Chit-Chat: What's On Your Mind Today?

[lookeyloo]

I am not interested in an ocean cruise but we took 2 Viking River cruises and I loved them. But very different experience than ocean cruise 

[Yeah No]

Just now, lookeyloo said:

Did I miss something? I thought you were on thyroid drugs?  I take Levoxyl which is another name brand. Never a generic. Plus the compounded t3. I don't foresee me taking the weight loss drugs. I think they can cause another set of issues. I listened to a podcast with Sally Field and she said it is hard for her to come to terms with her "thick middle" in her later years. I don't love mine either 

No, I'm not, at least not yet. My thyroid numbers are still within the normal range although they are at the low end of normal and getting lower all the time so it might only be a matter of time until the doctor puts me on something. I fear that because my mother was sensitive to Synthroid and I am sensitive to any hormone to the point of not being able to take them at all. When I was going through perimenopause I was put on everything including natural thyroid hormone and I couldn't take ANY hormone whatsoever without very bad side effects. My Dr. tells me there are many more solutions now than back then or in my mother's time so I am trying to stay optimistic about that.

I hate my "thick middle" too. If I could get rid of that I'd go down at least 2 sizes in a hot minute. It's also uncomfortable when you're short and have short arms and small shoulders like I do.

4 minutes ago, lookeyloo said:

I am not interested in an ocean cruise but we took 2 Viking River cruises and I loved them. But very different experience than ocean cruise 

My husband is already looking into one of those for next year in Germany. I like that but I want to go to Italy so we'll see.

[Absolom]

The Synthroid is nothing like the estrogen replacement.  I take it daily just fine while all replacement menopausal hormones set me off in various ways.  It's a great thing, too, because without Synthroid I feel like I'm trying to swim in molasses.

[Yeah No]

23 minutes ago, Absolom said:

The Synthroid is nothing like the estrogen replacement.  I take it daily just fine while all replacement menopausal hormones set me off in various ways.  It's a great thing, too, because without Synthroid I feel like I'm trying to swim in molasses.

I was put on the natural thyroid hormone about 15 years ago. That's the stuff made from pig thyroid. I couldn't even take a tiny piece of the pill without getting a very bad reaction, like hyperventilating, fatigue, racing heartbeat and being on edge to an extreme degree. I had the exact same reaction to estrogen and progesterone no matter how they were delivered. Even a tiny dab of the cream on my wrist would set me off. The doctor theorized that I'm highly sensitive to all hormones. They say the synthetic thyroid hormone is different so I might not react to it that way but I have yet to find out.

[shapeshifter]

2 hours ago, EtheltoTillie said:

Lucky you, you don't have a modern low-flow toilet.  I'm surprised the condo board didn't make everyone switch over to low-flow toilets.  They have done that in NYC buildings.

My condo board is worthless. The pool still isn't open.
Don't get me started.
I need to find a new place this year so I can sell this one before it loses its value. 

My daughter's son-in-law put a low-flow toilet in their house.
If someone 💩s in it and doesn't clean it, it leaves a present for the next user.

Edited June 24 by shapeshifter

[oliviabenson]

5 hours ago, JustHereForFood said:

Do you drink the same amount? I find that when it gets too hot, I somehow drink less and have to remind myself to drink, which is not the case for the rest of the year when I have no problem to drink up to about 3 litres a day.

I drink more and pee less. 

[lookeyloo]

9 minutes ago, oliviabenson said:

I drink more and pee less. 

Then you should see a doctor. or did you mention you don't have health insurance or can't find a doctor or some other issue?  

[shapeshifter]

Just FYI…
Copying from the blue box at the top of the page:

Quote

there's a subforum for all things health and wellness here.

 

[athousandclowns]

@Yeah No I think we’ve touched on your inability to take anti nausea meds but did I tell you about reliefband ? Good for 50 hours. I have bad GI issues with nausea starting off a episodes. I read about it had my doubts but it works for me.   Like a watch and band you put little gel  on inside of wrist with the watch shape over it. You turn it on and it sends tingling from wrist ,half of palm and to little finger and ring finger. I wish I was tech savvy enough to post a link.  Reading box now and batteries  are not replaceable .oh I usually only have to wear it for couple hours 

Edited June 24 by athousandclowns
Additional info

[oliviabenson]

1 hour ago, lookeyloo said:

Then you should see a doctor. or did you mention you don't have health insurance or can't find a doctor or some other issue?  

I think I’m just sweating a ton more. I guess I’d notice if I was getting sick?! 
 

I have insurance.

[oliviabenson]

There is a cooling center one block down so I went. Central AC is great and wish was available. 
 

I never knew there was a cooling center right next to me!

[Yeah No]

3 hours ago, athousandclowns said:

@Yeah No I think we’ve touched on your inability to take anti nausea meds but did I tell you about reliefband ? Good for 50 hours. I have bad GI issues with nausea starting off a episodes. I read about it had my doubts but it works for me.   Like a watch and band you put little gel  on inside of wrist with the watch shape over it. You turn it on and it sends tingling from wrist ,half of palm and to little finger and ring finger. I wish I was tech savvy enough to post a link.  Reading box now and batteries  are not replaceable .oh I usually only have to wear it for couple hours 

I bought something like that last year and for some reason I can't find it. It's driving me nuts. I can't find one of my luggage locks either. I have to look in a box in the closet where I think it might be. I did get the scopolamine patch and tried it out and so far I've had no bad side effects from that so I'm using that plus the regular anti-nausea bands and ginger capsules and chews.

I did try out the watch thing when I bought it and the pulses were kind of annoying so I don't know if that would be the right thing for me but I would take it with me if I could find it!  I hate when stuff like that happens. 

[Yeah No]

4 hours ago, oliviabenson said:

I drink more and pee less. 

I think we all do to some extent when it's very hot out like it has been in this area. You might be sweating more and retaining more water, which we all do in the hot weather, so it's a double effect. If you don't have much A/C going that could also account for it. If you're still concerned it's easy these days to go to a walk in clinic or email your Dr. with questions. My group has a "My Chart" account thing where you can send questions online or through an app. Or just call and ask, they have people around just to answer questions.

[shapeshifter]

5 hours ago, oliviabenson said:

There is a cooling center one block down so I went. Central AC is great and wish was available. 
 

I never knew there was a cooling center right next to me!

Do you have a window air conditioner?
If you do, approximately how old is it?

[BetyBee]

21 hours ago, Minivanessa said:

@Yeah No and @EtheltoTillie - great pictures. Thanks for sharing!

I'm a bit older than you. I was in college when the BIL of my then boyfriend took this photo of me in my senior year. I have a bumper sticker for my minivan, yet to be put on it, that says "I used to be cool." This image might be captioned: "I used to be cute." This was taken just a couple of years before some of your shared photos.

Nice pic - it reminds me of the cover of Tapestry. Very cool, and I bet you still are!

[BetyBee]

9 hours ago, Yeah No said:

My husband is already looking into one of those for next year in Germany. I like that but I want to go to Italy so we'll see.

My Mom went on that cruise several years ago, with a friend. She absolutely loved it! I've always wanted to go on one. My sister went on a different European one last year and had a good time, but they went kind of at the wrong time of year. There were a lot of worker strikes going on, which I think happens often in the spring. Then my poor sister came home with Covid. My husband has no interest in cruises. But I hope to do a Viking cruise one day, maybe with friends or one of my daughters.

My oldest and her family are in Paris right now (no cruise) and having a great time. I'm house and cat sitting at their house and hanging out with my middle daughter and her kids. Those two daughters and their families live in Sheboygan. 

[EtheltoTillie]

1 hour ago, shapeshifter said:

Do you have a window air conditioner?
If you do, approximately how old is it?

Fortunately NYC is much cooler today. 

[chitowngirl]

8 hours ago, oliviabenson said:

I drink more and pee less. 

Have you tried drinking something with electrolytes? That helped me through the heat wave last week.

 

4 hours ago, Yeah No said:

I bought something like that last year and for some reason I can't find it. It's driving me nuts. I can't find one of my luggage locks either.

You know the only way to find these items is to buy replacement ones! 😆

[Browncoat]

11 hours ago, lookeyloo said:

I am not interested in an ocean cruise but we took 2 Viking River cruises and I loved them. But very different experience than ocean cruise 

I don't like the giant floating cities that are ocean cruises, but I love my small-ship expedition cruises.  No more than about 150 people (the last one was closer to 100), and lots of nature.

[bluegirl147]

On 6/22/2024 at 3:33 PM, Yeah No said:

I love your peasant skirt, they were all the rage in '77. We wore them with espadrille sandals

I still wear those.  LOL Boho chic is what it's called now.

18 hours ago, lookeyloo said:

It is hard to get that prescribed because half the medical profession doesn't even believe being out of kilter can affect weight and feeling good

Originally I was diagnosed with Graves disease and after a year they did the radioactive iodine treatment which then gave me hypothyroidism controlled with medication.  It has swung back a couple times but with medication dosage adjustment it was fine until about five years when it went really out of kilter and I gained 35 lbs and felt awful.  Took my doctor over a year to get it regulated.  So yes your thyroid can affect weight and mood.

 

[Yeah No]

1 hour ago, chitowngirl said:

You know the only way to find these items is to buy replacement ones! 😆

LOL, I am thinking of doing just that. I don't have the time or the patience to go through the closets for it. If I find it before I go I can return the new one and even if I don't I can always sell it online and recover some of the cost.

21 minutes ago, bluegirl147 said:

Originally I was diagnosed with Graves disease and after a year they did the radioactive iodine treatment which then gave me hypothyroidism controlled with medication.  It has swung back a couple times but with medication dosage adjustment it was fine until about five years when it went really out of kilter and I gained 35 lbs and felt awful.  Took my doctor over a year to get it regulated.  So yes your thyroid can affect weight and mood.

If my mother is any example yes, I know that all too well. She became more easily upset and quite obese as time went on because they couldn't regulate her properly. I felt so bad for her. I am feeling more sluggish and of course there's the weight gain. But I hesitate to ask for any medication because of my sensitivities. The doctor says I don't have to worry about that yet and I am afraid to try medication because of my bad experience taking the natural thyroid hormone.

[PRgal]

I'm still fairly bloated/look bloated post-op.  I suppose I shouldn't be complaining about weight since I'm nowhere NEAR even being slightly overweight.  It just feels weird that my stomach isn't nearly as flat as it was before the operation.  Wonder if it was the crap (i.e. ultraprocessed food) I consumed at the hospital.  

[Yeah No]

5 minutes ago, PRgal said:

I'm still fairly bloated/look bloated post-op.  I suppose I shouldn't be complaining about weight since I'm nowhere NEAR even being slightly overweight.  It just feels weird that my stomach isn't nearly as flat as it was before the operation.  Wonder if it was the crap (i.e. ultraprocessed food) I consumed at the hospital.  

That's actually quite common and usually temporary. They sometimes need to blow you up with air or fluid to perform abdominal procedures and you may also have some swelling. It should go away in time but if not you can always ask them when you see them again.

Edited June 24 by Yeah No

[oliviabenson]

4 hours ago, shapeshifter said:

Do you have a window air conditioner?
If you do, approximately how old is it?

I have a window AC but it’s not enough. It’s 2-3 years old. Central air ac is obviously way better!

[Ohiopirate02]

On 6/22/2024 at 1:10 PM, Yeah No said:

My guess is maybe he's talking about prepared foods as in restaurant foods?  I'm a Northerner and a foodie who has been down South many times given that one of my grandfathers moved to NC when he retired.  Don't get me wrong, I LOVE me some Southern cuisine but it has always struck me how unhealthy it generally is by comparison to restaurant food in the Northeast.  I think even the restaurant food in the Northeast has gotten less healthy in the past decade or so but last year when I went down South I was absolutely shocked at how much sodium was in the restaurant food. And that was on top of it already being loaded with sugar, saturated fat and calories. And there weren't that many choices where we could avoid it either. For me and my diet it was an absolute nightmare. It was slightly better in Florida because there was more non-fried fish and seafood and the Caribbean style of cooking (other than the Cubano sandwiches which we loved), but the food was still loaded with sodium.

I was referring to restaurants with my comment. All of the major cities in NC have multiple healthy or healthyish restaurants. The least bougie city from that list is Greenville, and I can attest to GVegas having more than one restaurant with healthy options including local ones. What Greenville does not have is the trendy "healthy" places. They don't have a Whole Foods or a Trader Joes (yet, it's coming later this year) or a Sweetgreen or any of those LA based "healthy" chains. I'm using quotation marks here because this really is all about perception. More often than not people perceive things to be more healthy or unhealthy than what they really are. Sure, there are some unhealthy restaurants down south, but you can find those everywhere. 

[lookeyloo]

2 hours ago, Yeah No said:

LOL, I am thinking of doing just that. I don't have the time or the patience to go through the closets for it. If I find it before I go I can return the new one and even if I don't I can always sell it online and recover some of the cost.

If my mother is any example yes, I know that all too well. She became more easily upset and quite obese as time went on because they couldn't regulate her properly. I felt so bad for her. I am feeling more sluggish and of course there's the weight gain. But I hesitate to ask for any medication because of my sensitivities. The doctor says I don't have to worry about that yet and I am afraid to try medication because of my bad experience taking the natural thyroid hormone.

Back when I was struggling, in the late 90s and felt awful and blood work was deemed "normal" by several doctors and their only thing was "synthroid" which wasn't working, by some stroke of luck, my acupuncture dr. who was really an MD but not her specialty, when I whined to her, said, let me check your bloodwork.  Okay.  She said you have some odd combinations of all those thyroid numbers that could be considered "within normal limits" but so close to being outside, that she said "I am going to recommend my mother's doctor.  He is an endocrinologist who thinks outside the box".  It took a while to get an appointment and then I sat in his waiting room for a long time to my appointment which was late, but, I was feeling so awful really didn't even have the energy to get up and leave. Finally got called.  He had my bloodwork.  He sat there like I was the only person there in the place, seemed relaxed, talked about things I can't remember about "high this, low that" and then...Took My Hand in His and said "there are a lot of things to try and we will try all of them until we find the one that works for you".  I started to cry and thought I was having an out of body experience.  He did "fix" me.  And when we moved to metro Atlanta I had the darnedest time with finding a doctor to prescribe my pills.  They all said "this will kill you!"   I said, seriously?  I'm on them over 20 years.  I lucked into a wonderful oncologist for followups for the breast cancer and he is also an internist.  I told him my tale of woe, he looked at everything and said "this won't kill you!  I will be monitoring  your thyroid and prescribing what you need".  He is the same doctor who treated Sweet Son, sadly to no avail, cancer too far gone.  But the most wonderful human and doctor.    Honestly, there are other things to try besides Synthroid and Armour natural thyroid. That didn't work for me either.  There is another brand of natural I didn't like either.  I would not give up.  Maybe call some local pharmacies and see if they know doctors prescribing outside the box.

[PRgal]

2 hours ago, Yeah No said:

That's actually quite common and usually temporary. They sometimes need to blow you up with air or fluid to perform abdominal procedures and you may also have some swelling. It should go away in time but if not you can always ask them when you see them again.

Maybe.  I had something taken out of the rib area.  So maybe they did something to my stomach/abdominal area.  I was on a stomach pump and drains for days. I went home with two and only had the last drain taken out yesterday.  The antibiotics I was on up until yesterday may also have been a culprit!!!

[Absolom]

Given my experiences, don't worry about the post surgery bloating for several months.  Mine is finally going away  -  over four months out.  

[Mod-Tigerkatze]

Hi everyone, 

just dropping in with a friendly reminder that there's a Health and Wellness topic. 

I know that thread drift happens. It's natural and I think we’re all guilty of participating in it, me included. Still, when a fellow poster kindly points in the right direction, please consider that that probably means that the topic has drifted a bit too far and take it as a cue to move the discussion rather than ignore it.

Thank you and happy continued posting. 

 

[Ancaster]

I was happily* ironing away this afternoon when my iron suddenly stopped working.  I was annoyed and stomped off to check out Consumer Reports, thinking to myself, "I just bought it; why do these things never last?  Cursed manufacturers and their planned obsolescence."

A bit later I happened to glance at the iron and noticed the ever-present schmutz on the side.  I remembered that it was from a piece of tape with my name that had been attached to the iron when my daughter borrowed it for the wardrobe department of her school play.  I could never get the residue off.  Then I realized that was 15 years ago and that I'd had the iron for a few years already by then.

I wonder whether whatever new one I get will last as long?  😆

*  And yes, I do enjoy ironing.  Judge me as you will.

[Minivanessa]

@Ancaster - I enjoy ironing too although I don't do it as much as I used to. Since I retired I don't wear as many shirts that need ironing, but sometimes I get out the iron and board to touch up some things that didn't come out of the dryer looking as good as I wanted them to. Good luck with the new iron!

[Ancaster]

5 minutes ago, Minivanessa said:

@Ancaster - I enjoy ironing too although I don't do it as much as I used to. Since I retired I don't wear as many shirts that need ironing, but sometimes I get out the iron and board to touch up some things that didn't come out of the dryer looking as good as I wanted them to. Good luck with the new iron!

My friends think I'm hilarious/ridiculous since most of them don't even iron dress shirts (they either "send them out" or just don't bother).  They laugh because I iron T-shirts; I don't tell them I iron my pyjamas.  Once years ago we were talking about what we would spend money on if we were rich and I said "having someone change my sheets daily and replace them with freshly ironed ones".  They laughed.

[Absolom]

None of my kids knew how to iron when they left home.  I only iron when sewing.  For clothes I use a steamer for the rare occasions that I think there are too many wrinkles.  One SIL asked me to show his wife how to iron.  That's the one thing his mother had made sure to teach him.  

[Ancaster]

Speaking of ironing - has anyone found a wooden ironing board that doesn't cost an arm and a leg?  Or, a metal one that doesn't challenge you to a wrestling match when you want to close it?

Thanks!

[Mountainair]

2 hours ago, Absolom said:

None of my kids knew how to iron when they left home.  I only iron when sewing.  For clothes I use a steamer for the rare occasions that I think there are too many wrinkles.  One SIL asked me to show his wife how to iron.  That's the one thing his mother had made sure to teach him.  

I know how to iron, I just don’t do it. There’s a machine called a dryer for that lol! I try not to own clothes that need any ironing. I own a half iron board that sits on your countertop and if anything ever needs real ironing my husband does it :) 

[ebk57]

12 minutes ago, Ancaster said:

Speaking of ironing - has anyone found a wooden ironing board that doesn't cost an arm and a leg?  Or, a metal one that doesn't challenge you to a wrestling match when you want to close it?

Thanks!

We are beginning to dig out all of the "stuff" in our house and Mr. ebk found an "extra" ironing board.  I'd offer to send it, but I think it would be somewhat more expensive than contact lens solution... 😉

Good luck!

[Bastet]

2 hours ago, Ancaster said:

And yes, I do enjoy ironing.  Judge me as you will.

I hate ironing*, but I have been known to do quadratic equations as a relaxation technique, so no judgment here!

*I even have an ironing board built into my wall in the laundry room (for Clue fans, it's like the one that bopped Colonel Mustard on the head), so it's not as if I'd have to wrestle a full-size board out of a closet in order to iron and then drag it back when I was done.  But I still hate ironing so much I've only used my iron a handful of times in the decades I've owned it, even in this house with the built-in board, and most of those times were upon making curtains; for clothes, I mostly don't buy things that would need ironing, so I can just promptly remove from the dryer and occasionally hang right outside a steamy shower if more is needed.  Anything that gets dry cleaned (and I keep that to the bare minimum), that's on them to get back to me in ready-to-wear condition.

[Ancaster]

23 minutes ago, ebk57 said:

We are beginning to dig out all of the "stuff" in our house and Mr. ebk found an "extra" ironing board.  I'd offer to send it, but I think it would be somewhat more expensive than contact lens solution... 😉

Good luck!

I'm guessing so, but thanks for thinking of me!  

[Ancaster]

I grew up ironing because my mum hated doing it so she would pay me, since I was cheaper (and better) than the cleaning lady - her other option.  I even took an iron to college - and used it.

I'm really not that sad - I just love putting on a crisp, ironed t-shirt or pair of PJs, rather than something rumpled.  On the other hand, I don't wear makeup.

I watch TV while I'm doing it, so it doesn't seem like that big of a deal.

Edited June 25 by Ancaster

[ebk57]

When I was going in to the office, I ironed every day.  But since I've retired (yay!!!!!!!!), I don't think I've picked up the iron once.  I don't mind doing it, I just have no reason to at the moment. 

[Yeah No]

Ad me to the list of people who hasn't ironed since I retired. Before that I only ironed once in a while. Somehow my wardrobe doesn't require it anymore. I guess I choose fabrics that don't need it so much. And when something needs a little bit of a touch up I use Downy Wrinkle Releaser. It's life changing. I never forget to bring it with me when traveling, too. I have  trial size. My husband (who does his own laundry) also uses it even on his dress shirts. He's learned to buy shirts that don't need ironing. He says they're worth the extra cost.

[Yeah No]

13 hours ago, lookeyloo said:

Back when I was struggling, in the late 90s and felt awful and blood work was deemed "normal" by several doctors and their only thing was "synthroid" which wasn't working, by some stroke of luck, my acupuncture dr. who was really an MD but not her specialty, when I whined to her, said, let me check your bloodwork.  Okay.  She said you have some odd combinations of all those thyroid numbers that could be considered "within normal limits" but so close to being outside, that she said "I am going to recommend my mother's doctor.  He is an endocrinologist who thinks outside the box".  It took a while to get an appointment and then I sat in his waiting room for a long time to my appointment which was late, but, I was feeling so awful really didn't even have the energy to get up and leave. Finally got called.  He had my bloodwork.  He sat there like I was the only person there in the place, seemed relaxed, talked about things I can't remember about "high this, low that" and then...Took My Hand in His and said "there are a lot of things to try and we will try all of them until we find the one that works for you".  I started to cry and thought I was having an out of body experience.  He did "fix" me.  And when we moved to metro Atlanta I had the darnedest time with finding a doctor to prescribe my pills.  They all said "this will kill you!"   I said, seriously?  I'm on them over 20 years.  I lucked into a wonderful oncologist for followups for the breast cancer and he is also an internist.  I told him my tale of woe, he looked at everything and said "this won't kill you!  I will be monitoring  your thyroid and prescribing what you need".  He is the same doctor who treated Sweet Son, sadly to no avail, cancer too far gone.  But the most wonderful human and doctor.    Honestly, there are other things to try besides Synthroid and Armour natural thyroid. That didn't work for me either.  There is another brand of natural I didn't like either.  I would not give up.  Maybe call some local pharmacies and see if they know doctors prescribing outside the box.

Thank you so much for this! I have posted my reply to this in the Health and Wellness Thread here:

 

[Lisa418722]

I have an iron somewhere, I think.  I don't think I got rid of it while cleaning out things I don't use.  
When I was going into the office I tried only to buy clothes that didn't need to be ironed. Now that I work from home, I'm in T-shirts almost every day.  

[Cloud9Shopper]

I’m fed up with Amazon Prime. This is the second time in less than six months they’ve botched a delivery on me and I never got what I ordered even though I have a fulfillment center 20 miles from my house, and it just seems like they lie and keep telling you there’s a delivery date when they have no intention of getting you the item.

On Thursday I ordered a blender with gift cards I’d gotten for my birthday and was told it would come on Saturday. Saturday comes and they tell me the shipment is delayed and it will arrive by Monday. Never got it yesterday, and the tracking hasn’t been updated since 1 am on Sunday. It’s apparently just sitting in the fulfillment center. Now they are claiming it’s coming between today and Thursday. Just say the package was stolen or damaged because that’s obviously what’s wrong and they clearly don’t intend to deliver it. 

If not for the fact that I use Prime Video I’d cancel Prime at this point. I know I could get a refund and re-order it but they will probably botch that too and lie about it. 

[shapeshifter]

Mom loved ironing while watching sports on TV, and Dad loved his wash 'n' wear shirts ironed for work, but did not watch sports.
They were married 67 years. 

10 hours ago, Ancaster said:

My friends think I'm hilarious/ridiculous since most of them don't even iron dress shirts (they either "send them out" or just don't bother).  They laugh because I iron T-shirts; I don't tell them I iron my pyjamas.  Once years ago we were talking about what we would spend money on if we were rich and I said "having someone change my sheets daily and replace them with freshly ironed ones".  They laughed.

My sister and my former, late MIL ironed their husbands' boxers so they looked nice lying in the drawer.

8 hours ago, Ancaster said:

Speaking of ironing - has anyone found a wooden ironing board that doesn't cost an arm and a leg?  Or, a metal one that doesn't challenge you to a wrestling match when you want to close it?

Thanks!

8 hours ago, Bastet said:

I hate ironing*, but I have been known to do quadratic equations as a relaxation technique, so no judgment here!

*I even have an ironing board built into my wall in the laundry room (for Clue fans, it's like the one that bopped Colonel Mustard on the head), so it's not as if I'd have to wrestle a full-size board out of a closet in order to iron and then drag it back when I was done.  But I still hate ironing so much I've only used my iron a handful of times in the decades I've owned it, even in this house with the built-in board, and most of those times were upon making curtains; for clothes, I mostly don't buy things that would need ironing, so I can just promptly remove from the dryer and occasionally hang right outside a steamy shower if more is needed.  Anything that gets dry cleaned (and I keep that to the bare minimum), that's on them to get back to me in ready-to-wear condition.

I f'love everything about this👆post, but this really is an excellent point:

8 hours ago, Bastet said:

…I'd have to wrestle a full-size board out of a closet in order to iron and then drag it back when I was done.…

@Ancaster, maybe this would work for you?:
google.com/search?q=In-wall+ironing+board
 Caveat: I don't think I've ever used one of those, but I totally related to the nuisance of getting the board in and out.

However, when I lived in a tiny apartment, I used my ironing board to paint watercolors near the window with good sunlight. Perhaps those who do crafts might do the same?

I just checked, and I still have the same metal, white enamel ironing board I picked up for $2 (or was it 20¢?) about 40 years ago at a garage sale. I'm sure I haven't replaced the cover in at least a couple of decades. 

When I moved across country 3 years ago, I finally abandoned the iron with the frayed cord, thinking in retirement I'd never use it again. But 6 months ago I finally bought this one: walmart.com/ip/Black-Decker-Easy-Steam-Compact-Iron-IR02V-T/49840437
It was $8 at the time.

I mostly only use it to iron a few items of clothing that used to be Mom's.
I suspect she sent these items to the cleaner, because they seem to have "aged" in my washing them. 

I gave away my sewing machine when I moved across country in 2001 and still miss it — but not enough to buy one, LOL. 

[Anduin]

One time, my grandmother was bored, wanted to feel useful. It was her idea. But I've never been Mr Spick and Span, you know? It took two years of wear for that shirt to look properly rumpled again.

[Absolom]

11 hours ago, Ancaster said:

Speaking of ironing - has anyone found a wooden ironing board that doesn't cost an arm and a leg?  Or, a metal one that doesn't challenge you to a wrestling match when you want to close it?

I did and ended up giving it to an offspring. I bought it at Bed, Bath & Beyond so sorry not much help.  I gave up sewing as I aged.

[Ancaster]

 

3 hours ago, shapeshifter said:

 

@Ancaster, maybe this would work for you?:
google.com/search?q=In-wall+ironing+board
 Caveat: I don't think I've ever used one of those, but I totally related to the nuisance of getting the board in and out.

 

Unfortunately, no - small, rented apartment.  Thanks though!

[EtheltoTillie]

19 hours ago, Ancaster said:

Speaking of ironing - has anyone found a wooden ironing board that doesn't cost an arm and a leg?  Or, a metal one that doesn't challenge you to a wrestling match when you want to close it?

Thanks!

Sorry to bring bad news, but you can't buy a new wood ironing board that's any good.   I have my mother's vintage ironing board!  It's from 1951.  The board is a solid piece of oak.  You tack or staple the cover on it.  You can find similar ones on ebay, but I have looked and not found one I liked as much.  I didn't like the leg structure.  I tried to buy another one for my weekend house and couldn't find one with the same leg structure.  It's easy to open and close.  There's one type that is common, and it is very hard to use. 

I find I am better off with one of those tabletop pressboard ironing boards.  I would never use one of those metal mesh crap ironing boards.  They're just rickety and don't take the pressure and steam for both good ironing and sewing.  For sewing I also lay out a thick pad of several layers of cotton barkcloth on my cutting table and can press sewing pieces on that.

Most people didn't grow up with the type of board I have, so they wouldn't know what they are missing.

Picture 1:  Mom's board!

 

 

 

Edited June 25 by EtheltoTillie

[annzeepark914]

Looks familiar! 😊