Homesteader

Thanks! My mom receives regular newsletters from Hillsdale College. I'm impressed with their educational lectures on YouTube, as well.

I'm sorry you're sick.

Some snippets from LC.org today: California paused the Moderna COVID vaccine and issued a warning to all vaccine facilities after people had serious reactions less than 24 hours after receiving the injection. In the United States alone, at least 55 people have died after taking a COVID vaccine — and some were perfectly healthy before this injection. The small country of Norway already has had 29 deaths following the Pfizer vaccine. That nation has now completely reversed its recommendations. Now people older than 75 years are instructed to NOT receive this vaccine. In Israel, four people have died and 13 developed Bell's Palsy.

Happy birthday to you!!!!!

Have you noticed that two of the cities with the highest covid deaths are now rumbling about opening their cities once again? Chicago and NY? Why?

I had so many of the same books/magazines you have. When we sold everything and headed to the mission field, I sold most of them. They went for high prices and we used the money to travel from project to project. Great memories. So were all the animals we raised. We've eaten just about every kind of animal species that crawls, walks, or runs. Some of them would be considered pets around here. We beefed up our immune systems to handle just about every attack. We lived through SARS in SE Asia and Ebola in Africa. My biggest concern since retiring is letting down our guard and allowing our immune systems to weaken. We're killing ourselves by staying away from germs and viruses, not to mention so little sunshine in the wintertime up north. I won't even talk about our diets and rampant obesity in America. It is always such a stark reality when we've been gone for months and then land at our first US international airport. It takes our breath away. All of my kitchen equipment went in the auction, but family has been buying us replacements at holidays and birthdays. Not everyone is thrilled and jumps up and down when they receive a bread machine or canner. Does anyone else get excited when they receive a homemade food gift in a Ball canning jar at Christmas and say, "OH BOY, ANOTHER CANNING JAR FOR THIS YEAR?"

I got mine today. I'm going to cash it as I know our government is already bankrupt. I like the green backs more than an account balance these days.

Grand County, Colorado. Sorry. Had to go back and read the news clips.

I am also reminded, as mentioned on MSM the other night, Granite County Colorado was audited and 40% of their covid deaths also included gunshot wounds.

I've been wondering of Lidl's ever made it across the salty pond from Europe. They were Aldi's biggest competitor over there. I think they're both German-owned companies. I've also heard that stores are extra busy right now. Lots of rumblings out there.

I used to be a moderator and go back to 1999 when Dar bought the site. All of you are staying!! 😂. 🤪 The next few days leading up to the inauguration may be dark and chaotic. Each of you bring a specialized skill/gift to the table that the rest of us may need/want. We're family and need to have one another's back. I have read great compassion/caring in each of your posts especially when you apologize or refraise what you said. It's a joy being a part of this group. We learn and move on. No feelings hurt on the part of anyone. 😉 Geeez, I'm starting to sound like Dar and said I would never do that. 🤪

Just wait until the cold and flu viruses kick in.

Jeepers - I almost lost my mouthful of coffee onto the face of my computer monitor. MOVE You sure have bitten off a BIG word for 2021. If anyone can do it, it's you. You have the personality and temperament to do it.. Go for it!! The word that keeps coming to me (whilst walking past piles of paperwork on my desk) is being INTENTIONAL (done on purpose; deliberate) . A simple definition is: having the ability to see specific results in the future that, if you achieve them, will make things bigger and better for yourself, your business and your life. Being intentional means getting clear up front about what you want to achieve. Your vision, your purpose and your goals. I found this on a women’s website that puts flesh around the word INTENTIONAL: - Be mindful of the media you consume - Election results, court battles, covid 19, 20, 21, 22 - Choose to be kind - “Do things for people not because of who they are or what they do in return, but because of who you are.” ― Harold S. Kushner - Do something that brings you joy - Time to dust off those C.C. skiis and get out before the snow melts - Ask “why” before you buy - Practice active listening - Make time for self-reflection - Do something you can be proud of - Question your “have to’s” - Prioritize rest and self-care - This is difficult as I have 24/7 care of my mom on hospice.

I'm not sure I know how to access those old files. I remember Nana's weeks/months of carefully typing out instructions on what/when to buy supplies. How do we access this history?

I was challenged yesterday by a half-hour program on our local radio station, the Christian working Woman. The founder of the program is a life-time executive from Wheaton, IL. She probably worked in Chicago. There is so much depth to her writings. I seldom catch her short broadcasts, but always find a gem in them when I stop to listen. Mary gave examples of how other women have searched and found 'one word' to cling to during the New Year, rather than a 'new year's resolution', which generally disappears over a few weeks into the year. Her concept, through a book she recently called My One Word, By Mike Ashcraft and Rachel Olsen. Her broadcast on the subject can be found at: https://christianworkingwoman.org/broadcast/a-new-word-for-a-new-year/ How do you choose your one word for 2021? Well, first think about some things you would like to change about yourself. For example, patience might be an area where you know you need improvement, she said. Or you might choose a word that exemplifies areas where you want to grow, such as wisdom or thankfulness. As you think and pray about what your one word will be for 2021, you will be amazed at how that process will lead you to the right word for you. I haven't found mine yet. It will probably hit me between my eyes in an upcoming morning devotional. Our thought process is so powerful. Our minds are so powerful. Hopefully, my 'one word' will be just what I need for 2021. It certainly should be better than the one the world chose for me in 2020 .... CHAOS.

Agreed. We pulled my mom out of a retirement center 7 months ago to live with us. Even though she was 'independent' she was quickly failing without contact with the family. As a caregiver, I was able to visit but knew rules would change with the vaccine on the horizon. It's still the best decision we made to extend her life. Her $5,000 apartment/care is still empty after 7 months. As other of her resident friends die of old age there, all of their apartments also remain empty. No one wants to go into these facilities because they know they will never see their family again. Family is EVERYTHING to them. The chapter in the audio book on assigning big city refugees to small towns really hit home last night. In the back of my mind, I know we have a city of 350,000 an hour south of us, and then there's Chicago two hours south of us. I don't feel so 'safe' anymore. Thankfully, we're off the beaten path, and I pray our survival skills will be required during the winter time. Folks will migrate south rather than the subzero north. It's hard to say that, but like your black ink shouts ... "the book definitely gets deep into the reality of survival."

Westbrook .... we used to spend HOURS on the phone together. She seemed like the Library of Congress in her gray matter. I've got volumes of writings in the form of newsletters from the 15 years we were on the mission field. I think there's over 30 countries wrapped up in those history papers. I sure added to my knowledge bank in Africa and the former USSR.

Still listening to the audio. They're about ready to execute the first two thieves who stole the medical supplies from the nursing home. I am learning a lot even though I only get about an hour break to listen per day. I forgot about how the cities can try to make the outlying towns take some of the refugees. I know the mothers sent their little children to the countryside towns during the blanket bombing of WWII. The children stayed for a year or two with total strangers, but at least they survived. There is lots of good info in this One Second After. Especially how people change when terrified (just look at Covid right now), and how everything you have saved in your pantry could quickly disappear if thieves or city refugees inundated your area.

Dee wrote It's ALL YOUR FAULT!!!! I found the audio book on YouTube this morning before everyone else woke up, and can't stop listening!!! All the electronics died, Bob was still on the phone with the Pentagon, and now it's time to fix breakfast for Ed and Mama.

Hello Motherhen. Glad to see you again. Many in our family had the virus. They are in their 50's and younger. It spread at Thanksgiving, and one of the in-laws didn't mention that she was already sick. They were all back to full strength within a few days. They commented that it wasn't as bad as previous viruses in their lives. We did wait a few days past the quarantine before we gathered with 93-y.o. mom. She had a blast. Everyone was careful around her. She said that it was all worth it, and is ready to die now.

Mom went on Hospice several weeks ago. I like the two visits a week and the CNA help with the bathtub. The funny part is that the guy goes to our church. He goes to a different service so we've never met. It's also hard recognizing everyone with their various masks on. The hospice nurse gave me some good advice the other day. 'LIVE LIFE' It's too short to wring our hands and worry about a virus. She has hospice patients who've had their spouses test positive. The patients never get the virus. The spouses wash their hands, don't share the food and go on about their work, which is 24/7 with the patients (which is usually the husband). If they can do it while someone is dying at home, we can too. The hospice nurse said once again, LIVE LIFE. You're not guaranteed another day.

Honestly, I think covid will disappear as soon as the cold and flu viruses disappear. We think we have more control over nature and medicine than we actually do.

I love reading about everyone's exciting life. I'm afraid Jeepers wouldn't want me shopping around her. I don't get out enough and tie a mask to my car keys just to remember the mask. Then I don't wear it over my nose due to lung damage. Then I'm on top of others at checkout because I'm already into working on tomorrow's tasks in my head. I guess I don't follow directions very well. Since we're so isolated 24/7, I really don't care. Mom went on Hospice today. Oxygen arrives this afternoon and her regular nurse next week to access her needs for appliances/supplies. It has been quite seamless and mom made the decision, not me. I took mom to the doctor last week. I was ordered to remove my mask and wear one of theirs. I don't like those throwaway masks because I can't breath. Maybe it was the saying on the front of mine that bothered them?? "Keep America Great" I actually thought it would be fun to faint in front of them, and say "I TOLD YOU SO". I can't breathe in them. And no, I'm not taking the vaccine.

Gilroy, California. I took my mom out there to visit my cousin in San Juan. She took us to Gilroy and we filled up on everything garlic. I just bought a jar from our local organic store and the garlic came from Gilroy. I was

My mom's doc put her on Isosorbide Mononitrate, one at bedtime, several months ago. It helps with her angina and CHF. Doc explained to her that it was like a 'cousin' to the nitro. She understands as she takes several times a week. It seems to work for her as she's not out of breath by the time I get her from the chair to the bathroom to the bedroom.