May chitchat

[Virginia]

You are a good Dad Howie. I have to admit she is a pretty girl.

Ann, I thought we established long ago that Agate IS a detective.

[Howie]

Agate, if you are the detective Virginia thinks you are, find Howie's World. Remember that one. I've tried, but gave up. I think that was Seven, and pics of Pinky.

[agate]

You don't happen to recall if it was a post in the photos section, or was it a post in one of the regular threads? I may have problems finding it unless you have an approximate idea of the year....

[Howie]

No, but thanks anyway. I'll just let it fade into times gone by.

[Jeanie Z]

:) Andy and James came this morning with cards and wore masks. I wiped everything down when they left. I am going to relax and read the Sunday paper. Stay well. Jeanie :)

[Howie]

I don't think "social distancing" means online too, but I could be wrong. Where is everyone?

[agate]

That photo of Sam must have been too dazzling for most people.

[nuthatch]

I was wondering where everyone is too.

Life is pretty mundane for me, I don't have much of interest to post about. My health (as bad as it was) is failing. Can't help but wonder if it was the dreaded coronavirus I had way back in January. The more I learn and read, the more convinced I am I took a hit. New unexplainable issues keep popping up, I tell DH about it, then a week or two later I read that "recovered" Covid patients are now experiencing exactly what I had complained about to my husband a few weeks earlier. It all really scares and depresses me. Can't get more than 3 hours of sleep a night. Laying down or even slightly reclined causes breathing problems which causes panic in me, especially since I can't get up myself. I find myself falling asleep during the day, sitting up. There is a ton of other unexplainable things I won't even go into here. Trying hard to focus on other things.

I've been zooming with Tula every evening. Nightly UNO game, 2 bedtime books, 1 read by her mama and 1 by her dad. Then she wants me to tell her a story, so I make one up. She loves it! Then we sing something, followed by lots of acted out hugs and kisses before logging off.
I get video calls from my son where I get to see and talk to Everett. He shows me how he jumps on the trampoline, rides his scooter, and shows toys to me.
I sure miss both of my grandchildren!

Let's see . . . of interest . . . oh yeah, yesterday my husband came in with a surprise he found outside in the backyard. It was a full snake skin about 3 feet long! It was out by the fruit trees just laying on the ground. So interesting to look at! You can see the head, mouth, eyes, scales, even the pattern on the back! It was only open at the end of the tail, so he backed out!?? If you've never seen one before, they are just a thin, transparent layer of skin that snakes kind of slither out of. Usually you only find the skins in pieces. I remember finding them when I was a kid. Here is a link about it with pictures. Only registered and activated users can see links., Click Here To Register...

Not sure but we think it was from a gopher snake. Since they eat gophers, we need them to keep the gopher population down. Unfortunately gopher snakes look similar to rattlesnakes minus the rattles, so people kill them on site. I'm not a snake person but I'll put up with a gopher snake!

The gophers here are multiplying like crazy. DH is catching one in a trap almost every day. And one of my cats catches her own several mornings a week right now. Just wish she wouldn't didn't feel the need to show me what she caught, especially if she has half devoured it. She loves that fresh meat for breakfast. YUCK! The hunting instinct is alive and well in her. My other cat couldn't care less and doesn't even want to go outside.

Another tidbit of news is that Instacart just added Costco to the list of stores I can shop. Costco is around 25 to 30 miles away from me so I sure didn't expect to ever see that! We have a Costco membership but go infrequently. When we do, we stock up with a big order. We were getting low on things, so I placed an order yesterday. It was delivered today. Free delivery with Instacart Express makes the membership fee even more worthwhile for me. Instacart is a lifesaver for us right now but I'll be keeping my eye on the credit card bill and saving my receipts (which are emailed to me) in case of any disputes. The shopper was very fast and efficient today with only one refunded item and one approved substitution. Again, we had the order left on the front porch, so no contact whatsoever.

4 or 5 goldfinches are enjoying the new finch feeder now. It took one goldfinch just 1 day to discover it. He must have told a few friends because now we are up to 5 birds at a time working that feeder! Soon it will be 20.

Trying not to watch or read too much news lately. All the bad, depressing news makes a depressed, ANGRY nuthatch!!! That's not good.

Well, that's my life in a nutshell. Now it's your turn to share what's going on with you. We just can't let this place die, we all need this lifeline!
Take care, be well.

Joan aka nuthatch

p.s. Anyone heard from Cherie? Hope she's okay, but also hope we haven't been ditched!

[Howie]

Snakes and creepy critters. I brought home all kinds from the woods. We lived in the sticks, so seeing wildlife was normal to us. I even caught a copperhead one time. I knew how to catch it and hold it so I was never in any danger. I used to take delight in scaring my mom. She was deathly afraid of snakes.

[agate]

I keep busy just trying to get things I need from assorted places that may or may not deliver in weeks but some things are definitely coming through.

Yesterday I had a truly great surprise. In desperation because the shopping service couldn't find any rubber gloves in the store on Thursday, I ordered some through Amazon. Didn't expect them to come for at least 10 days but they showed up yesterday--making me very happy indeed because I was all out of them.

The building lobby had a box of them--not my size but better than nothing--but they disappeared fast and so far haven't been replaced.

nuthatch, I recall seeing snakeskins when I was a kid too--quite a sight. I saw quite a few snakes but didn't bring them home. Interesting to be swimming a river and see a snake swimming nearby with just its head poking out of the water.

I did get to pet a snake once but that was in Tacoma. Walking outside one day I found a young man on the next streetcorner just standing there with a boa constrictor coiled around his body. It was his pet and he was standing there with it, allowing passersby to pet it.

Sunday my day was brightened by FaceTime with the grandson. He's talking constantly but often needs a translator. He loves to dance, and that has to be good.

nuthatch, is there a test you can take that would reveal whether you've had COVID-19? Too bad you're still having these additional problems.

[Jeanie Z]

:) Nuthatch I am sorry you are feeling bad. I will add some extra prayers for you. I worry too when the board gets quiet.

I think most of us are just weary from so much time alone. I lay down some each day and play Solitaire, Majjong and tile games on the computer. I also go to Face book again now.

Cherie is doing okay and staying home. Gary is too. Both my sons, my sister, my brother and his wife are big Trump fans. Their posts on Facebook upset me and I was better off when I did not go there.

I am still doing all my exercises every night. I have a new pain in the upper calf of my leg with the rod in it. When it hurts it is hard to stand up. This getting old is not for sissies.

Take care everyone and stay safe. Jeanie :)

[Lazarus]

I don't think "social distancing" means online too, but I could be wrong. Where is everyone?

Here! I am here! I am so happy I have a farm as I can be busy doing things all day long!

[agate]

Yes, if you're already a bit of a homebody, these new routines aren't so difficult.

[nuthatch]

My daughter sent these pics of wild peonies they saw. Thought I'd share. I've never seen them before.

[Lazarus]

Wow Nuthatch! They are exquisite. Thanks for these wonderful pictures.