Peg's Chit Chat Corner: June!

[SuzE-Q]

Happy June! Not seeing one yet, I hope it is okay that I start this new chit chat thread this month!

I haven't seen anyone refrain from posting or joining in the Exercise thread because it is named after someone special nor has anyone new at all joined the generically named chitchat thread for as long as I can remember. These were the concerns raised to a proposed naming of this Chit Chat Thread in Peg's honor as our stalwart initiator every month. You could always trust Peg to get us started each month by posting each month's chitchat thread. Who knew that it would eventually become the heart and soul of this community's connectedness?

So, putting those concerns aside I wanted to begin this month by creating June's Chat thread as an homage to Peg. She is dearly missed and fondly remembered.

I hope everyone is doing well and happy to see the days growing longer and warmer. Soon, we'll be complaining about the heat, so I hope this month has many people enjoying the outdoors while they can do so comfortably. All our gardeners must see new plant life starting to sprout and blossom now!

I have a lot of appointments on the go, a time to get moving and stop procrastinating, which has become like a full time occupation for me, lol. My car isn't going to get fixed by me willing it to! So, I have spoken to my mechanic, he thinks it might be a starter issue (probably the second cheapest thing that could've been wrong with it), so he's asked me to try an exercise to assess it, then he'll have a better idea how to proceed.

I've got to get my hair cut and have my eyes checked this month, lots of stuff I've been putting off. I keep pushing myself not to slack off with my exercise. So important to our health. I know even just a few extra minutes every day will pay off in my overall wellbeing.

Hope you all have an enjoyable month ahead and you'll share what you're thinking and what you're up to, big or small, on your part of the planet (or in another galaxy, as the case may be for some, LOL )! Wishing everyone many days of well being in the month ahead! Please stay safe & masked!

[Lazarus]

Thanks for starting the thread and reminding us of Peg.
we might be able to start picking some sugar snaps this week. There won’t be many yet but maybe enough to bring some to market.

today is our 54th wedding anniversary. I picked a beautiful iris that bloomed just for the day. John just left for a farmers’ market and I will leave soon for lunch with friends. By the time you have made it through 54 years life has a normal and pleasant rhythm!

[SuzE-Q]

Yum, fresh sugar snaps!

Enjoy your day and the special rhythm that has developed! Wow, 54 years!

4b7c31753f30e21ac8c54f5bff75b09d.gif

[Virginia]

Well, first of all I wish Linda and John a very HAPPY ANNIVERSARY! And I hope you have many, many more ahead of you! Sugar snaps - wow that sounds good. I hope you have some before John takes them all to market.

Secondly, thank you Suze-Q for getting us started and for remembering Peg. I don't know where my mind is, but for several months now I have forgotten it is the first of the month. I know it because I have to take care of finances, but somehow it just doesn't register.

I can't imagine that it is comfortable weather somewhere. It is very hot here. It is in the 90s and that is quite hot for me. Suze-Q, you sound like it is good running around weather and for me I can hardly move. I hope you are enjoying all your running around.

Last night I stayed up late and of all things read in Cat's cooking thread. I hope some of you will do that. I was looking for a specific recipe that I had gotten from Sunshine and I just started at the beginning. After I had read a little it really became fun. I saw how engaged so many were. I saw Sally and Vicky and so many others. I noticed that Howie really was coming out a lot. I also saw some good recipes that I had forgotten about. I remembered the number of the page when I had to go to bed so that I can take back up when I get some time.

I am hoping that Agate's son is doing better and that he will soon be well.

Everyone have a good month.

[SuzE-Q]

I did that recently too Virginia, except I was working my way backward in that same thread! It was so nice to come across these special MSers that brought so much to this forum. It was an enjoyable trip down memory lane.

Yikes, that's pretty warm, Virginia. Hope you aren't as heat sensitive as I am. I am grateful it isn't that hot here yet.

[Virginia]

President Biden just delivered what I think was a great speech. I hope everyone was able to listen regardless of where you stand politically. This was not about politics, but a passionate speech about what has been going on in our country and all the people who have lost their lives.

[SuzE-Q]

I agree, it was very heartfelt. Speaking from the heart. Any other Ukrainians here? I am still finding it hard to see what's going on in Ukraine. And how the news media seems to have all but abandoned their coverage, as if the story is over. I hate when they flock somewhere, then leave en masse. Those places must feel like they were being used for titillating headlines than out of actual care and concern.

Woohoo, I got Wordle on 2nd attempt, with only 2 letters guessed on my first try, with only the last letter in the right location too, A pure fluke. Lol, I felt like I did when I get a parking spot right out front at the grocery store (I'm sure many can relate to that feeling). Or, in my case, when my car actually starts when I turn the key. Lol, it doesn't take a lot to make my day. Speaking of which, I am finding it easier to do my exercises, these old muscles are actually strengthening a bit with repeated exercises.

Howie, you finding grocery/gas prices eating up your monthly funds? I imagine next year's COLA will be even higher, it's good in a way since they don't reduce it back down when costs even out. But in the meantime, it also means a lot of belt tightening too. Rose, what's new in your life & area, how has your weather been and drought conditions?

I don't understand why everyone seems to be acting like the pandemic is over too, did I miss the breaking news headline? It's even harder to find out what's actually going on with it now too, but hundreds are still dying every day. The media just seems to move on too completely sometimes despite the circumstances continuing to be alarming. They have a bad habit of following the shiny object which is really strange with a 24 hour news cycle, surely they can find more time to revisit these ongoing matters of public interest that persist.

Oh well. Happy to have our familiar little corner of the internet world here at BT. As much as some things may change, this comfortable place remains largely the same. Virginia, did you try any recipes from Cat's thread? ANN, how's your mom and your garden doing? Ikoiko, how's the change in treatment going? Howie, how is your car running? Lazarus?

How's the week been for everyone?

[Virginia]

Suze-Q, I also had felt that the news was sometime moving away from Ukraine, but I think it will come back to that. I guess when there are so many things happening here in our country it gets a little hard to get it all in. I have been signing as many petitions as I can regarding the gun laws. I was going through my own site on Facebook today. I was looking for something else when I found that I had saved something from back in 2018 regarding gun laws. It reminded me that military style guns are not protected under the 2nd amendment. So, since reading that I have been trying to figure out why everyone thinks they might be. Handguns are protected, but not assault weapons. I would like for someone who is smarter than I am to tell me why they have been allowed to be bought and sold all this time, since they absolutely are not protected. So my mind has been on that this afternoon.

I heard on the news tonight that our weather was cooler today. I didn't even know it because my house was the same temperature and I had not thought to look at the weather. I think the humidity was still high.

I did do my exercises today. First time in a week or so. I was feeling bad from the UTI and the antibiotics for it.

I also got magnificent on wordle today. I couldn't believe it.

I really just do not feel like fixing supper tonight or like eating anything I have, so I am thinking about ordering a sub. I hate to pay the fees so I haven't been doing that lately, but I think I need something to perk me up tonight.

Agate and Rose what is going in your lives? Howie, what are you watching on TV or maybe Utube?

[SuzE-Q]

Congrats on Wordle, Virginia! Yes, petitions are a good idea. And phone calls. I guess since Bush allowed the earlier assault weapons ban to lapse, it will take another act of government to ban them again. They can't get enough votes now.

I just really don't like the studio anchors going down to cover the news, then pulling back up to return to the studio after a couple days, like the newsworthyness is over. Just have reporters cover it on the ground, leave the anchors in the studios. Or are finances so tight even for them they need to send their in-studio anchors down to cover news? I feel bad for the grieving families. I just wish they'd also cover more news going on, surely with 24 hour coverage, they have the time to fit more news stories in?

Lol, sometimes I miss the weather too if I don't look outside. Glad it was cooler for you too and glad you got some exercises in! Hope you're feeling better now after clearing your UTI.

I do that too, look through the delivery restaurants, but ultimately decide not to order due to extra costs. I notice restaurant prices have also gone up because of increased food costs. Sometimes I just make my own of the item because I just can't justify paying so much. But I do like to treat myself too. I just discovered a friend had come to town, but I didn't even hear from her. With covid, it's been so long. Felt kinda hurt seeing pics on Instagram of a visit here without even a phone call or plan to meet up with me.

[Howie]

I haven't gotten gas since it went up, so I don't know how bad it is, but someone tell me, why did it go up so fast? I don't follow the news very closely, but I have been watching videos of the Ukranian soldiers blowing the heck out of Russian tanks. BOOM!

The tank crews die and are instantly cremated in a split second. Modern warfare.

[Virginia]

Howie, it is my understanding that gas prices have risen for a number of reasons. One of them being that war in Ukraine you mentioned. I think most western countries have now sanctioned Russia and that has cut our oil supply, but there are a number of factors I think. Crude oil has gone up which has affected gas prices, then the cost to transport gas via pipe lines, railroad cars and trucks to get it to the gas pumps has gone up along with everything else. It seems to be a part of overall prices going up. I read that if you adjust for inflation it is still not as high as it was in 2008. Weather all this is true or not I don't know. I am not an economist and don't claim to be, but I just pick up some of what I read. One other thing is supply and demand. Demand for gas is at a record high. People who are still working are making more money than ever and they are spending it on travel and taking vacations, something you and I don't even think about any more. It sometimes amazes me how much money some people make now. One other thing as Suze-Q stated people seem to think the pandemic is over and therefore they need to go as much as possible. They excuse it by saying they were in for 2 years due to the pandemic..

I don't understand this thinking. We hit a million deaths and I saw very little said about it. Look at the short amount of time this happened in. Yet all people can talk about is that they deserve a vacation because they were shut in. Not about the people who died or the ones who still suffer from long haul that hangs on from COVID. Alright, I am off my soap box.

I think little gremlins have moved in with me. I have gotten so bad about misplacing things or just not remembering where I put them. The latest is a full pack of tooth brushes that fit my electric toothbrush. I ordered a 3 pack, and they are kind of expensive for toothbrushes. This morning I was going to get a new one, so I looked where I always keep my new tooth brushes and they were not there or anywhere to be found in this house. This has happened to me with a number of different things lately, to the point that it is concerning.

In spite of my growing forgetfulness I did get wordle in three tries this morning.

[Virginia]

Sorry for the long double post. I tried to delete one but couldn't. Maybe Agate will know how to get rid of one.

[SuzE-Q]

You can just edit one of your posts, Virginia. You may have to leave a sentence or a few characters, but editing it should remove a duplicate.

Congrats on Wordle, I got it in 3 too, but mine was a sheer guess as I had many options and just lucked out with the correct one. Since I've been stocking up more, I find myself misplacing stuff too or I'll forget I've already bought something and I'll buy another. I get excited sometimes when I run across something I had forgotten I'd purchased. I don't know if it's forgetfulness, Virginia, you probably have more important things on your mind. My problem is paperwork, I leave it for so long I'm accumulating piles and I forget what it is. Have you had your cleaners come back again? I find my step # is so much higher when I've been cleaning, lol, I should clean more often.

I was surprised no one commented on the concern that Paxlovid may be connected to covid rebound cases in the covid thread, I had thought this was so surprising and big news. Maybe I should be relieved my friend didn't call me, the pics I saw, they weren't masked.

Agree with Virginia, Howie, since many European countries have cut off their Russian oil supply to squeeze Putin, it has caused higher demand for alternative sources. That, combined with usual increase in summer demand due to increased travel has jacked up prices. Since the oil and gas markets are global, something that happens somewhere affects us everywhere. Biden has a trip planned to Saudi Arabia, I'm sure to talk about the market. He's already released some of the reserves to try to increase supply and lower prices. A lot of it has to do with suppliers taking advantage of the war in Ukraine to increase prices and profits to their shareholders. Wish we had better control over the market factors than relying on OPEC.

Ukraine has been the "little country that could". But, unfortunately, they have apparently lost about 20% of land mass, although they keep regaining towns as Russian troops move on to capture other areas. Such a bloody, pointless exercise. Leaves so much destruction, death and suffering in its path.

[Earth Mother 2 Angels]

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

I have been trying to process what is going on in our country. Even as President Biden spoke, a mass shooting occurred. He was eloquent in his way and so sincere. You can see the sorrow in his eyes. But, the question remains: will this change anything?

It is quite difficult to maintain a positive attitude, when every single day people are being shot, killed and injured. The U.S. always wants to be Number One. Well, we are. We are the only country, which allows citizens, teenagers, to carry guns and massacre children with an AR-15.

For decades, it has been all talk and no action by our elected officials. While they argue, people die.

Regarding media coverage of Ukraine and the shootings, it may depend upon which news station you watch and how often you watch. The news station I watch has covered every major issue in depth every day. They have had reporters on the scenes of the shootings for weeks, as well as in Ukraine. They are covering the abortion controversy, the primaries, the economy, the baby formula shortage, COVID, the hearings on gun control in Congress, the January 6 hearings, and even Queen Elizabeth's Platinum Anniversary. That is a huge amount of "breaking news," which is probably difficult to juggle. But, I feel fully informed on everything.

The 11 year old girl from Ulvade, who covered herself in her friend's blood and "played dead," is testifying before Congress on Wednesday.

Miah Cerrillo, 11, is slated to appear before the House Committee on Oversight and Reform on Wednesday, along with other family members personally affected by the recent mass shootings at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde and in a supermarket in Buffalo, New York.

Other people set to testify include Felix and Kimberly Rubio, the parents of Lexi Rubio, who was one of the 19 children killed in Uvalde; Roy Guerrero, a pediatrician who treated victims in the Uvalde shooting; and Zeneta Everhart, the mother of a Buffalo shooting survivor.

If Miah can't persuade the members of this committee to ban assault weapons, then no one can. The horror of what Miah did to save herself is unfathomable. She is remarkably courageous to be willing to testify before Congress. Surely, she is still in shock. We all are, so imagine how she feels.

COVID cases continue to increase, and it is summer, so that means travel. The travel industry has suffered through the pandemic, so, as I've said previously, this is all about money. We need to boost the economy, so take off your masks and party like it's 1999!

Yesterday, I had a long, overdue chat with a dear friend, whose son was Michael's classmate, bus-mate, and best friend. She is in her late 70s, and she still goes to the grocery store, and Home Depot, etc. She always wears a mask. She said very few people wear masks in public now. She was confronted by a maskless person in the grocery, who told her to take off her mask.

"I will not take off my mask! You put on a mask! Choice? Right?" She responded. The person backed off. Don't mess with my friend!

Just because a mask mandate has been lifted, it doesn't mean that you are mandated to not wear a mask.

Personally, my uncle, who was more like a brother to me, passed recently. He had Alzheimer's Disease. His decline occurred rapidly. I am the only one left in our family, who knew him from childhood, so I have the longest history with him.

Grief is cumulative. So, I am now working through this new chapter in my grief journey.

Sending prayers of strength, peace, hope, healing, and as always ~

Love & Light,

❤️❤️❤️❤️

Rose

[Virginia]

Rose, I am so deeply sorry to hear that you have had another loss. You haven't gotten over one before another one hits and as you said it is cumulative - one loss brings back another one.

My friend who died recently was actually my second husband. I married him about 3 1/2 years after my husband died. His wife had also passed away. Though we didn't remain married we did remain quite close friends throughout all these years. Like me he never remarried and we had long talks on the phone quite often. Before he had heart problems when he would come to Raleigh from Wilmington we would occasionally have lunch. Like you it is another loss.

Keep putting one foot in front of the other. You are strong and just remember that.