Mt_Rider

All good news here tonite. I'm glad.....we do need that sometimes, even in the worst of times. I've been a lot less worried about my mom lately. It seems she's gotten over the shock of moving at such an older age. They were in the house here for 35 yrs. And with the home health aide, they go off to do what she feels like doing. Aide is a Christian woman younger than me. Mom says she wishes it was me and her running about.... Yeah, well....I don't do much running about and unlike the Aide, I can't really drive except places I know the streets and the speed limit isn't 60mph! But our conversations are normal again now. Let's see.....we still don't have electric in the living room. BUT....J and electrician were here all day Friday. I'd gotten everything moved enough. Electrician is a fairly big guy but yes, he could and did fit under the hospital bed to access the furthest outlet. Tried replacing it and nothing worked. {J and I kept telling him that this property is ALWAYS WEIRD! } He's a friend of J/B's. B is still in bed but getting slowly better. So after investigating other outlets, a bunch of wires were stuffed into the living room one. That kept him busy sorting for a while. J and I were the comms......he's say turn power on.... I'd go to holler to J. Then turn power off..... It was a long day and we were all up and down the stairs and the goat pen hill cuz power box is in back of house. He finally found the problem - in a metal box in the ceiling of the basement. pssst! Our "slip" was showing! I didn't think he'd need to see the basement. So when we had to move some stuff down there to get him on the ladder......several cases of store canned goods were visible. J already knows about the Chaos Camouflaged back pantry room. Oh well. Anyway, the part that's broken isn't made/used anymore. So he has to bring stuff out to get it up to code. They'll be back........ I moved the cord to the hospital bed this morning. Woke at 6am with a whopper of a headache. I really don't get them much these last few years. I usually push the button and set the bed more upright....laying down makes it much worse. But I got up, ate PB and banana half sandwich so I could take Nuprin. After the headache eased, I moved the cord to an outlet that does work in that room. Got a couple more hours sleep. Needed it! Felt fine when I got up at 10:30. As has been usual lately, the day after I ride is not going to be very energetic. Add headache...not doing much today. We listen to a pastor from Hawai'i . I did walk the dog tonite and got further down the road. Not my "normal" distance yet. After sitting on the porch resting for quite a while...oye! I was hobbling. Brain was not connecting to my legs. But that went away. Want cardio so I get more O2 to my brain!! MtRider ....trying to break the 1-2AM sleeping habit .... ...again!

Wow, Ladies!!! Just catching up on this thread for the past many days. It's been like reading a suspense novel. Becca Anne and company traveling across the country -- trying to get to West Coast before baby arrives. Did they make it in time??? Poor little Peanut getting stung by a bee. Sounds like that turned out okay...right Miki? Jeepers on her voyage to Indy and back. Missed an exit. Stopped by the house to plow thru the mess again. All sorts of details to get done by "yesterday".... Annarchy with severe allergy- odor issues and a lot of clean-up AND now MIL had a mini-tornado rip off shingles. Well, insurance will be paying for a new roof and that can't be all bad. Hope the roofers do a real good job! Good timing that she was home by then to immediately get someone on the problem! Ambergris....THE MOVE! Stay tuned for the finale of that! Midnight and her now-forbidden outdoor plants? Whats up with that! Sorry to hear you have a son with serious issues too. Little Sister got the prize for Most Suspense. And he walked out peacefully? Lotta prayer has been sent regarding THAT situation...for months now! ....BUT.... DO NOT LET YOUR GUARD DOWN, friend! And dear ones.....I am not kidding at all. We're all facing a lot of strain recently. Some of it good stuff...grandbabies. Others are not pleasant but less serious than some are experiencing. It is so good to have friends (tho we may never see in person), praying and offering wise counsel, and sharing our own experience with very similar issues! It's kinda rare in real life anymore. Cuz we do move around so much...we lose our friends and need new ones. Some of us have been on MrsS for decades by now. It means something to be able to share our frustrations, burdens and perplexities of life with others who will understand. Not think we're the crazy ones.....or the mean ones....or whatever. Y'all mean a lot to me....especially the past few years when DH and I have struggled with my folks' elder issues.....and now with both DH and I having medical issues. You all have been encouragement and information for me. I wanna thank all of you. ....and I'm up late tonite to finish reading the endings [happily] to some of these stories!!!!! ...did Becca Anne make it in time for the birth? Stay tuned to Watcha Doing Today at MrsS.com. MtRider .....have to go make me some Sleepytime tea and calm down already! Sheeesh!

Annarchy, Is MILs area safe? So many things going on. Can't even keep up with the weather news....let alone other news pertinent to our safety, supply needs, roads closed, or local troubles. We don't go far from home unless something absolutely has to be obtained from the large town. Some medical specialists, procedures, etc. Airport, of course but after 2022, I'm not looking at any flights any time soon. After riding and doing my PT exercises last nite, I did sleep as soon as I went to bed. My hip didn't hurt tho it's a focus of some of the exercises. I didn't do as many reps on that side....first week of doing them. So.... Doing breathing exercises for the cognitive homework too. Want my brain back! MtRider

Well.....it was difficult but I got up this morning to get ready to ride. My hip is bothering me so sleep was late again. But it was okay on the ride, mostly. Have to look up which P.T. exercises I'm supposed to be doing. Gave me two strengths of stretchy bands. But I'm doing the homework for the cognitive improvement too. Suddenly, I seem to be quite busy! Not progressing well on Clutter Cleaning . I'm getting a lot more energy to do things but it's such a big job to clear things....ya hafta be in the right mindset. Right? I'm just trying not to fall asleep right now - 3:30pm. Auck. What was the computer button I'm supposed to press if the cursor disappears? When it happened again, I'd already forgotten. MtRider ....rain....lots of rain.

Wow...lotta rain here. We'll take it!! Had an earlier appt for P.T. open up so I went in today. Wise to dress in shorts/tank top...despite CHILL rain. I just slipped off the outer layer of sweatpants and raincoat. Also wise to dedicate a new pair of tennis shoes [thrift store but brand new] for working out there. It was pouring rain the whole drive there but sunny after I got out. Rain again now. I'm finding PT and especially the "restore-brain guy" to be very interesting. R hip definitely has a problem but otherwise pretty good. Riding regularly works core muscles and legs. I've always had good flexibility and still have most of that. Not gonna try dropping into side-splits from standing ... Used to. AND my martial arts training really helps with my odd balance now. Still making a bit of progress on Clutter Clearing between medical appts. I've uncovered carpet I haven't seen in ...... too long! Still a long ways to go....the never-ending story! MtRider

for Jeepers safe and productive Indy trip!!!! Wow, I'm drooling over those shelves with my Clutter Clearing project going on. But....too many medical bills right now. Wow.....I'm just catching up on these posts. Some of you are going to have fantastic gardens ...if the critters, bugs, weather, neighbors cooperate. Yay, for the nasty neighbors gone from next door to Becca Anne! Good luck and be careful with the raccoons, Kappy and C S Mary! Being from up north, I'm sure you know raccoons carry rabies [ meaning they are one of the animals that lives with rabies long enough to be a real problem in spreading that dreaded disease around....skunks too ] And tho adorable masked critters, they can be NASTY! I always wanted one for a pet, growing up in Iowa. Didn't get that wish. Termites, Miki. I think that's what people in Hawai'i tent the homes to get rid of. Warm climates. Lot of pests don't survive altitude or winter here. Kills the geckos too, tho no one intends that. They're cute little bug-eaters! (most do not sell car insurance tho) Good luck. I'm so tired and it's late. I've had some very encouraging news about MS. But ....later... MtRider ... (anyone else try the sleep routine yet? Realllly helped me! )

Hi.... DH and I are a bit worn out. We had power outage for two and a half days. I'm writing about it in a Dress Rehearsal story which I'll put down in Fireside. Suffice it to say, some things were easy to work around. Some things we did without. I feel like I'm still thawing out...it was COLD! There is a strain....when your "normal" suddenly vanishes. Stuff is in different places. Too much is under the category of "you can't do that!" and "whatever you do...DON'T burn down a log cabin!" Interrupted my Clutter Clearing too. Hope to begin again soon. MtRider

I did get more sorting done today in the electric-affected bedroom. Lot of sorting thru papers I hadn't laid eyes on in years. Pulled out a few to file elsewhere and dumped the rest. Then there is a huge stack of jeans/shorts to try on. I find that exhausting so I'll maybe try that tomorrow. Trash goes out tomorrow so the bags I've accumulated from last Wed will be outta here. Sure praying that B (of B/J ) is getting over whatall has brought him down for the past weeks. But I think J will have to bring an electricion cuz stuff is likely wired weird. This cabin! Sheeesh. Had our first sweet corn of the season. Don't know where it came from but it was pretty good. Not Iowa grown tho. Still adjusting when I take the 2nd "anti-fatigue pill" . Took it too late the last 2 nites and kept waking up during the night. Went right back to sleep but today I made sure to take it earlier. I do think it's helping. I'm getting something done anyway. MtRider

Me too..... You do so much, Euphrasyne. MtRider

Already BTDT, huh Ambergris? Hope the earthquakes don't get too ambitious! Have you located a place to stand/sit where nothing like buildings/trees/fencing would fall on you? Well, I pushed hard several days this past week. Rode yesterday. Today But I still have more clearing to do for the electrician to access ALL the outlets that have been out for 2 months. Thankful that in the bedroom, the 2 outlets are behind big wall units. Shelves on the top and cabinets underneath -- however, there is no back on the cabinets so clear those shelves and the outlet is accessible! Course when I arrived home from packing up Mom's house for months, .....well, some of that stuff is still there. Some is in totes tho.... Mostly I have to [once again] try on multiple pairs of jeans and shorts to see which fits NOW....and put the rest in less accessible location. {in order to make less accessible locations, I need to go thru whole closet hangers and REDUCE! MtRider ....with the NEVER ENDING STORY..... Oye!

Rode today and nothing weird happened. Unless you count the fact that the wrangler has only been on the job 8 days. I met her last Sat. They only called me in for the ride so she could take me around........ and I could tell her which trail to take. We did the ride pretty fast with just the two of us. Beautiful day! But fresh air/sunshine had me wiped out the rest of the day. Yeah! This silver head contains a lifetime of dealing with all sorts of people. Verbal battles are kinda fun sometimes, yanno? I've always had a fast mouth... not swearing but just POINTING OUT THE OBVIOUS FLAWS IN LOGIC!!!! OF course I'm very mellow these days......right? MtRider ....hang in there Jeepers!

Yay for you who are getting gardens in! I'm envious! Miki.... I'm SO glad you found that heart. How did the detail work on Jeep work out...worth it? Life is a bit of a blur right now. One common strain thru it all.........I'm doing a LOT more than usual. Or what has been "my usual" since getting back home in Oct. Maybe meds helping? The other explanation isn't so good. I could be using a lot of adrenaline. And that will make me pay at some point. Guess I'll just wait and see. I've gotten the desk and top of the sewing machine cabinet cleared and organized. Really...both were stacked waaaay up in a multilayered mess. DH commented that he could even write out the bills on the desk....instead of kitchen counter. Our property managers still can't really come.....which is good for me. Not sure I can push much harder to clear space to find the electric outlets. All CAN be accessed in living room now.....have to move some things but can be done now. Bedroom....first outlet would be okay. If there is a second on that wall..... that's my next job. And if we absolutely HAVE to access that one..... Third outlet is the worst of all..... Pray for B of my property managers B and J. He's in hospital now with pneumonia in both lungs. But is now responding to treatment. Been sick for weeks. I told J....just go take care of B cuz I'm not done clearing yet. What's another few wks without electric to the living room. =-=-==ALERT=-=-=-= Yesterday morning I got a weird call from Bro. He was shocked that I answered the phone and asked it I was alright. Yeeaaah....why? Mom called him to say that a lawyer contacted her about me. I'd caused an accident; I had a broken nose but the 8 months pregnant lady in the car I hit was in the hospital, not doing well. I was arrested and was at the jail...... Mom kept saying 'Call Bro' to the person. Even spoke with "me" who didn't sound right to mom but it "was due to broken nose"... It was so convincing....she even had a case number...and that was why Bro was shocked to hear my voice. So he and I discussed if this was one of her dreaming episodes that seem real to her. Edging on dementia a bit. So I called mom and Bro called her caretaker to see if maybe Mom got mixed up and it was caretaker in accident, not me. It took only a few minutes talking to mom and I knew it had been a SCAM. He never got to the asking for money for "my lawyer" cuz she kept saying he had to talk to Bro!! Bro and caretaker figured it out too. Takes an evil-rotten good-for-nothing person to scam the elderly. But HOW did they get her new number and my first name? Sooooooooo, dear friends. Be ever so wary. There are evil-rotten-good-for-nothing folks .....waiting to devour anyone they can. MtRider ....and lots of other stuff happened too..... Riding tomorrow if weather holds.

Happy belated Birthday, MomM MtRider .....

Happy Birthday, Darlene! Praying that all your troubles will be solved well, by God Himself! Praying that all your inspriations will come directly from God Himself! Praying that all who you love will trust in Jesus Himself! MtRider

You HAVE done so well on the keto diet, Midnight! Enjoy steak and/or out to dinner! MtRider

Little Sister....I've heard of others with squirrels, etc in their attic. But thisis a real log and chinking cabin. Only a few interior walls. No attic, just a loft ...which is inaccessible without long ladder. The ceiling is rough sawn lumber with plywood, then tar paper and shingles. Pretty rustic/simple. However we still have mice but not in a long time. I think we've been able to button up this place much better. I'm even thinking of using the lower kitchen cabinets again....but they'd have to be sanitized AGAIN before I could do that. Right now....I need to finally get Mom's stuff sorted and FIND places for it. And dump old papers, magazines, etc. You're right about shake roof. A lot of subdivisions required shake roof.......until these modern forest fires took out one of those. Now they have moved to metal roofing or more expensive molded cement to look like the SW tile roof. Trouble with metal roofing.....on our warm days it heats up and the whole load of snow gets slick and slides down the nice metal slide .....onto sidewalks, people, etc. So they put little plastic bits up there - to hold back the sliders. A lot more fire-ready building going on in the last couple decades. Our old cabin....well, at least it's not a shake roof. It did survive the Big One early on. But the pond with water supply helped give us a GREEN ribbon. As in: yeah, we can save this one. MtRider ...

Whew! I'm gonna be sore tonite...tomorrow??? It all goes back to [well, I WANTED/INTENDED to do this anyway ] the electrical problem in living room and more outlets not functioning. It's not the breakers....although there's a mystery in there toooooo... With a good weather day, we can move the food and smaller shelves out onto the porch. That's access to the #1 suspect in this dilemma. I also cleared stuff that makes it tight going back to that corner. A lot of "throw it here cuz I don't have a place to put it " stuff. Made a considerable dent in that stack. THEN I had to see about moving the desk....cuz outlet #2 is along the side of it. There is a top shelf on that desk and a whole bunch of things that haven't seen daylight [or a dusting] in decades. LOTS of dust. That's now completely clear under the desk and on the desktop. Finally removed our old Apple computer. Question: Any protocol in throwing out computers that have the tower, keyboard, separate screen??? Anyway, it's all in parts on our porch. Along with stacks of old magazines. And other "not seen in decades" stuff. Actually, that's kinda nice cuz with most of it, even I can just pitch it in trash. ...most of it.... I did sort thru one stack on misc paperwork. Got that sorted rather easily. Today was waaaaay more than One Square Foot. .........But it's only a small part of following that electric line around into Bedroom #2 ....find the corresponding outlets on the other side of living room wall. I actually started clearing for that a couple weeks ago. So I could see what's out or not. So some of that's done. Told J it has to be a sunny...all day long sunny day. Lot of stuff has to go out to the porch. It's covered but not if there is any wind. I'm pleased MtRider ....more to clear the way to recover our electricity!

Happy Birthday Midnight MtRider These sugars don't count -

If GS is getting that out of hand with temper, please do be careful, Little Sister. Keep your phone handy with 911 on speed dial...so to speak. Had a good ride with warm weather today. Hard to imagine from a week ago when we had lots of snow. Wore me out tho. Use a lot of core muscles while riding...not just legs. DH took dog for walk and got groceries while I rode. We had big chef salads when we got home. B/J were here while we were gone [with permission] but we still don't have elect to living room half of house. Apparently the new breaker in the electric box didn't fix it. Hope J calls to tell us what they found. I'm really tired....fresh air and sunshine tired. Don't dare nap or I'll mess up my nite routine. Praying a lot for our pastor's restoration to health today. The community is especially praying today. I haven't gotten an update.....up to God. MtRider

Excellent! So you've already been thru that sort of family drama. Wow....not good with the ex! that boy grows up! As for my stair steps....15 steps up to the second floor porch...and our front door. High up in the air with only the wooden board step. They are also open; no back on these steps....so being careful is already a huge issue. I bumped a dog long ago and to my shock, she fell off the open side of the stairs ( going under the simple log hand rail ) but landed fine in the very deep snow below. Scared me half to death. These are also the steps I bashed my eye on a few months ago. When my foot going UP to next step was too low and my toe ran into the front edge of the next board upwards. Now I'm ordered by more than one person, NOT to carry heavy things in both hands - at least one hand on one of the railings. We don't always have both of us clearing snow from steps at the same time so it's solo. If it isn't so HEAVY and STICKY like today, the fluffier stuff sweeps off completely each step with 2 swipes. This spring snow....a scraper might be easier. But it's the angle bending over to reach each step from the one above... SHOVE the heavy stuff off the R end of each board. And trying to clear it completely so that later [during winter] it doesn't have a glaze of ice! In this season, he was just trying to make enough clear spots for his foot to be secure while bending over the next lower step....and the next...... Sweeping from the bottom is much easier but you don't want to trample the snow on your way to the bottom. Packed snow is more slick and worse to chip off the wood! Snow eventually ends....even way up here. But for the reduction in this season's WILDFIRE danger ...[already started!!!!] , we'll take the moisture in any form we can get! MtRider hurrying off to bed!! Ride tomorrow!

To me that would be so alien and scary. But then our mountains have some scary beasts too. Kinda funny about Bob tho.. MtRider

that he continues to heal and be able to forget the whole ordeal. MtRider ....our mtg with surgeon next wk.

Wow...interesting, Euphrasyne. Had no idea there were OTHER long biting things in the waters. MtRider ...lotta dental fixtures in those guys.

Virginia...how is your dh after the MOHS treatment? MtRider

Little Sister....Hate to say it.....we had to do this.....put a lock on your bedroom door!!! Quickly! I am totally serious! Saves you and actually saves him from himself. Make sure ALL high value things are in there and keep it locked when you're not in the house. Be it a door knob change or a hasp lock you can remove and repair the holes later. That is an INVASION that can't be tolerated. If he breaks it, call the cops! We had a lot of other things missing... But had value stuff in that bedroom. She went thru all our stuff in basement too. That's when I began the Chaos Camo strategy in basement. Pathetic, isn't it? Our own relatives! But some of them just didn't grow up... Ambergris.... with these narrow steps.... Hmmm, I'm trying to think if the angle can be changed. For stairs we sweep from top to bottom which is a lot more awkward than bottom up. Bending over. And this spring stuff is wet/heavy. His squashed front of vertebrae is midback.. T10+T11. He also shovels out the duckyard a bit. That angle can be changed somewhat but shoveling on dirt, rock, tufts of plant-life... it hurts to have the angle wrong and hit last year's plant growth and STOP! DH usually just PLOWS THRU and deals with pain later. I stuck a lidocane patch on him before he left for caretaker work. An easy day today - no laundry or bumpy ride "to town" for groceries with client. AND....it will be melted by the time he returns. But we can't chance a fall by walking on several inches of wet slippery stuff on 15 steps down. Yeah, I didn't get myself started on bedtime routine til late last nite. It still worked but not as well. Sleep by 2am. Ack! 2- 10 am used to be my normal. But...I'll pull it back tonite. Hopefully. Lots of SUN today....melting off spring snow. Very welcome ...except on steps. MtRider