Our high today is minus 27, and our low will be minus 32.

I took two tests yesterday, flubbed another, but they 're allowing me to try again today. I sent in nine PSP Lessons and had nine to finish and post today. I also have two rooms in the apartment to clean today.

But here I sit on the couch, wrapped in a blanket, drinking hot coffee!

Larry, please go back and see those doctors. Do it for Pat, for us and most of all, do it for yourself!

Marilyne, we are also getting aftershocks in the S.E. I wonder if Northern California has the same geothermal type as Alaska's S.E.?

Sandy, I am so sorry to hear about Fe! This hasn't been a good winter for anyone!

Marilyn, I just checked the earthquake site and an earlier quake was at San Baptista Canyon and there was one in the last hour at Trabuco.  My spelling may leave a lot to be desired.  I look at that site each day because there are so many quakes in eastern Asia. 

Mary Ann

Guess I need to go check the news. Didn't hear about the CA earthquakes today.

Tonight is Robby Burns night. Did anyone put Haggis on their dinner menu?

The earthquakes in CA the past couple of days were minor, but they always get your attention if you suddenly feel one!

Mary Ann - Trabuco, is in Southern CA, Southeast of Los Angeles.  I think I read that that quake was 4.1.  The other one was in San Juan Bautista, which is only about 30 miles south of where I live. One of the California Missions is located there.  It's one of the more popular Missions for visitors, and is beautifully restored.  It's also located in an earthquake Hot Zone.  Not far from there is an area called The Geysers, that has a number of minor quakes almost every day!  Seismologists have a monitoring device there, that goes deep underground. They are trying to figure out if the areas around these hot spots, might give a warning of some sort, that an earthquake is eminent.

Marilyn, it's interesting about the locations of those two cities because the marks for both of them were side by side but I just checked and they no longer are close.  There is a marker for an earthquake within the last hour at "Little Lake" (I can't remember from here to there!).  I notice one often at Geysers.

Very seldom are there earthquakes of the 7.9 in Alaska the other day.  Many are 2.5+.

Mary Ann

Mars Gal, I didn't have Haggis today, but I like it.  I have friends in Scotland and I visited them for a week some years ago and we had Haggis for breakfast--several times.  One friend from my church who travels to Scotland about every other year usually brings me a can of Haggis when he returns.  It is definitely an acquired taste, though!

Sue

Hi Everyone.  It is beautiful and sunny day here in South Carolina.  I am feeling somewhat better this morning after a good night of sleep. I did fix Pat's breakfast a little bit ago and cleaned up the kitchen and took care of a couple of other small task. As a result I am ready to restore my energy as found I didn't have much stamina this morning.  The housekeeper will be here in a few minutes.  Pat did call her yesterday and explained we both had been ill and gave her the opportunity to delay her visit but she choose to come anyway.  We don't think we are contagious and that the coughing is something that we will have to deal with for awhile as it seems to be staying with people for several weeks.  I have nothing on the calendar for today so it can be another one to basically rest.

Bubble, thanks for the cough suppression suggestion.  I haven't tried that but I did take a tablespoon of pure honey yesterday afternoon and it may have helped.  We almost always have some sour cream in the refrigerator and a jar of honey in the pantry. 

Marilyne, the Whole Foods store and the prepared foods sound good.  We have several stores with deli's but they are not very large in terms of selection.  I am like you in not being much interested in foods from other places. 

Sandy, sorry to see that Fe has the flu.  I don't think either Pat nor I had the flu but colds that turned into bronchitis for her and I don't know what for me.  It is frightening to learn about the children dying from the flu an it happening so quickly.  Sure hope you don't get sick. 

Larry - I'm glad that you're feeling better this morning, and hope you and Pat recover quickly from your bronchitis.  The warm sunny weather will help, I think.  I'm finding it hard to get warm and stay warm, this winter.  Our house is old, and does not have double pane windows or insulation, so it's difficult to heat.  I wear a sweater over a knit shirt and fleece vest during the day and evening.

MarsGal and Sue - No, I have no desire to try haggis!   Have either of you ever actually eaten it? I'm sure it's an "acquired taste".  LOL   I remember when we went to Hawaii and took our older kids with us. (this was in the early 1970's) We went to a restaurant, where Poi was served as a side dish.  First time we had ever tried it, and I was the only one in the family who liked it.  On other trips to Hawaii, after that, I always ordered it.  I tend to like bland foods, and poi is definitely bland!
https://www.google.com/search?client=safari&channel=mac_bm&source=hp&ei=bVBrWqL5LMP0jwO1pYyYAg&q=poi&oq=poi&gs_l=psy-ab.1.9.0l4j0i131k1j0l5.1144.1800.0.5006.4.3.0.0.0.0.113.293.2j1.3.0....0...1c.1.64.psy-ab..1.3.293.0..46j0i46k1.0.hP68gky9JMQ

  Hi Everyone.  It is an overcast morning.  I had sort of a rough night with this terrible cough.  I spent the night in my easy chair and after several hours of hacking and coughing I finally brought up a small amount of mucus and the coughing pretty much stopped and I was able to get a few hours of sleep.  However, I couldn't use the CPAP nor the oxygen last night and feel it this morning so am just going to say I hope all have a good day.  Hopefully I will have more energy tomorrow.

Marilyne, Haggis doesn't appeal to me at all.  This ailment that Pat and I have is sort of strange in that one day you feel pretty good and the next day not so much.  Hours of coughing continually, which I experienced last night, has left me pretty exhausted. 

It sure has been quiet in here the past couple of days?  I hope things pick up over the weekend.  Nothing much happening here.  The temps dropped to freezing last night, which means that this old house got mighty cold overnight.  The sun is shining now, and supposed to warm into the 50's today. 

I have plenty of food, for a change, so I plan to stay home today and just read and watch TV.  The house is cluttered, but so be it!  I have a bunch of things stacked on the dining room table and in the spare bedroom, that I plan to take pictures of and then try to sell on eBay next week.  Most are various items that belong to my older daughter, and have been stored here for a long time.  She has given me the OK to sell most of it, but it will take a long time.  She needs the money (if anything sells), and I need the space.

Larry - I'm glad that you got a few hours sleep, in spite of that terrible cough. Did you ask the doc for a prescription cough syrup?  There is one that I have, that has something in it that breaks up the mucus, as well as a cough suppressant.  It contains codeine, which I don't like to take, but seems that only one teaspoon, for about two nights, gets me over the worst of the night coughing.   

good afternoon, sunny and unseasonably warm. The radio said this morning, there is still 7 weeks of the flu season.  Sorry to write such bad news.

Larry, pleas check back with the doctor, if your cough gets worse.  Can you use your oxygen during the day? I have a meter, I have to check to see what my reading is, if it goes low use the oxygen, if to low go to the hospital I was told.

Maryilne, As I wrote to day it is going to 50, was 16 the night before. They are saying snow for Monday. One day it is sweater weather and the next a winter coat.

Today is a beautiful day here in the Florida Panhandle.  It will be a warm 70 degrees and it feels so good.  Hope everyone has a great Saturday.  Larry, sure hope you and Pat soon get over those coughs.  I know they are miserable.

Joan hope you and your daughter are getting rid of those colds.

Marilyne, it shouldn't be long now and your area should be warming up.  Our daughter lived in Santa Cruz for years and liked that area.  She was almost 41 when she had our youngest grandson.  Our son-in-law was very upset about the constant wars and decided they should emigrate to Canada.  So they did when Grandson was 6 or 7.  They were surprised to learn when he became 18 last year that he still had to register in the States for Selective Service even though he is a Canadian citizen.  I wasn't even aware that 18 year old boys still had to register. 

Marilyn, you wrote "nothing much happening here".  I think that is true with most of us and that is the reason for so few posts. 

I had an "absent minded" moment this morning.  I take Arthritis 650 tablets for my arthritis.  This morning I wondered where my new container was and I looked in all of the rooms up here and all of the possible drawers.  I could not find them.  I am not out but getting low so I decided I'd have to order again.  I went to my grocery order to add something else and there was my order for the Arthritis 650.  It hasn't come yet.

While typing this Reply, there is a picture of Jeanne Lee beside my typing.  It is in my Random Image.

Mary Ann

FlaJean,  thanks.  Colds are gone now and we are both happy they are.
The sun is shining and the sky is blue and it looks like a lovely day out there.  Am sure my son will go riding today.  Have not checked out the temps yet .

Gloria de - It's warmer here this afternoon - 56 degrees.  I saw a message from June in Soda Shoppe, where she said it was supposed to be 76 degrees in Southern Cal today.  Twenty degrees difference in the Northern and Southern parts of the state!   Oh no - I hate to hear that there are still seven weeks left of the flu season!

FlaJean - Very interesting that your daughter and family decided to move to Canada. Most likely they moved to B.C. or Alberta?  I'm surprised that your grandson had to register for the draft here in the USA, if he is a Canadian citizen?  I suppose it's because he was born here?  I was surprised to find out that there is still draft registration, when my grandson turned 18 a couple of years ago.  I know it's been a long time since anyone was actually drafted, but I don't know how long?

Mary Ann - Still nothing happening here, so I'm going to watch a movie on TV this afternoon from the 1950's, called "Imitation of Life".  It stars Lana Turner.  I love those old black and white movies. If I remember correctly, this one is very sad, so I'll be sure to have my Kleenex handy.

Joan - Glad your cold didn't linger, and that you're feeling better.  Sounds like Larry and Pat have one that's going to hang on for a while.

Good morning. Aside from cloudiness yesterday afternoon, it was a lovely day topping at 59⁰. Today we have some light rain and it stands at 43⁰, not to get quite so warm as yesterday.

Yesterday I wasted much time looking for an entertainment center to organize my TV and equipment better with a mind to prevent Shan from trying to destroy same. Right now, I have a mishmash of stuff surrounding the table the TV is on in order to keep Oscar from getting behind and chewing wires. Unfortunately Shan likes to explore and tiny tight spaces attrack him. I've been plugging "holes" to discourage him, but every time I think I got the problem in hand, he finds another weak spot. Smart little bugger, he paces back and forth, tests areas and after, sometimes not even, a day or two there he is back tangled up in the wiring, and pulling some of it loose. George says that just proves Shan is smarter than me. Honest to Pete, you can just see the little guys' earnest concentration and determination in his face. He is a real problem solver, for sure.

Today, I plan on finishing the things I was going to tackle yesterday.

My sister and her husband had the sad duty to say goodby to two friends  who just passed away. One funeral was in the morning and the other the afternoon, which gave them enough time to attend both. Afterwards, they went to see The Color of Water. She said it was good, but otherwise didn't comment on it.

  Hi Everyone.  We have had a nice calm rain for several hours and I think it is to continue throughout the day.  I was able to get three or four hours of sleep last night and then the coughing took over and I sat up the rest of the night in my easy chair.  I did go back to the Prompt Care yesterday afternoon and my lungs are still clear.  I was given a prescription for a  five day antibiotic pack, told to use the nose spray, and use Muscenex DM.  I am pretty wiped out today so expect to spend a lot of time resting and hopefully getting some sleep.  I hope to see some effect from the medicine by the end of the day.  So I will be limiting my comments again today as don't feel like sitting here in my office all morning. 

Marilyne, the doctor did prescribe the "pearl" type cough medicine and I also have been using the Robussin 12 hour maximum strength medicine.  Unfortunately they haven't seem to do much good.

deAngel, yes I do use the oxygen and CPAP machine when I lay down in the afternoon although haven't been able to use it much since I have not spent the night in the bed. 

Jean, does your grandson have dual citizenship?

MarsGal, your trials with trying to plug holes to keep Shan out of places reminded me of when I had a cottage.  The cottage had a crawl space below the floor and I was forever plugging holes with steel wool to keep mice out of the living areas.  The mice would also crawl up between the walls and keep me awake.  I'd throw a shoe at the wall to drive them away and that lasted only minutes.  I'm glad Shan is such an alert kitty; it seems you have a winner, however frustrating.

Mary Ann

A Good Morning here today.  it's only 8:00 o'clock, but the sun is shining, and it's supposed to be warmer, with temps going into the low 60's.

Larry - glad you were prescribed an antibiotic to help with that cough.  Sounds like the one I took in November, for a sinus infection?  Mine was called Z-Pac, and was really easy to take because it was only for five days.  Two the first day, and one for four days, and that was it. 

MarsGal - Sounds like Shan is a resourceful kitten.  No matter what you do to distract him, he will find a way to get to what he wants!   Way back, I think it was the late 60's or early 70's, we adopted a calico cat, who was expecting.  There were six in the litter, and fortunately we had friends  who adopted all except for one that we kept . . . an adorable little guy we named Frosty. Your Shan and Frosty sound like they had the same busy, inquisitive personality.  He settled down after about one year, and we had him and his mother, for about fifteen plus years. 

I'd like to hear what your sister thought about The Color of Water?  It's been nominated for lots of Academy Awards, so must be a good one.  We haven't seen any of the nominated films this year, but plan to watch Dunkirk, as I think it's the only one that's showing on TV right now?  We used to make a point of going to a theater and watching at least one nominated movie, but can't seem to make the effort any more. 

Mary Ann - I hope you and Dot got together for Church this morning, and then had lunch at the Cholesterol Pit? 

Marilyn, Dot and I did go to church, then to the Cholesterol Pit where we split a piece of cream pie (unknown variety) and also a tuna melt.  A former neighbor of Dot's joined us and I have an idea she'll join us occasionally.  She lost her husband late last year and they used to eat there too.  I remember seeing them come in on a Sunday, he looking terrible and he died two days later.  It was not unexpected.  We left the restaurant shortly after noon and Tom got home about 15 minutes ago. 

It was funny with Kendrick, so often when I go in the living room to be with him, he just wanders back and forth in front of me, rubbing against my legs.  I try to get him up on the cushion I have for him so I can pet him more easily and usually he does not.  Today, he got up on the cushion and I petted and scratched him and he was in seventh heaven.  His purr is not very loud, but I could make it out.  When Tom got home, I got up to come in here and Kendrick has come in to get attention.

It's a beautiful sunny day and on the south side of buildings there is no snow.  Our temperature is about 40 but it isn't to last long because we will be going up and down as far as temps are concerned for the next few days. 

Larry, I'm glad you are feeling a bit better and I'm happy you went to Prompt Care.  We want you around for a long time and after what happened to Hal, it is important for you to see help sooner rather than later.

Mary Ann

Good afternoon, on this rainy day, but in the 40's. snow to morrow, and I have a dentist appointment.

MaryAnn, I read that it is makes us feel better, when we are petting our animals.  Maybe Kendrick will get on the cushion more often when he sees all the attention he gets.

Larry, glad to see you went to the walk in.  Hope Pat is also feeling better.

Good afternoon from a still very cold Interior. The weight of the snow on the frozen, ice-covered birch trees have several bent over and some broken. I have not felt well, not a cold or flu but my allergies are plaguing me, and it is time to play another round of which mystery food and or ingredient has it in for me. It has been since last Monday, but I seem to be getting better on a bland diet.

MarsGal, Shan reminds me of Lizzie of Youtube fame who climbed an 8-inch wire fence, plastic coated, before she could hold her head up. At three weeks, she was routinely scaling a new 12-inch fence to get to her mother so that the foster took it down. She was adopted at eight weeks to a woman who had two six-month-old black cats. Nowadays, according to her Facebook page, she rules the roost, teaches the older cats how to get into cupboards and doors, and takes the highest alpha spot on the cat trees at 16 weeks.

MaryAnn, Kendrick sounds more and more like Farrah to me. Since I've been ill, she follows me from room to room. She sits on the couch when I do and sleeps next to my pillow each night. It is comforting as Gloria states.

At 12:44, I looked at your cam and saw people everywhere on the ice, even very close to open water. It makes me wonder about their sanity!

Larry, I'm hoping you and Pat, with new medicine, will soon be on the mend. When I had pneumonia that developed from my bronchitis, they gave me a 14-day steroid. That seemed to work on the symptoms.

Patricia - Sorry to see the you haven't been feeling well. I also get allergies this time of year, which is always a mystery, since nothing has started to blossom out as yet. A little too early for the yellow pollen from the junipers, that blows around and gets tracked into the house, as well as a heavy layer on the cars  and everything else. Lots of people are allergic to mold, but as far as I know we don't have any in our house.  Not damp enough here for mold to grow.  Nonetheless, I have sneezing fits, where I will sneeze up to 12 or more times in a row. Something is causing it, but I have no idea what.

Mary Ann - You mentioned that you have a good earthquake website, that gives you daily updates on quakes everywhere in the USA. I'd appreciate it if you would post it here, so I can see it, and probably bookmark it. I've looked at a few sites online, but they don't give me the information I want on local quakes.

https://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/map/#%7B%22feed%22%3A%221day_m25%22%2C%22search%22%3Anull%2C%22sort%22%3A%22newest%22%2C%22basemap%22%3A%22grayscale%22%2C%22autoUpdate%22%3Atrue%2C%22restrictListToMap%22%3Atrue%2C%22timeZone%22%3A%22local%22%2C%22mapposition%22%3A%5B%5B-86.73823455930318%2C-158.90625%5D%2C%5B86.7382345593032%2C558.984375%5D%5D%2C%22overlays%22%3A%7B%22plates%22%3Atrue%7D%2C%22viewModes%22%3A%7B%22list%22%3Atrue%2C%22map%22%3Atrue%2C%22settings%22%3Afalse%2C%22help%22%3Afalse%7D%7D

Marilyn, I hate to admit it, but that is my earthquake site.  I have no idea when or where I got it and I've had it for some time.  A red circle indicates an earthquake within the last hour and the larger the circle, the stronger the quake.  For the US if you move the screen a bit you can get up to Alaska.  At the right side you can click on a box and all of the sites are shown.  I wonder what would happen if you put in only to the word "map".  Also, one of the more smart people in this folder might be able to fix it so "earthquake" would be enough.  I've never tried and I'm not going to start now!

Marilyn, I'm allergic to dust, mold, trees, grass and small ragweed, all things in the air.  I am not a good housekeeper so there is dust in the house, and I sneeze multiple times as you do, more likely five or six times. 

Patricia, I hope you continue to feel better.  You have a challenge, finding which food upset you.  I think I don't have any foods that bother me, but I can sense when I've had something too spicy.  I take an anti-acid tablet to overcome that.  Your problem is not so simple.

We've had some quite cold weather lately so I think the ice on Lake Michigan froze solid and the water nearer the shore is more shallow so that ice may be harder than we think.  I do wonder about the sanity of those people who venture out that far on the ice.  I will say I have not read about any rescues this year - yet!

Gloria, if you see this soon, there is a three-way playoff in the Farmers Open, starting in a few minutes (it is 7:05 pm here now).  Jason Day (Australia), Alex Noren (Sweden) and Ryan Palmer (US). 

Mary Ann

WoW! MaryAnn it is after 8:30 here, and they will have to finish the play off to morrow, it just got to dark to play.  They must be tired. the wives have been gone through a lot of stress also, especially Jason D wife as she has small children with here.

Gloria, I watched the game until the end and I hope to remember to watch it tomorrow.  It seems recently they've had some "many-hole" playoffs.  I quit watching one after five holes and it ended with the sixth hole.  Another went four holes.  I really didn't care who won because I like both Jason Day and Alex Noren. 

Mary Ann

  Hi Everyone.  It rained though out the day yesterday and is still overcast this morning but a very low chance of more rain this afternoon.  Yesterday was completely a day of rest for me and although no peppy this morning I had a great night of sleep in my own bed.  I am definitely better, although am hesitant to be too optimistic as have thought this a couple of times before only to have a relapse.  Nothing on the schedule today and expect to spend another day at home getting some extra rest. 

Marilyne, I think the antibiotic is likely the same one you took as it is a five day medication with 2 tablets the first day and then one each day until used up.  I do think it is one of the reasons I weary even though the cough is less and I am getting a lot of rest. 

Mary Ann, nice that you and Dot could share your table with Dot's  former neighbor.

deAngel, having the snow is bad enough but having to get out and go to the dentist is a double whammy.

Patricia, glad to see you felt you were feeling better yesterday and hope you feel even better today.  Obviously Farrah is doing all in her power to try to help you feel better. 

Mary Ann and deAngel, I watched that golf match yesterday until they had to end it for the day.  Right as they went to the playoff we lost our satellite due to the rain for a few minutes.  However it was back to see the third man not qualify to go on and I want to watch the end of it this morning, if I don't forget.  Today will be a good payday for both of them regardless of when wins.   

Gloria and Larry, I have my TV on, waiting for the playoff to continue.  I don't care who wins as I like both players.  Jason Day has just teed off.

Larry, I hope you continue to feel better. 

We woke up to a white world this morning.  It wasn't a lot and the plows have been through.  The sun is shining and ,while I don't know the forecast, I think the snow will not last.

Mary Ann

Good Monday morning, to everyone:

Mary Ann - Thanks for the earthquake link.  It's easy to read that side bar, to see if and where there is anything in the US, that is 2.5 or above.  I was surprise to see that Currant, Nevada is a hot spot. It's near an inactive volcano, which I never would have expected in that area.  Very bleak and desert like.  I'm going to read more about it, as I have relatives living not far from there, in Ely.  Not many in California 2.5 or over yesterday.  I think Willows was the only one?  The Geysers, was not named. There are dozens recorded there every day, but most are under 2.5.  There is a special website for the Geysers, which I'm going to find and check out.  I think it's the closest to me? 

Patricia - By far, the largest number of quakes occurred in Alaska.  About a dozen in Kodiak.  I see that it's located right on the Gulf of AK, which also had quite a few listed.

Good morning from a still frigid Interior! We are expected to start gradually warming up and perhaps snow again in the first part of February. Traditionally, February is our cruelest month, but all bets are off with climate change.

Where some areas have hurricanes and tornadoes, Alaska has earthquakes and fires. In the Southeast, besides the North American and the Pacific plates grinding together, we have two major fault lines bisecting each other, the San Andreas from the south and the Denali from the west. I am surprised there are not more extensive earthquakes.

Larry, I'm glad you're beginning to feel better, and I hope it lasts. Sandy, I am also pleased to hear Fe is recovering from pneumonia. At such a young age, she is lucky.  Reportedly Alaska saw flu cases in the Northwest part of the state but not any new strains. I think the frigid weather works against the flu as it is so dry.

I'm slowly getting back to normal but still feel queasy so am not planning to go anywhere for awhile.