WEDNESDAY 5/22

[OregonLuvr]

Good Morning. We were supposed to have some rain last night but it is hard to tell as if we did it was only a very light shower. Cloudy out right now and they say peeks of sunshine. I finished planting my plants yesterday so am done hauling dirt for a while LOL Oh I do have to finish planting my Rhododendron I dug the hole so just need to put it in the ground and fill with the soil and compost. I had many interruptions yesterday LOL My neighbor/handyman Steve and his wife came over for me to help them order a couple things from Amazon LOL He uses his phone only and she doesnt do squat on any technology . He said he has trouble with Amazon ha ha obviously I do not So we got it ordered on my account because I have Prime and I will take it down to their house when it gets here. They wanted to pay right then but I told them to wait to pay me until it gets here. Then a while later Steve called asking if Ann left her glasses here...........yup found them on the couch so he came and got them. A while later my next door neighbor came over with some Lemon Bars she made.........they were super good too. All good interruptions.
I was tired last night so went to bed early after just having a bowl of soup and a piece of Texas toast for dinner. I am up and at em this morning in the recliner HAH Will cook a pound of bacon in the oven this morning and some roasted veggies for later.
I took out a small portion of a chuck roast and will throw that in the small crockpot. Soon be time to get my BBQ cleaned up and ready to go. I have a full tank of propane so just will need to wipe it down and it will be all set.

I am excited for all of you traveling and making plans sounds like fun. I have no plans right now. Might meet a friend over at the coast next month for a couple of days. We shall see.

[Shirlv]

Morning All, Finally sunshine but accompanied with heat and humidity. Humidity here isn’t as bad as living on an island but still keeps me inside with ac. I found an Amazon gift card from Christmas that I had put in a safe place and forgot. Bought a solar birdbath and solar bird feeder. Forgot about Garfield, will think about bird protection. Tree pollen is still very heavy so wish I could borrow an astronaut’s suit. lol still commiserating with Edith about how we dislike the golden years, it really cramps our style. She is in the process of cataract surgery. Humming birds are Jere so feeders outside my window. A chicken dinner from the local volunteer fire department tonight so something to look forward to. Great to support valued group. Be safe

[Shirlv]

Karen, sorry wonky eyes didn’t see you there.

[Colliemom]

Morning g Karen and all. Karen, you and Shirl posted very close to each other, but since yours was reading the earlier time, decided to continue the thread. I’m sure Beth will combine them. Our weather is paralleling yours. The storms that were causing havoc in the plains were heading here and causing a lot of issues for WI. But then they hit the cold waters of Lake Michigan and got most of the energy sapped right out. They also headed NE across the Tip of The Mitt and astern U.P. So we got nothing here. People north of Gaylord reported Widd gusts, extreme lightening and heavy rain,, but said they were fast moving. It’s well known that the Great Lakes can knock the punch out of storm systems, but create weather of their own.

Beth, looks like you might have to buy a golf cart Shelia, sounds like a routine is falling into place with your mom. Also looks like you wiil have plenty of graduations to keep you busy for a few years. Irmi and Steve are spending money on their wheels. But it will be nice when all done. Shirl is enjoying sunshine but not so much the pollen. Ah, the trials and tribulations of spring. It’s n full bloom here and the air smells so good and fresh from pines, spruce, flowering trees and lilacs. Judy, hope all tbe estate business goes smoothly once everything is in place.

Picked up the rental SUV in Monday. A Nissan Rouge. I call it a peanut. It’s okay as a temp vehicle, but wouldn’t want to own one. But things moved Into the fast lane on Monday. Got call from insurance company later Monday morning. Truck is totaled as I suspected. Claim is finalized, they sent payoff to credit union for truck loan yesterday, an email with the power of attorney and odometer info I needed to fill out and return to give them possession of title and also the keys. Took that stuff up to my agents office and they we’re going to send it to claims dept in AZ. It was overnight delivery. Soon as they get that paperwork, they will pay me the remaining balance for value of truck.

In the meantime, I have been doing some research deciding which vehicle I think I want to have. I have been driving SUVs or trucks for about 45 years. in a way I kind of wanted a change away from the truck, so I was looking at possibly a Chevrolet Blazer or Traverse. Went up to the dealer yesterday and they have neither on their lot. Time for model change over and also supply shortages . I could have gotten a used Blazer, but I really wanted to lease because I don’t want to make five years of loan payments. I will be 80 years old by that time. With the lease I can make payments for three years and turn in the vehicle at lease another one, but it gives me the ability to make a change if I decide I want to drive something different, o,us always u der warranty, so no cost, except routine maintenance. . So after some discussion and some online searching for a little while, which didn’t really turn up anything, decided I am going to go back into a truck. I can get a lease for the same amount of money that it would have cost me for a Blazer had I found one. He let me drive it home to check to make sure that it would fit in my garage because it is a crew cab as opposed to a double cab on the old truck. No problem. I know I made the right decision because while I was driving it down here and back, I knew I was in my element. Comfortable, stable and just felt right all the way around. Like getting an RV, it just called home. Plus same color as the old one So I will pick it up tomorrow and return the Nissan six days early. That will give me some money back and also I will have some money coming back from the warranty on the old truck too. Half of the payout for the old truck will go toward the lease and I’m going either bank or take out a CD for the amount left.

So I will be spending the weekend working on my flowerbeds, going after flowers, and the rest of the dirt and stuff that I need, now that I have a truck to haul it in. I did pick up some bags of dirt for one flower bed the other day, but I didn’t want to overload the SUV.. this afternoon will be grass mowing. Just finished cleaning the house, so that’s under control. Been a bit neglected tbese past couple weeks.

[chalet05]

Quick note while I have service. Daughter has osteomyelitis (infection). Don’t have details but bone removal and months of antibiotics.

Train ride going well!

[Othersharon]

Good afternoon. Been trying to post for quite awhile but keep getting interrupted by one thing or another so will try again. It’s really warm here again today…85 right now and a severe thunderstorm warning just issued again for my area. The radar map keeps changing. We’ve had sun and clouds all afternoon with a really strong wind. I was looking at Facebook and saw an interesting post on the RV Lifestyle page about new CDC regulations about traveling into and back out of Canada and Mexico with your dog. Takes effect 1 August. All kinds of paperwork and must do or have. Thought it might be an interest to any of you that might be planning to go to either country with your dog. Seems to be the entering back into US that could be problematic. So not much happening here the last couple of days other than Buddy pulling my favorite tennis shoe off the shelf and chewing the front of the shoe all up. I was doing something and didn’t check on him out back and that’s apparently when he did it. So sadly had to say good bye to the pair. Hopefully he passes whatever he swallowed before I got to him. I sure hope he outgrows or learns to not jump up to get things. I think I might try to sneak off and chance getting a walk in here in a little bit. Just have to watch the sky to know how long we can walk! Anita, at least now your daughter has a diagnosis now. Sounds like a long haul for her. Wishing her the best. Karen, I love lemon bars and prefer to make my own so they actually taste like lemon. The ones I’ve bought just don’t taste lemony. Okay, time to just do it and try for a walk. Have a good rest of your day.

[Bethers]

I went on the official site about reentering the US with dogs and if I'm reading it correctly Canada is not on the list of states the US is requiring this but might still be a concern bringing a new dog back or flying, etc. If check closer later but it seems most of the rules are for countries with bad rabies problems. Neither Canada nor Mexico were on the list.

I went for a mammogram this morning. Ginger actually drove and I took her to breakfast/lunch at a restaurant that both of us had heard good things about in Sierra Vista. Both of us went in intending to order breakfast but we both ordered lunch lol. And both brought home 1/2 for another meal. Twas yummy.

I need my walking so Ty best keep making friends who want to offer him rides as no golf cart is currently on my list of future purchases.

Sue, I'm glad insurance info is settled and you've decided on your new vehicle.

[Othersharon]

Beth, just wanted to clarify where I researched the info about traveling into and out of Canada and Mexico. I went to the CDC.gov website and read the news release from their newsroom. The new regulations are scheduled to start on 8/1/24 and the release was posted 5/8/24. Apparently from how I read it, it is on our side of the borders allowing dogs back into the country that need the documents or new dogs to make sure they are healthy. Hopefully I have the information correct but if not feel free to correct me.
We never got a walk today. It clouded up right after I posted earlier and continued to be threatening up until a bit ago! So messed around and played out back until dinner time! Now going to pick up my kindle and do some reading. Have a good evening all.

[OregonLuvr]

Sharon I just read the CDC new rules. OMG I am sure glad I am not traveling out of the US anymore since all my Canadian relatives have passed. My dog is micro chipped and up to date on all vaccinations, oh but the forms they are requiring my goodness. In fact I have a vet appt in June for her to get her Rabies vaccination as hers expires the end of June. And I need to renew my dog license and of course I have to have a current Rabies vaccination certificate. I dont mind that tho, but the forms they ask the vet to fill out also....crazy. Glad to just keep our butts in the USA.
Nice day today cloudy with sunbreaks but we didnt get any rain. Tomorrow is supposed much the same only a little warmer. I am on housekeeping duty tomorrow. Need to do laundry, dust, vacuum, and clean the bathrooms. Will water the plants tomorrow since no rain here. Just a nice kind of puttering day I have planned.

[Bethers]

Sharon, it's confusing. But I think it's going to become less so. It's always been difficult, with more rules of traveling by planes or boat. And this is called "importation" because it's going to be even harder to bring a dog back to the US from another country that you didn't travel out with. And dogs will not be allowed at all if they have been in the list of countries considered the most dangerous for rabies, and that would include your pet if you took them there or any dog from those countries if you tried to bring them back. They will be way more proactive, most likely, with the new concerns, about checking your vet paperwork, which you've always had to have. Reading it all, I'd need to check Ty's chip and maybe even get him a new one and make sure that number is recorded on his vet records. All of this is from the CDC, and like most government paperwork, it reads like gobbledygook IMO. That said, i don't think for most of us it would be hard to travel to Canada or Mexico with our dogs, just require a bit more due diligence. And make more money for our vets.

[JudyJB]

I've been reading another book about Beatrix Potter. An interesting fact is that she used the proceeds from her books to buy 4,000 acres of farmland, which upon her death went to the National Trust, which she helped found. She also insisted that farms remain working farms, and during her life, she hired farmers and their families as tenants to work the farms using traditional methods.

Now, the part that is REALLY interesting is that she paid the farmers' wages to their wives, not to the farmers, because she was worried that the farmers might spend it on drink and other foolish things!! This would have been in the 20s and 30s.

Here is a photo I took in 2018 of her first home, Hill Top Farm, and the view from her home to her fields across the lane. In the second photo, the white house in the distance was the one she shared with her husband. She married him when she was 47, but continued to use her original home as a studio, though she spent much of her time working her farm personally. He original home is exactly as she left it, with stuff in cabinets and on desks exactly as she wanted it after her death.

[Bethers]

Fascinating, Judy.

On another note the moon is gorgeous tonight and temps were great for a last walk before it got too dark.

[snowball]

actually got up and did something today ... well prior to people coming home... read scriptures and went and got my hair cut and a bit of color put in it... the as I call it "peekaboo" colors then stopped at the shop and got the head light bulb changed out so it is good now... good visit with the nephew he has lost a lot more weight just as a zing in his step... he quit drinking and think that is a lot of his weight loss... he was semi retired and watching his granddaughter but her mom got pregnant and it's a high risk so she is home and dad is back in the shop (she was the front desk person) think it's good for him he is doing really well
came home and fixed supper my eldest granddaughter had to go back home so was flying out tonight and they all had a previous plans so they went and I made supper for sil and myself using one of the home chef meals... not bad....this gave dd time to visit with her daughter on a one on one...
did pull out the hat mess.. now to go in and start on it again hopefully 3rd time is a charm is that the saying??? after looking more closely at the picture of the hat I don't know why I didn't catch early on that I was doing it all wrong
tomorrow going to go to Hobby Lobby and see if they have the boxes get those and see what I can find to put on them... need to still talk to KK and see what she wants on her box
glad you found your ride Sue...

you all have a good night
sh

[OregonLuvr]

I remember when we were on the horse show circuit and traveled into Canada for horse shows. We had to have a Health certificate for the horses and also one for my parents dog. Nothing fancy just a list of vaccinations, of course Rabies and it had to be within 30 days of travel And if we stayed in Canada for more than 30 days we had to get another one while there. We never stayed more than 2 weeks so that was never an issue for us.
I was just reading the CDC part that applied to US and Canada no other countries. Still find it rather hard to comprehend and as hard as it is to get into vets in a timely manner that could be a problem, well that and the paperwork. I am not going anywhere that I would be taking my dog out of the USA so I am good LOL