Watcha doing today?

[The WE2's]

We are really enjoying our heated blanket.  They have the heated throws for those who sleep on a twin bed, or need one to cozy up to watch tv or ???  Won't work for us because we're up and down to much. We gave our mail carrier a pair of heated pads that he could put in his pockets to warm his hands.  Some people in Alaska put smaller ones on top of their toes when they put their snow boots on, to keep their feet warm.  They come in lots of sizes so one could use them just about anywhere.  We bought them on sale, so we have a "generous" supply of them.  Wanted them especially for hubby if he's out and needs his feet kept warm.

[snapshotmiki]

I got Gracie (my Voyager)back! Fuel line was disconnected, fixed and no charge. Went ahead and got an extended warranty. I feel better about driving now.
 

[Littlesister]

I figured out why I was so tired yesterday. The doctor knows my Thyroid levels are low, and he said he wants to keep it low. So, I am taking more Synthroid than I should, and he won't reduce it. I can take it 4 days in a row and then I need to miss 2 days in order to not have those really tired days and with babysitting now I forgot what day it was to not take it, and my energy just dropped. The freezing weather I have to go out in every morning doesn't help either. This morning, I didn't take the Synthroid. I was a bit tired when I first got up but then again, I am not used to getting up at 5am anymore. But I got myself going, had coffee and breakfast and then my energy kicked in. I won't be taking the Synthroid tomorrow either. Then on Sunday, I will take it for 4 days and then 2 days of not taken it. I am making me a note to keep by my medicine, so I don't forget again. I did fine today. We played hard all day. My DGD does a casserole or something so we can sit and have lunch together. So, I don't need to take lunch with me. And she has coffee ready for me. I just need to eat dinner when I get home. So, I start up the wood stove and then pop dinner in the microwave. This weekend I will be doing some things that I can put in the slow cooker or crock pot on low so it will be ready when I get home. 

We played with blocks, trains and read books. Played with the dog as well. She is so good with the baby. The baby stayed out of trouble today. 

The bad part of all this is I have not been able to do anything much at all in the office/bedroom. So going to sit down tomorrow afternoon and try to figure out a weekend to do list for working on that room at least a couple of hours each day as I still have to wash clothes and clean house. I still have a few things to get done in my pantry also. But nothing that is pressing at this point for that room. 

[Mt_Rider]

Snowing all day...not a lot.  Subzero at night.  Only got up to 10* today cuz of cloud cover.  Stayed mostly inside.  Not accomplishing much except keeping up with the news.  CA wildfires are tragic.  Running out of hydrant water - criminal.  With so many very wealthy people losing their homes, will there be any changes so as to maybe avoid THIS MUCH?  Extraordinary winds .....not sure anyone can stop that.     

 

I might have a ride Saturday but the other two people haven't gotten back to the ranch - yes or no.  I need to ride tho we'll probably be snowing.  As long as M doesn't step on snow with ice underneath, I'm good.  I can ride in a "blizzard" - well, I can stay pretty warm in my barn clothes.  I really would have to be able to SEE to ride so maybe not a blizzard.    But the other people ...should wear their ski clothing.  Or something.  Not jeans.  Not tights.  Not tennis shoes.  We'll see if it's a go or not.  M needs his exercise.  Me too!

 

MtRider      It's COLD outside!

[snapshotmiki]

It's supposed to rain most of the day, so will be doing a walking video.
Take ebay photos.
Thaw cookie dough.
I'm sure something else will come up.

[The WE2's]

Staying put.  Got another load of snow last night and it's a really wet snow.  Abby-girl is loving this...running and playing!  She's doing really good on her new diet which now includes liquid salmon oil and other vitamins.  Carrots and green beans, cottage cheese all added to her canned dog food...for breakfast and supper.  Lunch is just some bacon bits we have left over with a few carrots and green beans.

[Jeepers]

I ran in to town last night for a couple of things that could have waited. But, I wanted to top off my gas tank and finish filling up my fridge freezer with frozen veggies and some more burritos. Sometimes I like one burrito for a quick snack at night so I don't over eat at bedtime.

 

Wal-Mart had some really nice winter jackets for just over $50.00 so I bought one. Super heavy with a hood. A pretty sage green. I didn't really need one but I had a $100. gift card so everything i bought last night was "free". I'm going to store the jacket away for next year. Or maybe two. I also bought a pair of gloves. I have no idea where mine are and my hands were getting cold. 

 

I also got 2 tall containers for cereal. They are too tall for my cabinet but will fit in on their side. I'm fine with that. I could raise the shelf but I'd never be able to reach anything on the second shelf. 

 

I got the trash out last night. They are here by 7:00am so I need to get it out the night before. We must be the first stop on their route. Good thing though, is with it empty early, I can bring it in early. Which was good today as it started snowing around 9:00am. We are all tucked in now. It probably won't be easy maneuvering it around in high snow. I can skip a week if I want too. I finally got control of my trash situation. 

 

The amount of snow will depend on if I go to sons this weekend. I don't think it's going to amount to much. DGS has the Pinewood Derby in cub scouts this Sunday so he'll be busy that day. He and his dad made his car look like a Tesla truck. It's cute. 

 

I've been having a lot of back aches so today I'm taking it easy and using the heating pad. It also vibrates.  

[Littlesister]

Jeepers, I hope your back starts feeling better soon. Good deal on the jacket. But don't pack it away too soon. Winter isn't over yet.

 

WE2, you take better care of your pup than some people do their kids. That is great. 

 

Mt. Rider, hopefully you can get your ride in and both you and M can get exercise. 

 

I just came back in a few minutes ago from bringing in another cart of firewood. I hope I am set for the weekend without having to out back out to gather more wood. I have wood in the box in the house that is full and a full load in the garage now. So should be good for 2 to 4 days depending on how cold it gets and how I burn it. I try to keep it at a slow burn. 

 

Getting ready to start washing clothes and cleaning the kitchen. Need to empty the dishwasher and reload it. Not a lot of dishes to load up but I do need to empty the sink. 

 

I am just physically tired now from all the running around and then bringing in wood. I really didn't need to go to Food Lion, but it was so packed I just had to see how things were going.  I swear they act like we are going to have a blizzard that will keep us all in for over a week. Many of them had the big baskets overflowing and then some. Every cash register was open which for Food Lion is not often. Didn't go to any other store other than Lidle's for the pants. They were on sale, and I did need some more. One pair are sweatpants and feel warm and the other one is a pair of sweatpants but a bit thinner that I can wear when the weather is also a bit warmer without cooking in them. 

I have my electric throw on the couch for when I am watching tv. and the twin bed one on the bed. My bed is a queen and someone on here said to just get a twin since it is just me in the bed. So, the twin worked great last year and should do fine this winter as well. I haven't turned it on yet but will tonight. 

 

I have some of my quick meals done and going to make a couple of other things for the freezer for fast pop in the microwave type dinners as well. If I have another really tired day like I did the other day, at least I won't have to skip dinner from being to be tired to cook. I can just use one of those dinners. That's an easy fix. Next week I will be babysitting for 5 days straight. It will be dark when I get home each night since DGSIL has to drive home from NC. 

[snapshotmiki]

I will walk first.
Pick up parking lot at Church.
Write more ebay drafts.
Bake cookies and thaw garlic bread and ham for tomorrow.

[Jeepers]

I seemed to have spent most of the day binge watching hoarder shows from the UK. Also some American guy who is autistic and finds great joy clearing out hoarder homes for free. The last guy has a great dry sense of humor. I'm getting inspiration from any where I can.  

 

I Youtubed picture hanging. I might have to invest in a small level. The laser and tape isn't working for a single person. I need more hands for that. I can't hold the laser and adjust the tape high up on the wall. I'm short. I have so much toothpaste on the wall where I've been doing the trial and error method. It works great but I keep moving the picture around. It's a big picture and getting heavier and heavier. I'm starting to resent it. It's busting my butt.

 

Picture 6 - Jeepers 0

 

I also learned that I have no idea where my dryer vent is on the outside of my house. Actually, I can't figure out where it would be. Dryer doesn't back up to a outside wall. I don't think.   And I can't figure out where my bathroom wall is on the outside of the house. It might be along the garage wall. This house confuses me. It's too cold to go outside and investigate. 

 

I'm liable to find a lot of surprises this summer. 

[Littlesister]

Jeepers, your dryer vent could be vented under the house. Which means your vent would be in the floor behind the dryer. Or it should be. I take it your bathroom doesn't have a window. Figure out what rooms are around your bathroom. If it is near the garage, it could be that it is sharing a wall with the garage. or another room. 

 

My knee started acting up last night. Might be from getting down on my knees to do things. I am having issues with putting pressure on that leg when I walk again. So, taking it easy today. I need to clean out the fireplace, but it can wait till I am able to get down on knees to do it. It sits lower to the floor than I like but that is how they did it instead of being a fireplace insert like I first wanted. 

Edited January 12 by Littlesister
Hit save to soon.

[Necie]

@Jeepers, I’m assuming your picture is one that requires two *nails* to hang it? I hate those. I change them to *one nail* hangers. I either put one good hanger hook thangy in the center top, or (more likely) I put a wire across the back. I do it all the time at market to get pictures hung up to sell. You can probably Google/YouTube how to do it. Two small screws and fine wire. Now... if you’re trying to level the picture with other pictures in the room... I’m no help whatsoever!! 
I just hung up 3 pictures in the dining room the other day (not on my list ) and, luckily, they were already set with one hook/wire. Two were ones that I already had and was just moving around and one *new* (old) one that I just got this last year. My great-great aunt painted it early/mid 1900s. She had been an art teacher in Detroit and had a studio/store with her partner in Saugatuck. I remember going to her store to visit and she’d let my sisters and I fill a small paper bag with candy, and she’d always have presents 🎁 for us, and we’d go to the beach (Lake Michigan) and then *play* in her art studio. She was the sweetest lady and would give the best hugs and just smother our faces with smooches. Since she never had her own children, I think her nieces/nephews were her *kids*. Anyhow, when she passed, my great aunt got a BUNCH of her sketches/paintings. My great aunt passed a couple years ago and when her son (my mom’s cousin) had an estate sale, he thought they were just a bunch of old worthless junk and was going to throw them out. My mom jumped his @ss!! Then he decided to wait and look into them. 😡 My mom told him ‘Well, you just figure out what you want for them and let me know! They should stay in the family or be donated to the Saugatuck Gallery or Detroit Institute!!’ He decided that money was better than donated. Mom ended up paying some d@mn good money for what he was going to throw in the dumpster! 😡  Then she let my sisters and I pick what we wanted. I only picked the one and asked if maybe I could pick a couple of others later. She said “They ain’t goin’ nowhere!!” 🥰

Edited January 12 by Necie

[Littlesister]

Jeepers, the way I hang some of my pictures is I hold it up to where I want it and take a pencil and mark at the top and sides of the picture. Then I measure where the wire or hook is to the top of the picture to see how much I need to allow for the nail or picture hanger. Then measure from ceiling to picture. If doing more than one on one wall. It is a lot of measuring. Ceiling down to top of picture for the first one and then mark it. I have to measure also from wall to wall to see how much room I have for each picture. Then figure that out for how much room goes between each picture and measure from top of picture to ceiling for the right height of each picture. It's a lot of work but so far it has worked for me. I still have some pictures from my bedroom I need to hang but I want to redo the frames and then I might hang those in my office. Still thinking on those. 

[Jeepers]

@Necie That's a great story. I had an aunt like that. She had one son but she loved all of us cousins and we all loved her too. She was great with kids. I lived with her for part of my first grade when my mom remarried and went traipsing off to Florida to help find us a place to live down there. Another aunt (her sister) husband was in the military and when he was transferred to Manila, a couple of my cousins lived with her until my other aunt could get settled down back in Indiana. Her name was Louise but we all called her Aunt Weezie. Or Aunt Weeze. Or just plain Weezie. 

 

Anyway, yes there are two sawtooth hangers across the top of the frame. The frame is solid oak and with a couple of mats and the glass, it's very heavy. Even with the two hangers, I use that picture mounting putty all along the top, bottom and sides of the frame just in case the nails in the wall give way. I'd like to get a couple more rematted but it's very expensive to do. Even at Michael's.  

[Necie]

@Jeepers, my aunt’s name was Jean, but we called her Aunt Delo (her middle name). She had a sister named Louise. These were my great-grandpa’s (mom’s dad’s dad) sisters. The sisters were very different for their generation. Aunt Delo was openly gay. She was with the same lady her whole life. Of course, when we were little, my sisters and I just thought they were best friends. Children were *protected* from such things back then, yanno...  Aunt Louise didn’t get married til her 50s. She was a career woman. Back then (1920’s), if a gal got married, she was expected to stay home and have children. A married working woman made her husband *look bad*... like he couldn’t support his family. At 50 (in the 1950’s), with no children, I guess getting married and still working was acceptable. Probably especially since many women had went to work in the 40’s due to WWII. Their mom, my great-great grandmother had come from Scotland as an indentured servant when she was a teenager. She had worked as a nurse/housekeeper for a doctor in Detroit. I love family history, but could never get into the online genealogy stuff. Just stories from my mom, grandpa and great grandma. 
 

I found some stuff on my Aunt Delo. In the photo, she is second from the right. Her *best friend* is far right. 
 

 

[Midnightmom]

On 1/9/2025 at 5:16 PM, Littlesister said:

The doctor knows my Thyroid levels are low, and he said he wants to keep it low. So, I am taking more Synthroid than I should, and he won't reduce it.

 

I have Hashimoto's Thyroiditis - it is basically an autoimmune disease. Anyway, I've been on some form of T4 or another for many years. Several years ago I started finding YT channels that were dedicated to "how to treat" low thyroid levels. Some of them mentioned that the lab tests doctors use for dosing amounts only measure the amount of T4 circulating in your blood, but none of them tested whether or not the T4 was being converted to the acive/useful T3 form. Anyway, I brought up this concern with my endocronologist and requested an RX for a T3 form as an "insurance policy" that I actually had the bio-available form also in circulation.

So, now I take levothyroxine AND liothyronine. (But the labs still only test for the levothyroxine levels.) It's been so long ago now that I really can't remember if it is making a difference in the way I feel - physically - but I am happy - psychologically - so I keep taking it.

 

Anyway, if your doctor is a GP, you might want to seek out an endocronolist to help you with your thyroid issues.

 

Quote

What is the difference between liothyronine and levothyroxine?

• Thyroid hormone is available as levothyroxine, which is biologically equivalent to your own thyroid hormone, thyroxine (T4). 
• Liothyronine (Cytomel) is a lab-made version of the T3 thyroid hormone that's normally made by your thyroid gland. (Note: Your body is supposed to convert the T4 to T3. But is it doing it???)

 

[Littlesister]

Midnightmom, the doctor taking care of my Thyroid is an endocrinologist but he's not a very good one. I am looking around for both a primary and a good endocrinologist now for a month or so. Most of the ones I found do not have very good views from people. So, I might have to go out of the area for them.

 

I do have autoimmune disease that is not being addressed and was told several years ago I had Hashimoto's disease as well but after he retired nothing was ever said about it again even though I mentioned it several times and they had my records from that doctor. They wouldn't act on it. So, I go by how I feel. I have to pay close attention to my body as to what is happening. That is not always easy to do. 

 

Today, I just took it easy and just did a few small things around the house. I mostly sat down and gave my knee a rest and watched tv.  Now both my DD and my DGD are texting me at the same time. I will give them till 8pm and then I am jumping in the shower.  Got to be at DGD's early in the morning and I don't want to get up at 5am to get a shower. Thinking taking my showers at night might be easier on me with having to leave so early every morning. Though taking one in the morning wakes me up better. DGD is still texting, but DD has slowed down. 

 

When I get home tomorrow night, I hope I will have the energy to work on the office a little bit.  Didn't know I would be driving over to her house every morning to take care of the baby 5 days a week as that was not the plan, but her DH's mom decided she wasn't going to do it. So, it's all on me. She's going to have to figure it out while she is still here as I am not going to drive an hour or more to Elizabeth City and home 5 days a week. She will need to learn to balance both babies and her job at some point.  

[Jeepers]

@Necie That's awesome. My aunt had a checkered past too. Her husband was a fireman and much older than she was. When he died from brain cancer, she never remarried because she would lose her/his pension and widow benefits. But we had a live in 'uncle.'  When a family member got wind of it, they turned her into the welfare office. She got even by building on a separate bedroom onto the house and called it his room. Then the charges were dropped. Her little boy at the time was already in the navy. Most of my cousins didn't know he wasn't really our uncle. And most of my cousins didn't know my stepdad wasn't my real father. This was in the early 1950's. Children were protected from anything sexual back then. They were kept as innocent for as long as possible.

[Mt_Rider]

  I've been TRYING to get to bed earlier.  So I haven't been on for a couple days.   

 

Didn't get to ride M cuz they called Sat morning to say that there was just too much ice to avoid.    I've noticed that my energy has dropped dramatically since zero rides in Dec and only Jan 2 and 4th.  I can tell I'm struggling cuz I can't walk nearly as far as usual.    But I'm not really able to change the situation.  Winter is always hard....tho I'd ride my own horses without problems.  We live on gravel roads that get plowed.  I could find enough safe routes....even deep snow is safe.  

 

I've got a 6 month check up with my primary this week.  She switched to every 6 mos instead of a year.  Not sure why...aging, mebbe?  Anyway, I'm not really up to par.  But....not really anything that can be done - unless we check out the horse rides in a much larger town....much further away.  Might have to.

 

I probably should restart with the cognitive therapy...kinda dropped out of that with the 2nd ear infection thing, followed by my 2 wks in MO.....and then ....just didn't restart.  I do Hawaiian every day - 326 day streak.  Last 2 nights it's taken me nearly an HOUR  to do their allegedly 5 minute lesson.  And I have cheat sheets from several years ago when I did these lessons already.  Some of that time, I'm pondering WHY they use this word and then a different one...     That's the kind of mysteries that intrigue me.  Fortunately cuz you'll never get an answer out of Duolingo.  You're on your own!

 

Good news is that DH has tried a gel on his back and has finally gotten some relief!     Means that driving far for horse will not hurt him as much.   

 

Our Women's Bible Study started up again last week.  UGH!  I hate mornings...but we're meeting at 10 instead of 9 as last year.  Still.....  See - I'm trying to get to bed early...er.....    

 

MtRider  ....running off to bed!! 

[The WE2's]

Went shopping and paying the rest of our bills.  Abby-girl needed her flea/tick and heartworm meds...we use the chewables...$286 ...went on plastic sorry to admit.  Funds just running low because we paid all our taxes.  Had a couple of insurance bills, one cash and again...one on plastic.  I think February will help us catch up. Stopped by WM (used cash) to pick up a couple of our pizza's and some of the dry mouth wash for hubby...Even though he wears his "mask" for sleep apnea, he still breathes a lot through his mouth. 

Hubby is again...shoveling some of the melted snow from the walk way to the front of the car.  It is about 45 and is sunny, so it's melting...but re-freezes at night when it's single digit.  Makes for dangerous walking trying to get to the car.  They have graded a lot of the road in front of us, but it just leaves a little "lip" that we have to back over and there's a slight dip from the road to our driveway, so it's the perfect place to get stuck. 

[The WE2's]

Spent a few minutes praying for rain in California.  THAT's what they need right now.  Then they can get busy getting rid of the horrible leadership in that state!

[Necie]

1 hour ago, The WE2's said:

Spent a few minutes praying for rain in California.  THAT's what they need right now.  Then they can get busy getting rid of the horrible leadership in that state!

I have been doing the same, but also afraid that if they get too much rain that it could cause landslides. 😔

[Littlesister]

CA needs a good light soaker rain that won't cause any landslides.  Newsom, they said was planning on running for president in 2028, but I don't think that was anything but talk. With what he has done in CA with the water and these wildfires, there is no way that anyone with any since would vote for him for anything. I hear the death count has been rising. They need a lot of prayer and help in so many ways. 

 

Got to DGD's around 8am and didn't get home till about 5:30. heated up the cabbage for dinner, got the mail in and now just sitting down and resting. Too tired to do much of anything tonight. DGD mentioned they needed to go to store on Wednesday. I hope she isn't going to have me stay even longer to keep the baby. They always take her with them so they will need to just do that. I have to go to the pharmacy on Wed. to pick up a couple of prescriptions as they said they would be ready then. It could wait but after being at DGD's house all day. I need to come home after her DH gets home. I am usually worn out by then. Just hope by the time I make it back up my way the pharmacy will still be open.  

We were talking about the new baby, and she is hoping she will be a bit like Josie. She slept through the night after a week. So, we are hoping this baby will as well. If not, mom is going to be one tired mom trying to work and take care of 2 kids. I will be there to do what I can, but I can only do so much. But DD is supposed to take a week off to be here to help out and I am thinking I might only go visit with the grandkids for a bit and head home to rest and catch up on things. 

I am totally redoing my to do list. It is not working out with babysitting long hours during the week. So, moving a lot of things that I do during the week to the weekend in hopes I can get those marked off my list. 

Edited Tuesday at 12:19 AM by Littlesister
hit save again to soon.

[snapshotmiki]

Good morning! Will walk first.
Courthouse for a question.
Do laundry after it warms up a bit.
Write ebay drafts.
Soak baby carrots in chicken broth for dog treats..
Should keep me busy for a while.

[Jeepers]

I've been praying for California too. I can't even imagine. I listen to KFI on iHeart radio a lot on my phone. It's based in LA. It's been 24/7 for a week now about the fire and weather situation out there. So sad and scary for them.

 

Scammers have found my text messages. I got one for an undeliverable package. I haven't ordered anything since Christmas and those were from Amazon. Today I got one that said I have unpaid toll road fees. I had to think about that one for a minute because I did drive the toll road in PA. in October. But I paid that one. The scammer said I owed $3.00. The PA toll road was a lot more than that! Biggest clue was it was from Florida.

 

Funny but two days ago I just got a phone call from a family member who lives in Florida. It was from their new number. Now I'm getting scammers from Florida. 

 

A few months ago I got a call from a friend in CA. giving me his new number. Since then I get calls and texts from a collection agency wanting some woman with my friends last name. I know his family. No one by that name. And his name is unusual. 

 

Think my phone is being monitored?   

 

Fortunately, the spam calls go straight to my spam folder and I never see them Unless I open it and see them all. There are a lot. The nerve of people using the phone that I pay for to try to rob me. 

 

Not much going on around here. I should be doing the laundry and mopping the hall floors but...