WEDNESDAY 5/7

[OregonLuvr]

Good morning. Supposed to be another nice day today. I bought 2 nice tomato plants yesterday so will try and get them planted today or tomorrow as I have Bunco this afternoon. My back is still bugging me and now I am thinking Sciatica on my left side as it travels down my leg..sheesh it is always something. So will do the sciatica exercises again and see if that helps this week. Not too many cures for sciatica. My back doesn't understand I have things to do so stop it.

Beth glad you have someone to pal around with. Martha busy with all her groups. Sheila still trying to sort out stuff. I had to laugh when she said she didnt get up until 2........good grief I would shoot myself LOL I am in bed at 9, usually asleep by 10 then up at 4:30-6am. I would never get anything done if I didnt get up fairly early. I run out of gas after lunch, then I am done for the day. Sounds like Evie had a good birthday cake, sounds delicious. Lyn hopefully your daughter is doing better. Same with Sandi's Abby. Judy hope you were able to get your RV all fixed up.

[monik7]

Thank you Karen for your kind words about Abby. We went for a 3-month checkup yesterday after Abby had her lab work last week. Her kidney test went down from 4.7 to 2.7 which is a high normal. The vet said her kidney values may indicate mild kidney function issues but not necessarily kidney disease. I hope that holds true. I will gladly continue feeding her via syringe twice a day. Other tests were normal. I hope all this continues to get better. I’ve had dogs my entire life and a horse for 18 years and it’s always amazed me how much I love them. I’m sure everyone here who has a dog/cat or other animal feels the same way. Living alone lets me talk to the dogs a lot and it’s wonderful how smart they are and how much they’ve learned to understand. Have a great day everyone.
Sandi

[JudyJB]

Karen, I have been a night owl even as a small child. (Luckily, I lived half a block from my elementary school.) I get to bed around 11 pm to midnight and fall asleep an hour or two later. As I have gotten older, my biggest problem is that I wake up at around 5 am and cannot get back to sleep for a couple of hours, or even longer.

When I worked at Ford, we had flexible hours, so that we had to be in the office during "core" hours, which were from 9 am to 3 pm. Some on my team came in at 6:30 and worked until 3, and others like me, came in at 9 and worked until 5:30 pm. I even went to a sleep clinic to try to shift my hours, and the doctor finally said to just keep my current hours as long as it was not causing problems.

When I was working on various self-managed projects at home and teaching online, I would be up until 2 am grading papers some nights. It was funny because the college software let me know which of my department faculty and even my current students who were working online that late! (Most of my students were in their mid-20s and 30s, so had full-time jobs and families. Evenings were the only times most could do schoolwork. I told them they could call me until 10 pm, but NEVER before 10 am!!)

I Once had a student notice I was online, so he sent me a note asking if he could call me at 2 am from intensive care. His two-year-old had part of his lung removed, and he and his wife were taking turns staying with him, so he was doing homework and needed help with something, so I said sure! I told him he had to take quizzes and exams on time, but he could be late with homework as long as I got it within two days of the end of the semester.

And I get most of my housework done in the evenings, after most people are asleep!!

[Irmi]

Hi Karen, Sandi and Judy!

Karen, I am surprised you would put tomato plants out this early. In MD, I was always overanxious putting plants out too soon. My father always said not to do that before Memorial Day. I hope you get a decent crop! There's nothing better than home grown tomatoes. Sandi, I'm so glad Abby got a good report from her vet! We have had several dogs and loved each and everyone. I do online coloring and have colored lots of dogs. Judy, I remember you telling us about that student, I think it's the same one, some years back.

It was 70 degrees when I got up this morning and we're in the low 90's with occasional sunshine.

I'm trying to remind myself to check in here more often so I remember what I've done since my last post. I'm one that always wants lots of ice in my drinks. I don't drink anything hot. We've had a financial advisor for a number of years, back before we retired. We started with Edward Jones but our advisor had a heated conversation from his boss from the main office and ended up walking out. He moved to Ameriprise and after we settled in FL, we are still with Ameriprise. Sheila, you were talking about the May Day dance. When I was in elementary school, I'm guessing it was 4th or 5th grade, I was the May Day Queen and the the cutest boy in our class was the King. During recess he fell in a mud puddle and his suit was "muddy", so a freckled, red headed guy in our class was the king. I was so disappointed.

I talked to the priest of an Anglican Church I played for in MD for about 30 years today. It was so good catching up. This coming Sunday, after church, we're leaving for our first mini vacation. We've stayed at this waterfront resort a couple times before and I'm so anxious to get away for a few days.

I think there was another thing or two I wanted to mention. I should start making notes for myself.

Enjoy the rest of the day!

[OregonLuvr]

This is not a good sign so early this year. BUT we have rain coming starting Sunday for a few days so might help our fuel moisture which they say we are a month ahead, sure hope so.

Barrel Ground fire 50 acres right now. Our first of the year.

Irmi our guideline to plant is right around Mothers Day Our weather looks good for lows so no frost. Rain coming in Sun Mon and Tuesday which will be good for all the plants (and the weeds). Since I have been here 4 years one season I planted 7 tomato plants sheesh what was I thinking The next time 5 , last year 4, this year 2 plants. I am a slow learner. My neighbors enjoy tho and they still will as I share. Sandy good news on Abby's kidney results. What did they say about her leg.? My handyman and wife just had to put their 17 1/2 yr old dog down on Monday. Sad but she quit eating and drinking and was pretty skinny and arthritic, it was time. They now said they will come up here and get lots of loves from Emma, which she is happy to oblige.
Judy I worked mainly 12hour night shift for most of my career except when I was management Nurse Administrator for almost 4 years After working nights for the last 15 years of my career when I retired I transitioned to "early to bed, early to rise" easily. Guess I figured I can sleep when I am dead LOL I just get so much more done in the mornings.

Had a good time at Bunco today and even won $10 Checked on my tomato plants I planted this morning and they are looking good. Tomorrow will plant the Azaleas out front. Wont get my geraniums for a while yet, probably not until after our rain.

[monik7]

Martha, sorry I missed your post yesterday. You asked why I have to wait so long (one month) for a cortisone shot. My insurance is through Kaiser Permanente. In my area there are thousands of people just like me who belong to Kaiser and in my case, many are also scheduled for injections like cortisone. That’s why I have to get in line and wait. The cortisone shot I’ll get is not like a simple shot in the arm. Instead I’m required to have a driver to go home after and the area of placement is very important.
Sandi

[Bethers]

Sandi, I hope the shot gives you relief and I'm glad Abby got better test results the second time. Yes, it's very hard to see them decline. TY gave me such a scare last summer and we never discovered what caused it but boy was I relieved that he completely recovered.

[JudyJB]

Still occasionally coughing and wheezing, but to make things worse, I am pretty sure I now have oral thrush. Mouth has been dry and sore, and when I looked inside it around noon today with a flashlight, it was covered with white gunk! Several sites online said it is rare with adults, but common with people who have weak immune systems and have recently taken prednisone! Darn!!

Called my doctor's nurse and she agreed that I should see another urgent care doctor tomorrow. In the meantime, I am trying lemon juice in cold water to help control it. Got a sore throat with it, also.

Getting tired of all of this. And I guess I ought to announce that I am definitely going to be looking for a small house of condo not too far from my son's house in Ohio. I want no bigger than 1,400 sq ft, single story, two bedrooms, two baths, garage, not too old, and out in the country, rather than in a town. Son suggested I try for a two-car garage so he can get a third antique car to store there--HA!! Will add a screened in porch so mosquitos do not attack me.

[snowball]

I developed a really bad habit years and years ago... I needed alone time after everyone went to bed so stayed up later and later and later when I had to be at work at 7 it wasn't that late but none the less later than it should have been... also the longer I laid in bed the more my back hurt so it was a good excuse now it's gotten really bad... I go to my room at 12 and sometimes it's almost 5:30 when I look at the clock and think oh my ... usually up between 11 and 12 that 2 was a never done that before... moment but I will admit that I felt better after having that much sleep got up for a potty trip and back to sleep figure at least 8 hours of sleep
I need to get back in the groove and do something... reposted some pictures of stuff on our chat to see if anyone wanted some not seen that anyone wants anything of it... so will find a box and start up a thrift store box... tomorrow I am going to work on some boxes that were in mom's closet on the shelves had them gotten down the other day and there is still a unit in there that I need to go through... think the books in it will put with the books that are still in the book cases... what does one do anymore with a set of encyclopedias??? so tomorrow will be busy today I gathered up stuff from my room that I have put in there ... took two small bins out to the car and they will go to dd's when I take the time to do so... I even finished vacuuming noticed that some of the plants need watered will need to do that tomorrow
Sandi glad that Abby is better
Karen two plants sound good... have you ever heard of wall of water for tomatoes? they are used here or at least I used to it extends the season for them and here that is needed
Judy will you be selling your motor home or do some traveling? hope you can find what you want
you all have a great day
sheila

[Acadianmom]

I have always been a night owl. When I was a kid I would try to hide in the closet and read with a flashlight when I was suppose to be in bed. When I was working I had to exist in a world of morning people. Not easy. I watch Jimmy Kimmel and Seth Myers so seldom go to bed before 1:00am.

Judy, sorry you have come down with thrush. Hope you can find the house you want when you start looking. I found out I am not a Condo person when I was looking at them. It seems that most are built with the bedrooms and full bathroom up stairs. And I like my neighbors to live down the road.

It started raining last night and rained until about 1:00 this afternoon. My rain gauge was running over at 5 1/2 inches. I was on the old carport a little before the rain stopped and there were 3 big thunder booms. Freaked me and the cats out. We have rain all the way until Sunday but I don't remember when it's suppose to start tomorrow. The ponds are full so I need to pull some of the weeds out since the water is at the top of the pond.

Martha

[Redetotry]

Martha and Sandi and otherx wondering about the frequency of cortisone being given, did you see my post on Tuesday about it being due to possible side effects? I added links to where I found the information on the Mayo Clinic web site.

[Cudedog]

Interesting reading regarding various garden planting times. Last year I skipped a veggie garden, but this year I have a very small one - just tomatoes (4 plants), cucumbers (2 plants) and lord knows how many strawberry plants. I started with 48 bare-root plants in 2021, but strawberry plants kind of "do their thing", sending out runners and spreading everywhere.

There is also something out there that looks (and smells) like celery. I planted celery a couple years back, and not since then - but these plants keep coming up every spring, go to seed, and then die. I'm pretty sure it is celery - but it is about 4 feet tall!

I put my 4 tomato plants in about 5 weeks ago. They have been blooming for a while, and in checking this morning I see that I have several baby tomatoes just starting. I planted 2 "Cherokee Purple" tomato plants, and 2 "Champion" tomato plants. Although both of these varieties are known to be fairly heat-tolerant, I'll need to put up permanent (for the summer) shade cloth over them in a couple weeks, as it begins to get really hot here. If I don't, the tomatoes just kind of "cook on the vine" and burst when temps get to be 105* - 115* degrees.

Cucumber plants are still looking kind of puny, don't know why.

The different climates where you all live are interesting to me. I live a ways north of Sacramento, in one of the most fertile agricultural areas in the world. Breadbasket to the nation.

I have been getting 1 or 2 pounds of strawberries every couple days for the last few weeks. I share with my neighbors, and am filling up my freezer.

Oh! My next-door neighbor put in several peach trees about 3 years ago, and many of the branches hang over my side of the fence - there might be a hundred pounds of peaches on my side this year. Neighbor says they have enough on their side, the ones on my side are mine. Yay! When they get ripe I will process them and put them into the freezer - I'm not much into canning.

Between the strawberries and the peaches, I need to learn how to make smoothies. Any one have any suggestions? Any good recipes out there?

Happy summer!

Anne