Norms Bait and Tackle

[FlaJean]

Marsgal, so sorry to hear about Jim's passing.  These past couple of years have been difficult for so many of us.

Another beautiful day.  The temp supposed to go up to 77° this afternoon.  We'll have the doors open this afternoon for sure.  The temps go down into the 50s at night.

Navy has been bombing this morning for about a half hour.  Now all is quiet——too quiet.

Have a good day everyone.

[Carol]

I am about to search some recipes for Thanksgiving!  It is so nice to have contributions from the family so I do not have to fix a ton of recipes & all the work.  My favorite gatherings - however, grandson in Minnesota wants to fly out here & we have already learned of storms - he is a new pilot and loves his cockpit time.

Jenny:  Thinking of you and Bob often - take care.   

[Vanilla-Jackie]

Sandy...sending HAPPY BIRTHDAY wishes your way...

[patricia19]

[Sandy]

Thanks Mom.. 
Birthdays are coming faster and faster
the older I get... 78 big ones
down the tube!! 

Wishing for Many many More!! 

love
Sandy

[Sandy]

I love that card Patricia!

Thank you so Much!!

 

[MaryPage]

I love it, too!

[MaryPage]

Ok, the following is going to be Big Time bragging, so skip this if you can't bear it.

Bella, my great granddaughter who is a Sophomore at the University of Maryland in College Park, told me she was going to Yale last weekend for a debate kind of thing.  I was tickled, because for some years I was part of a debate group that met on Wednesday nights in the party room of a Chinese restaurant in Virginia and was organized and run by the head of the History department at George Mason University.  So I thought about the apple not falling far from the tree: that sort of thing.  Well, this is how they did.  Oh, by the way: you know Bella from her trip around the world with the University of Virginia when she was eleven.

https://bsos.umd.edu/featured-content/maryland-mock-trial-team-takes

[Marilyne]

Sandy - hope you're having a wonderful birthday today, and enjoyed a piece of cake and maybe some ice cream!  Best wishes for many more years ahead!      

[Marilyne]

Mary Page - Yes!  I remember you telling us about Bella's trip around the world when she was only eleven!  It was a remarkable story, and such fun to read about the places she visited.  That she turned out to be such a bright young woman, does not surprise me.  Does she plan to attend  law school?  Keep us posted on her activities.   

[MarsGal]

   Happy Birthday Sandy!

[MarsGal]

Thank you all for your kind sentiments. I will pass them on to Sue.

[FlaJean]

Happy Birthday, Sandy!

MaryPage, I remember Bella's round the world tour.  You have every right to be proud.

[MaryPage]

Thank you.

I tell you true, the one thing I love above all others is to hear stories about what my 28 great grandchildren are doing.  Those stories are the fuel that keeps me going.  My children are 57 through 75, and mostly old and retired.  My granddaughters are 34 through 55, and pretty well set on their life journeys.  It is the younger bunch that make my heart glow.

Yes, Bella is planning on law school and becoming a criminal prosecutor, but at the same time keeping her mind open regarding some closely related professions.  My oldest great grandchild is 28 (do you remember Emily, the architect?) and the youngest is nine days.  I think that will most likely be the last of them.

Thank you for putting up with my pleasure.  You are a very tolerant bunch.

[Beverly]

  Happy Birthday Sandy!

[CallieOK]

Good Afternoon,

Marsgal,  I'm so sorry about your loss. My condolences to the family.

Sandy, hope you had a very 

MaryPage,  congratulations to Bella.  My granddaughter Emily the chiropractor is the same age as your great grand Emily the architect. 

Dil and I had a wonderful time together yesterday. It had been months since we'd had a "Just the two of us" day. Soup/sandwiches/cookies here for lunch and then she took me to a "maintenance" medical appointment.


Asking prayers and healing thoughts for my other DIL.  She's 51 and has had four back surgeries and both hips replaced. She's developed terrible pain around the last replacement and, after multiple CTs/MRIs/etc. last week, the diagnosis is that the "stem" on that replacement is loose. (I didn't understand Google explanation of "stem") .
 Orthopedist says the stem can be replaced but recovery time is 4 weeks to 6 months, depending on how hard it is to get the old one out.
Son is still recovering from double fusion back surgery last summer and you can imagine how badly this news is affecting them. (They have no children).

On a happier note - I was able to renew my car tag and my driver's license at the same time this morning. 
Process for license with Real ID sounded complicated but was easy-peasy to do on-line last week.
I also expected a long wait at the tag agency but was the only one there.  Guy who runs it is usually frowning and grumpy but, today, he was smiling and very chatty. 
Unexpectedly pleasant experience - and ALL DONE!!!!!   

Lunch time and then laundry time.

Hope Everyfriend is having an Enjoyable Day.

[Marilyne]

Callie -  Sorry to hear about your dil's recurring back problem.  What a shame, that she will have to have such serious surgery all over again.  A possibility of six months of recovery sounds daunting.  I remember when your son had his back surgery last Summer, and glad he seems to be doing well.  Your dil is so young, I can't help wondering if she was active in a particular sport, that damaged her hips and back?   Seems like so many ex athletes or dancers - both women and men, have back, hip, and shoulder problems, when they are still relatively young. 

[CallieOK]

Marilyne, I don't really know DIL's physical history but, although she's an active person, I know she's never been an athlete of any kind.  The problem seems to be "the way she's made" but I haven't asked too many questions.[
Son is doing better. He's able to drive and is having p.t. for scar tissue that formed around the abdominal incision while he was basically immobile.  It's still hard for him to sit very long so he has his watch set to remind him to get up and move while he's working at his desk or computer (he's a Landscape Designer and tends to lose track of time when he's working on a design).
They're having her Dad/brother and family at their house for Thanksgiving. Son will do turkey in his fancy smoker.

I have "politely declined" to be with either "in-law" family for Thanksgiving.  My hearing loss makes group conversation confusing and mobility issues make moving around crowded rooms difficult.
 
 The only holiday I insist on having a family gathering is Christmas.  Years ago, I opted for Christmas supper because one family celebrated on Christmas Eve and the other on Christmas morning.  We gather here for "hearty snacks" or a casual meal (usually from the crock pot), gift exchange and a rousing game of Mexican Train.
DIL I was with this week and I have decided on "hearty snacks" this year. She'll bring some and I may order a veggie and/or cheese tray from grocery.

My day has been/will be spent watching football.  My OU Sooners won in a rather boring game. OKState plays tonight and I hope that game is more fun to watch.

That's it from my corner....

[Denver]

A good Saturday HELLO to ALL‼️

MARSGAL, so sorry to read that Jim has passed away😩😢. JEAN, you are right the last couple of years have bee; very sad for many of us😩😢

PATRICIA, the Bday card you made for Sandy is very cute.  I know you loved it, SANDY.

CAROL, the weather is not looking too bad, so maybe your grandson can fly n for your TGiving Gathering ‼️  I hope you fond the recipes you were hoping to make.

CALLIE, sorry to read the news about your DIL and the hip socket.  I returned to my surgeon to see if that might be the problem with my hip pain, but he says no, it is soft tissue pain!  Prayers for both your son and DIL.  Nice to read you two got together for a nice lunch together.  Precious time‼️

I continue to have so much pain in my so called GOOD SHOULDER that typing is very uncomfortable.  I can read your great post but have trouble using my arm to type. My therapy is going great.  I had therapy on Tuesday and Thursday, then worked out at the pool Wednesday. My therapist asked me to take a few days off and let my shoulders rest a bit as I have been doing way too much ‼️  She is very happy with my progress. 

So pleased to have you posting, MARYPAGE.  I had not thought about Bella's trip around the world in ages, but it sure brought a big smile to my face when I read it!  Very delightful article that you shared about her debate team's win.  How exciting.  I always love reading about your family when you share them with us😘. So happy you are feeling strong enough to post.  I do hope you are feeling GREAT!

Got to go...this has taken me forever to type.

Have a good rest of your Saturday.  I hope I did not leave anyone out.

Jenn

[CallieOK]

Jenny, thank you for the kind words.  Good idea to rest that shoulder for a few days.  One of my friends decided that if 5 exercise reps for her knee surgery was good - 10 would be better. She ended up having to have the surgery redone!!!

Finally asked Google the right question and found out what the "stem" in a hip replacement is:

What is hip replacement stem?
  During the procedure, surgeons insert a stem into the patient's femur, or thighbone, for stability.

That's why she's having pain down her leg.

Off to get a meat loaf in the oven.....

[MarsGal]

Hi all!

Since the Thanksgiving gathering was cancelled, Sue and I decided to go out to eat on Thanksgiving Day. We've decided on Macaroni Grill. It is close by.

The funeral isn't until Dec. 3. After which a ceremony will be held at Fort Indiantown Gap military cemetery where his remains will be placed in a niche. Barb and Mike will be coming up from NC, and one of the girls may be able to make it. Sue just found out that Jim's best friend had left the same hospital the day before Jim went in. He had had a heart attack.

I finally cleaned off George's old Bose radio/disc player and plugged it in. The radio on it does a lot better job than the one I used to have. There was a CD in it so I just put that on. It said early Rock-N-Roll so I thought Bill Haley, Chuck Berry, The Platters, Fats Domino, etc. So far, I've heard The Four Seasons, The Troggs, Dell Shannon, and a song I didn't recognize. So, it wasn't as early as I had thought.

Other than some dishes to wash and a little cleaning up, there isn't much going on here today.

Oh, found another live webcam site to check out. It is somewhere in the Namibia desert. Lots of Oryx, three for four cheetahs, some hyena, seven or eight zebras, a rabbit, and a few other critters are regulars. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IKyMlJXlayY  The Oryx seem to think they own the place. There is one who has been trying to mount a female and failing miserably. He ended up landing on his butt after loosing his footing. I can't find that clip just now.

[Marilyne]

MarsGal - Good that you and Sue will be going out for Thanksgiving dinner together.   The upcoming service for Jim sounds very nice.  Be sure to post us a link to his obituary, when it's published.  I remember when you posted his website a few years ago, and it was so very interesting to read about his musical career.

You will probably enjoy George's old Bose radio.  I've heard that they have the best sound quality?  I always wanted a Bose stereo system, but it wasn't to be.  I don't know if they are still in business or not?

[MarsGal]

I too had wanted a Bose system when they first came out but was never able to justify the cost back then. My Mom had a small one which, when she died, went to Barb. His has only the one. It came with a nice, sturdy cloth carrying case. I just saw the other day that Bose has earbuds out now. I don't know anything about them. Earbuds and I don't get along very well.
 

[RAMMEL]

I have an older Bose and it is great, Some people might not like that it doesn't have a Tone control. Just a Volume control. A few years back I bought their 5 CD changer unit for it           It stopped functioning after a couple of years. The electronics were ok, but the mechanical aspect failed (couldn't load a CD).

[MaryPage]

My Bose CD player got messed up by me; for some reason I put TWO CDs in the same slot.  Could have shot myself.  That Bose was the last Christmas present Bob gave me before he died.  Chip checked it out for me, and said the cost of fixing was not worth it.

I still have the radio, though, and it is wonderful.  The sound is still superior.

Debi took me to my cardiologist this morning for my final checkup regarding the new valve, and they were well pleased.  I am healing well and my heart sounds great.

Chip is quite ill with a diabetic problem, so things are pretty gloomy around here.

Hoping all of your days become ever more wonderful.

[Marilyne]

Mary Page - What great news, that you have had your final "new valve" checkup with your cardiologist!  I'm sure you were happy to hear that everything is healing according to plan.
Sorry to hear that Chip has diabetes, and has been having some problems. I hope that whatever has gone wrong, I will be quickly resolved and he will be feeling better soon? 

MarsGal - Earbuds and I don't get along very well either.  Back in the 1980's and 90's, I had a Sony Walkman that I absolutely loved.  I don't remember what the earbuds were like, but they didn't bother me at all.  I used to listen to  music,  or overnight talk radio, when I was in bed, and often fell asleep with them on.  Times have changed, and I have a terrible time with something in my ears now. (Including my hearing aids).  I recently bought a nice CCrain radio to listen to at night, but I'm not enjoying it like I did the old Sony.  CCrain is a good quality product for radios, so it must be my ears.   

[RAMMEL]

Earbuds --- They make a similar thing but it doesn't get pushed into the ear, but it sort of hangs in the ear. I do not know what they are called. But I've heard them referred to as speakers.  They are small round disks about 1/2" in diameter or a bit smaller and they just hang near the outer portion of the ear.  more comfortable (to me) than buds.

[MarsGal]

Interesting, Rammel. I have never heard of the device.

[Shirley]

I've worn out more of those headphone than I can count.... falling asleep & breaking the tiny wires. Have 3 or 4 of them waiting to soldered together. I did, bought a tiny soldering kit on Amazon & figure I'll fix them. The original came attached to a Sony Walkman but nearly every store carried them (Walmart, K-Mart, Best Buy, etc). What used to be a few dollars has gone up to $25. so now that I live alone I just bought me a Sony that doesn't need ear phones! I wear mine hanging under the chin. The name of them is Sonxtronic & come in white or black. A link to them on Amazon so we'll see if it works:
https://www.amazon.com/SONXTRONIC-Xdr-8001-Vertical-Ultralight-Headphones/dp/B00TD1JFIK/ref=sr_1_17?keywords=sony+walkman+hanging+headphones&qid=1637700882&sr=8-17

[RAMMEL]

MarsGal,
They look similar to this
https://tinyurl.com/4mm6k5hk
If you just look at the ear part you can see that it doesn't insert into the ear like some, but hangs near the outer part of the ear. I like them because they are more comfortable (at least for me) and still allow outside sound to be heard (which I consider a safety thing).
These were the first I came across but I'll look a bit more for a better presentation.