Small Talk: The Prayer Closet

[Liddy52]

I know this is supposed to be good new Sunday,  but it has been a difficult day. I got word this morning that a cousin's wife passed away from Covid. Another cousin and her husband both have it. I mentioned yesterday that my daughter was tested yesterday and we are awaiting the results which will be midweek.  My daughter has bipolar and is very needy on the best of days, so I have had numerous texts full of self pity. Her husband is very easy going and laid back but also lazy as can be. According to her, he is not helping out with taking care of the kids so she is having to do it. Needless to tell all of you,that is just further exposing them. Her oldest son who has anger management issues is texting me because he is mad he can't go the places he wants to go. He is a spoiled brat. I love him dearly but the truth is the truth. My husband and I are self quarantined because we were around them alot last week. I feel sure they are waiting for us to help out. My husband is adamant that we will not be doing that and he is of course right. We are both in good health but in our late 60s. Anyway, for good news, there was no damage from the storm that rolled through last night even though there was a tornado warning. We have plenty of supplies to last us through a quarantine even if it extends past a couple of days. I have a sister who will pick up anything else we need from the Walmart pick up site and drop it off at our front door.  And I have all of you sweet people who let me vent a little.  I also fully realize that many of you on here are going through much tougher times. I send you all my prayers for strength and comfort. 

Edited October 11, 2020 by Liddy52

[crazy8s]

I am sorry for all who are struggling this week.

my good news sunday thing is we have new neighbors with 5 boys. have not met them yet, but just hearing them all play in their yard brings a bit of joy

[Happyfatchick]

18 hours ago, Nysha said:

  I think this year is cursed. The only year that was as bad or worst was August 2001 to June 2002. I am seriously ready to just hide in a dark closet for the next 3 months.

@Nysha, I really hate to be the one to confirm your suspicions - I think we’re all operating under the assumption that 2020 is apocalyptic and the best way to handle it is, in fact, peeking out of a closet.  Be VEWY VEWY qwiet.  

Also, whatever happened with your missing sister?

Good news Sunday... I don’t have anything amazing but I’m happy to be here and we’re all well.  So that’s good.  I’ll tell a story instead.  I have a cocker spaniel - we have him groomed but keep his “skirt” moderately long.  (Because he’s pretty and  i like it).  But the longer skirt and poofy legs means he has to be brushed on a regular basis.  He normally stays parked under my left butt cheek.  Generally, you can’t tell where I stop and the dog starts except he’s furrier.  But if I stand up and walk about 8 feet and open the drawer where his comb lives - aaaaand SHEBAMMMMM!!!  He is nowhere to be found.  

[crazycatlady58]

Good news Sunday. I had the day off and did nothing but cook food and take the trash out.

[Dehumidifier]

5 hours ago, Mindthinkr said:

What’s the big deal if it is? Does someone want to try to explain this to me? You can PM me if you don’t want to speak out here. I am discreet. 

Looks like I started a controversy. I was merely asking about her because I always noticed her posts in particular because I know she is a fellow Brooklyn resident and hadn't seen one in a long time. A post I mean, not a Brooklyn resident LOL.

[Dehumidifier]

22 hours ago, Happyfatchick said:

Honestly, I swear I thought you were talking about my HAIR!!!!!!  I did the doggie head tilt and went “did I mention my hair??”  

Too funny! And yes you are cute.

[doodlebug]

11 hours ago, emma675 said:

Nysha, I would file a complaint with the office regarding the receptionist. She shouldn't be giving out medical information and she obviously can't read or can't understand what she's reading  and put you through unnecessary stress. That's horrible. 

Also, iwantcookies is galaxychaser. I didn't think that was a secret? 

The receptionist is essentially practicing medicine without a license when she gives test results to patients.  When I had my own practice, our employee manual specifically outlined who could provide medical information (none of the non medical personnel) and that they could be fired for giving medical info to patients.  I did indeed once fire a receptionist, an older lady who took it upon herself to give fertility advice to a patient based on her own experience.  Inaccurate advice.

My current employer fires people on the spot for giving information without authorization.  The receptionists are not even allowed to read reports to patients.  They may take a message and someone authorized ( a practitioner or an RN) will call back with the info.  One of our receptionists was fired a few years back when a patient, dissatisfied with one of the doctors in the office (not me, thank goodness), asked her for the name of another doctor and she gave her one.  The patient transferred, somehow the first doc found out how she found the new doc and called HR and the receptionist was outta there.

The state medical board might also get involved if a private practitioner's office staff is behaving inappropriately.

[realityfan26]

Good news Sunday. I installed a Nest video doorbell and it was successful!! It is also the start of a week of vacation. Not that we're going anywhere, but there will be day trips and seeing our granddaughters. Eldest granddaughter, 3, will spend the night for what she calls a sleepover since I sleep in the room with her. She has traditions which include baking cookies, playing bubbles, running through the sprinkler (will be interesting convincing her it's too cold.)

[doodlebug]

5 hours ago, Mindthinkr said:

What’s the big deal if it is? Does someone want to try to explain this to me? You can PM me if you don’t want to speak out here. I am discreet. 

I don't think it is a big deal; except that sometimes when people disappear and return with a new name it is because they've gotten banned by the mods.  So, some people posting under new names may not want to have it bandied about.

Back in the olden days at TWOP. some of the mods were kinda ban-happy and most of us who'd been around awhile had gotten the boot and returned with a new identity.  I certainly did.

Edited October 12, 2020 by doodlebug

[rue721]

Good news Sunday! It was a rainy, cozy day here, and I spent pretty much the whole day puttering around and cleaning. I even shampooed the rugs, so the house no longer smells like dog -- and that is definitely good news!

Like I mentioned yesterday, my parents met my boyfriend for the first time yesterday. We went over to their place for an outdoor lunch -- but my family is French, so when I say "lunch," I mean a 3-4 hours saga hahaha. My boyfriend was a bit nervous and stiff, but he started loosening up after a while, and it was a good time.

And last night, I stayed up all night watching the Haunting of Bly Manor. I stay up all night watching some show or another maybe once a year, and it seems like such a silly, dumb thing to do, but I actually always find it a ton of fun. Sort of like my own private holiday.

[DangerousMinds]

12 minutes ago, doodlebug said:

I don't think it is a big deal; except that sometimes when people disappear and return with a new name it is because they've gotten banned by the mods.  So, some people posting under new names may not want to have it bandied about.

Back in the olden days at TWOP. some of the mods were kinda ban-happy and most of us who'd been around awhile had gotten the boot and returned with a new identity.  I certainly did.

I had 2 or 3 identities due to being banned!

Good news - I installed a new router today and it was successful. I’m hoping to improve my internet connection throughout the whole house. So far, so good.

 

Edited October 12, 2020 by DangerousMinds

[emma675]

Am I the only one who was never banned at TWoP? Lord knows I tried, I had so many warnings, lol.

Good news Sunday, I get my stitches out tomorrow morning from my procedure last Monday. I had no idea how much stitches near your eyes could itch, it's so annoying and I've been nervous all week that I will accidentally scratch one and open it up. 

[Scarlett45]

29 minutes ago, emma675 said:

Am I the only one who was never banned at TWoP? Lord knows I tried, I had so many warnings, lol.

Good news Sunday, I get my stitches out tomorrow morning from my procedure last Monday. I had no idea how much stitches near your eyes could itch, it's so annoying and I've been nervous all week that I will accidentally scratch one and open it up. 

I was never banned on TwoP! Lol

[jjane]

I never got banned over there but if a certain mod could have read my mind I would have been. I like the atmosphere here better.

[emma675]

4 minutes ago, Scarlett45 said:

I was never banned on TwoP! Lol

We're such goody two shoes! 😂

[Zella]

I was never banned at TWOP, but I also only discovered the forums a couple of weeks before the site shut down and never had an account, so it's not much to brag about. I'd read recaps from there for a couple of years before then. 

Edited October 12, 2020 by Zella

[Happyfatchick]

@rue721 I meant to mention this earlier - congrats on the successful lunch meeting!!!  It’s been awhile, but I remember those days!!  Ugh! 🥴 

[emmawoodhouse]

One of my nom de plumes on TWOP was Caroline Bingley. How do you ban her????? 😁 Well, good old Howard found a reason. I think I had 3 or four iterations during my lengthy time there.

[CalicoKitty]

I was never banned, but I sure didn't understand Howard.  I'd get snipped for "boards on boards", what ever that meant.  How can you stop doing something if you don't know what you're doing wrong?

[emmawoodhouse]

Nobody knew exactly what boards on boards was. The closest understanding I had was talking about the boards on the boards. Kind of like what we're doing now. 😂

Edited October 12, 2020 by emmawoodhouse

[Minivanessa]

Good news Sunday from me: my weekend camping trip was a success. Third time of trying was the charm, I guess. (First time I stayed one night but the air was polluted with wildfire smoke, making the days unpleasant to be out and about, and I had obnoxious neighbors at the campground. The second trip was scrubbed because instead of the predicted 90-ish temps they had a heat wave and I noped out of 106F days.)

I was comfortable sleeping in my minivan at the campground Friday night and last night, and the weather was nice during the days. On Saturday, my full day there, I visited some sights in SE Colorado that I've always wanted to. The main one was Bent's Old Fort. I got there just at opening and although I was by no means the only visitor, it was by no means crowded and I explored to my heart's content. My inner kid was SO happy there! After lunch I visited the Big Timbers Museum in Lamar, CO, after driving by a zillion times on my trips to/from Oklahoma. It's a local museum with a lot of local flavor and some quirky stuff, like the Big Ball of Twine.

Thanks to a tip from a friend, I also found the petrified wood building on Main Street in Lamar, built as a gas station in 1932 - yes, from petrified wood. Now it sits on the corner of a dealership property so it has shiny new pickups parked in front, but I'm glad they kept it and haven't fenced it off from the public. Seriously, people, I've visited Lamar before and stayed the night there on my trips, but I didn't realize there was a petrified wood building there until I got the tip.

 

Finally, on my way back to the state park where I camped I visited the site of Bent's New Fort, which is a hike up a scrubby hill after you've driven down some dusty back roads. Some sad history and bad juju; from that fort Col. Chivington marched troops out to commit the Sand Creek Massacre. There's a sign about that which sits, it says, right on the spot where the room where he gave the orders used to be. 

I went to sleep early after all that walking and hiking, woke up early this morning, and was on the road home before 6:00 am, happy to be home by 10 and enjoying a nice hot shower in my own bathroom, lol. My second version of a bed in the minivan was more comfy than the cot I tried first, as it's level and the mattress is thicker. But - it sits higher off the floor, so high that I don't have enough headroom to completely sit up in bed. That won't do for the long term. I've decided that next time I will not use the frame, and just use that trifold mattress on the floor. This afternoon I took out the bed frame and then laid down on the mattress on the floor of the minivan, and I think it will be fine. I can fold the mattress when not in use, and even use it as a chair. 

So now I need another camping trip to try out my new plan for sleeping in the van, no? Heh. 

Edited October 12, 2020 by Jeeves

[Marshmallow Mollie]

@Scarlett45 I LOVE the dark green bathroom walls! 

[DangerousMinds]

13 minutes ago, emmawoodhouse said:

Nobody knew exactly what boards on boards was. The closest understanding I had was taking about the boards on the boards. Kind of like what we're doing now. 😂

The boards on boards thing actually made sense to me, but Howard banned me for other transgressions!

[Scarlett45]

7 minutes ago, Marshmallow Mollie said:

@Scarlett45 I LOVE the dark green bathroom walls! 

Thanks. My mom picked that when she moved in. It was there before the remodel. Hunt Club from Sherman Williams. 

[Happyfatchick]

@Jeeves, you make me so proud!!  What kind of mattress is this thing?  I bought a topper (only) to put on top of our crap bed in the big camper.  We love that thing, and i bet if you worked at it, you could make it into a chair (by day).  I bought another and hacked it to bits for the couch, and couch back in the small camper (Butterbean).  I had enough left over to make 2 dog pads before we lost Rocky (my man!).  It’s relatively easy to cut, and I just feel sure you could use it for a mattress AND a chair.  I think ours is 4”, but you can get them up to 6.  It’s called “gel” foam - so imagine my trepidation about cutting it.  I had visions of The Blob.  Thankfully, it didn’t turn out like that at all.  ✔️

[Nysha]

5 hours ago, Happyfatchick said:

Also, whatever happened with your missing sister?

Her body has never been found, but her boyfriend/killer was found guilty and sentenced to 100 years in prison. He'll be eligible for parole in 25 years but he'll be about 75. I think he's still in the county jail since the state stopped transferring inmates to the prison due to Covid. 

Good News Sunday: I had a nice lazy day. I some laundry and some dishes, went to Bed & Bath and got some nice smelling goodies, and had homemade vegetable soup for dinner. Both of my daughters called me to complain about each other and I just kind of "hmm, hmm" while playing games on my tablet. They may be my monkeys, but it's not my circus anymore.

Edited October 12, 2020 by Nysha

[Love2dance]

2 hours ago, Nysha said:

Both of my daughters called me to complain about each other and I just kind of "hmm, hmm" while playing games on my tablet. They may be my monkeys, but it's not my circus anymore.

@Nysha, I am definitely stealing that saying. Fits some of my family members perfectly. I just need to remember to believe it’s true!

[ouinason]

6 hours ago, emma675 said:

Am I the only one who was never banned at TWoP? Lord knows I tried, I had so many warnings, lol.

I feel so basic.  No bans, no warns.  I was a good little zombiegirl

[MargeGunderson]

9 hours ago, emma675 said:

Am I the only one who was never banned at TWoP? Lord knows I tried, I had so many warnings, lol.

Good news Sunday, I get my stitches out tomorrow morning from my procedure last Monday. I had no idea how much stitches near your eyes could itch, it's so annoying and I've been nervous all week that I will accidentally scratch one and open it up. 

I was never banned, but my one and only warning was in the Keeping Up with the Kardashians thread. I feel a little better getting that off of my chest. 
 

For good news Sunday (a little late) I was offered and accepted a new job. They agreed to the salary I requested and not starting until the first week in January. The job is going to be a handful for sure, but the money is crazy good (like never thought I would make this much money good) so it will be worth it. On Friday I took a road trip to the King Arthur Flour store in Vermont and stocked up on so much stuff for baking. It was also nice to have a literal change of scenery for a few hours. Saturday was Mr Gunderson and my 20th anniversary, so we braved a restaurant for the first time since early March. 

Edited October 12, 2020 by MargeGunderson

[Jenniferbug]

11 hours ago, emma675 said:

Am I the only one who was never banned at TWoP? Lord knows I tried, I had so many warnings, lol.

I was never banned or warned, but I also rarely posted so...would have been pretty tough to find a reason to ban me for (mostly) lurking!

[ozziemom]

I posted maybe 3 or 4 times and got a warning, so was too chicken to post anymore!

[Minivanessa]

@MargeGunderson, happy anniversary, and congrats on the new job! Woo-hoo! Wishing you success!

@Nysha, good for you at dealing with the monkeys, lol. On a sadder note, I'm so sorry about your sister but glad the murdering arsehole is locked up. 

@Scarlett45, I need to replace the shower in my master bath, and your new shower looks just like what I need. I'm in a condo building and prefer something like that sold surface unit with as few joins as possible, to minimize the chance for leaks. Tile is nice but you have to keep resealing the grout every few years. My next shower will have at least one grab bar and I'm liking the idea of that seat. Nice job!

@Happyfatchick, the mattress I'm using in the minivan is something I got from Amazon. It's 31" wide, 75" long, and 4 inches thick. It's made in three attached equal sized sections which are designed to fold up into a neat square (and it comes with a handy zippered carrying/storage case). I think if you have a wall or something to support the back, you could unfold one of the squares to use as a backrest while you sit on the other two sections either stacked as a low chair, or folded out as more of a lounger. It fit the size of the bedframe I mentioned. Although the cover is supposed to be removable/washable, I got a mattress pad sized to fit it and use that plus a twin sheet set I found at a thrift store, to try to keep the mattress cover clean. (I never have good luck washing those supposedly removable/replaceable covers like that.) I did use a cut-down eggcrate pad on top of the mattress this weekend but that sucker is thick and awkward to store - does not fold at all much less neatly into thirds, lol. I think the mattress would be comfy enough without the extra pad and much easier to stow out of the way when I'm traveling. I'm always in admiration of your pro sewing and other skills, and I'm glad the gel foam didn't turn monster on you when you cut it. 

I have researched and studied a LOT about how to outfit a van or a minivan for camping/traveling. The generally accepted idea seems to be to create a sleeping spot/bed that's raised off the floor, which allows you to store stuff underneath it. The examples of this include a lot of fancy builds (probably from guys who are as interested in fiddling with the builds as they are in actually taking the thing out camping). Many of them raise the sleeping surface so high off the floor that it's like one of those lofts in the tiny houses on TV: you almost have to climb up into it and once there you only have enough headroom to lie down or maybe prop yourself up on an elbow. Nope, not for me. I need to be able to sit up straight and comfortably in the back of the van. And since the sleeping area for an adult my size takes up a large percentage of a minivan's cargo floor area, and the headroom back there is maybe 4 feet? That means the potential for under-bed storage is going to be minimal at best and if I want to maximize it I would need some kind of custom build. Which at this time I can't afford to hire done, and certainly don't have the tools, or garage space, or talent, or interest, to do myself. So my next option to try is the folding mattress; it can be out of the way until bedtime, leaving some floor space back there. I have some three-drawer plastic storage units I'm already using when I camp, and I'll just maximize my use of them and try to keep my traveling stuff as tidy and stashed away as possible. 

TMI about fitting out a minivan for camping. But, it's been my COVID project and I'm enjoying it. 

I've just filled out my 2020 election ballot which arrived in the mail this weekend. I've decided to drive downtown and drop it off in person at the elections office. Their satellite drop-off and voting stations don't open until next week. I could mail it but I'm liking the idea of being there shortly after they open to hand my ballot in or put it in their dropbox, live and in person.

Edited October 12, 2020 by Jeeves
more thoughts, and grammar

[Marshmallow Mollie]

3 hours ago, MargeGunderson said:

I was never banned, but my one and only warning was in the Keeping Up with the Kardashians thread. I feel a little better getting that off of my chest. 
 

For good news Sunday (a little late) I was offered and accepted a new job. They agreed to the salary I requested and not starting until the first week in January. The job is going to be a handful for sure, but the money is crazy good (like never thought I would make this much money good) so it will be worth it. On Friday I took a road trip to the King Arthur Flour store in Vermont and stocked up on so much stuff for baking. It was also nice to have a literal change of scenery for a few hours. Saturday was Mr Gunderson and my 20th anniversary, so we braved a restaurant for the first time since early March. 

Omg I am going to need all the details on King Arthur Baking and what you bake!

[MonicaM]

35 minutes ago, ozziemom said:

I posted maybe 3 or 4 times and got a warning, so was too chicken to post anymore!

I didn't post often, but every single time I did, I got a warning.  

[Scarlett45]

@Jeeves transform home improvements. I highly recommend them. 

[doodlebug]

13 hours ago, emma675 said:

Am I the only one who was never banned at TWoP? Lord knows I tried, I had so many warnings, lol.

Good news Sunday, I get my stitches out tomorrow morning from my procedure last Monday. I had no idea how much stitches near your eyes could itch, it's so annoying and I've been nervous all week that I will accidentally scratch one and open it up. 

I loved the show, ER, but hated one of the characters; this is no surprise to anyone who ever went to those threads.  Anyway, there were others in the fandom who absolutely loved this particular character, felt she could do no wrong and was the heart and soul of the show.  They befriended the mod and started reporting me every time I ever said anything against their favorite.  Because I have a big mouth and cannot control myself sometimes when I am worked up, they proceeded to bait me, I took the bait and got banned while they continued on their merry way.  

Amongst other things, it became REQUIRED on that thread to frame everything as 'in my opinion' so that no one got the impression that there might not be more than one opinion pertaining to anything-ON A TV SHOW! So, if you posted, "It was criminal when Mark killed that guy in the elevator", you would get a warning for using a generalization about something that was only your opinion.  Because murdering people is ok with some people and you don't get to speak for everyone.  Anyway, I laid out for a few months and then came back with a new alias which lasted until the site closed.

[louannems]

On 10/10/2020 at 8:40 PM, awaken said:

Pretty sure s/he and @Sew Sumi are still around but posting under different names now. 

I'd say galaxychaser is now iwantsomecookies and sew sumi is now emmawoodhouse.

[Barb23]

19 hours ago, Mindthinkr said:

Sometimes it’s gets scary coming here to check in on all of you. All of you have had such trials and tribulations. We almost need to change the thread to the Prayer Closet: Followers of Job. I will send up all the positivity that I can for all of you. 2021 just has to get better. This year sucks. 
 

I have split pea soup with ham on the stove. It stopped pouring rain and I am reading a good book while listening to some classic rock. A comforting kind of day. My family is well and I have a lot to be grateful for. That’s my good news. 
@zoomama I’m looking forward to a good post surgery report from you. 
@Nysha I really hope things turn around for all the people that you care about. Big hug on its way. 
Prayers for Everyone on here. There can never be too many. 

Split pea soup is one of my favorites too. Its sort of weird. I don't care for peas by themselves but I will eat a few if mixed into vegetable soup or some other dish with peas in it but love homemade pea soup.

I've been scared to stop by the Prayer Closet too on occasion.  I like your new title that includes Job. My mom used to say I had the patience of Job with all my health problems. 

I had a Happy Friday if that can count instead of Sunday. I saw a fill in doctor at the wound center I go to for my leg wounds & was pleasantly surprised.  He asked a lot of questions about my history & seemed to know his stuff even though he was just filling in. He did a culture & sensitivity test on a spot on one leg the home nurse was concerned about. I'm not too worried. It will just be a round of antibiotics if it is positive. 

I've had some off & on problems & pain with my arthritis but it's not nearly as bad as other folks here with their problems so I'm thankful about that.

I've also decided on the Christmas gifts for the ladies in my family. I started coming up with something homemade or a little different a few years ago & the gifts have been a hit. I'm not very crafty but came across decorated memo books & other little items I'm going to cover with scrapbook paper & other doodads.  I got the idea off You Tube - a lot of these women are into making them for craft shows.  I finished ordering all my supplies this weekend & just have to come up with  something to put everything in. 

I'm really excited about working on them.  Keeping my mind on them and not my RA pain has helped immensely.  Of course those Duggars have to invade my mind. I keep thinking why can't the girls work on some kind of craft they can sell at a craft or church sale especially the newlywed ladies who do nothing while waiting for the first offspring to come along?  

Hope everyone has a good week. 

[GeeGolly]

Well it sounds like my first experience with online forums (here) besides FB was a good choice. I'm not sure I would have hung around for too long, at anyplace that seemed to be overly and unfairly policed. 

[zoomama]

hello friends, i am wearing $1 magnifier glasses to type to you. i cannot wear my regular glasses yet.

its been rough!  had surgery on Thursday and it turns out that the mass was a cyst of some form that ruptured when they got in there. it was deeper than they expected. i went home that afternoon after the 3 hours surgery. that night i started with a headache that intensified to more than a 10 on the the pain scale. i had no pain meds other than tylenol (allergies to most good stuff). then the vomiting started. finally after being beyond miserable (and losing almost 6 pounds) i went to the ER on saturday noon. 9+ hours later, i was sent home with no pain meds because they couldnt identify where the headache came from. they said i either had to be admitted and have a spinal tap or go home. they finally gave me dilaudid before they sent me packing. as of this morning its been 24 hours vomit-free (i know TMI) and what food i did eat has no flavor at all. i have a bit of a hangover headache (i call it this) but i am up and moving a bit today. this had been awful!!!!

as for the biopsy, i get that report this week, hopefully wednesday when they take the drain out of my neck. i expect it to be benign. i think the scar will be less than horrible -- surgeon apparently did a beautiful job (i cant see it so i take the world of others). 

Doodlebug, have you heard of this type of headache based on surgical position on the table? is it possible that my head was tweaked so that the pressure was all in one place and that triggered this episode? honestly, if not for the complication, it would have been a simple and relatively pain free experience for me. 

thanks for worrying about me!  through the grace of God, i am back!

[SunnyBeBe]

Zoomama, your ordeal sounds horrific.  I can't even imagine it.  Thank goodness you're okay.  

[Oldernowiser]

Oh Zoomama, that’s just awful. You poor thing. Hugs.

[SunnyBeBe]

Zoomama, also, I'd call surgeon's office and report the pain.  AND, ask for pain pill prescription.  For what it's worth.  Pain pills don't help me that much. They are ok for minor pain, but, my severe pain always laughed at Oxycodone.   When it's severe pain, I think you need it intravenous in the hospital.  JMO.  

[Minivanessa]

Oh @zoomama - I'm so sorry for your ordeal! I hope you continue to recover and the pain continues to lessen. 

[Suzn]

I was never banned at TWoP and received only one warning (I think).  I hated the restrictive, ridiculous rules, particularly the board-on-boards bullshit.  The mods played favorites and policed opinions they didn't agree with.  It was very difficult, if not impossible, to express a unpopular opinion.  So much happier here, where the occasional disciplining is reasonable and understandable.

[Dehumidifier]

Another person whose disappearance mystified me was someone who posted a lot (but in bunches) on the House Hunters thread, seemed to work in the building trades, was good at finding the addresses of houses shown -- aquabella or aguabella. Now I'm thinking maybe he or she was banned for the addresses.

[Zella]

29 minutes ago, Dehumidifier said:

Another person whose disappearance mystified me was someone who posted a lot (but in bunches) on the House Hunters thread, seemed to work in the building trades, was good at finding the addresses of houses shown -- aquabella or aguabella. Now I'm thinking maybe he or she was banned for the addresses.

It's quite likely. I've found a lot of Duggar addresses through public records, but I never post them on here because it is a TOS violation to do so. 

[Dehumidifier]

5 minutes ago, Zella said:

It's quite likely. I've found a lot of Duggar addresses through public records, but I never post them on here because it is a TOS violation to do so. 

I always thought it was kind of dicey.

[Liddy52]

15 hours ago, Jeeves said:

Good news Sunday from me: my weekend camping trip was a success. Third time of trying was the charm, I guess. (First time I stayed one night but the air was polluted with wildfire smoke, making the days unpleasant to be out and about, and I had obnoxious neighbors at the campground. The second trip was scrubbed because instead of the predicted 90-ish temps they had a heat wave and I noped out of 106F days.)

I was comfortable sleeping in my minivan at the campground Friday night and last night, and the weather was nice during the days. On Saturday, my full day there, I visited some sights in SE Colorado that I've always wanted to. The main one was Bent's Old Fort. I got there just at opening and although I was by no means the only visitor, it was by no means crowded and I explored to my heart's content. My inner kid was SO happy there! After lunch I visited the Big Timbers Museum in Lamar, CO, after driving by a zillion times on my trips to/from Oklahoma. It's a local museum with a lot of local flavor and some quirky stuff, like the Big Ball of Twine.

Thanks to a tip from a friend, I also found the petrified wood building on Main Street in Lamar, built as a gas station in 1932 - yes, from petrified wood. Now it sits on the corner of a dealership property so it has shiny new pickups parked in front, but I'm glad they kept it and haven't fenced it off from the public. Seriously, people, I've visited Lamar before and stayed the night there on my trips, but I didn't realize there was a petrified wood building there until I got the tip.

 

Finally, on my way back to the state park where I camped I visited the site of Bent's New Fort, which is a hike up a scrubby hill after you've driven down some dusty back roads. Some sad history and bad juju; from that fort Col. Chivington marched troops out to commit the Sand Creek Massacre. There's a sign about that which sits, it says, right on the spot where the room where he gave the orders used to be. 

I went to sleep early after all that walking and hiking, woke up early this morning, and was on the road home before 6:00 am, happy to be home by 10 and enjoying a nice hot shower in my own bathroom, lol. My second version of a bed in the minivan was more comfy than the cot I tried first, as it's level and the mattress is thicker. But - it sits higher off the floor, so high that I don't have enough headroom to completely sit up in bed. That won't do for the long term. I've decided that next time I will not use the frame, and just use that trifold mattress on the floor. This afternoon I took out the bed frame and then laid down on the mattress on the floor of the minivan, and I think it will be fine. I can fold the mattress when not in use, and even use it as a chair. 

So now I need another camping trip to try out my new plan for sleeping in the van, no? Heh. 

@Jeeves, my husband was born in LA Junta CO and still has family there. He lived part of his childhood in the area and did a project in elementary school on Bent's Old Fort. We still have the project in a foot locker that his parents sent with other childhood memories.  

[emma675]

zoomama, how scary! I'm glad you are feeling better and the surgery is behind you now. Hopefully your recovery is smooth from here on out.

I had my eyelid stitches removed this morning and y'all, it hurt. I think it was the worst part of the entire thing. I have a high pain tolerance but something about clipping and pulling sutures in that area was really painful. But everything looks good and the bruising is fading pretty quickly. 

Hope everyone's week is going good so far.