out_of_the_ordinary

LittleSister, for you and your DH Jeepers, have a safe trip to Indy. Ann, I'm glad you and Storm made it to TX okay. Miki, I hope you are seeing improvement with your thumb soon.

Euphrasyne, I'm continuing to pray for you and your baby. That's the stupidest policy ever, obviously written by someone who has never been in labor, seen someone in labor nor imagined anyone in labor. Talk to the doc. My midwife (was part of an OB practice) made sure I had the nurses that weren't the tyrant nurses during labor because she knew my concerns. She had no say-so in post-delivery nurses, but at least in labor I didn't have to deal with it. Does your doc have pull at the hospital? Is he willing to make accodimations for you at all? If it's him and the nurses and I assume an anasteologist (please excuse my spelling), is he willing to let you go maskless and everyone better go along with it? Threaten to walk. Even this late, you can change medical providers. Are there other hospitals in your area covered by your insurance? I did have a midwife in an OB practice and mostly saw her. I did have to rotate my appointments through seeing all the OBs though. Two of those appts, I cried in the parking lot afterward. One was so awful that I told DH if she was the one on-call when I went into labor, I would squat in the parking garage and have the baby there instead of going in the hospital. Severe preeclampsia changed all my plans (medical emergency) and that OB ended up breaking my water. Hang in there.

MtRider, can you use marshmallow root? (Not the junk food marshmallows) I can take the capsules and it helps with my sinuses some. It doesn't work for DH at all. Marshmallow is one of those duc....... things( I forget the word), sticky, gooey in your guts, like aloe and slippery elm, where you should space it from other medications and supplements because it can mess with the absorbtion.

Miki, I hope the Pred helps your thumb.

Littlesister, praying for you and your DH. Hang in there!

Great. Jeepers will patent it and be rich. For the rest of us, it will be another infomerical-type commerical where we have to see butts wiggle. However, MtRider and I will cash in on the fame of the Jeepers-Butt-Wiggler-Pencil-Sharpener-Exercise-Gadget by writing a tell-all about our Indy trip and what it was like to know Jeepers back then.

I appreciate your shopping report, Jeepers. With DH doing all our shopping, it's sometimes difficult to get a bunch of information out of him with how the stores are. Him: "I got what I could on the list." And he's on to focusing on something else. Me: "But I want to know all about it." So I come here.

For back to school items, I had DH pick up more printer paper and more lined paper. I think we have everything else. Homeschool-wise, I have a couple things ordered to supplement. Wow, there's a sudden high demand there. August was already one of the months I tried to avoid ordering anything homeschooling as places were always the busiest then. This year, so many, many things are backordered! Even on the publishers sites, they are saying backordered/orders will be delayed. I guess it's a supply and demand thing. But, I also wonder if the printing companies in the USA are running slow with having to do things differently (social distancing, protocols, ect).

PA doesn't have any tax-free times. We don't have a tax on clothing. But, I think we have the highest taxes on gas and cell phones in the country. For the poll, I don't use devices, other than this computer, so I write things down. I print more than in cursive. I have an easier time quickly reading my printing than my cursive, so most things I print. DD is working on improving her printing this school year, but I will be making sure she learns to write in cursive in a few years. She picked up how to read some cursive from looking at old death certificates and census records. Her helping me with genealogy research.

Happy Birthday, Ambergris! Happy Birthday, Louis!

Answers for Homeschooling: Top 25 Questions Critics Ask by Israel Wayne is available as a FREE PDF for a limited time here https://www.familyrenewal.org/store/product/answers-free/?fbclid=IwAR35Jxyk4zVxnom1f17Wy6b44_yAug8m1T_9vnPju_5qh3lEBjlLq8EVyUA It's a good book. I bought a copy last year.

Sorry to hear about the mice, MtRider. DH killed a slithery in the yard. It was coming out of a critter hole in the ground (chipmunk or ground mole?). At least it was OUTside, not IN like last year. And I wasn't the one to actually see it. Looking foward to freezing temps here.

You're welcome, Littlesister. I hope that helps. Homesteader, something like that might help with your mom, too.

Don't get one with the PUL backing...those slide. We have a flat crib mattress pad cover (supposed to go under the fitted crib sheet) that worked well. That company has since made them much thinner and the newer ones slide around. I can't find the site now, but there's a company that makes washable chux-type pads. They are heavy and looked quilted. Some hospitals use them under mothers in the days after childbirth. Think as wide as a twin bed, but not as long. I had it bookmarked on my old computer, but I can't find it now. They were made in the USA. Something similar to these https://www.northshorecare.com/incontinence-products/incontinence-bed-pads/washable-bed-pads

Would baby changing pads work for putting underneath your DH, Littlesister? We had a nice absorbant ones for under DD, but they also worked very well under ME when she was a newborn and my milk seemed to be leaking everywhere...especially when I slept. Saved on changing sheets many times.

We've been neglecting this thread! What have you all been reading? Here's what I've been reading lately, that I can remember quickly... The Mouse and the Motorcycle by Beverly Cleary. I pre-read everything before giving it to DD. She doesn't know we have this. I'm probably keeping it back for Christmas. It was cute. I bet DH would like it, too. 101 Hymn Stories: The Inspiring True Stories Behind 101 Favorite Hymns by Kenneth Osbeck. Oh, this is good! One page or so is the music, then a page or so with the story behind it. I like that it makes for a lot of short readings when I don't have time to sit down and read chapters. DD is reading it here and there, too, as she asked for a book about hymns after I read her a chapter about Fanny Crosby from Lamplighter's reprint Girls of Courage Who Became Women of Influence by Elsie Egermeier (originally printed in 1931). I'm re-reading Ruth Beechick's books on homeschooling. Hers is more of a common-sense homeschooling that makes it all seem very do-able. Susie: The Life and Legend of Susannah Spurgeon, wife of Charles H. Spurgeon --I liked learning about Susannah Spurgeon (oh my, her years of ill health and suffering kept her at home, yet what an inspiration!) , but the writing just didn't click with me. I'm still glad I read it, though.

Happy Birthday, Koa! We are finally getting rain!

Is anyone else very concerned that the mask mandates will turn into the vaccine mandates? Right now, many governors signed mandates requiring masks to be worn to enter places of business, medical care, anywhere near other people, ect. In the not too distant future, will those same places require a "vaccine certificate"/proof of vaccine to enter? I look at the reasons for mask wearing and think most of those reasons will be used to urge, then force, vaccines.

Kappy and Chainsaw Mary, I'm sorry for your loss.

Most of my birth plan went out the window. Complicated emergency medical stuff changed it to trying to keep me and the baby alive. I had a doula and was thankful for the support, especially after the birth. By the grace of God, the doula was there to help me hold DD and help with breastfeeding for the first time. I found out later that the nurses didn't even want to let us try. The hospital was supposedly breastfeeding friendly, but they were no help the whole time I was there and they pushed formula. UPMC hospitals in Pittsburgh are now allowing the doulas as a "second support person" for births. If no doula, then only 1 support person is allowed. Is your hospital allowing something like that? Do you have a good breastfeeding book? I wish I would have taken a class because I needed to "see", but we made it work with the books. I found the LeLeche League's The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding to be very, very helpful. I think separating the mother and baby is the stupidest thing ever. The mother's milk is liquid gold and a gift from God. Even if the mother is ill with something, mama's milk is supplying the baby with those specific antibodies. If baby is ill with something, mama's milk produces antibodies for that, too. And the bonding....it's so necessary for both. Praying for you and your precious baby!

MtRider, I hope everything goes well! I know how it is to deal with a new person...I'm always thinking "will they listen and understand all the health stuff they need to hear and understand before we get to the treating the new symptom/problem"....

for MtRider...for healing AND guidance.

Pennsylvania's homeschooling law requires 180 days, too. Or 900 hours. I'm going with the counting days option. Less math. HSLDA's site has good info: https://hslda.org/legal

There's supposed to be an exemption here the masks for people with health issues. However, people are on a weird, giddy power trip with mask enforcement. Non-mask wearers with health issues have been harassed, kicked out of stores and have had police called on them by store employees and other customers. Even when they clearly explain breathing/health issues. Giant Eagle stores here are being sued.

I remember you, too! Welcome Back!