Thursday Today

[SoCalGalcas]

Good Morning! Hoping to hear from our friends/sisters in the entire southeast! Watched the weather channel last night and this morning. Very concerned.
Went to WSI luncheon yesterday. Several with health problems. Boy, who ever said old age isn’t for sissies is so correct!

When I went to PT, put on the paper asking for cause of pain, I put “old age”.

Lyn

[Acadianmom]

When I went to PT, put on the paper asking for cause of pain, I put “old age”.

Good one Lyn. I hate to go to a new doctor and have to answer all the questions again. I usually forget something.

Fall might have finally arrived. It got down to 65 last night and was about 70 when I went out this morning. That was a surprise. It's up to 78 now. I sure hope it gets rid of the mosquitoes. I haven't been down to the pond in a couple of weeks. I might go see if the fish are bitting.

Martha

[BarbaraRose]

Cool and cloudy today. Had to get up early since my handman wanted to come over early to help with the pavers. He was able to get the first one removed and then got the rest of the ones I wanted pulled out and moved to the driveway. I will put them in place later today.

My friend Cathy in FL said her house was spared by the high tide and surge that was expected. I think she and her DH will be looking at moving inland now. They go thru so much emotional trauma now each time their house is threatened, since it was flooded out 2 years ago.

Sounds like Donna is fine too. Wondering about Liz and her DH's place once they get home.

[Bethers]

I tried to open morning coffee early today .. but didn't look to make sure I still had a signal before hitting send.

I love where I'm parked, but with rain of and on the next two days I'm moving spots tomorrow. Ty and I took a few mile walk this morning that included the trail to the main cg. I discovered there is an area over there, really set up for picnickers, that they will allow dry camping this time of year. Not as secluded, obviously, but my signal should be good AND they have wifi. That'll come in handy if it really does rain a lot.

Cloudy today, but no rain predicted, so I'll enjoy my privacy. And go for another walk soon

[OregonLuvr]

Busy morning for me so far. Playing NURSE this morning. My neighbor had some sternum pain and very sweaty and light headed. He called to ask me what it was LOL LOL I told him he needed to go to the hospital and I was NOT driving him. Took an aspirin then ambulance here, all vitals good, 1° heart block showed on ekg, orthostatic drop of 40 on systolic but not terrible. He called to tell me they were keeping him overnight for more tests but nothing alarming so far. He is 84 and walks 2-4 miles every morning before my eyelids are even open. No meds. So very healthy. He said he didnt need anything so will wait for his call in the morning to go pick him up.

Then my friend Malia called and wanted me to come over. Her hospice nurse was there when I arrived and they changed some of her nausea meds around so I got her to eat some broth, jello and drink some water. I didnt stay long as she was pretty tired so left shortly after the hospice nurse did. So my nurse work is done for today...I hope.

[BarbaraRose]

There is a big storm up along the North Shore of Lake Superior with 20+ foot waves crashing along the shore and flooding parts of Duluth. Here are some photos of the shoreline...(credit Christian Dalbec Photography)





These waves are topping a 50 foot high cliff!



They are expecting 8 inches of snow along there today!

[Bethers]

Karen, your neighbor is lucky you are there and could guide the right direction.

I'm especially happy that you can be there for Malia. It sounds like she's going down faster than I knew... I'm so glad you can be her friend though this.

Barbie, wow. The weather is insane. Our rain here in NM coming soon is due to activity of storms in the gulf coast.

[Cudedog]

Then my friend Malia called and wanted me to come over. Her hospice nurse was there when I arrived and they changed some of her nausea meds around so I got her to eat some broth, jello and drink some water. I didnt stay long as she was pretty tired so left shortly after the hospice nurse did. So my nurse work is done for today...I hope.

Karen, I am so very sorry to hear the news regarding your friend Malia. I have been reading her blog since you first posted about her here a few months back. I didn't know that she has taken a turn for the worse, and was now so ill.

It certainly makes my cat problems seem small, and also a bit sorry for complaining so loudly.

If you talk to her, tell her that there are many sending her good wishes.

Thank you.

Anne

[BarbaraRose]

No need to apologize Ann. Your kitty is very important to you, and you value her life and companionship. All life is precious and illness is a sad thing for anyone going thru it as well as their loved ones. Your sadness is no less important.

[JudyJB]

Lake Superior is a wild place, and those are fantastic pictures. I remember as a kid spending the summer near Marquette, MI. Once in a while my mother and aunt would take us kids to the beach to swim. Brrrr. Even in August, you could not go deeper than thighs. Adults did not go in at all. I found the article that goes with the photos: https://www.mprnews.org/story/2018/10/10/photos-big-waves-lake-superior. Michigan has more lighthouses than any other state for some very good reasons!

And, it is almost November. Gordon Lightfoot wrote a song about the wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald that broke apart in a gale on November 10, 1975. The last line is: "Superior," they said, "never gives up her dead when the gales on November come early." Click https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9vST6hVRj2A to hear the song or read the lyrics below:

Wreck Of The Edmund Fitzgerald

Music and lyrics ©1976 by Gordon Lightfoot

The legend lives on from the Chippewa on down
of the big lake they called "Gitche Gumee."
The lake, it is said, never gives up her dead
when the skies of November turn gloomy.
With a load of iron ore twenty-six thousand tons more
than the Edmund Fitzgerald weighed empty,
that good ship and true was a bone to be chewed
when the "Gales of November" came early.

The ship was the pride of the American side
coming back from some mill in Wisconsin.
As the big freighters go, it was bigger than most
with a crew and good captain well seasoned,
concluding some terms with a couple of steel firms
when they left fully loaded for Cleveland.
And later that night when the ship's bell rang,
could it be the north wind they'd been feelin'?

The wind in the wires made a tattle-tale sound
and a wave broke over the railing.
And ev'ry man knew, as the captain did too
'twas the witch of November come stealin'.
The dawn came late and the breakfast had to wait
when the Gales of November came slashin'.
When afternoon came it was freezin' rain
in the face of a hurricane west wind.

When suppertime came the old cook came on deck
Sayin' "Fellas, it's too rough t'feed ya."
At seven P.M. a main hatchway caved in; he said,
(**2010 lyric change: At 7 p.m., it grew dark, it was then he said,)
"Fellas, it's bin good t'know ya!"
The captain wired in he had water comin' in
and the good ship and crew was in peril.
And later that night when 'is lights went outta sight
came the wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald.

Does any one know where the love of God goes
when the waves turn the minutes to hours?
The searchers all say they'd have made Whitefish Bay
if they'd put fifteen more miles behind 'er.
They might have split up or they might have capsized;
they may have broke deep and took water.
And all that remains is the faces and the names
of the wives and the sons and the daughters.

Lake Huron rolls, Superior sings
in the rooms of her ice-water mansion.
Old Michigan steams like a young man's dreams;
the islands and bays are for sportsmen.
And farther below Lake Ontario
takes in what Lake Erie can send her,
And the iron boats go as the mariners all know
with the Gales of November remembered.

In a musty old hall in Detroit they prayed,
in the "Maritime Sailors' Cathedral."
The church bell chimed 'til it rang twenty-nine times
for each man on the Edmund Fitzgerald.
The legend lives on from the Chippewa on down
of the big lake they call "Gitche Gumee."
"Superior," they said, "never gives up her dead
when the gales of November come early!"

[snowball]

Karen since I have not seen Malia posting on FB assumed that it wasn't good .... glad she has you close by
and she is having hospice care.
heard what sounded like heavy rain coming down today looked outside and could see snow...sounded like rain fortunately at this time of year if it sticks it usually goes away it's gone now
the other night I came home that would be Monday night after being in Utah for a long weekend...and no heat no stove working thought oh brother out of propane (in the summer I am hooked up to a larger tank) so Tues went to mom's came home tried to light the stove and it came on...my daughter had looked to see how much was in tank was at 40% so when there was gas at the stove assumed that there would be with the furnace there was and between it and the little buddy keeping almost warm..but back to Monday night because it was so cold I turned on the heating lights... one under the kitchen sink one under the bathroom sink later I started to smell something but couldn't identify it then the alarm went off oops melted the drain pipe under the sink... so my sil came out tonight and took off the pipe will take it in tomorrow and see if in this small town they have a replacement the closest town with anything RV is 60 miles away...then talking with SIL about getting ready to leave and my trip to babysit granddaughter's he realized I would be gone and he needs to have the truck so guess someone will take me down on Monday and then come down and pick me up....so he can use the truck... I may not leave here until the first Monday in Nov or Tues I feel I need to go see Mom at least one more time... each winter I hope and pray that she will make it through the winter her health is good but have seen her get more frail I guess is the word
sheila

[BarbaraRose]

Judy, I am very familiar with that song. It is very well known in MN. People who don't live near the Great Lakes have no idea how large the lakes really are, and how they can be very vicious and powerful at times. I have seen larger waves on Lake Superior than I have in the ocean. Last time I was up there, the waves were about 14 feet high and the campground I was staying at (in a cabin) had a beach and several heavy picnic tables back aways on the grass. The waves came up and pulled those picnic tables into the lake and turned them into little splinters along the shore. Those lakes deserve a lot of respect!
On the other hand, my mom and I used to rent a cabin right on the edge of the lake each year for a few days. She had to have the bedroom closest to the lake so she could hear the waves crashing on the rocks. Never seemed to fail that the lake was completely calm when we were staying there. She was always so disappointed!

I was going to put the pavers down between the driveway and the grass today but the ground is still full of rocks and uneven so I will have to dig it up and fill in with sand before putting them down so they are level and secure. Nothing can be quick and easy!

[Cudedog]

Barbie, thanks for posting those photos. Oh my. I am one who had absolutely no idea that those lakes could generate such gigantic waves!! Amazing! I knew (from looking at maps most of my life - I love maps) that the lakes are quite large - but, again, no idea that such awesome waves can sometimes be seen there.

Never too late to learn something new, I guess!!

I have never visited that part of our country - I think I must do so one day. I can even look up Colliemom while I am there. Have a lot more confidence in solo travelling after my solo, nearly three-week trip last spring, from California to Yellowstone (and back!).

Thanks, also, Judy, for posting the lyrics to the "Edmund Fitzgerald" and also the Youtube link. I have always been a fan of Mr. Lightfoot's music.

Thanks again to you both.

Anne

[JudyJB]

The Mariner’s Church described in the song is in Downtown Detroit right on the river and still tolls its bell 29 times each year on the date if the wreck. It is a very old (1849) stone building but quite small surrounded by much bigger buildings.

Did you know you can easily be on a boat in the middle of any of the lakes and not see either shore? And the reason Superior does not give up its dead us because bodies do not putrid your in the cold water. So the only reason for wearing a life vest is so they can retrieve your body.

A really nice “bucket list” trip is to spend a couple of weeks driving around Superior. Did it about 35 years ago and want to do it again someday.