what are you doing right now?

[Deleted]

For the record, I am real.  AI is far more accurate and reliable than I am.  I wonder if AI will understand things like irony and sarcasm.  Some people don't either.  

[Opti]

May 11, 2023 15:35:23 GMT -5 soupandstew said:

Self-inflicted injury here.  I was lazy last night and didn't do my sinus flushing so woke up coughing around 4 am.  I never got back to sleep and I've been wheezing all day.  Loaded up my lunch tacos with hot sauce and at least I can breathe through my nose now.  

Do you Neti pot or similar every night?

[NomoreDramaQ1015]

I cannot do Net Pots after reading the story about brain amoebas.   DH was listing the reasons why it happened (using tap water, blah blah) and how it's rare. 

I said I don't care BRAIN AMOEBA.  Once I heard that can't unhear it.  It's one of the few areas in my life where logic cannot over ride the mental image.

[Pink Cashmere]

I am sitting in the garage with the doors up, watching the rain. I use to do the same thing at my first house, because the patio there was not covered, just like the deck here isn’t. But rain is kind of soothing to me, and I like being outside when it rains, as long as I won’t get wet in the process lol.

Both dogs are with me, neither one of them likes getting rained on, so I don’t have to worry about them running around, mostly Boy. Newbie can run around the yards as much as she wants, because she will come to me when I tell her too, Boy will not, so he doesn’t get that freedom. He keeps going to the front of the garage, but won’t go out of it because it’s raining.

[Pink Cashmere]

I guess I jinxed it talking about it in my last post, because as soon as I posted it, Boy ran out in the rain to the backyard. So he is in the house now and Newbie and I are still in the garage. She is laying next to me, where it’s safe and dry lol.

[countrygirl2]

I went to the last doc where I get my ozempic, this new insurance is great. $40 for each month, yeah, that's a huge decrease, so I'm very happy with Cigna, hope it stays the same.

But not good news on my glasses, they discontinued the frame, so I have to get a new set. These are older and I can't see as good. I had to change docs, my clinic closed, darn. So they have to transfer the records. And I can't get in to see a doc there till Feb so I made an appointment. Going to see what their prices are like, may get something beside Silouettes this time.

We have to price 2 beds for our bedroom. Hubs said we both used to sleep on a queen bed, but we are both so used to 2 XL twins this just makes me feel squashed, LOL!
I don't think we will buy tempurpedics again, it would be $10k for those. I just can't bring myself to do that. I'm thinking Serta or one of those have something about as good for less.

Ok, time to fix dinner for hubs.

[TheOtherMe]

May 11, 2023 12:41:31 GMT -5 andi9899 said:

May 10, 2023 20:55:09 GMT -5 TheOtherMe said:

Dad insisted on cutting, trimming and cleaning out the gutters every 3 days for as long as I could remember.  His attorney walked to work and walked past my parents house.  When dad was 88, the attorney told my mom it was time for him to stop.  What used to be a 2-3 hour job was now taking all day because he had to rest so much.  So dad found someone and he was willing to pay what it took to get the lawn looking like his standards.  I don't know what he paid, but the guy game every 3-4 days.  Took a while to get him properly trained, but it finally worked fine and he ended up doing the snow removal, too.

My lawn costs $25 for mowing and $60 for snow removal.  Neighbor does the lawn.  If it was a company, it would be about the same as the snow.

One day I came home and saw my grandpa on his roof doing something with one of the windows. I took a picture and sent it to my mom. Less than 5 minutes later my uncle had him on the phone yelling at him about being on the roof. Grandpa asked how he knew and he told him he had cameras planted around the house. He never did it again. Our houses are two stories and our roofs are what they call a widow maker. Why he thought that was a good idea is beyond me.

We never had to be concerned about dad being on a roof.  He (and I) have a fear of heights.  

We had a two story house in my hometown.  There is a picture of him in the late 50's on an extended ladder painting.  

I was told after being up there about 10 minutes, he slowly got down and my mom's brothers finished the painting.  

It was neighbors who took down the Dutch elm in Des Moines and did the roofing on the garage.

[daisylu]

DH uses NeilMed bottle and solution for nasal rinse every morning for his chronic sinuses - and at night if he is trying to fight something off. I use one occasionally, but mostly just use the saline in a can.

Always use distilled, heated water.

[Deleted]

May 11, 2023 17:15:07 GMT -5 daisylu said:

DH uses NeilMed bottle and solution for nasal rinse every morning for his chronic sinuses - and at night if he is trying to fight something off. I use one occasionally, but mostly just use the saline in a can.

Always use distilled, heated water.

I use the NeilMed bottle and little buffered saline packets.  However, I live life on the edge and use tap water.  It takes too much time to get hot water to my bathroom so it's pretty chilly during our cooler months which is definitely an eye-opener in the morning.  

[Pink Cashmere]

So Ava, I’ve been thinking about you saying you want a dog, and trying to figure out what to say to you about that.

First of all, from what I understand, you can leave a cat for a couple of days with food and water, and they will be okay. You can’t do that with dogs. They will eat all the food available to them asap, and they will need to go upside to pee and poop, whereas cats have litter boxes. 

To live with a dog in harmony, you have to put in a lot of work and effort when they are puppies or first come to your home. Dogs are usually very eager to please their people, but you have to take the time to work with them consistently, so they understand what you expect from them and the “rules” of your household. For me, when I had my 2 big dogs,  “consistently” was twice/day, before I went to work and when I came back home, for 10 or 15 minutes.

On the plus side, once you put all that time and effort into training them, if you did it right, they will have good manners and be easy to live with. 

I just want you to understand that getting to that point does require a lot of time and effort to train and teach them. And it can take months or even years to teach them how you expect them to behave in a variety of circumstances. It’s worth it in the end if you love dogs like I do, but it is a lot of work to get there. I bitch and moan about Boy being unruly, but that’s really our fault, for not taking the time we should, to work with him and train him. He’s eager to please, just like most dogs are, and the truth is that it’s not fair to expect him to “behave” when we haven’t put in the time ad work to teach him what that means for us. Him being so unruly is our fault, not his.

If you aren’t willing to walk a dog after nightfall, I’m not sure that you will be successful with training him/her to not pee and poop in your home. At my first house and this one, I had/have fences where I was/am able to let my dogs outside by themselves to do their business once they understood they are supposed to “go” outside. They go outside one last time before bedtime, and first thing in the morning. And even with that, I believe cleaning up their poop outside regularly is important, because dog poop will draw rats if they can’t find something else to eat.

I am not trying to discourage you about getting a dog, I am just sharing my experiences in hopes that you will take all of that into consideration before you get a dog.

[daisylu]

May 11, 2023 17:24:27 GMT -5 soupandstew said:

May 11, 2023 17:15:07 GMT -5 daisylu said:

DH uses NeilMed bottle and solution for nasal rinse every morning for his chronic sinuses - and at night if he is trying to fight something off. I use one occasionally, but mostly just use the saline in a can.

Always use distilled, heated water.

I use the NeilMed bottle and little buffered saline packets.  However, I live life on the edge and use tap water.  It takes too much time to get hot water to my bathroom so it's pretty chilly during our cooler months which is definitely an eye-opener in the morning.  

Like Drama said, brain amoeba. Odds are low, but we have the worst luck so not taking that chance.

Our bedroom is right off of the kitchen so it is easy for us, but I've thought of getting a baby bottle warmer for the bathroom.

[swamp]

I drove 300 miles for my work thingies today, and now I’m at the hotel where my seminar is tomorrow.  It’s a beautiful day to go for a walk, I don’t wanna.  I’m tired.  I dragged my ass to dinner, I found a hole in the wall Mexican restaurant.  It was very good. Only about 2 miles from the hotel. 

now I’m laying in the hotel,room in my underwear.  

I was contemplating going to the pool, but meh. 

[Pink Cashmere]

May 11, 2023 17:43:30 GMT -5 swamp said:

I drove 300 miles for my work thingies today, and now I’m at the hotel where my seminar is tomorrow.  It’s a beautiful day to go for a walk, I don’t wanna.  I’m tired.  I dragged my ass to dinner, I found a hole in the wall Mexican restaurant.  It was very good. Only about 2 miles from the hotel. 

now I’m laying in the hotel,room in my underwear.  

I was contemplating going to the pool, but meh. 

When I drove to New Orleans by myself last fall, I attended all of the functions my side gig employer had arranged for business and entertainment. 

But I also thoroughly enjoyed the very nice hotel room they paid for me to stay in, and made it my business to enjoy that to the upmost too.

Hole in the wall restaurants and clubs are the very best imo, if you can find them in whatever city you are visiting. There is a BBQ restaurant in the city I live close to, that is a hot spot for tourists. I don’t knock that restaurant because it brings in a lot of tourist dollars, but it is absolutely NOT the best restaurant in the area for BBQ. I’ve been there several times, so I’m not just hating on them. But if visitors to the city think their  BBQ is all that, I’m not mad about it. Spending money there benefits the area that restaurant is in so have at it.🙂

[NastyWoman]

May 11, 2023 17:09:31 GMT -5 countrygirl2 said:

...

But not good news on my glasses, they discontinued the frame, so I have to get a new set. These are older and I can't see as good. I had to change docs, my clinic closed, darn. So they have to transfer the records. And I can't get in to see a doc there till Feb so I made an appointment. Going to see what their prices are like, may get something beside Silouettes this time.

...

 It is barely May! That is like an entire pregnancy away! And people counter Medicare for all with "yea, but waiting lists".My goodness. 
Can you try whether you can find an eye doctor near your other house in the xum.er when you plan to be there again? You might not have any luck since that is quite soon but it won't hurt to check.

[daisylu]

I called last January to schedule an eye appointment with a new office. Earliest new patient was the last week of July, but this office more advanced than most so I was willing to wait, plus it wasn't an emergency.

If something is needed quickly, I would schedule with Pearle or Lenscrafters to get what I needed.

[Cookies Galore]

May 11, 2023 11:52:03 GMT -5 lurkyloo said:

Driveby posting.

DS has been obsessed with a youtube video where they roast an ostrich for a few weeks.  DH made the mistake of mentioning someone at work gave him an ostrich egg shell years ago, and sent DS into paroxysms of joy by actually finding it and bringing it home last night.

It hasn’t left his side except for school.  He’s named it Sheldon. 

Shelldon! The joke is right there!

[Ava]

I don't think I can fool anyone into believing I am AI.
With all the anxiety issues I'm having, the mistakes I make, etc. How can I fool anyone?
I'm a very real human being, for sure. 

[wvugurl26]

Eye doctor scheduling is quite ridiculous these days. Well most doctors are but I've had the most trouble with the eye clinic.

When I moved I changed to the clinic my MIL and SIL used. I loved the doctor I was assigned to. I saw her for several years. She left and I saw two new ones in back to back years.

Last year I was scheduled with a third new to me doctor although one that had been with the practice. She left before my appointment. I called to rebook and they literally had no one to offer me. They wouldn't book routine exams with the top two doctors and the only other doctor they were employing at the time had not been credentialed with my insurance agency. My insurance is with a Blue Cross affiliate and they are the top insurer in the area.

I may have told them that was absolutely ridiculous and if they couldn't offer me an eye doctor that I needed to find a new clinic who could.

While it's not readily apparent there's a parent company who owns several eye clinics around the area. I went to a sister clinic and saw a competent doctor. They were able to access my records. I liked them better anyway.

The original doctor from the first clinic is supposed to be opening her own practice locally this year.

[Deleted]

Grrrr.  Our dentist's office was damaged in a fire earlier this year and they had hoped to reopen but the landlord is a jerk.  I really like this dentist so now I have to schlep across town in heavy traffic (maybe 30-40 minutes each way on a good day) to see her twice a year.  DH will probably bail on her which is fine but I'm not helping him find a new dentist to bitch about.  He wanted to know more about what was going on, so I just forwarded him the email and told him to call her for more info.  I don't care about or need to know the nitty-gritty details of what happened and he doesn't either.  He never lasts more than a year or two with anyone without whining and moving on

[Ava]

Pink Cashmere and countrygirl2
Thank you for the advice. It's exactly what I needed to hear.

Priority number one is to be the best pet parent I can be. That means careful consideration of the potential pet's needs.
At this point, I'm understanding that dogs have needs I cannot fulfill.

I got enthusiastic because I've always wanted a dog. A dog that's been treated well is the  best companion, full of love, etc. That's what I need from a pet, particularly right now that I'm not in a good place.
I was spoilt with my first two cats, but with Michi I now see that cats are hit or miss.

I talked to my Argentinian friend today. She had a dog for 17 years and he died last year.
She said she still misses him, but she's not willing to get a dog again. She said the level of commitment, the amount of work, etc. She was limited in her traveling because of the dog's needs.
He was very sick the last 4 years of his life, and that meant frequent urination. She had to wake up more than once at night to go out with him. That affected her sleep badly.
She told me she's burned from the whole experience.

So I guess no dog for me. Don't have a pet if you cannot do what it needs from you.

It's just that my therapist tends to present things as if they were easy. You want a dog? What's stopping you from getting one? Go adopt a dog.
I'm not sold on her. She also talks a lot but doesn't really say much. On the other hand, she's a very warm person and I feel comfortable with her. I'm still getting to know her.

My Argentinian friend recommended I dedicate the rest of 2023 to do my best effort to fully bond with Michi. Talk to him, play with him, spend time with him. If by 2024 I still feel I need another pet, then think about getting a second cat, but let the refuge know you need help getting Michi to accept another cat.

I'll take that advice; it makes sense to me.

[Ava]

I'm surprised to hear eye doctor's appointments are taking that long.
I went to MyEyeDoctor's website and I had my appointment a week later.
Maybe it's a regional thing.

On the other hand, I still haven't booked a visit with a dermatologist. Last year, they were booking 9 months out. I wouldn't be surprised if I have to wait for a full year to see a dermatologist.

It's getting ridiculous. Oh, yes, the argument about Medicare for all and waiting times, and death panels, as if private insurance doesn't deny care. Don't make me laugh.

[countrygirl2]

Do any of you have a Sleep Number bed and if so what do you think of it?

[Ava]

Well, I'm ready for my trip.
House cleaned, luggage ready, etc.
Looking forward to it so much.

Still haven't heard from my manager regarding the December-January vacation. 
He called me today angry about something. He's getting really cranky lately. There's a lot of pressure at work now. I wish I could just retire.

[NomoreDramaQ1015]

As I watched the boys HS track team go by my brain decided to point out I'm now old enough to be their mother.

When the hell did that happen?!

[Opti]

May 11, 2023 16:22:08 GMT -5 NomoreDramaQ1015 said:

I cannot do Net Pots after reading the story about brain amoebas.   DH was listing the reasons why it happened (using tap water, blah blah) and how it's rare. 

I said I don't care BRAIN AMOEBA.  Once I heard that can't unhear it.  It's one of the few areas in my life where logic cannot over ride the mental image.

Because of that story I always boil the water and then let it cool and then use. Boiling the water is supposed to kill them.

[NomoreDramaQ1015]

May 11, 2023 19:12:51 GMT -5 Opti said:

May 11, 2023 16:22:08 GMT -5 NomoreDramaQ1015 said:

I cannot do Net Pots after reading the story about brain amoebas.   DH was listing the reasons why it happened (using tap water, blah blah) and how it's rare. 

I said I don't care BRAIN AMOEBA.  Once I heard that can't unhear it.  It's one of the few areas in my life where logic cannot over ride the mental image.

Because of that story I always boil the water and then let it cool and then use. Boiling the water is supposed to kill them.

Uh-huh but I don't KNOW it's dead and I won't know I was wrong till it ate me.

Then I'll end up on a episode of 1000 ways to die.

Nope nope nope

[Deleted]

I would just love to find an optometrist or dentist that would not slap a blood pressure cuff on me the minute I walk through the door and tell me I have high blood pressure.  You think?  If I didn't, I certainly would knowing this is what I face every damn time.  Yes, HBP is an issue and I see a primary care and we work on it.  And then there's the whole dilation thing.  It takes hours and hours for that to wear off so I'm going to sit in your office until it does.  No, I'm not taking an Uber home, leaving my car in the unguarded parking lot, and Ubering back tomorrow.  No, I'm not driving even with your little plastic covers for my glasses.  

[chiver78]

May 11, 2023 19:22:35 GMT -5 soupandstew said:

I would just love to find an optometrist or dentist that would not slap a blood pressure cuff on me the minute I walk through the door and tell me I have high blood pressure.  You think?  If I didn't, I certainly would knowing this is what I face every damn time.  Yes, HBP is an issue and I see a primary care and we work on it.  And then there's the whole dilation thing.  It takes hours and hours for that to wear off so I'm going to sit in your office until it does.  No, I'm not taking an Uber home, leaving my car in the unguarded parking lot, and Ubering back tomorrow.  No, I'm not driving even with your little plastic covers for my glasses.  

I *finally* trained the intake nurses at the practice I used prior to moving south. put that BP on a post-it note, and I'll ask the Dr to re-take as I'm leaving. it will be orders of magnitude levels of different. and then I moved south. I also figured out in the last month or so, that the primary care Dr I haven't seen in 8y has left that practice. so I need to make some calls to figure out where my (minimal...) records are. 

[Pink Cashmere]

I turned on music in our bedroom before I got in the shower. I also got the diffuser going with some relaxing essential oils.

When I got out the shower, I went and asked Mister something about dinner that’s cooking, he’s cooking pork chops in the oven, and I worked my magic on some broccoli, that’s in the oven too. He seemed irritated when I asked about it, so I left it alone. The mood I’m in right now, all of it can burn to a crisp and I won’t care. I’m halfway scared to eat anything these days anyway, so whatever.

So now I’m in the bedroom lounging, with the lamps turned low and music playing and the diffuser going with rosemary and lavender essential oils.

I don’t really care about dinner and whether or not I eat, because with all the issues I’ve been having, not eating for a day or 2 seems to be the the only thing I can do to have the best chance that I can function like a normal human being and try to go to work.

[countrygirl2]

A major clinic here decided to close down. It was affiliated with a hospital so I'm sure the clinics scattering all over the city is really being affected. They chose to keep some specialty eye docs but got rid of the optometrists and the glass shop. They were very very good. I never had issues with their glasses or fitting as has DD. I really hate that we lost that, but since covid a lot of places are still closing. I think it blew their bottom lines and they are just cutting instead of dealing with it.

Now my heart doctor I just got comfortable with is leaving too. I'm sure doctors are having issues like the rest of us. So many with monumental debt they have to pay and other issues.

Health care since covid is even in more disarray then it was before. Scary as hell to me.