Mt_Rider

This I have to send to my kids! MtRider

Hi MomM Birthday greetings Say hi to MrMomM for me. I'll pray for his recovery and find out what's up with hearing loss. MtRider

Yes. Darlene..does it include your mountain? MtRider

https://nautil.us/your-🧠-on-emoji-365823/?utm_source=pocket-newtab-en-us It was mildly amusing to read the history of where they started.. typed sideways. : ) But most of us remember those days. ; ) We even remember leaning to TYPE on a TYPEWRITER! And then there was the zoooooooom-fast electric typewriters!!! : o So anyway, my opinion on "smilies" is known. I always use them. I think it conveys our intent/emotion when just a sentence could be taken in a couple different ways. I'm all about "clarity"!!! MtRider .....and they're fun!

I did a little corner of clutter clearing today. Kind of a cheat cuz I didn't actually throw much out. I just consolidated neatly. That counts tho. Was so little, DH hasn't even noticed ...yet. Yesterday was strenuous with a horse ride and a talk with grief counselor. New topic: Maui burning. Just hard to believe! And with the number of dead rising, as expected.... it's hard. I'm back to walking around a mile each evening with dog towing. Then stop to sniff/dig. Then off like a rocket again. She and I saw an 8pt buck yesterday. He wasn't in any hurry to move on....and I was calculating how close to fall rutting season....and we turned around and went back. Not chancing that! MtRider

I spend time today looking for updates on Lahaina. We'll call DD2 tonite and see how she's holding up. Yesterday we found that the extent was much further up the coast than we'd hoped. One of her best friend's (since middle school) home was burned and she (friend) was there taking care of her elderly parents and her young daughter. They tried pouring water on hot spots as burning ash fell but she had to get all of them out of there. They bounced thru 2 shelters...got ran out of the first by the encroaching fire. {fire management people HATE IT when that happens! } Yes....it kept getting pushed by the crazy strong winds. She finally ended up at her sister's house on the opposite side of the mountain {ancient volcano, actually}. I assume with H. Dora speeding on her way ....the EXTRAORDINARY WIND is no longer a problem. They are still knocking down hot spots. Trying to clear roadways. I think some will be/are being let in to check their properties. Each property has to first be checked for danger from quite a few things before the residents can come back to salvage anything. Our Colorado communities know this routine too well. I've been scanning pics ....trying to find where it did and didn't destroy. Since we've been gone, there is a lot of Lahaina that I don't even recognize. Of course I'm looking at the ruins. This is so hard to comprehend. One's mind just refuses to take in the data. And the number of dead keeps increasing. The horror stories of not hearing any alarm system........ WHY DIDN'T THEY SOUND THE ALARM SYSTEM? Not cell phones....cell towers were down int he wind! The NOISE one! Do NOT tell me it doesn't work cuz wind knocked the power out. An alarm system needs to have an independent power system!!!!!!! I've read of younger folks literally running ahead of the flames! Old ones....not so much. Some folks hid down behind the sea wall as sparks flew over their heads. When it got too hot, they dipped into the ocean but had to fight the sparks/debris. Can you imagine that for hours of the night....lit by flames of your town burning? I pray that when the money, goods, "services" starts to roll in......that they will be respectful and not out for the notoriety, or profit. The SLEAZE will arrive and ...God, PLEASE give the residents clarity on what to sign/accept/believe! Too many folks are seeing $$$$$$$$$$ on the most lucrative side of the island. MtRider

Talked to both daughters last nite. DD1 was not really aware of a lot....focused on how to restart her school room after going thru all the rules and safety concerns on their first day back to school. 4th grade teacher and they'd only had one day of school before the fire that night. School canceled on all of Maui until Monday, at least. Some school buildings are being used to house thousands of people. She's trying not to think about it cuz her emotional plate is full with pain from her injured feet. Pray for her pain and exhaustion starting the new school year in bad shape, please. DD2 is hosting one family who had minutes to get out....nearly everything left behind including a vehicle used for mom's job. DD2 is more traumatized... devastated....numb. She's been front and center of this, with her house guests. One of her best friends since middle school evac-ed with her young daughter and elderly parents. I've known this family long too. Thankfully she has taken her group to her sister's house on the other side of Maui. Their place which has been there a long time, is gone. DD2 is in shock. She spent a lot of time there. Our former house is gone too. I didn't know the fire had gone that far in that direction so....wow. Alllllll of it gone? All that we remember...in ashes? Whew! That's hard to imagine. DD2 is trying not to. My heart literally hurts. I'm afraid to look at the names of the dead. I heard it's up to 36 or so. Knew it would grow. That happened too fast. Some did literally jump out of the flames and into the ocean from Front Street. It's quite a jump from some places.....if you didn't spend your childhood jumping off Black Rock in front of the Sheraton Hotel. Soooooo many people homeless. And Lahaina had a lot of homeless folks already. Back in the day, I knew most of them, cuz of my job. So long ago tho. Faces must have changed by now. So many without jobs now....and hotel district, tho it didn't burn, will have a drop in tourism. A moratorium on them right now, in fact. Sending them off island till Maui can regroup. Turning them away at the airport. I'm just rambling....I'm in a bit of shock too. I hurt for my girls. I hurt from my friends. I hurt for my former community. MtRider ....God, help them!

Thank you all. My friends near the first start of the fire think they have lost their home and whole neighborhood. It may have stopped before the schools due to the wind pushing downhill so HARD. The schools are all at the top of the steep hill except one by the harbor unless they've moved that to new buildings up above. Cuz those buildings are toast along with the entire harbor area. I spent a lot of time down there and even worked at that school part time for a while. By tonite, I'm on overload....seeking out any new information. Kehei fire is out but two more started upcountry, I think. Kids/grands still in safe places and the hurricane that sent the WINDS is slowly moving west and is downgrading from Cat4 to a Cat3. Fighting fire in old buildings with 80mph WIND ...in the DARK..no power or comms! Brave folks! If you want to see some before/after pics: https://www.hawaiinewsnow.com/2023/08/09/coast-guard-joins-brush-fire-response-lahaina-where-crews-continue-battle-wind-whipped-flames/ MtRider They made me cry! I have driven and walked on these streets!

Thanks everyone. I didn't see this and posted [between watching Lahaina burn on yOutube ] about this in RURR. "home" is always going to be at least in part, where you raised your kids...... Mine burned down last nite. None of Maui family lives on that side of the island tho...thankfully. But still friends there. I'm getting really nervous about a death count. 6 was the last number I heard but they don't even have the fire out yet. Some jumped into the ocean to escape and Coast Guard cutter was sent up to pick them up. The whole Lahaina harbor...including dock and boats not moved - BURNED! The old lighthouse is still standing I think.. BUT it killed the Banyan tree. 2nd oldest in the world. ...thankful all of mine are safe and accounted for....even some of Jen's friends who grew up with her. But some the people I know that live in Lahaina ...I don't know about them yet. MtRider

I get my Crocs from the thrift store. I've just not seen any there lately. I don't get to many stores but that's kinda within my range when "in town". MtRider

Annarchy....Jeepers always tells her stories AFTER she's unglued herself from self and carpet. You guys are in the middle of this one. But of course we want updates to be praying. And you have a heavy load to carry right now...both of you. DH and I always tell on each other too. But I still want him in appts with me. Cuz I don't always remember things .... God, give the Annarchys your stamina and strength to hold up their "basket" together. Heal them in ways that would marvel doctors. Give their doctor the very best wisdom for helping them. Let no small thing go unnoticed. MtRider

Wow.....it's taken me two days to catch up with this thread. Like trying to catch a big ball of yarn rolling down the steps! You all have had adventures..good ones and ......bad stuff. We're doing okay but a bit stretched for time lately. Annarchy? How is MrA? ...and how are you? Miki... poor Peanut! How is his eye doing? He's gone thru it lately but so good to hear how milk thistle (?) was good for what ails him. Later, when he's fine again from the scratch, tell me what you were treating with it, please. LittleSister... YAY!! So good to hear of GSs new behavior and attitude. Milk fiasco, notwithstanding. Folks do say that especially when young folks begin drugs or alcohol abuse, they swim blindly thru those years without any of the process of maturing taking place. They can "wake up...get clean /sober " at age 25 and act like a 13 year old. They flat out MISSED all the growing up by being blitzed out. I've seen this to be true in at least one relative-in-law. If he can stay off the substances, no reason he can't catch up his "gone" time and become a normal young man. Make-up time is not 1 to 1. Maturity can happen faster if they stay-on-the-planet and off the stuff. Good to catch up with all the rest of you too. I'm fine. Have my hearing aids and both ears are accepting them. Reading glasses and over-the-ear control box for the in-the-ear piece are trying to occupy the same space. That's a little sore but it will work out. I'm having trouble scheduling horse rides. DH is temporarily taking on another client for 8 hrs Sat/Sun. So I need to catch a weekday ride -preferably with senior rides to and back. Leave DH some days at home to rest his back. Then there is road construction. You know the story: Winter and Road Construction are the two seasons for mountains. Y'know...this dog knows when it's 6:30pm. TIME TO GO OUT FOR A WALK/SNIFF ...and get the dumb birds in for the night too She just came in here and said that! I added some to my 'Mandatory Relocation' Sci Fi down in Fireside today. {remember...I never finished it} MtRider ...off to feed and walk and .....start supper!

Well my Shoe Goo story wasn't half so interesting. Course it was labeled 'Shoe Goo'. I wear Crocs as much as possible. I don't like tight [what others call "fitted well"] footwear. Slip on and off. So I have this indoor pair that I've worn right thru the bottom under the heel. Tried duct tape but it just gummed up and picked up dirt. While I appreciated the dust collection from the carpet, I needed better. Armed with an ice-cream wooden stick and the tube....outside....I globbed and spread til I had filled in across the 3/4" hole. Let that dry for a day. It was kinda rough texture but you could mold it around a bit. I put another layer on the next day. That was a little smoother cuz I squeezed more out. Let that dry/set up. And now I'm wearing them again. I'll see how durable Shoe Goo is with my scuff-heel walking. I wouldn't be brave enough to mess with superglue too often. Isopropal Alcohol might break down the Superglue? But...that should be what was in the hand sanitizing cloth. Well, I used a bit of 90% alcohol and it cut the little shoe glue I had on my hands...despite having wooden sticks to smear/mold at the ready. MtRider ...sheeesh, trying not to bust out laughing and wake DH! (his sense of humor dwindles after )

Whew.....I'm late to the party but HAPPY BELATED BIRTHDAY AMBERGRIS MtRider .....running around so much, I don't even know what day it is....

Just talked on the phone for and hour.....life-long Missouri friend. We can never stop and she called late. So far the earliest I've gotten IN bed was 1am last nite. But couldn't drop off to sleep til 2am...again. But I got up at 10am....8 hrs. Felt pretty good. DH worked in town with new client 8 hrs. So I need to get supper. After not having energy and brain for 6 months, I'm pleased but nervous about being able to hold up the house while he's making $ {hearing aids are SO expensive.} So I did 2 loads of laundry...that means HOW many times up/down our 15 exterior stairs. Storms threatened, arrived, were noisy/wet, left....and I go down and switch to dryer and load the next one. Wasn't hot today tho. Got the birds in for the night and walked dog quickly between Weather! I also fried up meat/veggies. DH called and said he'd pick up tortillas [no, not making homemade...tho I have] so I got the insides chopped and fried. I also cleaned and chopped up the rhubarb he'd picked several nights ago. So...after we ate, I made rhubarb crisp. He's got the same 8 hrs tomorrow so .... I haven't been doing any cooking until this recent recovery-back-to-almost-MY-normal. It feels good and DH certainly can't do the hours he's doing if I can't cook for us....and other things like laundry. I don't know how he kept up while I was not able. Both hearing aids have been in all day. Right ear is fine now. Computer key boards certainly do clackety-clack, don't they? Lots of little sounds now, that I've not been hearing for years. I have to keep investigating -- hmmm, what is THAT noise? Anyway...I'm going to bed....almost. Couple more things.... MtRider .....stay cool and stay safe in the weather fronts/ thunderstorms that are crossing the country.

but I caught up reading about y'all. So envious of gardens! Someday...we will garden again. Been HOT but our monsoon season arrived which means clouds and rain...thunder/lightning in afternoons. Clears up before dark. Keep missing rides..... Gotta rearrange since DH is now working weekends. Will need to get ride (horse) and then ride (the senior van) to the horse. More but promised myself I'd get to bed before 2AM..... Back to that. Got up at noon today! Sheeeesh. Good sleep but reallly? MtRider ....haven't forgotten you want more of my story... ..and I see stories I want to read too.

Miki it should have quoted just what was highlighted....?? Try it again. Did you see the .... black box with white inside saying "quote selection"....click on that? I had to go up and do it so I could remember what to look for. Anyway, since I was SOOO late getting to bed for the second night in a row, I'm going to try getting on here earlier. Pushing the duck/geese care and road walking so late ...due to sunshine lasting so long... I'm getting things done very late. Not helping me keep on sleep schedule! One minute it's 11pm and the next it's 2:30am and I'm still And no, I don't drink coffee at ANY hour. Lovely A/C is roaring behind this chair. Gonna be hot again today....."relatively hot" compared to some of y'all! 80* in the shallow shade of the porch at noon. Shoot, that late already? I'm missing cooler morning hours. Anyway, that shade is disappearing inch by inch as the afternoon proceeds. MtRider ..Stay cool, everyone.

Awwww... so cute. I remember teaching my girls to swim when they came from Korea. Used MILs apartment pool. Poor DD1. Just got to America and the gym class going on was....swimming! Had to find a suit for her in November! Never had co-ed classes...let alone junior high co-ed PE in a swim suit. Now I have 2 Grsons who are fish! One surfs and the other spear fishes with "Hawaiian sling". They went out together recently and caught supper. Their mom and auntie never did take to swimming much. MtRider

Little sister I read that and was thinking the 'fruit of the vine' was FOUR FEET LONG. I'm thinking, dang! She's got great soil and perfect conditions! I caught up to reality when you said it was loaded with blooms. Thankful you're home safe, Annarchy. Glad to hear you're marking off things To Do list at the house, Jeepers. Empty basement with a bit of water is nothing like what you came home to originally... Miki....praying you'll get more sleep.....as I'm sitting here at half-past midnight myself. And I FLEW out of bed to answer the danged phone again this morning. THREE RINGS and it hangs up. Blind with sleep and barely negotiating the path to phone out in our 'hall'.....and they hang up?!?! Probably a dumb robo call anyway but let me sleep!! Took forEVER to get my brains caught up with myself after that dash! But I really can't stop doing that cuz....I'm seriously not awake when my body reflex is to run to answer phone! Last nite I got too hot to sleep so shut off lights, fan on, and read Kindle for a bit. Yeah...quite a bit! Forgot I was reading a new book by one of my very favorite authors and ...... shoot, it was 3 am before I finished the book. Hmph! Did not need that phone ringing! Its very nice to have A/C I can relax and not get anxious about how HOT it will get. But...since my chair in LR is directly in front of the A/C.....I had to move to bedroom. I was freezing. But...I was not in danger of hyperthermia! And we could use the oven without danger of being driven out of the house with the heat! Had salad and baked salmon tonite. Wow...lotta smilies tonite. I must be feeling emphatic! (not empathic, mind you) MtRider ..... to bed....soon.

WE GOT THE A/C IN THE WINDOW TODAY Got a few other things done too. Watched our "church" ...one in O'ahu. DH got to rest today - except for the A/C. He did geese/duck for the night while dog and I went a ways down the road. Not far tonite - 6/10ths. Was nice and cool in the shade of the western ridge. Am trying to find the instructions to my current "sound amplifier". I'm sending it to my mom - so she can hear her TV without turning it up so loud in an appartment building. She lost total hearing in one ear long ago. In her 90s so hearing in the other ear is getting sketchy. Sending it as early Bday (Sept). Turned a lot of areas upside down looking for the instructions ???? Cuz I'm not sure if it has softer/louder buttons or what. I never throw things away.... so it's got to be somewhere. I've actually cleared out the bedside "table"....the file for appliances,...my PURSE....and shelves by my LR chair. Where else could I have put it....in the past couple months....while I turned my house upside down for the electrical work?????? Oye...it could be anywhere! Oh well. I know most of the functions. I guess if it has louder/softer, I could never discern it. It's just a small box and wire/ear piece. Had to send her an adapter plug in cuz I've just charged it thru my laptop. She has no electronics. Her phone is a desk model. I put labels on some parts - in larger letters. Glad you had a good weekend, Jeepers! You're gonna get back to Indy yet! Pray that you'll get more sleep, Miki. Pray your DS stays off the drugs and continues to act as he should, Little Sister! MtRider

Och! Hard to win, is right!!! Don't I know that one. I had a 10-11am ride today. That means getting up at 7am. But nooooooo.... I'm up at 4:30AM with one of my headaches. Can't lay down - it intensifies! So I got up and had some cereal and took a Nuprin. Thankfully, one Nuprin usually still works...but I was awake by the time it finally knocked it out. I did actually lay on the bed in the midst of getting ready and have a nap. It helped. I was over due for a chiro adjustment in neck! But with DH leaving early and coming home late with extra hours, we just couldn't make it happen. So finally today after our trip "in town" [running into yet a 4th area on our route that had road construction ...on Saturday!!!] ... we finally got the adjustment done. I went to lay down and chill for a while to let it set. Feel much better now. Hopefully, headaches will cease. Usually does. Ride was great...nice morning. Got hot later. Still didn't get the A/C in window cuz ...with adjustment and resting and ......dog and I walked the whole mile tonite (after sun's down). I am so very pleased with that. I've also gotten really excited about the cognitive and physical improvement after all this P.T. - cognitive and of course, the red pills to make it possible!! Proof! Yesterday I actually got on the Internet and read about Instapot. Being SO hot here, I didn't want to use the stove but DH would need feedin' when he got home from 2 clients. So even tho that "R2D2 unit" has intimidated me for a couple years with all it's digital buttons.....I figured out how to turn the (needing to be used) potatoes into potato salad without using boiling water. Pressure steamed them in the Instapot. AND the site said to put two raw eggs on top of the potatoes. The 10 minute steam build up and just FIVE MINUTES to steam it all, will have large-cubed potatoes already cooked soft and the eggs hard-boiled. AND I even found the requisite mesh bowl - exact size needed. AND IT WORKED! Boy I mean that! Cuz what this means is....that my brain really is getting better from all the things L has been telling me to do. Even slightly overheated, I got that potato salad made and in fridge. Fried two burgers on the cast iron slotted fry pan. We had good meal. My brain didn't fritz out like it's been doing - right in the middle of something! Furthermore, as I told my mom about it on the phone later, she said she's noticed a huge difference lately while we talk. Said I sound more like me. And DH was agreeing with her. I went to bed so excited to have confirmation of what I've been feeling too. There's no reason that I can't figure out the Instapot but.... it just seemed to be so complex. Well! Not any more. that Miki gets to sleep better...if not tonite, SOON! Congrats, Becca Anne, on your finished project and bonus and POINTS at work! your plumbers get all prepared for arrival of your friend. Jeepers, hope you're having fun with family..in the pool. Or was it next weekend? But your projects are making progress! Don't wear yourself out and get sick tho. Good haul on watermelon, etc! Annarchy.....how hot is TX and AZ? Lot of power usage on old equipment. Is water restored for your dh and dogs yet? Little Sister.....you seem to have a talent for crunching the numbers and finding the best deal for cost savings. And your GS seems to now be watching these transactions. Pennies add up to dollars!!! MtRider .... Y'all be careful with weather and all the rest of life's challenges!

It's still your birthday in Colorado time (DMT) so Happy Bday Little Sister! Glad you were able to see the close family and talk with the far off ones on your day. And GS is behaving like he should!!! MtRider ...MMMMmmmmm don't mind if I do have a slice!