Hi Everyone.  What an evening we had last night.  There was a severe electrical storm and we had a little over two inches of rain and I don't think this had anything to do with the approaching Hurricane.  This morning is bright and sunny and we should get to 92 degrees this afternoon with the chance of more rain. 

Pat wants to make a visit to our local Dollar Tree store this morning and perhaps we will eat our main meal out at noontime or mid-afternoon. Ruby Tuesday's is once again offering their great salad bar for $5 today, which is half its normal price.  A friend will be here to work with me for an hour this morning and the rest of my day is free.  I have only about 100 pages of the John Grisham book I am reading and another couple of hours to finish the audio book I am listening to, which has also been good. 

Joan, nice weather out your way temperature wise. 

Marilyne, it is now looking like North Carolina will be the main target but South Carolina and Virginia and some other States may experience a lot of rain toward the weekend.  The ribs do fine in the oven.  Pat used to fix them where she had to baste them every 15 minutes but recently she had started cooking them slowly for several hours with the rub and now can fix them much more quickly in the Instant Pot.  Either way they are good.  She has never gotten the ones that are already seasoned.  She likes the baby back ribs. 

Patricia, it sounds like quite a lot of activity ahead for your apartment building and determining your rent for next year.  It sounds like two strong willed ladies are now at battle over the cat food but I see that you won.  Farrah must think that you will give in and feed her more treats.  It sounds like Dora and Alan are having a good time and enjoying their cats.  There is the expectation of a lot of damage along the eastern coast and a lot of flooding inland.  If anything we will likely just be on the outer limits of the rain bans. I hadn't thought of that picture of the little Dutch Boy in a long time.  Hope you will get the haircut you want   
today.

Sandy, it is now potentially looking worse for North Carolina although South Carolina will certainly get its share of damage, rain and wind. 

deAngel, that is encouraging news from the wound surgeon.  I do hope you feel much better after your iron infusion today but don't know about that jig.    Just the other day when I saw the Cardiologist the regular receptionist was at lunch when I left and they said they would send the normal report that I get after a visit.  When I got it they had put someone else's report in my envelope.  So much for HIPPA regulations and confidentiality of the records. I called them and they then sent the right report and I just tore the other papers up. 

Mary Ann, since we sort of have assembly line medicine and medical tests now it is little wonder that paperwork gets mixed up.  Anytime I've had tests at our hospital here or at any of there facilities I will be required to wear a wrist band with my name and date of birth.  When the test is performed they always check that or ask me my name to compare with the records.  That seems like a pretty good system.  Modesty and medical testing or hospitalization don't go together. 

Sasha, that sounds like an interesting if disturbing book. 

Larry, love this time of year.  We are not sweltering with the heat nor freezing our toes off.  Just moderate is nice.

Larry, when I go to the ER, they put two wristbands on me.  One is my name etc and the other is Fall Risk.  I haven't fallen yet (brag) but I know it is for my age.  They pick me up with a wheelchair at the door and I remain in that chair until or unless they put me on a bed.  I am almost always asked my name and DOB.  Or they have a "reader" for what is on the wristbandd.

I have been watching Florence to see how your area is affected, Larry.  A good storm often cools things off for a few days but I see you are expecting 92 today so that doesn't often hold; maybe it's a mid-west thing.  It is about 65 here and will get into the low 70s today - sweater weather, my favorite.

Mary Ann

With the Florence hurricane and major flooding on the East Coast, and fires still raging on the West Coast, makes you wonder what's in store for the Midwest or South?  Seems like a natural disaster happening somewhere in the US at all times now.  Interesting how we never hear about these catastrophic weather events in Europe, the Middle East or Africa?  Plenty going on in Asia . . . especially Japan. 

This morning we're going to the laundromat, to wash a bunch of stuff that is too heavy for my ancient washing machine and dryer . . . mattress cover, blankets, etc.  I can't handle those large items myself, so AJ is going with me.  Getting the stuff from the machines into the dryer, and then out of the huge dryer and folded, is a two person job. 

I'll be thinking about Larry, Gloria de and Sasha, for the next couple of days.   I hope the hurricane decides to turn and head out to sea, but I guess it's too late for that to happen?   

Marilyn, I read the news on the computer, so I have read about the storms and earthquakes in Japan.  The earthquake was in the north and both Sato and Sachiko live toward the south.  I'm not sure about the storm/cyclone, except we asked Sato about his location and he said his area was not hit by the cyclone and I think Sachiko is in the same general area so she was/is safe too.  Neither of them post in B&T but in photos old and new or the video folder, but many people have seen their beautiful pictures.  We have not heard from Sachiko in a long time.

I agree with what is happening in our country and I've wondered if someone was trying to tell us something.  We certainly have had our disasters for some time and I wonder when it will quit. 

It was a "small world" this morning and the last time I looked at the Soo, it was still hazy, but clearing; the same with Grand Haven.  The sun is shining here now so maybe the rest of the state is clear, too.

Mary Ann

Good Morning (which may be Good After noon by the time I finish typing).

Oklahoma often gets the results of storms in the Gulf of Mexico or storms/fronts coming off the Pacific in the area of the CA/Mexico border.
One of those parked itself over OKC late last week and "gave" us 6 inches of rain.
I remember when sea gulls were found in the river north of OKC after a Pacific storm had moved over.  They must have been thinking "What the heck are we doing here and are these things with whiskers really fish?"  (They're catfish!)

I think it was Hurricane George that brushed eastern Oklahoma as it made its way inland.

Now "Judy" is forming in the Gulf of Mexico and may bring us heavy rains at the end of the week.

Both NYC webcams were covered with rain drops yesterday.  I could see one of them shaking as if the operator was trying to clear the lens - but it didn't work.  Almost everyone in Times Square was carrying an umbrella.

Still before noon.  Off to check the webcams, watch the news and see what to expect next weather-wise.

Callie, in October 1941, there was a storm, maybe a hurricane, in the Gulf of Mexico.  My mother and other church members of our denomination were on their way to Omaha to a National Conference.  In Iowa, and the driver was going a bit too fast for his small car, the wind hit the car and the car went through a guard rail down a bank and landed upside down in a gully.  All went to a hospital in Atlantic Iowa.  My mother was sitting in the middle of the back seat and this was before seat belts, anyway, my mother died a few days later in the hospital at Atlantic Iowa.  I think storms were not named then, so I can't identify the storm, but I was told it was very windy. 

I am sure remnants of hurricanes have hit Michigan, but nothing like the "real" thing has hit Michigan - to the best of my knowledge.  Over the entire state, we have had tornadoes, with a bad one hitting Grand Rapids in 1956 and another not-so-bad in 1965. 

Those are my weather stories.  I'm thankful my dad decided to come to Michigan instead of others he could have chosen.  Besides, we have beautiful Lake Michigan and the other Great Lakes to enjoy!

Mary Ann

Good morning from another bright and cool Interior! This morning there was more frost on the roofs below me, (I'm on the fourth floor); and you could tell where one of the rivers was by the mist lying above the waters due to cooler temperatures meeting warmer ones.

Larry, you would think I was starving Farrah and dealing out harsh, unwarranted punishment, but I know she eats at night when driven to it. She has tried in so many ways to visually show me where the treats are supposed to be, even to the extent of opening the sliding closet doors and checking the shelves for herself.

MaryAnn, you've mentioned your mother before and I know that had to be a blow at such a young age.

Here we have earthquakes, fires and floods. However, the coastal areas have the cyclones to deal with and they can be severe.

You never hear about other places in the world and their weather. In fact, Hawaii has one major hurricane in their proximity and another one brewing that hasn't made the news, let alone other countries. I have a daily email from a publication, Euronews that has articles about European affairs and another about Asia.

Both areas are suffering the same type of weather patterns we are. Have the US papers mentioned about the horrific fires and deaths occurring in Greece and that area or the floods in India, Pakistan, and France and Germany? Heavy flooding has hit Britain and South America as wildfires rage across regions of Spain and Australia. Japan is the only area US papers have reported on.

Not much is spared in South America either, for example; "the Americas' oldest human remains Lost in Brazil Museum Fire. This drone view shows Rio de Janeiro's 200-year-old National Museum, on Sept. 3, 2018, a day after a massive fire ripped through the building."

The US is the only nation denying climate change officially

Patricia, I do not take any print newspapers now but I do read the news, both local, national and international - not to the nitty-gritty, but I have read about disasters in England, Greece, France and other places.  I also watch the Weather Channel during the day and they do cover other countries.  I don't get "in-depth" information, but a "smattering of ignorance" so I am aware of weather in other countries.

Mary Ann

MaryAnn, I no longer get printed news either, and since I've no television, I don't watch the weather channel or radar. I have AccuWeather and daily emails from BBC, CNN, NBC, Asianews and Euronews.  Euronews organization actually posts stories about Alaska that don't make it into US news. It was a chance sighting of such a story that prompted my email subscription.

From what I've read and understood, there is turmoil all over the world right now, yet if you read US national news, you'd see only current local politics or sensationalism. The rest of the world was anecdotal. It was sobering to learn about the dangerous fires sweeping through Europe and then the heavy rains and floods. The loss of life and thousand-year-old buildings and artifacts have been destroyed not only in South America but also in Europe.

Mary Ann,  I'm so saddened to learn about your Mother.  What a tragedy!

According to the noon news,  whatever is in the Gulf of Mexico isn't named and may or may not dump rain on Oklahoma. 
As usual, I'll just look out the window and figure out what I have to deal with.   
(Actually,  I have one t.v. channel's radar map programmed in my Favorites and can get a pretty accurate idea if anything looks like it's coming my way.)

Re: climate change....   Although I do agree that humans have contributed to some of the changes,  I also realize that the earth has gone through this sort of thing numerous times since its creation.  (Ice Age and disappearance of dinosaurs being an example). Somebody has to be living when this happens.  Maybe this time, it's us!

Thank you, Callie, but that was nearly 77 years ago.  I was 17 and Norm was almost 12.  I figure whatever has been wrong with us over those years was due to my mother's death.  Dad was a good dad but it was hard to be both mother and father to two young children.

As I wrote before, I'm happy Dad chose Michigan for us to live because we've had a good life here - four seasons, for one thing.  Norm liked to ski and did so when he was stationed in Germany in 1951 to 1953, and he and a friend would ski around here.  He was much more active than I was as far as sports was concerned. 

I am sure Dad picked Michigan because both he and Mother had family in Illinois, Wisconsin and Minnesota - right next door.

Mary Ann

Is your doctor gaslighting you?

https://www.health.com/mind-body/is-your-doctor-gaslighting-you?utm_source=health.com&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=healthy-living&utm_content=2018091120&eminfo=%7b%22EMAIL%22%3a%22XyEEYFyXlFRc6HI0TvrnxlRYfqTVf7fO%22%2c%22BRAND%22%3a%22HA%22%2c%22CONTENT%22%3a%22Newsletter%22%2c%22UID%22%3a%22HA_HLV_8CC23F21-27B9-4DFE-AA36-17B8898EB555%22%2c%22SUBID%22%3a%22120349072%22%2c%22JOBID%22%3a%22876995%22%2c%22NEWSLETTER%22%3a%22HEALTHY_LIVING%22%2c%22ZIP%22%3a%2299701%22%2c%22COUNTRY%22%3a%22%22%7d

"Get the care you need

Think you’re being gaslighted by your doctor? Here’s what to do.

Find a provider you bond with. “You shouldn’t be looking for someone you want to have drinks with. That isn’t the goal,” Dr. Bohn clarifies. “But you do want someone who is honest and direct” and truly listens to you when you speak.

Prioritize your concerns. “As physicians, we’re under a lot of pressure,” admits Dr. Bohn. “We have too many patients and not enough time.” If you come to an appointment with a list of 15 questions, your doctor may struggle to get to them all. Instead, focus on a few of your most urgent concerns. Many doctors can now weigh in on less important issues by email.

Advocate for yourself. “If you don’t believe the first opinion you get, get a second,” Dr. Ruiz advises. In some cases, you may need to insist on a consult with a women’s health professional.

And don’t necessarily steer clear of male doctors. “I know as many insensitive female ob-gyns as male ob-gyns,” acknowledges Dr. Ruiz. “Find a physician who listens to you and takes your complaints seriously.”'

Good evening, started out cool and then warmed up  A little rain added

Larry, when I worked in admitting the first thing we did was make a bracelet for the patient, with what they called a hospital number. we were not allowed to make a mistake in it. That Number was your ID for every thing No procedure could be done with out double and triple checking that number. Now when I go in I get the ID bracelet,
DNR, fall warning and a red one for allergies almost takes up my full arm, also with the ports

Marilyne, so far we are safe, except for high tide and very big ocean swells.
I did talk to Johanna. . in Myrtle Beach, she and Wendell are going to evacuate

I do not know Phyllis's location in regards to the ocean, but worried about her too,

Mary Ann, I still enjoy reading the news paper with my coffee every morning, also get the local paper once a week. I enjoy the sunday paper with all the extras.

June good to see you getting around

Callie, I checked Time Sq. and was surprised to see so many people out there. The other day there was a bridle party having pictures taken

Tom and I went to Cheers for supper tonight.  He thought I should get out of the house and he probably was right, although I don't seem to get stir crazy.  I wanted to go to Cheers because they have a good  "Jon's Goulash" that is big enough for more then one meal.  Last time, I had two meals from it - besides the first one in the restaurant - and Tom had one big helping.  So we brought home a big box that will take care of two or three meals. 

I'm happy that Johann and Windell have been heard from.  Phyllis lives in Cary NC and I think it's inland, but I'll have to get out my road atlas to find out.  Larry might be on the edge of Florence but it seems his area is going to be inside the hurricane boundary.

Mary Ann

Hi Everyone. We are in for another day with a heat index of 100 degrees or more with a good chance of late afternoon rain.  People are still evacuating from the coastal areas of South Carolina.  It appears we could be in for quite a bit of rain depending on how far North the Hurricane goes.  Just a lot of uncertainty.  Our school were reopened today as they decided they probably would not be needed as shelters. 

Pat is planning on attending her Gifts group at the Church this morning so I will take her and go down to coffee while she is there.  This evening we will be going to our Wednesday night dinner at the Church and then spend some time with our son.  Yesterday we did go to the Dollar Tree store for a few minutes and then went to Ruby Tuesday's for our main meal of the day.  Yesterday evening I finished reading the John Grisham book and will return it to the man who loaned it to me either today or tomorrow.

Mary Ann, Pat has those Fall Risk wrist bands on her arms as well at the Hospital.  I am glad that the medical personnel are very careful.  We really haven't had any effects of the Hurricane yet. 

Marilyne, there are a lot of other places having bad weather as well as here in the USA but our focus is on ourselves right now.  No need to worry about me with regard to the storm as our area really won't see much impact although later floods will likely have some impact in a few days with all of the rain. 

Callie, the weather maps this morning show a lot of rain coming across Texas and other States.  The Eastern part of the country is getting plenty of rain and it sounds like you also will be getting a lot from the Gulf. 

Patricia, it sounds like Farrah is not taking any chances you might be hiding those treats.  Cats can be very cleaver and capable of opening things as they have observed what we are doing.  I haven't heard anything about more storms impacting Hawaii.  I did see the news about the Museum fire in Brazil. Interesting video and comments you posted regarding doctors. 

deAngel, those wrist bands are also now used to charge the patients with everything that is used in their care.  Thanks for the info on Johann and Wendell and I am glad they are evacuating.

Good morning from a foggy, 43 degree Interior. I've had my coffee and refilled Farrah's bowl, so we're good to go. Today is Farrah's sixth birthday, so I wished her a happy one. In response, she gave me a giant yawn. There's no reliable scientific way to calculate the relationship between human and cat years, but it's generally agreed that the first two years of a cat's life are roughly equal to the first 25 of a human's, and after this, each additional year is around four 'cat years'. So Farrah would be close to 41 years following that method.

Larry, while that medical info was geared towards women, the basic info applies to everyone. However, they are correct in saying that there is a bias toward women. My sister who retired after an extended nursing and administrative career says it helps to talk in their language to get your point across, unemotional, factual and simple language.

I had my haircut yesterday and ended up going directly to bed afterward due to a weather-related headache. Before the haircut, maintenance inspected my apartment ahead of the state's review. I'm finally on the list for a new stove. I have mentioned it in each of my bi-yearly inspections that it wasn't working right and since it reached the correct level of heat and held for a few minutes, they brushed me off. Then the automatic self-clean stopped working, and maintenance checked that. Now I'm told there is a work order out.

I thought I was going to the health fair at one of the convention halls today but found out I had inadvertently signed up for a senior ride to the caregiver's symposium, so that leaves my day free. This evening I'm going out with some friends for dinner and probably lots of solving the world's issues or at least venting about them! And that will be my day.

I'm hoping that the hurricane in the Carolinas does as little damage as possible and no injuries or deaths. I'm glad to hear that Windell and Johann are evacuating. I am sorry to hear about the fires in California and heavy rains across the west but hope some of those rains veer out to California!

Joan, I'm hoping for the best for Candy and for you.

I haven't looked at the Weather Channel yet and that is where I get my best information, although I look at the screens more than listen.  It does seem that Larry is in for rain because the edge of Florence is below where I think North Augusta is.  Stay dry, Larry.

We are at the start of a nice day and it is about 75 degrees out.  Tom took the cover off my new loveseat on the deck so I can go out there and relax.  A way of getting outside, too.  Since I was ill, I have not gone after the mail because I don't trust my walking that far yet.  Inside I have walls and furniture.

My phone went on the fritz yesterday and I don't know if Tom's doing something with the modem caused it or not.  I can't call out nor receive calls.  I do have my TracFone, but it only makes calls or receives calls.  I am going to see what happens when I disconnect the modem for a few seconds.  Tom is gone so I won't bother his work.

In the random image beside this post is a picture of Katie.  Nice memory.  I was heading north one day and was going to have lunch with Katie but she called that she could not make it because of some tooth problem.  It was shortly after that she found she had State 4 cancer and it wasn't long after that when she died.

Mary Ann

Patricia - Looks like you have had a couple of busy days, and will continue to have more things on tap today. I hope you get a brand new stove, instead of a repair on the old one.  Interesting about calculating the age of a cat! That makes more sense than the old way of saying each cat year was the equivalent of seven human years. Happy Birthday to Sarah! I'm so glad that she was rescued, and has lived a good life with you.

Mary Ann - Your mention of Katie, makes me remember how much I liked her.  She was so full of personality and friendliness. She posted with us over the years, in the Music, Television and Movie folders.  I was so shocked when she passed away so suddenly.  I think about her when I look at the Soo Locks webcam, and see Traverse City, listed to the side of the page.

UPDATE:  Dr. office called Candy and wanted her to have another MRI done.  They did not give her a reason so she said no.
Candy has filed a formal complaint against two doctors.  It is all done online now so heaven knows if she will hear anything or what. Stay tuned.

Joan, I hope all goes well for Candy and she is keeping copies of everything. I often use a screensaver for backup even though most things are also posted to my email. It's good that she is being proactive.

Thanks, Marilyne, I'm happy to have her here as well. She continues to amaze me with her resilience and how creative she is. Today, Farrah has been watching the birds and while she doesn't chatter or swish her tail while doing so, she is intent. I started to pat her while she was watching the birds gather in a type of long aerial tube. (They do this first by going from top to bottom in a swirl and then with some unknown signal, the bottom portion rises up and to the side, while the top front portion of birds moves out). Anyway, at the first pat, I realized how stiff and intent she was on the outside birds.

Since she was adopted from a home originally and then abused, I have no idea if she is exhibiting feral cat behavior or if it is a learned survival mechanism? She used to after the first year, come out and greet people. However, now she goes into the bedroom and will not come out unless she knows the visitor well.

She doesn't meow but that has been shown to be only a cat to human vocalization and not among other cats or mom to kittens. All of her vocalizations are not what you expect from cats. She has ignored other animals at the vet's waiting room but that's probably because I'm there and she is in a mesh carrier. She isn't antagonistic with the vet but she does make herself into a small, protected ball position that I hate. The fact that this vet has abused and or feral cats of his own helps as he has that awareness and knowledge to work with her and explain things to me.

Kendrick was fine at the vet and I had wondered how he'd act.  On the way there, in a cat carrier, he was very vocal in letting us know he did not like what was happening.  Fortunately, he did not need a shot and when the vet held him to cut his toenails, he was very docile.  Of course, the vet knew how to hold him. 

Tom sent me a picture of Kendrick on the top back of the hide-a-bed in the family room and try as I might, I could not copy the picture or forward the e-mail.  It isn't an unusual picture but he had not made an appearance for a while so I thought I'd have Bubble post it.  I got all sorts of things on the screen when I tried, so I gave up.  I am using an old Word program and that may have something to do with it.

Mary Ann

Why you should ALWAYS put a quarter on a frozen cup of water before a hurricane;

From Country Living Magzine

When a major storm is on the horizon, sometimes packing your bags and leaving home is the safe thing to do. But, if you're worried about the food in your fridge being safe to consume when you return, you're going to want to remember this brilliantly simple trick.

If the power goes out while you're gone, everything from meat to milk will be at risk. But, if the power returns before you do, you'll never know if your fridge was running the whole time or not.

As Sheila Pulanco Russell, from North Carolina, explains in her post, all you need is a quarter and cup of water. Put the water in the freezer until it's frozen solid. Then, take it out, and put a quarter on top of the ice. Return the cupâ€"with the quarterâ€"back to the freezer.

All of that may seem pointless, but stay with us. When you return, if you find the quarter has moved to the bottom of the cup, then you'll know your food was unrefrigerated while you were gone and it's no longer safe to eat. Found the quarter in the middle? The food is likely still okay, but, as Sheila advises, "If you don't feel good about your food, just throw it out."

Where you ideally want the quarter to be is exactly where you left itâ€"on the top. That means your freezer's contents stayed frozen the entire time. Genius, right?

Keep this trick in mind before the next one hits

Joan, I'm really amazed at how Candy's doctors are treating her. After the initial MRI, she should have been called into the office to go over the results.  There, the doctor would tell her of anything suspicious or questionable.  That would be the time to tell her he wanted another MRI and WHY!  That's the part that's so puzzling - they refuse to tell her whether anything is wrong or not?  I don't blame her for refusing the second MRI, but she still needs answers.

Patricia, the quarter and the cup of water is a great idea!  We often lose electrical power during storms, and sometimes it takes a long time to restore the power.  Of course we are usually here, waiting impatiently, so we would know exactly how long it was out . . . but in the event that we were away, or had to evacuate (firestorm), it would be a good safeguard. 

Mary Ann, I'm looking forward to seeing your new photo of Kendrick. Maybe Patricia can post it for you?

Patricia, what a great idea, thanks for posting it.

Marilyn, yesterday Tom checked the modem because he thought it was slow.  In the process he knocked out the phone connection, unbeknownst to either of us.  I went to call Dot and my phone didn't work.  Today I thought I would recheck the modem connection and discovered the phone disconnection.  I let Tom put things together and I'm back in business so I re-sent the picture to Bubble and you may see Kendrick's picture one of these days.

It was so nice out today that I sat on the deck.  I discovered Kendrick has a new favorite place to hide - under the coffee table on the deck with the bad weather cover on it.  Even in the house, he seems to want to have something over his head. 

I think Candy is being treated badly, but I might have agreed to the new MRI just so I might get information sooner. 

Mary Ann

Marilyne, I have no idea what these doctors are doing.  Another MRI will be just a cc of the first one.  They also do not call her ... she has to call them to ask for the results and then it is the nurse who calls her but has no idea of what to tell her evidently.  Candy did file a compLaint today with Dept. of Health for two of the Doctors.  If she goes over the border to  OR they will not treat her as she is not a resident of or.  cATCH 22

Photo of Kendrick, for Mary Ann

https://www.seniorsandfriends.org/photos-and-more/photos-old-and-new/msg138820/#msg138820

Hi Everyone.  The sun is out here this morning and no wind.  It is once again to get up above 90 degrees this afternoon.  The only thing on my schedule is to pick up my friend and go to coffee for an hour.  So it should be a pretty quiet and restful day.  We are still some time away from the winds and rain from the Hurricane.  I see this morning that it has weakened but it looks pretty certain we will be getting some winds and probably a lot of rain.  I will get my emergency lights and the emergency radio out so they will be available if needed.  The danger here is from trees being uprooted with the very wet ground and falling on the power lines.  I am sure that flooding throughout South Carolina is going to be a big problem and some places are still trying to recover from the last severe flooding that occurred here a couple of years ago. We are just in a wait and see position and know we are very fortunate.  I see that by tomorrow night we can expect the edge of the wind and rain to be in our area.   

Patricia, it sounds like birthdays are not important to Farrah.  Did you have a little treat for her to mark the special day?   Many years ago my wife experienced the situation described in the article in that Fibromyalgia was not a recognized condition and she was told by doctor after doctor that the pain was all in her head.  They kept suggesting things that didn't help.  Fortunately it is now a recognized condition.  Glad to see you will finally be getting a new stove.  I hope enjoyed your dinner out with friends last evening. That is a good idea about the frozen cup of ice and the quarter.  If I can remember I think I will do that later today.

Mary Ann, it sounds like you are enjoying some great weather now.  Was glad to see Tom got your phone situation corrected.  I will remember Katie from Duluth.  I also remember Joan L for Minnesota I think it was who was a retired teacher and liked to attend the Elderhostels.  I also remember the author who had the very large family and was a humorist that lived in Nebraska.  Glad that Kendrick's trip to the vet's went well.  That was a nice photo of him that Bubble posted for you. 

Joan, glad to see that Candy is taking action on her behalf.  I just hope here complaints don't get caught up in a lot of bureaucracy with organization she filed with.  Undoubtedly they must get lots of complaints with the medical care so bad. 

Marilyne, we won't be leaving our home so will certainly know if we lose power.   

Mary Ann - Such an adorable photo of Kendrick!  Love that Tabby face with the familiar looking forehead marking.  Same face as Winnie, and I think Farrah also has that sweet Tabby face? 

Larry - sounds like Florence has been downgraded somewhat, but is still going to be powerful storm.  Good to know that you and Pat, and all other S&F members who live near the coast, are prepared.