Tuesday, March 30

[Colliemom]

Morning on this next to last day of March. Can’t say if March is going out like a lamb or a lion. We had a mix of snow/rain most of Sunday afternoon. Didn’t amount to anything. Yesterday was a nice but cool and Sunday day again, and supposed to be again today. Don’t think I’ve seen such a windy March. Some dsys gusts have been as high as 50 mph. So, sorry you gals out East, but more wind heading your way.

Carol, hope you get all your’s and Bill’s health problems under control. I just had my 6 week Chiropractor checkup yesterday. Mentioned to her about my cholesterol issues and the fact I don’t want to go ion statins. . She suggested I try an anti nflammatory supplement called SPM Active. Inflammation in our bodies is the biggest culprit behind a lot of our health issues. Beth, safe travels to Utah. Hope all goes well.
Anne, time for you to get out of the house and enjoy life a bit. Take your van or camper and go someplace. You can’t stay in forever, it’s not healthy for mi d and body. The virus is going to be around, so we just need to handle ourselves carefully. I can’t wait till I get my second shot next Monday. Also happens to be the day of my appt. with my retina specialist in regards to upcoming eye surgery. Once I see him, then hopefully that will set things in motion.

Reading about the cruise this a few days ago brought back the memories of my trip on the Alaska Marine highway Ferry up the inside passage. That was such a great trip and I would do it again in a minute. I went to Alaska friends and we put my Tahoe on board the ferry at Prince Rupert, British Columbia British Columbia and then sailed the Inside Passage tow Haines, Alaska. The ferry is the main transportation for those living in the communities along the way. They travel nonstop except for the parts of call. We stopped at Ketchikan, Wrangell, Saint Petersburg, Sitka and on this trip, Hoonah, which is the largest Klingit Indian village in Alaska. The ships crew did a Lifeboat Drill while we were there and that was interesting to watch as well as all the activity on the water. In the ports where we stopped for any length of time, we could get off the ship and walk around a little bit but we had to make sure we were back on board before they sailed. The scenery was spectacular, the weather absolutely perfect and we had a fantastic stateroom over looking the bow of the ship. . I don’t think there were more than a couple hundred of us on board and any given time. We met a lot of nice people from all over, native Alaskans and so forth. We saw a way of life we wouldn’t have on a larger cruise ship. There are areas of the passage thry can’t sail. I will never forget that trip.

Not sure what’s on my agenda for today. Am making progress on my woodcrafts, had my countertops measured yesterday, so the new ones can be ordered. Carpet for the living room is on order. Have a feeling that next month, things are going to get busy all at once. Should take a ride down to Camping World as I need a new Surge Protector for my trailer. Not planning on buying right away, but want to see what’s there. Something to do when you actually can’t go camping. Although there are a lot of people who are already starting to camp and they don’t care if the weather is still cold or not all They wanna do is get out there. I might pull the cover off of mine pretty soon and air it out, now that I think the weather might be straightening up enough, that I can do it. Although I know that I will be lucky if I get to go camping for Memorial Day weekend depending upon when this eye surgery happens. Also I want to get my lawn tractor battery put back in and get that thing lubricated and running for the summer because I’m going to have to drag my dethatcher around before too long. The grass is beginning to green up slow but sure. And put some stabilizer in my snowblowers gas tank and Park it for the wnter. Can always haul it out again if I need it. Can you tell I’m thinking spring

Time to quit jabbering here. Have a great day all.

[PeggyinCT]

Good morning Sue and all who follow
Sue, anytime you want to do that inside passage ferry in Alaska again, let me know, and I will go with you. Alaska is the only state I haven’t seen. My Roadtrek is too old to make another cross country trip never mind going all the way to Alaska. Anybody else want to join us?
Another ferry trip I would like to do is along the coast of Norway to the Arctic. So many places and so little time left....
Such is life. Enjoy today. Peggy

[Acadianmom]

I got my tax papers turned in. Yea for small accomplishments. It would probably help if I would get dressed today. I woke up with a headache but it's finally gone.

Can anyone suggest a dog treat that is easy to digest? Sugar had an upset stomach for two days. It looks like she is feeling better today. She threw up twice with mostly undigested dog treats in it. I quit giving her any but she thinks she should have a treat every time she goes to the bathroom. She is not interested in toys at all and will only chew on something that involves food.

It's overcast but I don't see any rain. I might try to mow the hill today. The clover is about to take over. If I get ambitious I will go get the truck inspected and go see if the feed store has any orange trees left. The inspection sticker expired last October.

Martha

[OregonLuvr]

Good morning. Finally a couple of days without rain and we are going to be 75 tomorrow....whoa, then going back down into the 60's wqith chilly 30's mornings. I will take it.

Going to the bottle drop and take in my umpteen bottles in for return. My neighbor is going with me also as he has a full bag also. Then going to a couple of thrift stores, I have a few things I am looking for. Some days lots to see and buy and others not so much. Then we will go to lunch. Found a cute glass top half table to put where my desk was. Moved the desk into the third bedroom to make it an office area. Found it on the Marketplace for $60 Goes perfect in this space.

[IrishIroamed]

Mornin' ladies~~~

Made it to Shreveport LA yesterday, but only for 3 nights and I'll be back on schedule for the return trip to IL. Truck ran fine, but now I'm skittish when I fill up. Busy gas stations are no guarantee that you get what you pay for. Learned that the hard way.

Nothing planned here. Two days of rain expected, but I could start making appointments for back home (dentist, doctor, chiro). Ugh. It's something to do to waste time.

That's my itty bitty news for the day. Stay well everyone.

[Bethers]

My first trip to Alaska I took the ferry back to Prince Rupert from Haines with my rv. I got a deal that included 3 places I could get off with my rig. I elected to get off and visit Juneau, St. Petersburg and Ketchikan. I'd skip Ketchikan next time. It is a cruise ship port and has all the same shops, etc that all the cruise ship ports have. Also busier because of that. The history with St. Petersburg was awesome, and Juneau is quite unique. My small class c couldn't drive the downtown, narrow streets. And the time on the ferry was great. Hardest for me was having to leave Peaches in the rv. She handled it like a pro, though. And they do have times you can go let the dogs out. Peaches wouldn't accept that potty could be done on the deck. That's another story. Or the quick stop we made in some small port in the middle of the night where we rushed off with all the other people and dogs... I should have had a flashlight lol All said, it was a wonderful trip. And we had an unusual experience of thousands of whales accompanying us headed south also for awhile. They see occasional ones but this was not normal. They even allowed some workers to leave their posts, close and lock stores to head to see them. I only took a small state room for one night. Nothing to see then anyway lol. I would do it again. Thanks for bringing back all these memories, Sue.

Peggy, the trip along the cost of Norway sounds great, too.

Karen, I love that table. Perfect there.

Cheryl, glad you're back on track. Safe travels.

Anne, we're here to listen no matter your mood or mania or what it's about. And you are missed when you don't post. Thanks for checking in last night.

[MandysMom]

Breezy here, as expected. Can tell pollen is around, though not nearly the symptoms of before I stopped carbs, which really reduces my inflammation. Sue, look up Dr Ben Bikman on cholesterol. There is solid evidence that people with higher cholesterol have better brain function as they age! Statins are a scam! And have loads of very bad side effects, some permanent!
My parents went to Alaska and my Mom later took a trip there with a good friend. I have only been as far as Mile One of the AlCan highway at maybe age 12 with parents, back when it was a very dusty dirt road. I don't feel drawn to Alaska, so likely will never go.
Anne, we miss you! Wonder how your garden is doing?
I slept a whole 6 hours last night! Very good for me, but 7 would be better.
Karen, love the new half table !
Time to change the sheets! Woke this morning to Stormys chicken leg beside my pillow and I never heard or felt her dining!
Have a good day.
Velda

[Redetotry]

Sounds like everyone is ready to go somewhere! I was never interested in a large cruise ship. For some reason I think it would give me terrible claustrophobia plus way too many people. The barge trips do look intriguing.
Karen I like your new table, it looks like you found the perfect spot for it. Catherine, Olivia is adorable!!

I'm still fighting tiredness and have been prescribed 50,000 U of Vitamin D2 as my D level is at 15! Guess that is pretty low. I sat in the sun at least 15 minutes a day last summer and levels were at 21. Has anyone else take the Vitamin D in that large a dose and if so any side effects? I really don't like taking meds but.. I realize this along with the low sodium could be causing me to be so tired. When I asked the doctor he said yes and also the year you were born! He is always in a rush and looks about 15! He wars 2 masks and doesn't talk so I can understand him even though kept asking him what he had said. I forgot to ask him if it was ok to go for a massage. I had an appointment about a week ago but she cancelled saying she had Covid about 3 weeks ago and was starting to have shortness of breath and a cough. She went to the doctor and is back at work. He said she wasn't contagious. So many things to consider. On the other hand it is sunny, warm and beautiful outside.

Oh, Martha you asked about dog treats, I like the ones made by Fromm the worst for your dog are the Milk Bone Flavor Snacks and usually any that are sold in grocery stores. Is there a Pet Smart or Pet Co store any where near you? You can give him little pieces of cheese and a lot of different fruits or veggies. Mine love sugar snap peas, watermelon and other veggies. Mitzi will try and climb the counter for broccoli.

Velda I heard from a friend who is a nurse that CholestOff Plus from Nature Made lowers cholesterol really well. She can't take any of the prescription drugs but this product brought hers down from the 250's to 150's numbers. You must have been sleeping sound!

[Acadianmom]

Thanks BJ, there is a Pet Smart in Lafayette and Petco in Abbeville. The one in Abbeville doesn't have much and I forget it's here. I forgot she likes cheese. One friend gives her dogs carrots but Sugar turned her nose up at that. I'll have to try different vegetables to see if she will eat any. We had a cat that loved asparagus.

Martha

[Bethers]

I take red yeast rice and niacin for my cholesterol. If I was doing it over I would have tried the red yeast rice first and not taken the niacin as it sometimes gives me a flush for awhile after taking. That said, I'm afraid to change what's working lol I did immediately lessen my dosage of niacin when I started the red yeast rice without any bad effects. (You can find niacin that doesn't cause flushing but what's added to it to do it also lowers it's effectiveness.)

I'm about to hang my second load of laundry then drive over to Ginger's for a bit. I'll actually need to turn the AC on for Ty. The casita would have stayed cool enough but I forgot to shut the door when I started laundry and that warm air rushed in. But bringing it down will be more cost effective than running the rv AC. Normally Ty would come but she's showing her tt to sell and doesn't need his dog hair right now. And she'll be coming by tomorrow to give him loves.

[Shirlv]

Afternoon All, a beautiful day, good company and a fun day. Soup and salad at Olive Garden and a little shopping. First indoor dining in over a year. Was seated in a booth and didn’t see another person. Karen, the table is the perfect addition to your home. I have missed browsing thrift shops. Really don’t room for anything but like to look. Bj, thanks for the supplement tip, just ordered it from Amazon. Can’t believe how much the lettuce and spinach have grown in a week. The wind has been blowing on the shore. Beatrice the flamingo wind chime has really been spinning her wings. Life’s simple pleasures. Be safe

[BirdbyBird]

Before getting so ill last November wandering through Thrift Stores was an addictive habit. Always nice to see what came out of the back of someone else’s mini van. I am pretty good at not buying stuff because it takes up space and might require dusting. It does remind me that I have arrived at a point in my life where I have acquired most of the things I need. Maybe not much fancy but adequate and comfortable for I life with dogs.

My back seems to be responding to the acupuncture treatment. I also figured that purchasing a new mattress might also help. My bedroom isn’t very big so I also made the decision to go back to a twin bed. Lark prefers to sleep on the floor on her bedding. She will have more floor space and I will have more feet space.

Traveling on a small ship up or down the inside passage to Alaska is one thing I haven’t managed yet. Nan and I both looked that the ferry briefly as a possibility when we traveled back from Alaska but we both were traveling with one or more older dogs that couldn’t tolerate being left in the rigs that long so we drove down through BC and through beautiful Idaho. Herschel made it a few more weeks until he saw the Tetons and decided they looked enough like Heaven to him.

[MandysMom]

Thank you Barbara for recommending Great Clips. Found a shop under. 10 min away. The young gal (trained in 2015), Seryna, did exactly what I requested, did it quickly and was pleasant to deal with. Hair now 5-6 inches shorter!
Wind blowing like crazy out. So glad those brittle eucalyptus are gone!
We are off to store for few weekly needs: his yogurt, bread, milk, egg.
Have a good evening.
Velda

[JudyJB]

Hey, Peggy, I am game for the inside passage, as long as the beds are comfortable!

And, I also once took those huge amounts of Vitamin D, but it was only for a couple of months. My doctor retested me at that point and told me to take 2,000 units per day from then on, which I do. The thing about Vitamin D levels is that it is not always included in a complete blood count, which I get maybe four times a year to check my platelets and white blood levels. I have to remember to ask about D once a year to make sure it is OK.

Am at a commercial campground for one night and just did four loads of laundry!! Still got folding to do, so got to get busy.

[BarbaraRose]

It was a beautiful morning for putter's golf! Big bucks for winners today! I came in 3rd place and won $20 (plus $6 for winning last week). The 94 year old gal came in 1st place. 4 of us went around a second time just for fun. Most of the ladies are snowbirds and heading out this week. Will be getting quiet around here again soon.

I picked up my annual electricity usage report from the office. They take the total amount used from the previous year and divide it by 12 for an average estimated monthly electric fee for the upcoming year. At the end of that year, they either credit or charge the difference based on what was actually used for the year. Because of my new mini split HVAC system, I get a credit of $230 for last year. They broke down what I actually used for each month on the sheet I got, and last August I used 1802 KW ($232/mo). After getting the mini split installed, my September usage was 610 KW ($75/mo). Huge 60% difference!! And the temps for both months were well into the one hundred teens, so no real difference in temps. Just a very efficient new system! I am very happy about that! My usage cost for last month was $31. That saves me so much money now!

I went for my last PT session. I am still very tight and sore so I will need to be very vigilant about doing my daily exercises now. Tomorrow I will be at the new shop so I will bring the new very lightweight broom I got. Amazing how much damage a broom can cause!

Went to my neighborhood WM to get some yellow towels for my bathroom but they didn't have any yellow bath stuff. I checked a couple other stores nearby but nothing yellow there either. Got home and went on-line and found what I was looking for at the other WM I will be working at tomorrow, so I ordered them and will pick them up there after work. I found a window valance at Amazon that matched the shower curtain I bought so that will be on it's way soon. It should all look much brighter and happy in my bathroom! (I did buy some of the Cholestoff Plus at WM today!)

Debbie loved her little gourd I made for her. She claims to not be creative at all but she really appreciates crafty things. No one in my family is creative and none of them appreciate anything arts and crafts related. I gave up a long time ago making things for them or for the holidays. My mom was the only one who liked the things I made. I think she had some creative talent but never pursued it at all.

Was very warm today, sunny, and breezy. The stronger winds must be blowing to the other side of the valley today since I could barely make out the mountains on that side due to blowing dust. It just depends on the direction of the wind, which side gets hit. It usually hits this side tho.

Karen, I really like your little table! The vase on it almost looks like a gourd.

Lyn has been quiet lately too. Lyn, what are you up to? Do you get out on your scooter much? I need to get to San Diego for a visit one of these days. We'll do lunch!