October Chit/Chat

[Virginia]

Since I am up later than I had planned and it is now October 1st, I thought I would surprise Agate and try to get us started this month. Well before this month is out I think most of us, maybe with the exception of Rose, will be seeing cooler temperatures. I hope this agrees with all of you.

It sounds like Linda and John are going on with their produce and plant stands for awhile. This should be a good time of the year for a number of things to taste good out of the garden.

Ann, is still bringing in a lot of good food from her garden.

Howie and Sam are enjoying their food from Food Lion, but that is alright as long as Sam gets her special treats and I very much expect she does.

I guess Rose and Agate will continue on with their ordering and I don't blame them.

We got to see Suze-Q and Jingle a couple of times in September. We hope to see both of you as often as you can get on in October. Also, Random Thought stopped by a couple of times.

I hope for those of us who have not been feeling our very best that October will be a good and productive month for all of us.

As for me, I plan to get a flue shot and my Pfizer Booster. So, I have a few things that I need to take care of. Also, I expect they will be putting in new plants around my place this month. At least I hope so. I will have soaker hoses to water them and my younger brother says I can use a timer so I don't have to go out and try to get to the water faucets to turn them on and off. That was great news. It had been of concern to me since I can't walk on the uneven ground from the sidewalk to the faucets.

I am sure I have left someone out above, and I will think of them later when it is too late to change this thread. Just know that it is late and my brain is getting pretty dead.

Hope everyone has a good and healthy October.



















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[agate]

Thank you many times over for starting this October thread, Virginia! This has been a really busy time for me because this is the time of year when everything gets recomputed for another year, and this year the hearing aids expense caused a lot of extra hoopla. I wasn't sure I would come out OK so far as being able to pay for the aids but today was the day when I found out how everything will stack up financially, and it looks as if I can manage this big-ticket item, spreading it out over time.

Many things have been put on hold while I'm getting familiar with the new aids. It will be very nice to do without batteries. They were so tiny that I would drop and lose them often, and they needed changing at a rate of 3 or 4 a week. The hearing aid would beep when the battery was dying, and within only a few seconds it would go dead. I always had to carry extra batteries around with me on my keychain.

Now I just drop the aids into the recharger each night and they're ready for use the next day. No more special beads to prolong battery life either. They were a nuisance and had to be refreshed every few months by toasting them in the microwave.

That's really good news about the timer, Virginia! I find walking on uneven ground impossible. I don't know what happens to my legs but they feel as if they can't manage it just as soon as I'm on uneven ground. I teeter there and have to hang on to anything I can find. Rollators don't do well on uneven ground either.

It's always nice to know that people here are perking along but then there are those silent people who aren't being heard from. Maybe they're just busy, but maybe they're not doing well. We get concerned around here.

Parsi, for instance--? And Dar (Jen's Solitude)? There are others of course but those two come to mind.

[Virginia]

Agate, I think your news is wonderful. I am so glad you can hear better and without the bother of constantly putting in batteries. With my hands that would never work for me. I am also happy you can make it work for you financially. Must be a lot of stress off you. I guess getting use to anything like hearing aids takes just a little while, even when they are for the better.

As soon as I turned my computer off last night I realized I had not mentioned Sunshine and I had intended to. I just wanted to say that as October begins she is still soldiering on, getting into her pool as often as she can and doing her step count as much as she can. She also post on here when she is able and is good about doing research and posting articles that might be of interest to us. She is just an inspiration to all of us.

Of course Jeanie is still a part of us. I have had so much going on around my house lately that I have not kept up with her like I would like to, but when all slows down I will try to be a little better about that.

We would all love to hear from Renee again and as Agate mentioned DAR. I wish we knew where DAR is and if she got movement back in her body. I just so hope that she did.

Parsi what are you doing these days?

Tomorrow my painters are suppose to come back and paint my front door and fix two places on my deck. Today I am just going to try and get over my fatigue, possibly then vacuum the downstairs and bask in the glow of holding my little boy yesterday. I told about that in the September thread last night.

[agate]

If you're tired, you could always just put off the vacuuming for another day....

As for getting used to the hearing aids, they come with a booklet, and I've hardly looked at it yet. Anything with diagrams and a table of contents is something I'm apt to put off for another day, like that vacuuming you might be doing.

I'll get around to it. Mañana.

[Howie]

But where's Howie? OH, here he is.

I did all my running around, and of course, I bought TWO packs of Sam's turkey. I gave her half a slice, and she DEVOWERED that first half, so now she has the other half. Of course she gets to go out while I carry everything in, and put it away, and then I look out the storm door, and here she is, ready to come back in.

Then, I spent an hour on the phone with Medicare, seeing if what I though was covered was, then with Humana to make sure of the same thing. I won't be calling either of them from now on.

So that was my payday. I'm in until next week, then it will be only to go to the store. I actually have money in my pocket. YeeeeeHaw!!!!

[agate]

Money is good. I've been busy spending mine today by paying 5 bills. I think money is here to stay for a little while longer.

[Earth Mother 2 Angels]

((((((Hugs to All)))))) ~

Virginia ~

I read your final post in the September chit chat thread. I was so touched by your love for your sweet bundle of joy nephew! I am so happy for you and for him that you have this time to bond. I know you didn't want to hand him back to his parents! I hope you will have more opportunities to spend with your family and your precious nephew.

Did your painters arrive today to finish the job? Next is shrub planting. That's a marvelous idea about having a timer for your soaker hose!

My 31 year old automatic sprinkler unit is on the fritz. I have reprogrammed it twice, and it still insists on watering the back and front yards for too long. I don't water the back, because it is dirt, with the exception of perimeter plants and the tree, which I hand water with the hose. I water the front yard 3 times a week for 10 minutes, per California's drought plan. I ended up with mud in the backyard, and water draining down the street in the front yard. If I can't figure this out, I'll have to have it replaced, or I'll have to hand water the front yard with a hose, which I did this morning.

You are correct about our Fall weather. It's 92 here today, with a cool down by the end of next week to the lower 80s. Dry, hot summer weather in the Fall is referred to as an "Indian Summer." Indian Summers occur far more frequently now than they did during my childhood.

Also, these days, an Indian Summer means elevated fire danger. So, our fire season has been extended by several months. However, I think it is always fire season now, thanks to climate change.

agate ~

What terrific news! Long awaited and overdue, and so well deserved! How wonderful are your hearing aids? Wow! It must be such a relief! After all of your hard work to sort all of this out, you have a good result. Congratulations!

Howie ~

Very glad you made it to and from safely! Of course, Sam is waiting to be let back in ~ you just brought in bags full of food, aka ~ DINNER!

Did you get your question answered when you called Medicare and Humana? It can be so frustrating to contact these places. I think we all can attest to that truth. Don't give up, however. Try again until you get the information you need. It requires immense patience.

Stay safe, be well, relax, rejuvenate, find joy, and count your blessings everyone ~ Please check in whenever you can, because we miss you, and we love you.

Prayers, positive, healing energy ~

Love & Light,

❤️❤️❤️❤️

Rose

*Virtual Hugs Are Germ-Free!


THANKS!

[Virginia]

Rose, when my youngest brother was bringing me home last night he explained to me that in the summer plants grow and need some water, but in the winter they reach down and that is when they take root. He should know about these things because he has always, where ever he has lived wanted his yard to look really good with really nice pretty trees and shrubs. He is a stickler about his own yard, so I guess he has picked up a few things over the years.

Sorry you are having to deal with a sprinkler system that is acting up. I guess this might be one of those things that you don't want to ask John to do. If that is all the time you are allotted for water then you might can just do it by hand as easy as getting it fixed.

My painter is due tomorrow morning to do my front door and fix the deck so it can be stained.

This is the time of the year that our supplemental and part D drug insurance can be changed. So, those of us who have this kind of insurance have to think about checking it out.

[Howie]

Rose, it took a while, but the Medicare rep was very helpful, and I am covered by Humana the way I thought. And my membership will roll over each year without me having to do anything. That's exactly the way I wanted it. I'm retired, and should be able to relax and not be having to call anyone to do anything.

[agate]

I'm retired, and should be able to relax and not be having to call anyone to do anything.

Howie, maybe watching Star Trek causes a person to expect to live in an ideal world? Or at least a world that isn't the real one?

[agate]

In fact, speaking of Star Trek, I don't know if the fans here are fans of the earliest versions of it but the original Captain Kirk is going to be launched into space for real, it seems:

Only registered and activated users can see links., Click Here To Register...

My stars! William Shatner is 90 years old!

[Earth Mother 2 Angels]

((((((Hugs to All)))))) ~

Virginia ~

I'm sure that your brother is correct about shrubs. You also have the added benefit of rain.

Yesterday, I reprogrammed the sprinkler system. I unplugged it to "reboot" it, although it isn't high tech! It was supposed to water the front yard at 6 a.m. today, and it didn't. I've tried everything that I can think of doing. John will visit tomorrow to put the new SIM card in my iPad, so I will ask him about it. I have been programming this system for 31 years with no problems. Maybe it is just done!

Watering the front and back yards is very tiring and difficult for me. Watering by hand would require at least 20 minutes on the front yard to achieve the same amount of water it gets when the sprinklers water for 10 minutes. The front yard is watered 3 times a week, which is the allowed amount of time. I cannot and will not do that.

So, if John can't figure it out, and I've tried at least 4 times, then I'll have to find someone to install a new system. This is what happens, as houses and systems age. We have to get a new computer, modem, phone, cables, paint, decks repaired ... right?!

For me, this is just the "next thing," which needs attention, because it doesn't work any longer.

This time of year, I am bombarded with competing supplemental insurance companies, and the TV commercials become relentless. I am very satisfied with my plan. Jim had the same plan, and when I think about the extraordinary costs of his care throughout his cancer journey, and we paid nothing except a small drug copayment for some of his prescriptions, I feel secure with this plan.

Howie ~

It's always helpful, when the representatives we finally reach are nice and solve the issue. I am glad that you have it all sorted out now.

agate ~

I have to agree with your response to Howie. In the real world, we all have to make these phone calls and wait for answers. Even William Shatner at 90 years old! However, he probably has staff to take care of those matters for him. I mean, if he gets to go to space with the King of Amazon Bezos, he must have staff to make his calls for him!

The Billionaires Space Race! Earth is a mess, so let's spend a ridiculous amount of money in space travel for the extremely wealthy and the privileged!

Be safe and stay well everyone ~

Love & Light,

❤️❤️❤️❤️

Rose

*Virtual Hugs Are Germ-Free!


THANKS!

[Virginia]

Rose, I hope John can get your existing sprinkler system working. I hate these things that keep popping up.

My painter was to have come back to paint my door on Saturday. He was a no show. A neighbor said the President of our HOA has asked her if I like my paint color several times. I should have told her to tell him they need to come back and do my door. I will not mention my deck because that is a side job for me to pay for.

I know what you are talking about with the supplemental insurance. However, I can't change no matter what. I tried to go to a lower plan last year. They said sure you can do that, and then proceeded to ask me which of the following diseases or conditions I had. When they hit multiple sclerosis I knew I was done for, but I let her go ahead and finish. Then she said "yes you qualify for this plan" and gave me the price which was higher than the better plan that I had. I told her that I wasn't that foolish to give up what I had, pay more and get less.

It is the drug program that gets me. There are a number of them that are listed in N.C. for the coming year. However, only one carries my Rebif. So, really the rest of them would be of no use to me. The one that covers my Rebif is one of the more expensive plans naturally. It went up a lot last year and a lot more this year.

Ummm - "I am retired and should be able to relax and not be having to call anybody to do anything." Yep that's our Howie. Me too Howie, but it doesn't seem to work that way for me.

[Howie]

That is VERY cool that Shatner will get to travel into space. Most of his roles besides Star Trek had to do with space.

He still looks pretty good for 90.

Space....the final frontier.

[agate]

He really does look great for 90. He's put on a bit of weight since the Star Trek days but he still looks fantastic. May he live long and prosper.