just have to organize my lads to remove the heavy a/c unit out of the LR window and it will be old man winter do your worst.
Nature sure did its worst on poor Houston. Heartbreaking photos of folks clutching dogs, children and possessions as they wade through waist high water. If this earth warming continues and these coastal storms continue in intensity people will have to move inland. Hard if one lives on an island! I still blame cars, said she smugly who has never owned one (but would like to, what an old hypocrite). I always rode a bike, but have been banned from that form of transport and especially since the old chap got blown off his a few weeks ago. Hence Mike using his to come over and help with the groceries.
I'm slowly wading my way through the bumper crop of carrots. Helped by the Bean who gets a few in her homemade dog food. She's busy yapping at the moment, hopefully at the woman who was mean to mom. The one with the phone growing out of her ear! The one who was rude, mmm I don't think I told you gals about that encounter. It passed.
So what will today bring? Hopefully a pleasant day in this last week before the children return to school.
Have fun girls,
Anne and her faithful hound, Jilly Bean.0 -
The clouds have lifted here after a drizzly start but after seeing the pictures coming out of Houston I don't think I will ever complain about rain again. Our news has shown similar scenes in India where thousands have died in recent floods and it brings home the reality that it doesn't matter where you live, there's little to be done to stop Mother Nature when she's cross with us! My heart goes out to those on both continents suffering the ravages of these storms.
Decision made on the garden room.... yes I will go with the first company that visited, the one that George approved of, but will see if I can negotiate another drop in price as I know these organisations bump up their quotes just so they can bring them down as if doing us a favour!
Lin ~ I'm not 100% sure but in the back of my mind is the idea that engine houses were originally designed specifically for Cornish mining and incorporated a steam engine to pump water out of the mine shafts as well as pull the miners through miles of rabbit warrens and back up to the surface. Here's a complete one to give you an idea of what they looked like before so many collapsed over time and most of the granite taken away by "creative" Cornish men wanting to build solid homes!
My tummy tells me it's lunchtime so I'll make myself a healthy salad in an effort to lose the recently gained 2 lbs then more gardening!
Jackie
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Happy Wednesday!
The parents were able to play tennis, it did not rain. Max is now crawling and pulling himself up on furniture, so cute!!! He plays better now and I don't have to hold him all the time, so even though he is into everything it was easier. Robby is always good at least for me. lol
Bingo tonight and I will find out if I can infringe on my friends and go to Wisconsin with them for a week on the 11th. It will be nice to get away from all the drama and sitting for a little while.
Jackie, I am sure George approves of your decision to pick the man he liked and maybe George can help get that estimate lowered with his puppy eyes. You hit the nail on the head with your paragraph to me, that is exactly how I feel and yes the boys are my saviors.
Anne, Anne, Anne, please don't ever feel like your life is boring, you add so much to our little group and we don't all have exciting lives. I tend to ramble because I just like to talk, so please don't ever feel what you tell us is boring. We love to hear about Jilly and your thoughts about the world's problems even if we can't fix them. We all share the devastation in Houston and the horrifying pictures and videos coming from there, it is so heartbreaking. I would love to hear the story of the mean lady with the phone and do you want me to come there and put her in her place???
Buzz,so are you using the mike and speaker to write or are you still using your hands?
Jackie's words of wisdom were perfect! Someone should speak with the chef to let him know he is feeding seniors and they don't need salt. I don't think you are losing it, I think your mind just keeps busy with so many things.
Lin, enjoy your day today doing all those things you love to do. That is why I go once a week for them to play tennis or whatever they want, so they can spend a little time together. We all love our kids but when toddlers they wear you out and a break is always appreciated.
Patsy, I hope you had fun with your friend from Alaska and got your mind off of Houston for a little while. I have such a hard time with the people who chained their dogs with no chance to swim to safety. Why on earth would you do that?
I wish something wonderful would happen that could be reported on the news, something that could make us all laugh and be happy. I do love my life and the people in it and for that I am grateful!!
Sandy
One Day at a Time
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Well, if you want a smile SANDY, the Bean was playing with her squeaky ball in the back room. The squeaking stopped and she came up to me looking hopeful. "Have you lost squeaky ball" says I. I creak down on my creaky knees and look under the sofa. She's leaping up and down and rushing to the kitchen. Whilst I'm on the aged knees I decide to also look under the armchair and a chest of drawers. Jilly pulls at my shirt seeing we are at floor level. "Is it in the kitchen?" I ask. She rushes to the kitchen again, and there it is, floating in her drinking bowl! She couldn't get it out because it's big and every time she tried it sunk. Water everywhere from her efforts I presume. She is the most communicating dog I've met, if only dumb cluck here could get the message the first time!
Anne2 -
Cooler today! It feels more like fall again. We had a return to summer there for a few days. I am still hobbling around but without so much pain. Back to the stretches etc.etc.etc. it is one of life's little hiccups
Anne: dear sweet lady! Your life is full of love and laughter. How much better can it be? A little doggie that can speak your language, a sweet little house, tubs of veggies, lots of flowers, and two devoted handsome sons. As my Irish granny would say...your luck runs golden! Not sure what that means but Granny was a funny sweetheart. I remember her hair. She once gave herself a permanent that looked like a clipped poodle. Then she dyed it red, but her white hair made it pink. Okay! I am rambling on.
Sandy: you are right about needing some good news for a change. I do believe that sitting for your grandsons is a gift for all of you. The chance for the young couple to have a bit of time alone, the time you spend with the boys is great for them so they can have a good bonding experience with a grandparent, and you get to know the joy of seeing your grandsons grow, it is a youth tonic for you. Win/win/win!!!!!
My Alaskan friend comes Friday. I will just get take out for dinner. I have a couple of days to thin out my mess. (Dust and vacuum, clean the bathrooms) I do have a trip to the vets that is an emergency. Katie needs her glans drained. Uuuugh! It is something I could do if I felt confident that I would not hurt her. One of the important things of living with a dog. They need help occasionally.
Good news always seems to be in the small print!
Patsy
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Oh I forgot to tell all you sneakers...I was talking to John about the sneakers and I decided to pull up everyone's photo. He said "Wow! You know, those ladies are ALL very attractive! ". He is a silver-tongued devil, that one! I have lived with this old flirt over 50 years. He is a cutie, himself. Anyway, I was thinking how everyone here makes the effort and stays mentally active. Very important.
Patsy0 -
PATSY, tell John to continue with his flattery; it will get him everywhere
SANDY, the Speech Recognition software <Nuance Dragon NaturallySpeaking Premium 13 > arrived today and I'm excited and apprehensive about installing it before I have lots of time to practice with it. Installing it is nothing; run the disc! But getting it to recognize my speech patterns is a whole new field for me! If I get to bed NOW, and waken early, I'll attempt it in the morning. I also have to figure out how to adjust my sound system and did find where an external mike goes. Amazing how little I know about what makes a computer tick!
Watched an interesting history documentary tonight about the Bay of Pigs, our entrance into Vietnam, etc. So darn complicated and scary when we learn of the manipulation that goes on between countries! We're always on the brink of something, it seems!
JACKIE, I thought that stone building was a ruin in the 1st picture. I always used to read about the mining villages and how people were practically owned by the companies for which they worked. I think our state of West Virginia is going through the upheavals of coal being used far less these days. Also an area where the entire society was built around a single source of income!
ANNE, that little honey! I can just picture the ball in the water and her communicating it to you so cleverly!
LIN, whatever you are doing, I'm certain you are intensely involved in something fascinating!
Buzz
..............Always believe something wonderful is about to happen!!!..................0 -
This morning's walk was enjoyable although we had to wear raincoats in warm sunshine because black clouds surrounded the hills. Just in time as I put my car in the garage the heavens opened so we got a bit wet getting along the footpath to the cottage because Brady appeared in front to run under my feet and George wanted to pick up stones..... as ever!
Anne ~ I missed your post by minutes since we were both tapping away on keyboards at the same time! Believe me, there's nothing boring about your life; boring would be sitting in a chair watching daytime tv, something I did for a couple of hours yesterday because it was raining but once it eased off I was out with George trotting up the hill in our hamlet!! It seems this global warming or climate change began with the industrial revolution so that would certainly include motor vehicles and you may have seen on the BBC news that the UK is going to concentrate on electric cars from now on but of course for the batteries they need lithium which has to be got out of the ground and they won't be able to do that under battery power. Does that make it a vicious circle or Catch 29.... both probably! Guess where there are large concentrations of lithium? Yup, Cornwall and it's apparently very unstable so I'm hoping they won't begin mining it in my lifetime otherwise I'll be listening to loud bangs all day!!
Fracking is the other nightmare for areas of England so it seems we humans aren't learning anything from our mistakes. Gripe over!!
Buzz ~ That first photo is of a ruin and I'm surrounded by such relics but a couple of engine houses have been restored to original state as museums. Throughout our industrial growth whole communities relied totally on the owners of factories and mines for their survival and today we still have the remnants of the villages that were created. Anne will have seen massive changes in her old stomping ground of Yorkshire when she visited because coal mining was big business until politicians decided to close them down when miners demanded a living wage. You have similar problems of course today and one sad story I saw related to the floods in Louisiana was a young man telling a reporter he had just lost his job because his car was under water so he couldn't drive which then made him late for work so his boss fired him.... for goodness sake!
Sandy ~ The only thing on the news making me smile at the moment is French President Macron's dog Nemo that's now become a star so yesterday it was a German Minister who got the waggy tail treatment!! I can't wait to see who will be visiting the palace today.
Patsy ~ I could thank John for his delightful compliment but he may well have been looking at my picture of George, that other silver tongued devil.
Lin ~ I trust you enjoyed your 'crafty' day. Lots of new BBC drama on the horizon as the Autumn schedules come out so I'll let you know if anything looks enthralling.
You will have all guessed from my ramblings that I'm doing my best to put off the housework that needs doing so I'll start with the dishes in the sink and see where that takes me.
Jackie1 -
Good morning.
Lovely posts. I have enjoyed them all. First, thank you Jackie for explaining the engine houses and providing the additional photo. Fun to flip back and forth in the posts to look at the ruins and then the building as it would have looked when in operation. They really are amazing buildings. I appreciate the time you spent giving me the background. I did love that many materials were hauled off for use in home building. Aha, the original recycling! I will need to search for more news on the French President and the new dog. I could use a daily smiling update on the antics of that dog. And thanks, I will take any tips for shows I should be hunting for. Thank you.
Anne, I think Jilly just had you in a merry chase with the ball in the bowl. What fun for her to keep your full attention. And lucky you, a wet floor to clean up. Yes indeed, Miss Jilly does not lack for personality. Love these stories.
Sandy, those boys are growing so quickly. Now they are both on the move, one walking and one crawling! Wow. Do take care of your back as you play with them. I see the weather here at least will be hot over the weekend. Pool weather!!! Some friends told me they are going to the beach and will be swimming this weekend to enjoy this last blast of summer.
Buzz, I hope you are able to use the Dragon software quickly. I know tackling a new project takes a lot of concentration and energy so I trust you did get some sleep. Unfortunately I usually get excited to start something new and often I start when I am tired and/or really do not have enough time to accomplish much.
And I did everything on my list yesterday. Tai Chi, coloring (and visiting) with friends, errands and then an afternoon of card making at a local paper crafting store. When I got home I had a couple of ideas and worked on those for a little while but also needed to zip around the house and up and down stairs for a while to make sure I hit my Fitbit goals.
Today trip to the store, off to spend time with friends at the library, home to unload my CSA box, nutrition webinar and then I need to cook, clean vegetables and pack a kit of supplies but also my breakfast and lunch. Friday I am spending the day at a shop out of town learning more about alcohol markers. So again, will not be around.
Wishing everyone well. The only plus of running around so much and visiting with people is that I see less of the disasters in the news reports.
Hugs.
Lin1 -
That's a big plus LIN, seeing less disasters.
Our day has started well, a nice brisk walk and pools of rainwater so I don't need to water today!
Yes JACKIE I remember the mines closing and Rolls Royce in a mess as well which brought us to Canada. I also remember the trawler fleet being disbanded and many of our friends fathers suddenly thrown out of work. It has its upside, Rolls Royce aircraft engines recovered, and what was once docklands in Hull is now a beautiful marina full of yachts and restaurants. I sincerely hope, really sincerely, that fracking doesn't occur in your beautiful neighbourhood. Funnily, I never knowingly met a miner because we lived further north and east, but we drove through Doncaster on our way up north to visit parents so remember the mine shafts and wheels. Yes, it was the industrial revolution that brought about all this mess. If we'd only stopped at steam trains and bicycles! But then, somebody else would have thought it all up instead. Fancy, all from a spinning wheel I believe?
The spinning Jenny,
Oh no ! PATSY, showing John our photos! We've now lost our glamorous mystique! Only kidding, actually and omitting myself, we ain't a bad looking lot at all. And no JACKIE, gorgeous as George is in the doggie world, no comparison at all to our long legged fearless bee keeper!
Well, industrial revolution or not, the old homestead needs a dusting and a sweeping, us not having reached the age of robots yet who will do it all including walking the dog in the near future I gather. Won't THAT be interesting! All the Donald's, Kim's, Theresa's replaced by logical thinking robots keeping us all in order, oh boy, the mind boggles,
Anne.0 -
Afterthought, anybody got any ideas for deterring young active dogs from grabbing ones duster, or shaking ones sweeping brush other than shutting them in a bedroom, sigh,
Anne0 -
Happy Thursday!1 Meeting today and will stop at Babe's to wish him a happy birthday.
He is 78 today but in no mood to celebrate with the drama and dizziness. I have a card and wanted to buy a wrist blood pressure monitor but waited too long for the one I wanted and have to order it online. I will just tell him it will be late if he even wants one. lol
My friends were gracious and said I was more than welcome to join them in Wisconsin. There is a method to their madness though as she would like me to help with washing all the windows in their trailer. lol I am much more agile then either of them so I don't mind helping them. We leave on September 11 for a week to ten days. Unfortunately, their is no internet in their trailer so I might not be able to get on MFP.
Time to jump in shower!
Sandy
One Day at a Time0 -
Brr. Just been in the garden playing "fetch". It's quite nippy, brrrr.0
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Just back from the dermatologist, who informed me the things I was worried about are fine, but the stupid little white tags are mostly all squamous cell carcinomas, small enough to cut off! But biopsied anyway. whew, and I was worried about melanoma. Then an old Barbra Streisand movie. Better go cover all my der-marks! Buzz
................Always believe,,,,,etc!0 -
Anne...is that a cruel joke? Brrrrrrr? It is hot and steamy here. Too hot and very steamy. Come on fall and winter. Sweater weather...
Buzz: I had a very interesting story about little skin doodads. I felt something on the back of my neck and kept feeling of it and unconsciously started scratching at it. I eventually scratched it off. John saw what I was doing and became alarmed. I had scratched off a mole! Off to the DR! He told me I had performed what he called a fingernail surgery. Not recommended. But with a little scrape to send off for analysis, all was well. Don't do this ever, everyone!
Sandy: you are right about Babe and his birthday. Everyone likes to know you are remembered, even if it is a quiet visit. Hope something good can happen for his family. Downward spirals are hard to correct.
Jackie: read an interesting thing about bees and how and when to collect them. It was very scary...something about if they have just eaten, they will not sting because they can't bend over to sting? Not sure I would trust this info! Long article but fascinating.
Lin: have you done any silk screen yet? Fun and each is different because the inks act differently each time to you do a screening. I can see you really enjoying that. Lino block carving? Floating ink prints? They sound right up your alley. Creative print making. Ink resist prints? Be sure and show and tell.
Patsy
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What a lovely day we have after our torrential rain storms yesterday. After George and I strolled across empty moors I made a brew of coffee to take to the allotment then my neighbours and I set off to finish our compost area building. We are all very pleased with our hard work and the fact we not only cleared a lot of rubbish and bagged up ready for a trip to the tip but found a missing coffee mug buried in one corner of the old compost! It's now soaking in a washing up bowl!! Home again to discover my other neighbours (the loud swearing ones!) have continued to have someone chop down trees and shrubs that had fallen across the path to my property and when I asked politely if he could come round and move it he became very cross and told me not to be difficult. Ha, I immediately snapped back that I didn't think wanting to gain access to my property was being difficult so he stomped round grumbling all the way to then admit he hadn't realised he had blocked the path! I was inclined to tell him to look before he dumps prickly gorse and tree branches everywhere but decided silence was far more dignified and swept past him through my door although I did slam it shut once inside!! A light lunch and then I will finally get my grass cut and do a spot of tidying.
Anne ~ The only way to avoid Jilly grabbing your duster and brush is to slop the housework altogether! Hopefully not your Fall season just yet. The last time I visited Canada was a late September into October and there was a heatwave so never say never!
Buzz ~ Great news about those areas of skin that were scaring you and I assume all now removed.
Sandy ~ Hopefully Babe was able to enjoy his birthday a bit at least, especially in your company. Your choice of present did make me smile but it's a good one as I'm guessing the dizziness is a lot to do with stress and high blood pressure. Wisconsin is a wonderful idea for you, even with the window cleaning!
Patsy ~ The one easy thing about handling a swarm of bees is the knowledge that they will have stuffed themselves with honey before leaving home with their queen knowing it will take them a few days to set up residence somewhere else and this does leave them feeling good natured. Also they are so intent on protecting their queen they don't leave her side to attack anyone because without her they are all dead. Not many people trust this piece of information enough to test it though!!
Lin ~ Hello sweetie, busy, busy I bet!
Time to drag the lawnmower out!! Enjoy your Friday everyone.0 -
Oops, forgot my name but you know who!!
Jackir0 -
Hello JACKIR, note above, lol. We all have these crosses to bare in the form of bad tempered neighbours! I was innocently coming up my driveway the other day with Jilly prancing about (good idea about forgetting housework for the next 15 years by the way) when she started yapping at a dog crossing our front and not on a leash. It's owner had a phone clamped to her ear but stopped to peer at Jilly. Being some distance away and my eyes being none too good owing to that broken blood vessel in one eye, I shouted, "don't worry, she's good natured" whereupon she snarled, yes really, snarled at me "you've told me that before, what the hells wrong with you!" Somewhat taken aback by this abrasive tone and feeling as if I was in the throes of dementia, I explained I couldn't recognize people some distance away unless I knew them very well, owing to being half blind in one eye. She muttered sorry, clamped her phone back onto her ear and said she was having to deal with her office!! At 7:30 am for goodness sake! Honestly, ain't modern technology wonderful!
She then informed me I was lucky to be out of work. "Well not age wise" says I "and I've paid my dues from the age of 15 how about you".
Well Michael's rrived to brighten today. Can you hear the happy yips.
Anne.0 -
Happy Friday! My landlady was here this morning for me to sign my new lease for another year!! No raise!! Yeah!!! She must like me since she hasn't raised my rent in three years!!
I went to see Babe for his birthday and he doesn't need the wrist blood pressure monitor after all, so all he got from me was a very nice card. I had my son and granddaughter call him and that made him happy. I think he will celebrate with his son on Sunday since his granddaughter told him she wanted to make him a cake.
Anne, there is no excuse for rudeness, office call or not. And who is she to talk without having her dog on a leash? I did not know about your eye, will it heal or stay that way?
Sounds painful and frustrating at the same time. Yeah, for Michael, he will definitely brighten Jilly's day as well as yours.
Jackie, what is with all these rude people? Don't they know life is too short to be unhappy?
Did he at least apologize? Yes, it was a silly gift for a birthday but there is nothing to buy him so we stopped buying presents for each other years ago. A nice card is enough for both of us.
Patsy, his family and their dramas have been going on since the day I met him. Being separated keeps me away from all of it but I do listen to Babe to let him vent.
Buzz, glad to hear the good news from your dermatologist. I hope you enjoyed the movie!
We know Lin is busy today but I am sure she will check in later after her fun day!
Have a good one!!
Sandy
One Day at a Time0 -
Hello friends, I am home. I am happy to be here. I got to my class early so I found two other locations in that town that will have classes in the next month or so and I didn't really know where they were. So yes, several classes today and I did pay attention and worked like a little beaver trying to learn the techniques and tricks she was demonstrating. I woofed down my lunch in between classes and took a walk but had steps left to accomplish and almost all of my flights of stairs when I got home(the morning flights of stairs did not register on my Fitbit for some reason).
So I am finally ready to drive home and both the check engine light and low tire light happened to be on. So after driving through rush hour traffic and seeing several accidents and pulling over for a ladder truck from the fire department, I detoured to the tire store. They tried to refuse me as they were busy but I persisted in having the pressure checked in all of the tires. One was low so they filled it. If it goes low again, I will make an appointment with them for a closer look. Now I just need to reset the check engine light, again. Tomorrow......
Jackie and Anne, I am sorry you have rude neighbors. We hear so many stories now of people helping each other and being incredibly kind. Apparently it takes a life and death crisis to bring out the best in people now. Although come to think of it, some people do not seem to have a good side...
Sandy, glad you had a visit with Babe and that you do not worry about gifts. There are many more important things. Glad you will be able to get away for a little while but we will miss you of course. That will be coming up soon! Wahoo.
Patsy, I hope you are having (or had) a wonderful visit with your friend.
Buzz, how are you today? Did I miss your post?
Well, I am totally beat, I am going to read a book and go to bed early.
Hugs.
Lin0
