Can we have a forum for "older" people with bc?
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super hawt down by the ocean. Hardly any breeze. Inland even hotter. I’m guessing 85° at my place. I did a tiny bit of gardening. Between hack attacks. I wish the hacking would stop. Not relieved with inhalers, antihistamines. I keep well hydrated too. This is a side effect I can’t handle.
my fancy plant is in full bloom. Liatris.
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Cindy just saw your fabulous photos. What a fun trip you are having!!!
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Betrayal - thank you for the lovely quote. I am picturing your gardens in my mind and they must be fabulous.
Cindy - holy cow! Three miles with your toe is awesome. The pictures are amazing. I would have loved to join you on that hike.
Carole - hope you enjoyed the bike ride. It’s been a week since my last ride as it’s been way too hot here. I am sure your trails are far more scenic than my neighborhood trails and streets. And you do not have to dodge the middle schoolers riding their electric mini bikes at 25mph, many of them sans helmets. Not sure what their parents are thinking.
Sandy - I hope the mani/pedi for the cats worked out. Good news on your tooth as well. You certainly do not need any more ‘to do’s’ added to your list.
Canarycat - I’m so sorry to hear about the hacking cough. Having your daily life and sleep interrupted is not healthy. Are you planning to check with your MO for ways to soothe the cough? Is 85 unusually hot for you?
Not much exciting in my neck of the woods. Went to the gym, did laundry and made dinner. Our dinner was the same as Betrayal’s. Nice and easy.
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Fantastic pictures, Cindy and CanaryCat. Thanks for sharing them. It will be hard to replace Jackie's quotes, but they made me smile like she did.
New blinds are up although the patio door doesn't close as smoothly as I'd like and I expect a second tech to check it out early this week. Certainly makes all the rooms lighter although now I'm thinking I need something to add a little more texture. Ken won't be thrilled when I start talking drapes/curtains etc. so may wait until the end of the year to bring that up. I do wish the decorator that we have used twice before hadn't retired! She was reasonable and didn't push me beyond my comfort level with her recommendations/suggestions.
Keywestern, so sorry to hear about your news. I personally intend to NEVER to do AL's again but I believe it is a very personal decision. I also have a family history of dementia and I don't want to spend the last 5 years of my life the way my mother and cousins have.
I feel very fortunate that Ken is very involved with the household chores. In fact, he does more than I do since we retired. It's only with his support and encouragement that I've been able to be the "community volunteer". When I look back on it, I realize how much the food bank took of my time, energy, and skills. It is not properly staffed and I filled in several gaps over the years. And before that, I was one of the founders and chair of the board of the local domestic violence program.
I'm still ambivalent about the two dogs. Bella is definitely the alpha dog (even though she weighs about half of what Mutz does) and tends to get pushy with him. We've gotten her to not bark as much as she did. Trying to work on sharing but sadly, Chris, I don't have a button for that. Both have been pampered only dogs until now.
Hope everyone has had a good weekend. We tend to spend way too much time watching sports.
Taco/Marge
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I’ve lost four friends over this past two weeks. I found this lovely post. Hope it helps everyone.
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Thank you Canarycat. (((Hugs)))
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Canarycat, what a lovely poem and perfect for this time.
We biked a little over 10 miles yesterday. The temperature was in the 70's, not too hot, but I still perspired with the exertion. The trail was busy with other bikers. DH gets upset when he sees riders of electric bikes on the trail. Signs say the trail is not for motorized vehicles.
Cindy, lovely ocean photos. I thought about how much Jackie would have enjoyed looking at them.
Time is passing. It's already nearing the middle of August. In no time at all, trees will start looking like fall.
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People are like stained - glass windows. They sparkle and shine when the sun is out, but when the darkness sets in, their true beauty is revealed only if there is a light from within.
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Betrayal, thank you for continuing the tradition that Jackie established.
Carole, I asked the local police department about this, and she said that it is not enforced on city trails unless the e-bike is going faster than a moderate bicycle speed. So I stay well below 15 mph, which is my usual speed. A neighbor has a bicycle equipped with a gas engine. Noisy.
Sorry for your diagnosis, Keywest. I stand by you whatever you decide.
No more drama for the time being from my neighbor. We have both been instructed to not talk with the other. So, peace. And clarity of thought, which I am enjoying.
I have decided to quit using the Fitbit. At my age, pulse-rate is a better measure of fitness and exercise tolerance. Cardio-load is a good alternative on Fitbit, but if I carry my phone with me, I get a Visible warning when my heartrate goes over a hundred, which is my custom setting. According to my doctor, I am in better health than most women my age.
Canarycat, my prayers that the hack attacks fade into unpleasant memory quickly.
Betrayal, your workouts in the garden are impressive, and such demanding exercise for your knees!!
Cindy, that vase is so beautiful. They use slip ( a watery clay mixture) to attach those little parts to the rest. Beautiful pictures of the beaches. "Strand" is British for "beach".
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Chris - I know you ride an electric bike. I want to clarify that I have no problem with responsible use of one such as yours. I completely understand that some day I may move to an e-bike.
My concern is the kids in my neighborhood that ride the electric mini bikes (similar to dirt bikes) at high rates of speed on the city streets, sidewalks and trails. These kids are under 16 and some are as young as 8 years old riding at 25 mph and terrorizing everyone else using the trails including riding at night without lights.
They lack the maturity to make safe decisions and have come close to running over walkers. I saw one kid using his mini bike to do burnouts in the sand volleyball area of my neighborhood park. There have been several serious accidents this summer as they are running stop signs and red lights.
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Betrayal Thank You for posting the quote today. I have been here reading, rarely posting, for five years. When first diagnosed I reached out to Jackie and she took the time to respond. Sending caring, meaningful, messages that helped me through that difficult time. All in spite of her dealing with the loss of her son. A lovely woman with the kindest of heart. She is so, greatly, missed by many.
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Harley, I see it in this neighborhood, too. Their electric wheels are too fast, and they do not wear helmets. Fifteen mph makes me feel so vulnerable and unprotected, even with a helmet.
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Today we ran around in Ballyshannon - into a department store (expensive!) and then into a museum. Turns out they had a tribute to Rory Gallagher - big display. So my SO got talking with the museum volunteer and the next thing you know …
they took the guitar out of a glass case and had him hold it. He was in his glory.
We left there and had to go back to Belleek. When I was showing everything I bought, I realized they charged me for 2 tree of life trinket boxes, but put only one in my bag. So back we went - very gracious, immediately went and got another for me and also got me the proper paperwork to get back the VAT I paid. The young girls that checked me out yesterday never said a word. (I know I should have remembered!)We’re out in the middle of nowhere for the next 4 nights. In between 4 semi major towns. For dinner we drove to the closest town, where we had looked up a restaurant. We got there and it was a very gruff bartender who said they didn’t take credit cards, cash only. We barely had enough cash - euros would be accepted but pounds preferred, we’re on the border between the north & south. Long story short we went to a tiny grocery store and grabbed fresh local eggs, bacon similar to Canadian bacon, and bread. Almost forgot ice cream too. Came back and cooked up “dinner” here.
Our Airbnb has many quirks. Beautiful home, on the newer side. But there is only one trash receptacle and it’s in the kitchen. None in bedrooms or bathrooms - we’ve carried out our used dental floss…lol. The hot water tank was off when we got here. So no real hot water. The main bathroom has an automatic water heater (European) on the shower wall; its electric switch to turn it on is at the edge of the ceiling.
The washing machine is in the back yard shed. And anyone familiar with washer/driers being one unit can attest, they never dry your clothes- just hot steam and leave them damp. BUT this one was set for 4:15, and I’m not kidding when I say 4 hours 15 minutes! Our travel companions took theirs out somehow and their clothes are all over a drying rack as well as 2 radiators. Mine are in there now, and I’ve left them until tomorrow (it’s 11:49 pm here) so we will see what happens after 4 hrs 15 minutes.
I think we’re heading to a castle tomorrow or a cave. 🤷♀️
The view from our kitchen window. The picture doesn’t do the mountains justice. Birds, butterflies, and beautiful scenery.
I hope you all have a good Tuesday!2 -
cindyny, I have been to that Belleek store and did my Christmas shopping there many moons ago. I have several pieces of Belleek displayed in my living room. It is so pretty. Glad you were able to purchases presents, too.
Chris, harley07 and others, thank you for responding to the quotes. I will do this when I am able since I so enjoyed them when Jackie posted them, and there were many that raised my spirits. Some were so spot on to whatever I was experiencing, I thought she could read my mind. I am sure some of you have had the same response. Won't be able to post when I am on vacation though, so there will be some gaps. She had so many sources and I wish I knew which ones she used, it would be so helpful.
Today was DGS's birthday and we had a date for lunch. He wanted to go to a place that makes sushi and since it is also a Chinese restaurant, this non-sushi person, agreed. He went to breakfast at a place in Lancaster, PA called Shady Maple which is known for its extensive buffet of PA Dutch cooking and other foods. He had eggs Benedict, waffles and a western omelet plus bacon and sausage for breakfast.
For a late lunch he had the 2 pieces of California roll that came with my meal, 8 individual pieces and then 4 different kinds of sushi rolls. I had a chicken (plus vegetables) with fresh mango stir fry that was absolutely delicious. The mango was still firm and very tasty. It also came with egg drop soup, a small salad with a ginger dressing, fried rice, and 2 fried pork dumplings (instead of their wontons because they contained shrimp which I do not eat). I brought half home for lunch tomorrow.
He wanted to go shopping so we hit a number of stores but only bought a sweatshirt, 2 packages of socks, a pack of underwear and then we hit the Pokemon card store. I made him split the bill for the Pokemon's since I had given him money for his birthday. He was agreeable. It was a pleasant day and I got to see quite a bit of the area where they live which is about 40 minutes from us. It was enjoyable to have one on one time with him.
He's bright, but unmotivated at times, so I was talking to him about college. He'll be a sophomore, so he needs to start thinking about it. We have contributed to a college fund for him since he was born.
His Dad had suggested he change his mind about lunch and tell me to go to Chik-Fil-A instead. I told him no. I love it, but this was his day.
kat333, thanks for chiming in and being a "lurker". I am so glad Jackie was able to help you when were first diagnosed.
harley07, when I am done with my gardening, I will take photos to post though most beds are dormant now that spring is over. It will show you how extensive the beds are though.
Tomorrow, I'd like to finish the fence around the azalea bed and the last mulching there. On Thursday, I'll try to finish weeding the hill where I was planting the new ferns. I'd like to get more from Donna, but need to deal with the weeding first. I can still plant them in the fall so no rush.
I am worn out from all the walking and plan on reading the newspaper and working the crossword puzzle in ink.
Hope everyone else had a great day.
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Betraya, thank you for continuing Jackie's tradition of posting inspirational quotes.
The nail trim turned out to be anticlimactic: the groomer was willing to come into the house to do the clipping. She also offered to help us corral the kitties on moving day, and says her company knows of vets who make house calls but don't publicize it. (There's a vet 3 blocks from our Chicago home that neighbors say makes house calls, but doesn't mention it on the website). And now little Roxy has commandeered BangBang's big carrier as her new hangout.
We had strong thunderstorms tonight—and though we won't be going through the nightmare torrents plaguing the Milwaukee area, some predictions say that Lincolnwood is in for up to 5" of rain by the time the storms push out tomorrow night. Chicago may get a bit less, but we're all still under flood watch. Sure hope the sump pump works. (I'll find out soon enough). Carrie, my HK, is flying in tomorrow (actually, since it IS "tomorrow," today) but I'm nervous she might not be able to land at Midway. O' Hare would be closer to me, but her neighbor from her old 'hood is picking her up, and SW doesn't fly into O'Hare (except from Mexico or the Caribbean). I bought some of her favorite breakfast foods & snacks, but we'll take her out to dinner every night. Maybe she'll win the designer purse that Stefani Prime raffles off on Tuesday nights.
Glad that the crown is going to be no big deal (except price-wise). But poor Gordy is going to need his molar extracted—our family dentist tried to fill it but it's so decayed there's no "there" there, not enough to anchor a crown. Meanwhile, I still need "Eppie the Blob" (my epidermal cyst) excised but it can wait till after the High Holy Days. In the interim, I have to remember to call my neurologist to cancel or reschedule Wednesday's appointment (which must be done by phone during business hours). I'm hoping the junk guy can come Wednesday to haul away the 40-yr-old Norge sitting in the basement (so old that the previous owner replaced it without discarding it…and we bought the place in 1987).
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Everyone of us needs to show how much we care for each other and, in the process, care for ourselves.
Princess Diana
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My project of the day is washing my hair. My hairdresser is on vacation so I’m apprehensive about the results. Ibrance has given my straight hair a texture we call the wiggle. Just waves close together that defy styles. I long for my former pixie. In addition I lack appliances including a hair dryer. We’ll see what brush rollers can do. Wish me luck.
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super hawt again. Being by the ocean it’s u usual for temps in high 80s. When I lived inland it was often 90-110. Oooo. Too hawt.
lots of forest fires on the island and near tons of my friends. A few have been evacuated. Others on alert and ready. Rain is predicted for Friday and cooler temps. Let’s hope it comes early like tonight or tomorrow. Miss Tipper is melted but stays out in the sun I have to watch her for dehydration but so far she’s ok in a tent right now.
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Stay cool! I’ve seen temps bs k hone in the 90’s. Here in items d it hit 77 today. Folks are thanking us fir bringing them some sunny weather.
We drove into Enniskillen to shop, eat and visit the castle that was known as Maguires castle at one time, now Enniskillen castle. It’s in Northern Ireland and they changed the name. We had a great meal at Granny’s Kitchen, along with a good beer.
It was interesting and we enjoyed the visit. Tomorrow is a cave tour. I’ll report back on it.
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Cindy - thanks for taking us along on your trip. How cool that your SO was able to hold a guitar from the museum. A special moment for sure. Now if you could arrange to bring back some cooler weather it would much appreciated.
Canarycat - you are a wonderful cat mom. I know cats love the warmth of the sun, but don’t always have the common sense to know they are getting dehydrated, especially in high temps.
There have been torrential downpours in Chicago and some suburbs. But in my neighborhood - nada, zip, zilch. The grass is turning crispy and not much is in sight for us. The temps aren’t too bad, but I can’t stand the mugginess so I’m staying inside today. I finished the 2019 Cuba photo book (when it was still legal for U.S. citizens to visit) over the weekend and am now working on the Portugal photo book from 2020. Hoping to complete it this week.
Shortly before DH retired in 2023 we purchased a new tables and chairs for our patio. It’s made of a composite and holds up to the weather really well. I noticed chew marks on the table and chair edges yesterday. Yep - the squirrels are sharpening their teeth on our patio furniture. I am SO not happy.
Saying hello to all.
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It rained like crazy in both Edgewater and Lincolnwood, but AFAIK my Chicago basement held up (we visited early this afternoon so my HK could see what she needs to advise the movers). But the heavens opened just as we left for Lincolnwood. As soon as we passed Ridge Ave, the rain stopped. It started up here again around 3pm, with super-loud thunder. No damage or flooding up here. But news reports showed a huge tree fell only 1/4 mile SW of our house. People described the sound and shaking as a bomb exploding or a major earthquake. Heading over about noon tomorrow to ferry winter stuff over and await the junk hauler (who'll finally rid our basement of the 50-yr-old Norge fridge the previous owners left behind).
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If you want others to be happy, practice compassion. If you want to be happy, practice compassion.
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love the quote betrayal.
Temperatures are expected to be ten degrees cooler today. Good thing as too many fires on the island!!! So far we’ve been spared of any smoke. Im getting two bags of mulch dealt with today!!!!! I’m going for a chest X-ray later today to see what’s going on with my right lungs and ribs. I suppose mulching is not wise but oh well.
A good friend gave the kitties a tunnel about three years ago. Dusty loves it. It’s huge so it lives in my oversized master bedroom. She doesn’t usually run in it at night but I caught her playing in it this morning.
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Heat waves in normally cool climates are the worst—we lived in Seattle 7 years and the few times it hit the 90s it was torture—nobody had AC and our student apartment lacked adequate wiring for it. Even swamp coolers could go just so far. We had to spend nights across the street in the UW Health Sciences building—cooking over the Bunsen burner in Bob’s genetics lab and eating & sleeping in the top floor lounge, which had AC.
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Busy day -we went to Marble Arch Caves. One area where a cottage is located was flooded so we were unable to view it. But we did get a lovely boat ride and were able to hike through the caves.
This one is the reflection of the ceiling in the water below. I took many photos but hopefully won’t over do it.
Abandoned house. I always tease, my next house.
A home refurbished and maintained. It’s from 1800’s and those remaining in the village kept it and it’s now in a reserve.
Art surrounding the previous home.
Harley, people keep thanking us for bringing hot weather to Ireland with us. It’s been 3 days in the high 70’s.
We swung into a beautiful overlook.
The guys were enjoying fresh blackberries all along the pull off.
We left there to head to dinner. We ended up at Custom House in Belcoo. Superb dining. Scallops with a piece of pork belly, and a scallop type potatoes- I had them hold sauces. For dessert a delicious cheesecake with cream freshly whipped on the side, and a strawberry sliced in it.
We parked in Blacklion and had to walk back to our car, and walk off some calories too.
Checking out of the Airbnb tomorrow to head to Letterkenny to another Airbnb. Hoping the high heat temps go away to be bearable temps for all of you. My home in NY has been 90+ for the past 3 days. Tomorrow here might be a high of 71.
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A lot of those old abandoned houses were wrecked when people were evicted so rich Englishmen could set up sheep-farms for themselves. It wasn't just the potato blight that caused the starvation. And cheese and butter and wool and cattle were shipped out to feed England and other countries while the true Irish starved. They don't talk about it much any more, but they remember. Just ask.
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In everyone's life, at some time, our inner fire goes out. It is then burst into flame by an encounter with another human being. We should all be thankful for those people who rekindle the inner spirit.
Albert Schweitzer
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On Tuesday I had had only 3 hours sleep the night before so I was dragging and accomplished little that day. Not sure why I woke at 3 AM and could not return to sleep in spite of reading until 5 AM. Finally gave up and tried to keep moving. It was very hot and humid so I did not attempt any yard work.
Yesterday was my birthday (and one I shared with my DF when he was alive) so it was a "me" day. DD and DSIL had surprised me with an invite to dinner at Ruth's Chris which just opened nearby lately. We had celebrated an anniversary at one many moons ago when it was in King of Prussia but it closed during Covid to never open again. We had a wonderful meal opting to eat from the "classic" menu which offers an appetizer, the entree and chef's choice of dessert inclusive. The entree was a filet with either shrimp or lobster tail. Portions are just right, so I had the French onion soup (superb), filet with lobster tail, garlic mashed potatoes (probably the best I've ever had) and a birthday cheese cake with Happy Birthday and my name written in chocolate on the plate. I also had a candle to blow out. Plus they gave me a cheese cake to take home. We had a bottle of wine which is my favorite red to top off the meal. It was so nice. They also brought me a dozen yellow roses, my favorite, and a card that plays and sings Happy Birthday. DH had bought me some expensive jewelry on our Amazon cruise so that was my early present.
Received birthday messages and phone calls from other family, friends, and even the dealership where I bought my car 7 years ago.
Heard from a former student and a former colleague, out of the blue, which was nice. Several colleagues had ghosted me, so I while I was surprised, I'd always had a great relationship with this person. It is nice when surprises occur. I last saw the student at her classmates wedding over 15 years ago.
Today I am focusing on laundry and things around the house since it is very hot and humid today. We had a thunderstorm during our dinner last night and fortunately missed the massive downpours twice. We desperately needed rain because plants were starting to burn up.
I have been following posts. Sandy, glad your HK is there to lend a hand. cindyny, love the photos and narrative of your Ireland trip. Canarycat, love your photos. Chris, You are correct about the Irish and their long memories of what they suffered under English rule. harley07, love to read about your exercise regimen and carole, your bike rides. Taco, I love your decorating plans and think you should push to do what you want.
Waving hello to anyone I did not mention. Hope you have a great day.
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Happy Birthday Betrayal. 🎊🎂🎊. Sounds like your family was very good to you.
I’m heading out for a walk and errands. I’ll be back later.
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Happy Birthday Betrayal. Sounds like it was lovely
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