Whatcha doing today?

[Jeepers]

Miki, I saw where Euphrasyne made a comment the other day.

 

Ohhh Midnightmom, thanks for the puzzles. I bookmarked them and will work them when I'm on the computer. 

 

Mt. Rider...bless his heart.  

 

 

[Midnightmom]

2 hours ago, Mt_Rider said:

 .....blistering HEAT where you are?  

 

  

 

Redding reaches 114 degrees on Thursday, breaks record made 19 years ago

REDDING, Calif. — Locals in Redding are well aware of the intense heat the area is currently experiencing. However, they may not know that we broke our previous record high for this date—last set 19 years ago.

 

Temperatures reached 114 F at the Redding Airport on Thursday, according to the US National Weather Service (NWS) in Sacramento. The previous record for this date was most recently met in 2003 when the Redding area saw temperatures reach 113 F.

[Jeepers]

On 7/28/2022 at 3:11 AM, Midnightmom said:

 But you obviously have an internet connection! 

Try this puzzle site. You can play puzzles created by others, or, you can make your own if you wish.

This link will take you to the puzzles I have created. Hope you enjoy doing some of them. BTW- there is no music!!! 

https://www.jigsawplanet.com/redhatpat

I figured out how to stop the puzzle pieces from clicking but how do you shut off the timer? It's mocking me.  

[Becca_Anne]

Thanks everyone I promise to send more pics as it get finished. Electric is coming along too. Only 2 more light fixtures left to hang, and then the new boxes for the wall in the kitchen, and the power for the garbage disposal and dishwasher to run and they will be done re-writing my house until the kitchen fan gets here. They will come back to wire that and the switch for the garbage disposal once the counter is in and the plumbers have done their part. I am going to really appreciate this when it's done and looking forward to all the meal prep I can do to fill my freezer! 

 

Mt Rider do be careful we want you to get over your illness and getting wet in the lake can't help. Hugs! hope the ducks start to get the idea consistently soon. 

 

 

[Midnightmom]

3 hours ago, Jeepers said:

I figured out how to stop the puzzle pieces from clicking but how do you shut off the timer? It's mocking me.  

I don't think you can, but I just ignore it and solve the puzzle in whatever amount of time it takes. I can close the puzzle and it will save my progress for when I open it again, but I'm not sure if that featured is available if you haven't "joined" the channel. BTW, if you expand the puzzle to take up the whole page I think the timer gets pushed out of view. 

 

ETA: The save your puzzle progress feature is only available if you "join" the channel. The advantages to joining is saving your puzzle progress, saving puzzles you want to work later, and creating your own puzzles. I don't get any SPAM mail or other issues from the site, so I don't think it would cause you any issues either.

Also; expanding the puzzle to full page pushes the time to a status bar at the bottom of the page, but doesn't get rid of it. There are no "prizes" or other benefits that I know of for finishing a puzzle within a certain time frame so I really don't know why it's even there. 

Edited July 30, 2022 by Midnightmom

[snapshotmiki]

Walked first this morning.
Have 5 gallons of hard pears (soft now) in the roaster to can in a little while.
Went to dig up potatoes and there were none. Leaving sweet potatoes and Jerusalem artichokes until October or so.
I think the rat is or will be gone--some of the poison is.
Only other job today is to keep looking for bookkeeping app that I like and understand.  I may wait on that job!

[Becca_Anne]

I love doing online puzzles Midnightmom. I use thejigsawpuzzles.com and they have a lot of great one and different ways to cut the pieces for variety. I much prefer the actual in person puzzles but until my space is set up there isn't really anywhere to do them right now. I will have the perfect place when my breakfast/game room is set up.

 

The electricians finished all the new wiring today!! Only 1 more thing needs to be done and it's not here yet on order. That is the over the stove vent hood. They rant the wires but will have to install when it arrives about the end of the month. Hopefully by then the new counters will also be in and the garbage disposal can be hooked up too but that depends on the plumbers who we haven't been able to schedule yet. Counters are going to get measured in the next week or so, we are waiting on them to call us back to schedule the templating. Then the slab gets ordered and hopefully installed in the next few weeks. We are making progress now though! And I am exhausted over all of it. After this project I may wait a year before tackling anything else other than unpacking/cleaning it all. Next year I want to focus on getting my real garden put in. I am getting home grown tomatoes now though and they are yummy 

[snapshotmiki]

@Becca_Anne.  You and Littlesister have to be about over house projects.  Jeepers, too!

 

Walked first and picked up pears in friend's yard.
Fed and walked dogs.
Went foraging for elderberries. I'm going to have to get the ladder out to get to them--maybe Friday.
Harvested okra and picked figs.
Labeled and put away pears from yesterday.
Did 2 loads of laundry.
Now to check out more bookkeeping apps.  After the lightning stops!

[dogmom4]

Midnight mom! I love this puzzle site!

[snapshotmiki]

Walked yesterday morning, then went to doc with DH 40 miles away.
Hit grocery salvage on the way back. They had gotten an order in, thank goodness.
Came home and made chicken pot pie for dinner.
Put 6 trays of figs in the dehydrator. They came out good!

 

Walked this morning.
Helped DH with a telephone doc appt.
Harvested okra, peppers and figs.
Then I had a call from medicare--I checked the wrong box online. Fixed now!
Walked dogs.
Have to see accountant at 3 to see if she can help with bookkeeping app.
Will make a quick stop at Walmart.
Pick up more pears from friend and leave Pear Preserves with them.
I have movie night instead of Bible study tonight. Should be fun!
Boy, I do get tired!

[Becca_Anne]

Miki glad you got the Medicare situation straightened out. Dealing with government websites is always a pain. Just did some paperwork in one this week for work and took me multiple tries to get it right.

 

Roof is still leaking over the porch left a message for the roofing guy again...may need to try someone else. They came to template the counter today so that is moving along. 

[Mt_Rider]

Did feel a bit better today.  Still running mild fever but felt less "sick".  I did one load of clothes down in basement.     yeah, some on line and some in dryer.  Set out new glue boards for mice downstairs.  The last one had a very dead mouse.  Finally found the new ones.  Then cleared a few things  [like heavy tool boxes from my dad's garage] that DH shouldn't even try to lift.  I didn't lift it very far...just to the low shelf.  Took lots of rest between washer ---> dryer.....and bring up dry clothes/put away. 

 

OKay  that was enough for me.  We'll see if I estimated how much I could should do today. 

 

Will need to call for Sat horse ride tomorrow...if I'm still feeling ok.  Last Sat I was definitely fever/chilling but I kept my distance from others and rode just fine...bit tired tho.  Went home and lay down to rest. 

 

I'm about RESTED OUT!  Let's get on with things already!   

 

MtRider     ...and I'm getting lotsa sleep! 

[snapshotmiki]

12 hours ago, Mt_Rider said:

.and I'm getting lotsa sleep! 

I'm lucky to get 6 hours, these days.  It's a party if I get over 7.

 

Walked first. I can take the temps, but sure wish the humidity would back off.
Went and got my hair cut. Bought more rat poison at the hardware store.
Came home and vacuum sealed dehydrated figs and put in freezer. Washed all parts of dehydrator.
Cut carrots and cheese tidbits for dog treats.
When I get off computer, I have 2 bags of pears to prep for freezer (for now).
Then I may make Tomato, Black Bean, Corn Salsa to can. Or just get ingredients ready for tomorrow.

[Midnightmom]

On 8/1/2022 at 7:37 PM, Becca_Anne said:

I love doing online puzzles Midnightmom. I use thejigsawpuzzles.com and they have a lot of great one and different ways to cut the pieces for variety. I much prefer the actual in person puzzles but until my space is set up there isn't really anywhere to do them right now. I will have the perfect place when my breakfast/game room is set up.

 

TY. I'll checkit out. 

[snapshotmiki]

Started cooking beans first, this morning.
Then went for my walk.
Foraged some elderberries and threw bag in freezer.
Walked dogs.
Went to store for DH's meds and bananas.
Taking a break now and then will Pressure can some of the beans and store the rest in fridge.
Going to make up salsa--tomato, corn, black bean to pressure can tomorrow.
Going to dinner this afternoon with Sunday School class.

[euphrasyne]

I've been having issues with my wrist and the ankle/knee I twisted at the car rental place so I haven't been doing very much beyond trying to keep up with the house basics. 

 

We took River to the VA Living Museum yesterday and she loved seeing all the animals and fish.  They had an exhibit on pollinators that she enjoyed.   They had flower blocks that really caught her attention.  When we got home, I ordered some from Amazon; they should be here next week.    The opossum was out and about waddling everywhere and she did not want to leave him.  

 

Today we went to BJs (like a Sams or Costco).  2 hours with a husband and a baby and now I am ready for death to take me.   All the prices were much  higher than last year.   A 6 pack of canned chicken was 12.99 regular price last year and today the size was the same, but the price was 18.99.  Needless to say we did not get any.  There were a lot of things they did not have and we noticed that they were extremely limited on disposable silverware, cups, and plates.   Usually they have a whole isle of it but it was only a quarter of an isle and it was mostly empty today.  I spent way too much, but I only go there about once every 3-4 months so I stock up.  I had diaper coupons, but the price of it almost gave me a heart attack so DH is going to pick up some from Target next week.  

 

I've been ordering a lot of stuff on Amazon this week.  Mostly storage items so I can get things a bit more organized.  Some divided lunch tupperware, and a toy rack for the baby, some refillable squeeze pouches for applesauce, a roller for the coffee pot to sit on so it comes farther out from under the cabinet so less water mess, and other kitchen organization mostly.  DH is laughing at me because between us there has been 1-3 boxes delivered every single day for the last week.  

 

I had to pry the child away from the flower blocks at the museum.  I know she is going to love them when they get here.  Her birthday is in about a month, so I just have to stop myself from giving them to her before that.  

 

Amazon.com: Flower Garden Building Toys, 200 Pcs Flower Building Toy Set for 3 to 7 Year Old Boy Girl Gifts, Build a Flower Garden Educational Stem Toddler Toys for Birthday : Toys & Games

Edited August 6, 2022 by euphrasyne

[Jeepers]

I know what you mean about shopping. I'm not sure what is worse, the prices or the empty shelves. River is gorgeous! And getting to be such a big girl. Love the picture! Seems like she was just born a few months ago.  

 

I bought g-son something like those and he loved them. I think the ones I got had gears involved. I'm not sure, I don't really remember. I know she will love them.  You are lucky you have a museum to take her to. There are all kind of really neat ones to take g-son to...in Chicago. We used to go there often. Not now though. We aren't even comfortable going to the next county in Indiana that abuts Illinois. Really sad. I'd love to go to the Shedd Aquarium in Chicago again. But it's very very dangerous.  

[Jeepers]

Oops, this is the one I got for him last Christmas. It does have gears. It's for older kids though. Maybe keep it in mind for later. 

 

Amazon.com: Learning Resources Gears! Gears! Gears! Movin' Monkeys Building Play Set, 103 Pieces : Toys & Games

[Annarchy]

Cleaning house today.  It rained a couple of day last week, the dogs tracked in mud… 

 

Got my new glasses…it’s so exciting to see things clearly again, and the sunglasses are the same!  I haven’t had sunglasses for 4 years!  Those clip on ones caught too much glare & were too heavy.

 

Time to feed the birds…. Dinner & crash….  Long day, been at it since 5am.  

[Mt_Rider]

Gear Games:   The very best brain toy/game Bro and I had as a kid...doubt they make it anymore.  High Gear.  Like the one below but it's a whole platform of interlocking gears.  All the gear "knobs" {outies}   have holes for your pegs.  Each player has 4 pegs to get moved all thru the set of gears and up to the top.  To travel from one gear to the next, you have to line gear knob with your peg{s} up with the gear socket {innie}  and then your peg can transfer over to the next gear.  Keep throwing the dice and move ALL the interlocking gears one way OR the other to get your pegs moving always onward to the next and next gears.  We learned a fast way to tell which way to send the gears ...in order for your peg to position to transfer to the next gear. 

 

That principle we learned works on all things with multiple gears.  We loved that game.

 

This pic shows that you just place the gears... ours was much more involved.  Imagine peg holes in each "petal" of the gears and each "socket" for the gears to match into.

 

[Mt_Rider]

OK...now I'm stuck in the STEM games for kids..     This is an advanced version of Spirograph.....which I still have tho I don't know exactly where. 

 

 

 

 

That would be fun!  Think I'll have to see where my Spirograph is....coffee table cabinet, I'm guessing. 

 

MtRider   

[Mt_Rider]

I'm STILL running temperatures....this is 2 wks already!  At this point I don't feel horrible...well, I get the shakes if I try to do too much.  And the chills are less but they're icky.     Temp hasn't been in the 97's yet..and that's my normal.  Bounces all over the ninety-eight-point somethings..  And some low ninety-nines. 

 

Even got a 99.8* a few hours ago but didn't feel too bad....however I'd been doing a project in bathroom.  Simple fix of a sagging shelf.  Then it got complicated and had to take stuff off the shelf....we have almost zero floor space in there and actually NO counter.  So it's all over the floor.  Got that done and was cleaning the sink....and the faucet assembly was moving.  THAT'S supposed to be stationary...like:  not moving/no leaking. 

 

THEN  I pulled out everything we stash under the sink-with-no-cabinet.  Hang an towel in front to hide that stuff.  WHERE ELSE am I going to put it?  No cabinets in bathroom.   

 

I got a rug and lay down with sunglasses covering my eyes...and a flashlight.  OK...those over-sized, black plastic, round nut-things that have places for you to grip and hand-tighten onto the long threaded bolt coming down from the faucet up on topside?  I reached up to tighten one of those and it broke in two pieces.  Sunglasses ....it bounced off one lens...and didn't hit me in the eye.     Well, we might have a spare but WHO KNOWS WHERE.  So DH will hit the hardware store tomorrow.  Meanwhile, nothing is in place in the TINY bathroom.  Shoved out of the way.  But it will be simple to tighten that on and    don't have to call B&J the property managers for a simple thing like that.  LOL  That's why they like us as renters.  

 

DH was peeling fresh peaches from the "Western Slope" area of Colorado.  They start bringing fruit eastward about now.  They sell in certain places all over the state out of the trucks.  Cherries, peaches, plums, etc.     He made a peach pie.  And elk burger meat loaf with garlic mashed taters [that was a dehy mix] .....and he said:  I never would have noticed that sink thing was loose or caught what the problem was.  Well he would have...iffen he could have wedged into that tight space.  We each do what we're best at!  And share stuff like       walking dog,  etc.  But he does big stuff like install new post for barn yard light and I do organizing and cleaning     He's a very good baker.        

 

....I want to feel well enough to do things without spiking fever tho!    I DID message my doctor last nite.  Won't read til Mon. ...but    'nuff already!

 

Joyfilled, has your crew gotten over the Fever/Chills?

 

MtRider 

[euphrasyne]

I like the gear toys.  River turns 2 next month so she is a bit young for them yet though.   The flowers were big enough that she couldn't swallow them.  DD14 loves her spirograph.  We have an entire bookcase of board/card games.  I have a few for small children and a lot for older kids/ adults.   We also have a ton of paper and digital RPG manuals and campaigns.  Think Dungeons and Dragons type stuff.  

 

We have a TwixT game that looks exactly like the one in the bottom pic of the wiki page.  It has to be about 50 years old now.

TwixT - Wikipedia

 

Recently, we have been playing Catan and Catan Seafarers.  

 

[Jeepers]

Euphrasyne, two is a little young for gears. The flowers will be perfect for her. Especially since she already really likes them. There is a walk-in closet in the room I want to set up for g-son. No furniture yet.  There are some shelves in there that I have all sorts of toys/games on. It doubles as a linen closet. Many of the toys are over his head yet but I got them on sale when K-Mart and Toys R Us went out of business. I really got lucky then. He has discovered 'the closet' but the toys seem to be disappearing to his house though. I don't really mind as long as he actually plays with them and they don't end up in his toy box at his house.    I have Lincoln Logs and Legos hidden in my closet. Probably for next Christmas. He already has enough things to play with without adding more. 

 

When he was River's age he really liked playing with Bristle Blocks. Sort of surprised me. Amazon.com: PicassoTiles PTB120 120pcs Bristle Shape 3D Building Blocks Tiles Construction Toy Set Learning Playset STEM Toy Set Educational Kit Child Brain Development Preschool Kindergarten Toy : Toys & Games  

 

And he still likes magnetic tiles with the trucks added. Amazon.com: MAGBLOCK Magnetic Blocks - Magnetic Toys for Toddlers Kids Magnetic Building Blocks Preschool Magnet Set Magnetic Stem Toys 70 Pieces : Everything Else

 

It's a shame we don't live closer. I could pass down some of his gently used toys. I have a whole cubby box full of the Bristle Blocks that will soon be going to the donation center. And ABC puzzle boards. 

 

I need to check out a spirograph. I forgot about those. I used to love mine. Seems like I remember something called a spiro-tot from way back in the day. It's probably obsolete by now.  

 

 

Mt. Rider, I hope you get to feeling better soon. The last two times I got sickly I had the chills too. It seems to be the latest symptom. 

[Becca_Anne]

There are a lot of wonderful educational toys out there. My kids had one with gears but I can't recall what it was called. Mt Rider I really hope you feel better soon and the smallest repair can sometimes create a huge mess so I'm sure you'll be glad to have that fixed and everything put away.

 

I was a complete slug this weekend and watched tv almost the whole weekend home renovating shows. Totally decadent in my PJs LOL. I needed the rest though. I did go out yesterday and harvest 1/2 quart of cherry tomatoes and froze them. Saved about the same amount for eating. They are super yummy!