Whatcha doing today?

[Littlesister]

Ran up to the Food Lion a while ago to get milk and a couple of other things I was out of and there at one door and I mean right at the door a woman sitting there begging for money. Said she had 2 children, but they were not with her. Told her I didn't have any cash on me, and she told me to get it from cashier when I check out. Really.  Well, when I got ready to leave, I was going to go out the other door and there was her husband sitting right at that door with 1 child begging for money. Neither looked bad off.  I didn't get any cash from my account, and I just walked out and kept going. There are signs up in Chesapeake that says do not give these people money. And it is also against the law here to be that close to a store begging. You would almost trip on them they were so close to the doors. Red flags went up when they were working both ways in and out of that store. 

 

Otherwise, I still have no energy and I hate that feeling and my hand is hurting again. Knuckles are swollen. Will be seeing the doctor on Wed. Hope he doesn't put me on prednisone. I hate that stuff. 

[snapshotmiki]

Good morning!
I will walk first, this morning.
Have 2 #10 cans of baked beans that I will re-can (pressure can) into pints. Probably add a few ingredients to them as they heat.
Walk dogs.
Not sure what else.

 

I'm sorry about your hand, @Littlesister!  Hope it feels better without prednisone

[Littlesister]

Just sitting here waiting to take GS to doctor.  

 

When I get home, will clean house and maybe do some other things. Need to get the curtains made for the bathrooms but hands are just sore and painful. So might continue to wait on that. 

[euphrasyne]

There is a chili cook off tomorrow at DH's work and he asked me to make some so I made about 2 gallons today.  Chili for dinner, chili for work. and chili for the freezer.  

 

Columbia Gas stopped by and said that they would be updating our gas line next week and I'd be without gas for several hours.  

 

I'm still trying to get out of this funk, so nothing much productive is happening.  

[kappydell]

Have not been on here for a while.  very busy putting up new larger chicken run and quarters. we are planning on 12 full size cluckers to add to our egg harvests, especially as we know several others who will purchase our extra eggs to offset feed costs.  The banties are now laying 6 eggs a week, which is very good for 6 ladies.  The roosters are going along for the ride, except one has taken a dislike to Mary. He pecks at her if she tries to touch him. She wants to set him free.  I tell her that is not fair, he will just be coyote bait and we do not want coyotes looking at our place as a restaurant.  So whe gives him a wide berth when she gathers eggs.  They are delicious and just a nice size to fry up and fit on a hamburger bun nicely for breakfast.  I like breakfast sandwiches.  They also make really cute devilled eggs...one-bite size, even for smaller folks.

The new hens will be full size though, but we will handle them more as chicks, to get them gentled down some.  Also they are breeds that are more docile and calm.

 

The chicken coop is going up...

 

   

  Its a BIG walk in coop.  We are currently stretching chicken wire to enclose the entire thing, then will reinforce with predator proof fencing around the walls, and a tarp for shade up top.   When we are not working on that we are working on expanding the goat house to hold the two new goats...Mario and Luigi are starting to like being in their side enclosure outdoors, cavorting around as only baby goats can cavort.

 

Yesterday we took a day off to go all the way to Augusta to the University of Augusta Medical School.  They have glaucoma specialists there.  My eye pressure will not stay down, and if it not brought down I will go blind.  So apparently surgery is in my immediate future, to create a drain to allow the pressure in my eyes to be released.   Mary asked if I was nervous ab out the surgery.  LOL...I told her if it failed I was no worse off (blind) than I would be without doing it, so what the heck, I go for it.  Being blind would be trying. I always hated memorizing things, and I would have to do that to keep singing in the church choir.  And to keep playing my music.  And I would have to figure out how to write down the music without being able to see what I was doing.  Ugh.  Hoping for the best. We'll see what happens.  Augusta is a looong drive from here though, a 2 hour trip.  It beats trying to drive in Atlanta traffic though, as its all interstate.  Mary is being a good sport driving me around.  She likes the doctor - he is German - and he likes that she loved being in Germany for 3 years.  He says she speaks excellent German...no accent!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited February 21, 2023 by kappydell

[Jeepers]

Yum chili. I'd love some homemade chili. Sorry your funk isn't lifting. Neither is mine.  

 

Best of luck with your eye situation Cappy. BTW, I couldn't get your picture to open.  

 

Doctors office called today. They want to do a video conference. That won't happen. I learned that the term Luddite is now considered a slur. The proper term is technophobe.  Crimony.  I'm one of those. Take your pick. So they are going to do a phone conference. I don't like that. I want face to face to make sure he is paying attention.

 

The doctor's office is 2 blocks from my house. I can easily pop in. Truth be told he probably won't be there. Probably at home in his jammies. He wants to discuss my last lab test. That can't be good. They could have mailed it. Or emailed it. Uh-oh. It isn't until March 1st. He can't pick up the phone tomorrow? Speedy they ain't.

 

There was an issue with cholesterol meds. He ordered 1.5 pills and insurance would only cover 1 pill a day. They had to wait for the doctor to call. He finally did today. 2 1/2 weeks later. Approved. Don't know why he prescribed a high dose without seeing my lab work first.  I just don't have it in me to doctor shop right now.

 

Did I mention that someone broke in the house last night and took my jugs of change? Also some rolled pennies. They did. No one has any entry into my house but me. I let the crew in every morning myself. Not a clue. The police came out along with two detectives. It could have been a lot worse. Earlier that morning I removed the lock box that contained all of my 'funds". So now the lock box is sitting in the hotel room.  

 

Not real sure how much more I can take. 

[Mother]

1 hour ago, kappydell said:

The roosters are going along for the ride, except one has taken a dislike to Mary. He pecks at her if she tries to touch him. She wants to set him free

I wouldn’t do this with a bird I wanted to make friendly but for an aggressive rooster You might have her try this….. when he pecks at her, catch him even if you have to chase him down.  Then just hold him, pet him, play with his feet and his beak and generally touch him all over.  Don’t put him down until he hangs his head down in submission.  It might take an hour or much longer. If he is still aggressive after that do it again.  
 

———> Jeepers. 

[Ambergris]

If you don't have time to pet him for an hour, grab him by the legs and swing him back and forth until he goes limp.  This is a temporary fix, lasting a few hours to a day, while the petting him into submission fix lasts much longer (eventually becoming permanent).

[Littlesister]

Jeepers so sorry that happened.  You didn't need a break in with everything else going on. Hope all goes well with the doctor.

 

Kappy, praying that all goes well with your eye.   Your picture won't come through.  Hope Mary gets that rooster to like her soon. 

 

Euphrosyne chili sounds good. Hope you get some energy back soon and feel more like doing things. You've been through a lot with the falls and surgeries.

 

Took GS to doctor and he has a bad infection going. Gland in neck and chest infection. If fever that he has had for almost 2 weeks don't go done soon and the cough gets better, he has to go back to doctor for chest X-ray and then see what happens from there. He is now on antibiotics. He did lab work and it showed heavy on infection. CBC was not good. 

[Jeepers]

Sorry your dear grandson isn't feeling well Littlesister. Prayers for a speedy recovery!  

 

Hope your hands feel better soon too.  

[snapshotmiki]

No walk this morning. 4 hours of sleep and a full day to come.
Went to Aldi and Walmart.
Got new lenses in eye glasses. free
Tractor Supply for dog food.
Thrift stores.
H&R Block to pick up and pay for taxes.
Home now and just tired.
Bible study tonight at 6:30. Last time at our Church. Then they start meeting at Golden Corral--not me.

 

Rescue caught one pup last night. I haven't seen the other 3, but have been gone this morning.

 

I hope your grandson feels better soon @Littlesister!

 

Where and how is @Mt_Rider?  Hope you are well!

[Jeepers]

On 2/19/2023 at 8:05 PM, Jeepers said:

BIG CONFESSION;

During all of this I lost my one and only door key. I took it off of my key ring to give it to the Servpro boss and set it on the bed. I went to get it and it was gone. I tore the bed apart. If it would have fallen on the floor I would have heard it since there is no carpet now. I searched that room from top to bottom. I was the only one in there at the time. How can that happen? I will get a locksmith over after Servpro leaves. Right now there is no more room in the drive way for another vehicle and the guys are using the front door to get to the dumpster. One more person in there would be awful. Hopefully this week I can get more keys made. I do have a lock box for the door. Just no key. Which means I have to go over there every morning to let them in. I can only get in with the garage door opener. 

This is so strange! I went to the house this morning. I always go straight upstairs to my bedroom. The bed is the only place I have to sit in the house. I got there early and was waiting for the guys to show up. I'd think of something and then I'd get up and go check it out. Sometimes just get up and look out the window. I did that about dozen times. I have stuff sitting on the floor in a line about 3 feet from the bed so there is a little path beside the bed. I thought about checking the basement to see how it was coming along. So I did. It's looking good. 

 

When I came back upstairs, there was my key on the floor right beside the bed. It wasn't there all morning. I walked right over that spot (back and forth) at least a dozen times within about two hours. It has been missing two weeks. I searched everywhere for that key. I even stripped the bed twice. It never made a sound hitting the floor. Where has it been and where did it come from? I was the only one in the house. It was one of the strangest feelings I've ever had.  

 

BTW, it's bright pink and says princess on it.  It was a gag gift for my son but he opted out and took the old silver one. Joke was on me. I got stuck with it.  

 

[Littlesister]

Jeepers, that is a huge Mistry.  Where that key is laying, seems it would be easy to spot. Unless your foot was on it each time you walked across there, but I would think you would have felt it even with shoes on. 

 

Went to doctor this morning. Labs as expected not good. Thyroid is off the charts, so he raised my thyroid meds to higher dose. He lowered my diabetic medication instead of giving me something I can get that isn't always on back order. So, I am going to have to take matters into my own hands again to get control of my health.  He would not give me anything for inflammation of my hands and shoulder, so again I need to take matters into my own hands on that. Said if it doesn't get better to come back and he will give me a cortisone injection. that's fine but I think anti-inflammatory medication would work just fine.  I have what was a standing order for prednisone for when DH was alive from his allergy doctor. I still have it and I am going to start on a dose of that. 

 

Told him I had not had an MRI for the pituitary tumor in a few years and I needed to get one as this could be part of the reason for my issues with my A1C not going down but just staying the same or it is the Trulicity that is not working for me as well as my Thyroid levels being off the charts. I think it is the latter. But will see.  Took some doing but he is ordering the MRI. 

I am over these doctors around here. It's hard to get the help you need anymore. Then my neighbor comes over that is taking care of her father-in-law is really mad. He has dementia and it is getting much worse and harder for her to care for him. He sleeps all day and only up 4 hours a day. She is trying to keep him up, but it is not working. So, she tried to get home health care for him. That didn't go well at all. They told her to keep him up and keep him walking till he gets tired. He's tired as soon as his feet hit the floor in morning. And she can't get him up from a sitting position without help now. If she gets him to his chair, he just falls asleep again and he will not get up and walk.  But no can do on the home health. I feel for her as I couldn't get the help I needed for DH and this type of stuff is getting out of hand for our medical field. 

 

I was just so tired and frustrated over my labs and the lack of care and what needed to be done, I came home laid on the couch and went to sleep for a while. At least I know why I don't have any energy and been just pushing myself to get things done. 

[Jeepers]

It isn't just your doctors Littlesister. It's everywhere. I've had it too. They seem like they are afraid to try any new idea. Maybe for good reason with all the lawsuits these days. They act like everything they do is coming out of their own pocket. It's probably stressful for them too but at some point there has to be some trust in each other. 

 

I would have seen that key if it had been there. I look down when I walk over there because the floors are very uneven now. Some places are up or down as much as an inch because they are replacing the subfloor in some areas and not in other areas. Also there are some nail heads sticking up here and there. It's sort of hard to walk there right now and some walls are missing too. So I always watch where I'm walking. That key has not been there for two weeks until it appeared that morning. I don't have any other odd things happening there. Just that blasted key. When Servpro is gone (probably by Monday) I'm still getting the locks changed. 

 

I have a big John Deere riding mower in the garage that needed moved. It hasn't been started in about four years. I had to leave but told them to jump start it and they could move it. Son did that with an old mower once. The keys were in it. Today I noticed it was moved. I asked how? Four guys got on either corner and lifted it up and carried it to the other side of the garage. LOL.  Oh to be young and strong again. 

 

Tonight I was on the computer and must have dozed off. I heard the phones alarm clock go off. False alarm. It was the phone ringing. It was D-ex. It was 8:30 and time for me to leave to go to the house to let the guys in. I was running late. I usually get up at 8:00.  I was hauling a$$ trying to talk to him and getting dressed at the same time. I finally told him I needed to go and get on the road. He asked if they work at night. At night? Crimony. It was 8:30 at night. I thought it was 8:30 in the morning.

 

I don't know if I'm coming or going. I was all dressed up and no where to go.  I am losing my mind. 

[Mt_Rider]

Sheeeesh, Jeepers!  Wish you had someone there to assist with this big renovation.  It's HUGE...especially since you're displaced.  A woman with 2 homes and is "homeless".     Very odd...but then, seems like most of us fit the description of "odd".  None of us are "off the rack" personalities.  But...that is one of our strong points.  It hurts.  It's exhausting.  Sometimes we're pushed so hard we get sick.  BUT WE CARRY ON!    Even if we don't feel like it.         Even if we don't know AMs from PMs.      I could SO see me doing that one!  You WILL eventually get thru this.  There will be reward for your current suffering!  But it would be nice to have someone nearby to lean on when you reallllly need some Rest and Sleep.  Glad to hear you'll eventually get to "vacation" at your Indy house!  You really should just take a break there ...and not try to accomplish much.  Just enjoy a house in normal shape and enjoy that grandson!  VACATION!  You'll need it.   

 

  for Euphrasyne too.  If this "humbug" lasts...can you see if something is off physically.  And if that's ruled out...talk to someone in person.  You don't want to ignore a definitive change in your outlook.  You've also had a lot happening + your injuries!  Other stuff.  Take this seriously.   

 

Take care of yourself too, Little Sister!  Take a break and focus on your health....which being in the medical field, you already know that's wise.  Give your energy to fighting our weird medical system.  Sorry to hear your GrS is not healthy at the moment either.  Youngsters don't typically take care of themselves with good eating and life choices.  Most do learn eventually.  Drop the I AM INVINCIBLE motto.   

 

Kappy and Chainsaw Mary....  I agree with the ladies about the aggressive roo.  Need to put a stop to that.     I've had ganders that get aggressive during spring.  Their nip can HURT!  [ roos can draw blood with beak or feet]  I've been able to grab their head...just at the neck.  I'm careful not to pull or yank.  Birds are fragile.  I just hold that position while they're so startled to be caught.  They make a big fuss but can't really do anything but dance with their feet and holler.  Then I let them go.  If I have a gander that continues, I stick his head under water [ their water container] for a bit.  Then release and just sit there with them.  That's usually the last time they try aggression.  NOTE this is male geese, not roosters.  They're a lot bigger and harder to hold.  But I've done that too when there's a toe injury.  If you can get them quickly on their back on your lap and stroke their neck/stomach, they go somnolent.  I've bandaged a few toes with geese in that position -- but I don't know if that is same for chickens.  Been a long time since we've had chickens. 

 

Yeah...hello to everyone.  I'm in and out here.  So much going on and here it's nearly midnight again.  My new sleep rules have been broken too often.  I just can't finish everything in a day.  My energy is getting slowly better.  My black-out/sparkly vision episodes are diminishing.     Had a talk with my grief counselor, DH and I this week.  Just getting input to get all of us on the same page.  My idea and it went well.  I am improving in energy, physical functioning, etc....just slowly.  No surprise there.  Coming up on one year since my dad passed.  I don't expect a problem with that.  I've decided DH and I need to get a chocolate Frosty from Wendy's.  How many times did we do that with my folks?  A commemoration of sorts.    

 

Our pellet stove is finally repaired.  B/J property managers and I finally got the part number to the motor that was needed.  Within a week, they were back and installed it while I was riding horse.  [which I've done 2 weeks in a row now....yay! ].   Getting below zero again tonite but the pellet stove warmed this area nicely.  I don't have to bundle in 4-5 layers of clothes to sit in living room.      I think water guy will install new water pressure tank next week.  Then....I think we're good. 

 

It's been BUSY with medical appts ....mostly stuff before I see neurologist in April.  Then the house repairs.  AND vehicle repairs!  Car is at mechanic's and we're using my gas-guzzling truck.  AND had to try twice to get the part to stop the windshield wipers from running.  Finished that last nite---cuz DH had to drive today in the snow.  Needed wipers working.  Still need the knob but he could turn them off/on with a pliers on the stem.     Loving the eggs we're getting from the ducks/goose we raised last spring.  So glad DH followed thru with that project while I was full time at Mom's.  So glad to know we have a both a goose and gander.  Goose eggs are marvelous. 

 

Coyotes have dog a bit edgy tonite.  Hope they don't excite her and wake us.....     And yes.....I'm past bedtime AGAIN.  That's why I'm not showing up here daily.....I can't seem to get everything done AND get to bed too.     Still working on this. 

 

MtRider  ....but yeah....I'm ok and still here.  Nite...    

[Ambergris]

It's raining and I really don't want to walk down the hill to town, but I have things to do that have been waiting for the end of Carnival.

 

First, though, I can spend some time drinking coffee and setting up the slow cooker for black garlic. 

 

I've been watching videos on this, and the point is to keep garlic at 130 degrees or so for three to four weeks solid.  People buy a separate appliance to do this, or use proofing cabinets, or use slow cookers, or use rice cookers, or set them tightly wrapped in foil (to maintain moisture) in a cabinet dehydrator.  I was going to blacken garlic in the Excalibur, but the owner of the appliance objected because running it that long might burn out the motor.  So I dehydrated all that garlic plain, and continued my research.  I don't want to be without my slow cooker for a month, as I use it a couple of days a week now.  But here's this--I can move the garlic to the Excalibur when I need to use the slow cooker, and that will keep it at the same steady temperature.  That way, if I burn out an appliance, it won't be someone else's $400 appliance.

 

One use of black garlic paste is to replace the bouillon cube that makes me so ill.  It's semi-shelf stable, like cheese, and (like cheese) lasts a very long time in the fridge.

[Littlesister]

Cleaned kitchen this morning and then did some other things around house that needed to be done and things put away. 

 

at about 3pm I called the drug store as they had not called to let me know my prescriptions were ready.  Nope the doctor never called them in. No matter as my thyroid levels are only off the charts so no big deal. Bet I don't hear back about the MRI either. Called the doctor's office and they said they would give him the message. Will see what happens. One of my neighbors came over and she is having issues with home health for FIL. 

 

Jeepers you are right about this being all over the country, but it doesn't make it right to not give the proper care to patients. We have a lot to think about where the medical field is concerned, and my doctor will get an ear full when I go back if those prescriptions are not called in and I don't get that much needed MRI for the pituitary tumor to see where that stands. He doesn't know that I worked in the medical field yet. I have ways of doing things he doesn't know about yet. Though I am sure all these doctors no matter how good they are, are having to follow the rules of socialized medicine now. One wrong move and they could lose their license to practice. I have already seen that happen to one doctor that took too long with a patient under Medicaid policies. She didn't lose her license. but was fired. She was one of the best Lime disease doctors around. She did a lot to help my daughter before she got mixed up with Medicaid. 

I have used alternative medicine before and am about to start doing it again. Just need to find my paperwork on it. 

I am now turning to alternative medicine for Thyroid, diabetes, and blood pressure and I can do it again. But then I think the time has come that we will all be doing this as things start to get worse in this world. 

[Midnightmom]

20 hours ago, Mt_Rider said:

So much going on and here it's nearly midnight again.

Are you competing for my forum name???   

[Jeepers]

37 minutes ago, Midnightmom said:

Are you competing for my forum name???   

Oh nuts, it's Midnight again.  

[Littlesister]

Worked out in garage a bit this morning. Then came in when GS woke up and washed sheets from both beds. Called pharmacy again this afternoon to see about meds being called in. Again, no doctor has not called. Will call doctor on Monday as he was closed today. Will be looking for a new doctor. Have one lined up now that is endocrinologist. Will be calling him on Monday. So, depending on when I can get in, I might not even call my primary care back about the meds. Also, this new doctor deals with pituitary tumors as well so if primary doesn't call to set up the MRI, the new doctor can do it instead. I am over this mess. 

 

GS still not feeling well. Temp. keeps going up and down. He was doing good yesterday and today he is back to not feeling well. Only one more antibiotic pill left to take. 

 

Cooked steaks on grill for dinner tonight. I don't cook often anymore on grill like we used to when DH was alive. So, need to get back into doing that more again. 

 

I know everyone on here is busy now.  Gardens starting up, house repairs and so much more. Seems it never ends. Weather is starting to cool down again but will still be warm enough I hope to start plowing up the larger garden. Need to weed flower beds and pull out 2 azalea plants that are dying. 

[snapshotmiki]

Well, Thusday's doctor appointment with DH did not go well. He was way past assertive, in my opinion.
The rescue is still trying to corral the dumped puppies. They got one, but 3 are still out there.

[euphrasyne]

Today we pick nicked and bought the baby new shoes.  

 

Then I ordered 100 credit card sized magnifying glasses off of amazon because I cannot read fine print anymore and I'm tired of looking for my larger magnifying sheet that is apparently 'somewhere.'

[Becca_Anne]

Busy weekend for me. Book group x 2 and Ben got to go to a Birthday Party. My DH is 90% done putting together one of the two trellises I bought last year and I'm hopeful I'll actually get to use them for my roses this year! 

[Jeepers]

Miki, the doctor was assertive?  Not cool.

 

Euphrasyne, I can't read the small print any more either. And I'm very near sighted. I have little magnifying glasses all over the house too. 

[snapshotmiki]

Already walked.
Paid vehicle insurance for 6 months.
Took car to mechanic to hopefully fix horn and dashboard lights that get dimmer then brighter. Sigh.
Have sweet potato slices dehydrating in the oven, for the pups.
Next, will be clean baths and dust house.

I have been walking Peanut Butter (in profile pic) over to where dumped puppies are.
They are getting a little better, but not trusting yet. Sure hope someone can get them soon!

 

15 hours ago, Jeepers said:

the doctor was assertive?

More like arrogant and dismissive.  I honestly don't think either one of them was listening to anything the other said.