July chitchat

[agate]

Maybe more people will show up this month, now that summer is here and people might have more time for message boards. Unless they're so busy with summer activities that they have less time....

It's almost fireworks time here in the US. Right here where I am the fireworks started about a week ago even though it's all about only one day, July 4.

I enjoy looking at fireworks in a night sky but can't say I enjoy the sudden very very loud explosive noises.

At all.

What has everyone been doing?

Here's what I've been doing in my spare time.

[Virginia]

Thanks Agate for getting this off to a start.

As for me, I am not doing anything interesting. I woke with a bad headache this morning and it has pretty much lingered on. I am not taking anything, but may take a Tylenol at bedtime.

I went to get hair cut and colored yesterday. Then went to Fresh Market. I had half a Greek salad and half a twice baked potato last night. It was great so I will have other half tonight. I was feeling very tired yesterday but it was worth going because now I have some decent food for awhile.

I tried to open your attachment above but was unable to do it. I will see if I can find a password for Google when I go back in my office.

I have to go to get some blood taken for my cardiologist. I am trying to watch the weather to see when it will be cooler. Yesterday was a little better than our high 90s to 100 that we have had lately, which is why I decided to go on to grocery shop. It was only 91°.

Hope everyone has a good 4th and also a good month.

[agate]

The photo of several crocheted hats isn't showing up in this thread, Virginia? I had no idea it was showing as an attachment because what I'm seeing is a rather large photo of some hats in the message window, without having to click on anything. I hope you'll let me know as I might be able to post it in some other way so that it's more visible.

It was "only 91'" when you went grocery shopping--you're brave to venture out when it's that hot but you probably had to. I try to hibernate if it's 90' or above. It was 93' on Sunday here but yesterday only 89' but the air felt heavy.

[Virginia]

It could be because I am on my tablet and it has a different URL. Maybe everyone else can see it. The tablet asked me to change to something else, but I didn't want to mess with anything. I am afraid I will goof up something. Don't change it until someone else comes on. I am thinking others will see it.

[jingle]

I haven't seen it.

[agate]

I'll try another way soon. I'll be involved in an Instacart delivery tomorrow for a while, as well as a laundry issue that just developed this evening.

The laundry room in this building has 3 washers and dryers that have always operated with coins. Now the company that services the machines has put up signs saying soon (no exact date given) we can no longer use coins but should scan a QR code and download an app and use the app to pay for our use of the machines.

Many people here--we're all seniors, many with limitations--wouldn't know how to do any of that and might not have a tablet or phone that would make it possible.

I have no idea how some here would do laundry except maybe by hand. There is no laundromat nearby.

So tomorrow, if it's not already a holiday for most people, I might be trying to figure this out.

[Snuggles2]

Hi everyone! I am here. I have been lurking on and off.

We just returned from our family vacation in the Outer Banks SC. We had a great time and it was nice to spend the whole week with my 3 sons, daughter-in-law and 3 grandkids. It is the most time we spend together all year since I live in Pittsburgh along with one son and his family, another son lives in Boston and one son in Cleveland. We spend time at the beach, at the house's pool, playing games and cooking dinners. I already booked a week for next year's vacation.

I am doing well MS-wise. I have been taking 2 walks a day with hubby at our local park's walking paths which are mostly level. There are some hills that we do walk occasionally. I had a visit with my MS doctor's physician assistant and I requested I see them only once a year vs twice yearly now. She thinks the doctor will agree to that. I get so tired of various doctor appointments.

I met my weight goal this fall and have been able to maintain my weight for 8 months. This is the lowest weight I have been since my 20's or 30's and I am now in my 60's. I hope I can continue maintaining my weight. The downside is that it cuts down on my cooking repertoire since I seem to cook the same things on repeat, especially my breakfast and lunches.

I hope everyone is doing well.
Snuggles

[agate]

I tried the hats photo again but I doubt that it would have showed up. It was looking too large and the resizing option here isn't working for me.

Snuggles, it's so good to hear from you! It sounds as if you had a nice family get-together and are looking forward to another one. Congratulations on maintaining your weight!

That is really something to be proud of. I like to think I'm healthier because I've tried to do that too, over the years. I still count calories every day though it's boring. Eating a monotonous diet as I do makes it much easier to tally up the day's calories though.

Two walks a day sounds commendable too. I tend to use weather as an excuse for not getting out for walks but just now I don't have that excuse as the weather has been perfect, and I have been walking--just around the driveway and the parking lot with the rollator. I enjoy being in the fresh air and sunshine and seeing the trees and flowers. A great improvement over winter but hot days are another story.

EDITED TO ADD:

Giving this one more try:
June 2025.jpg

[jingle]

You knit these wonderful, beautiful hats? (maybe crochet?) Wow!! What do you do with them?

[agate]

They're all crocheted. Years ago I did quite a bit of knitting but now crocheting is easier.

My DIL's mother ran a project where people made hats (also gloves, scarfs, etc.) that got distributed to homeless needy people locally. She's scaled the project down now but she and I still make things for distribution. She gets yarn from stores that have left-over supplies and she shares that with me (and with others working for the project)--and that is very nice as yarn can be pricey.

[Virginia]

Hi Snuggles, your vacation time with all the family sounds wonderful. So glad you are enjoying yourself. I am sure there is nothing like having all the family together. And then when you are home you get two walks a day with hubby. You are obviously doing great with your diet. Just keep on with it. I like a varied diet but I am sure I could eat healthier if I didn't. My weight is good or was the last time I checked. I have stopped checking very often because I can tell by my clothes that I am down.

I am glad your MS is stable and I don't blame you for asking to see your doctor only once a year and not twice. It does get tiring seeing doctors all the time. I hope your energy level keeps up. Are you and DH still keeping your grandchildren once a week.

Agate,the hats are beautiful. You make good use of your time. Have the laundry room issues been resolved?

Everyone enjoy your 4th of July.

[agate]

Have the laundry room issues been resolved?

By no means. And people are upset. Many (including me) have been to the manager about it. Many people can use QR codes, I believe, and it might be easy for anyone who uses a phone's camera often, but most people here don't. We're all just too old. I have questions about putting financial transactions on a phone unless I absolutely have to, also, but I'm probably much too much of a fossil about that.

I've heard that there is going to be a petition for residents to sign about this.

I watched a video on the Website for the company that services these machines. It shows how to use their new system but I don't think most people here are up to it. About half of the people here know very little English, and there are 5 or 6 different languages represented here (Romanian, Spanish, Russian, Vietnamese, Ukrainian and a couple of other Oriental languages).

Older people find it hard to learn a different language unless they were adept at languages in the first place, and most of these people find English a struggle.

[Virginia]

I feel for people in the situation you are talking about. The people who own or manage the buildings are probably a little younger in the first place and in the second place they probably have there own private washer and dryer so they are not faced with anything that upsets them.

Recently I looked into an independent living facility. I looked at a very small one bedroom and of course it did include all meals but it was $4,800 per month. The laundry room was located down the hall and you had to share it. I have wondered if it has gone up. The downstairs big room where people can gather if they choose is very nice and the dinning room is very nice. People who live there say they have really good food. Still, I think it is a lot of money.

[agate]

That does sound like quite a lot. Maybe it includes a lot of housekeeping-- cleaning, linens washed or replaced regularly--or other services? Some places have a van service to take people to/from appointments.

My former husband was in an assisted living place, and I recall that every service that was added on had a fairly hefty price tag.But some services were included in the monthly fee, and that was high but this was years ago and I don't recall how high. I'm guessing that the food preparation, service, and cleanup is a large part of that monthly fee--the jobs you're doing now, I think.

If the food is good, it might be worth every penny as I've heard that places with good food are hard to find.

And what if you moved there for the good food and later on they changed their menus or their kitchen staff and the food became terrible?

I hope that somehow or other I'll always be able to eat what I want to eat when I want to eat it.

[Virginia]

I feel the same about eating what I want when I want. As long as I am able to buy it and fix it that is what I prefer to do. I will say for the last 12 to 15 years that dinning room has enjoyed an excellent reputation. Everyone thinks it is great. I do like the fact that they have people who take your order and serve the tables. It is not cafeteria style. They have a bus to take you where you want to go, but that cost extra. Since it is independent living and not assisted living you can have your own car if you are able to drive. If I ever went there I would have to be close to the elevator in order to get to the dinning room.

It is something to think about if I ever need it but I don't want to.