February 10, 2023

Who needs a heart?

I have 10 to give. Some people have rows and rows, some have a few, and the ones who have none are being very shy about it. Reply to this post and I'll give you one.



Update:
No takers on this thread. Someone did pm me, but I've only been able to give 2 hearts so far. If you know anyone who needs one, please let me know. Otherwise, I'll just randomly give them out. I am happy that people are being so generous and there are so few people in need of a heart. I can say it made my day to get one!

October 20, 2022

Why do I keep getting logged off?

I check “keep me logged in” or whatever the exact words are, on my phone, iPad, and computer. No one else ever uses them. But every few days, I am logged off some or all of them. What good is that checkbox if it ignores the check?

October 14, 2022

I got the Pfizer Bivalent booster on Wednesday.

Sore arm, which is almost gone, and some fatigue that is lingering.

My husband and I both went to Walmart Pharmacy. Of course, he never gets any reaction to any vaccination and I always get something to whatever they give me. I had only had Pfizer and he had only had Moderna before (2 + 2 boosters each). The nurse was very attentive and even spent a good deal of time talking with me afterwards when I was anxious about having side effects. I am so relieved that we went. We made appointments online and there was no waiting.

While we were there, I asked the pharmacist about getting free test kits. We're both on Medicare, so he said we can each get 4 kits (2 tests in each kit) every month. He loaded us up with a total of 8 kits!

In case anyone thinks this is over the top, you never know when you'll be needing them. We had a house guest show up with Covid in July. At that point, we had all our free kits from the post office. Suddenly, we had 3 people testing very often and we used up all our kits in no time. I bought more online before my husband went to Walgreens and brought home his 4 free kits that day. We've sort of slacked since then, but now are deciding we'd better stock up again.

We still mask up wherever we go, and we don't go to very many places. I can tell you that when we got our shots, we were the only people we saw anywhere in the store, besides the nurse and the pharmacist, who were masked. It's just not a thing anymore. No one has confronted us about it, for which I am thankful.

July 14, 2022

It's been 9 days.

https://www.democraticunderground.com/116167127

Thank you all for your support and kind words.

Sam and Sidney went peacefully, aided by our wonderful vet, at home, surrounded by love. They had a fun day in the yard. Well, as fun as it can be when you're tired and sick and in pain. They smiled at us the whole time and I sat between them on the ground, snuggling with them way past the end. We made it a point not to let them see us cry. As far as they knew, there was nothing to be sad about... although there were plenty of tears afterwards.

Things didn't go quite as planned, as the lady from the crematory arrived before the vet did. The dogs were very interested in her and her little blue stretcher, and they loved on her and let her rub them all over. She didn't know at the time that they were the dogs she came for, and she cried right along with the rest of us once she did realize it. She sent a very sweet note back with the ashes, saying what an honor it was to have been part of it.

All my worries about whether the vet would balk or say that if it was so urgent, we should have taken them to the office, etc., were in vain. He said if he'd known they were this bad, he would have come out sooner. (Lesson learned: Ask for the vet to call back in such a situation because the office staff is trained to run interference, stick to the schedule, etc.) But he also said it's better for the pets and parents to do it at home, and it's what he prefers, so no scolding that we didn't take them in.

We've ordered a memorial stone and have had their outdoor pen cleaned. It's going to be a little park for sitting and remembering. We'll bury the ashes in the middle of their sandbox, hang a wind chime, and maybe put a big potted plant in Sam's sunbathing corner. I miss them terribly and it all feels surreal. I still expect them to bark at the mower or eat the leftover cat food, stuff like that. I'm looking at their 2015 picture across the room and feeling their presence. They will live forever in my heart.

Anyway, thanks again to you all.

June 28, 2022

I am heartbroken.

My two dogs have declined very quickly. They are 15 1/2 years old and we've had them since they were found on the road at 3 months old. They have similar brindle coloring and could be littermates, although their build is very different. Sam is definitely a "Heinz 57" while Sidney is the picture of a Plott Hound. They are both as sweet as they can be. They are wonderful, wonderful dogs who think they are horses... or else the horse thinks she is a dog. It's not clear.

Sam can barely walk, despite a heavy cocktail of pain meds. He looks like a drunken sailor when he tries. Sidney is less lame, but won't eat enough calories of any food to maintain her weight. She seriously looks like she doesn't have a mom. She loves to try different things, but just won't eat enough. This is her "fat" season and you can see every bone in her body.

I came across a professional picture that was taken of all 3 of us in 2015 when they were hearty and smiling big doggy smiles. If nothing else, that cements in my head how far they have gone down.

I made an appointment for a final "farm call" next Tuesday, with the crematory to arrive at the same time. They have had a life together and will go together, in every way. I don't want the last thing to be a traumatic car ride (they hate vehicles of any kind), and then try to figure out how to lift them out. Let them lounge on the grass instead, until the vet they know and love arrives.

The thing about dogs is that they will force a smile and wag their tails until the very last day. Cats are hard enough, but at least they sort of withdraw at the end... well, all of ours all did.

They've had a good life by any measure, especially for 50+pound dogs. But let's not let rationality get in the way. We want them to be happy and healthy for far longer than this, but we do normally outlive our beloved pets.

I know this group will understand. I just wanted to say it. I have plenty of support from friends who will actually be here with me, and I'm so thankful for that. But, damn, it hurts!

May 16, 2022

Help with security cameras?

I don't know where I should post this.

Our driveway entrance was vandalized last Saturday night. Someone threw a big pot of clay at the mailbox, which broke the mailbox and then bounced off and spilled all over the newly cleaned entrance and road. We managed to fix the mailbox and clean up the mess somewhat, although it doesn't look as good as it did.

I would very much like to install a security camera. The entrance is 700 feet away from the house, not visible from the house, no access to electricity, and too far away for the WiFi.

I'm looking at 4G solar cameras, but my eyes are glazing over. Some of the reviews said that they couldn't connect to the AT&T network, so don't buy that camera. I chatted with my cellphone carrier and they didn't know squat.

Can anyone tell me where to start, what to look for, etc.? I mean, I'm at square 1 and know absolutely nothing. We have a security system on the house with outdoor cameras near the house, but I already know we can't hook into that.

Thanks in advance.

May 8, 2022

This is so perfect!

I wish DU had a Super-Bookmark!

Thank you so much for sharing it. Let us know how the congregation responds.

February 14, 2022

Happy Valentine's Day, everyone!

Thank you for my hearts! It really made my day, repeatedly.

February 10, 2022

Does anyone still need a heart?

I have 3 left but could be tempted to buy some more.

Let me know if you'd like one.

Update: I have 10 more now. Who wants one?

February 8, 2022

Florence Foster Jenkins

on Hulu now. OMG that is the funniest movie I've seen in a long time! We saw it a few years ago, so we knew what to expect. But it was just as funny the second time around.

It stars Meryl Streep and Hugh Grant and is based on a true story of a socialite who thinks she can sing beautifully but is truly awful. Streep does such a wonderfully hilarious job.

I might even watch it a third time.