OT August Chit Chat

[Virginia]

Cherie, that is a long time to put up with car problems. I hope it is soon resolved. I know exactly what you mean about staying in because you have to and staying in because you want to. Since I have been in with my eye for 2 1/2 weeks I can relate. When I went out Friday to drug store and grocery I was very conspicuous because it was really dark and raining heavily, however I had on sunglasses. Still, just getting out improved my mood considerably. It is getting back not so good again because I still can not go out. It is very hot here, so chances are I wouldn't go anyway. But again there is a difference in that I really can't go.

I hope the car problem has not caused David a lot of stress. When something happens to mine I really stress out, but I am a woman who knows zero about cars.

[Sunshine]

I know that trapped feeling well. My car works fine. But being in public is extremely painful due to Stiff Person Syndrome. But being isolated is painful too. So I get what you said. Totally.

[nuthatch]

Thank you Cat, for sharing your experience with us. It is not an easy subject to talk about but is a reality for some. I learn so much from you. I just wish you didn't have to deal with these things.
I would hope every hospital has a Hoyer lift, but an extra lift might not be kept in the emergency room. I suspect they were just too lazy to go fetch it and thought manually lifting you would be easier and faster? Seems to me an emergency room should be equipped to deal with any situation!

When I became unable to even stand momentarily (due to breaking both ankles) we rented a manual Hoyer lift. When I came to the realization this was a permanent problem, I purchased a rechargeable electric Hoyer lift. Later, when the power went out for several days and we couldn't recharge it, I realized I needed to purchase a manual lift to have on hand in emergencies.

I joke that DH can always use a lift as and engine hoist!

[Earth Mother 2 Angels]

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

Jon has a Liko Lift, which holds its charge for days. It's always plugged in. We had a Hoyer lift, as a rental for years, and it was just too cumbersome. We bought the Liko lift, and it's far superior to the Hoyer. But it's also very expensive.

Southern California has just been issued an extreme heat warning for the week. It is currently 96 here, with high humidity. A raging brush fire is spreading rapidly in the Cleveland National Forest. We have family who live in proximity to this fire, known now as Holy Jim Canyon Fire. Fortunately, it appears that the fire is burning away from their homes, but the smoke and debris must be terrible for them. And, fires are known to change direction.

I wrote a letter to the golf course adjacent to our neighborhood asking them to trim their palm trees.

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These are views from my morning walk. The second photo shows palms abutting our neighborhood. Our house is just across the street from these palms. If there is a fire near us, these will go up like torches. We've seen that in numerous fires. And the sparks fly, sometimes for miles.

This is a country club/golf course. LPGA tournaments are played here. There is no excuse for the owners to allow years to pass without trimming these palms. They should be trimmed every 6 months, at least.

I encountered a friend/neighbor, who is on our board on my walk yesterday, and we discussed many issues including this one, as we stood in front of the two palms in the second photo. He said the Board has contacted the golf course several times about the palm trees, and the broken, deteriorating chicken wire fence, which separates them from us. They do nothing.

On the other side of the course are multi-million dollar homes. I don't understand why every resident doesn't scream at the golf course owners to trim these trees!

That's my rant for today ~

Love & Light,



Rose

[nuthatch]

Wow Rose, those palms haven't been trimmed in years! That is a real fire hazard that should be. reported to the fire department!

[Cherie]

Car is at the dealer. I followed him over this afternoon and no black exhaust! Thankfully. He just finds maintenance inconvenient and often lets oil changes and warranty checks go by the wayside. I am the one who prompts vehicle maintenance. Always have. Hey! I grew up on a dairy farm in Upstate NY and from pre-adolescence learned how to maintain farm equipment and also on road vehicles. My dad would not let any of us get our permits till we could change a flat tire or rotate tires, change the oil, spark plugs, manage fluid levels, etc. I taught David how to change oil and tie rods!

[Howie]

Your dad did good. Those are all things that could get you stuck on the side of the road without being able to fix them. It takes a lot of the worry out of traveling alone.

[stillstANNding]

Howie, did I miss your grocery shopping, bank, CVS and dump trip? What kind of spaghetti are you making this month?

Jendie, how are you doing? Are you recovering? Please check in when/if you can.

Whisper, Rene, Gary you know we are here. I’m sure I am missing many. Those come to mind.
ANN

[Sunshine]

Cherie, how wonderful that your dad taught you that!

[Sunshine]

I am doing well enough now that I was able to go next door to the new house unsupervised today! I am trying to decide which shade of gray to paint the walls.

And yesterday I was able to visit a neighbor. ...

[stillstANNding]

Great news to hear, Sunshine.

ANN

[Howie]

Ann, I did all my usual running around Friday, payday. I'm eating Compleat's for now. I slept in until after 1:00 today, so I have to get up earlier while it's cooler to make pasta. TV is keeping me up until 2:00 or later.

[stillstANNding]

Glad to hear from you, Howie. A hen worries.

ANN

[Cherie]

We just reclaimed David's car and it runs beautifully. They had it from yesterday afternoon until less than an hour ago and said they worked on it all day. That extended warranty just paid for itself and the engine seems to be OK. Dave is out mowing the lawn now for the first time in more than three weeks (awfully dry here). Doing freshly caught haddock on the grill tonight in perforated foil seasoned with garlic pesto. Then a large spinach salad and some red bliss potato salad on the side. After supper Dave has to do a CMA (Comparative Market Analysis) for the son of one of his colleagues who died three years ago on the house his Dad lived in until his death. He is still doing that kind of work fairly easily because it is a well known program that has calculations built into the app.

It is supposed to be mid 80s with thunder storms here tomorrow.

[Sunshine]

IVIG all day today.