RunsOnEspresso wrote: »

@rheddmobile does your mom write books or articles or both? Would I know her work? I have read a lot of true crime books.

My mom’s name is Carolyn McSparren - she has published series of both romance and mystery, plus a bunch of short stories and currently edits the yearly anthology put out by Malice in Memphis, the Memphis mystery writer’s group. She’s never “hit the big time” unlike a couple of her friends but has a respectable list of moderately well performing books out. I think the most recent anthology is “Lies along the Mississippi.” I have the mixed fortune to be lightly disguised as several badly-behaved children and teenagers in various books.

@RunsOnEspresso That must be a paid MFP thing, because I don't know what the "set time feature for food" is. Mine just has breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snack and I enter it whenever I want with no problem.

@rheddmobile I was also wondering if there are things that your mom wrote that are out there for us to read. Thanks for the info. I'll have to look her up too. My mom loves to read. I'll try to get something of your mom's for her.

Good morning!

@Rheddmobile Perfect timing, I just got off the phone with the Sr Detective on mom's case, and yes...he is an amazing person! I told him what PD said about Mom and he chuckled and said that a lot of people asked if he was involved, but they just have nothing to go on other than he is an *kitten*. I told him about all the undocumented workers he has living at his house and he has the money to drop a name and say make them disappear. He gave me all the phone numbers I need to call if he does it again to generate "415s", he says if I get enough of them a Judge will grant a restraining order without a hearing. I by no means plan on "generating" those though intentionally. I also have to SEE him shoot to get him for reckless firing of a weapon. He told me to tell the other neighbors to also call, the more the merrier. I asked him about getting a handgun and he gave me the name of the 2 stores he buys his guns from and who to talk to about gun safety classes. He said it surprisingly not that hard to apply for a concealed carry and gave me the website that spells it out.

Other than that, it has been a quiet day. I did get a bit of work done and happy with that. I have my Safety program training today at some point. I also still need to work on some other programs.

DH and I went for our 2 mile walk yesterday. He is frustrated with the computers he has work, the crash and reboot constant under the weight of the models he is trying to build. I think our evening walks are what the universe ordered.

We also ordered a white board and splurged on a wireless 4x6 photo printer so we can start printing ideas for decorating and create a vision board.

I got the name of a new draftsman and also an electrician. Now to carve out time to talk with them.

No movement on the scale, but not gaining. I haven't been tracking my calories though either. I ordered one of those Everwell at home blood tests for "women's health". I haven't done it yet. You have to do it on the 3rd and 20th day of your cycle.

Well, best get to work. The days are ticking by fast.

Good morning!

@swenson19d I feel like I am in a total rut! I appreciate your perspective, I seem to be in denial about a couple areas of my mental health and habits. LOL.

Yesterday ended up going well. The PA (Clinic) called me back and said my blood work and xrays all came back normal, no arthritis. He literally said "I don't know what you want me to do". I told him that any pain that may require me to take motrin for several times a week with no end in sight required more attention. I asked for a referral to neurology to test for carpel tunnel. I definitely have some nerve irritation because I feel the tingling. But I don't know if that also accounts for the very sharp pain in my joints that lasts for days. I suspect this may be more of a tendon thing in my forearm.

DH and I went for our walk and saw so many coyotes. They all started singing when the national anthem played. DH was also telling me his plans for his "man cave". There is a study in the plans and I thought that he was going to use that. But he has decided he wants a man cave separate from the house with a retractable roof so he can use his telescope. Huh, ok buddy.

Food was ok yesterday, probably not a deficit. Didn't weigh myself this AM. I was actually thinking of going out Sat morning and and seeing what a short jog felt like. I am also very excited about sleeping in though LOL. I also think I am going to sell my Concept 2 rower. I have used it maybe 5x in 6 years. I am never going to use it despite my dreams.

Grey cat is doing ok. He still seems a bit out of it and not quite as active as before. I cherish every day with him. We have not gotten his inhalers yet from that Canada pharmacy. The vet did tell me it could take up to 6 weeks. I have a tracking number and it looks like they are coming from New Zealand. Sat in customs for 2 weeks before finally saying they were on a plane, that was a week ago and nothing has updated yet. Black cat is doing well too. I didn't realize that cats can loose hair on chemo? He has lost his undercoat (he is part mainecoon) and his fur has become very thin, you can see his skin through the parts. It is also not growing back where they shaved his leg. He has chemo tomorrow and B vit injections with his monthly weigh in. I need to call and see if the oncologist an hour away is accepting patients yet. Next closest one is 3 hrs.

Well, best get to it today. Need to make a decision on if we are dropping the old draftsman (It has been a week since I emailed and texted him for an appt). The electrician wants to know what we want to do, not entirely sure. And need to get back to finding a company to move the mobile home.

DH has said tonight is date night and wants to go to a steak house nearby.

Avidkeo wrote: »

Hey guys. Can I come back? I've missed you.

You never left my heart.

Avidkeo wrote: »

swenson19d wrote: »

Avidkeo wrote: »

Hey guys. Can I come back? I've missed you.

You never left my heart.

I love you guys so much. I've been thinking about you all a lot. I don't know why I stayed away.

Sometimes we just need time to sort. You'll have to give us an update on how you've been doing, when you have the time. You are like a sister to me, door is always open for you and you never need ask permission to hang, hide out, or raid the fridge. ☺️

My next door neighbor, aka the meanest old lady in the world, is in the hospital with Covid and it doesn’t look good. Despite her being old and really mean (she once completely bewildered my white blond Nordic tree trimmer by calling him the n-word, and her own son, once when I asked how she was doing, said ‘mean as usual!) I don’t wish her any harm and it’s touching to watch her enormous family descend on her house to use it as a headquarters. She has survived cancer twice and is a diabetic so the odds are against her, and also she has been as careful as it is possible for a human to be, getting everything delivered and speaking to people only from the security of her porch with them twenty feet away in the driveway. It makes me feel like if she can get it, no one is safe.

In other news, my mom’s cat died, probably of a blood clot since she suddenly developed a wobbly back end. The cat has not been quite right since she was a kitten and had a severe fever which left her almost in a coma for several days. My father, who was not usually the type to do this, for some reason just did not want this kitten to die and fed her from an eyedropper every couple hours until she was better. And she recovered, but I think she had brain damage, because she was always weird and mostly hid in drawers after that. Anyway she lived another twelve years, longer than anyone ever expected. So, goodbye strange little cat, I hope you can be well and happy now, and maybe say hi to my dad for me.

In happier news, it’s the season when raccoons get together and make more raccoons! They are making all kinds of crazy noises out back. We have been filling the little pool with water for them every day since they keep coming by to drink, and tonight it froze solid, and we had ice skating raccoons!

@rheddmobile Despite the old lady being mean, it is nice that the family still comes together. Sounds like she loved who she is. Dh told me one of his mason buddy shot a "giant pig 4 times" and a 25 pound raccoon. It really bothered me about the raccoon. DH said the guy took him out to to see it and it was about 5 pounds. I've become quite attached to those little characters. I told dh this guy must have been a terrible shot if he had to shoot a large animal 4 times and hit a poor raccoon. We dont see to many around here. We do have a grey fox that visits my neighbors. They fish their pond and throw fish heads out.

@shanaber I still like the ruggables. Kevin has stoped chewing and pulling it, I put cayenne pepper where he pulls it, just need to fix it the best I can. Bob gets caught on the edge a bit on the one in the living room, which has a thicker pad. But it still manages without help. There is a comfort in knowing it can be washed. Im sure it would stay in place if the pups did't wrastle and t-rex fight all over it. They have managed to scoot it a few inches wonky. I'm sure under normal conditions that it wouldn't be nudged askew. I saw the samples.
The record playing sound fun, like being a teenager again. haha! Dh keeps buying junk. I gave the dogs the cookies and he brought home banana pudding ice cream. I can't give Kevin ice cream, he gets barky and wants more, like a little kid. I ate too much of it last night.

@quilteryoyo How are you doing? Back still on the mend?

@CMorning99 I heard it was coyote mating season. I have no idea if that's true. Seems Beary (cat) had a run in with one Monday evening. He came in dishelved and had peed himself. No indication of a cat fight. He stayed in his basket with the pet warmer for a day and a half. My violin teachers great pyrenees had a run in with one and needed a vet visit for staples on his arm. We are back to shutting the cats in come dark. So glad he managed to get away. ETA it IS mating season.

Hey I have a doggie question.
Sandy has red areas where skin touches skin, arm pits, leg pits, and the inside of her ears are gently dotted and red. She's has it for a bit and I dismissed it as chafing. But I noticed a bit more dander on her and realised that a food intolerance may be the issue. She always smells a bit corn chippy and barfs easily, seems to have a sensitive tummy,

So, being a Saturday and Not being able to phone the vet; if I were to change her food, what the heck am I eliminating? She is on the purina one puppy large dog. Looks like the first few ingredients are chicken, rice, and corn... soy also. I am guessing that corn and soy would be the most likely culprit for food intolerances? But seems like it could also be the chicken. I wanna say she has a bit of a rash for as long as we've had her and she was on grain free, "who farted"... I can't remember the name... oh "whole hearted" a petco brand. haha. oh she farts a lot too.

What dog food should I try next to start an elimination diet for her? venison, salmon, and duck seem to be the protein replacements.

thought I might find some first hand knowledge here. Who was that twirly girl that fostered all the dogs? She did the pole dancing, but not really pole dancing... with ribbons, I think. I know I'm silly.

@quilteryoyo Nope, I havent finished that paper, its due tomorrow. I have maybe 1/4 of it ☺️. oh the excitement racing the clock 😂

@swenson19d - I would first try switching proteins, slowly... Hobbes has had a salmon based food forever and whenever he has too much chicken (I use it as treats when we do his nails) he has issues. And from what I have heard from others, chicken and other proteins can be problematic for some dogs. Right now he gets the Purina Pro Plan Performance (30/20 protein/fat) with salmon and I mix it with NutriSource PureVita Salmon. The PureVita is high protein but is grain free and the vet wants hm to have the grains because of the incidents of canine heart disease that they think are linked to grain free. He needs the higher protein for his activity level and because of the mast cell cancer. The salmon also seems to have more oil that helps with his coat and he rarely has any dander or dry skin issues.

@avidkeo - what a great place to camp and explore! The girls look like they are having such a great time!