WOMEN AGES 50+ FOR APRIL 2020

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Replies

  • Machka9
    Machka9 Posts: 25,592 Member
    exermom wrote: »
    Have a donation for the Salvation Army. Thought we’d go today, but it seems like we’re not. So I’ll go tomorrow before the soup kitchen. Yea, I go out tomorrow. When I get home Vince wants to go to the post office and then stop at WalMart to get a prescription.

    Michele NC

    Is your Salvos still accepting donations?

    Ours have closed: https://www.salvosstores.com.au/stories/covid-19-update-store-closures/#Covid-19 Update and many/most are not accepting donations.


    M in Oz
  • sh0tzz99
    sh0tzz99 Posts: 971 Member
    in answer to Lisa's work post


    4. Favorite Girl Scout Cookie?
    Have not had one in ages. I used to like chocolate mint ones. Now i'm intolerant to gluten. if they have GF ones those would be my favorites now.

    The gluten free GS Cookies are not tasty, at all. If I were to eat cardboard, I imagine they taste a bit like that. :smiley:

    Tina
  • Machka9
    Machka9 Posts: 25,592 Member
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    The second one reminds me of the place up north we like to go.

    We were going to take a trip there sometime in June/July but it looks like that won't be happening. I think that's the only thing in the next 6 months I feel like I might miss. I might miss even more solitude! And Mr Higgins.

    Machka in Oz
  • Whidislander
    Whidislander Posts: 3,787 Member
    Yay Amber! Beautiful ring! Long fingers!
    Thanks for all your complimentary comments! Tomorrow the wedding ring goes back on. Still next NSV will be fitting the engagement on my right hand. Then wear it every day.💖
    💖Rebecca
  • Katla49
    Katla49 Posts: 10,385 Member
    Meg: It is so good to see you posting here. You have been missed! :star:

    Bananas: In our area it is expected to see people with masks outside and in grocery stores and places where people shop. We’re expected to keep a distance of at least 5 feet inside stores, and outside in the neighborhood walking or chatting with neighbors. :flowerforyou:

    Barbie: Your tulips are beautiful and I love the color combinations. :flowerforyou:


    I’ve been the person who does the majority of shopping and runs errands. Today I didn’t go out and do very much. I needed a break and spent the day mostly at home. I spent more than half an hour riding my recumbent trike on its trainer in the garage. It felt good to burn off some of the blah’s & frustration that build up when I’m not very active.


    Katla in Beautiful NW Oregon

  • KetoneKaren
    KetoneKaren Posts: 6,412 Member
    edited April 2020
    Where are you located (approximately)?
    -Richmond, Virginia

    What are some of your favourite hobbies/sports/activities?
    -I have a bunch, but right now am only walking, playing with my dogs, gardening, reading, and doing puzzles.

    What takes up most of your day?
    -Working at home. Until recently, most of my day was taken up by Learning Coach duties for my oldest grandson, and babysitting for my youngest grandchild Lilliana. Breaks my heart.
    1. Where are you from originally?
    -Nebraska. The Plains are still home to me, even though I live in Virginia.

    2. Do you eat breakfast? If so, what did you eat today?
    -Yes. I love breakfast, whether it's a piece of toast, an omelet, or leftover pizza. Today I had a square of breakfast casserole egg/sausage.

    3. Do you prefer to dine in, carry out, or cook at home?
    -Cook at home. Carry out is an occasional treat.

    4. Favorite Girl Scout Cookie?
    -I'm with Lisa on this one. Samoas, frozen. Before Samoas my favorite was Trefoils. As a child, I was into Thin Mints.

    5. Do you listen to music when you work?
    -No. I wish I could.

    6. What is your favorite sonic drink?
    -Limeade

    7. What is your favorite board/card game?
    -Euchre, Scrabble, Trivial Pursuit

    8. What is your favorite podcast?
    -James Veitch: "This is what happens when you reply to spam email'

    9. What is your dream sandwich?
    -BLT made with best quality Applewood Smoked bacon, fresh tomatoes from the garden, crips green leaf lettuce, mayonnaise. Second choice: My own Lipton onion cheeseburger made with ground chuck and Jack cheese.

    10. What makes you gag?
    -Other peoples' lung phlegm. (Not nose snot.)

    11. What are your hobbies?
    -Reading, cooking, Yorkies, gardening. Used to be banjo, beading, water sports.

    12. What is one thing that can make your day instantly better?
    -My wiggly wagging Yorkie Molly making a beeline towards me, so full of delight just because she sees me. Sweet girl.

    13. What was the best vacation/trip you ever took and why?
    -To the Galapagos Islands with my Mom and son in 1990. He was 12 and he fell in love for the first time with the ship Captain’s daughter. Her name was Paola. She was 13 and very lovely and their romance was so sweet. Our fellow travelers were retirees. We visited a llama farm where we noticed 2 llamas copulating. The female was apparently very receptive, because she accepted a second male who was waiting in the wings. The senior citizens were so nervous about my 12-year old seeing this, but they all cracked up when he turned to me and said, “Look, Mom, ‘The Changing of the Llamas!’”, with a big grin. LOL!!!

    14. If you were an animal, what animal would you be?
    -I would like to be a cat.
    - If the question means what am I most like in the animal kingdom, I would say a female gorilla.

    15. At a party, where can someone find you?
    -In the kitchen helping the hostess


    Karen in Virginia
    ...
  • KetoneKaren
    KetoneKaren Posts: 6,412 Member
    edited April 2020
    Meg Your tulips will do better and come back more seasons in Omaha than in many other locales. They need a period of chilling which is lacking in many more temperated climates. Next year they will probably be fabulous. In Virginia, they are considered an annual and most people just put in new bulbs every year if they want tulips. Daffodils thrive here. And Iris, if you can keep the rhizomes relatively dry and exposed.

    Karen in Virginia
    ...
  • cityjaneLondon
    cityjaneLondon Posts: 12,690 Member
    edited April 2020
    As of yesterday our government is sticking to the advice that masks are not advised unless you yourself have a cough or sneeze. I am not wearing one, but I do wear gloves to remind me not to touch my face. Unless you wear them properly and change them after each wearing a mask can do more harm than good. You must not touch your mask if you have touched anything else. I see people touching them, pulling them down etc.

    I also would go to hospital if I needed any breathing aid. I would not home medicate. Home treatment can be seriously damaging to health and many people are dying because they are waiting too long to go into hospital. They have already crashed. Our hospitals currently have enough capacity and treatment is excellent.

    Lanette - why do you think you have an 80% chance of dying? I give myself 95% chance of surviving, despite my age. I give my DH 80% because he is a man and 4 years older than me. Do you have an underlying health issue? <3

    I never knew not liking tomatoes was a thing until I read all your posts. I thought I'd died and gone to heaven the first time I had a tomato salad in France when I was 11. I still love it when I can be bothered to do it properly.

    Bananas - I've danced all my life, since ballet and tap when I was 3 years old. I've done modern ballet, jazz dance, ballroom, creative dance, etc and was very upset, when my knee was very bad for years, that I couldn't do it any more. I have cured my knee with a lot of hard work and physio, and now I am running and dancing again. I go to Swing Dancing , Lindy Hop, in normal times, and ballroom and line dancing on the cruises. It makes me VERY happy.

    Love Heather UK xxxxxxxx
  • KetoneKaren
    KetoneKaren Posts: 6,412 Member
    Heather What constitutes a proper tomato salad? I love Insalata Caprese. That seems a proper tomato salad to me.
  • wizzywig
    wizzywig Posts: 1,246 Member
    <3
  • Machka9
    Machka9 Posts: 25,592 Member
    Picked up a 2-pack of these today. :) Not planning to use them unless absolutely necessary but we've got one each now. :)

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  • Machka9
    Machka9 Posts: 25,592 Member
    Hydroxychloroquine
    The University of South Carolina and The University of Virginia just published a retrospective analysis of data from patients hospitalized with confirmed SARS- CoV-2 infection in all United States Veterans Health Administration medical centers until April 11, 2020. Although the study has not been peer-reviewed yet, and the sample is small (368 patients), the findings are concerning:

    "In this study, we found no evidence that use of hydroxychloroquine, either with or without azithromycin, reduced the risk of mechanical ventilation in patients hospitalized with Covid-19. An association of increased overall mortality was identified in patients treated with hydroxychloroquine alone. These findings highlight the importance of awaiting the results of ongoing prospective, randomized, controlled studies before widespread adoption of these drugs."

    Sometimes the FDA hastily approves something it shouldn't approve. I think we are going to see the FDA amend their stance on hydroxychloroquine soon.
    Yes, I've questioned things the FDA has approved ... things which they approved but other countries didn't. I expect you're right that the FDA will change their opinion soon.

    The other thing is that drug interaction can be harmful as can the wrong dose.

    https://www.drugs.com/drug-interactions/hydroxychloroquine.html
  • Machka9
    Machka9 Posts: 25,592 Member
    I never knew not liking tomatoes was a thing until I read all your posts. I thought I'd died and gone to heaven the first time I had a tomato salad in France when I was 11. I still love it when I can be bothered to do it properly.

    I'm OK with fresh tomatoes but they do have to be well salted. They've got quite a metallic flavour otherwise.

    But I don't like tomato juice, tomato soup, and I'm not keen on tomato based sauces with foods unless they are well salted or have a lot of cheese.

    Like drinking water from old pipes out of a metal container.


    M in Oz
  • Lagopus
    Lagopus Posts: 1,016 Member
    edited April 2020
    My answers to Machka's questions:
    Where are you located (approximately)?
    Hey, I'm /Penny at the
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    More precisely, I live in Svalbard, halfway between the northern tip of Norway and the North Pole.

    What are some of your favourite hobbies/sports/activities?
    Singing in the choir, preferably Bach. Walking and jogging and hiking. Bird-watching. Gardening. Hunting for wild mushrooms.

    What takes up most of your day?
    Computer stuff. Editing work when I've got it, goofing off when I don't. Bad habit, that!

    And Lisa's:
    1. Where are you from originally?
    Grew up in Minneapolis, but I've lived outside the US most of my life.

    2. Do you eat breakfast? If so, what did you eat today?
    Every day! Today was fruit/nut müsli over the Scandinavian version of yoghurt. And always black coffee.

    3. Do you prefer to dine in, carry out, or cook at home?
    Cook at home.

    4. Favorite Girl Scout Cookie?
    Haven't had any for half a century now. Back in the day, thin mints.

    5. Do you listen to music when you work?
    No. I get caught up in music and it drives everything else from my head.

    6. What is your favorite sonic drink?
    I had no idea what this was. Are there really Sonic places in 44 of 50 states? I've never ever seen one!

    7. What is your favorite board/card game?
    Balderdash and Pictionary. (Balderdash is hilarious. You get an obscure word, everyone invents definitions which the person who is "it" reads out loud along with the correct definition, and you vote for your favorite. This game has generated several fabulous new uses for old words that have eagerly been adopted into the family's vocabulary.)

    8. What is your favorite podcast?
    Several of NPR's podcasts. I also enjoy John Green's "The Anthropocene Reviewed".

    9. What is your dream sandwich?
    My dad's grilled cheese sandwiches. Yum!

    10. What makes you gag?
    Anybody's upchuck and the smarmier types of religious music.

    11. What are your hobbies?
    They shift. Right now I'm baking bread.

    12. What is one thing that can make your day instantly better?
    The total breathless silence of a calm day in the High Arctic.

    13. What was the best vacation/trip you ever took and why?
    Too many to count. That said, what I enjoy most of all is usually coming home again. :wink:

    14. If you were an animal, what animal would you be?
    A cat. (We're a catty bunch, aren't we?) Stand-offish, independent, self-reliant, inscrutable, but warm and cuddly with people I like.
    When I dream of flying, I always fly like a goose — more clumsy than acrobatic.

    15. At a party, where can someone find you?
    If there's dancing, I'm on that floor!
    /Penny, presenting herself at the
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  • Machka9
    Machka9 Posts: 25,592 Member
    Lanette - why do you think you have an 80% chance of dying? I give myself 95% chance of surviving, despite my age. I give my DH 80% because he is a man and 4 years older than me. Do you have an underlying health issue? <3

    If you feel you're at high risk ...

    1. Stop smoking. Stop being around anyone who smokes. If you've got a partner who smokes, send them outside. Same with vaping, and all types of smoking.
    2. Exercise ... this helps reduce blood pressure and decreases the chances of diabetes. It also improves the cardiovascular system in general. Go for at least 30 minutes of exercise a day. https://lunginstitute.com/blog/can-exercise-improve-lung-function/
    3. Adopt healthy activities. Eat a healthy diet. Lose weight. Cut back on alcohol consumption. Get a good night's sleep. Drink something in the neighbourhood of 2 litres of water a day (maybe 3 if you're exercising). If you're a vitamin-taker, continue. If you've got prescribed medications, keep them up. Get up and move once an hour (at least)
    4. Wash your hands before you go out and when you return. Clean your house. There is some evidence that good oral health helps, so brush your teeth and use mouthwash.
    5. Stay away from other people.


    There is evidence that people with lung issues like smokers in general, people with COPD, etc. may be at higher risk ... so do what you can to improve your lung health.
    There is some evidence that people with high blood pressure may be at higher risk ... so do what you can to lower your blood pressure.
    There is some evidence that people with diabetes may be at higher risk ...
    And there is some evidence that people with kidney issues may be sicker than others ...


    M in Oz
  • Lagopus
    Lagopus Posts: 1,016 Member
    Oh Terri... Exciting! Glad you lived to tell the tale and dine out on the strength of it.

    /Penny
  • cityjaneLondon
    cityjaneLondon Posts: 12,690 Member
    Katla - I dreamt about you all night. It was one if those repeating stuck dreams that are more like dozing. I can't remember what it was about and it wasn't the real you, just a meme in my head. I'm sure the real you is wonderful. <3:D

    Karen - I had to look up Insalata Caprese. How weird is that. I am making it's near cousin Tricolore salad for lunch today. Thanks to my delivery yesterday we have mozzarella. One of my favourite lunches, and yes, it is soooooo 70s, but the best things are made to last. :D
    A classic French tomato salad is sliced tomatoes, often in a few layers, with finely chopped garlic and a bit of shallot or scallion on the layers, and then dressed with a dressing of mainly good olive oil, perhaps a smidge if vinegar, but I don't use it. The seasoning with salt and freshly ground pepper is vital. Basil is good, but parsley is classic.
    In my youth it was often served alone as a starter in France on a cheap menu. You might get a mixed hors d'oeuvres with it. When I first had it it was on the cheapest menu in the whole line of restaurants in St Raphael in the Riviera. 1961. Under the palm trees. My mother had checked every single set lunch menu for the cheapest. It was the only meal out in the whole three weeks of camping. The waiter brought the tomatoes in a shallow glass dish. I was unimpressed until I ate it! I think the quality of the olive oil is vital.

    Machka - I get a metallic taste from nearly all commercial tomato products. It's because they put sugar and vinegar in them. I never eat them. My DH likes ketchup with his fries. Ugh! I never choose a tomato based product when we go out. That's why I have a white pizza at Fatto a Mano.

    Weather glorious again. But I'm going to row today as I ran yesterday. I love catching up with my 'box sets' as I row. I look forward to the next episode. :laugh:

    Now to write.

    Love Heather UK xxxxxxxx
  • Machka9
    Machka9 Posts: 25,592 Member
    @janet great tips!

    @Terri Attacked by pirates?!

    We were!
    It was during the time of the Somalia Pirates attacking ships in the Indian Ocean. We had a very close call. It was shortly before that couple were kidnapped near Mauritius.

    A group of pirates waited for our ship to leave the Seychelles. They attacked the ship about 200 miles out with Kalashnikovs and AK46s. One passenger and several crew members were injured.

    Fortunately, some of the passengers had noticed the pirates climbing up grappling ropes to one of the lower decks and chucked loungers at them and knocked them off the ropes while others rushed off to alert the crew.

    They were also trying to break into the lower deck gangway doors. The Israeli security guards returned fire, and the crew used high powered hoses to dislodge the pirates attacking the doors, while the ship got up to full steam and left them in our wake.

    We got a Spanish frigate as an escort early the next morning.

    We were minor celebrities when we returned home and shared the front page of our local newspaper with HM the Queen, who happened to be visiting the province when we got home.

    We dined out on that story for quite some time. 😂

    :open_mouth:

    WOW!
  • bananasandoranges
    bananasandoranges Posts: 2,410 Member
    @Terri wow! what a story. i saw captain philips w tom hanks a couple of years ago and was impressed by all that. i didn't know they attacked cruise ships much.

    Online dermatologist appointment. i spent a lot of time trying to get a picture and upload it. my camera is good quality but i don't have close up lens. i hope it suffices.
  • kymarai
    kymarai Posts: 3,702 Member
    Sharona Thank you. When FIL and BIL died it was fast. This is so different. I am trying.

    Lanette- There is a social worker. I think my husband is feeling out of the loop as only his sister and niece have spoken with doctors, nurses, and social worker. His sister did write down some of his questions to get answers. We need her home where we can all meet with these folks, instead of one at a time. Thank you for hugs.
  • KJLaMore
    KJLaMore Posts: 2,847 Member
    <3
  • Machka9
    Machka9 Posts: 25,592 Member
    Machka9 wrote: »
    Machka9 wrote: »
    But when I hopped in the van and started it up, I knew something was terribly wrong. It idled very roughly in park and neutral ... and when I shifted into drive or reverse, it died. Fantastic.

    The van story so far ...


    About a month ago, I pulled up to the fuel tank at a local service station behind a vehicle. He had driven there just fine but was having an awful time getting into gear to drive away. It would die on him when shifted into drive or reverse.
    Then I pulled up and we topped up with about a quarter of a tank of fuel.
    About 20 km later, the van started idling really roughly at intersections, like it was about to stall, and dropping power when I accelerated.
    We took it to the shop where they confirmed that cylinders were miss firing. They replaced the spark plugs and checked some coils etc. and it seemed to run some better although the last couple times we were out, it was just a bit rough again.
    Our last drive was last week ... maybe Thursday or Friday.
    Now we're down to a quarter of a tank and I thought I might fill up on the trip back from getting our flu shots ... but I couldn't get the van out of the driveway!


    The van has been towed to the shop. :( I hope they can figure it out.

    Their first suggestion was to get a jerry can of high octane fuel and put that in to see if it helped. But the logistics of that were challenging.

    We do have another van, but ... something went badly wrong with it about 6 months before my husband's accident and that's why we got the "new" van. I'm not sure what went wrong. I may have been told but that's 2.5 chaotic years ago. But I do know it was bad enough we got another van.

    My husband thinks he remembers what went wrong and without much effort at all thinks he has fixed it. The trouble is, the problem he is telling me he fixed is a problem of some time ago ... not 6 months before his accident. Maybe it's the same problem again, but maybe not. His memory is so patchy it's hard to know!! He remembers things from a long time ago much better than closer to his accident.

    He has been starting the van and letting it run quite regularly. And I have driven it once about a year ago. It was OK then, so maybe it would be OK. But I'm apprehensive about driving it ... I'm just not confident.

    So the idea of using that van to get a jerry can of fuel for the "good" van wasn't something I was thrilled about.

    I know motor vehicles can be convenient sometimes, but they can also be pains.

    I had many lovely, stress-free years without one and a hope of mine is that one day we'll move somewhere we don't need to use one at all or much ... somewhere where we can walk or cycle to do what we need to do. :)


    Meanwhile, fingers crossed the problem will be solved this time, without much expense.


    M in Oz

    Yay! The van didn't work at first at the shop, then it started to work. Could have just been the angle of our driveway + the limited amount of fuel we had in the tank + bad fuel.

    I drove it straight to the station and got high octane fuel. Hopefully that solves things.

    M in Oz
  • cityjaneLondon
    cityjaneLondon Posts: 12,690 Member
    Terri - I have vague memories of that story! Brilliant. Well done the defenders with the lounge chairs! :D

    Suzi Q - I bought a cheap vac for my cleaner. It gave out after a year, but it was so cheap I just bought another cheap one. Not good for the environment, but boy, does it suck! >:)

    My Tricolore salad was heaven! B)

    Love Heather UK xxxxxxxx