Good Saturday Morning from
the icy cold
rocky coast of Mane. 

from JaneS:

I have a question for those
of you who live alone. 
Do you sometimes have days
when you wish there was someone
there to talk to?

Now that you have stopped working 
you have to decide how
you are going to live without
going to a job.... 
All of a sudden
you have all this time  to
fill in....  with no one to
talk to .. 

I stopped working many
years ago  and since then have
arranged my life around only
aving me, myself and I to
talk to most of the day.   

I have a gal friend that I talk
to on the phone. 
We have known each other for
years so it is easy
to share my thoughts with her.   
We also share the
same views politically.... 
which makes staying up to
date with the news easier.... 

You are moving from one life
style to another so you need
to adjust and and find a new
satisfying way to do things. 

Asking for suggestions is a
good idea,
and I hope that others will
come up with some
ideas that help you adjust
to your new life style.

Perhaps volunteering a day or
two a week for a few hours with
people that you can
talk to might help. 

I am sure that others can
come up with
some good ideas also...

Enjoy and don't give up
trying to find satisfaction
in your new life style. 

Sandy

Sandy, your suggestion about volunteering is a good one.  I have been retired 33 years now and for many of those years I did volunteer - once a week at a food pantry and once a week at church.  Neither job was strenuous and there were people to talk to and with.  Then I was in DAR so had a meeting once a month, had lunch with retiree friends once a month.  Another thing, I was on the Condo Board.  Of course, I drove in those days which I do not do now.  I still am in DAR but I don't go to the meetings.  The only thing I do now of those things listed is have lunch with my retiree friends and we only do that in good weather months.  They're all older too!

So, there, Jane, is a good suggestion - volunteer.

Mary Ann

Jane, will keep this short but couldn't resist telling you that "in my head" the cats talk to me as did every other critter I took care of over the years (all those birds, too). Since my husband wanted me at home I had to be my own best friend before kids, while kids were growing up & in school & when they left home. So it's been a long time since I got to work outside the house with REAL people to talk to. I have a radio or TV on almost all the time, "for background noise", and every time the pet (bird, dog, cat) dies, another finds a way into my life. Do you think Mickey needs a little friend that would keep you super busy for this transition? Only advice I can offer.

Shirley, I talk to Kendrick as if he knows what I'm saying - and sometimes I think he does!  I also talk to myself but never think of a good answer to a question, so I don't answer back.  Tom may live here and others think I have his company, but he works in the family room and I do not bother him unless it is necessary.  Otherwise, Tom is usually gone outside, after all, he does have a life of his own.  The only time I get to talk to or with Tom is when we go to lunch once a week and we don't talk that much then.

Mary Ann

Good morning everyone, caught up on sleep and feel awake this morning, woke late and just having my coffee. Latest forecast is for a possible 5 inches of snow followed by rain starting this afternoon. Right now it is 13 and looks like the wind is calm at last. The wind we had the last week makes me wonder how SHIRLEY can take living with wind all the time.

AMY  I was so tempted to go out yesterday but for me it was too cold and too windy, Have been inside all week and am getting cabin fever. The sun looked so  tempting but I now get cold too fast. Like I say-I have no more blubber to hold the heat in. I am just a bag of bones. My parents lived in Canada at one  time and I can remember them talking about  how cold it got.

PHYLLIS  wonderful  to see one of your creations here for Shirley. At times I wish I could get back into PSP, do you miss it?

LLOYD  these "golden years" we hear about when young are not nice years we we get to that age.

JOY  my fridge needs a cleaning, maybe I can get one of the CNA's I have been getting will have the energy to do it.

CALLIE  between the rain and  the cold after it the one sunny day we had was too cold and windy for me to get out. Glad your eye is getting better.

JENNY  I remember watching Betty White on TV many years ago when my kids were still very young.

LLOYD  glad when I go r my mail it  is in a  room here on the ground floor.

BUBBLE  sure takes a long time to get your new wheelchair. I hope it works much better than your old one. I knew you were ET but did not say anything.I thought it best if everyone figured it out themselves. Like you I know what weaher does to the bones, not nice either. We have had more rain than snow sofar this winter.

PHYLLIS  I liked cooking and baking but can do neither anymore. When I was working I cooked on weekends and froze meals for during the week.

JANE  making a phone call and having to talk to a machine is disgusting. Since Walgreen too over the pharmacy I get meds from it is all machines and I hate it.

My son has been here and left already. He even stopped at a DD and brought me 2 lemon filled donuts. Ohh so yummy.

Have a good day.

What about talking on Skype?
I found that there are days on end I do not use my voice and then, when Illy visits or when I open Skype, my voice is all rusty.

Good Morning from Sunny Central Oklahoma,

Have to smile at the comments from all around the world about lack of face-to-face conversation.  Aren't we lucky to have this opportunity to visit with each other?

As an only child with a husband whose work kept him busy many evenings,  I have long been used to spending time alone (and talking to myself).  I've always participated in my own group activities   After my husband died 27 years ago, I continued this, added some volunteer work and have had an active social life with individual friends.  I still take part in a few group activities. but my ability to "get out and go" is now limited and I'm discovering that most of the friends who are still active  seem to be pulling away from personal contact.
Fortunately,  I enjoy being at home and am good at keeping myself busy - just not with the same things they do.     C'est la Vie.

Project du Jour is cleaning out and shredding some old files.

Wishing Everyfriend Everywhere an Enjoyable Day   

Amen Callie. ..isn't that the way though ?

The snow has started here and I can't help but wonder how Jane is doing. She is in the path of this weather also. I think we will just wait it out as it is to continue until tomorrow.. very fine snow, not accumulating fast.

Lost  the urge to purge    so I am sewing

As for noise,conversation I may put a radio/cd on when I am alone.....but not often as the dogs keep me company and Peepers will always yell when I go by her cage ..

Back sewing..

We're getting ready for a birthday party for Annie/Cate this afternoon.  Tom got a new grill and was hoping to grill out on the front lawn - which was clear yesterday.  However, overnight we were gifted with a few inches of white stuff so he changed the menu to chili.  I am not fond of chili, but then, it is not my birthday. 

It seems we've all had our sessions with being alone, haven't we?  And everyone had coped.  At this time of my life, and Tom is gone often, I am thankful when he is in for the night; I can sleep OK at night whether alone or with Tom downstairs, but I am much happier when he is home for the night. 

Tom just came in with Annie, so I'd better close up shop.

Mary Ann

Peter and I used to talk on Skype But he has got busy and health problems and my Skype has quit working proper so we just connect here in S & F now and then. Skype on this computer if you would like we could try it, I like to be a friendly person. Have agood rest of the day.

Lloyd

I think most of you misunderstood my question.  I am NOT lonely living alone and I still have a life with my friends and family and I still do some volunteer work at my church.  What I was asking was "Do you ever think of something and wish there was someone sitting over there in that chair to discuss it with"?  I had no reference to "loneliness".  I came to grips with living alone 35 or so years ago and I haven't given it another thought since.  All I crave is someone to talk to and not all the time, just sometimes.  I think Callie got it right with her answer and she does lots of things on her own but she understood the question!

About the weather...It started snowing about 9 this morning and it's still coming down.  The plow has been down our street once before noon and I think they spread salt.  I was out walking with Mickie and ran into a new neighbor for the third time since she moved in last weekend.  She was also walking her dog and the dogs sniffed and snuffed and checked each other out and decided they were Ok, while I think she said her name is Akiva and I chatted.  She came here to teach at Bucknell University and is from somewhere in Europe.  I'll have to check that out.  But she's very nice and her dog is a rescue dog.  I think we might run into one another often when we walk the doggies.  So she satisfied my need for someone to talk to today! 

I hope you are all having a good day and I want to thank you for caring enough about me to share your thoughts.  You are all good friends!

The snow is doing its dance.......slow at times then with fury at times. So far it is light and fluffy  and I hope it will be that way tomorrow when it needs to be cleaned up. When I see the storms around us we are getting off lucky.

Jane, nice to meet new friends .for both you and Mickie   I am so glad you do not have to be on the road to work ..anymore!!

Tom & Callie came in a little while ago but Tiger is missing so when I opened to door to call her, the other 2 went back out.  They haven't had their "midnight snack", which is half a can of Friskie's pate'..... so as soon as they all 3 show up I will feed & go take my Sat night shower & wash hair. I am sleepy tonight & no good reason, had a nap that brought sleep time to OVER 9 hours last night & today, that is unheard of for me & my Fitbit!

In case I don't get back, sweet dreams and God Bless.

Just stopping by and so glad that Annie's party turned out good,  Mary Ann, that was great that you got to play the piano with the little girls. I bet they loved that.  Happy that you made it up and down the steps with no problems. Going down to the piano must have been a nice change of scenery for you. 

I like chili once in a great while, as long as it isn't real spicy. The corn bread goes good with chili.  I am sure Dot's cake was good. 

I had left over Dinty Moore"s Beef Stew with a salad. For some reason, my appetite seems to be coming back. I feel more like eating and cooking. Tomorrow I am going to fix some chicken from the freezer along with some broccoli and will add some cream of celery soup (no chicken) to make a sauce and then add some dumplings to it. I haven't fixed much of any kind of dinners for a long time. That will make a meals for a couple times.

I want to go and get myself ready for bed,. but will watch the new Hallmark movie.  Something in Iceland with the Northern Lights.  I really enjoy those movies. Some more than others, but all usually are a nice happy story.

Hope everyone has a good evening. Our snow turned into "nothing" but I do think there was a lot of freezing rain later in the day. They are saying the roads are very icy. I hope all of my family got home ok.

Joy

I am going to turn in for the night.  Tomorrow will be  busy day getting everything cleaned up from the snow. I fed the birds twice and cleaned the snow off of their food twice.

Mary Ann. hope you enjoyed the party.

Nite everyone..

My great-niece, Catherine Anne, whom I call Annie but is called Cate otherwise, turned 24 Thursday so we had a family party this afternoon.  Annie is Tom's daughter.  At one time we were going to have steaks or kabobs which Tom would have grilled on our front lawn.  Since we had a few inches of the white stuff overnight, Tom and Annie decided on chili and corn bread.  I am not fond of chili although I do eat it when Tom gets the two-for-one at Wendy's on Tuesdays.  And he put a can of corn in the corn bread and I am not fond of corn, either.  I said I was glad it was not my birthday.  Annie's brother and family came and his daughters are the twins born nearly three years ago.  I had heard that Jo liked the piano so I took the girls down to our old piano and they did good.  Ellie pounded more than Jo so I hope the girls can learn to play some day.  Dot made a chocolate cake from a mix and we ate well.

Mary Ann

I'm off to Dreamland.  I wish you all a peaceful night's sleep and a happy tomorrow.  And may God bless us, every one!

Joy, I forgot about Dinty Moore beef stew & used to love it. First time I ever opened a can was when the boys & I went camping in CO without "Dad". They loved it & so did I, especially with a slice of bread, butter & grape jam!  That will be on my shopping list tomorrow. Poor Cas was never a happy camper and when he was along I fixed all his favorites for every meal. With just the boys, we ate when we were hungry.

Mary Ann, these cats understand quite a few words or expressions, mainly concerning food and down to the river, do you want to go outside? and NO! They all know their names & turn when I call them by name. They are certainly more independent than a dog, though, and can ignore when they aren't interested!

I had too much sleep yesterday so knew I'd be up early-early this morning. Tom went outside but Callie is hiding out on a furnace vent across the room from me. She goes out during the day when Tom is afraid someone will see him. I guess I will have to put them all in the RV one of these NICE days and see how Callie acts. As far as I know, she has never been in a car. She got in the RV one day a few years ago, and promptly "marked" the electric heater as hers... I yelled at her & she has never gotten in again. That heater didn't go back in for a long time, had to make sure it didn't smell when turned on! Tiger is in the basement, wanted to go down last night so I opened the door for her, she doesn't jump over like Tom. He hops over either direction & I am afraid he will break a leg, but no way to stop him. I did put a no skid carpet over the top of the door so he can get a grip on that.

I hard boiled some eggs for the ground meat spread & since I boiled extras, sounds like a good snack for right now. Add a couple pieces of toast & jelly and cup of coffee and I could go back to sleep for hours, but can't. I wouldn't wake up in time to meet all my kids at church & enjoy breakfast at McDonald's with them.

Cold but dry here, and the wind has a real bite to it. I was surprised yesterday when inspecting the plants, that my rose bush on the north side of the house has new buds & even one sprout with a leaf! I planted that bush when we first bought the house 31 years ago. It has frozen back, snapped off at the ground one year (thanks to KS winds) and in spite my my pitiful care, still manages to bloom those gorgeous Peace colors every year.

AMY, I do envy you the snow, we haven't seen a decent snow since the year I had heart surgery & my 3 kids were here to play with the snow blower & cleaned off the driveway. That will be 7 years in a couple weeks. We had one snow a few years ago, enough to slide down the hill on the Sno-Nut. Was not much because every slide down had to be on a different path, it dragged the snow off with each trip down. Now, that's fun! The Sno-Nut must 50 years old, think I bought it in the late '60s or '70s. The kids had a big sled they used, we don't get snow often enough around here and when we do, it's a blizzard with drifts so deep you can get lost in... and no hills except a man made on each side of town! Ah, well, we have to grow up someday, right?

Hope everyone has a nice day, whatever the weather, enjoy! I do like the different seasons, when you have had enough of one it changes so we can gripe about the next. Always too hot or too cold and allergys spring & fall!

Good morning everyone..

We must have 8 -10 inches of snow to deal with this morning...and it is still coming down!! For what I can see .it is so pretty and would imagine (too dark now) the trees are all dressed in white satin.

Better get a move on  as it will take a while to get it all cleaned up.


Enjoy your day everyone.

G'morning all. Hi LLOYD, Sorry to hear you are still have problems with your PC, I was wondering if that was the reason, I have had a few myself recently !, I hope i do not cause any problems for anyone by using this room to contact you ?, my apologies to all if I do.
                                        Sincerely Roley

Good morning everyone, well we got snow, a couple of inches and then it rained during the night. It is 34 and the parking lot is wet.  Hope there is no ice out there. I watched some cars going by and they seemed to be going a normal speed.

JANE  when I first retired for a month or more all I did was sleep. I was worn out. It didn't bother me to have no one to talk to all day. I enjoyed the peace and quiet. My son would come upstairs every day when he came home from work so had him to talk with for awhile every day. I started watching more TV in the evenings, finally got to watch ER that some at work talked about every week. I was in bed every night at 9 so never watched it before.

BUBBLE  the only one I have now on Skype is my daughter and we talk at least an hour every day. I get some CNA's who love to talk and at times I feel like  telling them  to shut up. If I wan t t o  tlk wi th o thers all I have  to do is go down to the lobby. There is always someone there. Then I always have a book I am reading.

CALLIE  like you I do not mind being alone, always find something to do and I am limited on what I can do anymore.

SHIRLEY  hope all your fur babies came in so you could get ready for shower and sleep.

JOY  wish my appetite would come back. I could go all day without eating and not feel the least bit hungry. I have to make myself eat because I cannot afford to lose anymore weight.

AMY  hope your snow stayed light and fluffy. Makes it easier to clean up.

SHIRLEY  last time I was on a flying saucer was nore than 40 years ago. had fun with my 3 going down our driveway. Just glad it did not go right into the street.

AMY  fresh snow is beautiful on the trees and before anyone walks on it or you have to shovel it.

LLOYD  hope you slept good last night abd have a good day today.

ROLEY  it is always good to see you.

Have a good day.

Good Morning Everyfriend!  The snow stopped and the snowblower was working when Mickie and I went out this morning.  My neighbor across the street had my driveway pretty well cleaned off when Mickie and I went out this morning!  He's a good guy!

After church this morning, I'm going over to my daughter's house for brunch and TV.  My grandson-in-law who is working on his doctorate at the University in Houston, TX is delivering the sermon this morning at their church.  And my daughter has figured out how to stream the service to her TV.  We're all going to listen to him preach.  His aim, when he began to study for his DRs. degree was to become a college professor.  Circumstances and happenings in the meantime have given him leaning toward joining the ministry.  I think he would be a good one and I think Natalie is an asset toward that aim.  They definitely work as a well coordinated team!  I'm really eager t hear his sermon!

AMY, you must have gotten a LOT more snow than we did.  I don't wish you any bad luck but I am thankful that ours wasn't as bad as the predictions.  It was beautiful to see yesterday but it gave Mickie some problems.  She didn't mind weeweeing anywhere in it but she couldn't find any grass to do her job.  She gave up that search this morning and we're good for a while. 

I'm ready for my second cup of coffee and it's just about time for the boinger so.....

I wish you all a lovely day!
Make it your own in every way!

And come back in here and tell us all about it!

No snow here...just some moderate rain.  Can't say I'm sorry.

Jane, I knew what you meant about wanting to share an occasional thought with someone.  I've not been a recluse but I've always been pretty good at finding ways to entertain myself from childhood on to now.  And volunteering is always a good way to have contact with other "real" people.  When we moved to N. Carolina I knew nothing about the area or the people so one of the first things I did was to volunteer at the local library.  Having been on a library staff in N.Y. for many years, it was work I knew and enjoyed and I knew it would be a good way to get to know the new community and the local people.  It was a great experience and I made many friends without the strain of going to WORK every day.

I made the Instant Pot brownies yesterday.  That recipe is a keeper, Amy.  Really good. 

Good Morning everyone. peter was good to see you had posted a reply.
is always good to see you. I do miss our talks on Skype. one of these days  I will catch Nichole with a bit of free time and she can get my Skype fixed;It is 14º and clear here and the sun is peaking its head out. I am settled in ok giving my self the insulin shots. the Needle is so small you barley feel it pierce the skin. see you all later. Have a great day.

Lloyd

Snow is all cleaned up for now, even the trails out back are done. New snow is so pristine and making the first mark/footprint in it is a wonderful feeling.

Roley, love to see you in here, please come in more often and say hello.

Gloria, snow was easy to move, we didn't get the rain that makes it horrible to work with. Where I lived on the farm there was no one about, didn't see anyone unless they made a wrong turn....my sister couldn't understand how I could do it. I loved it and with all the critters about was never alone. Entertainment was sitting on the fence rail watching either,calves,lambs or colts play...doesn't get any better than that!

Jane, we did get a lot but not as much as Newfoundland got and they have another snack of snow on the way!

Shirley, Fitbit says I have  done 5280 steps so far this morning.

Phyliss, thank you, will check the brownie recipe out. You are right chocolate makes any day better.

Lloyd, that is the same type of needle I would use on the new born lambs I didn't want to use the larger ones on such a tiny baby..

Better get ready to take Kyle out for coffee with our friends.

Take care everyone.

It is snowing here but it doesn't look too bad.  I see traffic on the main road just south of us and it is going as usual.  I don't know where Dot got her information, but she called to tell me there would be no church today; she was happy because she is leery of driving in the snow.  I have not seen our church listed on TV with the closed churches and I did not see Tom's church listed so I know he'll go soon.

When we were young, we lived next to an open field and in the middle was a hill with grapevines.  In the winter we'd take our sleds or barrel-type skis and go down between the rows of vines and that was our fun.  That field was a source of fun for us all year round.  At one time, that field was a farm and there was a row of pine trees in it and we'd climb them in the summer, getting sap on us and our clothes.  Even our driveway sloped, so we could slide down there, but it did go to the road.  We had little traffic in those days and I don't live there now, but traffic has increased a lot on the street.

I haven't been up long enough for anything to have happened - BBL.

Mary Ann

It's been almost 13 hours since anyone posted in here.  I hope it's because you are all having such a good day with friends and family that you just plain didn't have time to come by the Soda Shoppe!

As for me, I thoroughly enjoyed my GSIL, sermon this morning and the service had prayers a lot like those in my own church.  We all agreed that we are proud to call him "FAMILY" and that we all consider him a "KEEPER".  We gave him our best when we gave him Natalie but she got his family's best when we got him!

Now I'm off to bed and I wish you all a peaceful night's sleep and a happy tomorrow!  And may God bless us, every one!

Good evening, EVERYFRIEND!

I think I have a post missing.....I know I posted Friday evening telling about Dr. Dave dropping Grandson Luke off to spend a couple of days with us while he and Matt went to Vail to ski!  They were on the road for a few hours and the traffic was going nowhere, so they turned around and came back home.  They were disappointed, but Dave was pleased that he could get a lot of things done at home.  Kate and Michele were away all weekend at a dance competition for Kate.  Now the following words will make more sense. 

We were away most of the afternoon and evening yesterday.  Dave had quite a few tasks to accomplish so he needed some help and Bob was more than happy to do it.  They moved the family room furniture down stairs to the new TV room and then hung the huge new TV.  Dave ordered the Mc Gregor vs The Cowboy fight and we watched it on the new TV.  I felt like I was right there ring side. I do not care one bit about boxing or what ever they call this fighting now.....I am a lover NOT a fighter❣️

We ended up not going to Granddaughter Kate's dance competition.  It was available on line and on the TV on YouTube, so we enjoyed it off and on all weekend long.  I worried about Michele as they have very long days there.  Yesterday they were up at 5:30 AM as Kate had to be dressed and made up to Dane by 8AM, and then they did not get back to their hotel room until after 11 PM.  Much too much for Michele.  This is the dance competition that they were at last year when Michele had the scare with numbness on her total left side and was rushed to the hospital and the brain tumors were discovered. 😩

JEAN, over in Norm's Bait and Tackle asked about my Dad, so thought I would share my answer to her in here.  Dads arm has healed quite well and the doctor is happy with it.   He has a home care nurse that comes to see him twice a week, but now she is done.  When Dave and Family visited Dad a couple of weeks back they thought he is doing very well mentally but Diane, his live in lady friend says he is in full blown Alzheimer's.  He seems good when I talk to him everyday, but has shown some short term memory loss at times.

AMY, we saw all the snow that Newfoundland got....yikes!   I Only remember a big big snow lake that one time in 1956 when we lived in Durango Colorado....
Wow, 5280 steps is one mile!  I figure you do that or more EVERY day😁🥵

JANE, how special the sermon must have been for you today.  So glad you enjoyed it. I wish your grandson-in-law the best.

We are still watching the 49ers beating the Packers and I sure do not want to loose this post, so think I will say goodnight! 

Pleasant dreams to all.

Jenny 

Good morning everyone..

Tad chilly this morning temp is -18 ° F but it has and likely will get worse. edited to say it is now - 22° F

Finished one quilt and started another but this one is what they call a cheater quilt and will be done today I hope.

Mary Ann,crafters like to get their hands on the grape vines..I just like to get my hands on the wild grapes. Makes the best jam and juice!

Jenny, that was a long day for Michele but I bet she enjoyed every moment.
 I am more than happy to not get snow like that....way too much for me but those folks are used to it. The mile was before 9 am......

Jane, what a special young man your GSIL is. I agree they both picked a good one..

Joy, hope your feet are getting better.

Phyliss I did pass the recipe on for others to enjoy.

Slept in again so I had better get a move on.

Enjoy your day everyone.

Good morning everyone, a brr morning again at 14, looks like it will be sunny though. another day for me to stay inside. I cannot bundle up enough to be warm when it is that cold. I cannot move fast even with my rollator and wearing too many layers slows me down more. I do love my down jacket and vest but I still shiver.

JANE  hope you got to see the sermon yesterday. Poor Mickie yesterday. I remember when my son had the part Chuhuahua he had to shovel paths for him in the snow. We ended with 3 inches of snow and after the sun yesterday all that is left is on the grass and some places on the roof. I would come back later to tell you about my interesting day but nothing happens around here.

PHYLLIS  like you I was good at entertaining myself, mostly with a book or jigsaw puzzle. Still enjoy both. I do the puzzles on the computer now and I always have a book with me. Glad we have the library down stairs. I have never been bored.

LLOYD  did you know if you pinch the skin and put the needle there it doesn't hurt? A doctor I had years ago did that and it was better than sticking the needle straight in.

AMY  I miss watching the birds. There we re a couple of feeders in front of the building and the witch made them take them down, said it made a mess. Never saw any droppings but she said it was messy. In back of the building we used to see deer and turkeys but with the trees all cut down now they have gone, too.

MARY ANN  I was surprised yesterday morning to see so many churches cancelling. I don't remember ever seeing that before. We had much more snow than what we got and they never cancelled.

JANE  glad you approve of your GSIL and will keep him in the family.

JENNY  I don't know how Michele does all she does with all she has been going through. God bless her. I hope Kate did well in the competition.

AMY  af ter the blizzard we had in 1978 I never was to see comething like it again.