Small Talk: The Prayer Closet

[Jeeves]

@MargeGunderson - you've pushed me into a new habit I'd been thinking about, and I thank you for it. I have often thought that it would make sense to turn off the water to the washing machine when it's not in use. I had new (easier to turn) valves and new hoses installed a few years ago. I also did myself a favor and labeled the hot and cold valves. 

But the layout of the utility room in my condo unit means the shutoffs are on a back wall, requiring me to squeeze between the stacked W/D and the wall, to get to them And I'd been in the habit of parking a hamper in that space. This morning after I read your post above? I changed my ways. I moved the hamper to the other side so I now have a relatively easier path to the shutoffs. Which I will use every time I'm done using the washer.

Edited May 17, 2022 by Jeeves

[Mindthinkr]

Sorry about all this water damage @Jeeves  I hope the professional clean up company does a good job. Take pictures in case their repairs later show mold or a continuing problem. 
   My neighbor went to shut off their water a few weeks ago and it broke. He ended up with a very large water bill until someone knew how to shut the water off at the street. They couldn’t get a plumber until the next day. I’ll be checking my stuff later. 
   My smoke alarm is chirping and needs a new battery. Of course this happened after 11pm and it sang to me every 30 seconds for a long time (I put a pillow over my head and eventually fell asleep). My friend’s son is coming to replace the battery tonight. (I can’t reach even if I go up on a ladder). 

[iwantcookies]

I got new neighbors next door. (Apartment building)
it’s a couple and they are LOUD. Slamming doors all the time the walls vibrate, yelling. They are so inconsiderate! Ahhh I hope they don’t get a dog too. After 11 pm can’t they be quieter? No. 

[Cinnabon]

8 hours ago, ChiCricket said:

 Speaking of covid still being an issue: they are offering a 3rd round of free covid tests. I just ordered. (even though I haven't had to use the first ones they sent.)

I'd rather have them on hand... just in case... 

https://www.covid.gov/tests

Thanks! I’m ordering more right now also. 

[Cinnabon]

7 minutes ago, iwantcookies said:

I got new neighbors next door. (Apartment building)
it’s a couple and they are LOUD. Slamming doors all the time the walls vibrate, yelling. They are so inconsiderate! Ahhh I hope they don’t get a dog too. After 11 pm can’t they be quieter? No. 

Gahhh, I don’t miss living in an apartment with thin walls. It was always my loud upstairs neighbors that got me. I actually put holes in the ceiling by banging on it with a broom, lol. The noise made me so crazy that I think I still have a touch of PTSD from it that will never go away. Would it help to tell the landlord and/or building manager? 

[iwantcookies]

2 hours ago, Cinnabon said:

Gahhh, I don’t miss living in an apartment with thin walls. It was always my loud upstairs neighbors that got me. I actually put holes in the ceiling by banging on it with a broom, lol. The noise made me so crazy that I think I still have a touch of PTSD from it that will never go away. Would it help to tell the landlord and/or building manager? 

Nah landlord/super don’t care. It’s up to tenants to act considerably toward others. Some people are just rude!

[Absolom]

4 hours ago, MargeGunderson said:

At a later time, the plumber also installed a turn off valve for the whole house. We use that when we go on vacation.

I have one of those and it's a wonderful invention.  I doubt I could handle the one at the street.  This is a simple lever.  

[iwantcookies]

Anyones allergies have been just brutal this past week or 2? I usually take Claritin daily and it worked. Not in the last week or 2. I’m just so miserable! 

[Scarlett45]

In frivolous news- there is a very tall hot man who works on my new floor and sits a row over from me!

He is so good looking that I recognized him from the elevators PRE-PANDEMIC. Did not know he was an attorney and worked on this floor!

He does not wear a wedding ring and is probably used to being constantly recognized because he’s so attractive and distinctive looking- but he was very gracious when I went over and introduced myself. (Very professionally of course)
 

This is too close for comfort but I can look at him. 

[MargeGunderson]

Attractive scenery seems like a good reason to go into the office!

In my own frivolous news - my espresso machine finally arrived (I ordered it in January). It’s so pretty.

Edited May 18, 2022 by MargeGunderson

[Scarlett45]

Just now, MargeGunderson said:

Attractive scenery seems like a good reason to go into the office.

In my own frivolous news - my espresso machine finally arrived (I ordered it in January). It’s so pretty.

It IS pretty!

[BetyBee]

14 hours ago, iwantcookies said:

Anyones allergies have been just brutal this past week or 2? I usually take Claritin daily and it worked. Not in the last week or 2. I’m just so miserable! 

I don't know about allergies, but I have thrown up 2 days this week and not 2 days in a row! I have no idea what the cause is (stomach bug, probably), but Mr. BB suggested it's allergies from sleeping with the window open. Who knows? I was well enough yesterday to go with a friend to a tulip farm yesterday. Now I'm just hoping I didn't pass whatever this is to my friend or my elderly neighbor. I brought my neighbor some tulips yesterday. I thought I was over a 24 hour thing. 😔

[MargeGunderson]

It’s hard to tell from the picture, but it is dark blue. That’s why I had to wait so long, the color was on back order. Since I was buying this as a present to myself from my annual bonus, I got the exact one I wanted, instead of settling for what was available at the time. I’m ridiculously excited (and I haven’t even had any espresso yet).

Edited May 18, 2022 by MargeGunderson

[peppergal]

22 hours ago, Mindthinkr said:

   My smoke alarm is chirping and needs a new battery. Of course this happened after 11pm and it sang to me every 30 seconds for a long time (I put a pillow over my head and eventually fell asleep). My friend’s son is coming to replace the battery tonight. (I can’t reach even if I go up on a ladder). 

Might be worth replacing the whole detector.  They typically only last 5-10 years before they go bad (depending on how long they sat on the shelf before being installed), and when they do, even changing the battery doesn't stop the chirping.  They also stop working effectively at that point in time even if they aren't chirping.   I had to go through and replace all mine in the last year, which was a pain in the butt because the docking collar on the ceiling had to be changed even though the electrical connectors were the same due to the company "upgrading" the design in the intervening 10 years.  If I'm still here next time they need replacing, I think I'm going to switch to the wireless sealed units so that I don't have to worry about changing out the wiring just so I can change brands. 

Sometimes the local fire department will help out with changing out the detectors.  If they have the free time they'd rather help someone in the community stay safe than deal with the consequences of a fire in a home without working detectors. 

[MargeGunderson]

31 minutes ago, peppergal said:

Might be worth replacing the whole detector.  They typically only last 5-10 years before they go bad (depending on how long they sat on the shelf before being installed), and when they do, even changing the battery doesn't stop the chirping.  They also stop working effectively at that point in time even if they aren't chirping.   I had to go through and replace all mine in the last year, which was a pain in the butt because the docking collar on the ceiling had to be changed even though the electrical connectors were the same due to the company "upgrading" the design in the intervening 10 years.  If I'm still here next time they need replacing, I think I'm going to switch to the wireless sealed units so that I don't have to worry about changing out the wiring just so I can change brands. 

Sometimes the local fire department will help out with changing out the detectors.  If they have the free time they'd rather help someone in the community stay safe than deal with the consequences of a fire in a home without working detectors. 

If you do place your detectors, it’s handy to write the date you installed it on the detector itself. 

[Scarlett45]

1 hour ago, peppergal said:

Might be worth replacing the whole detector.  They typically only last 5-10 years before they go bad (depending on how long they sat on the shelf before being installed), and when they do, even changing the battery doesn't stop the chirping.  They also stop working effectively at that point in time even if they aren't chirping.   I had to go through and replace all mine in the last year, which was a pain in the butt because the docking collar on the ceiling had to be changed even though the electrical connectors were the same due to the company "upgrading" the design in the intervening 10 years.  If I'm still here next time they need replacing, I think I'm going to switch to the wireless sealed units so that I don't have to worry about changing out the wiring just so I can change brands. 

Sometimes the local fire department will help out with changing out the detectors.  If they have the free time they'd rather help someone in the community stay safe than deal with the consequences of a fire in a home without working detectors. 

I had to replace my detector this year, it lasted 5yrs. 

[zoomama]

On 5/17/2022 at 2:42 AM, ChiCricket said:

 Speaking of covid still being an issue: they are offering a 3rd round of free covid tests. I just ordered. (even though I haven't had to use the first ones they sent.)

I'd rather have them on hand... just in case... 

https://www.covid.gov/tests

thanks for the info. i just ordered ours too! on the topic of covid, are any of you getting the second booster or 4th 'jab'?

[Madtown]

15 minutes ago, zoomama said:

thanks for the info. i just ordered ours too! on the topic of covid, are any of you getting the second booster or 4th 'jab'?

ME!

Hubby too!

Probably not till fall as that what was recommended. I got the first booster right when it came out. I'm also waiting on what Moderna will be doing with their vaccinations. I know they are working on a combo Covid/Flu shot.

[Suzn]

23 minutes ago, zoomama said:

thanks for the info. i just ordered ours too! on the topic of covid, are any of you getting the second booster or 4th 'jab'?

I got my second booster at what I saw as recommended, 4 months after the first.  I'm out and around people a little more than before and want to not take many chances.

[ChiCricket]

24 minutes ago, zoomama said:

thanks for the info. i just ordered ours too! on the topic of covid, are any of you getting the second booster or 4th 'jab'?

My husband and I have both had all 4...2 regular and 2 boosters each.

(we are old geezers)  😁  In fact I'm *supposed* to turn 70 on May 27th, and I already told my kids I do not want to celebrate... no way, no how. 

I'm going to to stay 69 from now on.

70 is just feels too dang OLD . 😭

 

[CalicoKitty]

4 hours ago, BetyBee said:

I don't know about allergies, but I have thrown up 2 days this week and not 2 days in a row! I have no idea what the cause is (stomach bug, probably), but Mr. BB suggested it's allergies from sleeping with the window open. Who knows? I was well enough yesterday to go with a friend to a tulip farm yesterday. Now I'm just hoping I didn't pass whatever this is to my friend or my elderly neighbor. I brought my neighbor some tulips yesterday. I thought I was over a 24 hour thing. 😔

I had what I thought was food poisoning, but it turns out there is a stomach bug going around.  It's been a week of just not feeling quite right, but I am actually very hungry today, so I guess I am over it.  Unless it is snowing or raining, I leave my bedroom windows open all the time. (or if it just too hot outside!)

[Westiepeach]

Husband and I both have our 2 shots, plus the 2 boosters. Husband also got the shingles vaccination as well. 

I am down for as many boosters as they want to give me.

[iwantcookies]

I took the home COVID test. It came out negative. I guess I just have SEVERE allergies/cold?

I’m miserable. 
 

Also one of my neighbors had a fire in their apartment so I am outside freezing/panicking that I might be homeless. Fire trucks are still in front of the building…

 

[BetyBee]

22 minutes ago, iwantcookies said:

I took the home COVID test. It came out negative. I guess I just have SEVERE allergies/cold?

I’m miserable. 
 

Also one of my neighbors had a fire in their apartment so I am outside freezing/panicking that I might be homeless. Fire trucks are still in front of the building…

 

Oh no! @iwantcookies - I hope you can get back into your apartment and that you feel better soon. 

[crazycatlady58]

34 minutes ago, iwantcookies said:

I took the home COVID test. It came out negative. I guess I just have SEVERE allergies/cold?

I’m miserable. 
 

Also one of my neighbors had a fire in their apartment so I am outside freezing/panicking that I might be homeless. Fire trucks are still in front of the building…

 

I am so sorry you are going through this Cookies.  Is someone from Red Cross there? They are supposed to help with finding you a place to stay if needed. Hopefully by the time you are reading this you are back in your apartment. What is the temperature in New York? I would have thought it would be warming up by now or are you cold due to illness/ stress? Anyway I hope you are in your apartment soon.

[Love2dance]

Hope you are back in your apartment, @iwantcookies. 🤞

 

[iwantcookies]

1 hour ago, Love2dance said:

Hope you are back in your apartment, @iwantcookies. 🤞

 

I think it was a kitchen fire one floor down across the hall. My apartment is okay just smells! Opened up the windows to air it out.

 

I am so relieved. 

 

[BetyBee]

4 hours ago, iwantcookies said:

I think it was a kitchen fire one floor down across the hall. My apartment is okay just smells! Opened up the windows to air it out.

 

I am so relieved. 

 

I'm relieved too, Cookies! I was worried about you. Hope the fresh air clears out the smell and things get back to normal!

[frenchtoast]

From the Jill and Derrick thread: 

Quote

Wow, property taxes are that low it AR? Lucky them.

I just had to note that I lived in MA and we paid about 4,000/year in property taxes on a little over a quarter of an acre and 2,000 sq ft house. Here in TX, we pay about 12,000/year on less acreage (it's like 7000 sq ft lot) and a slightly larger house. And the whole spiel that we'll save money because there's no income tax is a hoot and holler because...no. We are paying waaaay more in taxes. Also, sales tax is more here. I am not familiar with AR but it would seem it would probably be less but like @Zella pointed out the taxes are going to have to be raised quite a bit to keep up with services. 

Cost of living is a weird thing and it really does vary a lot between states. But holy cow I need to shout loud and long about how people think moving to TX will be cheaper than living in MA. It is in no way cheaper and quality of life is not the same either. 

[Zella]

38 minutes ago, frenchtoast said:

Cost of living is a weird thing and it really does vary a lot between states.

It can also vary a lot by county in some states. The sales tax in each county varies here, and I've had some people complain about my county's sales tax when moving here from other parts of Arkansas. Of course, people who move from out of state are usually surprised by how cheap everything seems to them. But I know a lot of people who border hop to Missouri to buy cigarettes and gasoline because of the price difference. 

Edited May 19, 2022 by Zella

[GeeGolly]

43 minutes ago, frenchtoast said:

From the Jill and Derrick thread: 

I just had to note that I lived in MA and we paid about 4,000/year in property taxes on a little over a quarter of an acre and 2,000 sq ft house. Here in TX, we pay about 12,000/year on less acreage (it's like 7000 sq ft lot) and a slightly larger house. And the whole spiel that we'll save money because there's no income tax is a hoot and holler because...no. We are paying waaaay more in taxes. Also, sales tax is more here. I am not familiar with AR but it would seem it would probably be less but like @Zella pointed out the taxes are going to have to be raised quite a bit to keep up with services. 

Cost of living is a weird thing and it really does vary a lot between states. But holy cow I need to shout loud and long about how people think moving to TX will be cheaper than living in MA. It is in no way cheaper and quality of life is not the same either. 

Yikes, that's almost triple!

[Madtown]

We live in Iowa. Our taxes right now are $4500 for a 6100 square foot lot. House size is about 1880, which includes a finished basement. They will be going up next year. I think they will be close to $4700. That's nuts. Iowa also does property taxes weird. When you buy a house, you pay taxes from 2 years prior. When we built our house 6 years ago, our taxes were like $4 because 2 years prior, it was only land.

[Jeeves]

For my modest condo in Denver, my property taxes for this year were $850. BUT that reflects a 50% reduction because I'm OLD and I've lived in the condo for 10+ years.

State law allows homeowners to apply for the reduction if they are 65 or older, and the property is their primary residence in which they reside and have lived for at least ten consecutive years. When I think about moving, I remember I'm getting this nice little boost to my cash flow, and I won't get it if I buy a new place, lol.

[Ijustwantsomechips]

Louisiana has pretty reasonable property taxes and a $75,000 homestead exemption which comes in handy. Everything else (except the food) sucks though.

[Nysha]

On 5/17/2022 at 7:00 PM, iwantcookies said:

Anyones allergies have been just brutal this past week or 2? I usually take Claritin daily and it worked. Not in the last week or 2. I’m just so miserable! 

My allergies are horrible. It's been raining at night and in the low 70s during the day, so every frigging type of vegetation is blooming. I'm pretty good from about 11 am to 5 pm, because I'm inside a building w/o any openable windows, but for the last week, from 5:15 pm to 11:00 am, I can't hardly breathe. Antihistamines and decongestants both make me drowsy, so I can't take them during the day. I'm using my inhaler and having a nebulizer treatment morning & night, but I'll be this way for the rest of spring since something new blooms every day here.

[ChiCricket]

Just got this in the mail today. They had emailed me awhile back asking if I wanted to be included in their book, and I said yes. Sure enough, my name is in the acknowledgments at the front of the book! Now I'll have to read it to see where (if?) I'm quoted. Did anyone else do this??

@Scarlett45 you are mentioned as a current moderator. (along with many others, but I feel like I "know" you.) 😁 

Editing to add:

I found the place where they quoted me.. and it's such a boring quote!  .. and it's in Married At First Sight, of all places🤣

All I said was "I make myself a cheat sheet every season."

(scintillating commentary) 🙄😂

 

Edited May 20, 2022 by ChiCricket

[Scarlett45]

1 hour ago, ChiCricket said:

Just got this in the mail today. They had emailed me awhile back asking if I wanted to be included in their book, and I said yes. Sure enough, my name is in the acknowledgments at the front of the book! Now I'll have to read it to see where (if?) I'm quoted. Did anyone else do this??

@Scarlett45 you are mentioned as a current moderator. (along with many others, but I feel like I "know" you.) 😁 

 

Maybe my book will be here!

[lookeyloo]

4 hours ago, Ijustwantsomechips said:

Louisiana has pretty reasonable property taxes and a $75,000 homestead exemption which comes in handy. Everything else (except the food) sucks though.

Too funny. We moved from Baton Rouge to metro Atlanta 6 years ago and are now in Baton Rouge for a short visit with my bestie.  It feels like a dream sequence. So much the same and so much changed. And we like it better where we are now. Our taxes in our county are less than in Baton Rouge because we don’t pay school tax. Doesn’t make sense to me.  I wonder how the Dillards will do on their new house. 

[CalicoKitty]

I finally got "the call" just now, and my mother finally passed after being unresponsive for several days.  She was medicated and not in any pain.  I knew she couldn't go on too much longer with no food or water.  I am so thankful for my brother, who lives near her and made sure she had all the pain meds.  I am also thankful to the Hospice nurses,  who were just wonderful with her, and with us.  She was not only the last of the 10 children in her family, she is the last cousin, also.  The end of an era.

[ginger90]

Oh @CalicoKitty I’m so very sorry.

 

[Mindthinkr]

My condolences @CalicoKitty 

[Scarlett45]

14 minutes ago, CalicoKitty said:

I finally got "the call" just now, and my mother finally passed after being unresponsive for several days.  She was medicated and not in any pain.  I knew she couldn't go on too much longer with no food or water.  I am so thankful for my brother, who lives near her and made sure she had all the pain meds.  I am also thankful to the Hospice nurses,  who were just wonderful with her, and with us.  She was not only the last of the 10 children in her family, she is the last cousin, also.  The end of an era.

I am so very sorry @CalicoKitty. You never get over losing your mother- I cannot imagine how much your heart hurts right now. I’m sure she felt your love. ((((Hugs))))

[Jeeves]

My condolences, @CalicoKitty. I'm glad her last days were peaceful. I hope your memories are a comfort.

[ChiCricket]

@CalicoKitty

[CalicoKitty]

Just now, ChiCricket said:

@CalicoKitty

Thank you.

[ozziemom]

So sorry @CalicoKitty. It’s tough to lose a parent no matter the circumstances.  

[jcbrown]

I'm very sorry for your loss, @CalicoKitty.

Edited May 20, 2022 by jcbrown

[MargeGunderson]

I’m so sorry for your loss, @CalicoKitty.

[crazycatlady58]

@CalicoKitty I am sorry for your loss. Losing a parent is always hard. May her memory be eternal. 

[GeeGolly]

Oh my, so sorry @CalicoKitty.