Can we have a forum for "older" people with bc?

Betrayal

My mother was an accomplished seamstress so when I married she made her gown and coat, my wedding gown, and the wedding gowns for my 3 bridesmaids. My MIL was a milliner so she made my headpiece and veil and the hats worn by the bridesmaids. My gown was a combination of two different patterns since I liked the top of one and the bottom of another. We paid for the bridesmaids dress material and the hats so they had no wedding related expenses other than their shoes. The florist had gone to HS with my DF and he made all the bouquets, the boutonniere's, the corsages for the mothers and the flowers for the church. I wanted Calla Lilies for my bouquet and because I married the day before Mother's Day, he had to force grow the Calla Lilies since they were out of season. When I got the bill, I was so surprised that it was far less expensive than I anticipated since it was Mother's Day weekend and the flowers were so luxurious. She had leftover material from my wedding gown so when it came time to christen my DD, she made a christening gown and hat from this material. It was a long gown with hand embroidery on it and the hat. I also used it for my DS. I did not inherit this gene for sewing, alas. I merely dabble.

1946Taco

What a wonderful story, Betrayal. My Mom and I made my wedding dress, going away outfit and two bridesmaids dresses. The other two made their own although I don't remember if I paid for the material or not. Suspect I did and sent it and patterns to them. My sister wore the bridal gown with a different veil. When it became clear that neither of our daughters would wear the dress, we let my niece wear it for her lead in "The Pirates of Pinzanne." Ken and I traveled from Maine to Boston to see her in it. Janet has it saved but I don't see any of the next generation wanting it either. My great nieces are much taller than either of us and I have no grandchildren. One of my cousins has my grandmother's lace handkerchief. I can't even guess how many have carried that as "something old." I should remind my sister to track it down as her 6 granddaughters are probably the next brides.

Warmer weather this week. I'll be glad to get back to the golf course.

MCBaker

Taco's post keeps showing as unread, so I am posting to test, since there have apparently been no posts for 20 hours.

Well, that works.

Betrayal

Somehow I missed the announcement that BCO was adopting a new format launching today. what a surprise and I do think it will require some adapting to finding things since the headings are prominent but the forums are shadowed. Moderators if you read postings please note that this is a negative as is the print size of the postings.

Mary, I read Taco's posting earlier but did not reply so I do not know why it showed as unread. I am finding that on fast moving forums, it is a challenge to go back a page or two. Either slow or access denied for no valid reason. Hope they work out the kinks soon.

Puffin2014

I had trouble even finding my list of Favorite Forums and had sent a message to the moderators. Then I did manage to find it on my own, hadn't noticed the number in the white oval way off to the right side of the page. So I passed on the suggestion that it would be helpful to either move that number closer to the text or to change the white oval background to a different color so it stands out more. The moderator replied withing minutes thanking me for the suggestion and urged me/us to let them know of anything that needs tweaking so they can tell the tech team.

Wren44

I've noticed it's slow as molasses. Sometimes I can find my favorites and sometimes it's impossible. Puffin, your photo shows so I hope the rest of them come back. Needing to read the names is much slower than looking for the photo.

I'm so mad at DH I'm not sure I want to share the bed with him. The couch is not very comfortable, however. His neurologist thinks he may have Parkinson's and is prescribing a medication that needs to be taken 3 x day. He has cognitive impairment and can't do this on his own but doesn't want my help and doesn't want to use a mediset (he's the only person on the planet in his 80's who isn't using a mediset). I'm trying to be patient with him, but it's getting very hard. He has been watching TV programs on his phone and we're $100 over our limit with 9 days to go. They have a site to go to change it to unlimited but I get an error message. I'm going to get someone on the phone at Verizon in the morning. In the meantime I'm not sure I can be nice tonight.

Chevyboy

Hey Wren! I hear you gal! Things seem to just get crazy once in awhile. I got up this morning, hoping I could log in here, and finally made it, but MAN, I'm too old for this crap!

It's like we have to jump through hoops to find our favorite places! And then try and remember how we GOT here, the next time!

Don't get frustrated. See, I'm telling you this, because I also get frustrated, and then I am sorry. And what is a mediset? Sometimes I just have to scram out the door, and slam it on my way. But then I am sorry.... and try and go back in like nothing is wrong.

We just have to "hang-in" there... you know? We can always talk about this, I mean that is if we can FIND each other again, Hah!

petite1

My computer or this website has gone crazy. It took me forever to get here. What happened?

MCBaker

I think they have switched to different software so that it is less expensive to run. And should be faster than the previous software once they work the kinks out.

CindyNY

OMG the switch is NOT phone user friendly. I watched the video on the new system. Then everywhere I tried said error on the page. I gave up entirely. Today I only found this through a roundabout way. I haven't found my favorites at all. On a cellphone the screens don't look like the video.

Any way…. I'm not sure I've told you ladies how I received a “wrong number" text message. Started out “Lisa I'll meet you in the usual place." I replied wrong number. Person was chatty, sent a picture - young Asian woman w gf out drinking; have a great night & gave her name. I sent picture w 3 gf, told her to have a good time w gf. Long story short - she/he text daily - a good afternoon, have a great day, good night. It went on for about 4 days. One picture she sent showed her out to dinner w her daughter, saying taking the kids out to dinner and going over cryptocurrency nodes. I know NOTHING about that so I just said enjoy dinner. In the short time we text - hobbies, upstate NY, SWFL - I gave out info I shouldn't have but no details. At one point she asked me “how do you afford your expenses?" RED FLAGS so I replied “It's not for you to worry." I never replied again, and blocked the number 2 days later.

Fast forward to 2 days ago on our local new channel. A woman had a similar text, “hi, is this Jan from the pet store?" She replied wrong number. Her scanner was saying he was a man. Her texting went on over weeks, she told him she had cancer and more personal information. Weeks of daily texting she believed she had a friendly relationship with him. He/scammer showed her how much money he was making on cryptocurrency and encouraged her to look into it - he sent her a link.She clicked the link, believed it to be real and started investing. The police and fbi aren't sure if it was a total spoofed site or some other technology used - but the story says she lost millions. I think my “wrong number" was leading me to the same kind of thing and I'm glad I was suspicious sooner than later. Cautionary tale. I know better but still engaged. If any of you get something similar do not engage, and if it goes longer than the one text of “sorry for bothering you" BLOCK that number.

Back to normal- 73 and sunny. I should stop keying and get out on my bike.

I'll try to find this group again but there are no promises I'll be able to! I might have to bite the bullet and use my kindle or my laptop. Have a good one

MCBaker

There are too many scammers out there.

Betrayal

Mary: I am seeing this message above your mcbaker, Wisconsin, etc. posting. It reads "Img (which is underlined), underlined 20191120 on the second line and underlined 185149 on the third line. I have also seen this for another poster on another forum as well. Don't know what it means nor why it is posted. You may want to report it since they don't respond to me. It may have to do with your avatar?

I have already sent the moderators 2 complaints about not being able to page back to read previous postings or receiving an "access denied" to other forums I have accessed and posted on for years. While I realize they may think this is an improvement I am finding it difficult to get online due to slow processing, difficulty in finding forums under the bold headings due to small print and even the print in postings is small. Haven't heard from moderators and doubt that I will since they seem more likely to appear from the ether when they don't like your posting than to respond to legitimate problems identified.

MCBaker

I didn't know whether I was seeing what others were seeing on my avatar space. I went to try to change it, so that didn't work either. I'm leaving to get a haircut for my dog, so will have to tell them later. Thanks for the feedback.

Beaverntx

I am using my desktop computer with Chrome browser as my Kindle with Silk browser no longer works with the website. Page numbers for the thread appear at the bottom of the current page and I can navigate the pages by using those numbers or by using the ones at the top of the comments on the page.

Cindy, good luck using your Kindle!

Unless I can get back to using my Kindle, I am no longer a fan here!

CindyNY

My “favorites” showed up. For now I’ll stick with the cell phone. But they should have run this through some more testing before implementing

MCBaker

I got my avatar back, but it is awfully distorted. I am going to get a more recent picture. More wrinkles.

So blurry no wrinkles show.

Much better, but still no wrinkles.

karen1956

I don't like this new format. As some of you have said, it slower than slow. And the large white space on the left.

74F today - record high. Will be in the 70s the next couple days then cool off and maybe snow.

I'm thinking of messaging the moderators. I think the more people that let them know how we feel, maybe some of the troubles can be fixed.

Wren - I'm sorry to hear about your husband and how difficult it is for you.

Wren44

I've already sent them my complaints. I think we all should.

Betrayal

I sent two messages and they replied to one so far telling me that it will take time to fix. That's great but when you are denied access to viewing the previous page so you can follow the conversations or in accessing forums you have followed for years, that's not the answer you want to hear. It is SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO slow as well. I wish I knew why the margin on the left consumes about 1/3 of the page. Hate the bright white background which is hard on these old eyes.

Mary, at least the upload info is not overriding your avatar now but I have seen it for others as well and that has not been corrected yet. Unless we tell them what is going on, things will not change so please have at them with what this change has wrought.

ChiSandy

EVERYTHING about the new site is HORRIBLE: tiny fonts (even the icons atop the Message box), gray typeface, distorted tiny round or even missing avatars, and all that blinding and glaring white space. "Soft launch" is a dumb idea: if you want to beta-test software you have to affirmatively download it rather than have it shoved in your face. We should have been given a heads-up and a beta URL if we wanted to try it out. It loads insanely slowly too.

Did they decide to hire a millennial or Gen-Z web designer? Do they not know that many if not most of us who use this site (not just these threads) have "older eyes?" Y'know, when I had my first website (designed by a PC magazine tech writer) the major criticism was too much white space and undifferentiated pages. That was in 2000.

This site is painful to use--and I'm on a laptop with a trackpad that can zoom in to enlarge the font. Tried it on my iPad, which was no fun. I can't imagine what a goat-rodeo it is on a cellphone.

MCBaker

I took my current picture less than twelve inches away from my face, and there is no distortion.

Betrayal

Mary: Your new picture is lovely and you no longer have the upload info where your face used to be.

Sandy: Concur with your complaints about this "update".

petite1

It took me forever to get here. I don't like this change. Hoping it gets better.

mistyeyes

It is very slow loading. I am on a PC and have it zoomed to 150%- that way it fills the page.

Wren44

It's as slow as dial up used to be.

Puffin2014

I've sent a couple messages to the moderators and they've promptly responded. Except this time it took me half an hour to find my email to see what they'd said!

Puffin2014

Hope this helps, the last message I got from the moderators:

To access your Private Messages, ensure you're under the Community tab at the top of your screen. Then you'll have to select the Private Messages tab on the left menu.

To sign out, go to the "About you" tab, and once there you should see the Sign out button on the left menu again, under the Settings tab.

CindyNY

I was unable to sign in from my phone for the last 2-3 days. Today it still didn’t look like the normal sign in but somehow I got in. Here’s a quick picture of my favorite hibiscus

Betrayal

How beautiful. Here they are a summer plant that has to be brought in to winter.

carolehalston

This new site has been a disaster for me. Today is the first day I have managed to log in. The font is too small to read with comfort.

Something bad has happened that really preys on my mind. Last Thursday I went to a hair appointment, wearing earrings. I took them off and placed them on the counter of the work station. When I left, I forgot to pick up the earrings and didn't think about them until yesterday. They were missing. I texted my hair stylist, who has her shop at her house. She replied that she had not found the earrings. I am certain she did find them. One odd thing is that she said jokingly when I took off the earrings that she might keep them because they were so pretty. They were drop "diamonds" that I had made at a jewelry store with white gold. She probably thought they were real diamonds.

Today is my birthday. I'm 79 so this is my last year in the 70's. DH and my younger sister and I are going out to lunch at a favorite seafood place.

Glad I was finally able to get back on our Oldies forum. Hope this post works.