(Old) Spot-ify: The MMP That's The Cat's Meow

Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
201

Well, yeah, once we retire, we all get Alzheimer’s and lose control of our bodily functions, plus we produce copious amounts of drool… or is that just me??

Seriously, tho, I noticed that with some of the Hospice workers who came here for MIL, and I’m sure it’s partly because they do deal with a lot of dementia patients. But it sure seems patronizing to me.

FCD got a text from a former coworker who needs someone to do thermal analysis on an antenna installation. He replied “Sure, I charge $X/hr. Let me know.” So we’ll see. Even several years in retirement, his reputation lives on…

Dishwasher is empty and I ingested some leftovers for lunch. I bought a pork roast kit at Aldi the other day - that’ll be supper. I should probably take a peek at the directions so I know when to start it. In fact, I’ll do that now.

202

what a great idea; she will be tickled. Take some kleenex as well as she may start crying.
As far as the colors, since it appears that in each open space, there are 3 cells to fill, I was originally thinking “silver, blue bead, silver”. But upon more thought I’m voting gold as it will spice it up and will look like fireworks. But you do you.

I’m wondering if anyone else knows who Tim H is, except possibly doggio.

So glad you were able to post today. I 100% support you not signing. Perhaps send your reply back with :spoon: :spoon: :spoon: J/K, likely wouldn’t be received as intended.
I’m sending my best to you as well. Hang in there. :people_hugging:

I’m sorry your tablet is acting goofy. My issue is that occasionally when I am typing replies, my computer takes me back to a previous screen; so annoying.

cookie OMGosh, that is totally unacceptable!!! I can’t even imagine. How the blank could they not have an emergency contact available to respond to that kind of emergency!!! I would have had a hard time biting my tongue to keep from cursing at that person. lt would be bad enough for young, healthy people but with elderly residents, you have got to be kidding me that that was the response.

Haven’t made it through all the posts but have to post about that egregious response to the heat emergency.

203

Afternoon all. Stopped at Walgreens and asked about discarding the pain medicine like BBBoo suggested. The gentleman at the counter checked with the pharmacist, and said it was ok to put them in the return container (which TBH is a rather hulking thing that is hard to get at). I also asked about some empty bottles I had from previous prescriptions, if they could be recycled, and he just reached over and presented me with a trashcan, so now I know what to do with them… Then got my Turbo Tax at Staples, they don’t sell the CD’s anymore, you get a 16-digit code that you enter on-line to download it, so that is the planned mission for either Friday or Saturday. Eating cheesedogs with Gatorade and will head off to the gym in a little bit.

FCM, glad to hear there is no pain; had the same result from the hernia surgery, guess they are getting better at this…

Cookie, I’d go ahead and volunteer anyway, worst they can say is no…I take that back, worst they can do is ignore things even more and figure you’ll take care of it…

shoe, sounds like progress; hope it continues. And ice cream helps anything.

Flyboy, the hummingbirds thank you for your beneficence…

doggio, sounds like it was FUBAR Wednesday…

I’m guessing it is TIm Horton’s.

And now to see what the afternoon brings.

204

Tim Horton’s?

If I’m right, not bad for an Iowa girl.

205

Tim Horton’s.

A bit of f. rain last night so everything had a nice sheet of ice. I’m staying home today. I’ve spent a good part of the morning on Reddit. Makes me appreciate my quiet life.

206

*metal mouse I’m sorry. Normally you give good advice but in this case; the health and safety of elderly residents, more is needed to be done then just a letter to management.

cookie I would suggest a call to the Mayor’s office to alert them to the inadequecy of the response to a heat emergency; they will likely direct the call to the department that is responsible for rentals in the City but at least they will know about it. If building management does not agree to have 24/7 emergency contact in case of this kind of emergency, then contact your local TV station.

I now see that the heat was back on this morning. I would not let management get away with not addressing this by having a 24/7 emergency contact for the all night office person to use in case of a health and wellness emergency. Not having heat all night when it’s 5* outside is crap.

shoe I’m sorry to say that heartburn/acid reflux doesn’t just go away forever. Here is a link:
[What causes heartburn - from the Mayo Clinic]
(Heartburn - Symptoms & causes - Mayo Clinic)
Scroll down to see the risk factors. Another one not mentioned is if you lay down on your back shortly after eating. This is what happens to me. So, I try to eat at least 4 hrs before I’m going to bed. Forgot several weeks ago and had a horrible time of it.

Hubs had to take his car in yesterday because the Check Engine light came on again and the shop said the part needed had come in. I asked him to go across the street from the shop to the middle eastern bakery and purchase a chocolate croissant for me. Had it for breakfast this morning. Yum! :yum:
They found another issue when working on the car so he will take it back in when the part needed comes in. I’m looking forward to another chocolate :croissant:

Addressed some envelopes last evening, need to get them to the mailbox today.

Not surprised that wet one (Illinois) and metal mouse (formerly Ohio) know about Tim Horton’s. Good for Iowa girl, didn’t realize there might have been Tim H’s in Iowa or knowing about Canadian icers.

207

I wanted to check to make sure that the hummingbird feeder and heater (and a new space heater for the bathroom) are on track to be delivered tomorrow.

I shouldn’t have. I’d forgotten that I’d ordered Findus Plants Meatballs on January 19th, and I saw the expected delivery date is February 19th. I would have been surprised, but now I’ve spoiled it.

208

Given my recent, uh, rather spectacular tummy activities, I suspect that I tore/strained/irritated my throat-pipe.

@BippityBoppityBoo does that sound plausible? I suppose I could ask Dr. Google, but I trust your experience and wisdom far more than some anonymous yahoo on the Internet.

:wink:

Oh, man, the real deal is so good!

For a quick’n’dirty version, tuck a piece of chocolate into a whomp croissant as you’re rolling it up.

You have interesting taste in reading materials.

Having a colander for a memory is useful sometimes. I’d have forgotten all about it again by then.

209

Thanks~it’s because the Iowa girl reads a lot, a lot a lot. Two of my favorite authors, Louise Penny and Patricia Cornwell set their novels or at least some main characters in Canada. I know far too much esoterica about mischief, murder and mayhem in our far better neighbors to the north. Arcane details about curling and ice jockey I blame on my Saskatoon-raised son-in-law.

And no, no Tim’s in Iowa (or Nebraska). I’ve seen TH coffee in bags or K-cups at the grocery store but never tried it. I’m pretty attached to Caribou coffee, which is at least north but not that north.

And you don’t want to get me started on scones (N.O.S.- not our Scones). I can really carry on about scones, exceeded only by my nattering on about kolaches.

210

I do believe the truck is truly dead. My mechanic buddy says the replacement of a head gasket on that thing is +/- $3k, or a new engine at 4-5k. In a nearly 20 year old truck with 227k on it, KBB indicates a value of 3800, not worth it to fix. Now I need to find a new ride, and figure out how to get rid of the Taco.

I thought things were looking up for a little while…

211

Started Typing: 2:05 PM ET
Clicked Reply: 2:57 PM ET

Bailey threw up (a little) first thing this morning and then slept until 1pm, but has since eaten everything in her bowl and now seems to be back to “normal”…phew! I’m not sure about the reason for the sudden GI distress, but my guess is that the long sleep was because it rained all morning. I think this weather bothers her arthritis; plus, I’ve had the oil heater running in the home office so it’s been nice and cozy in here all day.

I am fairly umotivated this afternoon. I’m glad work is quiet: if things were busy I’d probably still be writing this, just also feeling some guilt. :wink:

Many moons ago, I switched all of my bills from paper to electronic: I have a “Bill Notices” folder in Gmail, and that’s where they go as they come in. (These days I could pay them when I get them, but I’m lazy.) Then, every two weeks – the Saturday morning after payday – I go through that folder and pay everything that’s due before the next paycheck. I also have an Excel spreadsheet that notes which bills should come out of which future checks (it shows 3-4 months at a time). It started life as my budget, but these days it’s a tracker. It has saved me a few late fees over the years, when one company or another screwed up and didn’t sent a bill notice but I still knew a payment was due thanks to the spreadsheet. Anyway, I use that and the Gmail folder to keep myself straight.

I, too, was able to guess “Tim Horton’s” even though I’ve never been to or lived near one. Not only have I read enough books/watched enough shows set in (or referencing) Canada, it’s now also available in New Jersey and West Virginia. :slight_smile:

OMG…I am so sorry! :frowning:

Phew! :smiley:

I love that! :joy: I have to try to remember to use that instead of “staycation” the next time I take one.

That’s a good sign… :slight_smile:

Ugh. I’m sorry.

I just saw an alert that the deadline has been extended to at least Monday. It’s good for a few reasons, one of them being that the agency I support was originally told they were ineligible – but that got reversed yesterday! Talk about scrambling! I really, really feel for my customer these days. I’m glad you aren’t taking it, though. I worry for those who do.

That date is almost two weeks away…maybe you’ll forget again? :slight_smile:

(sorta ninja’d by shoe!)

I can’t believe the next Gamache book is still 8 months away… :sob:

212

Tearing is unlikely, straining possible but usually only with sustained bouts of harsh vomiting over days. Irritating is most likely the culprit, with a couple of days of feeling punk, little food in your tummy for the stomach acids to work on so they work on you, or more precisely the delicate mucus membrane lining your esophagus, leaving it raw, touchy, peeved and crotchety. Add in those bouts of reflux or a bit of regurgitation and your esophagus just demands to be left alone and unmolested so that delicate membrane lining can heal. Fortunately mucus membranes heal fast so just a few days of coddling it should work.

Goal is to buffer acid (so tums or rolaids or even better I think, a liquid antacid like Mylanta or Gaviscon works faster). I’m not a big fan of Pepto-Bismol, not as effective as antacids and is more of an old school shotgun approach than a targeted relief like Tums or Mylanta.

Avoid acidic foods like tomato based sauces, high-fat or fast foods. If you do pizza skip the red sauce. Avoid caffeine drinks and highly spiced foods. Herbal teas are fine. Milk and yogurt are great buffers. Bananas are good. Avoid carbonated drinks for a while but drink lots of other herbal teas, broths, etc. some folks find ginger, as in ginger tea or ginger chews to be helpful.

Try to avoid laying down flat to sleep within 2 or 3 hours of eating. Nap or snooze sitting up or at least propped up on pillows.

For a few days of edibles instead of smoking to lessen any irritation to your throat from smoke. Preventative frozen yogurt or premium ice cream couldn’t hurt.

213

What is it, or what’s it for?

214

Howdy Y’all! Eggs Up did not have a surcharge for aigs, in case anyone was wonderin’. I had expected to see some dramatic price increases since we were last there, but not really. I was glad cause I had a gnawin’ and a cravin’ for their traitorous crabs. I downloaded a book of meditations from Eastern Orthodox teachings compiled by an ex Archbishop of Canterbury and began reading. I entertain myself in weird ways. We also achieved nappage and day drinkin’.

MOOOOOOM a poke loin kit? That sounds like sump’n from Ikea. I went to an Ikea sto’ once. I had Swedish meatballs, but I didn’t have to assemble them first. What tools would be needed to assemble a poke loin?

215

I am finally feeling recovered from the flu other than a lingering cough.

Oliver, however, decided that I couldn’t feel too good so soon… We were playing fetch, and he got a little over eager and tried to swipe the toy out of my hand. He must be diligently sharpening his murder mittens, because one claw sunk in just enough and in just the perfect spot to nick an artery on the side of my hand. Cue a frantic run to the bathroom with blood spurting everywhere. I had to clean some off the living room wall afterwards. It stopped bleeding externally pretty quickly, but must have continued to bleed under the skin. The right half of the back of my hand has a deep bruise and it’s swollen quite a bit. I immediately cleaned the tiny nail puncture well with rubbing alcohol and there’s no sign of infection at least.

I had no idea cats would be such a danger to my health. :roll_eyes:

I am so sorry - I cannot imagine how frustrated you are that this could have been repaired if just one more step had been taken by the doctors. I do hope you’re able to figure out a solution that gets you comfortably (and safely!) in the saddle.

Paintcharge sorry about the truck. I hope you’re able to find a reasonable solution. You deserve to catch a break.

Metal Mouse you lucked out on the debit card!!

dogbutler Thank you for the cute cartoon, I needed a smile.

Can you put something under the feet of your frame to elevate the head of the bed ~5 inches or so? Some wood or books would work. That will help a lot for heartburn but still let you sleep on your side.

I hope you feel better soon!

{{{taters}}} Being a government worker is thankless at the best of times… so thank you for doing what you do, and not giving in.

Subtitles will really help. When I haven’t watched any British shows in a while I have to start off with the subtitles on until I get an ear for the accent again.

Have you considered using www.freetaxusa.com instead? There’s no charge to file federal, and only $15 to file state. It doesn’t matter how many forms you need either, the price doesn’t change. I’ve found it also easier to navigate than TurboTax.

216

Too much to do in too little time, so naturally, I’m on the MMP!

Trying to stay reasonably sane these days is like treading molasses. I’m no longer skipping the news, as it affects people near and dear to me. I won’t even say whom, as I don’t want to endanger anyone’s job. I can’t believe I’m even having to say that now. After November, I felt like we sane ones were bracing for an inevitable crash, and then when it hit, it just kept going. This isn’t about politics any more.

Way back when I was teaching eighth grade, the 7th grade teacher in the next classroom and I had a tacit understanding: at the end of a rough day with the kiddos, one of us would stick our heads in the other’s classroom and just yell, then quietly leave again. No words exchanged. If I type “AAAAAGH!” you’ll know it’s just the current national situation getting to me.

I’m trying to find a form that will let me keep track of my brother’s post-op meds once I get out there. I’ve made my own when I was caring for my mom after her appendectomy and my sister after HER knee replacement, but I thought a form would be easier, but I can’t find one I like. I want to be able to fill in the dates before printing it out, and then I could daily list each medication, when given, and when the next dose is due. I never really learned how to make forms, which would have been faster.

Taters, I hope you can check in now and then. I HATE what’s happening to you federal employees and am SO angry about the whole mess that AAAAAGH! It’s not only unfair, it’s inefficient and against what used to be our principles. (Geez, the anger keeps leaking out.) Please know that I’ll be thinking about you daily and hoping you can weather the storm or tsunami or whatever it is. I feel like we’re sending you off to war. {{{{{Taters}}}}} Also :saluting_face:

Boo, I’m so grateful you dispense such good advice to us Mumpers! Worth your weight in gold, you are, and then some.

swampy, I’m also so grateful for your daily posts. I find them calming to read about your plans and what you’re having for dinner and what’s up over at the church house. I don’t mean to make it sound like you can never growl. I’m just glad you’re among us.

VanGogh, &@!#%$! on the truck being as expensive as you’d feared. If I were rich, you’d have a shiny new vehicle in your driveway. I’m keeping my fingers crossed for you. You’re too good a guy to be having such a rough time.

*Am I the only one with this fantasy? I revamp Boo’s house (Plumbing, heating, roof, etc.), including a new stove so she can cook, plus I arrange to pay her property taxes and for all her meds, and hire a comforting cook/housekeeper to do her bidding. I set up a trust for Coppertone so food, shelter, and medical care are never an issue. I arrange for FCM’s BIL to be stashed in a nice facility where he gets 24/7care and monitoring–oh, and it’s in Fiji. Catglovegets a generous stipend, doggio gets his pay tripled (and a stern note to the imbecilic PTB). Oopsie gets paid generously to sing and make Lego art. shoe gets a lovely home with all that’s needed for the care of cats, rats, and snakes, plus superb health insurance and a comforting cook who makes all her favorite dishes (and cajoles her into eating them), which the magic money also covers. And that’s just the start. Everybody gets something! Oh, and besides the shiny new vehicle, VanGo gets his own fully-equipped workshop and all his bills paid.

217

Ha! :joy:

And I’m glad there was no surcharge at Eggs Up!

Not. At. All. :slight_smile:

My “things I want to do when I win a ridiculously huge lottery” daydreams have definitely extended to include y’all!

218

This made me tear up.

219

I’ve heard about it in various threads tho I’ve never been to one, nor are there any in Merrylande. It looks like the closest one to me was in Dover, DE but it’s now gone. There are some in PA which I suppose are the next closest.

This is the kit. The only thing in it that I wouldn’t have on hand is its spices packet, not that I couldn’t DIY one. But for $9 and a few hours in the oven, it was a quick, easy, and relatively cheap meal. And quite tasty! They have a similar kit for beef pot roast - that one costs $12, but again, convenient and tasty.

I need to figure out how to set them, tho I generally hate them. I wind up reading instead of watching the show.

That’s what I used - both last year and this. If only they’re reminded me about the one form I’d missed… :stuck_out_tongue:

You’re a genius!!! Fiji had never occurred to me!

Unfortunately, FCD can’t let it go. No, he’s not going to let BIL live here, but he’s doing some kind of planning. I keep telling him to let the case working and them folks deal with it. Until they contact us, it makes no sense the dwell on it. And one thing I find odd - tho BIL says they’re evicting him, FCD has always gotten a phone call regarding his brother, but he didn’t this time. So maybe BIL misunderstood the letter? I don’t know. I just wish he’d let go. Yeah, I know, it’s his brother, but we both know anything we try to do will only end badly one way or another. And there’s that whole brotherly-hate thing.

And so it goes. I’ll take my grouchy and assume the recliner position for a while.

220

Which one? Rowan Williams? I have a shirt with his silhouette on it.