Mt_Rider

After DH and I had our round of COUGHING Cold recently, I asked my primary doc WHY they'd taken the "good stuff" out of the Nyquil products. ...as in "Nyquil used to work waaay better but I did research and found they'd taken out "________" ingredient. (don't remember the name, of course) She said: People were probably using it to cook meth." My mouth dropped open. You're kidding! I'm so far out of that world....it wouldn't have occurred to me. On the other hand.....IS that the reason? Or do they want the OTC formulas to be quite a bit less effective ...... ? We're already dependent enough! So anyway, I've always had an interest in herbal, go pick-your-own type approach to food and health issues. I've looked into both at various times in my life. Taking kids out and showing them edible and NOT EDIBLE or TOUCHABLE plants when I worked at camps. But lately, I've caught the 'bug' again from my MO friend. She's an RN and really diving into foraging for medicinals. Making tinctures. DH knows the herbs and nutritional supplements but wouldn't recognize any in their living form. He gets them in bottles...pills, capsules, teas. So I've harvested a lot of yarrow cuz MO friend can't find any. Almost ready to ship dry leaves and blossom ends. We're pretty remote so not near highway contamination. I've always known mullein is good for respiratory. (...bronchial ) And I recently located a whole bunch of it. So I stopped yesterday....it's in a ditch so fair game. Chopped off about 8 -9 stalks. Left them to dry on our porch. Snapped the blossom stick off the main stalk. .....and forgot to bring all that inside last nite. They were stolen! All the snapped off blossom sticks were GONE! The leaves of the main plant were chewed off! I've got an warrant out for a couple of Stellar Jays {CO version of blue jays} that were hanging around suspiciously yesterday. But with the blossom sticks completely gone, .... I think they had accomplices! Glad there's plenty more just down the road! Hmph! Can't believe your mailbox is such a target, Miki! Who gets their jollies with that? It would be so much fun to have something that spews out red paint when it's whacked! They need some comeuppance! So sorry about your whole family sick AND no success protecting your chickens, Becca Anne. Raccoons are just one of the horrible potential critters if they get started. So it probably is a good idea to set that project aside while you have to handle other things. Start again in the spring. You know you'll want them again. A neat little capsule of protein delivered daily is greatly valued if you can keep the birds safe. You go! Little Sister. Yeah, you're tackling all this stuff. And your own health. Glad you changed docs and offices. You've got the experience to know what SHOULD go on in those offices! And....good that you're keeping your foot on GS's backside when he wears out his welcome. Military might just make an adult outta him. He does seem to be ....better. And he does try to work. Some don't even try. Keep on him and get some use outta his strong young body for chores! OK..gotta go to bed. I've had events on Mon....Wed....tomorrow....and a RIDE on Saturday (thankfully afternoon this time). MtRider

Happy Bday ANewMe! MtRider... I think I'm late.

Well, as my last appt to Cognitive Therapy.... I did fine on my final test. Not hard but I didn't score near as well when I first came in last spring. We'll take a break and see if I need/want to come back again in a few months. It's been very helpful to get my focus back. Still forget things left and right but...I'm a lot more functional again. Making supper at least and faster pick up mentally. But L says remember: use it or lose it. We've had FROST the past two nights. No garden so no running around with blankets and plastic sheets. Everything is dying and going to seed. Ah-choo! Yeah, that too. Deer are everywhere. Hope the little fawns we've had here are growing fast. LOTS of growth this summer to to frequent rain/showers. The high peaks of CO have already had significant snow. Enough to see from distances. MtRider .....winter cometh but I'm enjoying FALL weather right now!

MtRider comes dashing in with just a few spare minutes..... Who am I kidding. It's just turned midnight and I TRY....REALLY TRY to be in bed by 11:30pm. It hasn't been working....then it does ...then doesn't. Soooooooo I said I can't go any longer without checking in with the gals at MrsS. I back read most of these posts. Same issues conquered and more comin' at ya! Well, same here. DH pulled his back again....fault of a new client so he dropped that one. Works only 2 eight hour days with the easiest client. LOL Sometimes she doesn't know who he is...or that her sister just called her an hour ago. Not sure she's with-it enough to even be overnight alone???? But it's easy on him. I continue to have Cognitive Therapy but ride the senior bus. So DH doesn't have to drive me. When did I check in last? Both got a cold that turned into a nasty cough. I got meds from ER on Labor day. Saw my doc for follow up last week and she's got me on that FOUL TASTING steriod again. Think I have systemic inflammation tho. MS or whatever. You just can't get those pills down...even back middle of tongue without the yuk taste. Chewing mint gum now to get rid of it. 4 more days on it but less pills each day. Saturday I got to ride....first time in 5 wks. All sorts of barriers ...DH's schedule for one. Yeah, felt good but wore me out. I'm cooking supper most nights. And real stuff - often in the InstantPot. Finally learning to use it and it's great to save time. Actually cooked real steak tonite. Watched on 'Net and have several ways. Got a bit nervous tonite trying one way but it turned out reallllly good. Hate to waste steak. DH needs a good meal to heal up again. Steak is a favorite....behind DESSERT! AAACK.....THANK YOU, ANNARCHY! For teaching me "CTRL Z" !!!!!! I typed all this and somehow dragged my fingers and BLIP! All gone. But I got it baaaack! MtRider ...gotta go to bed. Cognitive appt. tomorrow and I'm behind in "homework". I'll try to stay more in touch.....

Jeepers, he'd probably show you his permanently bent fingers and get in line for adjustment for his back (2 anterior crushed vertebrae) too. Yes, is it overworking on summer gardens/canning? Y'all seem to be aching. 'Course some of us are kinda full time with it. But it gets worse and better. Yʻall sound like WORSE is right now. GS back on your couch, LilSister. I hope he doesnʻt spread mono to you! Make sure youʻre eating right and take whatever precautions you do to stay healthy! That unhealthy one is a walking petri dish! Glad your improvements on the chicken shed/etc seems to be working now, Becca Anne. Itʻs so disheartening when you buy, raise, and finally get them laying and something has them for supper. Weʻre down to 4 ducks and one goose. S/he looks so odd with all the ducks. Like the ugly duckling. But s/he (weʻll find out in the spring if we get eggs or not if itʻs M/F) is more alert than the ducks...usually. Donʻt know what got the other goose. But they free-range in the day and have a huge pond for safety....if theyʻre bright enough to stay near it! With wildlife, birds can be quite an investment and loss. Annarchy, good that you know some techniques. We all need to be less dependent on professionals unless itʻs necessary. Good docs are hard to find...and keep....and get an appt. quickly.... {which is why I went to the ER for meds QUICK! to prevent it going into bronchitis} .... and expensive even with "insurance". And Troy Built is a steal!!! I have no idea when I was on MrsS last but ....I'm barely coughing now. The Z pack did the trick........and thank you ladies for reminding me right here to eat some yogurt and (even spell check can't spell 'fermented cabbage' = sourkr??) and pickles and whatever to replace what the antibiotics wiped out. Just ate the last yogurt in the fridge right now. Bloomin' Olive Bread.....what is that, Miki? Sounds good. DH has scrambled his schedule again. Now heʻs working full time with 2 clients and has weekends off. So I can mebbe catch a RIDE on Saturdays again in the ranchʻs off-season. I hope heʻs not doing too much. But for almost all my rehab and other appts, Iʻll have to get the senior rides into town. Took their van today and it was raining hard. 2-3" of rain on the paved roads. But thereʻs a portico (?) in front of the medical bldg. MtRider

Right there with ya! Discalculia. That's what it's called. I make sure the docs/etc know that it's MY NORMAL to mess up numbers and I'm not interested in working on that, thank you very much. Waste of time. I have my ways to work around it. My cognitive rehab guy now has me to the "backwards by 7's from 100" with paper and pencil. He's adaptable. Shoot...it's 11pm already. I have to hurry cuz I'm reallly TRYING to get in bed by 11:30pm. Seems like I go to sleep fairly well at that hour. But not I'm I'm racing to the finish line. I'm nearly completely over the 'cold...heading toward bronchitis'. GLAD I went to get the meds at the ER. My follow up with doc is...next week. We've been rainy. No chance of wildfire. MtRider ...oh, I posted this before I read this page....

I think he and family were transferred back to ...Texas??? Happy Bday Sass/Arby MtRider

Feeling a bit better each day. Still have the cough occasionally. Doesn't seem as far down in the chest...bronchial. We're still getting occasional rain. I have to look at Doppler before dog and I go out in the evening for walk and put the birds in. Today was lightly raining so a raincoat was in order. So while I haven't done the whole stack of worksheets during my August break from cognitive rehab, I have made a lot of progress with making suppers again. And I'm no longer intimidated by the InstaPot. I made flank stead today in 20 minutes. Should have been 19 minutes....4 minutes of steam cook, not 5 minutes. LOL And able to stay up and focused to finish the kitchen. This is what I did for decades and lost temporarily. So I see cognitive guy tomorrow. Wonder what we do next? Still have mush for memory. Jeepers, we all save things that remind us of times or just we like..... I collect rocks. Yeah, business cards would be more practical than rocks! MtRider ....bedtime is good. Sleeping long ....good for what ails us.

Lil Sister, my mom way north of you said they had a hellatious storm today. Lasted a long time. She's in the ground floor apartment so she's protected somewhat. Well, today I think I'm a little better again. Sure starts up the coughing in the evening tho. I timed getting the birds in and walking dog so that we're waiting in the barnyard when DH comes home from work. I was picking more currants and dog was on retractable leash doing her sniffing etc. So our taxi ride up the driveway. Had supper plans ....and a back up. I'm still emptying the freezer and had what I was afraid was freezer burned. But DH can smell it....and yeah, no good. But at least now it won't take up space! Had another plan for meat and it was fine. Thawing tomorrows plan and I know it's good. Don't know what I'm doing with it....?? A hunk of beef. Flank steak, I think it said. Hmm....I think I'm Clutter Clearing the freezer! Good cuz nothing else is getting done. And I've exactly ONE hour before I' m shutting off the light - in bed. 11:30pm seems to be a good time for me to fall asleep unaided. MtRider

Glad the Annarchys are hanging in there. Mower doing that would frustrate me tho. Loved watching the hummingbird vid. Didn't know all that about their tiny anatomy. God is surely inventive! And Miki might be relieved of stone issues? Glad you're better. Everyone is busy. Lil Sister, my mom, bro and niece are in northern VA. Mom said it stormed and stormed today. And yeah, I saw the (hopeful) flight path of the next Cat 5 Hurricane. that does stay out at sea....but not barrel over Bermuda either. I'm definitely getting better. The cough is less taxing and frequent. But it still sounds like a donkey. {remember Maggie Mae?} So I get some things done again. Walked slowly about half mile tonite and rode up driveway in the car. Walk down but ride up! No, I can walk up too but mebbe not just yet. MtRider

Tonite...I feel better. Still have cough but it's lighter and less. A lot less. Thanks for all the prayers!!! In fact, I grabbed dog and cell phone and we went down to the pasture. My friend who will receive the yarrow I harvested and dried [once I get it broken down to leaves and florets] . Anyway she reminded me in email that she must have pic to positively I.D. the plant the tincture came from. I'd totally forgotten and was afraid the florets might have darkened from white to brown already. But no, I had left quite a bit down there when I harvested. I took pics of yarrow and a lot of other plants we have that I've never I.D.ed. Been meaning to do that too and here we are .....wrapping up summer quickly! I just sauntered around with the retractable leash handle attached to my belt. Dog gets to run all over and sniff and dig. If the leash tightens, she gets closer and resumes her activity. I'm only paying attention to what I'm doing. She did wrap the leash around the plant I was trying to photograph. But since I'm not paying attention....it's a real good idea to have someone with good ears and better nose. I'd gotten the ducks and goose into the pen with feed before DH came down to finish with water, etc. Then we got a ride to the top. It was just a good cardio and stimulation for recovery. I feel better today anyway but that was a benefit. I am still doing that deep cough and I'm at the end of meds tomorrow. We'll see. Pray for DH. He's trying so hard to work more hours to pay for things. But he returned to work too fast and felt miserable again. I hope he's asleep now...cuz he was up again before. If he feels trashed in the morning, he'll call in sick again. Then he has Sat/Sun with a new client that lives pretty close to here. I sent an email to the ranch to let them know why I've been MIA. And I....am running to beat the clock for bed tonite. Miki, glad to hear your procedure is over...are you still waiting for results to come? This has been a long ordeal for you. Becca Anne...sounds like a good chicken protection plan! How are the Annarchy s doing? MtRider

Can't seem to catch up with y'all. Ow...Miki! Your trip over O2 tubing. At one point both my folks had full time O2 in a 3 story house. The concentraters were on the middle level. It was a case of "dueling snakes"! You'll be ok with the shoulder - they are so nasty painful and linger! Too many nerves go thru there! And for your procedure to get rid of stone! Sheeesh, lady. What next? LittleSister....It is so wonderful to hear good reports about GS!!!! that evil does not trip him up. And if that happens, that he comes to his senses again quickly. Like he just did. BeccaAnne... I hate it when some predator gets our birds. We lost a goose a week ago. The other goose is lonely but hangs out with the ducks now. They were all swimming in a very straight line with goose in the middle; 2 ducks fore and aft. Good idea to completely secure them at nite till you can figure this out. If you can figure out the predator, that might help figuring out the defense needed. Motion-activated lights might scare off the critter? But, have to know where the light is going to shine.....neighbor's bedroom? Jeepers... Had something written for the sun shield topic but...you've got it. Continuing about windshields: We've been running with significant cracks for months. Cuz just as you get a new one installed out here in the ROCKIES, someone's tire will catch a rock and SMACK! Scares ya half-to-death....and when you get the bill....you really are in shock! So most of us just wait for a warning ticket ...go get yet ANOTHER windshield replaced. Ok...I did go in the ER on Monday cuz I needed to begin the Z-pack. What started as head congestion for DH will turn into bronchitis for me rather quickly. And I had temperature of 100.8* on Sunday. AND I'd forgotten Monday was a holiday. Shoot! I neeeeed the meds! ER was empty. It was still early so the drunks weren't out crashing their vehicles together or breaking ankles by falling on their faces. Glad to interrupt their boredom! Was fast. Asked if I had or wanted a C vaxxx. By this time I was talking baritone. (Could have sung Old Man River ...but I don't sing) And my coughing made them wince in sympathy. Forgot to grab one of our good N95s...cuz I don't need to be spreading this to anyone either. So I coughed into a many times folded bandana. Besides, the cough wasn't so LOUD that way. Began the Azithromycin in the pharmacy parking lot!!! I've just got 2 more to go but I'm better. Less coughing but it still sounds terrible. I found when my body starts exhaling violently in a cough, I can't get an inhale. COUGH COUGH COUGH COUGH cough cough cough {I'm outta air to exhale} squeak-cough.... OK...this is not fun! My diaphragm is not working properly. But I accidentally found that if I lean over, I can immediately inhale. Don't ask me how it works. But spastic diaphragm muscles are no joke. Hurts. So...I think I'll live. Coughing less. Sleeping real fine with Nyquil. DH was improving so he went back to work. Now he's degrading again. Had a hard time getting to sleep tonite but he's snoring now. Good! Working extra to pay for hearing aids does not get you far if your health collapses. (sheesh, I love spell check at this hour! ) He does have tomorrow off and I don't have to be anywhere either. REST! Too bad he had to drive me into ER on day off Monday. But we both knew I needed the meds started. Follow up with my primary.... in two wks. LOL Their protocol says after being seen in ER, see doc within about 3 days. Like that will happen. Schedule person was getting frustrated and I told her: this isn't my problem. This is the corporations policy. But my doc is BUSY! You figure it out and call me or just forget it. I've got my meds! So she notified my doc's reception desk people. One of them called me to reschedule my grief counselor appt {would have been Tues} and a while later, the other one called with "inside info" on spaces open for these type of cases. It's still 2 wks out... I've got my meds. Not my first rodeo with this. If it gets worse. If it isn't completely done with what I have....I'll message my doc and someone will respond to refill 'script or doc will squeeze me in. I AM much better but just had to stop typing to COUGH!! And I do need to get myself in BED! DH's snoring ...yeah, gotta join him in that! MtRider for Miki's stone removal or pulverizing or whatever works!

Ack! DH came home with a nasty head cold on Thurs...which immediately shared with me by Friday. Been hacking and coughing....deep in the chest. I'm prone to bronchitis and .... ...this is a holiday weekend. I didn't get to sleep on Friday nite until 7am Sat morning. Slept 3 hrs and awake/miserable. Sheeesh! We don't usually catch anything but this hit hard. Got more sleep last nite but woke at 6:30am. Went back to bed and woke at 10am....and couldn't figure out why it was still so early. I did manage to shower/wash hair and dry/straighten/fix it. Then I was exhausted again. Fell asleep watch our pastor from O'ahu. so wiped out. I think we'll just stop by the emergency room so I can start on a Z-pack. My coughing is deep like a bass drum. And frequent. I'm just wiped out. Supposed to talk to grief counselor Tues but ...I'd just cough my way thru it so I'll reschedule. DH is mostly winding his germ warfare up by now but mine isn't budging! I've had a temp of 100.8* and 100.0* today. Yuk! MtRider ...we all have something going on!

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