Can we have a forum for "older" people with bc?

chisandy · July 2017

Bob grew up entirely w/o A/C. His family's little tract half-Cape (bought new in 1950 for $5K, all cash!) didn't have adequate wiring for central air, though as a gas-forced-air heated house the ductwork was in place; the windows were shallow casements and there were no sleeves cut through the walls. So in the misery of summer, he & his parents would sit in front of fans in the basement—without the TV—eating cold dinners; they had fans in the two bedrooms at night. Our building in Seattle—the U.W. Pacific Apts. married student housing, designed by (probably failed) Dept. of Architecture students—had neither adequate wiring nor cross-ventilation: the only windows, on the east-and-west-walls, had a wall between them. We had a box fan and later a swamp cooler; we needed them only for two weeks each summer, but oh, how we needed them! Our little dorm-size under-counter fridge couldn't crank out trays of ice cubes fast enough for that swamp cooler; the larger top-freezer (one door) manual-defrost unit the mgmt. finally installed wasn't much better, but at least the freezer had enough chunks of frost we could hack off to augment the cooling supply. The rest of the summer, the shade from the birches & firs alongside the building was enough to keep us cool…ish.

When we moved to Chicago, the first thing we bought on our first day here after signing the lease on our first apt. (we lived in a no-tell motel for a couple of days) wasn't furniture, not even a bed (we slept on the floor in sleeping bags)—it was an air conditioner. Bob insisted. Even now, he's the first one to turn our window units on. We still use window units & ceiling fans because our house, built in 1908, is steam-heated. Installation of ductwork alone would cost us $10K, even just the rudimentary ducts for a gravity-feed unit were we to install one in the attic. Yeah, we're eco-criminals, but we drive fuel-efficient cars. (Bob's is a hybrid that gets 50mpg the way he drives it). I try to walk or take public transit if I can.

Summer-in-the-city and the rarity of A/C in working-class Jewish neighborhoods was one of the two main reasons the Catskill Mts. Borscht Belt resorts (and bungalow colonies, or “kuchalaines," translated as “cook for yourselves" for those who couldn't afford resorts) were founded (the other being that most major Northeastern resorts were “restricted," for white Gentiles only). Those who could would move up to the mountains—whether for a week in the resorts, or a few weeks in the colonies or in our case, my aunt's summer house—and the dads would stay down in the city at their jobs M-F and drive up north for the weekends. It took decades of decline to kill the Borscht Belt, and there were several “assassins:" affordable air conditioning, enabling families to endure NYC summers; the end of ethnic restrictions at resorts (ironically, there were many more kosher resorts in the Catskills, catering to but not limited to Jews, than there were restricted ones nationwide); and the advent of affordable air travel, giving families the option to travel to more exotic locations in the U.S. beyond the reach of a couple tanks of gas. (Before that, the Adirondacks or “down the Shore" was about as exotic as it got in summertime for most Brooklynites).

It was a good thing that my family's apt. in E. Flatbush had A/C back in 1965, because that was the summer my dad had 3 heart attacks in as many weeks. A/C is absolutely essential for heart patients. Whenever we have a heat wave here, Bob gets a lot of hospital admissions for elderly folks with M.I.s (and the ER gets DOAs), mostly from the poorest S.Side neighborhoods: seniors in old buildings can't afford A/C; and they are too afraid of crime to open their windows, even if screened, for fans to circulate air, so heatstroke is endemic among them.

pingpong1953 · July 2017

I hate freezer-on-the-top refrigerators - earlier this year I got rid of a perfectly functioning fridge to get a new one with the freezer on the bottom. No more banged head, no more losing food in the abyss in the back of the fridge. Freezer rolls out, nice little sliding tray at the top, nice French doors and adjustable shelves in the refrigerator section. Love it.

chisandy · July 2017

That’s the configuration of my 2006 LG, too. Unfortunately, it’s been malfunctioning like crazy—the freezer is frosting up, the left hand crisper tends to freeze tender moist veggies no matter how I set the humidity control, the ice/water dispenser leaks around its outer seam, the icemaker tray overfills and keeps falling off its swivels as it tries to dump its block of ice into the bin. But acc. to CR, it’s still the best there is among those with icemakers. (No way I’m going back to filling & emptying ice cube trays).

illinoislady · July 2017

Sounds just like mime ping-pong. I sort of traded with an extra few dollars my older but clean as a whistle Kenmore fridge. My HUGE complaint was that though it had a bottom freezer, it opened from the side. In our other house -- it wasn't so bad, but in this house it opened right by a wall and after yrs. of a very awkward arrangement I got the chance for the French door, bottom pull-out with extra pull out and deep ice cube maker tray and jumped at the chance. I had to pay about $150.00 for the newer Kenmore, but it has been heaven ever since. I never loved the older Kenmore, but at the other house it was tolerable. Since you don't have a pull out --- it was often hard to stack items or rotate them well and now and then something would actually fall out.

Moral of my story --- I think the pull outs are the very best to have and I'd never buy anything else.

illinoislady · July 2017

When we really love others, we accept them as they are. We make our love visible through little acts of kindness, shared activities, words of praise and thanks, and our willingness to get along with them. -Edward E. Ford

illinoislady · July 2017

Sunny morning here today. Going to go up to 99 but our humidity got a mite better. A mite is not much but I'll take anything. Come the week-end we will get better and have three or four days in the 80's. That will be easy to live with since we have had a number of triple digit days.

Lots of things to do, but likely will hold off on anymore yard work until we get those cooler days. I never lack for things to do around here so I'll still be able to keep busy.

Just thinking during these hot days how great it was to go and get a fresh bucket of water from the well when we were kids. The water was good and cold and tasted really good. Totally unlike how it tasted from the few people around town who had indoor running water. That water didn't have a good flavor at all. Seemed bland. There were good things about being a kid. The well ( which few people have now ) was one of them. That and the gorgeous willow trees in our back yard. I still like to see willow trees.

chisandy · July 2017

The most refreshing water I ever drank was glacial runoff at a trailhead near the Sunrise entrance to Mt. Rainier Nat'l Park. Second tastiest was straight from the garden hose on a hot day. Well water in Northern IL, as well as in MI and OH, however, has in my recent experience tasted and smelled horrible, like rotten eggs. It wasn't that bad in eastern Queens where Bob grew up drinking artesian well water (piped in, not drawn from private wells),but it wasn't as tasty as that from the NYC water supply that originated at the Ashokan reservoir upstate. (They still bottle the stuff to sell as NYC souvenirs to sell to tourists).

wren44 · July 2017

We were somewhere in New Hampshire and stayed at a little old fashioned motel with the nicest owner. The next morning, we asked where to eat breakfast. He said we had to go to Polly's Pancake Parlor. On our way, we were to stop and drink from a hose that had spring water. He was right that it was really tasty. Polly's was great too. Lots of pancakes in a restaurant with a view to a horse pasture containing a beautiful horse. It was a sunny fall day at the end of the leaf season.

illinoislady · July 2017

Only the wise person draws from life, and from every stage of it, its true savour, because only he or she feels the beauty, the dignity, and the value of life. The flowers of youth may fade, but the summer, the autumn, and even the winter of human existence, have their majestic grandeur, which the wise person recognizes and glorifies.

Amiel

illinoislady · July 2017

Try saying this silently to everyone and everything you see for thirty days and see what happens to your own soul: "I wish you happiness now and whatever will bring happiness to you in the future. "If we said it to the sky, we would have to stop polluting; if we said it when we see the ponds and lakes and streams, we would have to stop using them as garbage dumps and sewers; if we said it to small children we would have to stop abusing them, even in the name of training; if we said it to people, we would have to stop stoking the fires of enmity around us. Beauty and human warmth would take root in us like a clear, hot June day. We would change. -Joan Chittister

illinoislady · July 2017

All the kindness which a person puts out into the world
works on the heart and thoughts of humankind.

Albert Schweitzer

wren44 · July 2017

We got our foster cat adopted last weekend and I picked up another one last night. He's a gray male, hyperthyroid, and may be in renal failure. He's on the anti-thyroid medication for 3 weeks and renal values will be retested. Being hyperthyroid can make it look like a cat has renal failure when he doesn't. He's separated from my cat now. He hissed at him thru the door last night, but he'd been on a stressful car ride so perhaps it will go well in the future.

Going to be 80º here today. For us that's a heat wave. We're going to the annual Art in the Garden event. Artists display their wares around the edges of a community garden.

duckyb1 · July 2017

My great grandaughter's 2nd birthday.....love her..

anneb1149 · July 2017

Hi all

Ducky, your great granddaughter is adorable.

When we first moved to the apartment in Cooper City, in 1973, the water was awful. It smelled funny and tasted awful. We used to get those big jugs of water that sat on a base with a spigot. We moved to our first home for four years, then back to the house I am living in now- the water had completely changed, and smelled and tasted how water was supposed to (odorless and tasteless). But one thing we have always known is that NYC water is the best water around. Just like pizza anywhere else just doesn't taste as good, nor do bagels, although I admit I have heard Chicago has some good pizza. I also have to admit, I haven't travelled extensively enough to consider my opinion as the absolute truth, but have met many others from NYC who agree with me whole heartedly. Of course, over the past forty years, I no longer remember why it tasted so good, and think water is pretty much water wherever you are, but that's my story and I'm sticking to it!

My brother has returned. He called a few weeks ago, and asked if he could come down sooner than planned. I said sure, but was kind of surprised when he arrived. His car was packed with clothes, a TV, - I don't know that there was enough room left in the car for an extra water bottle. There was a little confusion about sleeping arrangements, because my son is there for a few more weeks- should we make him move so my brother can unpack in the "guest room" or should we put my brother on the futon in the used to be office turned guest room? It worked itself out with no problem. My brother arrived a day early, on Tues, but my son was gone with the camp on their annual sleepaway trip, and not going to be back till Wed night. But Thurs morning, my brother and I flew to Atlanta to help my grandson get ready for college. My brother asked if he could hang some stuff in the closet in the guest room He filled the whole closet. My brother slept in my grandson's bed for the two nights before we left for Atlanta. And my son goes home for the opening of the new school year the day before we fly home. I keep calling them "my brother" and "my son" because they are both named Rob.

All I know is he was willing to drive down from NC on Tues to fly to Atlanta on Thurs. Then he is renting a car to drive back to NC next Fri to attend a concert and get a check up with his Dr. He will drive back here on the 9th to fly back to Fl with me on the 12th. Each trip from Atlanta to NC is a 6 hr drive each way. Good thing I enjoy being with him.

Happy weekend everyone,

Anne

joan811 · July 2017

Hi all,
So nice to read back all the nostalgia here. So many wonderful memories!
Life was simpler, but I do remember how the post-war world began to change with the Vietnam War, protests, riots, assassinations, and political unrest around the world. I was 12 years old in1960 and was deeply affected by what was happening. I have learned over the years that we should never give up on peace. It comes and it goes....and somehow we survive through it all.

Ducky, congratulations on your beautiful family and latest great-grandchild. And to have a great-granddaughter named after you....how precious! Your entire family is so darned good-looking, starting with those photos of you in your late teens and 20s.
Chevy, I love the photo of you and DH....wow 60 years coming up....that's amazing. You two look like a movie poster!

DH and I met in high school and married young after his military obligation. We will be married 50 years in 2018.
We had so much fun negotiating life on $140/month while he went to college after the military. It was no problem. We bought a mobile home and decorated it beautifully....planted flowers....shared a car....and spent $40/month on food. We had all we needed! And soon a baby daughter. I cannot remember being much happier than we were those first 5 years. We both worked and saved and even bought a house before baby daughter #2 came along. Life was good...it still is, but my 5 kids have grown up in a different world.

I have a lot more reading back to do....been working and traveling since Memorial Day.
I worked all of June then traveled to California to visit DS. Then attended my godson's high school graduation in North Carolina. Then my granddaughter's moving up day from elementary school...
We just got back from a business trip in Cape Cod (then home for a day) and followed it up with a trip to northern Montana. We visited old friends...Ray has rare leukemia and had to move from their beautiful mountain home in Colorado to a lower elevation with more medical facilities in a valley in Montana. Dee is having a hard time adjusting to the new area and taking on all the housework, yard work and making sure Ray eats well and keeps rested. We had a very simple visit with good meals and local drives...and one adventure into Glacier National Park where we had lunch at the Lodge. We got home 2 days ago, and now DD is coming for a visit but renting a house nearby. It will be a fun week with the kids at the beach. The summer is flying by.

Best wishes to everyone here for a happy and healthy summer.
Time for me to catch up....but not before I thank Jackie once again for being here every day with her inspiring quotes and words of wisdom.
xoxo

Joan

duckyb1 · July 2017

Joan.........so great to hear from you...always the busy lady.......will send you a PM soon...hugs girlfriend.....miss you

illinoislady · July 2017

Never pass up an opportunity to speak a kind word of appreciation. There are six billion people on the planet, and 5.9 billion of them go to bed every night starving for one honest word of appreciation. -Matthew Kelly

Centralia Balloon Fest 2017, Centralia, Illinois

www.balloon-fest.com/

Bring your lawn chairs, flashlight, camera, film, sunscreen and enthusiasm! The Centralia Balloon Fest is in Centralia, Illinois. Hot air balloons. Held on Friday, Saturday, Sunday, August 18, 19, 20, 2017.

I could open the site --- not sure about everyone seeing it here. Just some facts about it here. For anyone who has attended a Balloon Fest anywhere....Centralia is one of the VERY few ( there might be one other or perhaps two other places ) where you can actually walk up to the pilots and their balloons, look at the balloons up close and personal and ask questions of the pilots and crew. It takes a fair sized crew. They hold the balloon on the ground while it is being inflated with helium gas with long, heavy tether ropes.

At Centralia, all the balloons usually between 40 or 50, come into the park a short while before the sun starts setting. They take an assigned place around a pond which is in the park. All the balloons get inflated to a maximum size so they are standing up tall --- and then just as dark falls they have what is called the Balloon Glow. They turned on the burners ( which send the gas for flight into the balloon ) on a count of three, and all the balloons light up the night ---- and one of the most beautiful things is that the balloons are reflected in the pond at the same time they are alight on the ground. The balloon crews continue to hold on tight so that none of the balloons take off and they do several of these glows. This is one of the things along with the fireworks that to me always makes the first night pretty dramatic. It has been a year for the most part since any of us have seem THE GLOW and it is always sort of breath-taking and awe inspiring. There are few things like it.

Early morning is one of the best times for flight and then the crew become chasers --- following the balloon through the sky so that when it comes down ( often in a farmers field or meadow, they can fold up the balloon and put it on the balloon platform attached to the chase vehicle and either return to the park or return to the holding area ( usual a hotel parking lot ) until it is time for another flight. The balloons ( weather permitting ) are in the park both nights of the balloon fest to do the glow and many will come back on the very last night. Many though, have another engagement and have a long drive so leave after the last morning flight on Sunday.

Centralia ( only about 13,000 residents do some BIG things for such a tiny town. Not only the Balloon Fest every August, but the Oct. Halloween Parade is often about 3 hrs. long due to all the entries. At Christmas, there are two areas of the park ( same one where Balloon Fest takes place ) has city workers that decorate the park and you can drive through in your car with lights lit of beautiful scenes from Christmas. One area is set up to tell the story of the Savior's birth and though I like all of the areas the birth story is very quaint and sometimes has live animals like the ones from the original setting.

I came home after being a California resident for 25 yrs. not because of the very nice aspects of living here, but all the same I am highly appreciative that there are such things to enjoy and look on as something special in an otherwise ( ssshhh ) sort of Podunk place. I came home because my mother came home, and I wanted to spend a lot more quality time with her.

Forever grateful too -- after a yr. and a half of spending that quality time she passed away. I miss her everyday, but feel the urging, unseen and unheard ( strongly mental pushes ) that I received before we came home happened so that I could have that time with her and look back, though I miss her, with heartfelt gratitude that I was given the gift of time with someone who was not only deeply loved, but as well highly respected by myself and her very large family. Love you Mom, always did and always will.

Chevyboy · July 2017

Hi, and thank you Joan! We are so lucky to have over 60 years together! We met in 1955, right after I graduated.... but in those days, you just went out, went steady, then got engaged, and finally started planning for a wedding.... Ours was very small.... Just went to a JP, then a little reception at my In-laws house.... nothing much really.... but I'll always remember it...

My Mom flew out, but my Dad stayed in California.... We had a little 1/2 of a double... $55 a month! 2 rooms, and a little kitchen.... Hah! We got married the last of September, 1957... and I made our first Thanksgiving dinner for some of his family.... ! Guess I was trying to prove something, marrying into his Italian family.... Hah!

And I'll be 80 tomorrow.... DAMN Ducky that sounds OLD.... Loopy If I didn't know better, I would think I was maybe 55 or so, but my girls are older than that! I still really feel good though, when something doesn't hurt.... Smile But thank God we still have each other.... and I can still work in my gardens.... I've been patching up spots around one of our garages with cement, and then scraping up old paint/cement, and spray painting around the garage!

Janie is bring pizza over after she gets off work, and we'll have my Birthday then.... And Sheri & the boys will be here Wednesday, so we'll be going EVERYWHERE they want to go!!!

Okay girls.... take good care! xoxo

illinoislady · July 2017

Since I might forget sweet Sunny -- have the bestest birthday ever. XXXOOO

Image result for Elegant Birthday Cakes for Women

puffin2014 · July 2017

I had my first car accident today. I was in the left turn lane following the car ahead of me and wasn't paying close enough attention to the light and ended up going thru a red light and oncoming traffic got my front fender. No one was hurt, the air bags went off in the other car. My car is still driveable. I'll call the car repair shop tomorrow and make an appointment.

illinoislady · July 2017

Sorry to hear this Puffin but so glad you and everyone were fine. Cars can be fixed or replaced. I have 'lost' focus now and then and it is not a very good feeling but I do know how easy it is to do it. Sometimes living in a small town with WAY less traffic keeps you out of trouble now and then. I now often caution myself ( I most often drive alone ) to pay attention. Not only to care for myself and other people but also the wildlife that often decides to use the road with you.

Again -- so glad you are fine.

bonnets · July 2017

Glad you weren't hurt!

Beautiful day again here. Went to church, then came home and sat in the sunshine for a little while. Enjoying the cooler, less humid weather , while we can Just got back from another gourmet meal, at Denney's! When we got married, I told DH I wasn't going to cook 7 days a week. Either he cooked, Haha or we went out. So much we can't eat anymore, he's sugar free and me gluten free. I was a baker, more than a cook.

duckyb1 · July 2017

Happy Birthday Chevy......Yea 80 is old, but hey we're still above ground and taking nouishment ...and for that I guess we should be thankful.....

I had a big wedding...all the hoop-la etc..and then drove to. Washington State to live since he was in the Army.....stayed there about 1 year..came home pregnant and had my first son in 1957.....and so it goes....so sad that I lost him so young....but grateful for 35 years....would love to have gotten at least 50.........His father lived to be 103, and his mother 96..........his brother is still alive at 82.....and a sister who I can't stand is 74.........yea he got cheated......but life goes on...I didnt think it would but with my 6 kids, and 9 grandchildren at the time he died I managed to get through it.......and now with 9 more grandchildren,for a total of 18, and 6 great grandchildren with another due in 5 days.....God has been good to me......

Here is a picture of the bride and groom........

Chevyboy · July 2017

I look like I was holding onto him.... Hah!

illinoislady · July 2017

Heart

chisandy · July 2017

I love all the wedding pictures! And Joan, welcome back—and good to finally see you in your avatar! Hard to believe you’re three years older than I am (must admit that in my avatar I was only 62).

Puffin, bummer about the collision but glad you’re okay. (I imagine if your car could talk, it might be saying, “yeah, but you should see the other guy”). Highly unusual to reach our age before having a first accident. And it looks like it won’t cost too much to fix your car (probably about twice your deductible if that much).

Bob & I met in college when we ran against each other for student gov’t and both won (35 candidates for 8 seats, he came in first and I came in second). We were seated alphabetically—his name begins with A and my maiden name with B—so familiarity breeds…even more familiarity. We got married three weeks after we graduated, and both sets of parents nixed a civil ceremony because that’s what they’d been stuck with back in the day (since I’m Jewish & he’s not, it took awhile to find a rabbi willing to marry us. And the chaplain of the college’s Newman Club blessed our reception). We moved to Seattle the very next day so he could start grad school for his PhD in Genetics. I worked as a tech in the lab of another Genetics prof. until I started law school. When I graduated from law school, he got his PhD and entered med school as a third-year student (having had all the 1st & 2d year curriculum while pursuing his PhD). His stipend, matched by his parents, got us through my law school years, and then I supported us till he got his MD. We moved to Chicago, & didn’t think we could afford kids till he got through his residency. By then we’d been married 12 years. Got preggers right off the bat, but miscarried. Took us another year to conceive again—in fact, I found out I was pregnant at our first fertility counseling appt. A few more early miscarriages after we tried to give Gordy a sibling told us that we probably weren’t destined to have more than one kid—Bob is the only son of an only son of an only son. June 27th was our 46th anniv. And Gordy will be 33 in Oct.

Can we have a forum for "older" people with bc?

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Centralia Balloon Fest 2017, Centralia, Illinois

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