Saturday

[Colliemom]

Morning all. Still dark out, so can’t say what kind of morning it is out there yet.But will probably be sunny, as that seems to be the pattern these days. Having a couple days of muggy weather and highs around low 80’s. I am getting tired of this weather and I am looking forward to fall. There were some pop-up thunderstorms yesterday afternoon, but we did not get rain here from the one that came past us. But the temperature dropped over 10° in a matter of minutes. They say there may be more today though. Then back down to low dewpoints again.

Nothing exciting going on here other than a project that I got into on my back deck. I have a set of steps that come down from a landing out my side door and a couple of them were starting to rot. At first I was just going to replace the boards, but I had to replace one last year and I knew that things were starting to rot out underneath, so decided to just tear the whole thing out. I have new framework made and I am in the process of getting it painted. The dewpoints are up just enough, that it’s taking time to dry. I put primer on yesterday and I did paint the one part but I have to turn it over and do the bottom edge. Since we have a pretty good chance of rain this afternoon I’m just going to do it in the garage. Will be taking a ride out to the recycling facility with the old wood next week. Going to sort through the scrap wood that I have in my shed and probably get rid of some of that too.

Hey Shirl, if you are getting bored with spider solitaire, here’s a couple of suggestions you might like to download. One is FreeCell and the other is Wordscapes. I do them every day. Wordscapes is a great brain game because you need to think. You get a bunch of letters in a round circle. No more than seven. The trick is to fill in blank spaces that look like a crossword puzzle. You will get the first letter as a hint in one of the lines and after that every time you make a word a butterfly will land on square, so you know where to start the next word. But it’s not as easy as it looks and it can really make you think.

So I guess since I am wide awake at all dark 30 I will just get up and make myself some breakfast and then I can get busy outside. Get the paint on the bottom edges of the part of the frame and finish priming the rest of the pieces, then paint them. Need to clean up the mess on my deck too if I’m breaking all the old wood up. Some I have already moved, but I have a Lotta little junk left yet.

Have a wonderful day everyone.

[PeggyinCT]

Good morning Sue and all who read..
I too play Wordscapes and am having difficulty with today’s daily puzzle. Couldn’t figure out the long word, so I put it aside. I often do that and when I go back, I usually can figure it out. I believe there are group/teams that play together. It might be fun if the Forum women could have a team. Do you know how to form a group????
I’m meeting a friend and we’re going to an early showing of the movie Elvis; then heading to LLBean to get white t-shirts. Can’t have too many white Tees. Enjoy today. Peggy

[Shirlv]

Morning Sue and All. Weather still good although humidity is not comfortable for me. Sue, I appreciate the game suggestions but do not want more brain strain. Spider is a tranquilizer for me, mindless, easy distraction. My brother now has broadband so have been spending time with him. When I was 7 yrs old I thought a baby brother was the greatest gift a little girl could get. Today not so much. Lol. Be safe

[BarbaraRose]

Good morning gals!

Just hanging out in bed for a bit, then need to get up and moving!

Shirl, I am addicted to regular Solitaire. How does Spider Solitaire compare to that? Is it easy to learn? I don't want anything too complicated.

Does anyone know how to keep butter soft without having it out on the counter? It stays about 82*+/- in my kitchen and my butter melts and goes bad pretty quickly. But I don't want to keep it in the fridge and have it be too hard to use for toast, etc. Any ideas? Has anyone used a butter crock?

[IrishIroamed]

Barbie~
According to the US Dairy Association, it's OK to leave butter out, unless the room is above 70° F, then it should be refrigerated.

I hate having to let butter get softer too for toast, etc. I've found that Land O Lakes in the tub with canola oil is a solution for me. It's easily spreadable and doesn't taste much different. Left out to long tho, and it gets a bit oily.

[Shirlv]

Barbie, spider solitaire is very easy especially if you use one color. You just count-backwards . Lol
Might help you unwind after work or at bedtime. I use breathing exercise in bed, it distracts, calms my mind and I usually go right to sleep. Unless I’ve spent time with my brother then I use the punching bag at bedtime. Lol Just kidding. Two old timers trying to keep up with technology.

[Bethers]

I haven't played spider solitaire in awhile. Usually I play regular solitaire last thing before bed. Maybe I'll play spider some nights I'll probably download the word game. Right now I play 3 word games every day and compare with my sister on how we do. My mom would have loved them and would have almost always beat both of us at them. She did crossword puzzles from major newspapers in ink lol. Anyway, my sister and I are enjoying these (Wordle - the original, Quordle and Duotrigordle).

Sorry I haven't been posting much. I read a couple times a day. It's good having my friend here. It's been raining almost every day for awhile. I think we might have 3 or 4 days in a row, starting tomorrow with very low chances of rain. My fingers are crossed. Monday we'll be picking up Judyjb and going back to Bryce. And who knows what else. It has been great actually getting time off. This summer would have been really nice if the season started with the help I have now.

Sue, I'll be expecting pictures of all your new work.

As to those with plants... I purchased 3 plants for in front of the office. The 2 hanging ones were identical. I've of those 2 is gorgeous still, one starting dyinga few weeks ago. I've been trying to nurse it back to health and am a little but successful but it's very frustrating. Then I broke the hummingbird feeder outside the office last time I was refilling it. The birds are not happy. I've ordered another but I think it won't be here till Thursday. I need to look up when I need to take it down so they'll head south.

Yay, I'm posting without venting for a change. I truly enjoy everyone's posts. I'm sorry for those in the heat. It's been in the 50's mornings walking Ty but with the sunshine the next couple days we'll make it back up to possibly hit 80 a couple days.

[JudyJB]

Dumped my tanks and drove to visitor center. I was afraid I would not find parking, but it was easy and there were lots of spaces. This North Rim is a lot less busy and a lot more relaxing than the South Rim, but the campground is very tight and has no electric, which at least for me, means a lot of charging. I have two 12 volt access points, not counting my vehicle plug, and a 12 volt extension cord that I can use for my computer. Before I had the extension cord, i had to plug in my computer in the back and then wait for it to charge. Now I can charge it while using it. Also need to keep plugging in things like my mobile hotspots, phone, and emergency fall device.

I enjoyed sitting on the balcony of the Lodge here--great view and nice chairs. I could have walked down to a viewpoint, but then I would have had to walk back up again, and decided that took too much energy. Was thinking of eating lunch there, but dull menu and expensive, so i am having a hot dog in my motorhome.

Will be at Bryce tomorrow and am looking forward to seeing Beth on Monday.

[BarbaraRose]

Those of you going to Bryce, have fun! I Hope the weather holds out. I would love to see it sometime!

Judy, have you considered getting a portable solar kit like the Jackery? Would be a good backup when you are without electric for several days.

I got the extra empty bins outside put away, and moved my bike under the carport. I gave my neighbor, Gloria, a haircut, then Debbie stopped by to see Romeow. He got scared when he saw her and ran into the bedroom never to be seen again (until she left). I guess I will have to work on socializing him.
Got my dishes done and the kitchen cleaned up too.

Back to work tomorrow for 4 days. The new gal can only work on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays, so I now work the other 4 days and get her days off. Works good for me.

I learned how to play solitaire when I was young and now that I play it on my phone all the time, I have gotten very good at it. I will have to check out the spider version. I have heard of Wordle but no idea what it is.

Gotta put my dishes away that I have drying and then relax for the rest of the evening.

[Redetotry]

Morning Sue and All. Weather still good although humidity is not comfortable for me. Sue, I appreciate the game suggestions but do not want more brain strain. Spider is a tranquilizer for me, mindless, easy distraction. My brother now has broadband so have been spending time with him. When I was 7 yrs old I thought a baby brother was the greatest gift a little girl could get. Today not so much. Lol. Be safe

I was just the opposite when my baby brother was born when I was seven, neither I or my brother who is 2 years older than me had any idea our Mom was pregnant. Our Dad woke us early one morning and said Santa had come early. He took us to their bedroom and there was a baby!! I asked whose it was and when the said ours I asked to go back to bed. Can you imagine kids now days not knowing much less a baby being born at home. On the third day I ask the man down the street who had ponies if I could trade him for my favorite pony. He said yes and a born haggler I asked if he would give me the red saddle he put on her when he let me ride. He considered my offer and said yes. So I raced home to get him. My Dad laughed and went along with me for awhile but when I went to get him he said no. I remember all my reasons he should say yes, but after a couple of smacks I gave up. Years later I found a birthday card and on the front it had a boy and girl with a pony, inside it said, I'm glad I have you for a brother instead of a pony. Of course I sent it to him.

[Acadianmom]

It has been raining off and on last night and today. My rain gauge shows a little over 1 1/2 inches of rain this week and the day isn't over. Sugar would like to go for a walk but I'm not going out when it's thundering. I managed to get in and out of Walmart with out getting rained on. When I was picking up Sugar's pills they ask me if I wanted free Covid test. Not exactly free, they charge them to medicare. I though it was one box but it's 4 boxes with 2 tests per box. There has only been one time this year that I have felt bad enough to even think about getting tested.

Sue, I wish I had your energy. The back steps and deck that goes up to the back of the house need to be torn down. I have replaced a few boards but some of the under framework is rotten. Every time I have someone working here I have to rope it off because I'm afraid a man would fall through it. The screws are all rusted so I would have to probably use a saw to take it apart. I think Eddie could probably pull the frame out of the ground with the tractor.

We use to be so mean to our younger brother. Now I wish he was closer to me. My brother that was 3 years younger was so hateful. If he got mad at me he would hide my favorite things. The only reason he didn't kill me was because I could outrun him. Mother called him Uncle Homer because her brother Homer aggravated their mother so much. My brother passed away in 2000.

Cheryl I bought some of the Land O Lakes with canola when I was at Walmart. I will see how I like it. I hate that it's so hard to spread cold butter and I love butter. There is one brand that I like at Walmart and it's in short supply for some reason. The last 3 times I have been to Walmart all that was left was an empty box in the case.

I don't hear any thunder so guess I better take Sugar for her walk. This time of day every time I move she starts jumping up and down wanting to go.

Martha

[snowball]

three days and the turtle still is hanging when the lid is closed so I deem it finished!!!! yea one project finished...
and I worked on tying knots again sat at the table long enough that I had to lay down my lower back started to bother me... doesn't usually usually the shoulder will say quit will ya!!!!
didn't do much just what I felt I needed to.. which wasn't much watered out side plants before it rained which is what I wanted to do felt like it wouldn't rain enough to water the plants.. glad I did it did rain but not a lot thundered more than it rained...
down to part of a the last section of the afghan I'm crocheting probably will be finished in less than two weeks too bad my eldest daughter was coming labor day weekend it will be done by then... oh well hopefully I will get to go to Q and will be able to stop and spend some time in Utah before going on down... I feel like because of the way my kids were born that I had two families.... my first three were fairly close in age then a break then two so my first three are girls then a boy then a girl.. so my youngest of the first group is looking at a houses.... we will when I get tired of living in the 5th wheel make a go of it... she is looking a single wide manufactured home... put an offer on it but she says the biggest drawback with it is that the bedrooms are really small in away I am hoping she doesn't get it ... but it would also be a good thing for her... the owner's of the house actually accepted an offer that was less than what my dd offered... only thing reason I can see for that would be family or friends... but they also aren't sure if they can get financing so it's still up in the air...
I usually play forty thieves before I get off the computer it's a solitaire game similar to ..... been so long since I've played it can't find games to remind me of the name of it I think it's a version of Free Cell but in Free Cell you can move columns as long as there is space for them in this one only one at a time so if you have stacked them up in the one area and you want a say 4 but there is a 5 and 6 before it you can't get to it at that time... but it does relax me even if I rarely advance a level occasionally but rarely I've seen the mindscape but I am such a terrible speller that I am sure it would not be relaxing
need to go mix up the start for the scones for the Navajo Taco's
you all have a good day
sheila

[JudyJB]

Martha, I did not think I needed so many COVID tests either, but then my Ohio DIL and my son both got COVID within a couple of days of each other, and I had been around each of them. They had been completely vaccinated and booster, and are still not sure where they got it, but they do have three kids. I tested myself daily for a week and then every couple of days for another week. I got the 8 free tests you can get each month from Medicare, and am happy to have them in case I am around someone who comes down with COVID again.

Packed up and ready to drive up to Bryce tomorrow. Got a small grocery list and will stop in Kanab to pick the items up. Lots of rain here last few days and temps at 6 pm were 65. Its 56 right now, so going to need my furnace again tonight. Probably need to also stop for propane.

Just updated last week's worth of my blog. I should really not get so far behind.