Regarding the big old house
that I grew up in.   
At one time was a "stagecoach  stop"...     

When we lived there,  I was the only
one up on the second floor
(at the top of the stairs)..

I didn't seem to mind it then,  but as I grew
up,  I would never stay in that house alone.

In fact,  I don't stay alone in any homes
today,  If I can avoid it..   
I find them creepy,  although I don't
recall that I was ever afraid as a child!

I guess that being afraid of big old
dark creepy homes was something that
I learned later on in life.!!

Sandy 

Sandy, glad you mentioned the air filter.  An air filter is something we should look into.  Both of us have allergies, especially in the early spring and fall.

Larry, when we lived in Maryland we had a humidifier connected to the furnace as the air was so dry.  The humidity doesn’t seem to bother us so we never use a dehumidifier.

Good afternoon, nice sunny day around 70

Sandy, I remember the winters more I guess. We had a pallor  stove, which I use to stand behind to get warm,  The only heat upstairs was a register in the floor.  a brick was used to warm the bed,  If I forgot to bring it down in the morning I had a cold bed. We had a coal stove in the kitchen and the bricks were kept in the oven all day

Larry, when we moved to Charleston, very few places ha A/C,  we did have a large floor fan, and little fans in the bedroom. I remember the first year there, someone
fried and egg on the road on Broad ST. in front of the post office , to show how hot
it was.

MaryAnn, friends had a cottage on Fire Island, we would have to take a boat to  cross the Great South to get  there and stay a few days at the ocean.  Was on top of a dune we could see the ocean and the bay and look across to LI

Gloria, one of the women who used to post on AOL had a cottage on Fire Island and she'd tell about being there.  I think her name was Ruth, but it's been a long time since that forum disappeared from the cyberwaves too. 

Many of us had similar experiences, but in different places.

Sandy, I don't know how I'd feel about staying in a 13-room house, but I stayed in Tom H's house while he was gone and I stayed at Jim's house several times when he was in the hospital.  The worse experience I had in Jim's house - and he was there too - was when the house was hit by hail stones.  These were large stones and they made a terrible racket on the siding of the house.  We do not have large stones here, more like pea size, and they don't make that much noise.

Mary Ann

Looks like one of the extra long boats will arrive in Duluth, this evening . . . over 1,000 ft.  It's due at 6:30 Duluth time, so I'm going to try to remember to watch at 4:30 here. Today I was looking at the bridge when it went half way up, and stayed there for a while.  I kept watching to see what smaller boat would go under, but I never saw any boats, and soon the bridge went down again, with no apparent activity.

Then I saw a couple standing to the side of the bridge, kissing and hugging. I couldn't help wondering what they would think, if they knew that this old lady, sitting at her computer in California, was watching them! ha ha

Marilyn, I don't know if it was the same time, but I saw the bridge partway up and a small boat came through.  It wasn't a sailboat but it was high enough that the bridge had to go up.  Around 5 pm my time, I watched an ore boat go out at Superior.  It was first supposed to leave at 4 pm my time, but the time was changed, so I went back to it.  I might be watching History Detectives at 7:30 so may miss that ship.  I've missed some in the Duluth Canal but I saw one come in yesterday to Two Harbors.  There is no sound there and it was king of eerie, yet very peaceful.

Tom called me early afternoon and I expected he was calling from downstairs.  He was somewhere on the road and he'd already done several things today.  One he was on the way to was to pick up a friend at Fremont and take him to the airport.  His friend is from Phoenix and had been up here three weeks visiting his parents.  Neither parent is as old as I am, but they are not in good health so he tries to get up here periodically.

I did some genealogy work on my computer to take up my time.  There are other more useful ways for me to take up my time, but I seem to do what I want to do!

Mary Ann

I watched the Paul Tregurtha ship come in the Duluth canal tonight.  It reminded me of seeing it go through the Soo Locks recently.  It was headed east so would be going down Lake Huron to who knows where.

The ship is very  long and I pictured anyone driving a car that long.  I know there are double semis but I don't think they're as long as this ship.

I watched my History Detective program, or at least 2/3 of it.  Actually the programs are reruns of 10+ years ago but I still find them interesting.

Mary Ann

Mary Ann - I also watched the Paul Tregurtha.  It was not as large as I was expecting it to be, but plenty big enough.  Did you notice all the people on the Canal cam,  crowded together to watch?  I'm sure the boats are popular with tourists, and a fun pastime for residents when the weather is nice.

I used to watch History Detectives, many years ago.  I'd like to see the shows again, but I'm pretty sure that there are no reruns on any of our channels?  I'll have to check and see.

Marilyne,  The Paul Tregurtha ship is the largest ship on the Great Lakes. 

Joy

Hi Everyone.  Today is to be a carbon copy of yesterday weather wise with it being hot into the 90's this afternoon and a slight chance of rain. Pat left me a note to wake her at 7:30, which I did, as she wants to go to Church this morning.  I will go to Sunday School and then come back to the house to pick her up so we can go back to Church.  It is just too much for her to sit through both of these. I did make it to my meeting yesterday, but decided I could wait awhile longer before going to Aldi's.  On the way home I stopped at Wifesaver's and got us each a delicious chicken dinner and this time added a small banana pudding for Pat and a piece of Lemon pie for me, which I had last evening.  We will be eating somewhere after Church this morning before we come home.  The rest of the day will be spent quietly.

Sandy, you grew up in a large home, at least room wise.  The house I grew up in had just a kitchen, combined dining living room area and two small bedrooms.  My folks had one of the bedroom and my sister the other and I slept on a daybed that was in the dining room area.  When I was about 16 my dad built on to the house two bedrooms for my sister and myself and converted my sister's bedroom into the bathroom.  He also put in propane heating rather than using the one stove in the living area.  I don't remember when he put in the air conditioning and think it was after I left home at 21.  Interesting article on the ionization dangers.  Glad you found the cause of most of your coughing.  It is interesting how over time we are given conflicting information about what is good for us and what is not, especially food things. 

Marilyne, I have never liked the idea of owning two places to try to keep up.  I had a boss who built a cabin on the Lake of the Ozarks in Missouri and he would spend his weekends there working on the cabin and not enjoying the fishing and restfulness, although I guess the building was a change of pace for him from the weekly routine of work. 

Mary Ann, it sounds like you made a wise decision to give up your cabin. 

Jean, we need the humidifier because the house was damp, the door were sticking, and we were concerned about the possibility of mold.  We probably should look into the air filter for our bedroom as Pat suffers with asthma.  However, we both use CPAP machines so not sure how much good that would do for us.  At one time we also had a humidifier installed on our furnace along with an electric filter. 

deAngel, I bet forgetting to bring down the brick a few times was a good incentive not to forget it too often.  We didn't have AC when Pat and I were first married and lived in Oklahoma.  We did have it in the car at that time and I had it where I worked.  We also had to rely on fans. 

Joy, good morning.

Another later Good Morning. 

Larry, I think that was a little after 4 a,m. when I wrote the message to Marilyne.  I had not been able to get back to sleep and usually, if I get on the computer for a little while, I will get sleepy.  That didn't happen this morning.   I did try to go back to sleep in my recliner, but so far, am still awake and now just having my breakfast at almost 11 a.m.  That is really not all that unusual for me.  I just do not sleep well.  And, I seem not to need a whole lot of sleep.  Not to say, that I won't get in a nap later on.  We are supposed to get a lot of possible heavy rain later today, so, I don't think I will be going anywhere.

The sun has been trying it's best to shine, but so far, it is still a little hazy.  Looks like it will brighten up one minute, and then clouds up the next.  And, it is supposed to be very humid out.  We didn't get any rain yesterday, but down on the Eastern Shore, they had a lot of flooded streets from a storm that went through.  I think this is about the 3rd or 4th week end of not so nice weather.  Not good for all the outside activities that are planned. 

Marilyne,  I watched a ship come into the Duluth canal at 6:30 my time.   It was another long one.  I watched that almost as soon as it got under the bridge it was starting to make the turn to go up into the harbor.   There was a small boat that just about made it out of the canal right before the ship started in.  I guess it always looks a lot closer than it really is.

Larry, your dinner last night from the "Wifesaver's Restaurant " (love that name) sounded so good.  Especially the dessert. LOL

We had a sort of Strawberry Festival here where I live on Friday.  I didn't think it was going to be much of a success, as very few people had signed up. However, about 15 or 16 people did show up and there were some delicious treats.... all strawberry related.  After most of us had to have a little taste of each, we all were pretty much "strawberried out".  Didn't need much dinner that night.  Not everyone brought something, but it turned out to be plenty for everyone.  We have a new activity girl and she is trying very hard to think of some new activities to try to get more residents involved.  She is doing a good job,  but still  not generating too much more activity from the people.  Like Gloria's place, we have a manager who is not very well liked by most of the residents.  I, myself, have not had very much dealing with her, except to hand her my rent check with just a "hello... how are you".  I just listen when I hear so many complaining about how nasty she is.  I haven't seen that side of her, so I just try to stay out of those kind of conversations. 

The big pine trees outside my window are starting to really blow.  I hope that it doesn't turn into too bad of a rainy day.  We sure have had a strange spring.  It should be nice, sunny and almost hot by this time of the year.  One good thing, the electric bill will be a low one, as I haven't had my A/C on much at all.  I am on the north side of the building and don't get much sun anyway. So, my summer electric bill is just about half of what it is in the winter.   

I need to decide what I can get into today.  Not interested in the tennis or golf, or any of the baseball games.  Will probably try to find a good movie later on.

Hope everyone will have a nice, pleasant Sunday.

Joy

Joy - I saw your early post about the Paul Tregurtha.  I'm thinking that maybe I saw a different ship, but I think it was "Paul"?  Sometimes there are big boats that some through, that are not listed on the schedule at all.  Whatever it was, there was a large amount of people watching along the canal, and it was still light outside.  I think it was about 4:30 here, which would have only been 6:30 there, so the sun would still be shining. 

Your strawberry festival sounds like fun, and something I would like.  I was talking to my daughter yesterday, about the old county fair here, and how the Grange Ladies, sold the best strawberry shortcake, that I have ever eaten.  Generous bowls filled with real shortcake, lots of strawberries and whipped cream!  Unfortunately, the fair is now only one weekend, and no longer has the homemade food, or any of the exhibits, or 4H animals, etc.  More like just a carnival now, with rides, and vendors selling hot dogs.  Things have changed so much here where I live.

Had a lovely visit yesterday with Adam <previously Athena> .  They stayed for a few hours  and it sure good to see him again.  He is more open, vibrant and happier than I have ever seen him.  This was a good move for him I can see that..  He promised to come up again soon.

Joan, it is good to hear that Adam is so happy.

Dot and I split a Tuna Melt and a piece of nameless pie (we couldn't figure what kind) and jawed for over an hour today. 

Tom went to his church and I haven't seen him since.  He is burning his candle at both ends, but come Monday, he will slow down because it is a workday.

I'm yawning and I think it's time for a nap - when I finish S&F.

Mary Ann

Quote from: wjoan on June 10, 2018, 01:31:20 PM
He is more open, vibrant and happier than I have ever seen him.  This was a good move for him I can see that..

So happy for you, and for him.

shirleyn.

Thanks.  Just good to see him so happy.

Joan, I, too, am so happy for Adam and you !

Joy

Thanks Joy, was a great visit. 

I spent my evening watching boats go out and arrive.  One set was at Superior and there is no sound there, but the other set was at Duluth and horns sounded.

I couldn't find anything in the refrigerator that I wanted to eat so I called Tom to bring me a hamburger and Sprite when he came home.  So at 9:45 I ate my supper.  I don't like to eat so late because I usually go to bed at 10 pm (along with the cat) but tonight I'll stay up a bit longer so I can digest the meal.

Nothing else going on.

Sleep well.

Mary Ann

Good morning, folks.

Today is officially the first day that Net Neutrality is dead. To me this reeks of a insidious form of censorship because smaller, less well funded sites, but still of interest to many, will be shoved aside or pushed off the net. I don't think we'll see much right away, but expect to see a few of the sites you like to slow down or be blocked by your service providers.

https://slate.com/technology/2018/06/net-neutrality-is-officially-dead-heres-how-youll-notice-its-gone.html 

It is still raining here, this morning. We had heavy rains overnight, and it looks like we are in for more rain or, at least, cloudiness for most of the day. All this rain and cloudiness is getting depressing. At least I was able to mow my lawn Friday and Saturday.

Hi Everyone.  It is a bright and sunny morning here in South Carolina but we have good chances of storms this afternoon.  Last evening we had a big electrical storm but we didn't get much rain from it.  Pat did go to Church with me yesterday and after the service we went through the drive thru at Arby's and got big sandwiches to bring home for our Sunday main meal.  Nothing is on the schedule or today so hope to finish up the audiobook I am listening to.  I had put one on hold and it became available and was added to my loans several days ago so the clock is ticking on it and am anxious to get to it. 

Joy, not being able to sleep is tough.  I don't experience that too often but know it makes the nights long when we don't.  I sure didn't have that problem last night as got a good 8 hours or more of sleep.  I try to always lay down in the afternoon for a couple of hours and often get in a little nap.  There was a storm over East of us in our county where they got 2 inches of rain in a very short time.  We didn't get a drop where we live.  I am hopeful we get some rain later today or tonight.  We always get good food for the Wifesaver's Restaurant.  Very close to homemade in taste and it is very reasonable for what you get.  There desserts are very good and this is the first time I have gotten desserts with the takeout but probably won't be the last.  Your strawberry infinitival sounded enjoyable.

Marilyne, I haven't heard a mention of the Grange for many years.  The laws we have now seem to make it hard to have things with homemade food.  We used to have Community Meetings in our little one room school house or at our Church and there was always so much good food available.  As our communities have grown larger we have lost a lot of the sense of community and getting together. 

Joan, glad you had a nice visit with Adam and that you found him happy.  Where does he live?

Mary Ann, I don't think it says much about the pie you had if you couldn't identify what it was.  :  Nice your had a nice visit with Dot. That was a late supper you had last night. 

Shirley N, always nice to see you drop by and leave a posting.   

MarsGal, I have to say I really don't understand Net Neutrality or now the lack thereof.  It sounds like this is going to be a real mess.  I did read the article you posted. 

Larry, he lives in Oregon.  Not sure where exactly but near Eugene I think.

I haven't been online for a couple of hours . . . AJ installed our new modem today, and also removed a bunch of stuff that no longer works . . . like my printer, and my old Apple computer, that I used for 15 years, and was still sitting here beside my new one.  So now, everything is so clean on this desk, that I don't recognize it!  Just this computer and the modem.  I'm sure it won't be long, before the clutter starts to pile up!

MarsGal - I read your link to the story about Net Neutrality. It wasn't clear to me as to why, so I'll have to read it again and figure it out?  I'm sure there will be some loud complaints, if certain favorite sites are blocked by the service providers? I'll certainly be watching for any changes.

Larry - Yes, it's a shame that so many new laws have been made in recent years, that takes away that closeness and feeling of community.  I know that Church bazaars and school carnivals, are no longer allowed to have homemade cakes, and other such goodies for sale. Back in the 60's and 70's, when my kids went to the local elementary school, they had a fund raising carnival every year.  Lots of delicious food for sale there, plus the old fashioned "Cake Walk".  Does anyone remember that?

Joan - Good to hear that Adam is doing so well, and is happy with his choice. it's wonderful that a change like that is accepted in today's world. 

Marilyn, my elementary school had a carnival every year and I remember going to it and fishing for a prize.  We had a cake walk but I don't remember participating in it.  Our church had a bazaar every year.  Both the school carnival and the bazaar sold home made goods.  My mother took part in both of them. 

Did you get a new desktop computer?  Or a laptop.  I prefer a laptop now, but sometimes I think about getting another desktop (I have had them in the past).  But I don't need another computer right now.

Tom came home about a half hour ago with the groceries he picked up from our store (he calls in the order, then picks it up at a designated time and after they call him).  We will eat around 7 pm.

I was going to make a casserole today from a recipe I got in high school.  First I had to empty and refill the dishwasher and my back ached so I sat down.  Later I was going to start again and discovered we had no onions, so decided I'd make it tomorrow or Tuesday  The hamburger is thawing in the refrigerator so will be good yet for a couple of days.  It is barely started thawing anyway.

Lovely day, today.

Mary Ann

Mary Ann, I've had my "new" computer for about a year, but we moved the old one next to it on the desk at that time, so I could take my time transferring things. It didn't take me a full year, but when I was done the old Imac continued to sit there, and became part of the scenery.   Occasionally I would turn it on to search for something, or to look for an old email address, but it's really just been gathering dust.  The thing that AJ was setting up today, is the new modem.  It's supposed to be speedier, but so far I don't notice any difference?

What did you decide to make for dinner tonight?  The casserole from your high school days sounds interesting?

Good late evening, been sunny. I have enjoyed the day as it stayed in the 60's

Larry and MaryAnn, a few years ago the Boy Scouts were having a little fund raiser, their mothers had made cookies and cakes for them to sell and the board of health came and closed them down, as the food was not cooked in a professional kitchen. My thoughts are people knew they wereHOMEMADE, but were buying. At our Glenwood Bazaar  we still sell cakes.  We did have a cookie walk(made big money on that on) we  gave out a coffee can with a plastic bag in   everyone also got throw away gloves, Everyone just walked by the cookie displayed and fill the can. We just thought it was safe to not have that anymore, and so many people ask for us to bring it back

Gloria, I feel bad that so many of the old pleasures cannot be enjoyed now because somewhere along the line, someone did something to contaminate a food and other things.  A few often spoil things for the many.

Marilyn, I didn't fix dinner but Tom had bought a roast chicken at the store.  His son, James, stopped by and ate with us.  I will fix the hamburger dish tomorrow or Wednesday - it depends on how my back holds out.  My retiree group meets tomorrow and we will eat at a restaurant where we often eat. 

Mary Ann 

The way I understand Net Neutrality is that the service providers such as Comcast, AT&T, Verizon, Century Link, etc. want to be able to give their paying clients priority on their systems. Aside from other things, it means the paying clients' sites, especially when net traffic is heavy, will get their content to the user at a faster, and with less or none of the "loading" slowdowns that some sites get hit with. It apparently gives them more freedom to block access to some sites it (the service provider) deems harmful or not to its liking, or what have you. i don't know what is included in the last, but it is a license to practice a form of censorship that has the potential to grow if proper safeguards are not in place. I have not investigated the regulation itself in any depth - yet. I would need to read the exact wording of the new regulations to see what safeguards it gives to freedom of speech, etc.

It is a nice, sunny morning and 53^oF. Yea! No rain for a few days.

Hi Everyone.  It looks like today we will finally get a little break in the temperature as it is suppose to only get into the mid-80's with only a slight chance of rain.  Once again yesterday there was rain around us but we didn't get any unless it rained a bit during the night when I was asleep.  We plan on going to Ruby Tuesdays today to take advantage of their $5 salad bar day.  It is usually $10.  Pat placed a big online order with Walmart that we will pick up on the way back home as Walmart is just up the hill from where Ruby Tuesdays is located.  Other than that it should be a quiet day.  I need to order Pat some ink for her printer and a different iPhone Charger as the one that came with her phone appears to be defective.  I also need to get a charger for the car for the iPhones. 

Marilyne, enjoy the lack of clutter on your desk while you can.    Do you have a router built into the modem or a separate device to provide wi-fi throughout your home?  I guess it took only a few bad events at bake sales to create the environment that our law makers felt it necessary to ban such things.  I am not sure we have such a law here in South Carolina as has been to things where their or baked goods and casseroles and homemade candy for sale.  I remember the old "cake walks" that were a lot of fun and the nice cakes that were available for prizes. Marilyne, the speed from the modem is related to the level of Internet service you get from your provider. 

deAngel, I see you all got caught with the board of health closing down the fund raisers. Isn't it a wonder we all ever survived all of the years we have when there were no food police watching over us continually.  Are you still allowed to have pot luck dinners for your various groups like the Homemaker group?   

Mary Ann, when my desktop computer is no longer useful I will definitely not get another.  I expect more and more people will be doing online ordering of groceries and other things as time goes on as it is so much easier.  Pat spends a lot of time preparing her online orders but it is something she can do in relative comfort in her easy chair.  I am finding unloading the dishwasher, which is one of my kitchen choirs, leave me very exhausted.  It is taking things out of the bottom shelf that is hard.  I hope you have a great time at your retirees luncheon today.  I can no longer attend mine since I am not driving 2 1/2 hours or more each way to attend an hour lunch. 

MarsGal, each year we have more and more censorship of speech and some of it is good, I suppose, such a hate speech but even there someone else decides what is or isn't acceptable. 

Looks like our "June Gloom", may finally be coming to an end, and maybe Summer will make an appearance today? Last night, temps stayed in the 50's, so I only needed one blanket, and this morning . . . no fog or wind!

Daughter Sandy will be coming over this afternoon to do her weekly wash, and will stay for dinner.  AJ goes to physical therapy today for his back. He's never been to PT, and doesn't know what to expect?  I've been to water therapy for my back, but never regular PT. 

Larry - Yes, the router for Wifi, is built into the modem.  AJ unloads the dishwasher for me also.  Our DW is one that is very deep, so you have to bend way over to reach the items.  I don't have a problem loading, but bending over to unload is painful.

MarsGal - Last night on the evening news, the mention of Net Neutrality, was only a quick sound bite.  We were watching Lester Holt, and he said that NN would go into effect, but he didn't attempt to explain it.  If you had not mentioned it yesterday, I wouldn't have paid any attention at all.