Mt_Rider

I think the docs might be wanting to hit the 'whatever' HARD .......a medicinal "sucker punch"?? MtRider ....just a theory, mind you. Look up on WebMD???

Yeah, what Mother said! MtRider or was it something gone 'off' in the food?

Nice to hear stories of gooood Christmas times this year......with the exception of the little one being sick. We've had a quiet day with simple ham, potatoes, etc. And DH's sweet tater pie. Tonite we'll be below zero again, probably but in the sunny part of today, it was 40*. Snow everywhere so yeah....Christmas. Didn't get a single call today. Mom still can't work the cell to call or answer. Hope they can get her landline in sooooon. I miss calling to discuss our days. Esp with her way out East now. I'm LATE again in getting to bed. Should I just give up and live the night life? Hmph! I suppose I could remember to use the Blue Blocker glasses... But that won't help if I can't actually get INTO the bed! {hopeless} MtRider

We are ADAPTABLE people and adaption starts in the mind/emotions. When I think of Christmas imperatives I had so long ago. Must have a lighted tree. Must have this and that and uphold the family traditions. Making cookies to pass around to friends. Homemade this or that. It's not Christmas without ........ Well, that was a very long time ago. There is no tree in this tiny house. Well, the house is made of logs so some years I draped the colored lights over the log ends of the loft. 2 yrs ago we still had mom here and she and I got their tree up and decorated and lights around the porch railing. Nothing at my house but I did always have a tree at there. It was the last time tho.... And this year I did get to decorate with here at mom's new Assisted Living apartment.....which I enjoyed. But our holidays have been pared down quite a bit since we have no family left here in CO anymore. In the high country, people who get older disappear - go off to live near to their younger generations. Many have to get out of the high altitude. So we've lost LOTS of friends that way too. So today DH and I baked/heated a small ham, scalloped cheesy potatoes from a box (not bad), store-made coleslaw (tasty), Red Lobster biscuit mix biscuits (good) and of course DH's homemade sweet potato pie. We didn't exchange gifts much with other family. DH sends food gift baskets to Maui and D.C. He and I know what we've gotten recently and that's enough. Nothing wrapped. It's simple but cozy. It's Christmas.... even without the Must Haves or Dearly Wanna Haves. We've grown older and wiser (?) to be content with what's possible and reasonable. But I'm still chuckling at my former adamant self.... Ah...for the ENERGY to carry out all that!!!! Full moon tonite? .....ACK! I went outside to check and .....it's ZERO DEGREES out there with a enough breeze to make it nasty! And cloudy....no view of moon, full or otherwise. MtRider ....Merry Christmas and it's aftermath to all....

LOL Midnight. I looked them up and am still trying to figure out how the rubber band thing works. Amazing what folks come up with. MtRider ....pretty!

Well, that's pretty clear ...except about taking the 6 tablets all in one handful or spread out. It appears to say just chug them down in the morning. Do your's taste AWFULLY BITTER? I always try to land them in the center of the tongue..towards the back where taste buds are scarce. Blech!!! Sure hope this does your ear some good. Will it kick of up another UTI? MtRider

My version has the days and times printed on the packet.....but it's a 6 day regime. First day is 6 pills BUT....spread out from b/4 breakfast .....to bedtime. The next day is 5......spread out. 4..... .etc til the last day I take one pill. A 2 wk 'script ......????? Did no one at the pharmacy print instructions? Sheeesh, we get a big wad of papers with every 'script. Really OVER explains things even if you've had the 'script for years. The pharmacist should have explained on a new 'script. MtRider

We had a quiet day. Our snow was predicted and it came down very politely at a Christmasy pace. Kinda floating down. Got a few more inches tho. Supposed to move on ...east, I guess. Tomorrow will be sunny but not very warm. We've no where to go and nuthin' to do when we get there. I've gotten some pics and updates on Mom. Bro took her to the cathedral for their service. I know she loved it. Last time this set of organ pipes will be played in a very long time. They're due for refurbishing and that takes a while for specialists. Amazing how many parts make up the huge organs! We're snug and warm with pellet stove going. DH's sweet potatoe pie is smelling almost done. Tomorrow we'll have ham and things. Sounds like Christmas festivities are in motion for a lot of you already. MtRider .... for good times and safety for all of us as we remember Who was born (approximately) in this season.

***----***----***---- Merry Christmas ----***----***----*** ....stay safe and warm ....enjoy family and friends. MtRider ....and come back here with funny stories instead of dire ones {looking at the Indy/Ohio star }

Whew! I've overspent my time on MrsS again.....trying to catch up on what I missed while I was in Virginia. It's like reading a novel with all of us as characters - having interesting lives. The definition of "interesting" being very broad. Most of us want a bit less 'interesting'. Nearly 1am. I've had a normal day. I did begin to purge one of our two tiny closets today. One kitchen garbage sack for trash and one for Thrift Store donation. Wow...I hadn't even seen some of these things for years. The shelf is too high to reach easily. So a lot of it can go... Then a friend called and we hadn't talked except email since before I left so.....the purge was put on hold. I did walk a full mile tonite with the dog. With heavy boots and clothes cuz it was cold. So it was a good day. DH agreed to work extra hours in January....until I reminded him that my neuro test was Jan 2. Then we had to find the 2024 big wall calendar which we'd bought 2 months ago. Where did I put it? But I found it and it will go up in a few days. We both rely on that so this doesn't happen. He'll call his work and withdraw from that day. We have nothing really prepared for Christmas this year. Our area might get some .....or a lot...of snow over this weekend. We do have a ham and fixings so it's just us keeping it simple. Years ago, I'd be frantic if I didn't have a Christmas tree and ....and.....and.... Now, it's disappointing to have relatives so far away. But I've already enjoyed putting up decorations at Mom's new place...and the Christmas party there too. So I keep thinking that Christmas is past already. Oh well, we'll be home to take calls from Maui and Virginia. MtRider ......

I forgot the link, right? Some days I'm just not on the same wave length as my brain.... https://restofworld.org/2023/how-people-laugh-online/ MtRider ....not anything earth-shattering but I found it amusing

Yes, I'm fascinated with languages and I've started my Hawaiian studies on Duolingo again. Primarily to keep my brain cells working but ...I LIKE language in general. This is a quick review of how to say LOL and other abreviations of laughing on the computer. Some will make you ...well, !! MtRider

I know the feeling. When I was at Mom's house in CO...while trying to get things sorted and packed, etc, I was up and down all those stairs and it was summer. I had bedroom in basement and had to retreat there before I overheated! We're nearly at zero* and will undoubtedly mean subzero tonite. I'm not ready for this! ..... I say that every year but so far, survived. Pretty tree! I love Christmas trees! Wow, Little Sister - raised beds will be wonderful next season. And we all know why gardens are so important. MtRider

Yeah.....our big champane bucket of FREEZING is probably going to be heading East..... Keep an eye out. MtRider ...just a footnote for picking the last of your gardens, etc.

What am I doing today? Freeeeezing! Didn't start the pellet stove cuz warm sunshine was coming in the window. Sunshine lied. When I got dressed to go down for evening feeding, I put on ski overpants and scarf-hat and 2nd stocking hat,wool knee high sox, boots, etc. - I didn't know it would be THAT COLD! Thermometer lied. Said 30*. Nuh uh! Good thing I usually overdress for cold in the fall while my body's adjusting. Dog and I walked down the driveway that was, once again, full of snow. Not much but... I had to transfer duck water (not yet frozen except the top) from outside bucket to inside pan. Put down their food pan outside and give a hefty portion tonite. Then dropped more straw for insulation. Lucky they have 'downy blankets' naturally. In that amount of time, my fingers in my second best gloves were FREEZING! FEELS like subzero down here at the road/barnyard. Even that much change in elevation means in the evening, the colder air falls down into the valley area. Great in hot summer! Now..not so much! Still had to give dog a walk....a short walk. Literally, I had to keep stopping to shift my fingers into the palm of the gloves to keep them from frostbite. They were hurting. When I walk the dog, the hand near 'our side' ditch has the retractable leash and the ski pole/walking stick in the other. On the way back, it switches cuz we only walk on our side of the road. (cuz the other side has blind corners that are a lot less safe for the zooming pickup trucks.) I had to stop several times to blow on my fingers. My double head covering of an open face ski mask with a (toboggan) stocking hat was not overkill. The down vest might have been...cuz I had to vent a bit. Ya don't want to overheat/sweat and try to stay warm. Since DH is at work, we had to walk the last 10th of mile UP the steep driveway. I got dog to run around several times to keep her warm in the short/flat coat of fur she has. Not hard to do that! I was slow going up the driveway. Trying to start/warm up my old pickup just isn't worth the time. Old Fords do not like cold weather and are fussy starting in summer! Can't go start it...go back in warm house til it warms up. No....gotta sit on the cold seat freezing with my foot "just so" on the accelerator. Bad as saddling a mule! Hmph! Thermometer said 20* by the time we climbed the "mountain". By that time I was sweating inside my coat and stuff but fingers freezing. Got us up the stairs and inside. Lukewarm shower got body temp back to normal. I think I did dishes or something for my cold hands. Definitely time to switch to the #1 leather insulated gloves. ..... checked our weather: estimated my area Felt Like Minus 1* Sure did! We're at 10* now. MtRider

Yeah....the long distance thing when you can't verify to encourage or ...let it go. When I worked in a state hospital (residential) for mentally ill, our unit director once said: If you don't know what to say....grunt warmly. My mom's been having some good days...... that they continue! Praying for everyone to have a good Thanksgiving with no mishaps or missteps.... {looking at you, Jeepers} MtRider

Happy Day of THANKFULNESS! I'm thankful to still have Mom and all the rest of the family...those in my generation (Bro and DH...and a few cousins) Those in the next generation (DD1&2, DSIL, Niece) and the next generation (GS1&2). We've never been a prolific family and we're stretched from the East coast to Hawai'i. Soooo far apart that only modern technology can keep us updated with each other. But we can still have a lot of laughs And ...we don't have an icon for telephones, do we? But I used that to connect with Maui and Mom today. Email for Bro. Email recently for cousins. Had a good Thanksgiving potluck on Sunday with church family. DH and I had "Marie's" frozen turkey dinner today....with the addition of green bean/fried onion/stuff. Um, the green bean stuff was good....... Dog did Marie's "dishes". But I've learned that all my MUST HAVE items for traditional holidays....really don't matter so much anymore. DH and I are warm and fed. Well mostly warm...since we set the furnace back in the evening and it's probably in the 20's outside by now. The cold does seep into this leaky old cabin so going to bed soon would be advisable. But we can afford this with DH working only 2 days per week. His back appreciates that. We're no where near going hungry.... ...definitely. We have warm clothes and one of those special Colorado mountain views right out the windows of this rustic cabin in the woods. Even a pond.....cuz I'm one that realllly enjoys a water feature. (our water fowl like it too ...but they're upset cuz it's frozen now) I'd REALLY like a wee bit larger house for storage.....mouse and rat free, if I was putting in requests. But....then I'd have further to walk on days that are not going so well. Just kidding....with more room I could whizz around in my chair! Honestly, we're content with what we have in this time of our lives. We're not in debt. We won't starve - save something catastrophic destroying our 'stuff' or requiring a hasty exit from our neighborhood. We're instantly connected to long-term friends/family short of something destroying the technology. We've got fewer nearby friends cuz they keep moving away! Or passing on to heaven. We've got health issues but nothing deadly or too expensive. Other than missing our Hawai'i and Virginia family......we got nuthin' to complain about ......and SO much to be thankful for!!!! MtRider .....although I'm praying for a mild winter with not much deep snow cuz we're gettin' too old for that!

Fell backwards ...Sunday, I think. Was walking Energetic Dog on the road as is our usual evening routine. She stuck her snoot into the end of a culvert under the road. I was afraid she'd get bit by something so I was tugging hard. "COME!!" She 63# of muscle and exuberance and she usually comes with a light tug. But she was INTERESTED in the hollow pipe and ....whatever. Then suddenly she turned ..."ok, coming!" ...and ran toward me...leash went slack.... YEEEEESH, this dog! Yep, I went flying backwards and landed on my backside on the gravel/dirt of the road. Frozen Road. I did do a bit of a roll automatically so the impact wasn't quite a THUD!!! I could tell from the dirt all over pants and coat. But it's still a good thing I have in-house chiro. But I'm still feeling it. There was NO peeking into culverts on tonite's SHORT walk. Yesterday's snow is melting already. I scuff my boots all the way down the driveway....so the brown dirt/gravel shows thru the snow. The sun takes care of melting much better that way. We'd just lost all the snow from the last one...except for the ice at the top where everyone turns around and packs the snow down. I saw a big patch of black in the center of that.... .....Is our car leaking oil that bad? No. DH said he put down some ashes from our pellet stove to get that part to melt....and have the grit. Whew! We do that every year but it didn't look like that cuz it had glazed a bit. MtRider ....y'all stay safe and have a Great Day of Thankfulness and Food and Family

My mom in northern VA said it was comimg down in buckets today. .... I'd suggested she might take a walk around the complex with rollator and assistant. Well, mebbe not today. FIVE inches, Miki? That's a lot for you all, isn't it. Hope you don't have any flooding issues. MtRider ...our few inches of snow is melting.

Is it over yet? MtRider

Such a long time since he's been here. Wonder what he's up to now? MtRider

Wow, Necie. Those are great pics! I really like the one with fried fish on the plate! I've gone crappie fishing with my Wisc friend a time or two. Unfortunately, fish laugh at my approach. I did catch a great northern up in the Boundry Waters of MN. Even then, DH (newly wed) had to keep paddling the canoe for trolling. Still have a pic of that somewhere. Loved sitting on one of Maui's shorelines, eating the fresh caught/fried fish that my Hawaiian friend caught with a throw net. He was teaching DH how to use a throw net but not sure he'd remember now. A skilled throw can shape the net as it lands to take into account rocks, etc in the water so as not to leave ANY tiny opening.....yeah, the fish will know and dart out from under the weighted net. Our friend had done net fishing for decades. MtRider ....ach....I miss Maui. Love water....fresh or salt!!! ...hmph, bigger than that!

DH and I did Thanksgiving after church today with everyone. No turkey cooking for me this year. So much for just DH and I...now that my folks aren't here. Any of you praying for my pastor this past year....2 strokes and lot of rehab. But he's up preaching again! He uses a quad cane to walk; has a brace on the affected-side arm/wrist. It doesn't seem to have much movement and that leg is a problem. His voice isn't quite what it used to be but quite clear enough. That was good to see. I had a lot of trouble absorbing all the motion and noise of that many people. I was sitting next to pastor's wife and showed her my fingers tremoring so bad I could hardly hold a fork. "This is why I can't come with large crowds....overloads my nervous system." I mostly used wheelchair but used cane to be the last two in the food line....everyone else seated. Was very nice to be there ...and very good to leave and have quiet again. MtRider

Yes! She could be called by many names but FIRED and FINED would be a good choice too!

Yeah...I laughed too, Dee. I went to college in the very Scandinavian state of "Minni Soder" - as my Hawaiian friend used to say. [ Minn] I'm still in contact with a full Norwegian friend in MN. She's described lutefisk and yeah, an acquired taste and smell. But all those other foods are familiar names. I haven't had them all. I've cooked a wild rabbit that Koa jumped at by reflex getting out of the car one day. Since it was dead, DH skinned/cleaned it. It was in one of the correct months for rabbit. I should have boiled it tender before frying. Definitely. We didn't have any hunters in our family. Farmers....raise the meat. .....we just had Thanksgiving after church this morning. No cooking turkey for me this year. MtRider ...got 'nuff goin' on!!!