WOMEN AGES 50+ FOR JULY 2023

dlfk202000

SophieRosieMom wrote: »

barbiecat wrote: »

Woodstove I had a wood burning fireplace in a house that I lived in alone for two years and I never built a fire. We have a woodstove in this house and Jake loves it. We called the place that sells woodstoves nearby and they had an inspector who has come every two years to inspect it. For a long time we have bought wood from a friend who was willing to bring only part of a cord at a time since we didn't have room to store a whole cord. Jake felt that using the woodstove kept our electric bill down (no natural gas where we live) and I didn't argue. I saw the woodstove as entertainment. Recently Jake read an article that said that the smoke from woodstoves was bad for the environment so now he has changed his tune to suggesting that we burn only occasionally this winter. When I'm cold, I find it much easier and more satisfying to click the thermostat up one degree and add another layer of clothing.
Barbie in NW WA

Barbie - thank you for your input. I think using the stove did help keep the electric bill down a bit. It's to be expected that during the summer when the HVAC doesn't run a lot except for some cooling on hot days, usage is minimal and when we get some arctic blasts in the winter, of course I use a lot more.

I will keep trying to find someone to inspect the stove - the place I bought it doesn't do inspections anymore per a gal that answered the phone a few months ago, but she might be new. If I stop in there in person, I might get a different answer. Just knowing it's in good shape if I ever need to use it is peace of mind.

I agree - just add another layer and tease up the thermostat unless I have no alternative but to use the stove in an extended power outage.

Lanette
SW WA State

for mom, it really cut down her propane bill when she was using the fireplace only. The room mate kept turning the heater up when mom wasn't home. Had to fill up the tank twice this past winter instead of once at most. Mom kept telling her not to use it or keep the thermostat down.
For her, she is given most of her firewood but does buy some.

this is their fireplace( taken 25 yrs ago- that is mom holding my son Jona.)
It was built by a family friend when we built the house, using rocks that we hand picked in the creeks near our house or my uncle and grandpa picked at the rock quarry they worked at.
The friend also built a fireplace like this, but lower hearth at our family cabin near Mendocino.

barbiecat

It may be just past lunch for me, but it is breakfast time August 1 in Tasmania, so I'm posting the new thread for August.

Here is the link:

https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10896179/women-ages-50-for-august-2023/p1?new=1

1948CWB

Barbie ~ Thanks for the August link!

Pip ~ Your niece is cute and has such a sweet smile. Hope she enjoys her week!

Heating Sources ~ In the house I grew up in, there was a floor furnace in the hall way and the younger children in my family all fell on it and got singed. We also had a fireplace that my Dad kept going as we had plenty of wood. In our first house, we had a fireplace and used it for years. We have a fireplace in the present house that has a gas starter but DH won't let us use it because the chimney probably needs a good cleaning. Anyway, I love the central air and heating we use all year.

Carol in GA who is glad her ankles and knee problems seem to be getting better at last.

pipcd34

261261

Machka9

Machka9 wrote: »

LisaInArkansas wrote: »

Current outlook on doctor/patient relations:

In medical appointments, I've decided to approach them with this thought: I am the author, the suspect, the detective and the victim in the mystery story. We give the best possible story we can (blood pressure that isn't too out of line, don't want them to overreact) and the written information we've gathered. The nurse and doctor suspect we haven't told them everything so they ask lots of questions, sometimes ones that feel accusatory. We double check their diagnosis on the 'Net and make sure the medications are correct and that there are no interactions with our current meds, and last, of course we're the ones in pain or in need.

Take all that with a grain of salt: I've watched more than 75 episodes of a murder mysteries in recent weeks!

Most of my doctors here don't ask any questions, or very few ... and they don't diagnose. I tell them the symptoms ... they tell me they could send me for an MRI or X-ray or something, if I want. Or refer me to a specialist, but only if I want. I've come to the conclusion that GPs are mainly gateways to further help ... triage specialists.
You've got a pain in your abdomen? Where? Up there? OK we'll send you for an upper abdomen ultrasound. Your upper abdomen ultrasound came back normal. Oh, except for those abnormal kidney measurements. We don't know what that's about but have the feeling it's not very serious, but we'll send you to a kidney specialist anyway ... if you want to go to one. If you don't want to bother, that's OK.
You've got a pain in your knee? We'll send you for an MRI.
You're leg feels funny? We'll send you to physio ... or maybe a podiatrist. We're not sure. Well, try one and if it doesn't help, try the other.

LisaInArkansas wrote: »

Machka - High winds here bear too much possibility for tornadoes, so I can get a little nerved up. Looks like Tasmania is on the right side of Oz, with not much chance of cyclones... Hope your greenhouse isn't injured.

Later days, my dears...
Lisa in AR

We're on the left side of Oz - east coast - so we get the tail end of cyclones from time to time, when big ones slam into Queensland. But this is the wrong time of year for that.

Instead, what we get to enjoy are the Roaring 40s. Tasmania (Australia) and New Zealand are right in their path.

That large land mass below Tasmania is Antarctica ... in the Windy map below.

More about the Roaring 40s: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roaring_Forties

Our winds over the past few days have ranged between Gale and Hurricane according to the Beaufort Wind Scale.

According to one newspaper this morning:
"Since midnight on Sunday the weather bureau has recorded extreme gusts across the state with 178km/h at Maatsuyker Island at 3:55am, 152km/h at Scotts Peak at 3:10am, 146km/h at Low Rocky Point at 2:33am, 143km/h at Strahan Airport at 3:10am, 139km/h at Mount Read at 3:12am, 135km/h at Cape Sorell at 2:44am, 128km/h at Hartz Mountains at 4:30am and 122km/h at kunanyi/Mt Wellington at 2:20am."

We've had some of those gusts again this afternoon and evening.

We're also experiencing King Tides (almost full moon).

A lot of places around have no power, but fortunately ours has stayed on so far. But the TV lost reception a couple times.


https://www.windy.com/?-35.442,159.820,3


M in Oz

Ha! Fatigue + dyslexia = I don't know where I live. Tasmania is on the right side.

M in Oz

Whidislander

Machka9 wrote: »

margaretturk wrote: »

Reading Organized Enough by Amanda Sullivan. It is helping me get motivated to do some deep cleaning. A few ideas so far is to go through your home and look for the areas that are not working and start there. Have the things you use everyday readily accessible. Give yourself permission to get rid of those things that you are someday going to get to examples would be half done projects that have been there for years to get done. My favorite thing to do is think of your home like a garden. You constantly tend to a garden with watering and weeding. So your home needs constant nurturing by weeding out the unnecessary, saying no to anything that does not add value. Just because it is free or cheap does not mean it improves your life. Set a timer to get yourself to start a task. The biggies were paperwork, clothes, hobbies that get out of hand, toys. Limit yourself...one is often better than two. Put things back in their home when done using it so easy to find when needed again. Sort like with like. Right now I gathered all my post it notes and I have a shoe box full of them. My goal is to cut these in half to start. I got most of them when I was teaching.

My problem with organising is this ... I know how to organise. I know most of the tips and tricks. I read articles with advice on how to do it and think, yes, I know all that.

I just don't have time to do it.

They even make suggestions like ... look around and if there's anything that can be done in 5 minutes, do it now ... but I've done all those things. The next things to do will involve weeks of work.

Today I am resorting to putting stuff in nice-looking boxes. I hate doing that because it doesn't solve the problem ... it only makes things look a bit less visually cluttered.

If you have the time, enjoy the organising. It's fun! When I have had the time, I've always enjoyed it.

Then think about a trip to Australia to help me! 😀

M in Oz

You'll get there. The fancy boxes though is just organizational hoarding, its the term the "Minimalist Guys" use. Its kind of a brutal term, as I know you aren't a hoarder by any means.💖. I would look at your home like a architect would. Define what you do in each area, and try to have each item have its home. Then just get rid of duplicate things, or put in a box marked duplicate items in case one breaks. My boxes are things like bulbs and batteries, (important when we need them". Things you use every day should most definitely have a home. The point of cleaning isn't to let loose of things, its not just getting rid of things. But to give more meaning, and clarity to the things you do have. Most people tend to think minimalist people have white rooms with a white couch and like a bowl and that's it. Sad people in sad , cold rooms. But minimalism is so individualistic. What's important to you, might not be to me, and that's just fine. You will get there, wherever you need to be in your home.
Rebecca
Whidbey
Wa

LisaInArkansas

Ha! Fatigue + dyslexia = I don't know where I live. Tasmania is on the right side.

M in Oz

Oh thank goodness, I was trying to figure out if the whole southern vs. northern hemisphere made the cardinal directions swap, with the east coast on the left... I always have to double-check left/right.

skuehn48

Terri - thanks for the song. I like that one in particular. It reminds me that Burt sometimes composed while on horseback using the beat of his horse's hooves.

Why is it that when you have to be on a very low fibre diet the things that appeal to you most are high fibre? Maybe it is just that I know I can't have it right now. Maybe I am just a "contrary Mary".

Beautiful here, 77* and sunny.

Pip - that is a cute picture. Have fun with the great niece.

Everyone take care, Sue in WA

grandmallie

Nighty night from the sleeping prince.

LisaInArkansas

barbiecat wrote: »

It may be just past lunch for me, but it is breakfast time August 1 in Tasmania, so I'm posting the new thread for August.

Here is the link:

https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10896179/women-ages-50-for-august-2023/p1?new=1

As we trail off out of July, I'm reposting Barbie's link above... See you in August!