Jane, hurray for cooler, fall-like weather.  I presume Ray has been putting ice packs on his knee (20 mins on and off) and elevating it. I hope they are able to do something for him Friday.  Have a good time at bridge.

Mary, the hemp oil ointment sounds interesting. I'll mention that to my dr. too.

I'm off in a minute to pick up a key to the church so that I can get in and work on Friday morning. While I'm in Fort Mill, I'll stop at the dollar store and the small WM and then pick up my down blanket from the cleaner on the way back. A lot of running around without much accomplishment.

Sue, take it easy out there in the yard.  Sharon

Girls:
I have not mentioned this because I have been in SUCH  A  heartbroken state.
My oldest child, a girl----Cindy, age 69, died  of a incurable (but treatable} disease
which I feel confident none of you have heard of it-----Churg-Strauss-Syndrome---
She suffered from Feb. untilAugust 16th with  PAIN which was unbearablle.
I never thought I would say this----but it was truly a blessing when God called
her. I am just now feeling better.
JOY
Love to all!

Oh, Joy - I am so sorry to hear of your daughter's death.  I know you're devastated.
It must be awful to lose one of your children.  My heart goes out to you and the rest of your family.

Joy I am so sorry for the loss of your daughter, but as you said she is now free of the pain and suffering of her life here on earth. sending prayers.

Mary I have some of the   CBD salve, and some other salve that was made with the hemp and coconut oil. It is rather oily to apply so I don't use it often.

Sharon I also have Voltaren gel to use on my knee. I will be having the MRI after I go to PT a couple of times, that's the way my insurance wants it. I spoke with them yesterday and told them I thought it was a waste of the insurance money to have me go to PT first. The PT isn't going to help whatever the problem is. It is not the bones anyway, I think it could possibly be a torn meniscus.

I had my eye scan yesterday in prep for the  cataract surgery. I will be getting distance lenses. My surgery is scheduled  Nov. 28 for the left eye and Jan 3 for the right. I hope to get my knee taken care of before that time.

Joy...sorry about the loss of your daughter...May you be have comfort and peace...You will see her again one day...Darlene

Oh, JOY, I know how devastated you must be.  We will all be holding you close in our hearts, Dear Friend.

I rushed through my last hand of bridge when Ray called to say Ortho could get him in at 4:00.  It's an hour's drive, but we got there with 10 minutes to spare....and the PA drained his knee. He'll see him again Friday when we go in for his internal med appt.  The Ortho had canceled his Friday appt when they gave him the 4:00 yesterday, so they had to scramble to get an appt again for him for Fri.

I have my dexascan this morning here at the local hospital.  I also called rheumatology to see if OK to get my second shingle shot while on this prednisone regime.  They said ok,, so I want to get that today.

jane

Joy, I am so sorry to hear of the loss of your daughter.  Thoughts and prayers here for you and your family.  I think the hardest burden for us to bear is the loss of a child.  I know God is with you and will comfort you in your grief.   Big hugs for you and your family.

Sharon, I'm glad you mentioned going by church to pick up a key.  I need to call the Sunday School superintendent to verify the days I need to teach the third grade class this quarter.  I was so upset by the 2 older girls behavior that I dread going back.  The practice of having 4 teachers/month --each teaching one Sunday is the pits!

Mary, are you having lots of rain?  We usually have drought like summers and we've had so much rain I can barely keep up with my grass and shrubs!  I hope you're feeling well and have a great day planned.

Marilyn, I think you'll really be happy with your cataract surgery.  I had mine done about 2004 or
2005 shortly after I moved up here.  My eye doctor did the surgery in 2 weeks.  The right eye on the first week and the left on the second.  I have not worn glasses since unless I drive at night (which I no longer do).  I do keep a couple of pairs of dime store readers to wear if I'm reading at night before I go to bed.

Jane, I'm glad you made it to the Orthopedic clinic in time yesterday.  It's good the department was able to get him an appointment for Friday.  Good luck with the dexascan and the shingles shot.  I had another shingles shot last fall and don't remember if I'm supposed to get another one.  I'll ask Tim to call my GP's office and ask.

I'm wringing wet.  I've been outside and have dug up a huge root from my butterfly bush.  When I moved up here from the farm, Bill sent me about 4 plants for that flower bed and they have flourished, but this summer, the butterfly bush has hit the dust!  I still have another big root that needs to be shoveled out, but I can only do so much at a time.  Maybe tomorrow or Saturday I'll finish out there.

Have a nice day, Every Buddy.
Sue

Joy, I can't say more than what everyone else said--I'm devastated for you and your family. I know how close you all were/are. When our oldest daughter had cancer, I was a nervous wreck, but fortunately for me, it turned out well for us. Know that you are all in our prayers.

Jane, I'm so glad Ray was able to get his knee drained yesterday and will see them again on Friday. Did you have  the first shingle shot that came out about 10 yrs ago?  Did your doctor recommend that you get the new one? Did MC D pay for it?  We've been weighing getting the new ones too. We had the first. Hope the dexascan was good.

Marilyn, I think it is MC that requires the PT before the MRI. I do hope it is just the meniscus and can be repaired laparoscopically.  I know you will be glad to get your cataracts removed.  They did mine 2 weeks apart.  I think it depends on the doctor's schedule frankly.  When do they start your new roof?

Sue, you're a workaholic!

I've been to 2 groceries, the ATM, and the beautly salon. I didn't have the right change for her last week and she just said to forget it, but I'm sure she doesn't work for the fun of it, so I dropped by with the remainder of what I owed her. I was afraid I would forget it by my next haircut!  She is so sweet and does a good job, and I don't want to take advantage of her.

Do any of you use BOA Cash Rewards credit card?  They have a special deal where there are about 30 or so businesses that are listed for the month  & they each have a discount.  You go through & check the ones you are interested in and when you shop at one, they rebate the discount to your card.  Since they have been doing this, I have saved about $130 (about 2 yrs).  That is the reason I went to 2 groceries today. I had to pick up my RX's at HT where I usually shop and then I bought the rest of my groceries at Food Lion which is giving a 10% rebate this month!  Beats the 5% Sr. discount at HT! You don't have to shop at any of them even if you've checked them, but if you do You get the credit on your card.  Nice deal.

I was going to go over and workout this afternoon, but I'm just too tired. Hopefully, after my church office time tomorrow.

Hi to all. Sharon

QuoteDid you have  the first shingle shot that came out about 10 yrs ago?  Did your doctor recommend that you get the new one? Did MC D pay for it?  We've been weighing getting the new ones too. We had the first.

Sharon...yes, we both had the first shingle shots when it first came out years ago.  This new one is a two step thing and supposed to be much more effective.  It's a dead thing, not a live virus.  You get one shot and then after 3 months or so the second one.  Ours was not totally covered by Part D.  We each had a co-pay, and the amount varied because we have different Plan D's.  My copay for this second one today was $34.52.   We've had friends and family with shingles and I never want to go through that pain and recurrences that occur, not if  shot can prevent it.

jane

Last time I saw my rheumatologist (@ March), he told me there was a new shingles shot, but he wanted to wait a while until giving it to me.  He wanted to wait until it had been out for a while.  I see him in October, and I guess he'll want to give it to me then.

Y'all are all busy.  I'm just knitting.  I'm working on a baby blanket, and it's taking longer than I had expected.  It's not hard, just lots of knitting.  I'm looking forward to getting it finished.

I have a whole list of things to talk to my Dr about in Sept, the shingles shot and the hemp oil being 2 of them.

I finished all the church articles for the month of Sept for the newspapers.  I got the newsletter yesterday, so I got ahead of things.  Good grief, a lot of things are going on in our church in Sept!

Well off to watch some TV. I've already taken my shower and got in my comfies.  Sharon

Good morning, Buddies.  I'm showered and dressed for library, lunch with Tim, and Kroger shopping (which on this hot day means shorts and a t-shirt!).  I don't know if Kris will be able to join us.  She often has a client who wants painting completed before the weekend.

After our lunch, library, and errands, I plan to get into old shorts and spend most of the afternoon hopefully reading something new and exciting from our library stop.  I've read all my books from last week, plus 2 more from my home library which are favorites.  I usually get all my yard work done before noon and after lunch spend the rest of the day reading.

I'll check at the Kroger pharmacy if it's time for my renewal of the shingles shot.  I know I don't want to get the shingles.  Poor Bob in his last 2 years had them several times and on top of the cancer recurrence he was miserably ill.

Yesterday morning, I finally got all the dead and dying roots of the butterfly bush pulled up and on the curb.  Now I have to decide what to plant to replace it.  I still need to trim the large shrub (whose name I forget) that is at the edge of my front yard before it descends into the street.

Have a nice day, Every Buddy.
Sue

We’re going to be very soggy here...rain to start today and come everyday for at least a week.  I may need flippers and goggles! 

Two appts for Ray today in Dbq and then we’re hosting tonight for our Friday group.  [Last one for Gary and Kathy as they fly out Wed. to BudaPest for a two week riverboat tour...big problem....big drought in Europe.  Their last two river cruises have been disasters....they’ve got to be concerned.  They’re planning 5 weeks in Europe.  ]

I got my bone density report...-2.5 and that means 15% chance of spine fracture over next 10 yrs...and 4.4% of hip fracture over next 10yrs.  Hmmmm....doesn’t sound all that serious to me.  Those numbers are in the radiologist’s report I get at my health portal. 

Jane

Lots of lightning, thunder, and rain here - starting about 10 pm last night.  There's 1.5" in my rain gauge this morning.

jane, a friend of mine was scheduled for a Viking cruise on the Rhine about now.  Their whole trip was cancelled due to low water, with a full refund (including trip insurance) and a voucher for a future booking.  Guess everybody's having a hard time.

Nothing planned for this holiday weekend.

At least Viking canceled and refunded.  They’re with Tauck, but no word on canceling as of today. 

One doc appt done..he is getting the knee shot now.

Weather now says rain for next TWO weeks!  Quack, quack

Jane

 Jane, Tauck is one of the top companies. I can't believe they won't take good care of them. Hope the shot helps Ray's knee.

Sue, you keep the library in business.  Is there a limit on the number of books you can check out?

I "worked" at the church this morning, meaning I sat at the desk and mostly read my book!  This afternoon, I went to the FC, so I'm exhausted now.

Mary, we need some of that rain you're getting.

Hi to all. Sharon

Girls:  An usual happening yesterday.  I was on the phone with a friend and suddenly
this popped into our conversation---FRAUD ALERT----it was in PRINT --no voice, and
nothing else but that ---FRAUD ALERT. i hurried and got off the phone .  Can anyone
explain this, I hope??
Joy

Joy...how odd.  I have no idea.  If you were on the phone with a friend, I wouldn't worry about it.  And I know you are too smart and up with things to give out bank or personal info to someone on the phone.

Another rainy day here....thunder and lightning and rain since about midnight.  It looks to be a very soggy Cardboat Regatta on the white water park today. 

A good day to clean out the fridge and freezer beneath and get things up to date.

And, the ever present laundry.

Jane: Indeed I am paranoid about  giving  out  ANYTHING that I should not .
However, you know scam artists can do most anything of benefit to them.  I have  almost stopped getting on Facebook for that reason.  I already have stopped 
contributing anything to Facebook.
JOY

I hear you, Joy!  I'm so tired of the robo calls about "free" this or that trip or my credit card, etc.  I've blocked so many and yet they continue to come.

Stay alert and safe, EveryBabe!

jane

Joy, perhaps it was about a robo-call calling in while you were on the phone with your friend.   As for me, I don't even answer the phone unless I know the caller - I let it go to the answering machine.  Usually they don't leave a message, but if they do, I can either just delete it or return the call.

Good morning, Buddies.  It's already 11:00 here.  I came in from outside about 9:30 and hadn't been inside long until sister Anne called--and kept me on the phone far too long.  She and Richard are going to his granddaughter's wedding in Texas (I think she said) and she is not looking forward to it.  His daughters have never been nice or kind to her--he had been divorced from their mother who initiated the divorce at least 15 years before she and Richard started dating and they still resent her.  I'm sorry for her, but at least she'll put in an appearance and will try to be cordial.  I think I'll be getting another call after the wedding to listen to gripes, but that's OK.

I'm planning to spend the rest of the morning fixing and eating lunch.  Auburn is playing Washington at 2:30 p.m. and I will watch the game--also might watch the Carolina game which just started, but they don't have much of an opponent.   

Have a nice day Every Buddy and good luck to your teams unless you're a fan of Washington or Coastal Carolina!

I don't answer any phone call until I see who's calling on my phone.  Too many fraudulent callers in this world--and they sure are able to get our numbers!

Sue

I agree about all the robo calls. I've had fewer since we left Time-Warner as our phone provider, but our calls don't have our names attached, so when we call people see unknown caller!  Very frustrating. I've never had my phone say scam call, but I get that on websites and emails occasionally.  You have to be vigilant.  Oh, I just remembered, I have gotten the scam alert on my cell phone. If it is someone I know, I just click it off, but since I don't keep my cell phone on a lot of the time and depend on our land line, it's not a problem.  If you have virus ware on your phone, I suspect that is what is causing it. I have AVG on mine.

I slept almost 10 hours last night! I was so tired.

My neighbor sanded my small bookcase for me and now I have to motivate myself to paint it to put in my den so I can get things organized.  I'm going to paint it the light aqua of the walls so it won't stand out.  Then I will have to get rid of the end table I have now.  I have to get some primer tomorrow after church before I can get started on it.

No other news here.  Sharon

As you know one of my son's (Roger) has been fighting cancer for the last 5 years. It is a kidney cancer that was removed many years ago that metastasized,  to be 10 tumors on his pancreas, 2 in a lung and 2 on his liver, it might me more by now but that was the last count I got. He has been in  and out of the hospital numerous times and on 3 different kinds of oral chemo. the one now is the last. I spoke to his wife yesterday, he was in the hospital last week but wanted to go home because another son is flying out again to be with him. He now has a drain tube in his belly draining the bile  into a bag that he has to wear. My DIL was in  tears as she told me these things.He is 58 yrs old now  Nov. 26 with be his 59th BD if he makes it that long. I am preparing myself for the flight home  to see him off to be with the Lord. He will be gone by the time I get there because I don't want to see him now, I want to remember him as the tall, robust man he was. I will be taking my dog with me for comfort as Keith won't be going and neither will Gilbert.  Gilbert has patients to  take care of, he delivers and sets up their oxygen concentrations. The 4 older kids have a different father than he does and have not treated him well in the past.

His twin, my daughter, will probably not even be cord\ial to me she has not spoken to me inn years. and told my grand children to have nothing to do with me,she told them she doesn't need a mother. I have forgiven her but pry that she will  do the same. She calls herself a Christian but doesn't behave like one. that is her choice of how she lives her life.

Marilyn, what sad news.  My heart goes out to you.  {{{{{Marilyn}}}}

In readying what I typed last night I see it looks as if Gilbert has a twin but it is "Roger who is a twin.

Family drama is so draining, Marilyn.  I hope it all gets worked out for what is best for Roger and his family.

Another wet and noisy night here, and more to come.  We'll all have webbed feet here, soon.  QUACK!

The cardboard regatta was postponed until Sept. 15 on advice of those who know the river and what would be safe. I'm glad. It was just too hot and humid and threatening t'storms to stand around and watch that.  The Iowa State football game was canceled because of heavy t'storms and lightning in Ames.

jane

Good morning, Buddies.  I was called this week by the C.E. director to "team" teach the 3rd-5th grade classes.  However, when I got there, one woman had prepared the lesson and I sat with the pupils and helped a little girl next to me with her project.  I don't consider this "team" teaching and after my 6 times are up (on Nov. 11) I'm telling the C.E. director that I need to "retire"!  The C.E. person has someone different every week--and I don't think that's a great idea.  I guess I'm just too old for this type of teaching.

It's another very sunny day here.  I did a lot of yard work yesterday, so plan to take it easy this afternoon and start on another of my library books.  I've become a big fan of Richard Sharpe who is an Army officer now and who came up from the enlisted ranks.  He's well liked by the enlisted men, but not so much by the Senior Officers.  He does manage in every book, however to save the S.O.s bacon!  I took 2 of the books home on Friday, read a different author and finished this one last night after I'd read one by C.S. Harris, a female who writes about England following the wars with the French.  I have one more Sharpe novel to read before I start on 2 Baldacci's and several others.  On Friday, Tim insisted I take more than 5 total books home, as I'm usually having to reread a favorite or two before the next Friday.  There is plenty of history in both author's series.  Bernard Cornwall writes the Sharpe novels.

Jane, I'm sorry about the rain you've been having.  We have had lots more than usual here, too, and I'm needing to prune shrubs quite frequently.  I hope Ray is feeling much better and the meds are working.

Sharon, I have caller ID on my phone and I don't answer it if I don't recognize the name.  I learned my lesson on that about 5 years ago.  I've never enjoyed talking on the phone to anyone except Bob or the boys.  I love my youngest sister Linda, but when I call her I watch the time and try to have something I MUST finish shortly in order to get off the phone!

Marilyn, thoughts and prayers for your son Roger.  I know you must be devastated.  You and your family have had a lot of sad news lately and I know it's tough.  I'm especially sorry about your daughter's attitude toward you.  It has to be a very sad situation.

And WooHoo, Auburn pulled out the win against Washington U. yesterday.  It was a tight well played game by each side!  Hopefully the rest of the season will go as well.

Sue

Marilyn, I am so very sorry about Rodger. I hope he isn't in too much pain or that they are relieving it. It's too bad about your daughter, but if she starts being ugly, remind her of where you are and the need to comfort the family. I hate to hear about family members who refuse to have anything to do with another.  It's especially heinous when that person calls herself a Christian.  I pray for you and peace and acceptance at this difficult time. I do wish someone was going with you besides Freckles.

We went to SS & church today and had a visiting Anglican Priest give the sermon. Our pastor is on a brief vacation and the Priest is the husband of our organist.  He gave a very good sermon, albeit way too long since we also had Communion afterwards.

On the way home, I stopped to pick up some primer/paint for my bookcase. I hope to do that tomorrow.

Sue, I'm glad you got extra books this week, also that you plan to resign from SS teaching since you aren't comfortable with it.  I wasn't either.

Jane, we get about 5 mins of sprinkles and then the rain moves off.  We could take some of yours.

Nothing else going on here. I have a meat loaf thawed to fix tonight.  Sharon