First August Friday

[Othersharon]

Good afternoon. Just past noon in my time zone! I managed to get my cordless blinds hung! They weren’t the problem. It was removing the painted closed old ones! They weren’t as bad to hang as I thought they would be. Check one more little chore off my ever so long list! I went up to wash my hair awhile ago and ended up cleaning the bathroom. I get sidetracked easily!

Interesting comments on places to return to. I find I don’t want to return to all the places out west that I remember from back in my younger days. So many of the areas have exploded with population and whatnot and I kinda like remember what they were before all that. If that makes any sense to anyone else! Plus I like visiting the new places here in the east that I’ve never seen and don’t have any memories of the before! As far as living in a certain place I’ve lived all over in my lifetime and we’ve always found something good about any place we’ve lived. And now to be able to explore new places and come home and not have to unpack boxes is a bonus in my mind!

Hope all of you experiencing the fires and smoke are staying safe. Sister in Denver area told me that their air quality is really bad and they haven’t been able to see the mountains west of them for several days. If our sunsets are any indication, ours has improved somewhat. Of course that could all change with the wind patterns!

Guess I should find something for lunch and try to check a few more chores off my list! Have a great day and be safe.

[Irmi]

Hi O'Sharon and all!

Sharon, I agree with you on many points about where one wants to live. As much as I loved living on the eastern shore of MD most of my life, we live too close to the highways going to the ocean, and if it wasn't enough of a reason to leave, the fall, winters and springs are too cold for me. Since we've found our little niche in central FL, I really like it there. It's not nearly as busy as our east coast and the winters are bearable. I love the mountains in the west, but the winters are too severe to live there, but I'd visit there in the summer time in a heartbeat. Everyone needs to decide what is best for them.

We woke up to 65 degrees this morning, compared to the low 60's for the rest of the week. We'll get into the low 90's today compared to the high 70's and mid 80's since the beginning of the week. We're taking a break from going to the house today but have sold lots of things by posting on Market Place on FB. We're having crab cakes for dinner, which will finish the meat from the third half bushel of crabs we bought. We'll probably get another half bushel next week sometime. The church is having their annual summer service/potluck in a parishioners yard this Sunday, so I have the day off from playing. So we're planning on taking a long drive somewhere, maybe in the Amish country in Lancaster County PA.

Please stay safe everyone.

[IrishIroamed]

Hi Sharon, Irmi & all that follow~~~

I've been reading with interest, how people are figuring out where to live after getting off the road. Beside seeing the national parks, that's another thing I'm trying to figure out. So far I know I don't like Florida. Never have. Never will. (Sorry Irmi & Donna ((if she still reads the forum)). Every area of our country has some draw backs. Fires, earthquakes, tornadoes, hurricanes, snow& cold, heat & humidity, etc. I wouldn't like IL because of the cost of living, but since I will no longer have immediate family when Dad's time will come, I may end up here just to make it easier on a cousin who is my executor and POA. I've been thinking too about dad's house here in the Chitown burbs, but it's in Cook County ($$$) and would need some major remodeling (on a slab, one car garage and no A/C). To many things to think about right this minute. The only definatel is I do want to get back on the road at some point. Let's just hope I'm able to when that time happens.

Anyways, just a rambling check- in. Dad's doing OK and ortho appointment next Wednesday. Fingers crossed he can do more
Weight. bearing. 90° temps expected thru next 7 days. Yep, still sleeping in the camper.

Have a great day.

[Irmi]

Cheryl, I've been thinking about you, having been a caregiver for my parents for a number of years. That is probably the hardest job I ever had, both physically and emotionally. Dad was very regimented and wanted breakfast 8:00, lunch at 12:00 and supper at 5:00. Not 5 minutes before or after. By the time I fixed their meals, did the dishes, got them put away, it was almost time to prepare for the next meal, never mind the housekeeping and laundry that had to be done. If you can find a few minutes to give yourself a break, try to do that. I would call Steve several times a day and told him I felt like walking out but knew I couldn't do that.

[Cudedog]

Sue, Beth and Judy have all asked me, over the last week or so, on one thread or another (in one manner or another!) "Why don't you move?"

I haven't answered this because I wanted to give it some thought before making a reply, but do appreciate the question. It got me to thinking.

Well, first of all, the truth of the matter is that I have never stopped looking for a place to move to. And, as Barbie mentioned, there is "always something". In fact, "ZillowTime" is part of my morning routine.

First off, to get it out of the way, I think one of the main things that keeps me here in northern California is the geology (I am near the northern end of the Sierras, and also near the southern terminus of the Cascades) - SO fascinating!!

(Aside: Perhaps one of the main reasons for my life-long quest to visit Yellowstone was because of the . . . geology. To see all of the myriad and varied wildlife there was wonderful, to be sure - but it was (and is) the geology of the place that drew me, and that I found the most fascinating).

For me, there are a lot of things to think about when contemplating a move, “wants” and “don’t-wants”.

Don’t Wants:

1. Don't want to live near the ocean (I'm speaking here of the west coast). Lovely to look at, constant all-permeating dampness, all the time. And tsunamis. Tsunamis can happen anywhere, anytime, along the west coast with little or no warning. Not that they will, but that they can.

2. Wildfire. One of the reasons - among many - that I moved from my nearly-30-years residence in the rural Sierra foothills is due to the constant (especially in recent years), ongoing threat of wildfire.

3. Living a few miles below one of the planet's tallest earth-fill dams that also happens to be located in an earthquake zone (I was evacuated for several days a couple years back when it was thought the dam was going to give way).

4. Living in a city that could suffer a major flood

5. States - like California - where the prices are so high one goes into "sticker shock" when looking at the price tag of a house that is basically a refurbished chicken coop

6. Tornadoes

7. Hurricanes

8. Civil disturbance (as though that can be predicted, which it mostly can’t)

Wants:

1. A view of near or distant hills or mountains, like I had during my years in the foothills. A view of the mountains makes my heart glad, and I sorely miss it.

2a. Four seasons. I would love to again see the snow fall in the wintertime, if only a little of it. I can do cold, heat not so much. My foothills home generally had a bit of snow.

2b. Four seasons. Where I live now has only two seasons: coolish/warmish and hotter than H---. For months.

3. Peace and quiet, no traffic noise constantly rattling my house 24/7.

Things that don't particularly bother me

1. Earthquakes (during my life I have felt more earthquakes than I can remember, both large and small

2. Wildfire (if I live in an area that is unlikely to unexpectedly burst into flame)

3. Smoke (I can always stay inside with the air filters going)

4. Cold weather

I would like to live in a place that, during the summer, I could simply head out the door for a brief (or lengthy) walk (whichever I randomly choose at the spur of the moment), at any time of the day, without the very real concern of the risk of heatstroke. I would like to live in a place where I could take my dog on this walk with me, with no worry of heatstroke for my dog, and no necessity of putting "booties" on his feet to prevent his feet from being burned by the hot pavement as we walk along. I have ALWAYS loved to take long walks, every day. But when temps get much over 90 degrees, I just can't do it anymore - and we have not seen an 90-degree day for the past few months.

I would like a view of the mountains (I know I already said that).

I would like things to be GREEN. Or, at least, green-er.

A bit of snow in the winter

I would like a small-ish town to live in.

I'm stopping now, because I know I am rambling.

I have been looking at Klamath Falls for the last couple of years, it seems to have many (if not most) of the things I most desire in a place to live. Also, it has GEOLOGY. Quite a lot of it, actually, being as it is in the heart of the southern Cascades. Unfortunately, with the real-estate price run up of the last two or three years (I wish I had bought there when I had the chance - I started looking there in 2017) it is now becoming un-affordable for me (see "chicken coop", above).

And now I realize that KF, as demonstrated by the Bootleg Fire, has the definite possibility of being affected by wildfire. Even though the realtor told me when I was up there looking, that there was no fire danger in KF (I should have known better – looking at the dry, brushy terrain, being as I am from northern California, I knew what I was looking at, but chose to ignore what my eyes were telling me).

I guess the big worry right now for ALL of the western states is the ongoing drought. Many/most reservoirs in my area are running on "empty". If the autumn rains fail this year - again - things will become dire. Not just for the west, but for the entire country. Because western agriculture feeds most of the United States. No water = no food.

So. . . should I make the trek over the Continental Divide? I must admit that I have been Zillow-ing Sue's area, and it looks MIGHTY attractive in many respects!

Am really enjoying this thread. It is interesting to see what each thinks is “best” for them, and how all of our “bests” differ. Fun reading!

Thank you.

Anne

[BarbaraRose]

Sharon, is your camper parked at your dad's place? I am glad I am south of any fires so am not getting any smoke around here. We do get some bright orange sunsets from the occasional fire near LA. So far, no big fires around there yet.

Irmi, I love visiting Amish country! There are some Amish communities in southern Minnesota. Some friends and I went down there one day to visit and it was so interesting! I learned a lot about them and loved shopping in the shops with all the handmade/homemade items and food! Have fun!

Nothing new here. Hot, hot, and more hot... I have 4 haircuts lined up for this weekend so that will keep me busy!

[Bethers]

Irmi, I loved my two summers in Lancaster county. Enjoy!

Cheryl, aren't you glad you haven't decided to sell the tt so far? You need the break and the AC! Tough decisions ahead.

[Acadianmom]

Sharon, you can get sidetracked in my bathroom, it needs cleaning big time. I feed the cats in there to keep their food away from the dog and they make a mess. I wish all of them would decide to live outside. Stinky has started staying in the house more but Possie won't come in. I should have made Annie an appointment with the vet today. She is chewing on her tail again so I put a cone on her. I don't know what's wrong with the dingbat.

If I didn't have family in Louisiana I would sure consider moving. I like where Liz and Birdie moved to. I for sure wouldn't be going somewhere it snowed.

I found some unfaded jeans at TJ Maxx. Of course they are too long so after I wash them I will have to cut some off. I'm about 4 inches too short for my weight. lol

I might try to go mow in Maurice tomorrow if it doesn't rain again. I'm watching the news and one of the weather men is reporting on football??? Where's the sports guy?

We are back under a mask mandate and the state attorney general is telling people to say they have religious and medical reasons why they can't wear a mask. I am so sick of all this fighting. If you don't want to wear a mask stay home. School if getting read to start and some are fighting kids wearing masks. If I had a school age child I would be afraid to send them to school at all.

Martha

[Cudedog]

We are back under a mask mandate and the state attorney general is telling people to say they have religious and medical reasons why they can't wear a mask. I am so sick of all this fighting. If you don't want to wear a mask stay home. School if getting read to start and some are fighting kids wearing masks. If I had a school age child I would be afraid to send them to school at all.

Martha

Martha, I agree with you 100%. I am so thankful that my children are grown adults, and I am not faced with this pandemic situation with young children still at home. I was a single Mom and worked full time to support all of us. If I had small children and still needed to work during the pandemic I'm not sure what I would do - but I hope I would be able to think of something.

I don't think this pandemic will ever be over unless or until people finally realize, and begin to address the fact, that the pandemic isn't some kind of political "government-going-to-take-away-your-freedoms" issue but the life-threatening public health disaster that it really is.

I worry that it is going to take a whole lot more dying before we can get there.

Anne

[BarbaraRose]

The governor of Florida has gone so far as to tell schools that he will withhold funding to those schools who ask kids to wear masks. With that state having one of the highest Covid rates and many are kids, that just is insane to demand the schools not require masks.

I am getting stressed by all the fire, Covid, etc, news. There is a movie coming out about 911 and they are advertising it on TV with the replay of the planes going into the towers. I just can't handle seeing that! I need to step back and stay away from the news (and commercials!) for awhile. I know when I have reached my limit with stuff like that. I start getting really anxious, depressed, impatient and crabby. Not a good thing.

I went to WM to get a couple things I needed and went to the self-check-out. After checking one item, the next item got a beep and a message to get a clerk. I found the clerk and got her to look at it. She pushed a few buttons and then walked away. She never said one word. The screen still said there was a problem. I waited a bit thinking something would happen but finally went over to get the clerk again. She was with someone else and totally ignored me. I waited a little longer but gave up and took my cart to a regular check-out line. When I got to the front of the line, I realized I had left my debit card on the machine at the self-checkout. I ran back to get it and a woman told me she had seen it there so I asked the "mute" lady if she had it. Without saying a word, she pushed about 25 buttons on the til before it finally opened and she handed me my card. I rushed back to where my cart was and surprisingly no one spit on me because I was holding up the line for 3 minutes! Whew! All I needed was to have someone walk off with that card! I was lucky!

I stopped at Hobby Lobby to pick up a couple things I need for another gourd project I am working on. They had a 50% off sale on a lot of the craft stuff. I really had to make myself walk away from the sale stuff and keep reminding myself to "focus" on what I was looking for! I get so distracted with everything in there! One of the things I needed was actually on sale (50% off) anyways! So I ended up with just the few things on my list! Yay me! I am making a gourd for my friend who is getting married in a week. I am going to see if it looks decent enough to actually give to her or not. If not, I have a plan B for a gift.

Tonight, Lola went to jump up on my bed and fell! She looked so shocked! I called her back up but she hesitated. Finally, I convinced her to try again and she took a really big leap and made it. Not sure if she just didn't put enough effort the first time, or if her legs are starting to get weaker now. She probably has some arthritis now due to her age. (she loves my heating pad and laying in the hot porch so must feel good on her old bones and joints). I may have to get some steps for her if it continues to be a problem for her. Otherwise, she is doing very well other than sleeping a lot. She is a lot like me! I don't move very well anymore and I also sleep a lot! I wonder if there is some CBD for cats for arthritis?

I need to get caught up on some cleaning around here this weekend and some small projects.

[Cudedog]

I went to WM to get a couple things I needed and went to the self-check-out. After checking one item, the next item got a beep and a message to get a clerk. I found the clerk and got her to look at it. She pushed a few buttons and then walked away. She never said one word. The screen still said there was a problem. I waited a bit thinking something would happen but finally went over to get the clerk again. She was with someone else and totally ignored me. I waited a little longer but gave up and took my cart to a regular check-out line. When I got to the front of the line, I realized I had left my debit card on the machine at the self-checkout. I ran back to get it and a woman told me she had seen it there so I asked the "mute" lady if she had it. Without saying a word, she pushed about 25 buttons on the til before it finally opened and she handed me my card.

I sometimes think some of the Walmart clerks need to look for a different job. A few years ago I had spent at least an hour shopping in Walmart (it was and is one of those "super stores"). By the time I was finished, I had two carts brim full (I was pushing one, pulling the other behind me). By some miracle, there was a check-out line with only two people in it, I was pretty tired by this time, so I got in that line.

When it got to be my turn, I was reaching to put the first item on the belt, when the cashier reached and put a "Line Closed" sign right in front of my nose. I looked at her and said "Really?!?". She was mute too, and just turned away.

So I just threw up my hands and walked out of the store without buying anything. As I was leaving, I heard someone say "You can't do that!". I said "No? Watch me."

I'm guessing it probably took at least a couple of hours to return my items to the shelf, which cut a bit into the Walmart profit margin!

Tonight, Lola went to jump up on my bed and fell! She looked so shocked! I called her back up but she hesitated. Finally, I convinced her to try again and she took a really big leap and made it. Not sure if she just didn't put enough effort the first time, or if her legs are starting to get weaker now. She probably has some arthritis now due to her age. (she loves my heating pad and laying in the hot porch so must feel good on her old bones and joints). I may have to get some steps for her if it continues to be a problem for her. Otherwise, she is doing very well other than sleeping a lot. She is a lot like me! I don't move very well anymore and I also sleep a lot! I wonder if there is some CBD for cats for arthritis?

My daughter and son-in-law had a very nice, very sturdy, set of carpet-covered steps (the structure was made of wood) for their elderly cat for many years. The steps worked very well, and I am sure their cat appreciated them.

I am happy to ask where they got the steps, if you would like.

Anne

[BarbaraRose]

So I just threw up my hands and walked out of the store without buying anything. As I was leaving, I heard someone say "You can't do that!". I said "No? Watch me."

I love that!

Today, Lola seems to be jumping fine, so maybe she was just having an off "jumping" day yesterday! I think I would need to get light weight steps or a small stool for her to use, eventually. I had a Maine Coon cat about 15 years ago who was disabled in his backside and was unable to jump at all. I had to lift him up on the couch and the bed. I finally got some small plastic steps for the bed which worked great for him. He passed away at 6 years old due to complications of his physical disability. He was the best cat ever! That one was a tough loss for me!