Can we have a forum for "older" people with bc?
Comments
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Forgive those who have injured you -
not because they deserve your forgiveness,
but because you can never be happy until
you release your anger and grant forgiveness.
Forgiving is not a gift to someone else -
Forgiving is your gift to yourself - a great gift - the gift of happiness.
- Jonathan Lockwood Huie -
I have to quit going to the garden shops. I noticed a few bare spots this morning while watering This afternoon I stopped by my favorite parking lot pop-up garden shop after lunch and came home with a tray full of plants. They're all planted and watered in. It's such a joy to have the energy this summer to putz in my yard.
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Puffin, when your garden blooms, you'll have to post some pictures so we can enjoy it, too!
We used to set our thermostat at 78 to 80 but I mind the heat more and more as the years pass. When I leave the house, I put the setting higher but keep it about 74 or 75 when I'm here in the house. And I still sweat if I'm moving about doing things. At night we lower the setting to 68 and cover up with a sheet and light blanket. The plus side to getting the house cold at night is that the a/c seldom kicks on the next day until about midday.
The solar power company is scheduled to come tomorrow morning early to install the panels on the roof, but the forecast is for rain. Fingers crossed that they're able to do their work because time is short.
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When I let go of what I am,
I become what I might be. ~ Lao Tzu -
Beautiful day here. We were supposed to go on a tour of the Capitols of Eastern Canada and leave tomorrow but, had to cancel due t o my IBS kicking in this week. Am going o try eliminating foods that I read may contribute to it, and see if I can get it under control. I have never associated bouts with any specific food, except broccoli and blueberries! Which I stay away from. Diarrhea is literally a pain in the butt. Have to worry every time leave the house. If we travel on our own or a cruise where we can follow our own schedule, I can usually deal with it. Of course the foods I shud stay away from seem to be ones I like, like caffeine/chocolate and tea for my tachy cardia. Oh well I shudn't complain when I see what many are dealing with.I'll probably be fine the rest of the week , and we cud have gone! Just never know! Just tired of this way of life. Rant done!
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Bonnets, what a shame! Feel free to rant. It's good to get the emotions out and we don't mind. That sounds like an interesting trip. We enjoyed all our travels in Canada, which is a very nice country. If we were to live anywhere else but the USA, it would be Canada.
The installation crew for the solar panels has already gone, their job done. They said our house was "a piece of cake." The roof design is simple with a gentle slant. Your typical ranch house roof. Now the parish (county) has to come for an inspection and the power company (CLECO) has to come and install a special meter. It's unlikely all that gets done before we depart for 3 mos., but we can hope. Until the special meter is installed, we won't get credit for power we feed back into the grid. I know--it's all words. I don't understand it either!
We'll have an App for our I-phones and computers that will let us monitor the electrical output of each panel. Isn't that amazing? Supposedly the solar company monitors all this, too, and if one panel isn't doing its job, it will undergo repair. Sounds complex to me!
There was a light rain shower and some rumbling a couple of hours ago but now the sun is out. DH went off to play golf and I can do whatever I decide to do this afternoon. Nice!
Happy Friday.
Jackie, what an intriguing quote today. Letting go isn't easy, is it?
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I am always intrigued by solar power. I don't know what the make-break point is --- that is where you, yourself start reaping the monetary savings -- but I think in the long run it will be so fantastic in 'putting' our world back in a better state. The immense damage that has been done through greenhouse gasses, depletion of forests, diminishing wet lands, disruption of ozone layers --- all things that heavily affect climate change or global warming so even if it takes some time to PAY for these improvements --- in the long run it is my hope that new construction has it as a built-in feature. We really do need alternate sources of energy that has a renewal factor built into it.
It is sticky hot once again today, but the rain is due to start this late afternoon or evening. As long as it cools down -- though we do fine in the house if we are quiet. It is no hotter in here than it would be if we had the air on --- it is just that we must deal with the humidity and the fact that if we do have to exert a lot of effort --- it takes longer to cool down with just the fans circulating air. I place the fans in positions where we can get some air directly hitting us part of the time so it is not the worst. Still am not sure if we can make it to July --- just playing it by ear.
Carole, the quote is a bit on the difficult side --- we are so familiar with who we are and it seems so much easier when life is pretty predictable. It also means to me to try and not let myself get into a rut of rote behaviors -- to stay flexible and branch out. Stay happy and be pleasant, helpful and cheerful with wherever I am and whomever I may be with and most of all be willing to try new things or new small adventures. As I am a stay-at-home for the most part due to feral cat feedings and care of plenty of my own 'rescues' that live with me and Dh --- I really have to guard my "sameness" and maybe that is why I so often question things the way I do. I want to maintain an ability to change my way of seeing and thinking about things --- so I'm always on the lookout for how others might see things.
Though as humans we are all pretty much alike --- there to me is nothing or no one so complex.
Anyway, I will work again tonight. I'll be glad to finish my week --- and truly happy that I got an extra day in this week. I will have one of the 'longer' week-ends that I like since I often end up skipping Fri. and then working Saturday night. Either is fine with me at my age --- I don't have to worry about what was long ago date night for most people. So --- unless something were to come up ---- I'll be off until Tues. after tonight.
Bonnets, your tour did sound interesting. I'm sorry that you will have to skip it. I hope you do find the "key" to getting the IBS to settle down so you can have a life that allows planning little excursions or shopping trips or anything that you have had to skip the last few months.
Canada is I think a super nice place -- or can be. My first husband's mother was from Canada -- so we spent a fair amt. of time there visiting family of hers that stayed in Canada. I always enjoyed it immensely. I'm sure winters are a bit off-putting, but oddly most of us adapt to things like that all right. Meaning, if you can do winter at all, then you could do a Canadian winter. Their summers are delightful. We mainly went in summer.
Anyway, I'll be checking in through the day as always. See you then.
Blessings
Jackie
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Gray and cool today - which is a bit of a relief for us northwesterners who aren't accustomed to high temps for long periods of time.... I was supposed to go fishing with hubby this morning, but couldn't sleep last night, so opted to stay in bed instead. Once up I continued along with my yard project of covering all the grass in our backyard with landscape cloth. I put down one strip a day, and figure all the grass will be covered in another week (unless I take a day or two off, of course
) Once the landscape cloth is down, the next step will be dumping fresh dirt over all of it - heavily laced with Preen to discourage weeds. Once I feel safe that the under grass is safely dead I'll start planting drought tolerant shrubs and perennials (mostly shrubs, though). I want to put in a couple pathways, and haven't yet decided on what I'll do there. Hubby is encouraging me to use low plants that tolerate foot traffic, so that might well be the direction I take. The former owners left some large hunks of slate laying next to the house. I asked hubby not to get rid of them, so if he didn't, I'll probably use those as well with the plants around them. If I ever complete the project I'll post some pictures. -
Carole, Our neighbors put in solar panels (in cloudy Seattle) and power their house, their electric car, and are still selling back to the electric company. I don't know how long the payback is but they are certainly helping the greenhouse gas effect.
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Hi all, tonight I take my last 3 pills for this 14 day of my chemo session, I am off for 7 days. I guess when my feet got so bad the first session I must have had blood blisters that I could not see due to the swelling and redness. Where they hurt the worst, now I am peeling, not sore.
I have noticed that our clown mimi has not posted in along time. Hope she is OK. Kids are still here, 2 teen age boys eating me out of house and home. Kimber is spending most of her time down in Alpine with her Parental grandmother. Kimber is doing the Sul Ross Univ. musical Annie get your gun this summer. Having a great time with it.
Hope you are as well as you can be. Will let you know later on in the week how my week is going off the med. Hugs
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The hopeful person sees success where others see failure, sunshine where others see shadows and storm.
Orison Swett Marden -
Oh Puffin, I share your love or working in the yard and the flowers. I am not very good about planting things in the right places but I am learning. As Carole says, do post pictures!
Carole, I am anxious to hear about your solar panels and how well they work. There are many pools in Florida that are solar heated. The house we rent as a regular heating unit for the pool but the solar heat sounded very interesting to me.
Today is supposed to be a good one Illinois so I'm planning on working outside. The rain is supposed to reappear tomorrow again and there are chances of rain predicted for every day next week.....UGH. At least we don't have to water the flowers! :-)
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Google "Right plant right place". There's a book by that name and it looks like others have pamphlets. I wish we had read it when we planted astilbe, which likes wet feet, under a large tree that drinks all the water in the area. I think it's so pretty, but ours gave up the ghost really fast.
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Lew got a call from his sister that hospice nurse said his mom's fever was not a good sign and we should come. So we're in Brainerd doing bedside vigil. She's getting oral morphine scheduled every 6 hours round the clock and in between doses if she needs them. She's opened her eyes once, wiggles her toes occasionally and sucks on the water soaked sponge when I put it into her mouth. Lew's son will spend the night, we'll sleep at Lew's sister's house and come back in the morning. Brings back memories of sitting at my mom's bedside.
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Sorry to hear that Puff --- you and your family will be in my thoughts. No matter what, it's a difficult time for everyone. You can't ever quite prepare --- even when slipping gently away into the next world is what should happen. Prayers and love be with you.
Blessings
Jackie
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Puffin, I second Jackie's post.
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Puffin, Sending good thoughts and hugs.
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Puffin....Prayers, thoughts and hugs are being sent to you and your family.
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The best thing to hold onto
in life is each other. – Audrey Hepburn -
Hey wren, I'll check out that book and see if it helps me with my flowers.
Oh Puffin, so sorry to hear about about your MIL. Hugs to all of you as you work through this difficult time.
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Nice day today. I took some food for noon dinner to my mother's house and my sister and her dh joined us. My sister brought home-made iced tea and some garlic bread to heat up in the toaster oven. I had made spaghetti and meat sauce and a good tossed salad. We also brought a carrot cake that dh bought at the bakery in our local supermarket. Carrot cake is his favorite and we didn't get one for his birthday on the 8th. So we called this a late birthday cake.
My mother's a/c didn't seem to be cooling her house so we took the cover off the inside condenser and, sure enough, the coils were all frozen. This has happened before and indicates that her a/c compressor is running short of Freon. She called and left a message for her a/c repairman, the fellow who installed the system years ago. He is usually really good about responding to her calls so I'm hoping he will come out or send someone out tomorrow morning.
Meanwhile we set up a fan to blow on the frozen coils and the ice had thawed in a couple of hours. By then it was 81 degrees in the house but bearable. Before we left, we turned the a/c back on and the house was cooling off.
Tomorrow morning I hope to get outside early and do some yard work. I have 4 bales of pine straw left to mulch a bed that I haven't gotten around to yet.
Puffin, thinking about you and your dh and his family. Also thinking about Blondie, Cammi, Sandra and Mike. Chevy, how are you? You haven't been dropping in to chat lately.
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I haven't been on for a while and read all the news. Yesterday I walked a mile in the Plano Komen Race. It was a long walk since I'd had abdominal surgery 3 weeks ago. It felt good to accomplish it though. Today my stepson's family was here. The grandgirls did a "play" for me. They decided to be Egyptian water princesses using a variety of props from shoes, baskets, a hard hat and all the dog's toys. They are quite imaginative. I asked why they were Egyptian princesses and it turned out they'd read a book about the pyramids. Busy day.
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Hi, Teacher. Congrats on doing the walk. The little girls sound cute. Good to have you check in.
Happy Monday to everyone.
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Let us not pray to be sheltered from dangers
but to be fearless when facing them.
- Rabindranath Tagore -
Teacher....thank you for doing the walk. Should we do another weather report. I hope Sandra's area is safe. I do know San Antonio has had some flooding. In fact, based on what our weatherperson said today --- almost everyone ( and that is a huge portion of the mid to eastern U.S. could easily have flooding. The storms will continue for a few days so that plays a big part.
Otherwise -- it is just sort of sticky here with the humidity from all the dampness that is hanging around in the air as we wait for the next deluge. Hoping to get the big, big, tree branch off from over the top of the garage but the guy hasn't showed as yet. Makes you wonder if anyone wants to work. Oh well, he said he had to wait for his girl-friend -- just didn't say exactly why. That has given me some pause for thought. I usually NEVER had to base my work career on whether or not a boy-friend had to be around to accompany me. Times change -----.
Thinking of you all and hoping you will not have weather issues where you are.
Blessings
Jackie
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Jackie, as I read your post, it is pouring rain outside. My appointment with the dermatologist is at 1:45 so I'm hoping the downpour has subsided by then. I went out and did yard work this morning as planned. The sun was shining. I took a short breather and was sitting on the swing on the porch when all of a sudden I saw drops of water falling on the patio. Sure enough we had a little shower with the sun still shining.
I don't agree with the author of your quote for today. I would prefer not to face the dangers.
Greetings and hugs for everyone.
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Carole, I don't like the dangers either, but do think I'm a better person for my face-off with them and finding positive answers. I learn so much when I get the best of something rather than cowering and wishing it would go away.
Speaking of which lo and behold --- the dead tree by the garage is now laying on the ground ( we saved money by dealing with the aftermath ourselves ) for just $125.00. I was overwhelmed. Wednesday ( overwhelmed again ) the tree man will come back and take out the nearly dead hickory tree which is very, very tall. That one will cost $250.00. We are getting a good break on it as he wants the tree ( it's hickory ) after he gets it down as he will use it in his barbecue. If it went down --- it would do massive damage to our house --- we feel so fortunate that we decided to try someone else ---- thought the first guy was too high --- and so facing the un-certainty turned out so much better for us. I have to admit though I was really worried.
Anyway, we may have wind gusts today during out storm so we needed to find someone with a bucket truck to make quick work of the dead tree. It had already shed a super big branch and did some damage to our garage. This guy said it was good that he got it as the thing was wiggling ( giving him a bit of the willies too ) while he was trying to notch it to get it to fall away from the roof. He went ahead and took it all the way to the ground -- we only contracted for him to top it and get the few two or three big huge branches off. We have another friend who loves to cut up wood --- and he was going to come over and deal with the tree once it was topped and couldn't damage the garage anymore. Now --- he will just cut the rest of it up --- I can live with that.
I love it when things work out that look ominous, if not impossible on our budget. By the way --- I am concerned about the tree that isn't cut yet. It has a slight amt. of leaves so isn't bad like the other tree -- but when the strange wind gusts come -- you just have to hope and pray they don't upset the apple cart. I'm sure we will be fine, but a little worry ( enough to be cautious since I park under that tree ) should keep things up properly. I likely will park closer to the garage I think. I'll see you all later.
Jackie
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Good afternoon, ladies. This morning I am still making slow progress on my yard project. I also made a large pot of ice tea, mango popsicles, gazpacho, vacuumed and steamed my floors and did two loads of laundry. This afternoon I may go out and trim a ceanothus that is badly in need of cutting, as is a rhody in my front yard - but as the house faces south/west, and it's supposed to be in the high 80's today, those little projects will probably wait until tomorrow....
Hubby is out fishing. He had a salmon on this morning after fighting it for about 15 minutes, it was about 6 feet from the boat - ready to by netted -- and a seal came up and took it. He was SOOOOO angry/bummed. It's bad enough to have that happen when fishing is good, but it has been really exceptionally poor.
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Jackie, glad you have dealt with one of your tree problems. Hope the other problem gets handled before it causes you trouble.
GG, I read the second paragraph of your post to dh about the seal stealing the salmon. What a story!
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Hey garden....tell your hubby that I understand his frustration over the seal getting his salmon. When were were fishng n the gulf this winter, the pelicans kept trying to take our fish as we reeled them in. They got one of ours. I was furious! :-) We still went out the next day though and fished again!
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