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Morning All, last 40° temps for a while. Yesterday’s winter sowing was a dismal failure. The potting mix was a bag of soaking wet mess. I threw a tantrum, then went to local hardware store for a bag of dry soil to mix with wet and there was not a bag in the store. Came home and pouted all night. I do my best thinking while I’m asleep. Woke up and remembered I have vermiculite in my balcony stash to mix with wet soil. I only have today before freezing temps tomorrow. I know everyone is anxious to see if I am successful. I thought I could only use jugs for winter sowing but found a good article on containers. Luckily I like chocolate candy and saved the plastic containers. Wish I had more interesting news but this is my life. Be safe.

Morning! I only got maybe 4 hours sleep last night. Just couldn't get to sleep. Oh well. I need to get a good walk with Ty in while it's still under 70. Today they are saying we'll hit 80 or so before dropping 15 to 20 degrees again tomorrow. It's winter in the Texas valley.

Shirl, I know you'll be successful. I have every confidence in you even with the set backs.

I had something else I particularly wanted to say, but have totally lost it. I'll just tell you all how much I love this fantastic group of loving, supporting women. Our numbers are dwindling but I've never seen such a wonderful group here as we have here to support each other no matter our beliefs, etc.

Good afternoon Shirl, Beth and all that check in!

Shirl, I too, know you can handle and do anything you want to. You amaze me with the things you have done.

It's been chilly in central FL in the mornings and we'll get into the high 60's this afternoon.

Brenda, Steve & I went to Tarpon Springs yesterday and had a fun day there. The town is very busy and the restaurant we went to served us each a wonderful meal. Next week we are planning a trip to Plant City for some strawberry short cake.

We personally know 5 people that have the Omicron variant of Covid, so please continue staying safe.

Good morning everyone! Sorry you didn't sleep we'll Beth! Mandy and I slept our usual 5-6 hours and the bright sun streaming through the window woke us. It's already 51, after dipping to 39 overnight . I'll be catching up on FB, then heading to Curves. When I return, it will be the final push to clear the kitchen/ dining room table and floor, then tomorrow my most worrisome task, clearing my hutch and cleaning it, so it can be moved and new floor finished. Once the floor is complete, including new baseboard to replace the vinyl wrapped cheap stuff that's original to the house, I will start emptying all cupboards one at a time, then putting lining in (I never did that when we hurriedly moved in as my Mom was quickly reaching the day I needed to move her in with us.) I'll put back only what I will use and love. It's amazing, how, out of sight, out of mind, let's the useless stuff multiply. The shelves were all varnished and nice, so I just didn't think of it, but now I have time. Lots to get rid of with my moving from plastic food storage to mostly glass. I have Tupperware that's over 40 years old! Time for it to retire! with luck, by the time I'm done, I'll have space to spare, plus the sunroom will be empty.
Have a good day everyone.
Velda

Sheila, make sure the hospital has billed all of your mom's insurance before she gets upset and start to make payments. Those bills can be confusing. And two of my granddaughters (ages 13 and 14) came down with COVID after our family get-together. All were vaccinated and boosted, so very mild cases, but they have to finish their quarantine which is frustrating to them.

It is sunny for the first day in several and there is no rain forecast until Sunday, so I am going out for a bike ride. And tomorrow, i have to go out and pick up a package that I ordered--three home test kits. Also need to pick up a couple of grocery items I missed a couple of days ago and mail a letter. High of only 69 today, so am going to need to get out a heavy sweatshirt!

One thing about this campground that surprised me when I got here is the growth of plants here. This campground was built about 10 years ago on land that was heavily damaged by a hurricane, so there was nothing growing taller than a couple of feet the other two times I stayed here. It has been about 5-6 years, and now the sea grape shrubs are 10' tall. This substantially reduces my old lady snooping of neighbors!!

Good morning gals.

Got a text yesterday from my manager asking if I could work today from 1-5. I said I would. I am really glad it wasn't a morning shift she was asking for because I am having bathroom issues this morning. I took the last of my antibiotics last night so hopefully, this will be a short-lived problem. Took some Pepto. Still feeling bloated and crampy.

Was planning to get some things done around here before going in to work but probably not gonna happen now. After work, I will try to trap Snoopy the black and white kitty. He was here about 3am verbally fighting on the deck with the tabby cat. I shooed them both off and didn't hear anything after that. It will be a crapshoot to find and trap him tonight.

Karen, did you get tested for Covid? I was reading that the Omicron variant acts more like a bad cold than a flu. More upper respiratory symptoms, runny nose, congestion, sore throat, headache and tiredness. The sisters who live in the RV next to me both had it last week but very mild symptoms. One of them works at the casino, so no surprise there, even tho she was fully vaccinated. I am wondering with all the home tests now, how are "they" gonna keep track of how many people are testing positive? I am sure many people who test positive at home won't bother to report it.

I have 4 haircuts to do this weekend. I am putting my extra h/c cash aside for my trip to AZ next month for the gourd festival. I am very excited to go! I need to get my place downsized and decluttered a lot more so I can get all my gourd stuff finally organized and set up so I can get started on more projects and learning new techniques before summer hits. Hoping to get that all done before the gourd festival so I can come back all motivated and get started!

I finally got paid today for my sick pay from the old job (they forgot to pay me for it when I left). I had 20 hours accrued so I got almost $300! That is very helpful!

Beth, you will have your hands full next summer! But if it is something you enjoy, it won't be too bad, plus the extra money you will be making will make you feel even better! You already know you like it there and know what the job entails so I am sure you will be happy with your choice to go back.

Shirl, good luck with your gardening!

Irmi, I have been to Tarpon Springs and it is really a fun little town! Lots of fun shops and restaurants there. When I go back to visit my friend Cathy some day, I want to go Plant City for their Strawberry Shortcake! One of my favorite deserts (and sometimes breakfast ).

Enjoy your day!

Feeling better today. Took a shower, then a rest LOL and now I am off to the store for just a few things. Barbie I did not get tested because for me it doesnt make any difference. I have been isolated since Dec 20th and I have seen nobody in person and gone nowhere so what difference does it make....none. I am treating it just like the Flu, Cold, Covid....tylenol, fluids, cough medicine. I think I am on the mend now tho.

Karen, I'm so glad to hear you are finally starting to feel better.

Afternoon all. Decided to sit down and chat a bit. Been busy with these bathrooms, errands etc. I finished up my bathroom today, so now I can concentrate on the remodeled one. The guys came Wednesday afternoon and finished mudding the drywall. So I am going to paint the ceiling and sand/prime that piece of drywall. Then after it all dries, will paint that short wall and the long one as well, as there are some patched areas here and there from tub removal/installation and a towel bar and brackets I took down. Will start on that tomorrow. Here’s my small one. Color is Valspar Simply SeaFoam.Course taking pictures never does the color any justice.. It is really a pretty shade of green with some blue undertone but the picture makes that one wall look like it’s a mix of green and blue.




It’s cold here and heading toward you gals out East as you know. 7 degrees here with a real feel of 3. Will be colder tonight and same for tomorrow. Tbe eastern part of the U.P. Is way colder with wind chills of -20 to -30. The fur kids are bugging me for a walk, but not going. Can dress and stay warmm, I have coats for them, but worry about their paws in this kind of cold.

Just a heads up regarding tax season. Make sure that you know the exact amount of the stimulus check we got last spring, before you get taxes done in case they ask. The IRS is checking. It could affect any refund you may get. IRS is sending letters out, so hang on to yours. This was passed on to me from a friend who is a tax preparer. Last year, a lot of people didn’t keep track, didn’t remember how much they got or didn’t get the full amounts, so IRS had to find out how much they got and whether it was right amount etc. before they issued refunds and it was a big mess. The letters are not necessary if you know the amount or you can trace it back on your account.

Velda you are like me, getting your projects done and weeding out stuff. I’ve gotten rid of so much over the past years. If I’m not using it, may as well donate or give away so somebody else can use it. There are a lot of people in need out there.

Barbie, good luck trapping the cat. Maybe put a blanket or something over it and make it look like a little cave or something. Irmi, your trip to Tarpon Springs reminded me of being there many years ago. I’m sure it’s much different now. Wish you could send me some strawberries. They have gotten so expensive in the store I won’t even buy them. I know the other thing is going on but I don’t remember all of what I have read this past week so if I miss somebody, not intentional. Have a good evening everyone on the East Coast and a nice rest of the day and I was of you who are the other direction.

A frustrating day. After You Tube videos, I think I finally have the running belt on the new treadmill adjusted correctly. Absolutely no help from the company - at least so far. Day started with e-mail from new auto insurance about something they screwed up on - again. This, too, shall pass.
No snow plowing activity seen today. Very foggy. I errored in assuming places that usually get a lot of snow are prepared - apparently they just don't expect it all at once. Just read Juneau has 6 feet and declared emergency. That's where grandson will be heading in July.

Shirl, hope your project is going smoothly today! Sue another job well done!

Sheila, I agree with Judy about hospital bills. The clinic here doesn't understand they can't charge me more than the co-pay. Phone calls go to people who don't get the problem, so I have to send notes. Haven't had a reply from the last one. I'm often up until 2 a.m., but I'm trying to do better by getting up by 9. Got up at 9 one morning, texted my daughter, read a couple things on line and fell asleep in my chair until 11. Hadn't even made the coffee.

Day is pretty well shot so think I'll go read a book!

Just got back from my bike ride, and i am completely exhausted!! You know I have this new electric bike, but after spending a lot of money on it, I have not been riding it much in the past year. This means that when I do ride it, my muscles are not in very good condition, so I end up achy and worn out. Not walking enough also does not help. I keep telling myself I am going to go for a ride and then come up with excuses, the biggest of which is that it takes a lot of time and effort to take the cover off, get it off the rack, and get ready, and then do it all in reverse! Got to do better at this.

Unless the schools reported my two granddaughters as having COVID, they didn't get reported either. Onward to cook up a couple of chicken thighs. Got some good rolls, so might just fix a sandwich for dinner. Tooth is doing better.

Regarding medical bills, both my aunt and mother used to panic over big bills. However, if someone is on Medicare, which they both were when I was handling their finances, it is likely they also have a supplement plan or an advantage plans. The hospital will send a big scary bill, but at the bottom it says that you "may" have to pay a certain amount. However, at this point, they have probably NOT billed the supplement or secondary plan, so most of what they say you "may" pay is wrong. This is also true of ambulance services and things like physical therapy. Plus, as Anita points out, if they accept Medicare, they can only charge a specific amount, which is a LOT less than what they charge regular patients. (That is why they really don't like to accept Medicare.) So call them and question every amount!! Even better is to get bills sent to you or whoever is handling her bills so she never sees these scary invoices.

It was sunny and 77 today so I loaded up the mower and went and mowed in Maurice. It's suppose to rain and turn cold tomorrow. Part of the yard was still wet but I got most of it mowed without getting the mower stuck. I'm not like Sue with all her projects. If I can get one thing done a day that's about it.

We had 12 women at the Meetup last night. I had grilled redfish with a spinach sauce, eggplant fries and onion strings. Everything was really good. I loved the eggplant fries. I can see that I will be ordering from them again. I was early enough to stop at TJ Maxx. All I bought was cookies. I need more cookies.

Beth, hopefully you can get more sleep tonight. I'm like Sheila, I seldom go to bed before 1:00 or later so I'm usually operating on not much sleep. Sugar usually gets me up between 7 and 8.

I was going to see if I could take some of the cans out of the pantry. All I found was 2 cans of soup and 3 cans of chili. Just about everything else is something to cook with and a few cans of vegetables. I opened one of the soups for lunch. It's going to take some doing to eat the chili. That's not something I like. I was talking with the lady that cuts my hair about not being able to find any Fritos at Walmart. She said she had the same problem. I happened to notice that there was a Walmart brand of corn chips so bought a bag. They looked and tasted just like Fritos.

Sheila, I would wait a while before I started paying those medical bills. Try to find someone that can read and understand the bills. My son had surgery on his arm last year and they made him pay $340 the day of his surgery. I don't think he ever got a statement from the hospital and last month they refunded the $340. That's money they could have kept and we would never have known.

That's a bad storm headed South and East. It looks like Sarah could get some snow. Where she lives sure seems to get the bad weather. I can get rain and by the time it gets to Alabama it sever storms. I want to pass on the snow. It might get close to freezing Sunday night.

Barbie, hope you can catch Snoopy. He needs some help for his ear.

Martha

Martha, it's normally one or later for me also. That's been true all my life. But last night I was awake past 4, possibly until 5. Then I woke up early! Strange! I'm going to take Ty out shortly and see if I can get to sleep before midnight and then see if I can even sleep in tomorrow lol. I know I'm dreaming, but it's my current hope. I wonder if my not sleeping well effected Ty. He's been sound asleep almost since he ate dinner at 6.

I did manage to get a couple nice walks in today. We won't talk about the extra food I ate lol

Sweet dreams!

unfortunately mom doesn't have any other insurance than medicare... I wish I did just keep forgetting to call and get it will probably go with AARP's as it travels well and even though at this moment I'm not traveling much I still think that is what I will do... Plus if they go with dr's in the resident state I never make it there but the required time to get drivers license need to look at that as well think I still have another year I sure hope would hate to have to travel over there for a quick stop over and get it...
I will take a look at the bill but mom made the comment that it was higher than what she was being billed as my first thought was that "this is not a bill" type statement... she is very not secretive but she doesn't really talk about her finances more private about it.... she is still what is the word I'm looking for mentally able to do what she needs to it's just not as physically able to ..although she thinks she is... she said one day that she was tired of feeling of no use... so I let her do some things that prior to I'd try to make sure I did them... like gather up the garbage... the one in the living room is light weight... so she will gather it up and even has taken care of the bathroom garbage as I've not done it quick enough.. guess if she can lift it it's ok right?
I was fortunate with Shadow that he didn't get up till I did but then we had best get outside when I first got him we walked and walked and walked and I lost a lot of weight I was also a new widow... think that was part of it... then for some reason I started with the excuses it's too hot it's too cold it's too .... literally what ever I could come up with was acceptable. one of goals this winter was to get some walking sticks and start walking in the desert again I am not even thinking about it here... don't have the appropriate outer wear and since I'm hoping that we will come up with other alternatives for mom I am hoping that this is the only winter I will need to be here... I didn't want to got to the expense of coat ect although I do wish instead of shoes I'd gotten snow boots.. that is if they were easier to put them on... the shoes I got simply aren't thought they would be but the back bends in and it is hard to keep them up so the shoes can go on... right now I wish I'd gotten some with Velcro straps...
I will have to remember the name of the town with the strawberry shortcakes... and put it on the agenda if I ever make it to FL...
I guess what I should have done Beth was quote you so you would have know what I was referring to but didn't do it that way... I know that you plan on returning to UT... it would be nice to see you some time... but guess we will see... was thinking if you go to TX again and then to Maine then it will possibly a couple of years before we are in the same area....
think I am going to go and get me my cup of hot chocolate...
I only have 3 more rows on the one side of the Swedish Weave to do and finished the crocheted afghan last night other than I need to trim the fringe
you all have a great day
sheila

Yes, Sheila, we need to see each other! And please call Boomer Benefits for help with your Medicare insurance. I started with an AARP plan, but when I found BB I luckily passed underwriting and changed companies for a plan with identical benefits at a lower cost. They'll compare and give you choices. And they'll be there to support you after the fact. No charge to use them to sign up. 855-732-9055. (Do I sound like a used car salesman or Joe Namath? Lol) I just really am happy with these people.

And I'm off to bed.