Small Talk: I Like Them All, I Just Can't Choose!

[CarpeDiem54]

37 minutes ago, Booney said:

Here's my sad tree (sniffle)...

Oh, @Booney, that's heartbreaking.  RIP, dear tree.  ?

@Bronx Babe - {{HUGS}}

[Booney]

33 minutes ago, walnutqueen said:

My condolences for your loss.  :-(

Thanks, @walnutqueen. It looked so pretty this spring too.

1 minute ago, CarpeDiem54 said:

Oh, @Booney, that's heartbreaking.  RIP, dear tree.  ?

@Bronx Babe - {{HUGS}}

Thanks @CarpeDiem54. Unfortunately it has to sit there like that until the tree company can get out here.

20 minutes ago, Bronx Babe said:

I'm so grateful for your generous words, @kittygirl  They do lift my heart.  Thank you my friend.  Keep well.

Thank you so much, @CarpeDiem54

@Cricket, you and Joe are in my thoughts and prayers.

@tiftgirl  Welcome and thank you so much for your kind words.

So good to see you back here, @Bronx Babe. I've been thinking about you and wondering how you're doing.

12 minutes ago, Lady J said:

I'm so sorry, I hate losing a tree ?.

Me too, @Lady J. I've lost a few of them over the years and it's always sad.

[walnutqueen]

5 minutes ago, Booney said:

Unfortunately it has to sit there like that until the tree company can get out here.

My advice?  Don't watch.  The sight & sounds of the chainsaw will haunt you even longer than the loss of that beautiful old soul tree.

[Booney]

3 minutes ago, walnutqueen said:

My advice?  Don't watch.  The sight & sounds of the chainsaw will haunt you even longer than the loss of that beautiful old soul tree.

Good advice! I had to have some arborvitae removed two years ago because an ice storm had twisted some and uprooted others. Just the sound of the chainsaw made me sad. I'll know better this time.

[tiftgirl]

Trying to play catch up here.  :)

Cricket so glad the new was good for Joe.  You will both be in my thoughts and prayers for the chemo and upcoming surgery, also financial issues.  Argus the stalker parrot is hilarious and Mr. Joe is obviously very patient and understanding of his claim on you!

Zoemom Shmuel was my lap kitty.  90% of his time was literally laying in my lap.  If he could do that and stretch out his paw and touch his Momma at the same time, it was pure bliss.  I work from home and I promise you trying to sort and filter a spreadsheet with a cat in your lap headbutting your hand controlling the mouse is not the easiest thing in the world - lol.

Coffecup I am in Georgia too - West of Atlanta out past Six Flags.  If I had to go to the office I'd have to go into Buckhead.  No surprise anxiety and Atlanta traffic are not a good mix!  I am so very fortunate that I can work from home.

Snark Byte you are one very strong woman!  I am so sorry for all you've been through.  I tell people as far as removable parts to I'm down to one ovary (they left one to post-pone menopause) and a spleen.

Bronx Babe I am so sorry for your loss.  This is not something I've experienced (knock on wood) and I cannot begin to imagine what you are going through, so, I have no words for you, but, you will continue to be in my thoughts and prayers.

General catch up :)

I had a poodle from when I was 5 until I was 21.  Being an only child, he was more like a sibling to me than a pet.  I never even entertained the thought of another pet until Shana appeared at my door - I also never thought of myself as a cat person until then.  They laugh at the vet's office because when we are in the waiting room all the dogs make a beeline to say hello to me.

I'm southern and grew up saying bathing suit.  Funny how names for thing vary by region.  Down here we call the thing you put your groceries in at the store a buggy.  My best friend who is from Boston looked at me like I had a third head the first time he heard me say that - they call it a carriage.

Thank you all for the kind replies of how Shana and the babies came to be my family.  I genuinely love hearing my Daddy (they live in another state so I don't see them as much as I'd like) asking after his "grandkitties".  

[walnutqueen]

5 minutes ago, Booney said:

Good advice! I had to have some arborvitae removed two years ago because an ice storm had twisted some and uprooted others. Just the sound of the chainsaw made me sad. I'll know better this time.

Long, long ago, in a galaxy far, far away (OK, it was Hawaii in the 80s), a hurricane uprooted the only tiny tree outside my rental (golf course adjacent) condo, which was home base to two beautiful cardinals.  The saddest sight was those two cardinals the morning after, perching forlornly atop the uprooted roots of said tree, which was laying sideways across my tiny lawn.  (No nest or baby birds were harmed, and we "righted" the tree and staked it - and it survived).

[Booney]

7 minutes ago, walnutqueen said:

Long, long ago, in a galaxy far, far away (OK, it was Hawaii in the 80s), a hurricane uprooted the only tiny tree outside my rental (golf course adjacent) condo, which was home base to two beautiful cardinals.  The saddest sight was those two cardinals the morning after, perching forlornly atop the uprooted roots of said tree, which was laying sideways across my tiny lawn.  (No nest or baby birds were harmed, and we "righted" the tree and staked it - and it survived).

Aw, so glad it turned out well for you, the cardinals and the tree! I have two pairs of cardinals that hang out in my yard and they are the most beautiful birds.

Edited June 24, 2017 by Booney

[WaitForMe]

1 hour ago, Booney said:

Here's my sad tree (sniffle)...

Wow!  What a beautiful tree! ?

[walnutqueen]

2 minutes ago, Booney said:

Aw, so glad it turned out well for you, the cardinals and the tree! I have two pairs of cardinals that hang out in my yard and they are the most beautiful birds.

Yeah, red is one of my least favorite colors (colours) - EXCEPT when it comes to birds.  I love 'em all, from the robin red breasts of my childhood, thru brilliant cardinals and even scarlet macaws (yes, I still have all 10 fingers!).  Birds are so darned special.

[Booney]

5 minutes ago, WaitForMe said:

Wow!  What a beautiful tree! ?

It was...I'll miss it. ??

[Girlydiva53]

Re: "hoarding" supplies. 

I miss hoarding in case of a blizzard. 

Toilet paper. I used to by the double rolls of Cottonelle (24 = 48), I only had to purchase it twice a year. Same with paper towels. All that good stuff. Good times. It saved money in the long run. 

[Thumper]

Buggy, carriage -- funny!  We call it a cart in WI and MN.  Love hearing the different names.

BronxBabe, so glad to see you here!  I am happy your mom's funeral was a sunny day and you had additional family attend.  Just a thought -- when my dad died, the funeral home offered a daily email for a year, with advice and calming/encouraging thoughts for those left behind.  Sometimes it seemed geared more for a spouse, but I appreciated them.  You might check to see if your mom's funeral home has something similar.  It might help you feel better, encourage you that you are not alone in your feelings, and provide some "next steps."

[Bronx Babe]

@CarpeDiem54, your hugs always feel so special.

@Booney  I really appreciate those kind words.  Thanks my friend.

@tiftgirl, thank you sweet southern girl.

[Julie hunter]

35 minutes ago, Girlydiva53 said:

Re: "hoarding" supplies. 

I miss hoarding in case of a blizzard. 

Toilet paper. I used to by the double rolls of Cottonelle (24 = 48), I only had to purchase it twice a year. Same with paper towels. All that good stuff. Good times. It saved money in the long run. 

That's what we do too.

Edited June 24, 2017 by Julie hunter

[Bronx Babe]

31 minutes ago, Thumper said:

BronxBabe, so glad to see you here!  I am happy your mom's funeral was a sunny day and you had additional family attend.  Just a thought -- when my dad died, the funeral home offered a daily email for a year, with advice and calming/encouraging thoughts for those left behind.  Sometimes it seemed geared more for a spouse, but I appreciated them.  You might check to see if your mom's funeral home has something similar.  It might help you feel better, encourage you that you are not alone in your feelings, and provide some "next steps."

Oh thanks so much, @Thumper!  I did sign up for our funeral home's online grief support e-mails and am so glad you were also able to avail yourself of these services with the passing of your dad.

[Julie hunter]

2 minutes ago, Bronx Babe said:

Oh thanks so much, @Thumper!  I did sign up for our funeral home's online grief support e-mails and am so glad you were also able to avail yourself of these services with the passing of your dad.

So glad to see you back.  You were in my thoughts this week.  

[rcc]

I always fill the gas tank when it's half full or should I say half empty. lol Just a habit I got into.

Edited June 24, 2017 by rcc

[Bronx Babe]

This is going to sound bizarre, but I "miss" the pre-adoption Shawn and wish everything was back the way it used to be with Skunkhead still at the Q and driving us all 'round the bloody bend.   Bronxoni predicts she and Martha Stewart will never meet again because OES is not returning.

I hate the new cookie-cutter young hosts.  They all look and sound alike.  Nothing unique about them as far as I can see.

4 hours ago, Julie hunter said:

So glad to see you back.  You were in my thoughts this week.  

You're so kind, @Julie hunter  Thank you!

Edited June 24, 2017 by Bronx Babe

[StaceyNotStacie]

1 hour ago, rcc said:

I always fill the gas tank when it's half full or should I say half empty. lol Just a habit I got into.

My gas tank never gets past 1/4 tank full. I get the fuel points from Kroger and fill the tank weekly. The hubby will let it go down to empty and it drives me crazy. The gas light went on during a road trip and I almost started hyperventilating because he wasn't in a rush to find a gas station. 

[Thumper]

49 minutes ago, Stacey1014 said:

My gas tank never gets past 1/4 tank full. I get the fuel points from Kroger and fill the tank weekly. The hubby will let it go down to empty and it drives me crazy. The gas light went on during a road trip and I almost started hyperventilating because he wasn't in a rush to find a gas station. 

This is me as well!!!!! (Hyperventilating)  My dad always said "don't let the gas tank get less than 1/4 full."  I follow that advice -- just one less thing to worry about.  ?

[Thumper]

PearlClutcher, your RV-the-country plan sounds very adventurous and exciting!  My husband once wanted to do that, but has since changed his mind.  I have a cousin who has been doing it for over a year.  I can't imagine driving one of those huge RVs!  (Plus, I hate to drive long distances anyhow.).   You will have to keep us posted.  Do you have an expected date of departure?

[HissyFit]

Hi, Small Talkers. My first post away from Shopping Channel forum. Yes, I'm a two-timer.

I'm also a member of the Tank Half Empty club. Here in Hurricane Alley, it's just smart.

On Tuesday, I had a list of errands to run before the heavy rains of TS Cindy moved in (gas, cash, food, water, wine), and my car wouldn't crank! The clickety-clickety sound said "battery." Thinking my battery was only two or three years old, I checked my file. My, how time flies. I had purchased an Interstate battery guaranteed for 65 months on January 19, 2012 ... and Tuesday was June 20, 2017 ... 65 months and one day!  Oh, well, I got my money's worth, although I can't shake the suspicion that many modern products are equipped with computer-chip timers and tiny self-destruct bombs.

[Rustybones]

4 hours ago, Thumper said:

Buggy, carriage -- funny!  We call it a cart in WI and MN.  Love hearing the different names.

BronxBabe, so glad to see you here!  I am happy your mom's funeral was a sunny day and you had additional family attend.  Just a thought -- when my dad died, the funeral home offered a daily email for a year, with advice and calming/encouraging thoughts for those left behind.  Sometimes it seemed geared more for a spouse, but I appreciated them.  You might check to see if your mom's funeral home has something similar.  It might help you feel better, encourage you that you are not alone in your feelings, and provide some "next steps."

Also, someone from Hospice may contact you about having a bereavement volunteer visit you.  I did that when I volunteered with VNA Hospice. 

[Coffeecup]

14 minutes ago, HissyFit said:

Hi, Small Talkers. My first post away from Shopping Channel forum. Yes, I'm a two-timer.

I'm also a member of the Tank Half Empty club. Here in Hurricane Alley, it's just smart.

On Tuesday, I had a list of errands to run before the heavy rains of TS Cindy moved in (gas, cash, food, water, wine), and my car wouldn't crank! The clickety-clickety sound said "battery." Thinking my battery was only two or three years old, I checked my file. My, how time flies. I had purchased an Interstate battery guaranteed for 65 months on January 19, 2012 ... and Tuesday was June 20, 2017 ... 65 months and one day!  Oh, well, I got my money's worth, although I can't shake the suspicion that many modern products are equipped with computer-chip timers and tiny self-destruct bombs.

We got creamed by Cindy's heavy rains too. All the houses from mine to the end of the street had flooded basements. Yucky, dirty cleanup job. We had a flash flood alert on the weather forecast, so we all moved our cars to higher ground. But I know what you mean about the dead battery. A couple of years ago there was a flood advancing toward our house, and the battery in hubby's old car died. We called an AAA tow truck and luckily they were able to pull the car out of harm's way in time.

I always try to keep my gas tank half full because the engine runs better if it's one half or more full. Of course hubby likes to take risks and run it down to near-empty. Must be a guy thing.

Edited June 24, 2017 by Coffeecup

[Ladyrain]

6 hours ago, Booney said:

Here's my sad tree (sniffle)...

Oh, Booney, how sad.  And it looks so full and healthy, too.  ?

[SuprSuprElevated]

19 minutes ago, HissyFit said:

Hi, Small Talkers. My first post away from Shopping Channel forum. Yes, I'm a two-timer.

I'm also a member of the Tank Half Empty club. Here in Hurricane Alley, it's just smart.

On Tuesday, I had a list of errands to run before the heavy rains of TS Cindy moved in (gas, cash, food, water, wine), and my car wouldn't crank! The clickety-clickety sound said "battery." Thinking my battery was only two or three years old, I checked my file. My, how time flies. I had purchased an Interstate battery guaranteed for 65 months on January 19, 2012 ... and Tuesday was June 20, 2017 ... 65 months and one day!  Oh, well, I got my money's worth, although I can't shake the suspicion that many modern products are equipped with computer-chip timers and tiny self-destruct bombs.

Wow!  

[SuprSuprElevated]

11 minutes ago, Coffeecup said:

Must be a guy thing.

It's not. ( ;  Though I don't make a habit of it, I can tell you that my car can travel at least 2 miles after the screen displays '0 miles remaining'.  

12 minutes ago, Coffeecup said:

We got creamed by Cindy's heavy rains too. All the houses from mine to the end of the street had flooded basement. Yucky, dirty cleanup job. We had a flash flood alert on the weather forecast, so we all moved our cars to higher ground. But I know what you mean about the dead battery. A couple of years ago there was a flood advancing toward our house, and the battery in hubby's old car died. We called an AAA tow truck and luckily they were able to pull the car out of harm's way in time.

I always try to keep my gas tank half full because the engine runs better if it's one half or more full. Of course hubby likes to take risks and run it down to near-empty. Must be a guy thing.

Sorry about your mess.

[Ladyrain]

3 minutes ago, PearlClutcher said:

We first started out in a small travel trailer, then got a bigger travel trailer and then got a 36 ft 5th wheel with 3 slides. We're going with a small motor home.  If you drive one of those behemoths that are huge and costly, a lot of places won't allow you in plus you can't maneuver secondary roads or country roads and that is where the charm and beauty is, jmo.  One time we saw a yuuuge motohome stuck at an intersection.  What a conundrum!  Last time we went, we never traveled more than 100 miles/day.  One day we went 30 miles down the road where there was a lovely little RV park on a farm in Vermont (it was autumn).  No 50 states in 50 days for us. Won't be going until spring.  Homes show and sell best in spring doncha know, lol.  

"Conundrum" - word list!

Can I tell you how much fun this sounds??  You are going to have the best time!  After the year you've had, you deserve it. ?

[SuprSuprElevated]

@PearlClutcher -

My father worked in sales for manufactured homes as well as recreational vehicle manufacturers his entire adult life.  After he retired, he delivered motorhomes as a 'something to do' job.  My mother made him sell his beloved 28' Titan Class A when he was in his late 70's.  (She was right, it was starting to need a lot of repairs, and his dementia was kicking in.)  My husband has been in purchasing for motorhome mfgrs for most of his adult life, and I have been in sales for RV suppliers for most of my adult life.

[Cricket]

6 hours ago, Bronx Babe said:

Thank you, @Thumper  I'm grateful my cousins (the children of Mom's brother George) were able to be there, and that despite warnings of stormy weather, we had no rain.  The sun shone for my mother that day.

I'm feeling sad and lonely right now.  The usual emotions.  Also selfishly thinking "What now?" in terms of looking for work and worrying about money.  

Thank you so much, @SuprSuprElevated

It's not easy but I'm trying.

That is not selfish at all. Normal to be worried. I finally got the bill from the hospital in St Petersburg where I went in for a breathing treatment in March while on vacation. Joe was just coming in when I FREAKED OUT. Big time, screaming, hyperventilating...  my gut is raw. They charged my insurance company over 10,000.00! My insurance company is billing me almost 2800.00. Mind you, just for Joe, I have 7000.00 in bills to pay. I.just.can.not.do.this. 

Joe filed a grievance with my insurance company. I guess my only concern is how long before they start the process to garnish wages? I simply can not pay this. This is obscene. Money worries, Bronx babe? Yea, I understand you completely and if you have every right to be upset, worried or whatever. All we can do it TRY. And you are SO CORRECT.. it is NOT easy.

Life is hard. I got to thinking about what Dana Bledsoe is going through and I commend her because I simply can not have the same joyful outlook of life that she has.

58 minutes ago, Ladyrain said:

Oh, Booney, how sad.  And it looks so full and healthy, too.  ?

Any chance they can right this tree?

[lovemesomejoolery]

7 hours ago, Booney said:

Here's my sad tree (sniffle)...

RIP @Booney's tree. 

I'm sorry this happened - not a nice thing to wake up to.  We had the same storm, by the way.

[Cricket]

50 minutes ago, SuprSuprElevated said:

@PearlClutcher -

My father worked in sales for manufactured homes as well as recreational vehicle manufacturers his entire adult life.  After he retired, he delivered motorhomes as a 'something to do' job.  My mother made him sell his beloved 28' Titan Class A when he was in his late 70's.  (She was right, it was starting to need a lot of repairs, and his dementia was kicking in.)  My husband has been in purchasing for motorhome mfgrs for most of his adult life, and I have been in sales for RV suppliers for most of my adult life.

Whenever I hear RV, Randy Quaid comes attached to it. 

[SuprSuprElevated]

46 minutes ago, PearlClutcher said:

exorbitant amount of cash for a NewMar King

Newmar was a big customer of mine, and they build a terrific unit.  As you know, there are plenty of great RVs that don't require nearly the cabbage of a King Aire.  Whatever you choose, I know you'll have a blast!

Edited June 24, 2017 by SuprSuprElevated

[lovemesomejoolery]

1 hour ago, SuprSuprElevated said:

It's not. ( ;  Though I don't make a habit of it, I can tell you that my car can travel at least 2 miles after the screen displays '0 miles remaining'.  

.

You sound like me....I do the same thing, except in winter, when they're calling for snow.  Then I keep the tank full.

[SuprSuprElevated]

13 minutes ago, Cricket said:

Whenever I hear RV, Randy Quaid comes attached to it. 

Yeah, Hollywood has not been too helpful to the industry, considering they rely heavily on them for the poor actors to rest their weary behinds in between scenes.  

Edited June 25, 2017 by SuprSuprElevated

[walnutqueen]

3 hours ago, Coffeecup said:

always try to keep my gas tank half full because the engine runs better if it's one half or more full.

It really doesn't, but beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and perception is almost everything in our world.  Until your fuel tank runs so low it consumes the dregs of "dirty gas", your engine performance is not affected.

I envisioned a lifelong retirement dream of blue highways in some sort of an RV.  I also dreamed of growing old with a partner.  Now I live "alone" with critters I'd never trust someone else to feed & medicate (even if I could find "someone else" nearby) ...  a slave to my voluntary hermit lifestyle.  But I can armchair travel with the elite.  :-D

Edited June 25, 2017 by walnutqueen

[SuprSuprElevated]

5 minutes ago, walnutqueen said:

It really doesn't, but beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and perception is almost everything in our world.  Until your fuel tank runs so low it consumes the dregs of "dirty gas", your engine performance is not affected.

I envisioned a lifelong retirement dream of blue highways in some sort of an RV.  I also dreamed of growing old with a partner.  Now I live "alone" with critters I'd never trust someone else to fed & medicate (even if I could find "someone else" nearby) ...  a slave to my voluntary hermit lifestyle.  But I can armchair travel with the elite.  :-D

I hear that.  How does that saying go...'life is what happens when you are busy making other plans'.  Says it all.

[walnutqueen]

1 hour ago, SuprSuprElevated said:

I hear that.  How does that saying go...'life is what happens when you are busy making other plans'.  Says it all.

I cut my baby teeth on other people's plans.  Sooo many plans & dreams dashed over my Mum's lifetime.  So I lived my life givin' the ole side-eye to anything so frivolous as "plans" or a forseeable future.   Yet, despite my "Blowin' In The Wind" attitude and many travels, my adventurous previous life landed me in the middle of Squaresville, USA. in this Old Fucking House Dump, for decades, now.  

You can run, but you can never run fast or far enough to escape Destiny.   The trick is enjoying the Life the Universe hands you, and laughing in the face of Fate.

[/presumptuous/fake old woman's wisdom]

[SuprSuprElevated]

1 minute ago, walnutqueen said:

I cut my baby teeth on other people's plans.  Sooo many plans & dreams dashed over my Mum's lifetime.  So I lived my life givin' the ole side-eye to anything so frivolous as "plans" or a forseeable future.   Yet, despite my "Blowin' In The Wind" attitude and many travels, my adventurous previous life landed me in the middle of Squaresville, USA. in this Old Fucking House Dump, for decades, now.  

You can run, but you can never run fast or far enough to escape Destiny.   The trick is enjoying the Life the Universe hands you, and laughing in the face of Fate.

[/presumptuous/fake old woman's wisdom]

Yeah, no one escapes unscathed.  

[walnutqueen]

42 minutes ago, SuprSuprElevated said:

Yeah, no one escapes unscathed.  

Invisible scars are the best kind.

[Booney]

@Cricket - I'm so sorry to hear about your medical bills. It's scary to get sick today, even with insurance. Maybe you can work something out with the hospital. See if they have a patient advocate - he/she might be able to help. Or your doctor's office might have some suggestions. Most larger doctor's office have an insurance specialist on staff. It might be worth checking.

@Cricket and @Friedbaloney - Unfortunately I don't think the tree can be saved. A couple of the biggest roots were severed from the base of the tree when it fell. I'll wait and see what the tree company says, but it looks like it's a goner.

Edited June 25, 2017 by Booney

[TexasTiffany]

11 hours ago, Booney said:

Here's my sad tree (sniffle)...

Oh my gosh this is a BIG tree! That's a shame. Since there's nothing you can do about it try to look at it as being able to plant a new one and watch it grow. 

[TexasTiffany]

11 hours ago, Bronx Babe said:

Thank you, @Thumper  I'm grateful my cousins (the children of Mom's brother George) were able to be there, and that despite warnings of stormy weather, we had no rain.  The sun shone for my mother that day.

I'm feeling sad and lonely right now.  The usual emotions.  Also selfishly thinking "What now?" in terms of looking for work and worrying about money.  

Thank you so much, @SuprSuprElevated

It's not easy but I'm trying.

This makes me cry. I'm so sorry. 

Take time to grieve. When you are ready to branch out, think of it as a new opportunity for happiness. 

Oh death, never return to us.

[TexasTiffany]

10 hours ago, walnutqueen said:

Long, long ago, in a galaxy far, far away (OK, it was Hawaii in the 80s), a hurricane uprooted the only tiny tree outside my rental (golf course adjacent) condo, which was home base to two beautiful cardinals.  The saddest sight was those two cardinals the morning after, perching forlornly atop the uprooted roots of said tree, which was laying sideways across my tiny lawn.  (No nest or baby birds were harmed, and we "righted" the tree and staked it - and it survived).

Oh, I'm glad there was happy news in the end and no cardinals were hurt. 

Where I live they've been re-landscaping part of the grounds. It looks nice but the grounds crew did remove some trees and pruned others. We don't have many squirrels so I take the time to watch the ones that I know live here. Part of their tree playground is gone but they're having a good time digging in the fresh mulch and newly planted flower beds. 

[seahag]

I will be praying for everyone on here who is going through tough times.  Consider yourselves virtually hugged.

I am still (!) recovering from my pneumonia.  I went to the doc this week and he said it will be a few months before I feel up to snuff.  I went to an art fair for an hour this afternoon, and to Home Depot this evening for half an hour.  I'm completely wiped out!

[TexasTiffany]

9 hours ago, Bronx Babe said:

This is going to sound bizarre, but I "miss" the pre-adoption Shawn and wish everything was back the way it used to be with Skunkhead still at the Q and driving us all 'round the bloody bend.   Bronxoni predicts she and Martha Stewart will never meet again because OES is not returning.

I hate the new cookie-cutter young hosts.  They all look and sound alike.  Nothing unique about them as far as I can see.

You're so kind, @Julie hunter  Thank you!

I wouldn't miss Shawn. I've only seen the new host NewMary when she co-hosted with Rachel. Even then I only saw her for 30 minutes. These newbies will probably give us new things to snark about. Right now we don't know what they are. And, Martha Stewart is coming! Suzanne Somers! We've got fresh snark-on-tap coming our way!

[TexasTiffany]

6 hours ago, PearlClutcher said:

@Ladyrain, @SuprSuprElevated, @Thumper, @Friedbaloney, @Denver Hoosier, @rcc.  Sorry if I gave the impression that we were leaving now.  No, we need to have a big yard sale in the fall, purchase the RV, sell the house and furniture and get the miscellaneous medical stuff squared away.  Takes a little time.  @SuprSuprElevated, May I ask what industry you and your family are in since you say we are contributing?  @Friedbaloney, I totally understand how it's not for you.  Some are perfectly content to be in their home and surrounsurroundings they feel comfortable with.  @Denver Hoosier, That's such a wonderful story about your grandparents and their travels. It must have been wonderful to go to Central and South America back in the 60s.  We've been to Belize and Venezuela back when.  I'm sorry about your husband and that you were not able to travel.  Back in 1998, my husband had a devastating fall of almost 30 feet that landed him in neurosurgical ICU for months.  By a wonderful miracle, he survived virtually intact and we decided to hit the road full time in 2000 thinking we were both able to do it so why not?  @rcc, I'm so very sorry also about your husband.  I've actually have heard this many times and we actually met a group of ladies who were single or widowed and traveled in a caravan.  They were so interesting.  

Years ago, one of my friend's mothers was in a group like that. He gave it the side-eye and called it "Seniors on the run". His mom was having a blast! She liked to travel. She had her own things around her. She knew the people in the group and they all went together somewhere. She made it sounds wonderful to go all over the US and seeing things with your friends. If anyone had mechanical trouble, someone was there to help fix it. They didn't leave people behind. They watched out for you no matter where you were. She had the time and ability, it was great for her. 

[TexasTiffany]

5 hours ago, Cricket said:

Whenever I hear RV, Randy Quaid comes attached to it. 

 

I always think about the movie The Long Long Trailer with Lucy and Desi. They started out with their perfect dream... until.

 

Edited June 25, 2017 by TexasTiffany

[Coffeecup]

6 hours ago, PearlClutcher said:

@Coffeecup, Do you have a sump pump in your basement?  

Nope, no pump. My basement is the "walk-in" type, and it looks like they built the floor on a slight pitch sloping down toward the door. After a flood, as soon as I open the basement door, the water starts rapidly draining out. I sweep out the remaining thin layer of water with a broom, and I have a wet-and-dry vac to clean the low spots. I know that sounds primitive, but that's what I've done after three floods. I live near a creek that is prone to flooding. It didn't flood my basement for the first 15 years I lived here, but all the uncontrolled development in Atlanta has made flooding a problem for a lot of us who live near creeks. Too many new concrete surfaces (roads, parking lots) and too many new rooftops. Without sufficient greenspace, the water runoff has nowhere to go, so it gets dumped into the creeks, which swell up and overflow their banks.

You just have to avoid storing valuable things in your basement. But basic things you need down there still get damaged, like the washer-dryer and water heater. Your flood insurance covers those things. Several of my neighbors have made apartments in their basements to make some money as landlords. Knowing the flood risk here, I would never do that! Your tenant's possessions get ruined, and they usually want to move out and look for a safer place, so you have to find a new tenant. I've seen that happen several times.

Booney, I'm so sorry your beautiful redbud tree can't be saved. I always wanted a redbud but never got around to planting one.

BronxBabe, glad you checked in with us about the funeral. Sounds like everything went well. I hope that eased your mind some.

Cricket, I feel for you and Joe, with that awful medical bill! It's bad enough to deal with the illness, and then you get this unbearable financial stress on top of it. Why does medical care cost so damn much in the first place? (And prescription drugs too!) The costs just keep going up, never down.

[Fishy]

19 hours ago, Bronx Babe said:

I'm feeling sad and lonely right now.  The usual emotions.  Also selfishly thinking "What now?" in terms of looking for work and worrying about money.  

:-( Popping in to say that thoughts and prayers with your name on them are being subliminally sent your way. :-)  When you feel a moment of peace however fleeting but sure to be more often as the days go along, know that that is them doing their work.  Hoping for the very best for you.