The New Water Cooler

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  • mizpaden74
    mizpaden74 Posts: 3,800 Member
    More volleyball today. Husker vs Michigan.

    Caleb came home to get his oil changed and mentioned he was considering doing a semester in Germany to fulfill his 20 hours of foreign language classes. I can see him doing that and loving it. He has always wanted to travel. Remember he was supposed to go on a big two week tour of Europe but Covid ruined it

    Hopefully your trip was good!
  • jrbanta
    jrbanta Posts: 4,344 Member
    We got home a bit ago from Mpls. Long day in the car. We saw some bright Fall colors near the Mackinaw Bridge and near Green Bay WI. Otherwise, muted and dull this year. We arrived home in the dark so don't know if the colors changed around here or not. My guess is no.

    I surprised my friend who hosted the luncheon at her house. She couldn't believe I came to the luncheon and said I "made her month". There about 8 people and the hostess. I kept my back to the door until people walked in and then turned around. All were surprised and happy to see me so that was nice.

    We went to a couple of our favorite restaurants with Rory and Hannah and ate at her parents' house Thurs eve. It was a nice time getting to know them better. Russ, Hannah and I went to my favorite antique barn on Friday afternoon while Rory was working. Hannah had worked extra hours this week so could leave work early. I bought a few small items but did not find a bench for my front door entry.

    Rory and Hannah are making a nice home in their new town home. They have been busy painting, decorating and hanging new light fixtures. They have more to do but they are excited.

    I think I told you that we moved my cousin into assisted living for one month, about two weeks ago. Well she wants to move home now. I guess the place is full of Covid and all are confined to their rooms. The staff bring them their meals. I can't blame her for wanting to go home but I can tell she is going to be high maintenance going forward. I have no time to help her this week. My group of knitting friends arrive on Thursday morning. I need to clean, grocery shop, go to the laundry mat since our washer is spitting out mold, pick veggies, etc. I want to lay low away from her and my siblings to make sure I don't get sick before Thursday. As it is, I could have picked up Covid in Mpls and don't know it yet. I am going to test myself on Monday. I have had a scratchy throat and a little coughing but could be my allergies.

    We watched some vball briefly at Rory's. MN Gophers against a red team. Was it NE or Arkansas?

  • mizpaden74
    mizpaden74 Posts: 3,800 Member
    I think MN played Rutgers this weekend? Huskers played the Michigans this weekend.

    Glad your trip went well and you had fun with your friends and Rory. Hopefully no Covid. My sister has been sick for a month. She is on her second run of antibiotics. She keeps saying sinus infection but I say bronchitis. I hope she is finally feeling better.
  • jrbanta
    jrbanta Posts: 4,344 Member
    Russ got an appt with his doctor this afternoon. He did a Covid test this morning and it was negative. Now I think he has either pneumonia or bronchitis. This has been 3+ weeks of wheezing, coughing, impacted sinuses, etc.

    I need to get busy with preparing for my friends' arrival. I've been putting away clutter but won't vacuum until Wed. Bathrooms will get cleaned tomorrow. Gray, cold, and windy outside today.

    Hope you have a good week.
  • mizpaden74
    mizpaden74 Posts: 3,800 Member
    Oh dear - it seems early for such yucks to be everywhere. Hopefully Russ can get something to help him feel better. Michele still looks and sounds like hammered *kitten*.
  • mizpaden74
    mizpaden74 Posts: 3,800 Member
    hope you are feeling ok and that Russ is on the mend!
  • mizpaden74
    mizpaden74 Posts: 3,800 Member
    the sister is still sick. I am after her to go get a chest x-ray - no luck yet. Hope you guys are well.
  • jrbanta
    jrbanta Posts: 4,344 Member
    Russ went to the doctor and they xrayed his chest. No results yet. They also prescribed new meds and he thinks they are helping and he is feeling better than before his appt.

    My friends arrive tomorrow morning. I will meet them in Traverse City for brunch. I am picking up two cherry pies before I meet them. My neighbor who owns the cherry products store will hold them for me.

    I picked more tomatoes today. There are still some turning red and some not even close. As it gets colder with less sun and a lot or rain, I think the garden is coming to and end for this season. My sugar snap peas are appearing but it may be too cool to get a good crop. Lots of blooms but only 3 pea pods as of now.

    Russ' new trail cams are capturing pictures of deer passing through and the neighbors walking their dogs across our back acreage. We have told them that is ok. Hope to catch some coyotes and fox this winter.

    Watching the news about what is going on in Israel, Lebanon, and Gaza. Horrific/tragic/sad..Is WWIII approaching?
  • mizpaden74
    mizpaden74 Posts: 3,800 Member
    Everything is scary. It’s hard to find calm when everywhere you look is evil and horror. Please God, shine your light. Open our eyes.
  • jrbanta
    jrbanta Posts: 4,344 Member
    My friends left today. We had a good time together. The color is now getting close to peak on the high ways but slowly getting there in front of our house. Sometime this week...

    I hope you had a good weekend. I haven't seen the news since Wednesday so I am not up to date on the Israel/Gaza situation. I'm afraid to hear the news. Of of the ladies that was here has a friend whose daughter, husband and kids live in Tel Aviv. They send them updates daily and let them know they are ok. Husband works at the embassy I think. Ex military...

    I have lunch with a friend tomorrow and then we are going to Power Book Bags together to volunteer. I will start eating better tomorrow. We walked several times while my guests were here. My left knee hurt but I will keep walking. I need it. I was planning to go to aqua fit on tuesday but my friend's father died and his funeral is at the same time as class. I feel I should go to the funeral. Fingers crossed for Thursday morning.

    I am tired! Time to read and veg out in front of tv. Have a good Monday!
  • jrbanta
    jrbanta Posts: 4,344 Member
    Gloomy, cold day today. I ate a healthy breakfast this morning and am motivated to get back on track starting today. I am going out to lunch with a friend but will make healthy choices. I am also feeling the motivation to get back to regular exercise. The Triple B (Banta Bed and Breakfast) is closed for the season).

    I ordered more GoLo Release and probiotic and will begin to eat the balanced meals by their program. Yay for me!

    Happy Monday! I hope all is well with you and your family.
  • mizpaden74
    mizpaden74 Posts: 3,800 Member
    I hope you are feeling up to getting back to water aerobics - I know enjoyed that when you could. Sending good wishes for getting back on the healthful eating train. It's a bumpy ride. I have mainly been focused on not gaining which is still so hard. I try to eat at a deficit all week long and then relax on the weekends. But even then it's sometimes not enough and I gain.

    I am not reading or watching any of the big news in depth, but just seeing the headlines is terrifying.

    I had a couple of days off but it wasn't what I was hoping for. I wanted to do something with the boys, but nobody was interested. And yesterday I found out something that made me unhappy and once again Bernie gives me the don't be a hysterical female speech when I get agitated. He can scream and yell profanities, but the moment I get upset I am ridiculous. I locked myself in my room for the rest of the day.

    Hope you are getting rested after all the friend time and hosting. It's a lot of work!

    Can you believe it's mid-October. Crazy.
  • jrbanta
    jrbanta Posts: 4,344 Member
    I get it. Russ can be upset or express emotion but when I do, he tells me to "calm down". I hate that!!!!!!

    I hope you are okay. Takes some time to do something for yourself. You deserve it!

    Today I met a new friend for lunch and then took her to Power Book Bags to volunteer. She is really nice and we have so much in common. Too bad she lives in Cincinnati and is seasonal up here. She won't be back up until May and leaves tomorrow. She just retired in June and was a speech/language pathologist in the schools like I was. We had cottages on the same lake shore and never knew one another. We also were in the same sorority but at different colleges. We know some of the same people but never met until last June. She likes to read too. Fun to expand my friend group since I only see people occasionally since they live in other places. My friends here are busy working and visiting grand children.

    Tomorrow I am going to a high school friend's father's funeral. He died last Thursday. He was 92 or 93. I'm guessing her Mom won't last much longer because they were joined at the hip, madly in love for 72 years, and lived a long life together. She has emerging dementia and is unhappy living in assisted living at the age of 88. She wants to be in her own home, gardening, etc. Now that he is gone, she may give up. I hope not.

    I think my garden is done or I am done gardening for the season. Time to clear it out and prepare for winter. I think I will leave my perennials until spring unless I get a burst of interest to cut them back. At the least, I will prune the lavender.

    I wore a hat and gloves on my walk today...brrr!

  • mizpaden74
    mizpaden74 Posts: 3,800 Member
    Wow - 72 years today. That's impressive.

    Michele is still sick and doesn't see another doctor until Thursday which feels like too long. Is Russ getting better?

    So great that you made another friend connection. Woo!

    Have a great day.
  • jrbanta
    jrbanta Posts: 4,344 Member
    Russ is better but still sick. This has to be the 6th week of his coughing, congestion, etc. His chest xray was not good quality but the doctor ruled out pneumonia. He is coughing quite a bit.

    I went to the funeral today but didn't stay for lunch. My intestines and digestion are wacky this week. Too much rich food, wine, cider, etc. I downloaded a water drinking app to remind me to drink more fluids. My digestion is sluggish right now with too much fiber and not enough fluids. Miserable!

    Tomorrow Russ and I are going to take a scenic color drive in the county. The color is beautiful and almost peak in most locations. Some are slow to turn or have gone past peak. I need to start washing bedding and putting it away. Next week, we need to start painting the laundry room so Hannah and I can wall paper at Christmas. Paint needs to cure for 4 weeks prior to paper going up.

    How are you doing? I'm sorry your sister still feels bad too.
  • jrbanta
    jrbanta Posts: 4,344 Member
    I am going to get the new Covid shot today. Then we are going on our color drive and will find a place to eat dinner. I'm thinking a salad or fish at a local restaurant in Suttons Bay.

    Since we have had issues with our dishwasher and washing machine, read the manuals, and realized we were suppose to put them through their sanitizing/clean wash monthly, we started that today. We put the cleanings on our calendars so we remember to do it. We bought the tablets/powder at the grocery that is recommended. Maybe this will keep us trouble free and all will get more clean.

    I am slowly washing towels, sheets and blankets for Christmas when family may appear. I need to figure out storage for bedding since the linen closet isn't very big. I'm thinking a bin with a lid that can be put on a closet shelf.

    I have no motivation to transplant my native grasses that need to be done. Maybe if we finally get a sunny, crisp day? I do need to prune the lavender and pull yard decor to put away for winter. Maybe this weekend before we get snow at some point.

    Doesn't it feel like the world has crisis popping up every where? This Israel/Hamas situation seems to be sparking trouble all over the world.
  • mizpaden74
    mizpaden74 Posts: 3,800 Member
    I always find that stuff smells funny after being stored in a bin and I still have/want to re-wash it even if it was clean going in.

    How was your color drive?

    Tomorrow is finally Michele's appointment. She is annoyed at me for keeping griping at her. I thought she should go to Urgent Care since it took so long to get in to her primary. I hope the wait was worth it.

    It is a fearful time.
  • jrbanta
    jrbanta Posts: 4,344 Member
    The county back roads were vibrant with color. It was a beautiful drive.

    I also rewash things if they smell musty or at least refresh in the dryer with a dryer sheet.

    If Russ doesn't feel much better by Friday he is going to call his doctor and make another appt. He is coughing hard and frequently. I hope your sister and Russ get answers, appropriate meds and get better.

    I got my Covid shot today for the current strain. I will wait a week or two for the flu shot.

  • jrbanta
    jrbanta Posts: 4,344 Member
    I finally made it to aquafit. I am going to feel it tonight and tomorrow. Raining today so I'm hoping to walk or ride my bike this weekend. Tomorrow I go back to water yoga, yay!

    I increased my water intake yesterday and was up at least 4 times last night to the bathroom. Ugh! I'm tired!

    I hope you have a good day.
  • mizpaden74
    mizpaden74 Posts: 3,800 Member
    Michele’s doctor appointment was today. The doctor (her primary) only listened to her lungs and declared them clear. She has that nasty, juicy wet cough. For weeks. The doctor said it’s just drainage. I say *kitten*! She gave her another dose of steroids and said use a Neti pot. Ugh. I am so frustrated for her. She never goes to the doctor and has gone three times in four weeks.

    Maybe this will work, but I just can’t believe they didn’t do an X-ray. Ears can’t see inside

    Glad you got back to aqua fit

    Friyay eve