WHATCHA DOING TODAY?

[Twilight]

Oxycodone acetaminophen had to look it up on the paperwork. Morphine was nothing to me. But according to the paperwork I was given Fentnyl (spelling)which is a controlled substance but it is ok for surgeons to use for its supreme pain kill.

[Momo]

I'm just popping in for a few minutes before I go to hospital again.  DH had a GI bleed the last week of August..came home for less than 2 days then had a heart attack.  He's now in the Big City hospital 40 miles away so I'll be going off to see him after I finish this.  He is now stable so maybe he'll be home in a day or 2. It is really tough when you have no help and you are handicapped.  Everything becomes an ordeal it seems but somehow we slosh through. 

 

After a few days of bearable temps we'll feel like 105 today.  Yuck!

 

Hope to get back here in a few days and check in.

[Annarchy]

((((((((Momo))))))))

 

[Cowgirl]

Oh Momo. You are both in my prayers. 

[snapshotmiki]

Praying for you and DH, Momo!

[Jeepers]

I'm so sorry you are going through this Momo. Sending hugs and prayers to both you and your DH!       

[Midnightmom]

On 8/6/2018 at 7:00 AM, Twilight said:

I did not have an ice bag so I froze water in a zip lock bag. Double bagging is a good idea. When it thaws just put it back in the freezer.

 

Fill a ziplock with a 50/50 mix of water & isopropyl alcohol. It will get very cold and slushy, but it will still be "bendable" and not be a stiff brick of ice!!!

[Mt_Rider]

((((Momo)))))

Praying for you both....strength/health

 

MtRider 

Edited August 7, 2018 by Mt_Rider

[Mt_Rider]

One of the things I've been doing for the past several days is keeping a close EYE on HECTOR!     He's currently threatening Hawaii....

 

Hurricane Hector ...has been vacillating between Cat 3 and Cat 4.  SUPPOSED to be on track to slide underneath Hawaiian Islands.  I know from experience with Hurricane Iniki....that they don't always do as supposed.  It's also supposed to reduce from it's current Cat 4 ...down to 3 and 2...  

 

Pray for the Islands ....that Hector just sails on this current track and mostly leaves them alone.  The effects will still be high surf and winds and rain.  What folks don't know is ....What happens if a hurricane goes over an active volcano like Kilauea?      Would torrential rains have an explosive effect? 

 

http://bigislandnow.com/2018/08/07/strong-category-4-hector-540-miles-ese-of-hilo/

 

" Surf along east-facing shores is already building and will peak later today and tonight, Aug. 7, 2018, at 12 to 15 feet for the Big Island and 6 to 10 feet for Maui County. "

 

 

DH took my folks for his doc appt.  I was feeling way too wobbly, MS yucky to be able to go. 

 

MtRider 

Edited August 8, 2018 by Mt_Rider

[Homesteader]

You are in my prayers Momo. I took care of my DH for a few months this year, and I was healthy at the time. I can't imagine what the two of you are going through.  Getting old is the pits. 

 

[The WE2's]

Voted, finished the regular laundry (had to use the dryer because of rain...which we needed badly!) and played lazy with my "red head" called Abby-girl!

[snapshotmiki]

I've been busy with a fundraiser at Church Monday afternoon and Tuesday morning. Been walking every day. Gong on a day trip for eBay Thursday, I think. Today I get my hair cut and a new decal for my car tag. Just regular life stuff!

[Jeepers]

The landscaper came out and did my front yard and one side (good neighbor side) beside the house today.

 

I've never had anyone do that before. I do everything myself that I possibly can even if it's a lousy job. I just don't have the money to spend on things like that. But it had to be done. Especially if I ever want to sell this house. I bit the bullet and called last week.

 

O. M. Goodness.  They tore everything out and put in all new shrubs. It looks so beautiful. He spaced everything out and mulched. I could not have done that in a million years. He was a real designer pro. It only took them a half a day! I'm overwhelmed.

 

They even weed-eated the yard and around the mailbox. There were weeds growing down the crack in the driveway. They weed-eated those and even sprayed the cracks. I'm so happy with what they did. Even if I could have done the manual work, I would have never come up with the design.

 

I'm sure the neighborhood is rejoicing too.

I hugged Zoran the landscaper genius. He was my hero today.

 

[Annarchy]

Had to do another high wind rain clean up today. Ugh. A couple of days ago I went looking for the mosquitoes. Found two plastic totes, one had straw the other had dry cow poo. Not dry now!  I was able to mush up the aged poo and add wet rotting straw to it for mulch. Dumped the rest in the garden that was already barren ready for next season. Grrr came out and promptly took a mouthful of it.  Oh, yuck!,!!  Silly dog!  I covered it with dirt.

 

Then, today, I dumped the wheel burrow full of mulch on top of it and had to rearrange all my gardening stuff that had blown over from last nights severe dust and rain storm. Knocked over my crates that had my canning jars, thankfully none of them broke. Had to clean out the chicken food that got wet and turned to rock. Then, tried to take a break, until I noticed the neighbors shed had been launched 1/2 over the block wall. DH got up early to help get it back in their yard. 

 

It’s been a busy day, and DH wants to go fishing tonight...... we’ll see if the weather lets us.

[Mt_Rider]

I saw you had 'weather' again, Annarchy.  Sheeesh!

 

Saw a pic of my dad's head...with staples to close the cut.  Oye!  He's still low on red blood cells after the 2 units of blood in hospital.  Now he's taking iron pills faithfully.  Seems to have more energy tho.  Visiting Nurse - the one they liked from the last time - began this week.  She'll try to monitor that red cell count and anything else on him.  My folks got bad news tonite.  My dad's cousin .....I think the last of their Iowa group....has brain cancer.  He wasn't putting thots together well on the phone when they talked to him.     Their generation has nearly all passed by now.  He'll leave a 2nd wife and a whole tribe of kids/grkids/greatgrkids from first wife who went Home to Jesus maybe ten yrs ago.  This was the family I grew up around as "cousins".    

 

Walmart FINALLY had my last set of shelving for my living room renewal project.    DH has stopped there multiple times and they've been out.  This will hold stuff that should be in the lower kitchen cabinets but cannot cuz of dratted mice!  Ugh! 

 

  I got to listen to a Webinar tonite for the first time.  LOVE all this Internet usage!  Was a prepping webinar and .....I picked up a couple hints.  Knew most of it, of course.  But sometimes it's motivation to get done what you already KNOW you have to do.....     I did have to re-hook up X3 tho. 

 

MtRider 

Edited August 9, 2018 by Mt_Rider

[Jeepers]

What was the webinar you listened to Mt.Rider? I like to listen to webinars, podcasts and general prepping 'shows' from YouTube. Even if I already know most of it I just like hearing that topic discussed. 

 

I have really high speed internet and it still buffers like that from time to time. I just pause it and slide that red 'watched' bar back to start and let it catch up loading and watch from the start.

[Mt_Rider]

This webinar wasn't like that.  I didn't see the red bar.  Had a minutes/seconds thingie but you can't turn that back...can you?  It was happening at a specific time. 7pm Mountain!  So I finally figured out that I had to go back to the email and hit the 'Enter Webinar' button again.  But the new page loaded right to the point where he was THEN talking.  So I missed some cuz I had no idea what to do.    Oh well.  It was fun.

 

It's a guy named Jeffrey Anderson.  He passed on a lot of knowledge for newbies.  But of course he was selling BOBs and some of the contents. 

 

His main points were things like:

 

--Have at least 2 BOLs in different directions.  Friends/Family/Campgrounds/Motels??/State-Nat. Parks

 

--Look now for alternate routes in case of .......The Unexpected [traffic gridlock, flooding, prison break, wildfire, urban fire by arsonist/other, outbreak of violence, chemical spills, ]   Know YOUR area and options

 

--Keep BOB in your vehicle or by the door for FAST BO.  Or most of your BOB in vehicle and that which can't be there, grab quickly....keys, pets, cell,  MostImportantPapers, $$, Meds.  We know this!

 

--Direct Quote:  "Bugging Out isn't always the answer....but when it IS the answer, it's on ONLY answer!  If you have to consider it, it's likely THE answer."

 

--Prep for 5 phases: 

1)  SIP.....

2)  if you MUST EVAC, BO with vehicle.....

3)  If you can't continue with vehicle, attach your BOB to your bike [it was on bike rack, or other secondary means of transport] and continue.....

4)  if your bike breaks or gets stolen, grab your BOB off bike if you can and continue walking.......

 ......this is when I missed what he said but something about EDC (Every Day Carry....stuff in pockets/hip pack) so I'd guess:

5)  if you main pack gets stolen or washed away in river or WHATEVER....you still continue with what you still have in EDC

 

He was real light on contents of BOB:

Shelter: 

 good poncho and some bungie cords- for rainwear AND shelter

good mylar emergency BIVVY SACK  [like Heatsheets Emergency Bivvy]  Not just a mylar sheet.

 

Food:

Freeze Dried meals....add water [hopefully hot water but cold will sort-of do it if you're desperate]  Pour H2O into the sack they come in, btw.

 

Water:

Bring some but have purifiers/filters! Can't carry much.  Integrated hose from water container to your mouth is good.  Like Camelbak.

 

Security:

STEALTH is best security.  Be Grey.  No bumper stickers/"red" hats.  Don't stand out with military-looking stuff/visible guns. "Be tactical but don't look tactical" - direct quote.  Look as haggard/confused at the rest fleeing. Stealth starts NOW not then....MY quote.  Handguns unseen but handy...and maybe breakdown .22 for small game. 

 

 

Tips: 

--store gas for vehicle in 2.5 gal containers.  Easier to store/HIDE.  Quicker to refuel without being seen.  Don't bring out more than one to refuel if in view of others.

--have known rally point (+ alternate) for family

--most important skill.......ability to take decisive action with a moment's notice! ....direct quote.

 

==========================/===============

 

I kinda filled in a bit when I wrote that, btw.  Most is what he brought up.  For those of us who have studied, participated and pondered on this topic, most of these seminars/webinars/books will act as refresher courses - reminding us of what we haven't yet done.  Then there will be a few nuggets we've never heard/thot of. 

 

MtRider .....and that's my "book report" 

Edited August 9, 2018 by Mt_Rider

[Mt_Rider]

  I just cracked up when I read Holly Deyo's description of a photo taken near their home in southern CO......

 

https://www.standeyo.com/NEWS/18_Pics_of_Day/180809.pic.of.day.html

 

" This area close to where we live is a safe place for us to hike our dogs. The land is barred from motorized vehicles except the rare one that maintains this land. I've seen an authorized truck here only twice. The only dramas might be the occasional rattler or mountain lion. This is their domain; we are merely visitors."

 

SAFE PLACE ..... ONLY DRAMAS .....rattler or mt lion?  

 

We all really do define comfortable in different ways.  Obviously they're comfortable with rattle SNAKES and mt lion appearances.  I'm not comfortable with either of these!  In our area, MUCH higher altitude than Deyo's, we do not see rattlers.......I think I'd catch the next plane to Maui if I ever did.  'Course, knowing my reactions, I'd probably pass out and fall on top of the rattling thing!  Ooooooo, I do NOT tolerate snakes easily. 

 

As for MtLions.....they give me the creeps but only HEARD one once, last Dec.  They are here tho.  As are frequent coyotes, foxes [Koa missed it last nite but I watched one...not people aggressive unless it has rabies].  Bear sightings once or twice a season.  NO poisionous snakes allowed! 

 

 ....so far, Maui has "no" snakes.  Some may have snuck in....unfortunately.  2 boas caught in recent months: Oahu and Big Island.    BOAs snuck in.....are people INSANE? 

 

MtRider 

 

[Annarchy]

This has to be the wettest monsoon season I have seen in over 10 years. It was cloudless all day yesterday. I crashed early, because DH wanted to go fishing. I got up at 11 pm, and the storm hitting was intense. Not a good idea to go out on the lake in kayaks, with lightening etc. Not to mention the flash floods associated with it. 

 

Interesting, we normally do not think about protecting anything from rain/water, because we rarely get it. I thought about having to go through the yard & shed, again to see if anything else got ruined or has standing water. It made me think of other areas that get a lot of rain frequently. 

 

Case in point, DH got a metal garbage can to hold the bird seed.  It keeps the critters and bugs out, very nicely. However, water is another story. After the first storm, a week ago, the wet seed had started to mold. It’s things like that, that we didn’t consider.

 

At least I didn’t have to water the yard. 

 

 

[Mt_Rider]

Oh ick, Annarchy.  Too much WET in wrong places can be so damaging!!!!  I'll bet you've never had to use desiccants.   I can relate to restructuring when you get a slew of UNusual weather.

 

For us, it was that extreme HEAT [for us.. highly unusual] we got in May/June/early July... Constant 90's and even 100* TWICE!   No one at this altitude even thinks of an air-conditioner.  So I suffered, dreadfully sick, for two months before DH even THOT to buy the small unit.  Even now that is a real blessing for how I can function when I get overheated.  After the monsoons finally arrived, I use it rarely.  But it's there to make sure I'm ok. 

 

In fact, I was working so hard yesterday, I had to sit down and turn A/C on for a while!!!  But I now have a "walk-in closet".     ........   Welllll, it's in the former living room...   But hey, DH and I LOVE IT.  Yes...I finally have all three shelving units up!     AND....we have nothing stacked on the minimal kitchen floor space as of yesterday.  We have a LOT less on the minimal kitchen counters.  It's not all final...where I put it on these shelves.  But it's out of the way and yet, accessible! 

 

     Who needs a living room?  It was never big enough to fully BE a living room anyway.  Makes a lovely walk-in closet and pantry!

 

NOW there is enough room to begin sorting through the details.  A bit here and a bit there.....  NOW, that is finally doable.  And after such a siege of outta control clutter....I'm really in-the-mood to reduce it! 

 

Going to Walmart today with my folks.  DH is driving them for their grocery/other stuff shopping AND hauling sacks up their stairs.  We're willing for this to be a weekly occurrence....if my dad is ok with it.    We'll see.  That they NEED this help is a no-brainer.  Whether he will accept even this much....     Carefully step by step.  He isn't taking to this 'Old and Infirm' idea very well.   

 

But then, I do remember not taking to the 'Young and Disabled' idea very well myself some decades ago.....    I understand.....

 

MtRider  .....might slip in to the hair salon at Walmart and get some inches of my hair cut off.  ????  It's IN THE WAY, being this long.

Edited August 10, 2018 by Mt_Rider

[snapshotmiki]

I'm glad your re-structuring is going so well!  Definitely keep at it while you have the momentum!  Hope you have a nice and constructive day with your folks!

 

I was just at Walmart for a few things plus 2 other stores with sales, the doctor's with a bill, a thrift store and stopped to visit a friend at a rehab (she had been discharged).  Busy enough day for me!

[kappydell]

One nice thing about coming back up here to wis was that I could get my new crop of curls trimmed.  In GA there are no 'cost cutter' salons (or any hair salons) in our nearby Walmart!  So I went to the wal mart up here in WI right away - $14 for a walk in haircut!  So handy.  They did a nice job, too - I can style by running my fingers thru the hair and I'm good to go.  YAY!

Tomorrow I go see the family home the last time and see what I want to take from whats left after Dad auctioned off most furniture. and my three sibling went thru & took what they wanted.  I got no warning all this was afoot until too late to get here in time.  I'm trying not to feel left out; I would prefer to give Dad his well-earned benefit of the doubt, but its  hard not to feel like he's still holding onto old grudges over my not doing things his way thru the years.  Oh well, it will be nice to see him & my older sister again.  

My brother will hold onto the things I choose until I can fly up, rent a truck, and haul them home.  He was offered the family home as elder son, but his wife said no.  I can only imagine how he must feel.  He doesn't talk much about it.  Its kinda old-folks-at-home week....we all have arthritis issues in common, along with individual health issues that have come up individually over the years.   

So for the next 2 months M & I will be on short rations until the budget recovers from the sudden, er,  "negative adjustments" to cover travel costs to get up here post haste.

 

I love beans & rice - no hardship there for me - that way M can eat the "regular" food.  She has digestive issues and her choices are pretty narrow.  Maybe she'll get her VA disability finding & arrearages check soon.  She can loan me funds to smooth things over then.  Meanwhile it is nice to see old friends again.

Edited August 10, 2018 by kappydell

[The WE2's]

Took things EZ today.  We did our "picnic gig" ... we pack a picnic cooler with lunch and off we go...where?  Who knows!?  Yesterday went for the cataract evaluation.  Surgeon said my eyes were very healthy other than the cataracts and being severely nearsighted.  So...he's only going to remove the cataract's and not do a lens implant.  Said "if you don't mind wearing glasses..."  My reply? I've worn them since I was 9 years old!  Even with a lens implant, it would be single vision (Medicare :-(...) so I'd still need glasses with bifocals and my pay amount would be much more.  Also said I didn't need to be taking vitamins for macular degeneration because my eyes were in pretty good shape there.  So...the 28th for the left eye and 9/5 for the right eye.  He said "this will open up a whole new world for you"...wonderful!  But my eyes are very tender today.  So many drops in them, all kinds of lights being shined into them....yuck!  Been putting artificial tears in to help...which it does.  But...this screen isn't helping.

[Virginia]

You may be really surprised by what you see.  Having studied art several years, and done some drawing and painting, I know my colors, usually.  When I came in after my cataract surgery, I walked in the bedroom and said "you mean, I had this room painted that color? " Hubby laughed.  Seems the cataracts tend to yellow vision in most folks.  Well, he is not willing to repaint, but I did change the curtains. My kitchen cabinets really are white, and not a yellowish color.  Funny that the doc didn't mention it until I told him I saw colors differently now.

[Mt_Rider]

  Kappy, I'm glad you now have hair to cut/style.  Back to normal is always great.  

 

LOL....I also FINALLY got my very long hair cut today....also a walk-in $14.  DH actually knew the person as she comes to the gas station a lot.  He knows she's having hard time with leg/ankle injury.  She was really limping and I added a good tip for her.  My hair is about 8" shorter now.  All I did was put a hair binder on while it was still wet.  Gotta contain the curl.  When it dried, I let it loose and .....it looked fine.  No curly mess at top of head but just curl in the 12" of length I have left.  She told me I was just  a couple inches shy of qualifying for donating to cancer kids. 

 

"Oh honey...even if they dyed the grey....this hair is such a messy curl that even cancer kids would not want to deal with it!  They have enough problems!"   As soon as she sprayed it wet, her comment was: "Well, there certainly is some body to it now...."  Wacko curl, ya mean. 

Anyway, this will significantly decrease time washing and dealing with my problematic hair.  Never intended for it to get that long again but it grows so fast.  Certainly took off enough for any split ends...   Wonder what it will look like by morning?  

 

DH, my mom and I went shopping today.  My dad chose to take a nap, since they'd done a short shopping yesterday.  They went to grocery ...while I had a brief stop for hair cut next door.  Then I joined them with the disability cart and grabbed some things too.  Then we hit Walmart.  I found some pants -- scrubs with lots of pockets and elastic on back of waistline.  Exactly what I was looking for.  I really wasn't looking for my stuff on this trip cuz it was mostly for my mom.  We stumbled on them while looking for sox.  Sent DH for some things she couldn't find at the other grocery.  Then he looked at fishing stuff while we looked thru Back To School supplies.  I got more of my spiral notebooks and those gel finger grips for pens/pencils.  Those really help my finger dysfunction...don't drop pencil as often.  But they 'get old' ....possibly dehydrate in arid CO. Remembered to get some thick black markers for labeling boxes as I sort/pack/toss things in my restructuring. 

 

Also 4 packs of cheap crayons for $1.  I put them into BOBs ....    1) they are wax...they help light fire.  2) you can melt one a bit to get it soft on the pointed end, stick it upright and light the other end.  The paper helps act as a wick.  Expedient candle for light.  Couple other odd uses.  Suppose you could write a note with them too...or amuse children....or self.  I like to color.

 

By then my mom and I were quite tired.  That's a lot, esp. for me....I don't shop usually.  So we took her home and carried all the bags up their stairs.  My dad was sleeping so soundly that it was a good thing my mom had a key ....or we'd still be trying to wake him and get inside. 

 

She and I had found a lamp for our puzzle table.  Architect's lamp that has springs and an extending arm....to get light over the puzzles without glare.    That's been a goal for a while.....I was about to wear a headlamp while doing puzzles! 

 

Sooooo.....we'll do that again next week and see how it goes.  It was fun for me and my mom.  DH isn't thrilled about shopping but he likes to help out my folks....and likes my hair cut. 

 

MtRider  .....gonna be   for a few days tho....after so busy the past two... Worth it tho! 

Edited August 11, 2018 by Mt_Rider