Monday, June 5th

[Colliemom]

Morning. Another sunny but cooler day on tap here. Currently it is 63°. Supposed to be around 80 and the mostly mid 70’s this week. More normal, but no chance of rain.

No new Info regarding the Grayling fire. As of last night it as 90% contained and more of a controlled burn status. Thry are dong mop up and damage assessments now. I’m updating in General Talk under the thread that Anne started. The cause was determined to be a campfire on private property. A lot of people including myself are questioning why the Dept. Of Natural Resources has issued a burn ban for all but campfires in enclosed fire rings, when fire conditions are so extreme right now. Let’s face it, people are going to get careless. This is the second fire in a week caused by campfires on private property. In Michigan, you are responsible if your fire starts a fire and causes damage.

Nothing much on my agenda today. Need a few things from the store and also some parts for the whirly-gig bird that my dad made and I am restoring. So I guess I should hop in the shower and be off to town. Also thinking about going to the Greenhouse in Grayling to see if their perennials are restocked, now that power is back on in the area. It was intentionally turned off by the power company to protect the firefighters in event a power line fell on them.

So have a nice day all.

[Shirlv]

Morning All, 61° sunny and low humidity predicted. Was quiet yesterday, not much traffic, nice weather, thoroughly enjoyed shrimp scampi for dinner. No complaints, except, age is cramping my style. I have a floor lamp with a wobbly switch that I think might not be safe. Having a house I have learned many skills but electric scared me. YouTube to the rescue bet I could replace the socket. Problem is I am afraid to move the heavy couch to unplug the lamp. Have had enough back issues over the years to risk an injury. Could flip the breaker, Will think on that. Office work , paper shredding and balcony time in the sun today. Be safe

[OregonLuvr]

Good morning. Right now sunny 68/84 today. I just had breakfast and now heading out to finish my fertilizing chore. Need to amend the dirt in my last couple of big tubs then will wander over to the Plant Warehouse to see what I can find to put in 2 of them. Going to plant more onions in the last one. Then will call it good and just be in "maintenance status" sounds good to me. Then will concentrate on putting that second coat of stain on the deck. Will still need to do the front deck but one thing at a time LOL

[BarbaraRose]

My experiment this morning was to put McKenzie in the carrier, then put Romeow in her enclosure, then let McKenzie out and see what happens. Well, there was some hissing and growling but Romeow was not happy and was meowing to get out. So I decided to let him out and see what happens with both of them free in the living room. Still a little growling and hissing but then McKenzie started to ignore him (just a few feet away) and started playing! She even rolled over on her back at one point. Romeow made a slight move closer but she growled so he backed off. But overall, that went really good. I think I will let them out together when I am home to supervise, but this is going well so far! The fact that she felt comfortable in his close presence to play and roll on her back, is a really good sign! I will keep her in her enclosure when I am not in the house, and at night for a bit yet. Baby steps, or rather "kitten steps"

I was awoken by chain saws early this morning! I knew they were starting to trim the fronds on the palm trees in the park so I looked out the window and saw their bucket machine down the street. I flew out of bed and high-tailed it out to my car to move it (don't want fronds falling on it or get trapped in the driveway by the machines when I needed to leave to do the haircuts later). I parked down the street where there are no palm trees to be trimmed. Then on the way back to the house, I realized they weren't trimming trees, they were actually just cutting down a palm tree in a neighbors yard. Was too tired to go back and move the car back so I left it there. Will be leaving soon anyways to go do the haircuts.

Have a good day!

[Acadianmom]

It looks like it's getting ready to storm. All my "chicken little" cats came in the house. lol I went and put the truck on the carport in case it decides to hail. Mowed Sugar's yard real quick and put the cover on the push mower. It was 94 but the temperature has dropped to 84. My internet will probably go out soon.

Not many plans for today. I did a search for my shorts because I had unloaded all the summer clothes. Loaded some clothes in the camper. I have a dentist appointment tomorrow so will try to get all my shopping done tomorrow. Would like to get on the road before noon Wednesday.

Barbie, your cats will probably be playing before long.

Martha

[JudyJB]

Sheila, you are thinking of lodgepole pines. I was having problems thinking of the name, also, but all of a sudden it came to me.

Last night was pretty much moth-free. At least, I was able to take a shower without three accompanying moths flitting around me! I caught or trapped maybe 10 overnight, which is a lot better than 60. And the little ultraviolet lights I got with the sticky pads are working very well. Caught three moths during the evening. And have not seen any today. I am guessing the moths from night before last may have been already hiding in my RV. Here are three articles about the moths, but the first one is the best because it is funny:

https://denverite.com/2023/05/15/colorado-miller-moths-horror-infestation-nuisance/

https://www.cbsnews.com/colorado/news/miller-moth-season-returns-colorado/

https://www.kktv.com/2023/05/12/miller-moths-start-invading-parts-colorado/

My aunt is doing better, but is extremely weak, and probably not able to go back to assisted living. Other POA is there visiting in hospital, and we also have a private RN care manager keeping her eyes on things.

And while the moths are apparently gone, I have had migraine headaches for the past several days and am still really tired from lack of sleep. ALso have a cough. Have had to do a lot of cleaning to get rid of spots where I smashed moths, so wiped out from that as well. Am in Kansas and staying at Wilson Lake for two more days, then driving east to Bloomington East near Lawrenceville, KS. There a couple of days to do laundry and moving to next spot in Illinois. Whew.

[OregonLuvr]

good afternoon Had a busy day. Fertiled the rest of the plants, shoveled out the dirt in my 3 big tubs into my Gorilla cart, mixed the old soil real well with the new soil. Got them where I wanted them while empty, then refilled them, a whole lotta shoveling going on LOL Then I went to the Plant warehouse.....big mistake ha ha managed to buy some Daisys, Lupine, Zinnias, and my best score was a Gardenia plant. I love them, need to read up on the best place to put it. They say they do very well in pots and that is the preferred idea. So, had to go buy a pot or course. It is small so had to buy a pot big enough for it to grow. Stopped at the Mocha stand and got a treat. Very good. Now I have more water system to connect tomorrow, but didnt think I should plant in the heat of the day. I will plant tomorrow and hook up the water. Then I should be able to just sit back and watch everything grow LOL I do have some blossoms on my tomatoes already, very exciting.

I already have over 9000 steps on my Fitbit..............my goal each day is 6500 but now my day is pretty much over so doubt I will hit the 10,000 step mark. I need to take Emma for her vet appt tomorrow at 4:30 Her yearly exam. I prefer earlier but these vets are so booked. Made this appt over 3 months ago. Supposed to be 90 tomorrow here. Good thing my cars air conditioner freezes me out. Might stop at the local Terriyaki place on the way home, it is very good and not a ton of food. My eye exam is not until the end of August.....just my yearly exam,

Think a salad will be dinner tonite, since I had that Mocha and a few Cheetos LOL and called it lunch.

[BirdbyBird]

Miller moths must have been what Mitch and I encountered that early June as we made out way west headed for the 7 Feathers GTG in Oregon that year. We had spend a quiet uneventful evening in a small city park and I think had already made it through breakfast when a flying hoard of biblical proportions seemed to over take us as both of us were preparing to pull out. The trees...everything was just a mass of moths. And similar to what Judy recounts...they managed to crawl in any and every crack and crevice.....RVs have a lot of cracks and crevices. It took days to beat them back...each day as new ones would find their way out of another hiding place. And yes when you imagined that it might be safe, night came and more would find their way out drawn by whatever faint glow they thought they saw. And even when the lights were out, I could hear them and feel them hitting things. Those first days, Mitch and I would count our kills and share. Mitch had a small trailer and seemed tighter that my rig. I always suspected that hundreds were hanging out in the crevices of the front engine area or down in the storage areas. Weeks later I would find one still hitchhiking down the road with me. Herschel and Remi and Stuart just though I had lost my mind whacking things with no warning.... No dogs were actually whacked in these efforts.

[chalet05]

Sheila, you gave us a challenge! Yes, Judy is right about the lodgepole and I'm thinking you mean alyssum? We have those yellow flowers here in Eastern Washington, but I haven't learned the name yet. Washington is having brush fires in several places both sides of the mountains. The largest is not far from here and 75% contained last I heard. Shirl, I'm sure you could fix that lamp, but you are wise to not move the couch! I haven't done a lot of heavy lifting, but my shoulders have been talking. I pretty much took yesterday off - got tired of deciding where things go! Much of it has been easy, but without extra laundry and closet shelves plus fewer bathroom drawers, there are 'leftovers'. Barbie, fun hearing about the cats deciding to get along - or not. Sounds like all will be well.

I am procrastinating about shopping and errands, so trying to talk myself into it tomorrow! Placed a Walmart order to be shipped, have one ready to order for pickup along with a Safeway order, Amazon package to return and found recycle place for batteries and laptop! Trash can I want is at Fred Meyer which is a place I haven't been - more upscale than Walmart and just fun to look. And the car wash!

[Shirlv]

Anita, I had cheap plastic three tier shelves from Walmart that I put under the shelf/hanger in the closet. Just tops and pants on pants hanger hanging from the shelve so room for plastic shelves. Bought bins at the dollar store to slide on shelves so lots of storage. I love bins, they line freezer shelves, in kitchen cabinets so I can lift out for hidden things and they don’t fall on my head. Lol.

[Bethers]

I'm definitely going to miss these gardens. A different plant is flowering today. It's called a trumpet flower. So pretty.



I worked on a budget today so that I will, hopefully, live within my means. Should be interesting to see how it works out. I'm not being super frugal but prices keep rising more and more so it's harder than it was a few years ago. I don't want to completely stop traveling, at least not yet. But I doubt another trip to Alaska will happen and maybe the trip to Maine will be out of the cards, at least I took it off for this year and probably next year. Time will tell.

[BarbaraRose]

Got the haircuts done and ran some errands.
Came home and let the cats out together. They are kind of tiptoeing around each other but no hissing or growling. At one point they went nose to nose up to about 2 inches apart and then they both pulled back. Amazing progress!

I am a little concerned about McKenzie tho, with her fur loss. What I brushed out was undercoat but I am finding clumps of her regular fur around. There were a couple of small clumps in her enclosure this morning. Not sure if she is pulling it out or it is coming out on it's own. It might still be stress but I will keep a close eye on it. Everything else is good; eating well, using the litter box regularly, playful, etc.

Finally just figured out how to fix the colors on my phone. Now the red is actually red! Need to find some dinner soon. Nothing on TV tonight so will probably go to bed early.

Judy, I have been reading about all those moths in CO. What a mess! I guess it happens every so many years.

[snowball]

last night I thought Lodgepole that is the name of that tree so you all were right..
and yes that is the name of the plant Anita .... went to the nursery here in town... expensive place.... they didn't have any white ones... and most of their plants were not the 4 pack .. so didn't get the Alyssum... it doesn't help when you have a certain plant in mind either... I wanted white Alyssum... didn't stop me from finding other plants though and didn't find plants I want for the container with Silvia I have one that is a really pretty color more of a burgundy and have some pink looks like a shorter Silvia and wanted something to add to it just not sure what it will be.. did get a sweet potato vine but really wanted a dark one this one is the green one... oh well have lots of containers to fill
I absolutely hate hate hate those millers..they will raise me out of bed so fast I feel for you Judy that had to have been so awful... glad that they are going away...
I didn't get much done beside going to the stores... usually when I go to the store I look for something super easy to make mom loves shrimp so got some shrimp for mostly her I ate a few of them but I wanted a ramen noodles... so had that
it's past my self imposed time to go to my room and I am still up don't know why I was so long getting here..
I did work on the baby afghan I can tell the difference in both of our stitches... hope she is ok with it... I am much tighter than she was ...
sounds like all is going to be well in Barbi's kitty world...
where will they place your aunt if not in assisted care? the next step up?? when I worked in the assisted care center we had different area's to meet their needs some had to have more hands on while others could take care of themself... it's hard sometimes to know what to do
glad the fire is mostly contained... we haven't had a major fire in several years I think when Tina came through there was one but not a real major one not like when Yellowstone was burning...
those are really pretty flower Beth I bet you will miss that area
you all have a great day
sheila