Saturday, May 3

[Shirlv]

Morning all, gonna be a warm 85 today and thunderstorms this evening. Pollen is still heavy. I was up early, so thought I would start the morning coffee no plans for today just playing with the TV and the microphone be safe.

[Colliemom]

Morning Shirl and all. Shirl, I was just thinking the other day while I was out cleaning g up the last of Winter debris in my yard, that it won’t be long before pollen starts and tree seeds start falling, and I’ll have to clean up again ah, life in the woods.

It’s cloudy here and 40°. Been a couple of damp chilly days, although yesterday afternoon was dry and not too bad, so the girls and I had a nice long walk. I think we are supposed to see some sun later on today and hit around 50°.

Speaking of dogs. I too have nobody to watch my dogs if want to go somewhere overnight. Like you Beth, they have never been away from me either, except when I went downstate overnight to a cousins funeral. My two cousins by marriage were still up here and one came to let them out and feed them etc., but they have both moved back downstate, so that took care of that. I take them with me one day trips or depending on where I am going and what I want to do, sometimes I leave them or have to leave them home. If it’s a long day thing, I will ask neighbors to let them out.

Karen, there’s an old trick I used to keep water cold when I worked outside in hot weather at the park and that was to freeze a gallon jug of water and keep that with me all day. I drove a John Deere Gator in my job and I just kept the jug on the Gator. It gradually thawed out as the day went on, so it was always cold. Working around the yard here now, I keep a bottle of water in the garage or on my tractor if I’m using that. It’s been cool enough for it to stay cool, but I think I will go back to freezing one again when the warmer weather starts.

Sandi, is there anyway to can set up house on the lower level of your house temporarily if you get the hip surgery done? Like move a bed downstairs or something. I don’t know if you have a bathroom on that level or not. I’m sure you will have home health care coming in too. All that walking you have done, should have you in good physical shape and you may bounce back faster than you think. I know people who have had hip replacements and They have done amazingly well in a short period of time. I think the idea of a dog Walker might be good too.

Judy, glad you are starting to feel a bit better. I thought of you yesterday when I saw Thry have reopened Hartwick Pines State Park from the ice storm,although some areas are still closed.

Nothing much on my agenda today. Going over to neighbors to tell her about my meeting with new financial planner as she has been goi g to same one I was and thinking of changing too. First though, I want to change my bd, get a load of lau dry going and do some dusting in the house.

[OregonLuvr]

WAIT, I DONT THINK IT IS SEPTEMBER YET. DANG way to screw with an old lady tee hee Gave me a good chuckle tho


Good morning. I was up early this morning 5am just was done sleeping. Looks like we might have got a little rain last night but do not think too much. Just had a couple of wet spots on the deck. Will take whatever we get. No rain predicted for today but dont think I need to water today. Have one bush to plant and depending on how my back feels might haul a couple more bags of soil to the far end of my yard in my Gorilla cart. Sure cant carry them as they are wet so very heavy. They were wet when I bought them so must have been sitting outside for a while.
I will go buy my tomato plants this coming week and then plant my onion sets and seeds for beets and beans. That is it for me this year other than my flowers.

Need to change my bed today too and do a couple of loads of laundry. Need to forage in my freezer for something for dinner. Might make a lasagna today we shall see. I need to cook my beets so will drag out the Instant Pot and get them going. Only takes about 30 minutes and they are cooked just right. Now I am mulling what to have for breakfast. Think I will make some homemade hash browns with a couple of eggs. Need to get the potatoes shredded and soaking. I took out a pack of bacon to cook later on in the oven. Not much else to report here.

[Shirlv]

lol an old lady posted that by mistake. Guess your eyesight is better than mine.lol s. My bad.

[Colliemom]

BJ, you can find Exward Jon’s financial advisors in your area by just looking up Edward Jones Financial advisors in Carbondale area. If there are more than ones they will show up. Read their biography’s to get an idea what credentials, education etc. They have and where their specialities are. Sone are CFP which means Certified Financial Lanner and they operate a bit different from advisors. My new gal is a CFP and for retired people who have, I think they are a better choice than just a licensed advisor. I saw the big difference with my new one as opposed to my old one who is not a CFP. It is good to let them know your overall assets when you first meet like how much you have in banks accounts and other accounts outside Edward Jons so they have an overall picture of your financial health. We discussed my concerns, worries, needs etc and went over my portfolio with a fine tooth comb. I think that for those who are retired, thry are a good way to go. Sone of you have mentioned not worrying about being in for the lng term. You don’t Ned to spend your money down before you leave this round ball call d earth. If nothing else, designate it for philanthropy.

Here’s an overview of the differences.

A financial advisor typically focuses on specific financial areas like investments, insurance, or retirement, often providing transactional advice for immediate needs. A financial planner, on the other hand, takes a more comprehensive, holistic approach, developing long-term financial strategies that encompass various aspects like retirement planning, estate planning, and tax optimization.
Here's a more detailed breakdown:
Scope of Advice:
Financial advisors often specialize in specific products or services, while financial planners offer a wider range of advice, encompassing various aspects of a client's financial life.
Focus:
Financial advisors may concentrate on investment performance or insurance needs, while financial planners consider the bigger picture, including retirement planning, debt management, and estate planning.
Relationship Length:
Financial advisors may have shorter, more transactional relationships, while financial planners typically have longer-term relationships with their clients, often involving regular meetings.
Planning Process:
Financial advisors might offer advice on specific investment products or insurance policies, while financial planners develop comprehensive financial plans tailored to the client's specific needs and goals.
Credentials:
While financial advisors may hold various licenses required for selling investments, financial planners often have designations like Certified Financial Planner (CFP) certifications.

[Redetotry]

It is raining off and on here and a chilly 54 degrees plus very windy. Is seems as though the weather has been bad every Saturday since the farmers market opened.

Sue, the advisor we see is a CFP and was recommended by another retired advisor plus a couple of friends. It took them 3 months to transfer our accounts from Vanguard and i sat beside his assistant for at least a total of 8 hours helping her! It did not involve that many accounts. I chose the first level of assistance so if I ask questions he reminds me which level we picked and offers no advice. He is rarely in his office and the the times I've talked to him it's mostly been with him on his cell phone as he has been traveling. There aren't that many CFP planners in the area to choose from. It does cost when one changes from one brokerage to another but I'm thinking of going back to Vanguard which he says he can't buy their funds for me.

Liz, if you are having problems with deer you can cut up bars of Irish Spring soap, put it in mesh bags and hang around your flowers. If you just put out the bars it doesn't seem to work. I can't stand the smell of it so It is up to DH to put it out.

Barbie I'm so glad you had a really good trip. No wonder you were tired when you got home you did a lot of walking. Karen do you ever make roasted beets? I made them once and liked them but I just don't cook much anymore.

[JudyJB]

Sandi, how about getting a hospital bed moved into your main level? Do you have a kitchen and bathroom on a level with space for a hospital bed? That would make it easier to get into and out of bed. Ditto for a raised toilet seat. When I had my knees replaced, I had an entrance door with a push-button opening and locking system, but it was 13 stairs down to the entrance level. I put a sign on the door and told visitors to call me for the code. (I had a permanent code and one for guests I could change often.) It really made it easy to have nurses and others visit.

I really like very cold water, so I used to freeze water bottles and then put one in my lunch. It acted as a giant ice cube and kept things cold until lunch, plus then provided me with very cold drinking water all day! I have some freezable water bottles I use now and keep about 3-4 of them frozen. When I go out for a walk, I put one in a bottle sling and have cold water all the time.

Have been having headaches and my blood pressure was high this morning, so I am skipping the Muscinex and using my albuterol inhaler for a day or so. It was a little better an hour or so after I took my morning meds, so that was good. I am really getting tired of all of this. Breakfast was homemade banana nut bread and some chicken soup.

[Shirlv]

Sandi, I have had many surgeries over the years and slept in a power recliner. In fact, I’m still sleeping in the recliner now it is an option.

[BarbaraRose]

Getting late here but thought I would jump on quick.

Got up this morning and dumped my tanks. It was already getting hot out by 11am so I didn't do any more outside. Spent part of the day deleting over 600 emails, with more yet to go thru . It's been awhile since I have gone thru and cleaned out my email folder. Ordered a couple things from Amazon; vitamins and such. I didn't get to WM today. Will do that tomorrow. I did order and pick up a pizza from Little Caesars. Haven't had pizza in a long time and it was good. Still have over half of it left for tomorrow.

Tomorrow is supposed to only be in the mid 70's so I can do more outside stuff. Altho, they are talking about the possibility of rain tomorrow too, so will see if that happens or not. Monday and Tuesday look like nice, clear, cool days too, before it starts heating back up again.

I have been using my new vent fan in my bedroom at night. It is very nice to have that cool air coming in, since even with the windows open, there usually is no breeze at night. Today, I heard a noise coming from it and looked up to see a dove standing on the cover (which of course is clear). I was hoping he wouldn't poop on it! It looks like he did tho.

Off to la la land!

[Liz]

Liz, if you are having problems with deer you can cut up bars of Irish Spring soap, put it in mesh bags and hang around your flowers. If you just put out the bars it doesn't seem to work. I can't stand the smell of it so It is up to DH to put it out.
.

The deer just laughed at all the Irish Spring shavings I scattered all around the plants and kept on nibbling the flowers down to the roots. I did save two hanging plants by taking them down at night and storing them in a storage bin with the bird feeders I take down due to raccoons. I love living in the country, and seeing the critters, so will adapt.

[monik7]

Sue, thanks for your question about sleeping on the lower level of my house after any surgery. I definitely could do that and there is a bathroom on that level too. The problem is if I also want access to the kitchen. It’s on the middle level of my home. That’s 7 steps above the lowest level where you suggested sleeping. I’m not sure if I’m alone how I could get up those 7 stairs and then back down after any surgery.

I had an appointment today and the doctor is considering whether my problem/pain might be in my spine rather than in the leg joint. That would make a big difference in how to proceed. All I know now is that I have a lot of pain and I sure hope they will come to a correct conclusion as to what the problem is and how to proceed.

Thank you Sue and to all who have followed my problem, suggested ideas on how to manage getting around my home if I have to have surgery, etc. Right now there’s nothing scheduled until June 3 when I’ll get a cortisone shot. I’ll keep you all posted. Since I live alone, it’s very comforting to know there are others out there who can provide some suggestions, ideas, etc. as I try to get through this.

Sandi