I say yes, you say no, OR People are Strange

Oh for the love of pete ... I better not be getting any lyme disease or some other stupid tick disease.  I think my skin was just sensitive .. cause I got the whole tick off of me.  Don't think he was on there for too long.

I'll give it a few days ... hopefully, I'll make it that long (ha) ... and if it's still bad on Monday, I'll call the doctor.

Blue .. How is your left side doing?

Gumby .. I sure hope you never get a tick on you.  Stupid bastards love me.

hugs,

Bren

Bren - just about every bug in the universe thinks I'm a smorgasbord - I've just never been around where ticks are apparently.  They don't seem to be in the northwest much, and when we visit other parts of the country I don't end up hiking/walking through grass/ etc...

Kam - she and Ms. Palin are two of a kind IMO.  They both give the United States and women a bad name.  I'm probably stupid - but still hopeful that they'll actually elect someone who isn't a nincompoop.

What Alexandria said - I just read an article on it.  Nasty stuff, and the earlier treated the better.

Here's a good link from the Mayo Clinic on Lyme disease - http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/lyme-disease/DS00116/DSECTION=symptoms

I understand not wanting to run to the doctor after every tick bite.  Even if it's red and itchy, I'm willing to buck the trend and say, "wait and see."  But Bren, if your rash shows the "bullseye" pattern described in the link, or if you have other symptoms, you should for sure have it checked out pronto. 

Says Linda, who got yelled at here for not seeing a doctor about her cough.

Okay you guys ... thanks for pushing.

I'll call my doctor in the morning and see if she wants me to come in.  The stupid welt is bigger than a pencil eraser, but smaller than a penny.

You're all right .. I would much rather suffer through antibiotics now, than really bad symptoms down the road.

love you all,

Bren

Costco's Profit Soars To $459 Million As Low-Wage Competitors Struggle 
The Huffington Post 
Posted: 05/30/2013 9:56 am EDT | Updated: 05/30/2013 10:05 am EDT 

<snip> 

At a time when other retailers are struggling to get people into stores, Costco is enjoying a moment in the sun. 

The big box giant's profit jumped 19 percent to $459 million last quarter, thanks in part to the company’s efforts to offer discounts to lure more members, according to Bloomberg. The company was able to offer those discounts and boost its profits while paying its workers a decent wage, a claim many of Costco’s competitors can’t make. 

Nor can Costco's competitors claim growth quite like the wholesale retailer. Walmart’s sales suffered last quarter as shoppers struggled with a delay in their tax refund checks and a payroll tax hike. The company’s Sam’s Club unit, which is comparable to Costco, contended with similar obstacles in 2012. 

Target, another Costco competitor, lowered its earnings forecast for the year, after customers cut back, pushing the retailer’s profits down 29 percent. 

A typical Costco worker made $45,000 in 2011, according to Fortune. That’s compared to Sam’s Club workers’ average salary of $17,486 per year, according to salary information site Glassdoor.com. Walmart has also been the target of protests by some of its workers, who are protesting what they say are the company’s low wages. 

Hi, glenna, glad you had a good time with friends.  Such fun to have OLD friends, know just what you mean. 

BREN - git yer rump to da doc!   no fooling aroudn tiwth ticks.  Friend had lyme WITHOUT the "bullseye" sign.  It's a furious fierce illness - sooner you check it out - faster you can get anitbiotics if nesessary.

Folks around me who know all about this stuff ( remember, I'm a city girl! in the woods now) say to spray clothes with something called Permethrin - it's a spray - you can get it at sporting goods, camping stores - spray on CLOTHES - not on skin.  Tuck pants into socks - and I guess after that ya just gotta pray, and check thouroughly when you get home.

That Permethrin seems to be preferred i nthese parts for ticks - the deet is for the lesser critters, skeetos & all.

So here's a strange one.  It was 90 here today, and so HUMID it was hard to move - summer???? But no tornadoes, so grateful - hope all in middle of the country are safe...and dry.

Gotta go back & find Wicked Witch cartoon - forgot to copy it - LOVE IT, just LOVE IT.  And the shoes, of course.

I did my Costco shop yesterday Their pharmacy is the BEST - always has the lowest prices on generics.  And the people are SO SO SO kind, helpful, and obviously HAPPY with their work, and how they're treated.  Makes it a pleasure to shop - also lotsa good stuff to "test" - chocolate covered ice cream thingies yesterday  Looking forward to our Costco opening their liquor store next month - getting Kirkland wine! YEAH.  Have to drive about 75 miles to the nearest Trader Joe's to buy "two buck chuck" - state law in MA prevents a store from having liquor sold in more than a few of it's locations, guess to protect the smaller individually owned stores.  Law has changed, which is why Costco can open another liquor store.

Speaking of MA - we have our Senate election next month - to fill the seat John Kerry vacated to become Secretary of State.  Elizabeth Warren has the Kennedy seat, betting Markey gets the Kerry seat. 

There is NO global warning - and as heat goes to 94, humid today, we have an "ozone warning" from 11am to 11pm.  In the lovely hilltowns of the Berkshires.  rant, rant, rant.

Another rant - GMO wheat found in Oregon.  Illegal, not approved by USDA, supposedly from a "test" site of years ago.  Farmer found it, when couldn't kill it with "round up" - had it tested - rant, rant, rant.  Expect all know USA corn and soy bean 90% GMO by now, not so for wheat, cuz it's a major export and Asian, European countries won't buy it. Interesting. The manufacturer of the GMO wheat ( testing sites all over the country, but never got FDA, USDA approval) is making some, ah, interesting statements.  Will let you all guess which company it is. 

Love that graphic Blue. 

I would love to have a Costco around where we live, and maybe someday.  I'm sure there are probably some over in Missouri, but I dislike driving on some of their old narrow interstates, and have avoided looking one up.  Time having to drive there and back would also be a factor.  We are about an hour and a half out right now from the Trader Joes we sometimes go to.  It is easy to find ---drive right up from the interstate -- almost run into it so not to hard.

I think the deer ticks are often much smaller than the dog ticks. I learned an interesting thing about deer as well.  They don't have fleas.  Usually by this time of yr. I have seen/removed a lot of ticks, but have only had the one  ( that would be my chin visitor ) so far, and hoping that will be it.  Hard to say since we are not sure how we will be affected by the global warming that is NOT happening. 

Had pour-down storms last night and more expected today and tomorrow.....thunder and lighting and maybe some hail.  At least we will start the summer with a very full water table. 

Jackie

just something pretty: