Rainy Saturday!

[JudyJB]

I am spending my second night in this lovely little state park in Tennessee--the only camper, however, so lots of choices of spots! The young ranger-replacement was nice enough to come and get my check for the second night and bring me a receipt because it is too far for me to walk in the rain. It comes and goes, but right now is a downpour I can barely see through.

Temps yesterday were in the low 60s and are supposed to be in the upper 50s today, which means I am using a lot less propane than last week. PLUS, it got down to 25 degrees at my son's house south of Cleveland last night, so I am happy to be farther south!! Will be driving to northeast Georgia tomorrow and then start my scavenger hunt in my uncle's desk on Monday. Need to find any legal papers I can find because we are missing a lot of stuff, and when they left there a year ago, they packed in a couple of hours. Should have a lot less rainy drive tomorrow than tackling it today.

Wish I could send some of it to California!!

[Shirlv]

Good Morning All,
I understand the fascination with technology but if someone’s else says “app” to me I will punch them. This apartment complex uses key fobs as a secure way to enter the building. It is great WHEN IT WORKS. Management updated the fobs. I got an email to try the updated system. Without thinking I grabbed the apartment key fob and in my slippers and no coat went to test the fob. IT DIDN’T WORK. I waited outside in the cold about 20 minutes until someone left the building. Went to the office along with many tenants, had fob reprogrammed still doesn’t work so enter the building through the door someone has propped open. So much for security and technology. Management wants me to download an APP to my cell so they can communicate with me, I don’t think so. Visited #1 daughter, she ask Alexa to raise the heat without getting out of her chair. I need to get out of my chair. Her husband has program the house so smart if he is in the hospital she won’t be able to get in her house or maybe unable to leave. The movies that depicted people with very large heads and tiny bodies are on to something. I will stay in all weekend and hope the problem is solved befor Monday. I have vented but don’t feel a da$&* bit better. Safe travels

[MandysMom]

Another sunny day in northern CA, but they say rain by Tuesday! We live in hope. Judy, glad you got to warmer climate. Will be interesting to hear how your scavenger hunt goes, hoping you find what you need.
Shirlv, not sure why you don't like apps on phone? I find them both useful and safe, using my iPhone, I've never had a problem. I am a late adopter, being more cautious -I'm not ready yet to invite Alexa in, but I do love technology. I'm thinking the perfected self driving car will arrive at just the right time, when I'm ready to hand over keys! Sorry you are having trouble with the doors, but that's usually an issue with the installer, not the tech itself. Hope that gets fixed.
We skipped our Costco trip yesterday, because, silly me, I left my phone which has my grocery list, at home on the counter. So we fueled the car and came home and will go there today.
Have a great day.
Velda

[BarbaraRose]

I am up in Yucca Valley at a cafe for breakfast. On my way to the YV Gourd Festival. It is 58 degrees up here so a sweater is in order. I stopped at the storage place to see the photos of my trailer but the gal wasn't there and won't be back until next Saturday. I checked the trailer again and definitely nothing out of place or missing. I think she meant the storage door not the main door.

There is a hot air balloon fest in Palm Springs today do I may stop there on the way home and check that out.

[Acadianmom]

We had a cold front come through last night and got about 3/4 of an inch of rain. It got down to 58, not much of a cold front. I looked up the 10 day forecast and looks like we are going to have 60's for our Christmas campout. Two year ago it snowed.

Judy, it looks likes others would be camping on the weekend. Did they all come South?

Shirl, Im with you on the apps. My phone has about 30 apps that want to update and I would like to remove them but don't know how. I had to go into the store to get the app that kept turning itself back on and using up all the data removed. I probably should update my phone because it a Samsung 4 and they are probably up to 10 or 11 now. There are some things it won't do because it's so old but as long as it works I'll use it.

I went to Lafayette yesterday. After dragging around Walmart, Bed Bath and Beyond and TJ Maxx it's a wonder I can walk today. It doesn't bother me to walk behind a shopping cart. Got gas at Sam's for $1.939. Sam's always has the cheapest gas so if I go to Lafayette I get gas. I wanted some of the little individually wrapped cheese Sam's has but not bad enough to go inside. Too many people at Sam's.

I hadn't eaten lunch so decided to eat supper at the Texas Road House. It's been a long time since I had been there and it will be a lot longer before I go back. When they first opened a Chicken Fried Steak covered the plate. It's about half the size now and not good quality meat. Cracker Barrel has better Chicken Fried Steak.

I would like to go down to the pond but the calves are shut up in the pens close to the house. They are so use to being fed that's it's hard to get through a gate. I might have to go shopping again. lol

Martha

[Irmi]

Steve & I still have the flip phones and are quite content with them. When we have to go to the other phones, I doubt we'll be able to stay in touch with the world. I enjoyed opening locks with keys. When it get to the point we have to use an app to start our cars or motorhome may be when we give up this lifestyle. It's scary.

[BarbaraRose]

The gourd show was fun altho small. Was hoping to buy some supplies from Welburn Gourd Farm located in north San Diego county, but they didn't make it to the show due to not having a driver to bring the stuff to the show today. I did buy one gourd from a small supply that was there. Lots of great, inspiring gourd art and I got a lot of good ideas, suggestions and recommendations while there. I already know what I want to do with the gourd I bought. Will be awhile tho until I get all the supplies I need to work on it.

From there, I went to the hot air balloon fest but there wasn't much there to see. The lit up balloon display wasn't gonna take place until 6pm and it was only just after 3 and I didn't want to try and kill 3 hours hanging out there so I just headed home, stopping at Michaels and Home Depot on the way.

Tomorrow will be spent cleaning up the yard and deck from the left over stuff from the yard sale and planting stuff. Want to finish my little fairy garden too.

[snowball]

am in Vegas at my sisters house on my first leg of our CA trip. DD will pick me up tomorrow. Went over and spent a few hours with my sister.. she is looking forward to getting her new knee on Tuesday....Silly me thought it would be warm up here not so it's windy and chilly probably if I looked at the temps it would be a lot warmer than it feels...but it feels colder than I like so inside temp is probably about 68 or even 70 though have no way of telling...
stopped at Hobby Lobby big mistake even though I only bought one other thing than I had planned on getting went with the intentions of getting yarn which I did... going to start an afghan for my nephew hopefully it will turn out the way I visualize . I asked him what colors he like to choose 4 he likes the colors found in a season... and his favorite season is Winter. so got blue for the sky dark green for the trees brown for the trunks of the trees and white for snow with a thread of red for a red bush going through the white... hopefully he will feel like he is swooshing through a forest in the snow... it's called Navajo Afghan made it many times... I think the price of the yarn has gone up else I've gotten it on sale before and not this time.. oh my expensive
hopefully it will be warmer in LA
sheila

[MandysMom]

To remove apps from smart phones ( certain apps come witn the operating system and are not removable)
But for apps you installed:
Apple: hold your finger on the app you want to remove. When a (-) sign appears, click it. It may ask if you are sure you want to remove. If so, click remove and it's removed
Android : again hold finger on name/ symbol of app. I can't recall if it's a (-) or a tiny menu, but option comes up asking if you want to remove . If you do clck remove. I had barely touched Mel's phone until he died but I was able to figure out how to remove unneeded apps so I could focus on things I needed to take care of. It was easy.
I love my smart phone! It's not just a phone. It's my calendar, to do list, address book, email , message center, camera, and entertainment - I call it my external brains!

It's that easy.

[Redetotry]

I too love my iPhone. One of my favorite things is I always have a book to read on my Kindle app, many I find for free on Amazon. The main thing is if you don't use technology you will soon be even more frustrated. By using your phone and computer it will make other technology easier for you understand. If needed you can ask your phone to call 911 for you in an emergency. Or you can be found if you are injured or ill and can't answer. My experience is, many times you cannot talk to a live person when trying to make phone inquiries but must follow an automated voice. It is getting harder and harder to even find a phone number to call some companies. It is sort of like when the first televisions came out people didn't want to give up their radios but soon realized their programs were all on TV.Or when your parents didn't understand your need for a tape recorder or cassette player. I don't want to be left behind unable to not become isolated in today's world. Technology is moving so fast I realize we can''t or don't need to keep up with all of it. I am not feeling a need for Alexis... yet.

[BirdbyBird]

I love Alexa for reawakening my love of music. Or making is so easy to call up things I want to listen to without getting out of the recliner when held down by a dog...... The diversity from classical to pop to folk...you remember an artist or piece you liked and the next thing you know it is flowing around you.......And most of the NPR stations and BBC without getting up from your desk and leaving your tea......

[Shirlv]

I’m not against technology, I have a smart phone, IPad and laptop. Didn’t mean to start a debate I was venting. That happens when residents of apartments are left standing in the cold because the system is down and there is no alternative.

[BirdbyBird]

It is an interesting topic though. Over ten years ago I watched my elderly father and my step mother both turn down offers
of computers and learning about the internet. I thought that connecting with some younger relatives or friends would
Help them be less isolated as their bodies limited their ability to get out. A have always been interested in learning new things. I made sure my children had the early Apple computers. In college I took FORTRAN class as an elective. But watching my inquisitive and intelligent father not be interested in learning something made me think about what that might be for me to consider new things not worth learning. My son has cable but my son in law has his own IT consulting practice. They have Hulu and Comcast and all sort of options on their TV except they don’t watch any local channels. I have appreciated their access to movies and series but I haven’t ventured into that technology here in my office. I finally accessed my streaming on my computer. The learning curve on my trip to Scotland was how easy
It is to plan and research and reserve internationally with my computer. I would think of something that I did know about and before I picked up the phone to call the insurance agent for example I would look up the answers.
So I am still left with the awareness that at some point I won’t care or have the energy to learn about new technology or new information or politics. That doesn’t make technology any less frustrating when it doesn’t work reliably like it is expected too though.... Just my ponderings on this Sunday morning....

[BarbaraRose]

Technology can be a blessing and a curse! Great when it is working well, but very frustrating when it is not! I take quite awhile to get in on something new. Most of the tech toys are very expensive so I choose not to spend my money on that if I can help it.

My first "computer" was WebTV which was very basic but I loved it! Was a great stepping stone to a "real" computer. I got on Facebook, kicking and screaming. I didn't want to do that but all my friends were getting on there. Now I am on there every day. I also didn't want to get started with texting but had friends who insisted on texting me so I finally got a phone I could text with. Now I prefer texting to talking. I think I would be more willing to try the new things if I had someone (with a lot of patience) to help me figure it all out. I have a hard time learning that stuff on my own and get too frustrated trying.

[Shirlv]

Tina, I experienced the resistance from my mother. I didn’t realize at the time she was not mentally able. I don’t want to be left behind or unable to function in the world today. Plus I think learning helps me mentally. I also only take on only what I know I can handle. My family can track me or contact me 24/7 on the smart phone. I also appreciates the alerts that say tornado in your area take cover. I use the phone to call, text and take pictures. My world will not come to halt if I lose my phone. Everyone else can contact me by email which I check every morning and evening. I bank and shop on line and YouTube has bailed me out more times than I can count. I have a great support system, children, grand children, even 8 yr old great grands that like to help me if needed. I think it is short sighted to not have a back up plan when technology fails, like no access to your apartment. I even have instructions written on paper if I drop dead.