Norms Bait and Tackle

[Mary Ann]

I haven't heard snow in any forecasts yet, but come October, the snows can come anytime.  I wonder what my heirs will do with my china.  I don't have a lot, just my 8-place setting set and what is left of my folks' set.  I bought sterling and my folks had silver plate.  Service for 8 and 6. 

Robin is here now and started in the kitchen.  After that she will work on a list I gave her, among other things she will change my bed. 

My dad had a cousin in Wisconsin, six years younger, identical name but the cousin had one more name.  Norman Carl Tock and Norman Carl John Tock.  I have just been doing some genealogy stuff and updating the WI Norman.  One hint was of my father in a 1931 photo which I knew was my dad and not the other Norman.  The two men were to meet but my dad died before they could meet.  They resembled each other very closely.

Marilyn, I also had a low case of shingles and my doctor suggested the shot would not be necessary.  I do have to get my flu shot and will go to Walgreen's where I've gotten most of mine in the past.

Jean, people like to drive through Niceville because it's a Nice town!  Ha!

Mary Ann

[Mary Ann]

Ok, where's Jackie?  I see she posted at 12:44 today but it wasn't here.  I'm not so concerned since she did post today, but it isn't like her to be away so long.

Mary Ann

[Marilyne]

MARY ANN - I meant to tell you yesterday, that I looked up your china pattern at Replacements, and I think it's beautiful.  Here is the page at Replacements, that shows all the different pieces they have - or don't have.
https://www.replacements.com/webquote/r__pine.htm

[Amy]

Marilyn, I hope you don't lose power or hope you are set up for it if it does go out. We have a back up generator to use here and we also have a wood cookstove to take care of heat and meals.
We went for a tour to see the beautiful leaf colour and we noticed how low the lakes, ponds and marshes were....hope and pray for all rains.

[angelface555]

Kelly gave me this link to post here about the Isle of Man


Enjoy;


https://youtu.be/zWI0Oi5plAI

[Mary Ann]

Marilyn, thank you.  While my first choice may have been something with rosebuds, this was my second choice and I've always been happy with it.  I broke the handle off one of the cups but otherwise the set is intact.  It is not so fancy but that it could be used every day.  I know we are advised to use our good china and silver every day.  If I entertained I would use the set but I/we don't entertain.  I also happen to like very much my Johnson Bros blue and white set and we do use that every day.  I'm not going to overeat just to use more than one set of eating equipment!

It's almost 7:30 pm and Tom and Robin have gone to a Bible study.  They worked hard, especially Robin, and got my bed changed.  Robin also used Murphy's wax to wax our kitchen cupboards.  In 38 years they had not been waxed (it was not in my job description).  Robin works like a beaver.  She doesn't have a general routine such as professional cleaner, but she gets at things I'd never think of. 

While they were making my bed, Tom and Robin looked out the window to see something strange.  We have a couple of fake swans in hopes of scaring away the Canada geese.  One swan was tipped over and on top of it sat a great blue heron.  It was dusky so I could not get a picture of the heron. 

I don't know why I'm tired because I didn't do anything but get my hair cut and eat breakfast with the others.  I'll probably go to bed early, but on the other hand, I usually can find something to keep me going until 10 pm.  Also, it is more my eyes that are tired, not my body or mind.

Amy, I hope you get some rain soon.  I'm not sure, because I wasn't really listening, but I thought I heard snow in the forecast for next week.

Mary Ann

[Mary Ann]

Patricia, I posted that I enjoyed Kelly's video, but I can't find my post.  Nothing much, but if he reads B&T he'd wonder why no one posted.  I wonder where the post went.

Marilyn, I was in the kitchen, so looked at my blue Johnson Bros dishes- the pattern is Historic America and has various pictures of the US.

Mary Ann

[Denver]

A late night posting again from me.  These days seem to just pass by so quickly I have a hard time keeping up🙀🙀

I got energetic today and decided to fix a couple of things I have been hungry for.  One is a pasta salad......got everything cut up and the pasta cooked, but will not add the sauce until tomorrow.  Made some egg salad.....then fixed a Mexican dish and it did hit the spot. 

We did not manage to get up to the mountains to see the beautiful colors this year, but many have posted pictures and the TV news has shown many, so I do not feel too bad.  It is to start snowing tomorrow so we pretty much lost our opportunity to go.

PATRICIA, thank you for sharing the video of the Isle of Man.  I plan to watch it again.

MARILYNE, we got our flu shots last week.  I had the original shingles shot, but did end up getting shingles, so I decided to bite the bullet and get the new one which is 2 separate shots that I had to pay for out of my own pocket as I had not met my deductible......all I know is I NEVER want to have shingles ever again!  I am sorry to read about the high fire danger again.  I sure hope people are careful and the power company's plan will work.

MARY ANN, that is exactly the opposite of what my internet's said, regarding the shingle shot.  He said since I had the shingle shot and still got the shingles that I was at a higher risk of getting them again!  Oh my, who do we trust?  Sounds like Robin did a good job of cleaning at your home today.  I just oiled my cabinets a month or so back and I can not believe how much nicer they look.  I used to have quite the routine, and now I am lucky if I get the absolute necessity done! 

We finalized our plans for a trip out to Southern California next week.  Dave and Family are going to Carlsbad for the week and we are going to join them for a couple of days.  They fly back on Saturday but we will not return until the following Tuesday.  We really wanted to go see Jonah, but it did not work out😩😢😭.
BTW, did I tell you that Jonah is now 10 months old, on the 6th and is  walking quite a bit and cut his two lower teeth.  Oh I miss seeing him so much. 

CALLIE, the cold front will be coming through here tomorrow and the snow is to start falling tomorrow night.  Matt has a championship football game at 6 PM and I am afraid it is going to turn really cold about that time. Dave has to fly to Chicago very early Thursday morning and we are sure hoping the storm will not be too sever.

OK, it is late and I must say goodnight.

Jenny

[MarsGal]

Patricia, are you still in contact with Kelly? I lost track of him when he had to move to an assisted living (?) place. I always enjoyed his posts.

Marilyne, I was wondering if you would be affected by the proposed power cuts.

So-P-Bubble has been among the missing for a few days too. Unusual for her unless she is on another trip.

[Amy]

MarsGal, Bubble is fine  she will be back tomorrow.

[Mary Ann]

I've checked in a couple of times, but no posts since Amy's at 5:25 my time so I thought I'd better put something in.  Not that I've done anything this morning.

Marilyn is probably without electricity now because of the wind situation in California.  What a horrible thing to have going on.  People blame PG&E for not updating.  I know my former employers, CMS, were accused many years ago of not upgrading.  I remember when I first was with the company that they catered to the customers and we had one big happy family at work.  Somewhere things turned around and the shareholders were the ones the company catered to.  I had 200 shares of the stock and had paid as much as $60 a share and it got down to $4.  In a bad mood, I sold the stock and it was years before I bought again.  The stock pays well now but whatever goes on is for the shareholders, not the customers.  And I am one of both!  And a company retiree.  Off my soapbox, but that's what happens with utilities now because of a lot of regulations.

We have the start of another nice day and it is 60 degrees now.  It isn't shorts weather for me, but I'll be comfortable.  It may be time to bring in the cushions from the deck furniture.  There is something going around here, EEE, that mosquitoes carry so I do not want either Kendrick or me on the deck or outside.  It's fatal.  Kendrick is used to being inside and does not ask to go out nowadays.  Sometimes he is a smart cat!

It's 11:15 and time for me to get dressed.  See you later.

Mary Ann

[CallieOK]

Good Morning,  colder, windier and going to get worse (according to forecasters).
Thanks, Jenny, for sharing your weather...

I cancelled plans for today and not sure what kind of mischief I can get into...but I'll think of something.  Guess I'll start with ship cams and Times Square cams.

Enjoy your day, Everyfriend.

[Marilyne]

Hello all!  Thanks to all of you for mentioning our ongoing fire dilemma!  Our power did not get shut down during the night.  We live within walking distance of downtown Los Gatos, so not as much fire danger here in town, as in our surrounding wooded and mountain areas. No areas right here in town were turned off, but most surrounding areas were. 

This town sits at the Eastern side of the Santa Cruz mountains, (Coast Range) which are what separate us from the Pacific Ocean.  This range is  heavily wooded, dry, and hundreds of square miles - which would go up in flames, if a fire is ignited.   If it got out of control in that range, it could be catastrophic, and burn down this town, as well as Santa Cruz, on the other side.  This is only one small area, and not really as vulnerable as other Bay Area communities.  Most of the utility shutdowns are in other counties and cities to the North of us.  I haven't turned on the TV this morning, to get first hand information as to what is happening?  There have been no wild winds here.  We have a small windmill at the back of our property, and it's not turning this morning.  That's good for us!   

[Mary Ann]

Callie, I am sure you found something to do after cancelling plans.  I don't think we would have to cancel many plans here because of the weather - maybe heavy snow.  My next plans are for the 16th of this month with my retiree friends.  I think there is a big retiree meeting, also this month and I'll have to find the date.  Lots depend on Tom and he may have plans around the 16th to to up north with a friend. 

Marilyn, I'm happy to hear your power was not shut off.  But I am sure it's like sitting on pins and needles to see what will be done. 

I don't have any news and the sun is shining on my computer screen. 

Tom just called about going out for lunch and I have to put on my shoes.  I wonder where we'll go - it usually is my choice.

Mary Ann

[CallieOK]

Mary Ann,  I didn't cancel because of the weather; it's actually warming up and getting muggy.  I tend to get sinus infections when the seasons change from Fall to Winter and Spring to Summer so, at this age/stage of life, I don't get out in the wind unless I have to.  I'll have to do so tomorrow so decided not to take a chance today.

Haven't found anything useful to do yet - probably because I'm not looking all that hard. LOL

[MarsGal]

Mary Ann, is that the Equine Encephalitis that I heard about a few weeks back? I remember the article saying that the majority of the case are in the Northeast. I always thought it was a Southern/Southwestern thing but it appears there is an Eastern version. And, gosh, there is a Venezuelan version according to the Minnesota state health website. Here is the CDC page with a map of the state reporting cases. https://www.cdc.gov/easternequineencephalitis/index.html

Marilyne, I would think there is just as much chance of a fire due to accidents, etc. with lots of people getting out their portable generators, wood stoves, and grills when the electric is cut off. And the smokers don't stop smoking. I remember a while back a fire started when someone parked their car in a dry grass area. Anyway, I am glad you didn't have to do without electric last night. BTW, I saw a weather map that showed CA is going to get lower than normal precipitation this winter.I don't know who put that up and don't know where he got the info, or if he is his own amateur weather forecaster. We are being told this area is going to get more than usual very wet/snowy weather this winter.

[Mary Ann]

MarsGal, the EEE is what you've heard about.  We are being advised to stay inside in the dusk-to-dawn periods because that is when the mosquitoes are out.  I think Michigan is included because we are between Lakes Michigan and Huron and I doubt the UP is included.  I see Michigan has had seven deaths but most of them have been SE Michigan and one in West Michigan. 

The cat and I napped this afternoon and he is still there. 

Shortly before 1 pm, my phone rang and I saw it was Tom.  I picked up the phone and said "I'll be glad to".  Tom said he'd be up within 15 minutes.  So we went to lunch.  I gave him three choices:  Russ', New Beginnings and the Deli.  He chose the New Beginnings which we both like.  We both had Inferno Burgers without the Inferno.  That may mean he may or may not be home for supper. 

Now I must alert Tom about the Region Retiree Meeting October 22.  I don't go if my friend does not go, but this is an informative meeting, except most of the information is for younger retirees.  The only good thing about it is the food.  The meeting is at a cafeteria restaurant; there is a senior discount and you can go back for seconds, thirds, however many times you want as long as you are in the restaurant.

Mary Ann

[Denver]

Home from the football game and our team won, 14 - 0!  The team was SO excited.  We nearly froze to death.....horrible winds and the dust was awful.  When we arrived at the field the temperature was 78 degrees and when the game was over the temp had dropped to 40 and it continues to fall.

In regard to sharing the weather with you CALLIE. DERN TOOTIN we want to share it, we sure do not want it to stay here any longer than necessary!  The wind is really strong, so look out, more is headed your way🥶🥶

MARILYNE, good you did not loose your power.  We talked to Mark a bit ago and he said a few area up his way did have their power cut. 

MARY ANN, happy to read that you got to go out to lunch with Tom.

My Boston Grandsons called to wish me a good Yom Kippure.....they did not have school today due to this holy day. 

Pleasant dreams to all.

Jenny

[MarsGal]

Mary Ann, you just reminded me that I want to start a ham in my slow cooker soon. I have some russet potatoes to use, so I guess it will be ham, potatoes and green beans today.

It is 48^o now. It looks like the weather is going to be pretty much in the high 60s during the day and dip down to the low 50s/high 40s at night for the next ten days. Chilly enough in the morning now to have the heat on.

[Marilyne]

Around-the-clock coverage of the outages in Northern CA . . . that's all there is on the news here, and has even kicked Trump off of the front page of the paper, and the internet! Ha ha.   
We have been very fortunate, in that our power has stayed on.  I talked to Sandy last night, and her's is also still on.  She lives in a neighborhood adjacent to downtown San Jose, called Willow Glen, which is quite urban.  I'm pretty sure our son and dil, were without power, as I tried to call their landline, and got nothing.  They didn't answer cell phones or texts. 

I feel grateful that we were not shut down, and could just stay home.  Apparently one of the biggest problems, was/is traffic lights being out everywhere!  On a normal day, we have such horrendous traffic here in the Bay Area, and lots of our busiest intersections have six-way lights!  I can just imagine how confusing that must have been, with everything turned off!  Apparently lots of fender-benders, as well as serious accidents - with ambulances being unable to get to the scene!  Apparently there have been no major fires anywhere throughout the Bay Area, so I would say that it looks like the plan worked??  A few brush/grass fires in some of the open areas, but nothing that got out of control.  Anyway enough said . . . I'll return later.

[Mary Ann]

Marilyn, it may have been inconvenient for those who did not have power, but it no fires started because of winds on the lines, their plan worked.  I hope you continue to have power.

I'll be back later; I worked on something online and passed the time to get dressed.  Now at nearly noon, I'll get dressed, maybe something to eat, and I SHALL RETURN!

Mary Ann

[angelface555]

Good morning from another rainy Interior! That first snow left as usual, and with the rain, it means it isn't cold enough in the valley for more snow. You can still see the white patches in the foothills, however.

Farrah is getting feisty in middle age. If she wants something or wants you to move out of her way, she lets you know.

MaryAnn, when I read your early posts and others in an Eastern time zone, they always say posted at two or three AM. When its four in the afternoon, my time; everyone save Marilyne is in bed!     

It always interests me how everyone speaks of August and September as being hot. In the Arctic, August is rain as it brings the temperatures down, September is bright, in the fifties and beautiful with colors in early October and then bringing snow around Halloween. Of course, that was how I grew up. In the nineties, the weather was significantly warmer in winter, and ever since, things keep changing. We've had coyotes, prairie dogs and insects, vegetation, and trees move north. While climate has affected many of our local wildlife into new patterns and behaviors. Only one example is many ducks and geese overwintering instead of migrating.

Marilyne, it looks like overpopulation is a significant issue in California, between fires or highways. I have relatives in Redwood City and spent some time many years back on a visit to Los Angeles. What I mainly remember about the city is wanting to keep my arms out at the sides. There were just too many hordes of people going every which way. That was the only place I felt that way. San Franciso was fine.

MarsGal, Kelly remembers you and says hello. You knew he had married?

MarsGal, yesterday I cooked a large pork shoulder with carrots, potatoes, and onions. Today I will cut it up and freeze several freezer bags of it for later. I also made several pancakes and waffles using a variety of fruits and berries. I made several waffles with shredded chicken for freezing. I have a small waffle iron that makes only palm-sized waffles, which is helpful for portion control. I can be diligent for a short while so that I can be lazy much longer. 

Maintenance finally brought me a new stove yesterday after three years of telling them it didn't work. I've yet to try it out. I've used my baking/toaster oven and inverter microwave for so long, and I'll need to learn how to use a regular stove all over again.

Nothing new here. I want to start decluttering again, and I ordered a series of white and colored replacement microfiber cloths and nine empty spray bottles for cleaners. I use a variety of homemade cleaners such as borax, vinegar, baking soda, Fels napa, lemon, and salt, which for me does a better and less expensive job than chemical purchased cleansers.

You do need to remember what to use on what surface and what not to mix. Which is basic common sense, but sometimes I think that's in short supply. I bring this up because lately, all the new recipes are including fragrance oils. I don't use them, ee it as an unnecessary expense, but some such as tree oil is said to be a great disinfectant. Do any of you use these oils?

[Mary Ann]

Patricia, I wonder if the computer clocks are off-kilter.  When it is 2 am your time, it is 6 am my time (EDT).  I rarely am up at 6 am, but I am sometimes.  At 4 pm your time, it is 8 pm my time and I don't go to bed that early, 10 pm usually.  Kendrick gets fed at that time and he does let me know it is 10 pm.  Accidentally, I kicked him on the bed last night - twice - and he didn't come back.  I sleep better when he's not on the bed.

I've had a time with my bank payment program and it started last night and continued this morning.  To tell tales outside of school - My oldest nephew died in Dec 2014 and a couple of years ago, his widow remarried.  She lives in St Clair Shores on the other side of the state so we don't see or hear from her much.  She has a daughter who lives in the South Pacific and is pregnant.  I doubt she is married, but this is a different world today, probably especially in the South Pacific.  Anyway, Gina, the widow, sent an e-mail to family members telling she is going to visit her daughter next month and if any of us would like to send a small gift - or money - she'd be glad to take it with her.  I don't want to lose contact with Gina and I said I'd send her some money to take with her.  I was not sure I had her current address in my bank payee list so I tried to add it.  I got a message every time that the bank could not add the name with the information I gave.  Each time in my Inbox, there would be a notice from the bank that the name was added but whenever I tried to use the name, I could not send the money.  I gave up last night and started over again this morning.  Same thing.  I tried again to send money to Regina and in my payee list were five Ginas.  The bank always wants a nickname and Gina is what I put for a nickname.  I tried the first Gina in the list and they money went.  I don't know why they gave me such a hard time.  I could not verify the address but because of some info that was there, I know it will go to the right place.  Fortunately, I don't send much money except make periodic payments.  Whew!

We have the start of another lovely day and it is almost 70 degrees.

MarsGal, have you been able to get the Boatnerd new site?  I have the first, but got a notice the site had been changed again and I can't get there from here now.  They are not part of YouTube.

Mary Ann

[JeanneP]

Sitting waiting for it to warm up a little. Need to do a little painting outside. they said would be 75 today but its past noon. windy and only 64 deg. Then it is really going to get cold. I hated the heat but not ready for winter.
Got my Flu shot yesterday. Usually arm little sore but seems O.K. Got the Pneumonia one last year she said usually they give 2 but she said not bother with the second one Usually for the younger people and people that have weak systems and get sick more.

Need to dress. Think will leave paint for later. Do some other things. Need to go buy paint anyway.

[angelface555]

From CNN;


Weather
 
It's going to be a wet and windy end of the workweek and weekend on the East Coast, as a fall nor'easter -- with wind gusts approaching tropical-storm-force -- slams an area stretching from Delaware to Massachusetts. Meanwhile in the north-central US, temperatures are expected to plummet as much as 50 degrees in 24 hours ahead of an intense and potentially historic fall snowstorm. Temps in Denver were in the 80s yesterday, but they'll be below freezing today. Snow is expected in Colorado, the Dakotas, Wyoming, Montana and parts of Idaho, and it could shatter records for this time of the year.

[angelface555]

MaryAnn, I didn't think to check today but usually, the East coast is four hours ahead. Marilyne is normally an hour ahead. For example, your last post is listed at,(for me); 8:41.

[Mary Ann]

Jeanne, it sounds as if  you are going to do the painting yourself.  It is a good idea to buy the paint before you paint!  Our living area needs painting and neither Tom nor I would do it but we'd have to hire it done.  Tom is downstairs most of the time and I'm in the computer room so neither of us really looks at the walls so nothing gets done.  Maybe I'll ask Robin what she thinks.  She might even do it!

Patricia, so far the bad weather stops at the middle of the country and I think our forecast into next week is mild, but I'm not holding my breath.

Patricia, I have noticed for a long time that my posts here are timed for EST not EDT.  My post shows 11:41 and it should be 12:41.  We are at the western edge of the Eastern Time Zone and it's a long stretch from here to the coast of Maine which is in the same time zone.  Part of the UP is in the Central Zone.  Indiana for the most part is in the Eastern Zone, but near Chicago they are in the Central Zone.   So whatever my post reads, you can add an hour to the time - I am four hours ahead of Alaska time.

Mary Ann

[MarsGal]

Patricia, no I didn't know he had married. But then, I didn't know he wasn't either. He contacted me through the message program here, and I gave him my email address, too, which he promptly tested out. I've got to answer that, but not until tomorrow. I hadn't intended on being back on the computer this afternoon and don't want to stay long.

Mary Ann, here is the new BoatNerd link on YouTube.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VL4VUfJz920  I just saw that the moderator was just talking about a Gale warning out on Superior and Huron for today. Algoma Sault is downbound right now.Have you been watching all those nice drone videos of the ships that Paul Murray has been putting up every day? Did you see the dredger at work at Algonac. Interesting, especially when a ship goes by behind them.

I've been checking in on two ranch webcams off and on for a few days now. It is like watching grass grow. Nothing but nothing moving. I did finally see horses way off in the distance at Heart 6 Ranch, and again this morning.

[Marilyne]

Patricia - Yes, there are way too many people living here in CA, and more arriving every day from across the country and around the world!  It's almost impossible to find a place to rent, because no one ever leaves!  Two bedroom/1 bath apartments rent for $2,500 up, per month.  Lots of people live in their cars, or motor homes parked in neighborhoods, or in large parking lots like Walmart. It's just terrible here now, but no matter how expensive and difficult it is to live - they never leave!!  Reason being, that there are lots of jobs available in the big tech companies like Google, Facebook, Apple, Twitter, and hundreds of smaller ones.  I don't see any end to it. 

Mary Ann - California is only one hour ahead of Alaska, and three hours behind Grand Rapids.  That reminds me, there was a question last night on Jeopardy, and the answer was something about Grand Rapids?  I didn't understand the question, so the answer made no sense to me.  Did you happen to be watching?   That was certainly nice of you to send money for the daughter of your nephew's widow.  You will probably never find out if she is married or not.  It doesn't seem to make any difference whatsoever to that generation. I guess that's a good thing, especially for the baby.

Jenny - I love that picture of your grandson! He has a very determined but confident look on his face!   Is he the quarterback?       

[FlaJean]

We had a beautiful day, but we would like to see some rain.  It has been dry for a couple of weeks which is unusual.

I had to go to the store for some eggs so I finally got myself a coconut cream pie.  I'm going to cut myself a slice in a few minutes.  I might have to stick it in the microwave for a few seconds to thaw a little if my patience or hunger can't wait.

Marilyne, That's good your electricity wasn't shut off.  We watch CBS news and they had a segment on the power shut down last night.  Nora O'Donnell who used to be on CBS This Morning is the new news anchor and I like her a lot.

It's very quiet here today.  Hope everyone is having a good day.  Jackie, I hope things are going a little better for you!  Now I think I'll go get my piece of pie.