march 23

[Teresa]

After all the tornadoes in East Texas and Louisiana, I have decided I might need a new dream life destination for when I win the lottery.

I had an appointment yesterday with the sleep doctor. They are putting me on an ASV. I am a little apprehensive because people have died using this and have even died in the study of this thing. I messaged my cardiologist and he said my heart functions are normal so he is not concerned with me using it. So I guess if it doesnt kill me, it will help me breathe.

Nothing else has been going on. I have an extremely boring life.

[judy]

Teresa, what is ASV?  I could probably look it up, but it's easier to ask you.   I hope it helps!

At long last I got a copy of the list of articles I need to read to do the Courthouse history.  It took me three tries, but the third time was the charm.  Tonight I copied the articles from the earliest courthouse history, and I'll read those, and then copy more.  There are 300, so I've got some reading to do.  I REALLY, REALLY  don't want to write the history, and I've procrastinated, big time.  Doing all kinds of things EXCEPT that.  However, it's important and I haven't been able to find anyone else to do it.

I have a friend visiting from Roseburg about a three hour drive from here.  She and her husband are getting ready to move back to Hawaii.  You may remember they were the volcano refugees I told you about quite a while ago.  They have talked about going back and took a two-week trip to see if they really wanted to, and decided they do.  So they are getting their place ready here to sell.  Even though we don't see each other too often, a lot of that is due to the pandemic, and I'll miss her when she moves back to Hawaii.  Tomorrow we are going to the Coast for the day.  It would be great if we had good weather, but I'm not counting on it.

Got a cold and had about three days of not feeling great.  It seems to be gone now, happy days!

I am however trying to get more sleep, and so I'll close for now.  Take care, Judy

[Teresa]

Judy here is a link, it explains better than I ever could www.aastweb.org/blog/what-is-asv

[judy]

Thanks, Teresa, I hope it works well for you.
Take care, Judy

[judy]

Hello:

Where is everyone?  I keep checking and all I see is my last post.  

My trip to the coast was wonderful.  We had really good weather for this time of year and walked on the beach as well as stopping at a view point and sitting on a bench and watching the waves--so soothing.  We had a delicious lunch at a restaurant with a great name, Tidal Raves.  

I have been watching a program about the Monument Men who among other things rescued art after the war that had been stolen by the Nazis for Hitler's art museum.  They also were responsible for suggesting that certain places not be bombed by the Allies because of their value as cultural and historic buildings.  For the most part they were successful.  It's been a fascinating story.  One of the professors who is very much responsible for setting up a great arts program and eventually helping add what became the School of Liberal Arts to OSU.  OSU had previously been a school focused on agriculture, engineering, forestry and science.  Dr. Gordon Gilkey was not technically a Monument Man, but he is what they call a First Participant who basically did the same sort of work beginning after the war. 

Still working on my first handout...I've been procrastinating...for my writing class which begins on April 8th.  I have a plan for the rest of my handouts, but this one has been a challenge.  I have nine new students so I need to do sort of a recap of suggestions about how to write a memoir.  

I am also trying to make plans for going to my conference in Massachusetts in June.  Airline tickets prices are going up daily, but I need to figure out if I am going to add a visit to my friend who just moved back to Tennessee.  I also want to spend at least a day in Boston sightseeing.  Hopefully, I'll get it figured out in the next day or two. 

Time to begin working on that handout.   Hope all is well with everyone. Take care, Judy 
  

[Teresa]

I am here, just lurking. I never have anything interesting to say. Waiting for the high winds to hit.

Chibs has been kind of off the last few days, I may wind up taking him to the vet. I am going to take him to the vet Sister, the vet in Redmond is awful.

Next month we have a court date for my Moms will. Lets see if it actually happens. Not looking forward to driving to Merrill.

[judy]

Teresa, I'm glad you're lurking, and I hope that the court date actually does happen so it can be over.

What a week! I had computer problems and a VERY slow internet connection off and on during the days. Plus my lack of internet skills was front and center. I thought we had lost our backup program, so I tried to get to my account, but I had forgotten my password so I tried to set up a new one, and in order to get it I had to copy a code that was being sent to our landline which wouldn't work. Then I tried to find out how I could change my phone number to my cell phone so I could get the code. The requirements were beyond my computer expertise. I finally figured out Windows 11 enough to discover that both our computers were connected to our backup, but, of course, I still can't get to my account. So I sent them a polite email; and said I needed in-person help which to fulfill their requirements, but I had discovered that we were still connected, and "eventually" I hoped to fulfill their requirements to change my phone number. They are an excellent company, but they are also a pain in the neck, and have apparently not figured out that not everyone is a computer expert. I am NOT a spy or a bot!



Jim and I got our second booster. We both had sore arms, and I think I had a mild reaction because yesterday I just felt sort of blah all day, today I'm fine although my arm is still a little tender. I am just glad we got it so soon. 


This week I am going to try to go to the church where my class is being held and see what my classroom will look like on Friday. I haven't heard for sure, but I think I have to turn in an attendance roster for each class. I think it is part of having an in-person class post-pandemic However, I missed part of the inservice because Jim and I got our 2nd booster, so I may have missed that information. I sent my supervisor an email to find out for sure, and I'll probably hear from him on Monday.



I finally got all the dates for my trip to my conference in Massachusetts and then Tennessee, and I hope to get my plane ticket on Monday. I am going to be at the conference site a day early and I hope to connect with one of my friends from my critique class who moved close by where I will be. It would be such fun to see her again.



I managed to be very close to my WW goal weight and within the 2 lb. grace period so I don't have to pay. HURRAY!



Hope all is well with everyone. Thinking of you, Judy

[ginny]

Hello all,
Sorry to have been missing, but I also have not much to contribute.  I still haven't gotten the second booster yet.  I'm not sure why but I seem to have some hesitation about this one.  Judy, obviously you think it is a good idea.  I was wondering if I would have the same reaction to this booster as I did the first one, which was the sore arm plus about 4-5 days of feeling a bit "off".
    I pretty much haven't been out anywhere but my hairdresser once a week (I am always the only appointment at that time) and to church.  Some of the rituals that I have missed are starting to come back, slowly.  We have had communion in one kind only for 2 years, but the rector has bought a special kind of communion cup for intinction of the consecrated wine.  Going to start that this week.  Both priests were out of town last week, so I was asked to lead Stations of the Cross on Wednesday.  There were only 3 of us attending, but I enjoyed it anyway.  I did however get really tired making the procession around inside the church.  I don't really feel like my usual self--but maybe that is just because I am 2 years older.
    My bulbs are doing well, the daffodils shivered when we went down below freezing, but they seem to have come back.  The Scilla (little blue flowers) have multiplied, and there are swaths of blue covering any bare ground.  The Windflowers have not made an appearance as yet, and I am looking forward to seeing them, and hopefully any tulips that the squirrels didn't eat.  One of the little suburbs near me has a collection of white crabapple trees which I think rivals D.C.'s cherry blossoms and they were in full bloom before the short freeze, and very beautiful. 
    Teresa, I hope the ASV device works well for you.  When I hear about all the things that people are going through, I realize how grateful I should be.  I'm glad you have Chibbs to keep you company.  I know my two "boys" really keep me from being lonely.  When I returned from the post office this morning and pulled into my driveway, the outside kitty was lying on my roof above the garage, sunning himself. I do really enjoy the animals.
    Kathy, hope you are in good health.  Any new decorating projects or interesting men?

Keeping you all in my prayers,
Ginny
     
 

[ginny]

Ladies,
Just when I say nothing ever happens to me, I got a call out of the blue from a cousin of my cousin that lived in Cincinnati. He was some years younger than me, and just passed away, apparently living a very solitary life. The lady who contacted me is from my father's side of the family, and they are not sure whether there was a Will or not, so they are searching through the house for one. I am not sure why I even picked up the phone, because I didn't know the name, but she was trying to leave a message so I did. I hope if he did have a will, they are able to find it. If not, I am one of probably 20 or so possible heirs, probably all cousins from my father's Roman Catholic family. He was a government worker, for the IRS, so I doubt there would be much money, but you never know. He sounds like he turned into sort of a recluse, and perhaps a hoarder, but that is just the opinion of the cousin now searching his house for a Will, and I might think the same if I were doing the search. I mainly knew my cousin as a child, we were both only children, and the families were not close. I had only talked to him once on the phone after his mother died and I had the idea to have a Mass said for her--but he didn't know any more about how to do it than I did. I wish I had kept the connection closer. I am really too much of a loner also.
It is rainy and cold here. Hope you are all keeping safe.
Ginny

[ginny]

I posted again last night, about the death of my cousin, but couldn't find it this morning on the thread.  After poking around on my computer for a bit, I found a copy of the post, and was going to repost it, but when I found our thread again, I found my post on it.  So I don't know if you guys can see my last two posts or not.  Post again someone and let me know if my posts are there or not.
Ginny

[Teresa]

Ginny i thought of you. I am sorry about the loss of your cousin

[judy]

Ginny, I am sorry to hear about your cousin. I have a similar situation with my father's brother's family.  The two of them were close, but the didn't see each other often because we didn't live close enough to get together often. And, his children were quite a bit older than us so we never really connected very often.  My dad was not close to his sister, but I actually saw her family a few times when they came to a reunion put on by another cousin.  I, too, have wished that we hadn't lost touch.

My first class of the term was Friday.  I had a bigger class than I've ever had before.  In fact, to my surprise there was a waiting list.  The class went well on Friday in spite of my concern that it wouldn't, and we had a number of men.  I think the most men I've ever had in class before was three, usually it was one or two.  It is my first in person class, but I think it is going to be okay.

Bryn came down today and helped in the storage room, I needed help moving stuff around.  We were able to get rid of some things, and we went through my quilts and I made some decisions about what I wanted to do with them.  It seems silly for them to be packed in a storage box.  I've made many to give away, but most of these were wall hangings and I made them for the quilt challenge or Round Robin.  I have a place to hang small quilts so now they are organized so I can actually get to them fairly easily.  I'll ask my children if they would like any of them, and then go from there.

Time to close and go to bed.  I always end up staying up too late on Friday and Saturday nights.  At least on Saturday and Sunday I don't have to get up to go exercise.

Take care, Judy 

 

[kathy]

Can't believe it's been a long time since I posted! I went back to see when I had last posted and it surprised me!

I woke up to snow on the ground this morning! The snow crew came by and got rid of the snow on the driveways.
I'm glad I don't shovel!

A while ago I had a day off and then went to work. Or at least I tried to go to work. I couldn't get my garage door to open it was frozen solid! I took a cab to work which cost just under $10. Then I phoned a friend to ask about getting them to help with the door. He came to work and we worked on the door. Finally phoned a Garage Door repair service and they told us what to do. By doing that the tech person saved me $100. The door was frozen and when it went up the water poured out of it. I guess when I have the dayoff I have to moved the door so it doesn't freeze.
I stabbed myself in the eye with a plant I was watering. By the time I went to the eye Doctor the next day he said it was starting to heal. I've had different prescriptions drops and it still is giving me trouble. Now I seem to have an infection in the tear ducts. Hopefully, the latest drops do the trick. I got new glasses and really don't see any different. When watering plants make sure the lights are on, watch where one is moving with the stems so they don't hurt you.
My cousin died Mar 16, she was 66 and died from complications of breast cancer, it had gone to her brain. She's been fighting cancer since the late 90's. I was talking to her sister and found that there was issues with the family and I'm not sure if she knew she died or was confused about her everyone was. Linda just turned 65 and has lots of health issues and suffers from pain and depression. My other cousins and I have decided to make her part of our extended family. Linda has lost both parents, and 2 sisters and a stepmother.

My son who had Covid is still feeling the effects. He says he can't ride his bike, run or swim like he could before. So they decided that they will keep training but not enter any races. They bought themselves camping equipment and decided that they are going to enjoy being on Vancouver Island and see what they can!

My contractor was suppose to come on Sunday but texted saying he was ill. I gave him 2 dates he never got back to me. I am holding funds back till he fixes the deficiencies. My sister is suppose to be coming in May to visit and I would like my place in order.

Teresa glad to hear that you are succeeding in get rid of those pesky pounds. I wish that when one looses them they are permanent!

It's my day off and I need to get some things done. I have paid my Visa bill, vacuumed the main floor, folded some clothes, emptied the dishwasher got some of the paper off the island and it's almost put away.
Need to get my Tax papers together so I can take them to the Accountant this week! I've been saying that for the last month!

Hugs
Kathy

[judy]

Happy Easter!

Late yesterday afternoon Mayra and Gerardo came out and hid eggs for an Easter egg hunt today.  Gerardo takes very good care of our "landscaping" here on the farm, and we have gotten to know the family.  The children, Brisa and Zander love the farm, and on nice days when they aren't in school they are often outside playing.  It is wonderful to have children on the farm, especially now that all my "littles" are taller and bigger than me.  It looks as if it's going to be a nice day so Jim and I will enjoy watching the the kids hunt for eggs.

We are having our family dinner next weekend when everyone can get together.  We haven't gotten together since Christmas so it will be fun to have a chance to talk and enjoy one another's company. 

Hope you enjoy the day, take care, Judy  

[Teresa]

For Easter my cousin sent me bunny shaped butter. It was supposed to be here last Wednesday. It never showed up. So now the USPS is conducting an investigation into the missing bunny butter. I hope it is someplace cold or it will no longer be bunny butter.