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Teacher Terry
2-27-20, 12:05pm
The cars we have now are a Toyota Corolla and Honda which are 10 and 12 years old. No repairs on either other than brakes, tires and oil change. Our property taxes here are capped at 3% a year for increases. I once lived in a small town and hated it so no thanks to cheap living.
I've lived in a couple of small towns and liked some a lot and hated others.
One of the worst was a very insular college town that went back to a strange religious sect with certain families going back to the 1600's in Rhode Island where they founded the sect. They were so standoffish and unfriendly, it was literally ten years before people started talking to us.
Lo and behold I started doing geneology and among my ancestors were these same people who founded the sect back in Rhode Island, and all these people were distant cousins, I was descended from the same town families and just did not know it.
Felt a little ironic.
Catherine's small town sounds a whole lot better than that small town. It was landlocked--give me any town on a big lake or ocean and I am happy.
happystuff
2-28-20, 8:46am
The cars we have now are a Toyota Corolla and Honda which are 10 and 12 years old. No repairs on either other than brakes, tires and oil change. Our property taxes here are capped at 3% a year for increases. I once lived in a small town and hated it so no thanks to cheap living.
We just got a Toyota and a Honda last year - used, both 2004. So far - so good! (Stinks when 2 cars die at the same time!) Best car we had in a long, long time was a little Plymouth Neon. Got it used and it lasted almost 20 years. Loved that car!
Wow, happystuff, that is impressive.
frugal-one
2-29-20, 3:34am
IL, those little Mercury wagons were the bomb--weren't they the same as Escorts?
We drive our cars to up over 200,000 miles so maybe that is part of it.
Jane, I googled Seattle tax and saw the part about the catch up things and the senior tax exemption and was going to ask if you qualified for that as I think it is income based? That would be cool, if you could get an exemption.
I would also be looking at other places to live, like you said. I like the idea of a mobile home in a cool park like what you showed us. If I were not married to Paul Bunyan/Pa Wilder and did not have two giant dogs, I'd be in a little park somewhere with palm trees, a swimming pool, and potluck suppers for snowbirds.
We are now in such a park in the Rio Grande area of TX. I absolutely love it. People are friendly and there is much to do. I hope we are able to do again to get away from miserable northern winters!
iris lilies
4-2-20, 11:33am
Here is my rant: leaders of my organizations who cannot convey in a simple clear way their decision to cancel events.
My neighborhood has canceled our house tour scheduled for the first week in June. That is a very big deal.That needs to be communicated throughout our neighborhood in capital letters, bolded,and underlined. Instead we got a long rambling message from the president detailing all of the things that the neighborhood is doing to keep people safe from the virus. Guess what the neighborhood can’t do anything real, it is all busyness to make themselves feel good. I don’t really care what the neighborhood is doing, anyway, I care about the specific things over which it has control, and that is the house tour. Tell people there will be no house tour.
My plant society just sent out 10 paragraphs of rambling biography about how the leader is spending her days. OK whatever. Buried in that 10 paragraphs is the news that 1) Our May event is canceled but there is absolutely no mention of the April event being canceled. But of course it’s canceled, why can’t we say that? why can’t we just send out a very clear message saying hey folks no meeting in April, our show is canceled in May. Oh by the way our website which you can find here ( link) is being updated so check it out. Three sentences. Bang. Done.
my garden club president was rambling on via email about how our lives have changed and blah blah blah, but she never got to the pointed decision to cancel our May meeting. I had to ask her specifically – by this message do you mean that we will officially not meet in May? But then we got a notice from the venue that they’re closed anyway, so I didn’t have to wait for her to answer. As secretary of the group, I can send out this message which I do promptly.
ApatheticNoMore
4-2-20, 12:28pm
Neighbors that practice music loudly while you are staying and working at home. Look whoever said take up or get better at a musical instrument in your quarantined boredom at home. DON'T. Take up maybe reading or meditation or knitting. They are evil evil people who suggest things like "take up a hobby like playing music", little Hitlers giving advice, PURE EVIL. Believe me after we get out of quarantine, they are going to be the first hanging from the lampposts.
Neighbors that practice music loudly while you are staying and working at home. Look whoever said take up or get better at a musical instrument in your quarantined boredom at home. DON'T. Take up maybe reading or meditation or knitting. They are evil evil people who suggest things like "take up a hobby like playing music", little Hitlers giving advice, PURE EVIL. Believe me after we get out of quarantine, they are going to be the first hanging from the lampposts.
Hear, hear! Use a keyboard and headphones, for the love of all that's holy!
I feel the same way about those "Check in on your elderly neighbors" PSAs. Stifle, already!
Hear, hear! Use a keyboard and headphones, for the love of all that's holy!
I feel the same way about those "Check in on your elderly neighbors" PSAs. Stifle, already!
That's a pet peeve of mine as well, ANM and Jane.
I found a nice looking bicycle on FB Marketplace for $50 not far from me. Posted about a week ago. I messaged to see if it was available and the woman yelled at me for asking about buying a bike in our current situation!
I wanted to tell her, "You only posted it a week ago." But I was nice and didn't say anything. Blocked her. Sheesh.
Teacher Terry
4-3-20, 6:35pm
She should take down the instead of being rude.
mschrisgo2
4-3-20, 10:30pm
My next door neighbor who idles his “exhaust boosted” very loud car under my dining room window for 12-20 minutes every morning. Makes my house vibrate, rattles the windows, and interrupts my online teaching! Grrr
Today's paper....
Former US Fish and Wildlife Service Director, Dan Ashe, warning about the effect of a trump administration proposal to end the practice of using criminal penalties to pressure companies to prevent unintentional bird deaths. The decline of the bird population is very dire. EVERY day I read how trump is destroying the environment.
Today's paper....
Former US Fish and Wildlife Service Director, Dan Ashe, warning about the effect of a trump administration proposal to end the practice of using criminal penalties to pressure companies to prevent unintentional bird deaths. The decline of the bird population is very dire. EVERY day I read how trump is destroying the environment.
He doesn't give a rat's a$$ about the environment. At least 95 rollbacks of environmental policies have been achieved or are in process. And COVID-19 isn't slowing him down a bit.
I don't usually have any rants but today I am PISSED OFF! The White House Briefing has generally started between 5-6 PM Eastern. Well, today Mr President did it at 2PM. I turned on my usual station in case he started early and I caught literally him leaving the stage.
I think it is important to watch the daily Briefing. But how the hell do we catch it when he jerks around the time? He's an Ass and could care less about we the people. ARGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!>:(
Haha! I said the same thing!
I think it is important to watch the daily Briefing. But how the hell do we catch it when he jerks around the time? He's an Ass and could care less about we the people. ARGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!>:(
When they started those briefings, they did them in the early afternoon. It was interesting watching the market chyron on the screen as the DOW reacted to whatever was said, mostly in a bad way. Then they changed the briefings to start after the market closed and the DOW had it's best week in I think my lifetime. Today the market was closed for Good Friday. I doubt the change in times is designed to piss you off as much as it is to preserve your assets.
The IL gov had been doing his around 2 pm. His are highly entertaining, primarily due to the sign language interpreter, who has a very animated face. But someone different was doing it today.
I mentioned buying groceries through Instacart this past week. Well, we didn't.
To not replay the entire sad affair, they sent me a confirmation email (with no list of items or a confirmation or order number; that should have been my first clue), promised a Sunday delivery, and put a hold on my credit card. When I went back to add to the order, there was no record of it. I spent about four hours waiting in chat queues without any response from Instacart. So I shopped elsewhere. Friday I got an email asking me to rate the service I got from their customer service rep. I replied that I hadn't heard from anyone. No response to that.
Today I got a text from the Instacart shopper; he's ready to shop. Huh? I have no record of what I bought. I told him the order was canceled. When I got hold of Instacart today I was told there was no order listed on my account because they canceled it for not having any shoppers available. Huh? So who contacted me today and what was he buying?:doh:
Having committed to a delivery date, they should have notified me on Thursday that they had canceled the order -- although clearly they hadn't canceled it on their end. I discovered that by accident. And if chat is the only way to contact the company, customers shouldn't sit enqueued for two hours with no idea of how the queue is progressing. I have a problem with putting a hold on the credit card days before the shopping is done, too.
I understand Instacart is getting slammed right now. I could deal with a delivery date even a couple of weeks into the future if that's all they had. Or wait in a long customer service queue if I have a rough idea of how long I'm committed to being tied to my computer or phone. But there was no communication about that. The coup de grace? At the end of today's chat, I asked how to get a transcript of the chat. Answer: you can't; it's not a feature of their system.
No accountability. I won't deal with that. Buh-bye Instacart. Prey on other people.
Steve, I had better luck with Shipt, when I used it two years ago (when I was laid up after my shingles attack and had issues walking). The groceries came from Meijer.
But I suspect all the delivery services are overloaded these days.
Thanks, Tradd. The two chains serviced in this area by Shipt are Target (which owns Shipt) and an independent high-end chain. I'll have to give them a try next.
I know they're all overloaded these days, and I'm fine with placing an order now knowing it may be a couple of weeks until we see the groceries. I can order the stuff we always go through and be flexible when it shows. I'm also figuring that there will be lots of substitutions or out-of-stocks; that's not great but I'll deal with it. But don't let me wonder for days if you will or if you won't deliver. Instacart apparently knew on Thursday they couldn't deliver -- though they kept the order in their queue anyway. That's just the sign of a business that never thought ahead even a little to what might go wrong and how to deal with it. As someone whose job it was for many years was to figure out how to break stuff, my view is that their model may not outlast this pandemic. I'd avoid the IPO if it ever happens.
Steve, I had tried Instacart as well (Aldi). But I had better luck with Shipt.
I've had reasonable luck with Safeway drive up, except once when I couldn't schedule a date. They have a reasonable selection, without too many substitutions.
iris lilies
4-12-20, 6:57pm
Instacart doesn’t have any times for rocery store picks, where I would go to the store and pick up the groceries they have bagged for me. I am not interested in playing the games that you need to play to get that to work.
My grocery store has a new service where they allow 50 people in the store at a time and you reserve a time. Has anyone seen that?
The close by grocery store we’ve been going to for several weeks has senior time from 7 to 8 AM, and that’s when we go. I miss a few things that our regular grocery store carries, but I know they wouldn’t necessarily be in stock so I may not try the timed shopping event.
SteveinMN
4-12-20, 10:27pm
My grocery store has a new service where they allow 50 people in the store at a time and you reserve a time. Has anyone seen that?
I haven't seen time reservations yet, but some of the smaller stores here have an employee metering the number of customer who enter the store as other customers leave. Is it appointment only? How do they handle walk-ups?
The close by grocery store we’ve been going to for several weeks has senior time from 7 to 8 AM, and that’s when we go. I miss a few things that our regular grocery store carries, but I know they wouldn’t necessarily be in stock so I may not try the timed shopping event.
I understand senior hours at most stores here are pretty busy because they're also immunocompromised-customer hours, and pregnant-customer hours, and handicapped-accessible hours. I've stuck to the same two smaller stores I've gone to since this all started. Last time I was in there they had no TP or no disinfectant wipes and only a few limits on items like liquid hand soap. It's just worth it to keep things on a human scale. I may try Shipt for our next grocery replenish in a couple of weeks; order stuff this week and wait....
I would never order with a service that does substitutions. They might give me meat and I am a vegetarian. For instance, if I ordered 4 cheese Hot Pockets I could see them selecting another Hot Pocket.
I would never order with a service that does substitutions. They might give me meat and I am a vegetarian. For instance, if I ordered 4 cheese Hot Pockets I could see them selecting another Hot Pocket.
The services I've used allow you to manage your substitutions.
iris lilies
4-13-20, 9:45am
I haven't seen time reservations yet, but some of the smaller stores here have an employee metering the number of customer who enter the store as other customers leave. Is it appointment only? How do they handle walk-ups?
I understand senior hours at most stores here are pretty busy because they're also immunocompromised-customer hours, and pregnant-customer hours, and handicapped-accessible hours. I've stuck to the same two smaller stores I've gone to since this all started. Last time I was in there they had no TP or no disinfectant wipes and only a few limits on items like liquid hand soap. It's just worth it to keep things on a human scale. I may try Shipt for our next grocery replenish in a couple of weeks; order stuff this week and wait....
I’m not sure how they handle walk ups but I would imagine that they say hey you need to pick a time. Maybe they save some of those times for walk up customers.
I wonder if they are doing this because they can’t keep up with the demand for grocery picking service.
sweetana3
4-13-20, 11:22am
Our stores have been told to limit customers to a % of total occupancy probably based on sq. footage. I know a Kroger said 417 on the door sign but there were no ee's checking at our odd time. We tend to go when the stores are empty anyway.
Crowded times they will have to keep people out until customers already in the store are leaving. I am seeing all kinds of new construction around entrances/exits at local stores. I do not go to Walmart/Target at present so cannot comment on their responses.
catherine
4-14-20, 11:37am
My neighbor owns a couple of acres that line the street coming into our community. Maple trees line the road.
Well, right now, I see (and hear) that there is either VERY HEAVY PRUNING going on, or he is cutting down these trees. I don't know why.. the leaves get tar spot every fall, but that's not a serious tree disease. It's stressing me out. He doesn't have any other trees on his property except for a few dwarf apple trees. Not sure what his rationale is. He may be trying to remove shade from his raised beds. That's reasonable enough, but why not just move his raised beds? He has a yard that looks like a standard golf fairway. Yes. His land, his trees, but I'll miss those trees when I go for walks. I don't understand arborphobia at all. (enlighten me, IL :(
early morning
4-14-20, 1:09pm
I'm with you, catherine - I hate to see a tree cut. We had to take out a very large, very old, and somewhat dangerous soft maple, after we lost half of it in a storm last year. Depending on which way it went, it could have taken out the power for a while, or severely damaged the living portion of the neighbors' house, or blocked the road. Thankfully, the part that fell just paralleled the road and hurt nothing. It was close to 100', and at least 80 years old. I cried. We have several others that are going, bit by bit, but I try to plant a tree or large shrub every year to offset their future loss. I like shade! I don't care for manicured lawns, and I am convinced that lawn weed-killer/fertilizer use was developed and heavily promoted by the spawn of Satan, lol. Although I will admit to spraying poison ivy from time to time. Our lawn is full of dandelion and violets right now, and I love them all. It's like a huge flower bed with really short flowers! >8)
Arborphobia is a serious disease that needs to be eradicated and comes with a variety of symptoms.
Sheer ignorance is a key one leading to planting trees where they interfere with overhead power or phone line and then the tree get mutilated or cut down when problems arise;
Planting material in shady areas and being upset when it struggles blaming the trees instead of personal stupidity. Check the environment before planting sun-loving plants!
Another symptom is clear cutting an area to 'harvest' the crop but failing to leave any 'mast' trees to reseed and nurture the seedlings;
Some think of trees as concrete poles - in order to clear this longterm wooded area, simply exchange this area for another that is arid and rocky.
Plant a monoculture of trees and then act amazed when disease or a pest invades and destroys the crop or generates conditions for serious forest fires.
Place no value on trees, instead clearing areas for short season crops and then watching the carbon in the air spike to hazardous levels; think Amazon.
See oneself and the only important living being on this earth and every other living thing as of little or no value
Can you tell that I am mentally healthy about trees. I see them as long-lived forms of life that thrive in harmony with other life benefiting our world in so many ways in terms that we fail, choose not to understand and destroying ourselves in the process.
iris lilies
4-14-20, 1:24pm
My neighbor owns a couple of acres that line the street coming into our community. Maple trees line the road.
Well, right now, I see (and hear) that there is either VERY HEAVY PRUNING going on, or he is cutting down these trees. I don't know why.. the leaves get tar spot every fall, but that's not a serious tree disease. It's stressing me out. He doesn't have any other trees on his property except for a few dwarf apple trees. Not sure what his rationale is. He may be trying to remove shade from his raised beds. That's reasonable enough, but why not just move his raised beds? He has a yard that looks like a standard golf fairway. Yes. His land, his trees, but I'll miss those trees when I go for walks. I don't understand arborphobia at all. (enlighten me, IL :(
well you asked.
First and foremost in my world, trees are The Enemy of iris and lilies. For that matter they are The
Enemy of 90% of what we wish to grow. Think of trees as the biggest bully on the block, a 20’ monster that sucks up all of the light and water and nutrients leaving little for innocent bitty perennials and shrubs 1/10 the size of trees. Giant assed bullies they are. Since 10% of what we wish to grow are actual trees (well behaved, controlled fruit trees) they are not all bad in our yard.
And then, they are mean to old houses. They malevolently drop limbs on old houses and even sometimes do kamikaze moves, uprooting their entire trunk, to smash a house. They plant themselves in rooflines and eaves of old houses and their roots and tendrils weaken mortar causing eventual failure of brick structures.
They provide a vector for their partners in crime, squirrels. Squirrels carry out further damage to gardens and old houses. The team of trees and squirrels can be a threat to civilized society.
Once in a while trees even kill humans. Many years ago one murdered a child in one of our city parks. I can guarantee you that now, when we call in a dangerous tree situation, City Forestry Dept. speeds right out to asses it.
Arborphobia, haha! But you know there is more than a grain of truth in my words! I think it is important to represent the “other side” since “trees are good” is pretty much unquestionably accepted by Americans. Just think critically about those trees you [the generic you] claim to love; consider carefully when you plant one what happens when it grows to 20’+ tall.
well you asked.
First and foremost in my world, trees are The Enemy of iris and lilies. For that matter they are The
Enemy of 90% of what we wish to grow. Think of trees as the biggest bully on the block, a 20’ monster that sucks up all of the light and water and nutrients leaving little for innocent bitty perennials and shrubs 1/10 the size of trees. Giant assed bullies they are. Since 10% of what we wish to grow are actual trees (well behaved, controlled fruit trees) they are not all bad in our yard.
And then, they are mean to old houses. They malevolently drop limbs on old houses and even sometimes do kamikaze moves, uprooting their entire trunk, to smash a house. They plant themselves in rooflines and eaves of old houses and their roots and tendrils weaken mortar causing eventual failure of brick structures.
They provide a vector for their partners in crime, squirrels. Squirrels carry out further damage to gardens and old houses. The team of trees and squirrels can be a threat to humanity.
Once in a while trees even kill humans. Many years ago one murdered a child in one of our city parks. I can guarantee you that now, when we call in a dangerous tree situation, City Forestry Dept. speeds right out to asses it.
Arborphobia, haha! But you know there is more than a grain of truth in my words! I think it is important to represent the “other side” since “trees are good” is pretty much u questionably accepted by Americans. Just think critically about those trees you [the generic you] claim to love; consider carefully when you plant one what happens when it grow to 20’+ tall.
I'm definitely going to delicately ask my neighbor why he is cutting down the trees. They are mature maples--beautiful. They do not surround his house. He does not have extensive gardens (just 4 small raised beds). The trees were not diseased as far as I can see. I can't imagine that he would spend all that money cutting down trees after all this time living here without just cause. He's owned the house for many years, so it's not like a new person coming in and cutting down everything because they don't like trees. (ahem). So I can only imagine he must have a good reason. But I'm still bummed. I'm going to have to plant a few trees of my own to block the view of his boring, barren lot.
iris lilies
4-14-20, 1:37pm
All of that above said, I would like to relate the tale of trees over 30 years at our city property.
We have always had 20+ fruit trees and a regular program of replacing them, because fruit trees don’t live a long time.
we have, bar none, the best looking pin oak tree in the prime of its life, carefully sited by us for an eventual garage built 15 years after we planted that tree. But we planned carefully for it, and it does well. We have had it professionally shaped at least once on our dime, and DH did it at least once with his crew from the arbor company.
we also planted two Ash trees as permanent shade trees on the West side of our house. Brutal heat there! Well. You can guess what happened. One died prematurely at about age 20 and the other had to be taken down before disease vot it. We will not replace them, I can now grow iris successfully in places where that was impossible before. But my hostas are suffering from too much sun!
Our street trees, 3 of them, are messy and stupid. The silver maple tree pushes its roots up under our brick sidewalk and ruins it and make it unsafe. The other maple tree drops limb after limb. The city has marked it for removal but they are too swamped and it is not high priority. The Nradford Pear, well, everyone knows no one is planting those any more, they are invasive. But I will admit to being responsible for choosing it 30 years ago.oddly, it survives every windstorm we have, unusual for its type.
iris lilies
4-14-20, 1:45pm
Catherine, from your description is does seems silly that neighbor is taking down trees in a pleasing row that are not diseased. But the grove may have problems unseen by ypu.
We have a big blue spruce in our community garden that blocks sunlight to several of the beds. It is wrong for the space and doesn’t belong there, but the long term head of the garden really wanted her own private park, forget about growing vegetables. Anyway, it periodically gets bagworms. Looks bad. But I don’t even breath a word about taking it down because the hue and cry would be extreme, it is a battle I will not enter.
meanwhile the stupid woman pays landscapers $20-$40 per hour to handpick off the bagworms. Yes, you read that right. It’s only neighborhood money, not her own, so she spends it freely.
rosarugosa
4-14-20, 2:02pm
Catherine, do you know what kind of maples they are? I love trees, but I definitely do not love Norway Maples, which are invasive and have all those greedy surface roots.
IL, a nightmare would be if he told them to take down the trees that line the street but he really meant the 3 ashes on the adjacent street, which *will* have to be taken down eventually. My other nightmare would be when I ask him why he removed them he says something stupid like, "They were hard to mow around."--this guy is religious about his riding mower--every Friday afternoon, he's out there mowing. I have no problem with that, but he seems like the kind of guy who is uber-efficient and wants nothing in his way.
Rosa, no, these are not Norway Maples.. I believe they're sugar maples. There are no roots pushing up on the gravel road.
iris lilies
4-14-20, 4:22pm
A mature row of undiseased sugar maples would be worth keeping indeed.
There are many cultivars of the sugar maple class but I think all of them are considered nice trees
Update on the maple trees.
So, DH left to go pick up a call-in order this afternoon. He passed our neighbor. I love DH--he just got out of his truck, and said, "Hey, M___! What's up with the trees?" I could never have gotten away with that without sounding like a Gladys Cravitz.
So he explained that they were, in fact, all diseased. He planted those trees himself 31 years ago. He called the University of Vermont to see if he could save them, but they were beyond saving, and he told DH "It's breaking my heart."
But he's already bought 20 replacement trees and he's planting them next year. He's 70 years old. He'll be lucky to see them mature. All of a sudden I love this guy.
Lesson learned: never judge.
I can guarantee you that now, when we call in a dangerous tree situation, City Forestry Dept. speeds right out to asses it.
I am trying to picture the foresters rushing out to moon the offending tree.
I am trying to picture the foresters rushing out to moon the offending tree.
:moon:
iris lilies
4-15-20, 6:46pm
I am trying to picture the foresters rushing out to moon the offending tree.
haha! I’m not going to fix my typo because it’s too funny.
haha! I’m not going to fix my typo because it’s too funny.
:~)
That's so funny!
Funny end to the story but also good to hear that he was well motivated and careful of the trees. Odd that maple trees unless they are silver maples would all die at the same time at 30 years of age. Silver maples don't have a long lifespan.
iris lilies
4-16-20, 9:54am
Funny end to the story but also good to hear that he was well motivated and careful of the trees. Odd that maple trees unless they are silver maples would all die at the same time at 30 years of age. Silver maples don't have a long lifespan.They are junky.
catherine
4-16-20, 10:32am
They are junky.
I had volunteer silver maples at my NJ house, so I'm familiar with the differences in their leaves, but I'm no means an expert. Maybe his were Silver maples, but I didn't think so. They looked fine to me.
BTW, IL, you are using a politically incorrect word: You should say "Silver maples are longevity-challenged" "Junky" is SO pejorative and speciesist. ;)
yeah, IL, stop being so Treeabelist.
Teacher Terry
4-16-20, 11:39am
UL, interesting that you said fruit trees don’t live a long time. We bought our house 8 years ago with 3 mature fruit trees.
iris lilies
4-16-20, 11:52am
UL, interesting that you said fruit trees don’t live a long time. We bought our house 8 years ago with 3 mature fruit trees.
Generally speaking, small fruit trees do not live as long as big hardwood trees. It takes 15-20 years for a high quality hardwood to reach youthful maturity.
There is no “one size fits all” life span for the generic class of fruit trees.
I don’t care about being politically correct when it comes to treeism! Haha. And well, you all brought it up! So whatcha think about this tree sexism problem detailed in Scientific American? I blame not so much trees themselves as the tree loving professionals who think they know everything:
https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/guest-blog/botanical-sexism-cultivates-home-grown-allergies/
tldr: urban and exurban foresters have planted way too many male trees because they do not drop messy fruit. But they add air pollution in their excessive pollen, making humans sick. Hmmmmm...
Teacher Terry
4-16-20, 11:58am
We have a apple, pear and apricot tree. Most years we warm up too soon and they flower. Then we get a freeze which means little fruit gets mature so I pick up nasty small fruit all summer. We even tried hanging lights to keep them warm. I would love to cut them down because of the never ending mess.
catherine
4-16-20, 12:01pm
Generally speaking, small fruit trees do not live as long as big hardwood trees. It takes 15-20 years for a high quality hardwood to reach youthful maturity.
There is no “one size fits all” life span for the generic class of fruit trees.
I don’t care about being politically correct when it comes to treeism! Haha. And well, you all brought it up! So whatcha think about this tree sexism problem detailed in Scientific American? I blame not so much trees themselves as the tree loving professionals who think they know everything:
https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/guest-blog/botanical-sexism-cultivates-home-grown-allergies/
tldr: urban and exurban foresters have planted way too many male trees because they do not drop messy fruit. But they add air pollution in their excessive pollen, making humans sick. Hmmmmm...
And what about the stinky female gingko trees? More discrimination there!
Honestly, for me it comes down to some growing feeling that I don't want to be civilized. The word "culture" or "cultivar" says to me "Just leave nature as it is!" Why do we need to mess with it? Why is a silver maple so QUALITATIVELY DIFFERENT than a sugar maple? Since I have been highly "cultured" as a white privileged elite for over 60 years this has been a huge identify shake-up for me.
So, in answer to your question about the Scientific American article, it's ridiculous.
And what about the stinky female gingko trees? More discrimination there!
Honestly, for me it comes down to some growing feeling that I don't want to be civilized. The word "culture" or "cultivar" says to me "Just leave nature as it is!" Why do we need to mess with it? Why is a silver maple so QUALITATIVELY DIFFERENT than a sugar maple? Since I have been highly "cultured" as a white privileged elite for over 60 years this has been a huge identify shake-up for me.
So, in answer to your question about the Scientific American article, it's ridiculous.
I have very similar views to yours. In general, I prefer nature to nurture when it comes to plants.
I was thinking about how like everything else, gardening has gotten way more complicated than it needs to be. The array of soils and products for one's plants is mind-boggling. I wonder how it is that pioneers planted food crops, flowers and trees over a hundred years ago wherever they settled without all of these products. I never would have planted one and I don't know who did but the pussywillow in my yard is an amazing plant. It is 12 feet tall and has survived both 0 and high-90 temps without any fuss. Right now, it is covered with blossoms. The bees, birds and squirrels love it.
rosarugosa
4-16-20, 5:53pm
I was thinking about how like everything else, gardening has gotten way more complicated than it needs to be. The array of soils and products for one's plants is mind-boggling. I wonder how it is that pioneers planted food crops, flowers and trees over a hundred years ago wherever they settled without all of these products. I never would have planted one and I don't know who did but the pussywillow in my yard is an amazing plant. It is 12 feet tall and has survived both 0 and high-90 temps without any fuss. Right now, it is covered with blossoms. The bees, birds and squirrels love it.
That was sort of a rant that segued into a rave! :)
Why does everything for the home have to have such a strong smell? While I use unscented clothes detergent, when I'm out walking I can smell people's clothes well after I've past them. It makes me gag.
Today I went and shampooed the rug in our guest room/yoga and weight lifting room. It was starting to smell like feet. The rug shampoo smell is so much worse! I had the window open all day and the room still stinks. I preferred the feet.
Even the dishwasher detergent has a smell. And now garbage bags have a scent, and I have to look carefully to make sure I get the unscented ones.
I don't need all these extra chemicals in my house!
Teacher Terry
4-16-20, 9:18pm
I have asthma so can’t have anything scented. My kids accidentally bought scented garbage bags and had to put the kitchen garbage can outside when I come. It was so strong it’s ridiculous. They hate the smell.
Why does everything for the home have to have such a strong smell? While I use unscented clothes detergent, when I'm out walking I can smell people's clothes well after I've past them. It makes me gag.
Today I went and shampooed the rug in our guest room/yoga and weight lifting room. It was starting to smell like feet. The rug shampoo smell is so much worse! I had the window open all day and the room still stinks. I preferred the feet.
Even the dishwasher detergent has a smell. And now garbage bags have a scent, and I have to look carefully to make sure I get the unscented ones.
I don't need all these extra chemicals in my house!
I use organic unscented everything...except my peppermint tea tree oil liquid hand soap.
iris lilies
4-17-20, 8:51am
And what about the stinky female gingko trees? More discrimination there!
Honestly, for me it comes down to some growing feeling that I don't want to be civilized. The word "culture" or "cultivar" says to me "Just leave nature as it is!" Why do we need to mess with it? Why is a silver maple so QUALITATIVELY DIFFERENT than a sugar maple? Since I have been highly "cultured" as a white privileged elite for over 60 years this has been a huge identify shake-up for me.
So, in answer to your question about the Scientific American article, it's ridiculous.
Silver maples are qualitatively different for purposes of suburban living. Sure, that is a human centric value. We are part of the civilized human race whether we want to feel that way or not. Improving our environment with appropriate selection of mother nature‘s offerings is just common sense.
Each time you and Jane mow your lawn or weed your place you destroy tiny tree seedlings. Clear cutting on a tiny scale! Haha.
Silver maples are qualitatively different for purposes of suburban living. Sure, that is a human centric value. We are part of the civilized human race whether we want to feel that way or not. Improving our environment with appropriate selection of mother nature‘s offerings is just common sense.
Each time you and Jane mow your lawn or weed your place you destroy tiny tree seedlings. Clear cutting on a tiny scale! Haha.
That's one of many reasons I hate yard work--it seems to be all about destruction. I grow ground cover, not grass, which minimizes the carnage, but still...
catherine
4-17-20, 10:18am
Silver maples are qualitatively different for purposes of suburban living. Sure, that is a human centric value. We are part of the civilized human race whether we want to feel that way or not. Improving our environment with appropriate selection of mother nature‘s offerings is just common sense.
Each time you and Jane mow your lawn or weed your place you destroy tiny tree seedlings. Clear cutting on a tiny scale! Haha.
My son is trying to decide on what to accept from a menu of services the lawn care guy gave him. I advised him on the minimum, no "weed and feed" no grub control, no broadleaf or crabgrass control. Make sure the blade is 3 inches high and do not bag the clippings. Let the neighbors hate me and my family. My son tells me the kids sometimes literally eat the grass, so I'm more concerned about them and the pollinators who will thank me for the dandelions and clover.
Site selection is very important when introducing plantings for sure.. I agree with you there. But in general both silver maples and sugar maples absorb CO2, provide shade and habitat for birds, and are so much more attractive than a parking lot aesthetic.
iris lilies
4-17-20, 10:46am
My son is trying to decide on what to accept from a menu of services the lawn care guy gave him. I advised him on the minimum, no "weed and feed" no grub control, no broadleaf or crabgrass control. Make sure the blade is 3 inches high and do not bag the clippings. Let the neighbors hate me and my family. My son tells me the kids sometimes literally eat the grass, so I'm more concerned about them and the pollinators who will thank me for the dandelions and clover.
Site selection is very important when introducing plantings for sure.. I agree with you there. But in general both silver maples and sugar maples absorb CO2, provide shade and habitat for birds, and are so much more attractive than a parking lot aesthetic.
keeping grass long is good for it, true. This reminds me of a small world story from years ago:
Our garden was on garden tour for our neighborhood’s annual house and garden tour. DH always kept the grass high because he was in that business. One of the men coming through our yard on the tour remarked aloud “this grass is high, that’s what my lawn guy says I should do to mine” and he looked up to see DH, his lawn guy! The tour guest was one of DH’s customers.p who lived on a big property out in the county.
DH once observed that in his company’s customer base, the lower the Socio economic status ( as judged by perceived value of their real estate) the more chemicals the customer wanted poured onto their lawn. The higher the Socio economic status of the customer, fewer chemical treatments were wanted. But when a favorite planting was diseased they were all for pouring on all treatments, spare no expense and hang environmental impact.
My neighbor up the street still has an American Elm she gets treated regularly. It survives.
catherine
4-17-20, 11:34am
keeping grass long is good for it, true. This reminds me of a small world story from years ago:
Our garden was on garden tour for our neighborhood’s annual house and garden tour. DH always kept the grass high because he was in that business. One of the men coming through our yard on the tour remarked aloud “this grass is high, that’s what my lawn guy says I should do to mine” and he looked up to see DH, his lawn guy! The tour guest was one of DH’s customers.p who lived on a big property out in the county.
DH once observed that in his company’s customer base, the lower the Socio economic status ( as judged by perceived value of their real estate) the more chemicals the customer wanted poured onto their lawn. The higher the Socio economic status of the customer, fewer chemical treatments were wanted. But when a favorite planting was diseased they were all for pouring on all treatments, spare no expense and hang environmental impact.
My neighbor up the street still has an American Elm she gets treated regularly. It survives.
Great story about your DH, the lawn guy!
Also nice to see an Elm survive.
ETA: another neighbor rant: My NJ neighbor across the street has spent a LOT of life energy mowing his lawn, but what drives me NUTS are the big black contractor bags of lawn clippings he throws out every week. As you implied, suburbia has its own rules that I often don't understand.
iris lilies
4-29-20, 1:22pm
That’s a funny rent because it’s not very serious but:
Today I got notice that I restaurant around the corner has re-opened for carry out only. The owner gave a link to one of the carry out services to see their carry out menu. When I signed in to that location I got a notice that said “you are outside of the delivery area of this restaurant.”
I suppose that is literally true that no one is going to pick up my food at that restaurant and deliver to my home because I could walk around the corner myself, it was funny. It also does not bode well for the owner if she’s expecting my neighbors to buy food there. I guess I’ll just call them directly.
iris lilies
5-10-20, 2:15pm
My feet are easy to fit, no real foot problems here. So that means any shoe is ok. I don’t scrimp on leisure shoes, I like the padding and colorful shoes that are a little bit out there for an old lady.
So that means that there’s thousands of shoes to go through on the Sketchers website. Or the Merrell website. Or now I’m looking at Nike because I guess my last pair of lace ups were Nike.
It’s the burden of too much choice. Wanh.
This reminds me, I am getting rid of Mary Jane shoes by Merrell. . I have never been able to bring myself to wear them.Funny because I do not care about fashion normally, but there is just something about them that is yuck for me. To those of you who can wear them with no bother, good for you!
IL, check your messages. I LOVE Merrell MJ shoes. I’d be willing to take them off your hands if they are the correct size!
iris lilies
5-10-20, 2:55pm
Merrill ? Shoes
3212
Oh I was thinking of a different style
I have a couple of pairs of Mary Janes in fabric combinations that I don't mind; they're quite sporty. But in general, they're a bit too twee for me. I kind of like Duck Feet. https://duckfeetusa.com/ I don't have much trouble with fit, and buy all of my shoes on line at this point.
iris lilies
5-10-20, 8:47pm
I have a couple of pairs of Mary Janes in fabric combinations that I don't mind; they're quite sporty. But in general, they're a bit too twee for me. I kind of like Duck Feet. https://duckfeetusa.com/ I don't have much trouble with fit, and buy all of my shoes on line at this point.
Those duck face products must be made in Switzerland? They have a Swiss flag on them.
I don’t spend that much money for footwear and I would hate to spend that much without trying them. I’m not sure I trust the “they mold themselves to your feet “thing. But I like a couple of those styles in the baby blue leather.
Those duck face products must be made in Switzerland? They have a Swiss flag on them.
I don’t spend that much money for footwear and I would hate to spend that much without trying them. I’m not sure I trust the “they mold themselves to your feet “thing. But I like a couple of those styles in the baby blue leather.
Looking more closely into it, I find they get mixed reviews. I agree with you that it would be awful to spend so much only to find them uncomfortable. I like European shoes (like Josef Seibel) because they often have generous toe boxes.
ApatheticNoMore
5-11-20, 12:25pm
I like European shoes (like Josef Seibel) because they often have generous toe boxes.
Hey I own and wear and pair of those. I'm not hard to fit though, I just wear shoes that are comfortable enough that they aren't destroying my feet and that look nice enough. I like European shoes, to buy American I like San Antonio Shoes.
rosarugosa
5-17-20, 12:00pm
My husband has become the self-appointed Covid critic. When we walk the nearby rail trail, I get an ongoing angry commentary on who isn't wearing a mask, or isn't wearing it properly, or isn't walking far enough away, etc. I can let it wash over me for awhile, but then I eventually reach a point where I want to frigging kill him and bury his body in the woods beside the trail. :devil:
iris lilies
5-17-20, 12:10pm
My husband has become the self-appointed Covid critic. When we walk the nearby rail trail, I get an ongoing angry commentary on who isn't wearing a mask, or isn't wearing it properly, or isn't walking far enough away, etc. I can let it wash over me for awhile, but then I eventually reach a point where I want to frigging kill him and bury his body in the woods beside the trail. :devil:
And don’t wear a mask when you do that! Just to spite him!
My husband has become the self-appointed Covid critic. When we walk the nearby rail trail, I get an ongoing angry commentary on who isn't wearing a mask, or isn't wearing it properly, or isn't walking far enough away, etc. I can let it wash over me for awhile, but then I eventually reach a point where I want to frigging kill him and bury his body in the woods beside the trail. :devil:
After listening to hundreds of similar, but traffic-related rants, I finally convinced my beloved that the object of his wrath was on his/her merry way, while I had to listen to ten minutes of blather about it, and I didn't deserve it. He mulled it over, and agreed. I should have spoken up sooner...
Teacher Terry
5-17-20, 1:03pm
We have definitely had our moments where we have wanted to kill each other during this.
iris lilies
5-17-20, 1:10pm
We have definitely had our moments where we have wanted to kill each other during this.
Two houses addresses that problem....:D
I eventually reach a point where I want to frigging kill him and bury his body in the woods beside the trail. :devil:
Would that make the cause of death COVID-19? :)
Two houses addresses that problem....:D
That's a solution I'm completely in accord with!
I once remarked to a married co-worker that the worst thing about being married was that you could never tell your partner to go home. Two houses would solve that.
iris lilies
5-17-20, 2:57pm
Would that make the cause of death COVID-19? :)for sure!
frugal-one
5-17-20, 3:28pm
I have to say in the few days since WI "opened" up, I am feeling a bit more paranoid. Thanks for the reminder to keep the commentary to a minimum. Neighbor told us yesterday that COVID19 is not a big deal, just like getting the flu so glad everything is opening up. Wonder where they got that idea??? geez
Teacher Terry
5-17-20, 3:51pm
My Wisconsin friends and family wanted a slow phased in reopening like we are doing. What happened is lunacy!
frugal-one
5-21-20, 5:07pm
People who condescendingly call others "honey". They must think they are special!
People who condescendingly call others "honey". They must think they are special!
Bless their hearts!
People who condescendingly call others "honey". They must think they are special!
My pet peeve is people who condescendingly call "mature" women "young lady." Servers who say "What can I get you, young lady?" forfeit a good tip.
People who condescendingly call others "honey". They must think they are special!
An early boyfriend tried that. I told him he could just substitute "dummy" and I would respond the same way. He got the message.
Tiny black biting flies...gggrrrrrrr, I am so highly allergic to their bites! The other day I was out landscaping for hours, not realizing (not feeling the bite at the time) that I was being feasted upon. When I took off my tall socks and work boots, I now have a ring of bites around each calf about halfway up. Itching like crazy, oozing, it's really awful and nothing I am trying is getting rid of the itch. I've tried over-the-counter hydocortisone cream, witch hazel, and really thought my new bottle of calamine lotion would do the trick. Not so much...
Not just my legs either - bites on my ear lobe, in my cleavage, on my trunk, my shoulders and back.
Tiny black biting flies...gggrrrrrrr, I am so highly allergic to their bites! The other day I was out landscaping for hours, not realizing (not feeling the bite at the time) that I was being feasted upon. When I took off my tall socks and work boots, I now have a ring of bites around each calf about halfway up. Itching like crazy, oozing, it's really awful and nothing I am trying is getting rid of the itch. I've tried over-the-counter hydocortisone cream, witch hazel, and really thought my new bottle of calamine lotion would do the trick. Not so much...
Not just my legs either - bites on my ear lobe, in my cleavage, on my trunk, my shoulders and back.
This might help--I get very allergic poison ivy reactions to point of scarring my skin. We bought this on a stop at Lehmans in Ohio:
https://www.lehmans.com/product/all-natural-plantain-salve/
It actually brought relief immediately and unscarred my hands.
rosarugosa
5-26-20, 6:43am
There is a product called "Afterbite" that I've found to be very effective with mosquito bites.
iris lilies
5-26-20, 8:40am
Armadillos.
We have an armadillo tearing up our front yard in Hermann. The destruction he did in one night was astonishing.
If not deer it’s moles. If it’s not moles it’s armadillos, all causing destruction.
That said, I see critters in Hermann that I don’t see in the city: swallowtail butterflies in April, small lizards, ground squirrels, snakes. I see more hummingbirds in Hermann although we have them in the city as well. They are regularly foxes near our house in Hermann. Granted, there are foxes in the city and I’ve actually seen them but I think there’s more of them and Hermann.
edited to correct “aardvark” to “armadillo.” Ugh was without coffee when I wrote that.
Weather has been better so I’ve been getting out for bike rides more. I ride the 1.4 miles each way to a forest preserve. Same path is used by walkers, runners, bikes, roller blades, etc. Path is divided by a solid yellow line. If you have to pass, you yell “on your left” so people will be aware and hopefully move over a bit. Otherwise you have to cross over to the other lane for those coming from the opposite direction.
The people with little kids on bikes or in strollers are going to make me lose it. Families are either stretched out across the entire path, blocking the path for those coming from the opposite direction or they STOP in the middle of the path and stay there. If you need to stop, you should get off the path. Plenty of grass on either side.
Someone is going to get hurt. Yesterday as I came upon a family stopped on the rpath, I yelled at them in a sickly sweet voice as I went by “Thank you so much for blocking the path. It’s much appreciated.” The look on their face as I went by as priceless. Idiots.
edited to correct “aardvark” to “armadillo.” Ugh was without coffee when I wrote that.
Thank You! I read that earlier and thought "What the hell? Aardvarks?"
I admit I thought aardvarks were a Midwest thing...:D
iris lilies
5-26-20, 1:46pm
Thank You! I read that earlier and thought "What the hell? Aardvarks?"
today I have oldtimer’s brain even WITH the coffee. I had a hard time thinking of the word “lizard” and could only articulate it as “tiny reptiles with feet” for a while this morning.
DH had a good time playing along in our a.m. conversation about aardvarks.
Weather has been better so I’ve been getting out for bike rides more. I ride the 1.4 miles each way to a forest preserve. Same path is used by walkers, runners, bikes, roller blades, etc. Path is divided by a solid yellow line. If you have to pass, you yell “on your left” so people will be aware and hopefully move over a bit. Otherwise you have to cross over to the other lane for those coming from the opposite direction.
The people with little kids on bikes or in strollers are going to make me lose it. Families are either stretched out across the entire path, blocking the path for those coming from the opposite direction or they STOP in the middle of the path and stay there. If you need to stop, you should get off the path. Plenty of grass on either side.
Someone is going to get hurt. Yesterday as I came upon a family stopped on the rpath, I yelled at them in a sickly sweet voice as I went by “Thank you so much for blocking the path. It’s much appreciated.” The look on their face as I went by as priceless. Idiots.
i'd be tempted to have an airhorn attached to my bike, but that's just me.
The people with little kids on bikes or in strollers are going to make me lose it. Families are either stretched out across the entire path, blocking the path for those coming from the opposite direction or they STOP in the middle of the path and stay there. If you need to stop, you should get off the path. Plenty of grass on either side.
Someone is going to get hurt.
You know who it's going to be, too, because you're too responsible to actually hit the people in the way. They're like deer frozen in the headlights. Or they just don't even think about anyone else.
Paths like that are why I'd rather take my chances on the road. Cars can't stop that short.
You know who it's going to be, too, because you're too responsible to actually hit the people in the way. They're like deer frozen in the headlights. Or they just don't even think about anyone else.
Paths like that are why I'd rather take my chances on the road. Cars can't stop that short.
I'm not going to sacrifice myself and have my diving interfered with for idiots.
Today some asshat going the same direction as I was had his dog on an extension leash, with the dog wandering over into the other lane. I'm screaming at him to get the dog into his lane as I passed on the far left, and he's not doing a damn thing. He got a "What the f--k is wrong with you?" as I passed him.
Teacher Terry
5-26-20, 8:38pm
Those are all reasons I quit biking. I also quit walking on paths where bikes are allowed and stick to walking in neighborhoods. Reno is very bike unfriendly and many people have been hit by cars.
Those are all reasons I quit biking. I also quit walking on paths where bikes are allowed and stick to walking in neighborhoods. Reno is very bike unfriendly and many people have been hit by cars.
I'd walk, but any distance makes my knees very unhappy. I am back to the recumbent bike at the gym as soon as it opens.
Teacher Terry
5-26-20, 9:01pm
Tradd, it’s so much better to exercise outside but people can be so selfish.
Terry, I hate heat. I’m miserable in it. I miss the recumbent bike.
iris lilies
5-26-20, 11:19pm
When I used to walk to work sometimes, granted not often, a bicyclist would come up silently and fast behind me and surprise me. Only once do I remember a cyclist signaling me with his bell which made me jump and turn around because I had no idea what that was, but I was glad he did that, was correct sidewalk etiquette.
Yes technically they should not be been riding on the sidewalk but you know they’re gonna do with they’re gonna do.
frugal-one
5-27-20, 3:30am
Those are all reasons I quit biking. I also quit walking on paths where bikes are allowed and stick to walking in neighborhoods. Reno is very bike unfriendly and many people have been hit by cars.
The bike trails here are like going through the forest... birds and small animals. We see wild turkeys and yesterday saw a bald eagle for the first time. It is so much cooler than walking on pavement and easier on the knees.
SteveinMN
5-27-20, 10:31am
The bike trails here are like going through the forest... birds and small animals. We see wild turkeys and yesterday saw a bald eagle for the first time.
I will note, however, that geese are about as bad as humans in the "territorial" department. I've had a few hiss at me as I tried to get past them.
Teacher Terry
5-27-20, 12:13pm
Tradd, I also don’t do well in heat. I always walk when it’s cool. FO, when I went to graduate school in Menominee, Wisconsin we had a walking/biking trail in the forest next to a river that was beautiful and very wide. I was on it every day.
That sounds so lovely, Terry. There is nothing like a Wisconsin river/forest combination. So beautiful.
Teacher Terry
5-27-20, 3:35pm
There’s definitely things I miss about Wisconsin.
Tradd, I also don’t do well in heat. I always walk when it’s cool. FO, when I went to graduate school in Menominee, Wisconsin we had a walking/biking trail in the forest next to a river that was beautiful and very wide. I was on it every day.
The forest preserve I ride through has part of the path going through a forested area and the rest is on a sort of open prairie/wetlands area.
Due to overcrowding during the plague, the parking lots at many of the county forest preserves have been closed, but you can still bike or walk in. Which really only restricts usage to locals. I wonder if some people park in a nearby neighborhood. I live 1.4 miles from the forest preserve so just ride in. I have to ride along a major road to get there. I ride my bike on the sidewalk. It's much safer. The cops in my suburban town don't care. In Chicago, they'd be ticketing adults riding on the sidewalk if they weren't accompanying kids.
I rarely see anyone walking on the sidewalk along this major street.
iris lilies
5-28-20, 1:28pm
Today I am having the skeevies because our goody two-shoes-well-intentioned-but-silly neighborhood effort to provide “support “ to nearby communities focuses on pet food pantry.
I am skeeved because I’m the one who opened my big mouth at the board meeting to suggest perhaps we could think about a charity, assuming we are married to the idea of now providing charitable services, that benefited pets. I suggested one.
Instead they come up with a pet food pantry idea. I have the skeevies because sitting in my basement are large bags of free dog food I got from the very well organized St. Louis pet food pantry effort. This pet food pantry gets donations from pet food companies and gives out food to 501(c)(3) rescue organizations. Because I always have a rescue dog in my house I get food from it.
But now I have to write a check to be part of the neighborhood do-Gooder team because I was responsible for the germ of this stupid idea.
I just cannot wait until this shit is over with.
iris lilies
6-26-20, 8:22am
Eco warriors. So tiresome.
So I noticed the absence of the carpenter bee colony at our community garden. We have a nice wooden pergola there that’s been there for 22 years and the bees have burrowed into it and they hang out there. I find them extremely entertaining. They try to intimidate the hu-mans. Hilarious!
DH casually mentioned that the community garden management team had caused their holes to be filled up and that’s why they left. When the hu-mans sat with their drinks under the pergola, sawdust fell into their drinks. Can’t have that! And the weak and lily livered among them were scared of the bees.
Meanwhile, the eco warriors are floating around yakking about Asclepius for “ the pollinators” I.e. Monarch butterflies. Why don’t I plant these yak yak yak natives? ( um, because I want to plant lilies ‘n iris! Do ya think they are pollenless !) What about blah blah blah the bees love it they say.
Yet they drove away the long established colony of pollinators at our community garden. Doh.
People can be very annoying.
Eco warriors. So tiresome.
So I noticed the absence of the carpenter bee colony at our community garden. We have a nice wooden pergola there that’s been there for 22 years and the bees have burrowed into it and they hang out there. I find them extremely entertaining. They try to intimidate the hu-mans. Hilarious!
DH casually mentioned that the community garden management team had caused their holes to be filled up and that’s why they left. When the hu-mans sat with their drinks under the pergola, sawdust fell into their drinks. Can’t have that! And the weak and lily livered among them were scared of the bees.
Meanwhile, the eco warriors are floating around yakking about Asclepius for “ the pollinators” I.e. Monarch butterflies. Why don’t I plant these yak yak yak natives? ( um, because I want to plant lilies ‘n iris! Do ya think they are pollenless !) What about blah blah blah the bees love it they say.
Yet they drove away the long established colonies of pollinators at our community garden. Doh.
People can be very annoying.
Hey, I got MY asiepius going. What's wrong with YOU, IL?? ;).
That is truly a bummer about the bees and the pergola. I just read this awesome article (https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/17/realestate/attract-birds-to-your-garden-bird-friendly-garden.html?action=click&module=Features&pgtype=Homepage) yesterday in the NYT (if you can read it w/o a paywall) and they said if you want to attract birds, don't take down dead trees beyond what you must for safety. Pretty much for the same reasons you mention--those little holes and crannies provide places for birds to nest and pick out goodies. So now I'm thinking if I DO have to remove the ash tree in the front lawn of my NJ home, maybe I'll just cut it down to 10-15 feet. Drive my neighbors crazy.
I did actually plant a "pollinator garden" just yesterday!!! I took out the sod myself and planted milkweed, echinacea (native ruby star), New England aster, lavender and my favorite balloon flowers.
But I have to agree with you that your eco-warrior buddies sound VERY annoying!
ETA: I have a somewhat similar rant. DH got a power washer to wash down the house in preparation for painting, and he said he was going to power wash our little pergola. The pergola has a vintage bench underneath that had paint wearing off. Very wabi-sabi. So DH finishes the power washing and says, "hey! Look how good the bench looks!" And I wanted to cry. Stripped down to shriveling bare wood--all the rustic charm vanished with a swoosh of the power wand. I couldn't complain because he thought he did good. But I thought of all those years of wear--all that patina gone. :(
iris lilies
6-26-20, 9:54am
Oh I know about keeping dead plants around, there’s a whole movement in St. Louis about not cleaning up your garden and the winter because it provides habitat for critters. My Eco warrior friend who’s all about pollinators and Asclepius and no Roundup practically fainted in horror at the thought of all those weed seeds spreading throughout a garden in the No,Cleanup mode.
I always have a giggle when the philosophies clash within echo warrior world. I am mean that way!
That is too bad about your garden bench! At this very moment I am judging a virtual flower show where we have 32 decorated garden benches to evaluate. When I’m done with it later today I’ll post a couple of them. One of them is a beautiful old lichen covered garden seat, really cool!
catherine
6-26-20, 10:03am
One of them is a beautiful old lichen covered garden seat, really cool!
Don't say that! Mine had lichen on it!!! Here are pictures of the before and after. (I don't know how to delete the thumbnail bar)
32913290
iris lilies
6-26-20, 10:11am
Don't say that! Mine had lichen on it!!! Here are pictures of the before and after. (I don't know how to delete the thumbnail bar)
32913290
awwww, too bad. :(
Don't say that! Mine had lichen on it!!! Here are pictures of the before and after. (I don't know how to delete the thumbnail bar)
32913290
what a beautiful pictures--love the tomatoes.
The uber-annoying signs at the local health food emporium telling us where to stand, and the best, "Do not advance until the cashier calls you."
I get it, but I don't want to shop there anymore--none of the other groceries have these obnoxious signs and I have seen zero obnoxious behavior from customers. Everyone is wearing masks and keeping +6 feet away.
Their prices are inflated, too.
Teacher Terry
6-26-20, 11:57am
Catherine, too bad about the bench. Ugh!
Drought. The last one killed some plants and I finally filled in the last of the gaps this year and here comes another drought.
Teacher Terry
6-27-20, 2:28pm
We have our outside plants on irrigation. My flower pots I water by hand daily.
iris lilies
7-7-20, 2:01pm
I’m going to rant on my own idiotic behavior: yesterday I went to the grocery store at 5:00 PM. It was so dumb. It was crowded. All the working people were coming back from work and doing shopping. None of them needed me fussing around the aisles where I read labels and look at calorie counts, so I am an idiotic person who stands in one place for a long time.
Slap my hands. I will be cognizant of when I go shopping, next time, The time of day. There’s no logical reason for old retired people like me to go when working people are there.
My regular grocery store where I went shopping is lining up people 6 feet apart and making these incredibly long checkout lines, but the checkout lines move very quickly. They periodically have voices come over the loudspeaker system that say in one message “we’re all in this together, thank you for maintaining 6 feet of distance, thank you for wearing a mask, etc. etc. “
Another message says At timed intervals “cashiers, it is time to clean your workstations. Please stop what you’re doing and clean workstations. “
It all seems to be working out nicely.
I've never posted a rant topic but I think it's time. Returned home yesterday from a wonderful 5 week vacation, the first thing I noticed upon arriving home was that our mailbox and post was laying on the ground, it appears someone backed into it while turning around (we're at the end of a cul-de-sac). The next thing I noticed was our pool had lost about 6 inches of water, turned out to be a leak in the skimmer. And the coup de gras came this morning when our central air unit died on a 90* day with about 70% humidity.
So, we spent the early afternoon arranging to have a new AC unit installed and actually added a new furnace to the order since it's now 25 years old and what the hell. The problem is the earliest install we could arrange is Thursday and man the house is already uncomfortable. Then off to the hardware store for a new plumbing fitting for the pool and a new mailbox post which took the rest of the afternoon to install because when I sunk the first one 25 years ago I may have used a little more concrete than I really needed. Tomorrow morning I need to complete the pool repair because my grandson is coming over in the afternoon and he's been waiting over a month to come over and swim.
Just hoping now that nothing else goes wrong, the heat makes me cranky enough.
I've never posted a rant topic but I think it's time. Returned home yesterday from a wonderful 5 week vacation, the first thing I noticed upon arriving home was that our mailbox and post was laying on the ground, it appears someone backed into it while turning around (we're at the end of a cul-de-sac). The next thing I noticed was our pool had lost about 6 inches of water, turned out to be a leak in the skimmer. And the coup de gras came this morning when our central air unit died on a 90* day with about 70% humidity.
So, we spent the early afternoon arranging to have a new AC unit installed and actually added a new furnace to the order since it's now 25 years old and what the hell. The problem is the earliest install we could arrange is Thursday and man the house is already uncomfortable. Then off to the hardware store for a new plumbing fitting for the pool and a new mailbox post which took the rest of the afternoon to install because when I sunk the first one 25 years ago I may have used a little more concrete than I really needed. Tomorrow morning I need to complete the pool repair because my grandson is coming over in the afternoon and he's been waiting over a month to come over and swim.
Just hoping now that nothing else goes wrong, the heat makes me cranky enough.
Wow, what a brutal end to a your vacation!! I don't blame you for being cranky! I'd be tempted to get back in the RV and take off again.
iris lilies
7-11-20, 10:27pm
Lower Midwest heat is crap. Sympathy.
SteveinMN
7-11-20, 10:39pm
I always hated when that "That was a great vacation!" feeling lasted all of 30 minutes once you got home. So sorry, Alan.
Alan, I hope the pool gets fixed, and soon. You guys need it in this heat!
I have also never posted a rant, but my wallet was stolen while I was hundreds of miles from home taking care of my MIL who is in denial of aging, has early cognitive decline, is a clutterbug, and is unhappy that the family recently moved her to an apartment with no stairs. I really did not need this stress on top of everything else.
Teacher Terry
7-12-20, 1:32pm
Alan that really sucks.
Alan and Rosemary, both things suck.
Wow, what a brutal end to a your vacation!! I don't blame you for being cranky! I'd be tempted to get back in the RV and take off again.Ha, don't think we haven't considered it. We're already thiiiisssss close to parking it in the driveway just to sleep in with the AC on high. It's against our township zoning rules but maybe no one will notice.
One more unexpected occurrence, after posting my rant last night and going to bed the Android tablet I've been using for the past 6 or 7 years to read in bed with died. Or more specifically it seems to be caught in a boot loop where it appears to be doing something but can't quite get it done. I've spent several hours today trying to get it back to it's default state without success. I think it's time to have the Amazon machine deliver a new Kindle while I wait for the next bit of Pixie mischief directed at me.
Teacher Terry
7-12-20, 3:59pm
I would definitely be violating the law and sleeping in the RV. I don’t deal well with heat.
Our son who can fix anything told us that if our AC goes out, we need to buy a window AC for the bedroom and use that room until he can get to Phoenix to install a new mini-split for us to replace the unit on our roof. He forbids us to hire anyone else. 😄
frugal-one
7-12-20, 7:24pm
I can empathize with you both (Alan and Rosemary). We had 2 days of grief. DH hit his head (is ok now), both sink and toilet in main bath had problems, water purifier died, fairly new bed sheets .... bottom sheet ripped majorly. Roofers came to re-do flat roof that was done in too cold of weather last year. They got here late in the day and could not finish. We got 3 inches of rain and the roof leaked causing holes in ceiling and tiles to split. Roofers came and finished outside yesterday. Supposedly, will be here tomorrow to fix inside. Everything is repaired or replaced except inside ceiling. Too much at one time!
frugal-one
7-12-20, 7:27pm
Ha, don't think we haven't considered it. We're already thiiiisssss close to parking it in the driveway just to sleep in with the AC on high. It's against our township zoning rules but maybe no one will notice.
One more unexpected occurrence, after posting my rant last night and going to bed the Android tablet I've been using for the past 6 or 7 years to read in bed with died. Or more specifically it seems to be caught in a boot loop where it appears to be doing something but can't quite get it done. I've spent several hours today trying to get it back to it's default state without success. I think it's time to have the Amazon machine deliver a new Kindle while I wait for the next bit of Pixie mischief directed at me.
Can’t imagine anyone would complain for a day or two??
Can’t imagine anyone would complain for a day or two??Twice now I've had notices left on my door with pictures of our old motorhome parked in the drive. One of our township employees apparently drives around looking for infractions, taking pictures and leaving them at the residences with the threat of a fine if not moved within 24 hours. Both times I've contacted the township, explained that we must be able to pack and unpack our RV's without threat of a fine so we'd appreciate a little leeway. I'm afraid to get another one because did I mention that this heat makes me cranky?
iris lilies
7-12-20, 8:15pm
You poor people!
Teacher Terry
7-12-20, 9:20pm
Frugal so sorry. Alan that’s ridiculous. You need to be able to pack it at a reasonable pace.
I am exhausted and the first thing I saw when I turned on my computer this morning was a photo of a 39 year old man assaulting a 59 year old woman. Punching her, kicking her when she's down and calling her a monkey. What is wrong humanity?
The exhaustion is from struggling because I developed allergies to not one, but three, of the medications we tried to treat one of my health issues. My body is exhausted from the yo-yo of different medications practically every day. Along with the underlying health condition that necessitates said medication. And on Monday night, exactly one week after the cat attack landed us in the emergency room, my boxer got skunked, in the face, from about 2 feet away. Her mouth was foaming, my husband was holding her trying to keep her from attacking the skunk, who was standing his ground. It was 10 pm. We've never had a skunked pet before. At midnight we finally made it to bed. The most damage was to my dog's mouth. The vet said she should be okay by Friday, but her gums are all swollen and were a bit bloody this morning. I put her meds in her wet food but she can smell it and refused to eat it. I'm so tired and it's not even 11 am.
And hotel desk clerks are being beaten up by men who don't have an ounce of decency. Just want to go back to bed.
frugal-one
7-15-20, 5:28pm
I am exhausted and the first thing I saw when I turned on my computer this morning was a photo of a 39 year old man assaulting a 59 year old woman. Punching her, kicking her when she's down and calling her a monkey. What is wrong humanity?
The exhaustion is from struggling because I developed allergies to not one, but three, of the medications we tried to treat one of my health issues. My body is exhausted from the yo-yo of different medications practically every day. Along with the underlying health condition that necessitates said medication. And on Monday night, exactly one week after the cat attack landed us in the emergency room, my boxer got skunked, in the face, from about 2 feet away. Her mouth was foaming, my husband was holding her trying to keep her from attacking the skunk, who was standing his ground. It was 10 pm. We've never had a skunked pet before. At midnight we finally made it to bed. The most damage was to my dog's mouth. The vet said she should be okay by Friday, but her gums are all swollen and were a bit bloody this morning. I put her meds in her wet food but she can smell it and refused to eat it. I'm so tired and it's not even 11 am.
And hotel desk clerks are being beaten up by men who don't have an ounce of decency. Just want to go back to bed.
Time to give yourself a news break. There is too much negativity. You need a rest from it.
Yesterday I was at the grocery store and not one but two men stand right next to me in line, shoulders practically touching. I snarled at both of them to back off. One guy I had to say it twice and point to his X on the floor and told him that's where he's supposed to be. Next time I growl. And maybe give a swift kick. Not in the mood to suffer fools.
Yesterday I was at the grocery store and not one but two men stand right next to me in line, shoulders practically touching. I snarled at both of them to back off. One guy I had to say it twice and point to his X on the floor and told him that's where he's supposed to be. Next time I growl. And maybe give a swift kick. Not in the mood to suffer fools.
I appreciate grocery delivery more every day.
iris lilies
7-18-20, 2:29pm
I appreciate grocery delivery more every day.
You know, I never got Instacart off the ground. I signed up for an account and I put some things in the cart and kind of got distracted about how it’s gonna work and then during the height of the virus lockdown I couldn’t make sense of how to get deliveries to our house at a time when we would be here. We still go to Hermann a few days a week.And I could not make sense of the time pick up either.
When I did on site grocery shopping during the height of lockdown I liked going in during senior citizen time at the grocery store down the street.
I use Amazon Fresh and schedule my delivery in the 7 to 9 AM slot. So far, I've had only a few substitutions, and everything has been delivered by about 7:20. Because I have Prime, delivery is free, but I usually tip generously. I'm totally spoiled. And I've recently found an Indian grocer that delivers, to that opens up more possibilities.
I'm annoyed that my spouse thinks everything I want to do is too dangerous (covid). I mentioned going to a local brewery that has outside pouring, and a large area where you can bring your personal chairs and site them away from everyone else. Nope. I mentioned a winery that has wine slushies, and that I would go in with a mask and do the ordering, bring them outside and we could again put our chairs away from everyone else. Nope. Beaches are too crowded, so are local hiking trails. A couple of towns over, they have weekly outdoor concerts. Doesn't want to have to wear a mask for 2 hours. The only thing he's willing to do is drive around in the car, on the same roads we go all the time. I feel so mentally "itchy", and wanting to get out and (distantly) be around other people. I feel completely isolated. The only people I see are related to me - and spouse wasn't crazy about my nephew visiting last weekend even though he had a negative covid test the day he left.
I had a tough time getting him out of the house to do things before the pandemic. Now its 100x worse, with no end in sight.
My town of 12000 has had a total of 30 cases over 5 months, and the areas we are visiting are rural and even lower rates.
Herb, I would do the beaches and the hiking trails and maybe the concert. We had four wineries here identified as Covid spots in the contact tracing in our county a few weeks ago. Also four pubs. Maybe I would skip those two types of places?
Teacher Terry
7-18-20, 3:40pm
We have been to outside dining or pubs that are following all the rules.
frugal-one
7-18-20, 5:29pm
I'm annoyed that my spouse thinks everything I want to do is too dangerous (covid). I mentioned going to a local brewery that has outside pouring, and a large area where you can bring your personal chairs and site them away from everyone else. Nope. I mentioned a winery that has wine slushies, and that I would go in with a mask and do the ordering, bring them outside and we could again put our chairs away from everyone else. Nope. Beaches are too crowded, so are local hiking trails. A couple of towns over, they have weekly outdoor concerts. Doesn't want to have to wear a mask for 2 hours. The only thing he's willing to do is drive around in the car, on the same roads we go all the time. I feel so mentally "itchy", and wanting to get out and (distantly) be around other people. I feel completely isolated. The only people I see are related to me - and spouse wasn't crazy about my nephew visiting last weekend even though he had a negative covid test the day he left.
I had a tough time getting him out of the house to do things before the pandemic. Now its 100x worse, with no end in sight.
My town of 12000 has had a total of 30 cases over 5 months, and the areas we are visiting are rural and even lower rates.
You are not alone. I mentioned a few of those things too and got a negative response. DH is an introvert so this does not bother him as much. I went to a local outdoor farmer's market this past week by myself and was excited just to get away and see people. We don't have family so this is especially difficult.
I understand some of DH's reticence -- your exposure is his exposure. You going inside to pick up a couple of slushies does expose you more than staying outside entirely (or staying home). But your collective mental health is important, too. And a five-minute exposure with everyone wearing masks and disinfectant wipes/hand sanitizer present in an area of low incidence (at least as far as anyone knows right now) is, I think, a fair trade-off for something you would enjoy doing. I don't know as it's possible to live a functional life and avoid any exposure to the virus.
DW and I have concluded that we're going to have to choose our exposures for the foreseeable future. We take the precautions we can take, we try not to amass a full day of exposure, and we realize that 1) saying 'yes' to one thing may require saying 'no' to another. We think this will keep us fairly safe -- and sane. Battening down the hatches totally for a month or two was one thing, but this is turning into a marathon, not a sprint. A different approach makes sense.
Last night one of our ancient maple trees got hit by lightening and this morning it is in my backyard, having fallen and taken out my fence, part of my pole barn, my electric to the pole barn.
We are already under so much stress and our ideas about how to handle this are already different and at odds with each other. My husband just stated he wanted to build a second woodshed to hold all the wood. This seems to me insane since we are already planning to move and have a completely full woodshed that I have been begging him to clear out by selling the wood on Craigslist.
We have been making offers on other houses in another state. We are trying to sell a property that we bought, ill-advised, in the pandemic. Now he is angry with me because I shut down his woodshed idea.
I just want all this s$$t to go away.
happystuff
7-19-20, 8:17am
Hugs, Tybee. Sorry about the downed tree. I hope things start working out better very quickly.
Thank you, happystuff, that really helps, I appreciate it!
early morning
7-19-20, 10:22am
So sorry, Tybee - about the tree, and the DH kerfuffle - I know my DH does not handle stress well and comes at problems in ways that seem (ok, they usually ARE ) insane to me. It's hard and I hope it gets better quickly!! Maybe you could find someone who wants the wood to clear the tree? If he doesn't have to cut/stack it, maybe he won't care so much about saving it? I don't know. But regardless, thinking of you today and hoping things resolve quickly, and well!!
So sorry, Tybee - about the tree, and the DH kerfuffle - I know my DH does not handle stress well and comes at problems in ways that seem (ok, they usually ARE ) insane to me. It's hard and I hope it gets better quickly!! Maybe you could find someone who wants the wood to clear the tree? If he doesn't have to cut/stack it, maybe he won't care so much about saving it? I don't know. But regardless, thinking of you today and hoping things resolve quickly, and well!!
Thank you so much, earlymorning. I loved what you said here, "I know my DH does not handle stress well and comes at problems in ways that seem (ok, they usually ARE) insane to me." I so relate.
We are on hold with insurance now--that is a good idea about someone clearing the tree in exchange for the wood; it's already down, or at least two giant limbs--I guess it lost two out of three giant limbs, and one took out part of roof of pole barn (shed) and one took out gable, siding, and fence.
iris lilies
7-19-20, 11:00am
Yikes, that’s a lot of damage-by-tree!
Teacher Terry
7-19-20, 12:50pm
So sorry about the tree damage.
Teacher Terry
7-19-20, 1:08pm
Ranting at myself for being stupid. Amy had a big mat in her ear so I thought I would cut it out versus brushing it. I should have put my finger between the ear and hair. I ended up cutting her ear. Max jumped off my lap and started shaking. Amy was chill and just laid down. I had to apply pressure to get it to stop bleeding. Ugh!
So sorry that you are dealing with so many stresses at one time, Tybee.
I just drove through a massive thunderstorm. At one point, I just took a 15 minute time out in an empty restaurant parking lot as the heavy rain was to the point of intensity that I could not see the tail lights of cars in front of me. Having the alarm signal on my phone warning twice of high risk of a tornado didn't help either.
Semi-rant.
I just bought a wireless router; ours is ten years old and even just the two of us streaming stuff seems to bog it down eventually. The deed is done; the router is in the house. So why is the Internet showing me ads for routers, particularly the very one I bought from the very place I bought it? What a waste of advertising dollars. FWP for sure but it's 2020; the ability of marketers to realize that routers (and automobile tires; another purchase that got the same treatment) are not an everyday (or even everyyear) gimme-a-deal-I-can't-refuse-and-sure-I'll-buy-another-one-now purchase should be far better than this.
Just more proof to me that our robot overlords will not be invincible.
iris lilies
7-20-20, 9:40am
Steve, I have had exactly that same rant. The big ticket item I look at on the Internet has been purchased. So they continue to show me ads for that big ticket item.
When advertising truly becomes customized to me in a granular way, I will not resent it. But right now I resent the stupidity of the crap they show me
I bought a new router months ago, and so far I'm resisting the installation process. The first one wasn't hard, so I don't know why... And I never get ads for anything I've bought, or anything I need, for that matter.
frugal-one
7-20-20, 3:39pm
Went to water a few plants and was stung a few times by wasps/hornets??? My arm really swelled. DH went out and no nest around?????
We were informed by the credit card we use for airline miles that they were replacing our (perfectly good) cards with new cards. I honestly cannot tell the difference between new and old other than the number/CVV (note the use of the singular, it's the same number/CVV for both of us; only the names on the card differ). Time to activate the cards. DW's goes easy-peasy.
Mine? Less so. I'm an "Authorized User" and already have the previous version of the CC that I've used with no problems, but DW has to log on to her account, verify that I am an "Authorized User" and they then have to send (to my own email) a verification code. It arrives (after taking long enough that her on-line session times out). Back to the activation site. Type it all in again and now create one of those &^8YY*)#_ passwords (literally, &^8YY*)#_ is an acceptable password). Our trusty password manager generates some truly heinous 12-place combination no one can type, I copy it on the computer's clipboard -- and the site will not let us paste it in. It has to be entered, digit by error-prone digit, twice (confirmation!) (this is why people use passwords like Spot-21). I finally type it in and verify it's correct and click Continue and ... nothing. No action on the bank site's part despite waiting a few minutes and clicking again. No error message. Just crickets.
I cut up my card. DW can use hers; I very seldom used this one anyway. You want me to use your product? Don't make it so &^8YY*)#_ hard to open the box.
Teacher Terry
8-9-20, 11:43am
So my husband broke his ankle badly and needs surgery, pins and plates. It’s a new deductible year July 1. Ugh! It’s Monday and the hospital called and said we could pay our part then which is 4500. I said no way am I paying before I see what the insurance pays. Past experience showed me it’s very difficult to get a refund. I will give them the 825 on my HSA card since the deductible is more than that.
So my husband broke his ankle badly and needs surgery, pins and plates. It’s a new deductible year July 1. Ugh! It’s Monday and the hospital called and said we could pay our part then which is 4500. I said no way am I paying before I see what the insurance pays. Past experience showed me it’s very difficult to get a refund. I will give them the 825 on my HSA card since the deductible is more than that.
So sorry to hear!
iris lilies
8-9-20, 2:21pm
Terry, so sorry! Glad you will hesitate on paying out, that sounds sensible.
I have had multiple tests now at the Hermann hospital, just standard old-people tests, and I keep getting mailings I don’t understand. But I’ve not been required to pay a dime for them. The mailings have a “your portion is/may be $$$.” Paragraph but no one is coming after me for money.
IL.... what are old people tests????
TT, so sorry about your dh. I can only imagine the pain he is in. Hope it gets worked out and he heals quickly.
iris lilies
8-9-20, 7:46pm
IL.... what are old people tests????
mammogram, bone density test, colonoscopy, scanning of various organs.
I have had some not all of these.
Terry, that's awful. How did he break it so badly? My son broke his wrist and needed surgery and plates. He is paying it off over 18 months. (He is the one who lost his job last month due to Covid.)
The healing went really really well, however, so the surgery was the right move, and I'm hoping your husband is out of pain now.
Teacher Terry
8-10-20, 3:02pm
He walked into the living room and tripped on a dog bed. Tried to catch himself and fell into the buffet. He must have twisted it just right. He has surgery today.
Oh my goodness, that is so awful. Poor guy. Sending good thoughts your guys' way.
frugal-one
8-10-20, 4:07pm
Saw on the news that trump has been looking into having his idiot skull put on the Grand Canyon. Not gonna happen but even the thought is moronic. Just shows the level of narcissism.
Grand Canyon.
Mount Rushmore.
early morning
8-10-20, 4:51pm
I am not against the idea of his skull being in the Grand Canyon. Where does he want the rest of his body left, did he say?
frugal-one
8-10-20, 5:12pm
Mount Rushmore.
Ach...... Of course I meant Mount Rushmore.
frugal-one
8-10-20, 5:13pm
I am not against the idea of his skull being in the Grand Canyon. Where does he want the rest of his body left, did he say?
LOL... brain scramble...
Teacher Terry
8-10-20, 6:00pm
EM, good one!
iris lilies
8-10-20, 6:06pm
Last night a tree fell on my brother’s house during a bad storm causing major damage. My brother is a respiratory therapist at a major midwestern hospital working with COVID19 patients.
I shouldn’t be surprised that this tree had no respect for this health care worker on the front lines of this pandemic.
Trees are The Enemy.
Last night a tree fell on my brother’s house during a bad storm causing major damage. My brother is a respiratory therapist at a major midwestern hospital working with COVID19 patients.
I shouldn’t be surprised that this tree had no respect for this health care worker on the front lines of this pandemic.
Trees are The Enemy.
That is being desperate for a reason to pick on trees, IL, yet again. Your brother enjoyed all the fresh air and shade and beauty that the tree has provided over the years. Have you no appreciation for those benefits. I am sorry that the storm picked on your brother's house and the tree. Blame the storm not the tree.
catherine
8-10-20, 11:02pm
That is being desperate for a reason to pick on trees, IL, yet again. Your brother enjoyed all the fresh air and shade and beauty that the tree has provided over the years. Have you no appreciation for those benefits. I am sorry that the storm picked on your brother's house and the tree. Blame the storm not the tree.
agreed. Misdirected anger, IL! I'm sure the tree is not too happy about it, either.
iris lilies
8-11-20, 1:18am
agreed. Misdirected anger, IL! I'm sure the tree is not too happy about it, either.
Well, I thought I would try anyway. I guess no one’s biting.
Well, I thought I would try anyway. I guess no one’s biting.
I read it the way you wrote it, you plantist. :devil:
IL hates trees almost as much as Rob hates cops. :devil:
I'd be watching where I park my car, IL. You can run but you can't hide.
happystuff
8-11-20, 8:48am
He walked into the living room and tripped on a dog bed. Tried to catch himself and fell into the buffet. He must have twisted it just right. He has surgery today.
Terry, how is your dh? How did the surgery go? I hope all went well and that he heals quickly!
iris lilies
8-11-20, 2:32pm
I'd be watching where I park my car, IL. You can run but you can't hide.
Funny you should mention this. I park under the three trees in front of our house, street trees in the parlance of the city, because they will not blow down.
We planted all of them decades ago and now I’m sorry they are there. Two are junkie fast growing maples, and one Bradford pear. All of them are species known to blow down in storms.
But they never blow down in a storm. They mock me. They stand there year after year through storms that take down all the trees, but not these. Just last night two trees went down a block away on a parallel street. storm. But these trees if front of my house will not die.
One of them looks very bad and it loses limbs, and the city came by a couple years ago to Red-X it to take out. But they have not been back for take down,
ToomuchStuff
8-11-20, 2:49pm
It isn't just your own trees. Street over, a tree that is technically on both city and the homeowner property (50+ years old), was taken down by a storm a couple months ago, and smashed the neighbor's, across the street, car.
The car probably saved the house from being damaged though.
After a bad ice storm in my NJ neighborhood, several neighbors just got rid of all their trees. I understand that tree limbs can land on houses or cars, but I prefer to gamble on the chance that my tree will weather the winds.
I had an arborist come to my VT home to advise me as to the health of an old silver maple that provides a ton of shade and breeze and wildlife habitat and a swing for my grandchildren. He said it's fine, but he could thin the canopy a little to reduce the drag during high winds. I'd do that but beyond that, there is NO WAY IN HELL ANYONE IS GOING TO TOUCH MY MAPLE!. I've had neighborhood parties relocate to my house because of the shade. I adore this tree. I just don't get tree-shaming--even if it is a silver maple. Hey, when choosing dogs, I've always gone with mutts, too.
In the words of my NJ. homie, Joyce Kilmer:
3378
iris lilies
8-11-20, 4:10pm
Silver maples are a little junky. That’s what we have in front of our house. I hope you are planting quality trees for the time this maple lets you down.
Teacher Terry
8-11-20, 5:34pm
My husband’s surgery went well. However, they were running behind so didn’t get home until 8pm. Because of new laws the doctor had to hand write the prescription for pain medication. Thankfully we had some leftovers from a previous surgery because it was too late to fill them.
rosarugosa
8-11-20, 6:29pm
Glad the surgery went well; hope he has a smooth recovery.
Good that it all got done and both home safe and sound. Now both can relax and let healing unfold. Stressful time.
happystuff
8-12-20, 7:05am
Glad to hear that all went well. Hope the healing goes quickly.
frugal-one
8-14-20, 3:43pm
Not sure where to post this.....
Heard from friends in Cedar Rapids, IA today. They were hit with strong winds/tornado on Monday. They have been without electricity since then. She commented they were lucky in that their house is still in tact. Saw in the paper here today that they could be without power for possibly another 5 days.
Imagine.... If you are like me... you have been keeping freezer fully stocked..... everything destroyed!!! And spoiled me.... no air conditioning.
iris lilies
8-14-20, 6:03pm
We have relatives all over Northern Iowa. Trees down, electric service down, the usual with flatland high winds.
Two years ago we were in that area for a lily convention and had to stay overnight with my brother because huge storms and flash floods interfered with us getting back to our hotel. Fortunately we had brought our dog with us to visit my brother so we had no reason why we had to get back to the hotel that night.
The year 2020 is showing all of us how fragile our various plans for future security are. Think: freezer full of food, portfolio full of stocks, pension with only 5 years left to go, health insurance tied to employment, reliance on public transportation, etc
We have relatives all over Northern Iowa. Trees down, electric service down, the usual with flatland high winds.
Two years ago we were in that area for a lily convention and had to stay overnight with my brother because huge storms and flash floods interfered with us getting back to our hotel. Fortunately we had brought our dog with us to visit my brother so we had no reason why we had to get back to the hotel that night.
Flatline? That was a derecho Monday! Half a million folks in the Chicago area had no power due to that storm. It spawned something like 12 tornadoes in northern IL. It missed my area, but some saw 100 mph winds.
TT, so sorry about your dh. I can only imagine the pain he is in. Hope it gets worked out and he heals quickly.
I feel the same, TT.
Teacher Terry
8-15-20, 2:28am
Thanks Simone!
frugal-one
8-15-20, 2:13pm
Flatline? That was a derecho Monday! Half a million folks in the Chicago area had no power due to that storm. It spawned something like 12 tornadoes in northern IL. It missed my area, but some saw 100 mph winds.
Today heard 100 national guard was sent to Cedar Rapids to help clean up the streets, etc.
I pretty much hate people these days.
Just a few examples:
Wood flooring is being installed in the unit directly above me. Saw the materials set up right outside the building front door with tools and such. Bad enough I had to listen to the pounding and power saw all day Thursday and Friday while working, but Thursday it went to nearly midnight. Condo association quiet hours are from 10pm to 8 am. I ended up calling the cops about 11:30pm. This morning the guy doing the work accosts me while I'm going out to my car and starts yelling at me for calling the cops. I simply told him what the quiet hours are and would he like someone to be pounding and sawing over his head while trying to sleep? Young rough looking guy. He finally shut up when I told him I'd keep calling the cops if he was making noise after 10pm. I was armed. I always am, these days.
Grocery shopping the last few weeks. I shop for me and a senior friend at a large chain grocery store near her home. Aisles are still marked one way. People will park their carts in the middle of the aisle while they are wandering the shelves looking for items. I have had numerous people REFUSE to move their carts so others can get by, start screaming when you ask them to please move their carts, and all in all, just effing freak out. I just give them my death stare and walk away muttering loudly under my breath about entitled snowflakes.
There is an elderly woman who has appeared in my complex parking lot multiple times lately, accusing people of taking "her" spot right by the building door. The other one right by the door is a signed handicapped spot. I don't know who she is. She won't say. I don't know if she lives here or not. She doesn't have the complex parking sticker on her car. I've moved my car into the empty spot as it's easier to load dive gear. She screams and screams. I simply tell to to eff off and shut up. The last time she did it, I called the cops AND I called the towing company the condo association has contracted with. The cops came and talked with her. Apparently I wasn't the only one who had called about her. And yes, her car did get towed.
Some idiot at the grocery store decided she didn't like my neck gaiter that I wear as a mask and went after me about it. Her mask was around her chin. She got called an "ignorant twat."
I was walking slowly through grocery store parking lot into the store and got yelled at for walking slow. It was at a stop sign. My knees were really bothering me that day. It was a human jabba the hut that requires a scooter to get around. I'd seen her getting into her car when I pulled into a parking spot. She was not happy when I called her a "fat b----h."
I have absolutely no patience for stupid people and I get nasty, really nasty. I don't start stuff with people (such as those not wearing masks, etc.), but if you start something with me, you're going to get a taste of your own medicine.
Teacher Terry
9-12-20, 11:44pm
When it hit 10 why not just ask them if they would stop laying the floor since it was quiet time? I have been to Chicago many times and find the people rude. Couldn’t pay me to live there. The other things you mentioned have never happened anywhere I have lived.
When it hit 10 why not just ask them if they would stop laying the floor since it was quiet time? I have been to Chicago many times and find the people rude. Couldn’t pay me to live there. The other things you mentioned have never happened anywhere I have lived.
The stairs to the second floor are nasty and I avoid steps with my knees. I’ve had noise issues with that unit over the years (been here 12 years). I got such a nasty reaction when I asked the people up there once to turn down the music that I’m not even going to ask. If you’re stupid enough to think that pounding and running loud power tools late at night is just okay, then you deserve to get the cops called on you.
I live far out in the burbs and not in Sh*tcago.
Teacher Terry
9-13-20, 3:21am
My sister lives in a nice suburb there and people are still entitled and crappy. My theory is it’s because of the sheer number of people.
I have stayed so far away from people that they have no opportunity to really irritate me now.
However, the renters in the house next door tried really hard. Their music could be heard thru two house walls and across the alley between our two houses. I made trip #1 over there to see where the music was coming from but did not knock on their door. Then trip #2 when I could not stand it anymore. Got as far as their front walk and it was suddenly shut off. I suspect a Ring Camera and they saw a short irritated woman walking up to their house. Have never heard it again.
catherine
12-16-20, 8:56pm
Daily Peeve: Facebook memes widely shared that are no more than a dozen words, yet have spelling or grammatical errors in them. Come on--can't you get a dozen words right before blasting them out to the internet stratosphere??
Trigger for this peeve: A meme a cousin-in-law shared: "There is more airplanes underwater than there are submarines in the sky."
Daily Peeve: Facebook memes widely shared that are no more than a dozen words, yet have spelling or grammatical errors in them. Come on--can't you get a dozen words right before blasting them out to the internet stratosphere??
Trigger for this peeve: A meme a cousin-in-law shared: "There is more airplanes underwater than there are submarines in the sky."
That's a big peeve of mine, as well.
I have an opposite problem--when I was out and about, limping and using a shopping cart as a makeshift walker, people inevitably leapt to my assistance, offering to carry things, opening doors, offering their arms..I told one lady I'd probably take her down with me. :|( It was disconcerting and embarrassing to be so obviously needy, when I've always been so independent. (I loved the guy who told me I had a "bad doctor" because I didn't have a handicapped tag...:laff:--giving new meaning to "Dr. Who?") I don't have much complaint about the people around here, in general, but I really appreciate porch delivery.
SteveinMN
12-17-20, 10:54am
Come on--can't you get a dozen words right before blasting them out to the internet stratosphere??
Your absolutely wright. ;)
Which brings up a related (albeit extremely minor) peeve: don't people know what wrought iron is? I've seen ads on-line for "rot" iron (that would be rust, to you), "wrot" iron, "rod" iron,... Many people have it but don't seem to know what it is.
happystuff
12-17-20, 11:18am
Daily Peeve: Facebook memes widely shared that are no more than a dozen words, yet have spelling or grammatical errors in them. Come on--can't you get a dozen words right before blasting them out to the internet stratosphere??
Trigger for this peeve: A meme a cousin-in-law shared: "There is more airplanes underwater than there are submarines in the sky."
Awww... I'm shore there trying there best to spell write! ;)
JaneV2.0
12-17-20, 11:47am
I have a pit in my stomach just reading this...:(
iris lilies
12-17-20, 12:08pm
Your absolutely wright. ;)
Which brings up a related (albeit extremely minor) peeve: don't people know what wrought iron is? I've seen ads on-line for "rot" iron (that would be rust, to you), "wrot" iron, "rod" iron,... Many people have it but don't seem to know what it is.
Yes, “ rod” iron bugs the crap out of me. But at least it makes a certain amount of logical sense if you’re talking about an old wrought iron fence because it is made of iron rods.
Seeing a lot of humour in the various threads to day - Idahl's bet about Erdogan's group name and now the misspelling. IL, think about it carefully - how would a direct word by word translation of - "rod" iron bugs the crap out of me - sound? Just imagining this made me chuckle.
A friend asked me for a paper serviette recently. As I handed her one, I chuckled and told her some people had told me that it was called a napkin in the US. She laughed outright and told that some visitors to the US had asked for a diaper at a restaurant. Receiving puzzled looks from the staff, the visitors queried their own use of English. Turns out that a napkin in their country was called a diaper. Language is a fun topic to explore.
frugal-one
12-17-20, 4:19pm
Your absolutely wright. ;)
Which brings up a related (albeit extremely minor) peeve: don't people know what wrought iron is? I've seen ads on-line for "rot" iron (that would be rust, to you), "wrot" iron, "rod" iron,... Many people have it but don't seem to know what it is.
So funny!
Offshored "customer service" centers. Today I dealt with AT&T out of Mexico. Certain features of my phone are not working in the new year and in another year the phone itself will not work because it will be "too old". I bought it maybe five years ago for $50 and I definitely am not interested in upgrading but it looks like I don't have a choice. Does anyone use Consumer Cellular? They look like they might be the right price point for me for a monthly service plan but I don't know about reception, customer service, and the actual phones.
Teacher Terry
1-3-21, 4:25pm
Y, I hate the foreign customer service centers. Many times I can not understand their English. We have had phones that wouldn’t take updates and freezes up forcing you to upgrade. Ugh!
Offshored "customer service" centers. Today I dealt with AT&T out of Mexico. Certain features of my phone are not working in the new year and in another year the phone itself will not work because it will be "too old". I bought it maybe five years ago for $50 and I definitely am not interested in upgrading but it looks like I don't have a choice. Does anyone use Consumer Cellular? They look like they might be the right price point for me for a monthly service plan but I don't know about reception, customer service, and the actual phones.
My sibling is happy with Consumer Cellular. This is from their website re customer service:
Help is always just a phone call or a click away.
Our knowledgeable, compassionate team is 100% U.S. based. In nationwide studies conducted by J.D. Power, Consumer Cellular has been ranked “#1 in Customer Service among Non-Contract Value Wireless Providers, 9 Times in a Row.”
iris lilies
1-3-21, 6:05pm
My customer service rant is this: I identified online a refrigerator I wanted to buy but it had an ice maker. I do not want an ice maker. I called the chat number for the vendor to see if the ice maker could be removed. The little customer service drone checked and no, the ice maker cannot be removed.
I spent around 2 hours identifying this appliance, so it was back to the drawing board. After anotjr hour + I# I stu,beled onto the same model, different model number, WITHOUT ice maker.
The little customer service rep needs more training because he should have told me “lady, here is the same appliance without the ice maker in model xxxxxx”
I hate buying appliances and I usually let DH do that. This has been a chore. I am buying an apartment size refrigerator for my condo and there arent a ton of them out there.
Does anyone use Consumer Cellular? They look like they might be the right price point for me for a monthly service plan but I don't know about reception, customer service, and the actual phones.
We've had Consumer Cellular for maybe 3-4 years now. We like them fine.
CC is what's known as an MVNO (Mobile Virtual Network Operator) so they don't operate their own towers, etc.. CC resells service they buy from AT&T and T-Mobile. Coverage seems to be better than what most MVNOs using AT&T or T-Mobile offer. You can choose which of the two carriers you want (assuming your phone can use either); if you don't choose, you'll most likely get T-Mobile. So that's reception. The phones are pretty much the same ones you get elsewhere except that CC does carry a couple of models geared very specifically at seniors and, well, people who just want to make calls, not text or check the weather or watch video. And, like most carriers, if you buy the phone through them, it is locked to that carrier for a period of some months and won't (likely) work on other carriers/networks.
One note: they're not kidding you about your phone being "too old." This happened to us and happens to a bunch of other people. The introduction of new higher "speed" frequencies has been accomplished in part by taking old "spectrum" used by few customers and adding it the current standard, LTE. This means towers that used to serve older phones are fewer and further between, which means more calls that cannot be started or that drop. That applies to data, too. Pretty much every carrier now will refuse to add to their network a phone that cannot work over LTE, so eventually you'll need a new one, but there are some inexpensive phones out there which have LTE so you'll have to ante up but you may not have to ante up much.
Customer service has been good, particularly for an MVNO. Sometimes the wait to speak with someone is rather long (apparently CC is popular enough that demand has sometimes outrun their ability to hire CSRs) but once you connect with them, your problem generally is solved even if escalation is involved. Customer service is geared more toward people who are not phone-savvy, which I find slows things down some but suits most CC customers.
Prices are reasonable. We pay $46 a month for both of us with our own phones, unlimited talking and texting, and 3 GB of data that we never use up. Their mobile app and Web site are decently useful and CC is one of the preferred carriers at Target stores in case you need a new SIM or some help setting up some things.
Hope this helps!
I do not want an ice maker. I called the chat number for the vendor to see if the ice maker could be removed. The little customer service drone checked and no, the ice maker cannot be removed.
Our current fridge (Whirlpool) came with an ice maker. It, too, "cannot be removed". Maybe there's another model out there without the ice maker *shrug*. But we simply removed the cube bin, did not connect a water line to the fridge, and have back most of the space in the freezer and don't have to deal with the havoc that an ice maker can cause. Sometimes the way over the mountain is "around".
iris lilies
1-3-21, 6:43pm
Our current fridge (Whirlpool) came with an ice maker. It, too, "cannot be removed". Maybe there's another model out there without the ice maker *shrug*. But we simply removed the cube bin, did not connect a water line to the fridge, and have back most of the space in the freezer and don't have to deal with the havoc that an ice maker can cause. Sometimes the way over the mountain is "around".
I wondered about that, but because I can’t stand in front of the machine and see for sure how much space is impacted by a removed icemaker, I didn’t want to risk it. This is already an apartment size refrigerator, a small one.
Here’s how fancy my 100 year old condo is: it actually does have a water hook up for ice maker! I was shocked to see that. It’s on the wall opposite of the sink.
But I aint gettin’ involved with no ice maker.
early morning
1-3-21, 8:58pm
But dogs LOVE ice makers, IL! Our friends had to disconnect theirs after their pit bull learned how to empty it onto the kitchen floor when she wanted a crunchy cold treat. It took them a while to figure out why they couldn't find and fix the leak that was leaving a pool in front of the fridge....
iris lilies
1-3-21, 9:14pm
But dogs LOVE ice makers, IL! Our friends had to disconnect theirs after their pit bull learned how to empty it onto the kitchen floor when she wanted a crunchy cold treat. It took them a while to figure out why they couldn't find and fix the leak that was leaving a pool in front of the fridge....
oh, funny!
Ice maker nice for a family. But for a couple or single, we did not find we used enough ice to keep the ice fresh that was inside the machine. Our neighbor had a bad water leak from their ice maker. Huge cost since it happened right after they put their house on the market and affected the sale. We opted for more space and no water anything in the refrigerator.
I hate water leaks. Our brand new bathroom had a crack in the pipe behind the shut off valve in the wall. We are now waiting for all the necessary fixes. New entry floor, repair to hall, wall and paint. uggg. However, the work was warrantied for 2 years. Still uggg.
iris lilies
1-3-21, 11:04pm
Ice maker nice for a family. But for a couple or single, we did not find we used enough ice to keep the ice fresh that was inside the machine. Our neighbor had a bad water leak from their ice maker. Huge cost since it happened right after they put their house on the market and affected the sale. We opted for more space and no water anything in the refrigerator.
I hate water leaks. Our brand new bathroom had a crack in the pipe behind the shut off valve in the wall. We are now waiting for all the necessary fixes. New entry floor, repair to hall, wall and paint. uggg. However, the work was warrantied for 2 years. Still uggg.
I read somewhere that ice makers are among the top causes of insurance claims due to water damage. I don’t want one in my condo where I’ll be gone for days and weeks at a time.
When I mentioned this to my insurance guy he thought that was a perfectly fine idea, and he mentioned the other thing I
should do put a new seal around the toilet because those go bad often, too.
rosarugosa
1-15-21, 6:53pm
I hardly ever contribute to this thread because I am an irrepressible optimist, but today just flat-out sucked!
For starters, I cut a big deep chunk out of one of my fingers with a pair of scissors this morning. What was I doing? Why I was cutting a Q-tip in half. Why? Well, because I only needed half and why waste the other half? I suspect DH will never let me live this one down. It's not getting posted on the Frugals thread, because it was borderline as to whether I was going to go to an urgent care center, and how many half Q-tips would it take to offset my co-insurance? Anyway, I'm going to go through a lot of Band-Aids and discomfort and annoyance before I'm on the other side of this one. The one bright note is that it was on my right hand and I'm a lefty.
Next, I called to confirm my husband's follow-up appointment with his urologist next week, and I found out I can't go with him. That might not sound like a big deal, but I've been with him for all of these appointments since his kidney cancer diagnosis in 2012. I just feel strongly that when it's an appointment to see if cancer has recurred, you shouldn't have to go it alone, and if you get bad news, you might need a hug. And I am chief hug provider for DH and vice-versa.
Then, my mom has been having a bad stretch of extreme light-headedness, so we went to her house to check on her and make sure she had her meds and something to eat. I was going to give her a glass of pomegranate juice with her pills, thinking it would be a nice change from her usual glass of water. I shook the juice and it must have fermented or something, because when I opened it, it freaking exploded everywhere, all over me, the floor, the kitchen, the clutter all over her counters, a total disastrous STICKY mess. My sweater is soaking in cold water as I type, but I suspect I'll get some decluttering points for retiring a badly stained sweater because it looks like soaking isn't improving matters.
I am now relaxing with a glass of wine listening to the Good Old Grateful Dead while DH fries some chicken. Here's hoping for a peaceful and uneventful evening.
Wow, rosa, that really does suck, but I have to say, the way you write it, I know you'll find humor in it some day.. I love how you're figuring out the net cost of the half a Q-tip against the co-insurance for the hospital visit..
And the pomegranate story is like something out of a movie.
What's not so funny is not being able to be with DH.. When my DH was going through multiple health issues two years ago, when I thought I'd probably have to severely cut back on my work hours, it was very important to me to be there on every visit. I was his secretary, his advisor, his medical lingo translator, his driver, and, as you said, his chief hugger. Is there any way you could dial in and listen to the physician consult?
Anyway, enjoy the wine, fried chicken and Grateful Dead! Way to salvage a bad day!
Oh Rosa what a perfectly awful day, and I'm sorry that I laughed at your story about 1/2 a Q Tip- because most of my dumb things are caused by doing things like that. And the exploding juice- of course it happened on an already stressful day. Because these things do. Here's hoping tomorrow will be better for you.
early morning
1-15-21, 7:20pm
Thinking of you rr - and hoping your day has improved. My SIL once cut herself with scissors. Twice. On the same day. I thought she should have had stitches, but we taped her up and she healed ok. It totally ruined the sewing project we were working on though. And your mom visit - that's probably going to be a priceless memory. I have some of those from fiascos at my mom's in her later years, while we were still trying to help her live at home (her demand, lol). And I think I understand your concerns about not being able to go with DH. Although I don't like people with me when I go to the doctor, DH does, so I go to anything that's not routine. His hearing is bad, and he is frequently a few steps behind with understanding what is being said. Having someone there to restate things, or to remind the staff to LOOK at him and speak clearly (he reads lips) is more important now than ever. He can't read lips through a mask, and voices tend to muffle somewhat. Fortunately I've been able to go with him to any needed appointments so far, but things are getting worse here. If you can dial in to his appointment from the parking lot it may be helpful?
Any wine left? If so - WHY? ;)
Oh man, Rosa! It came in threes today for ya! Sorry, I snickered at the Q-Tip thing and thought, well, if you'd gone to the doctor you might could have helped yourself to a couple Q-Tips! :devil:
I've been asking to go to my DH's dr. appts for a while now, because he never asks enough questions, and never the big one I want----can he get his danged hearing checked PLEASE?!?!?
They do say QTIP stands for quit taking it personally.
Sorry you had a bad day.
Rosa, that is a very substantial rant to share. Enjoy your wine!
iris lilies
1-15-21, 9:03pm
Wow, pomegranate juice stains like anything. Rip sweater.
cant say I have ever cut a q tip in half. Guess maybe I wont after reading your adventure.
Teacher Terry
1-15-21, 11:54pm
Rosa, so sorry you had such a bad day.
What an awful day.
Always remember a coworker who had a stressful job for his personality. He got out his Pepto Bismol and shook it. Well the top must not have been on completely and it went all over him and his office. Did not help his stomach issues at all.
rosarugosa
1-16-21, 7:39am
Thanks for letting me whine, everyone, and I appreciate the empathy. Today is a new day, and I'm hoping for better things! :)
Why do some clothing manufacturers have to put tags in the back of the neck instead of on the side seam near the bottom?
One was really annoying me yesterday at work and I didn't want to leave my desk so trying to peer at it sideways through reading glasses I cut it out. It stopped bothering me but when I got home I saw there is now a cut out piece in the back on the top, it is not a straight line nor is an evenly spaced scoop either, plus scoops are supposed to be in the front.
rosarugosa
1-16-21, 11:19am
Why do some clothing manufacturers have to put tags in the back of the neck instead of on the side seam near the bottom?
One was really annoying me yesterday at work and I didn't want to leave my desk so trying to peer at it sideways through reading glasses I cut it out. It stopped bothering me but when I got home I saw there is now a cut out piece in the back on the top, it is not a straight line nor is an evenly spaced scoop either, plus scoops are supposed to be in the front.
Some of the ones down near the hem can be annoying too. I love LL Bean, but some of their tags are as long as CVS receipts! I love it when the manufacturer prints the info right onto the fabric and eliminates the need for the tag altogether.
Some of the ones down near the hem can be annoying too. I love LL Bean, but some of their tags are as long as CVS receipts! I love it when the manufacturer prints the info right onto the fabric and eliminates the need for the tag altogether.
That is my preference as well as the tags are annoying, especially the sharp-edged fabric ones.
frugal-one
1-16-21, 5:38pm
I hardly ever contribute to this thread because I am an irrepressible optimist, but today just flat-out sucked!
For starters, I cut a big deep chunk out of one of my fingers with a pair of scissors this morning. What was I doing? Why I was cutting a Q-tip in half. Why? Well, because I only needed half and why waste the other half? I suspect DH will never let me live this one down. It's not getting posted on the Frugals thread, because it was borderline as to whether I was going to go to an urgent care center, and how many half Q-tips would it take to offset my co-insurance? Anyway, I'm going to go through a lot of Band-Aids and discomfort and annoyance before I'm on the other side of this one. The one bright note is that it was on my right hand and I'm a lefty.
Next, I called to confirm my husband's follow-up appointment with his urologist next week, and I found out I can't go with him. That might not sound like a big deal, but I've been with him for all of these appointments since his kidney cancer diagnosis in 2012. I just feel strongly that when it's an appointment to see if cancer has recurred, you shouldn't have to go it alone, and if you get bad news, you might need a hug. And I am chief hug provider for DH and vice-versa.
Then, my mom has been having a bad stretch of extreme light-headedness, so we went to her house to check on her and make sure she had her meds and something to eat. I was going to give her a glass of pomegranate juice with her pills, thinking it would be a nice change from her usual glass of water. I shook the juice and it must have fermented or something, because when I opened it, it freaking exploded everywhere, all over me, the floor, the kitchen, the clutter all over her counters, a total disastrous STICKY mess. My sweater is soaking in cold water as I type, but I suspect I'll get some decluttering points for retiring a badly stained sweater because it looks like soaking isn't improving matters.
I am now relaxing with a glass of wine listening to the Good Old Grateful Dead while DH fries some chicken. Here's hoping for a peaceful and uneventful evening.
What a rotten day. Hope all days forward are better. The magic thing to take out EVERY stain I have ever had...even when it had been washed ... is brake cleaner (yep... the stuff you put in your car). Just put some on the stain and immediately throw in the wash. It is really cheap and is miraculous. Worth a shot if you like the sweater??
rosarugosa
1-17-21, 6:50am
What a rotten day. Hope all days forward are better. The magic thing to take out EVERY stain I have ever had...even when it had been washed ... is brake cleaner (yep... the stuff you put in your car). Just put some on the stain and immediately throw in the wash. It is really cheap and is miraculous. Worth a shot if you like the sweater??
Wow, I never heard of the brake cleaner; I will have to keep it in mind. My "magic" stain remover is 50/50 Dawn/Hydrogen Peroxide, but the best solution of all is a cold water soak ASAP. I did that with my sweater Friday night (after spraying Shout on it), and then ran it through the wash twice Saturday, and the stains actually came out! I was pretty surprised because that pomegranate juice all over the front of the pale pink sweater did not look like it was going away ever.
happystuff
1-17-21, 11:30am
Late to this, but hugs, RR!!
ToomuchStuff
1-17-21, 11:44am
Some of the ones down near the hem can be annoying too. I love LL Bean, but some of their tags are as long as CVS receipts! I love it when the manufacturer prints the info right onto the fabric and eliminates the need for the tag altogether.
OMG, you made me think of Lewis Black's CVS receipt rant (NSFW, so not posted here) and this from a few years ago:
http://youtu.be/6lrW1vedsz8
That video is priceless and delightful to watch, TMS.
rosarugosa
1-17-21, 3:05pm
Great video!
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