Pingo, it's very safe, don't worry, inches of ice despite our short warmup.  The primary goal is to socialize, but it is possible he could bring home a bass; there's a first time for everything, lol. ;)

loved hearing about all your plants.  I don't have much of a green thumb, but my African violet is blooming beautifully, and the Christmas holly ecotarium is thriving much like your poinsettias.

tt, Gracie woke up AT her dinnertime and gave a decisive grunt - she'd never sleep through mealtime, hahaha!  

I got both sets of steps and the front patio shoveled, the dishes and kitchen all done, and I'm playing spell tower, the game JC recommended on the iPad app thread, while I wait for DH.  He should be home soon...getting dark.

Hi guys I am back from my weekend in the woods, smelling like wood smoke, replete with good food, and much refreshed.  I went back and read all the comments people made about the old soap operas and was happy to be reminded of Eileen Fulton as "Lisa Hughes."

Got word of a death in my extended family and am waiting to see whether/what plans I will have to rearrange funeral/support wise.  Was planning to go north next weekend too but that might change.

The snow here was largely big fat flakes that stuck to bare earth but not pavement.  Should look out and see...don't have to go out until tomorrow night (barring contingencies) so looking forward to a day of phone calls and unpacking and laundry.  Pingo, glad DH is on the mend.  TT I like hearing about your baking and shopping.  I shop myself and do bake some...don't let one person's comment change your frequency of posting.  I also consider you the doyenne of the Chat online.  And since I was instrumental in getting B.C to but the Chat online (and have the documentation to prove it) I say keep on going.

BTW concerning the discussions we had back in Dec and early January about politics and the budget mess - at the time I mentioned to people who were feeling powerless that you can write to people and you may be heard.  I wrote to President Obama and Speaker Boehner with my comments.  One of them sent me a nice letter back the other day.  I will leave you to guess which one it was.  (Yes, I know it was a form letter from an underpaid overworked assistant assistant.  But at least someone paid attention because it was  relevant to the issue I addressed, not just 'thank you for writing we will consider your views.')  I think we have talked before about how if you send a letter of complaint to higher powers (company presidents, I mean, not the Supreme Being) you may get action.  It's true of some public officials, too.

Concerning being outside (ice fishing etc.) in cold weather the proper clothes make a big difference, as does some common sense.  Here's a story to prove it.

http://onelondonone.blogspot.com/2013/02/the-strange-story-of-elizabeth-woodcock.html

 

Hello everyone. I know nobody is here but we've had a tough day with Yoda. Yesterday I discovered blood in the tub that was either from Yoda or from something he had trapped in there. This  afternoon I discovered more and we spent 30 minutes getting him into his box. The vet was able to see him, they got a sample of his urine and they believe he has a feline lower urinary tract infection. He was given a shot of antibiotics and I have three pain pills in a treat size form. The doctor would like me to try to get him to eat some wet food and to make sure his box is extra clean. I should get the lab results Tuesday telling us if this is the correct diagnosis. He has taken his daily pill and has eaten a can of wet food. 

My DS' team won their playoff game and they will be in the Championship game next Sunday.

I'm going to sign off now. Hope everyone had a good night. 

Good morning, Winter

So sorry to hear about Yoda.  Hopefully the antibiotic will clear it up.  I remember years ago one of our cats had a urinary infection and took to going in the bathtub.  That was before the days of keeping cats inside.  He was a free roamer.  As I think of it now, we switched over from male to female cats because the male ones seemed more prone to getting that.  The vet we had at that time also told us to switch to just wet food.  Great that you have a vet you could get ahold of on a Sunday, especially one who didn't tell you to wait and bring him in in the morning.  Keeping my fingers crossed for you, most likely this is what it is.

Congratulations to your son and team!  That's great news.  Good news to offset the trouble with Yoda.

Hats - Sorry to hear about the death in your family.

Winter - I don't know much about cats, but is this a common issue that cats have?  Poor Yoda.  Does he take the medicine okay?

Back at work - was in training all day Thurs and Fri, so now I have to catch up on everything.  Of course I'll still find some time to peek in on the boards!

Kar - funny Gracie slept through meal time. That has never happened in my house!

Didn't watch any of the Super Bowl last night, not even the commercials or the halftime show.  Just didn't have any interest in it at all.  DH didn't either, so it worked out well.

 

Got up to see a nice long post from you, Hats.  Reminiscent of Mothermitzi.  First off, sorry to hear of the death in your family.

You must have been really surprised to get a reply to the letter you wrote to the government, especially to know that someone had actually read it and thought enough to respond.  I stand corrected in my belief it would have been wasted effort.

No, one person's comments would not sway me to cut back on posting, but it's been something I've considered myself in the past.  Some days when there's not much going on, I do tend to gravitate back to the computer to see what's cooking, and I'll jump on with reports of my daily activities - pretty unexciting stuff.  I am going to try to curb that.  I'll certainly still be around plenty tho!

I was surprised to get up during the night and see more light snow coming down.  Makes me wish I had gone out and brushed off the car yesterday.  Wonder if it's frozen on this morning.  I'll wait til it's a little warmer and then get it started and cleaned off.  One good thing about the snow were the little tracks going by my slider again.  Not the same as a few days ago, but I'm going to go back and recheck and see if possibly the fox might have taken up her route, my back walk being on it.

Pingo, your flower comments had me checking out my orchid, but so far all there is are the two green leaves at the base.  I had moved it in here and it seems to like this warm toasty room.  Have continued to faithfully give it 2 ice cubes each week.

Hats, sorry to hear of your death in the family - hope the arrangements go smoothly and everyone can come together and reminisce.

Prin, Gracie didn't sleep through mealtime, it was Cheerio, lol.  I was saying that Gracie actually woke up from a sound sleep AT mealtime and grunted to make me aware of the time.  They don't call 'em Flabradors for no reason, hahahahaha.

tt, if your posts are boring, mine must be mind numbingly so, lol - I do the same things every day!  

In fact, here we are on Monday, and I could go back and copy and paste from last Monday.  Procrastinating getting ready for the chiropractor and Trader Joe's trip after having just gotten DH off to work having had breakfast and with his lunch packed. :)

Looks like we're shooting for Thursday to go to lunch East.  We'll see how the trips' dad's week shapes up; it's been crazier than usual.  A good thing overall, but bad for keeping plans.

Not sure if I'll wait that long to go clothes shopping.  My pants are literally falling off, and a belt is not going to do it.  They droop and drag so much I trip on them.  I lost 14 lbs in LoseIt at the end of the year, but actually I've lost 20 since this time last year and have been at this weight since mid-December with nothing new to wear yet.

OK, I've rambled myself in a pickle - gotta HURRY!

Have a blessed day,

~kar

 

Kargiver, your plans for lunch on Thursday look more promising than those of my gal work pals for lunch on Friday.  Saw a big snow cloud on that day on the 7 day weather this morning.  We'll see as the week goes on.  Right after we decided on that date I got a notice in the mail of my annual mammo scheduled the same day.  I'll reschedule that for later in the month.

I hate clothes shopping.  Right now I have 3, maybe 4 Macy's gift cards, one is over a year old.  Planned on looking a bit last week when my cousin and I got together, but the lamp was the main thing on my mind, and I don't want an expensive Macy's one.  Someone suggested CTS too, and that's a possibility.  Just wrote out my list of things/places for today if I get out, and those illusive light bulbs are on the list.  Hate the short life of these I've been picking up in S&S.

No, your posts are never boring, Kargiver.  What with all the interesting recipes you put together, adventures with Gracie - btw, how is Dougal (correct name??), keeping that wood stove stoked, crocheting for babies, they're fun posts to read.

Good morning. Hats, sorry I missed about the death in your family. 

The vet said it is common in young male cats, so we are going to give him some wet food a day and hopefully he stays hydrated and it doesn't come back. I was shocked that he took his medicine but the Vet did say he was some sort of fish flavor. He takes one today and one tomorrow. His antibotic shot, is a time release that lasts two days. We are lucky that our Vet is opened until 2 on Sundays. 

Have fun clothes shopping Kar. 

Good morning,
Nice to wake up to some late evening posts. Thanks Hats and Winter.
Sorry to hear Yoda is not well. hope the antibitic will take care of it. Interesting, that according to tt, male cats have that problem more often than female cats. With people it is the other way around.
Sounds like you had a refreshing weekend up in the woods, Hats. Sorry about the death in your family. I have good experience too with writing to government officials. Wrote to the late Senators Brooke and Kennedy and got reply from both. And not just a cover letter. They both replied to the issue, I had written about.
Happy trip to Worchester and TJ's today, Kar. So your Violet is blooming? The one you almost threw out? See, you do have a green thumb. How are the kitchen curtains coming along? You haven't mentioned them for a while.
tt, re the lamp you are searching for. Could you possibly make one yourself out of a vase or such you already have (or maybe find)? HD sells inserts for such. It's easy; you don't need to be a handyman to do it. I made a lamp from an antique brass pot that way. Unique and beautiful. Got lots of compliments on it; people wanted to know, where I found it.
DH left for the office a while ago. He is better, but still has this deep, raw cough. Should not be contagious by now, besides he is sitting in his own enclosure. I will be leaving shortly, and will send him home, if needed to be.
Have a good day everyone.

 

So cute Pingo, that you will send the boss home if need be!

Thanks for the well wishes all of you.  It's so hard to plan when families are so far flung that the needs of people from so many different parts of the country have to be considered in planning after an unexpected death, one can be on tenterhooks for a week waiting to make plans based on decisions made by others who can't decide because they are waiting for officials to do their part...

Snow on Friday - oh oh that could be a problem for me...rats.  Thanks for the heads up.  More contingency planning.

Making your own lamp.  Interesting idea Pingo.  I have so many that I have inherited and acquired that I have no prospect of ever needing to do that but it would be fun!  My Dad carved one out of wood once and wired it up....and my husband made one in woodworking class too.

 

Hats, please accept my condolences on the death of your family member.  I'm usually the one called first and then I spread the word, I have all (well most anyway) phone #'s and addresses of the family.  It seems like that now we have all gotten older that that is the only time we all see one another.....shame on us.  Another cold day, only a wee bit of snow, how nice.....only 44 days till spring!!  ss

 

My post was not personal at all.

I agree many posters have been here for ever and do chat like friends may over coffee.  For some that post no so often have nothing to comment on about it. 

I scan......... scan......... and comment every once in a while.  My main point was that sometimes the regular posters are not "nice" to newer posters.

As you stated you are not going to let my post stop you and please know that was not my intent at all.

Thinking about going ice skating where dh went fishing yesterday; he reported it's all cleared off lovely and people were skating.  I'm hesitant because I'm not all that fabulous at it and one good tumble and I wouldn't be able to drive home...it's pretty cold out!  But, I wanna...and, I can bring Gracie.  She does very well on the ice.  

ETA:  Pingo, I hope your DH shakes the cough soon without it becoming a bigger problem.  And, goodness, the curtains.  What a stalled failure those are!  I finished the first panel and lost steam.  I need to get going on them, again, but have no vigor.  They are tedious.

Out for the morning, getting back in time for Y&R.  It's the Annual Valentine Hunt.  Only found a couple this morning - those elusive funny yet appropriate teen ones are still on my hunt list.  Did finally find some regular light bulbs tho, and picked up a few other things I've been forgetting when shopping each week.

Laughed, Pingo, when I read you might send "the boss" home if need be!  How is he doing?  Hope he didn't jump back into the office too soon.  Make my own lamp?  No, I really have nothing here that would be tall enough for a reading lamp.  I've passed on so many of the  older pieces, mostly to G.T. because he's the only one who would really want them.  I'll know the lamp when I see it, just as I loved the rooster one in my l.r. - was not looking for that theme, but when I saw it and the floor lamp, knew they were both for me.

Sounds like that clothes shopping trip had better be sooner rather than later, Kargiver, lol.  I'm still procrastinating on filling a couple of bags with seldom worn clothes, mostly old work clothes, for the Vietnam Vets.  Got a reminder card just today from them that they'll be in the neighborhood next week.  Maybe this week-end I'll get to it.

Winter, hope little Yoda is feeling and acting better.  Wish we could post pics, Cheerio is curled up on top of the bed, snuggled against a plush bunny my GD had given me.  Looks so cute.  She has taken to darting out the front door whenever anyone goes in or out.  I think she likes the feel of the porch - we didn't have one before - that's as far as she goes, so far anyway, no attempt to go down the stairs.

I hear you, Already, that your post was not meant to be personal.  No harm done, and no ill feelings on my part.

Will get around nd spruce up one or two of the rooms.  The sun is activating, even if it is just shining in the windows, and not warming my bones!

Your post was up there when mine came up, Kargiver, and forgot - - remember last week I was posting that I never hear the kids down over the side playing hockey anymore?  As I pulled in the driveway, two boys with shovels (to clear the ice), skates, and hockey sticks, were headed down there.  I opened the back door a few minutes ago to see if I could hear the slap of the sticks on the puck - but couldn't.  Anyway, reminded me of so many years with my 4 boys when they would head down there, just like that, and then you'd hear the yells and slap of that stick on the puck.  Always the then youngest was initiated into being able to play with the big kids, by putting them in net as goalie!  They survived!  And they talk and laugh about it now - saying they knew their bigger brothers would take care of them.

tt, I hope he's doing ok. He seemed fine this morning before I left. When I get home he will get some wet food and then a treat and his medicine. Cheerio must look so cute with the stuffed bunny.  Did you get a new porch? I thought you just got your stairs repaired and a new roof.

I just had a stoop with stairs before.  Now it is a porch to step out on, further out than the stoop was, with railings on each side.  Not a sit on porch, but much bigger than what we had before.

I'm sure Yoda will be racing all around by nighttime.

that sounds like a nice space. Oh he was bouncy around before which is why we didn't think it was anything. Once I saw the blood and should DH we knew to get him to the Vet quickly. He ignored all of us the rest of the day, but did want to be pet by me at around midnight, while I was trying to sleep. 

In response to Winter2011Bride's comment:

Cute.  Cats do run the show, it's all on their time schedule!

Re sending the "boss" home. I am the only one  who hs the power to do so.  LOL

He seems to be doing ok. I could hear him cough next door, but otherwise taking care of business. I brought his prescribed cough meds, which he didn't want to take this morning. Forced it in him, and it has quiet him down.

tt, you let Cherio out on your porch? Aren't you afraid she will take off? My sons male cat took off one time, and that is something, they don't ever want to happen again. Re my grand kitties. The youngest, which still is a bit shy and don't want to be petted, snuggled up with me under my cover, when I took afternoon naps. One day I had shut the door, and she kept miaving until I opened it. Then cam in and jumped right up in my bed.

Kar, would you be skating alone?  That worries me a bit.  I would go for the fun of it if someone was with me.  I worry about the ice breaking (god forbid) or like you said a bad fall.

No, I don't LET Cheerio out, she makes a dash for the door from wherever she is.  She's out before you know.  Can move pretty quickly for a - let-me-see, 13 year old, I believe!

Speaking of cats' ages - Cat Lady found out our Harry is 10 years old!  He certainly doesn't look it.  He was so skinny (remember pics?) when we first started feeding him, we thought he was a young stray. 

Good afternoon All!

 

TT, thanks for the note about the news probably being interested in my pic! I ended up being swamped at work then I couldnt login. 

Seems as if I was promoted (another person was added to my group that I will now support) so its keeping me on my toes, and will have less time to pop in :(

 

But, I would like to say, as a crasher of this group, I have been welcomed and dont feel excluded. I think, like in any group of strangers, you click with some, you don't with others, but I have never felt this place was in any way cliquey, unlike some other forums on BDC. That's just my 1 cent (seeing how SS tax has taken the other 1 cent!)

 

 

hope everyone is well!

JC, I'm glad you feel welcome.  I'm hooked on spell tower...guess what, I made "beefcake" in one!

Allready, yes, I risked it, but I went somewhere I could not possibly break through and I put a bicycle helmet and wrist guards on so chances of getting seriously injured at my pretty slow speed  were truly slim. I looked like a big ol' dork, but whatever. :)  Unfortunatey, I couldn't skate for long, though, because Gracie was all over me!  I thought she'd entertain herself nearby, but she kept running right in front of me and bumping into me pretty hard to try to get me to play fetch.  I was mostly afraid of cutting her badly so I had to quit.  Tomorrow I'll go by myself.

tt, kids out playing?!  That's wonderful - I didn't think kids were allowed to go out and play anymore!  Yeah, I really do need new clothes...hate to spend the $$, but...

Winter, we get effective supplements for Gracie at Only Natural Pet, and I notice they have a highly rated (cat owners) homeopathic urinary tract health support product there that the reviews say work wonders for their cat's urinary issues.  I hope Yoda continues to feel better!

4:00?  Yikes, I fooled around too long skating.