Joan, you're having a heat wave!!!  One thermometer here says 13 degrees and the computer says 12 degrees.  I was out in the cold and as there was no wind, it was not bad.

Tom, Dot and I went to a nice restaurant (as opposed to a sports bar) for Tom's Christmas lunch for Dot and me.  I had a turkey wrap, Dot and Tom both had burgers without the buns and I think we all liked our choices.  I brought half of the wrap home, as I usually do.

It doesn't rain but what it pours - Tom said Annie had had an accident with the truck she has been driving.  SHE WAS NOT HURT!  She totaled the truck, which was a monster thing.  Her boss/boyfriend immediately bought a new truck which he will use and Annie will get the one he has been driving.  I hope #3 in accidents does not happen!

We don't have more news about Jan, but I do think things are under control for the present. 

Mary Ann

Good late morning from a chilly Interior! MaryAnn, we are at opposite ends as while warmer than the past two days, temperatures were minus 13! Friday is said to be the beginning of a warmup with a high of zero, and I do hope so!

Between all the things going on with your family, Annie's accident didn't help. I sincerely hope the coming year sees better things for the Tocks!

I finally got round to opening my presents this morning, and besides lots of thoughtful gifts, Alan and Dora's stood out. It is a toasty warm blanket that is imitation fur and looks like a sable. Farrah loves it and has taken to doing all her sleeping at the foot of that bed. I shall have to only wear nice pajamas to go with the new ambiance! 

Other than that, nothing new or unusual.

Looking back, if things happen in threes, while not an accident, Terry's death was #3.  We have only two more days left in 2017 and I'll say "good riddance". 

It is still only 13 degrees here and as I've said, we are to be in the teens for at least another week.  We've had colder weather, perhaps not in December, but I remember one year in February when the temperature was minus 20 degrees.  I was working then, but not driving, and we got to work OK.  I remember I also was not taking the bus.  But I was young then and didn't know any better!

Patricia, what a nice gift from Dora and Alan.  I can see why Farrah would like it.  Kendrick has taken to sleeping on my bed during the day and that is where he is now. 

Mary Ann

patricia, I am happy to see you finally opened your gifts. You and kitty did very well. Happy New Year if I do not get to say it later. I enjoy your cards also.

MaryAnn, I feel so bad for all the things your family has gone through this year.  Thank to the lord Annie did not get hurt. Please, a better year is coming up.

Thank you, Gloria.  I think most of us kind of overlook the bad things because of the good things that happened - the births of three babies, all of whom seem to be in good health.  We hope to see them Saturday.

Mary Ann

Mary Ann - Oh no, another accident!  So sorry that Annie totaled her truck, but I know how grateful you all are that she wasn't hurt.  The weather being so cold and snowy, I would imagine that accidents are happening at a high rate.  How does one control a car or truck, when they start skidding on a an icy road??  I've never driven in weather like that, so it scares me to even think about it!

I had my hair cut this afternoon, and while there, I began to feel like I was coming down with something??  I felt chilled and headachey.  It came on rather suddenly, and now at 8:00 O'clock, I'm thinking that I want to take a couple of Tylenol, and get into bed with my hot water bottle.  I hope things will be better in the morning.

Hi Everyone. The day started out in the mid-30's and will only get to the upper 40's today but no rain in sight.  Just two things on the agenda for today.  The housekeeper will be here around 10 am this morning and then Pat and I plan on going out at noon for our main meal for today.  She has been in the house all the week so needs to get out for a little while. I do want to get started on my year end cleanup and setup for next years records.

My eye doctor appointment went very well yesterday.  I need to use the eye drops for only another week.  I have 20-20 vision in my right eye and 20-40 in my left and it is still adjusting.  No need for prescription glasses.  Since my shirts always have a pocket in them there is no problem of keeping a pair of OTC reading glasses in them for close up reading.  I then stopped at the Credit Union to cash a couple of savings bonds that had matured.  Finally I stopped at Costco for gas and buying a few things that we needed from the grocery department.  I felt very fortunate that I was able to get one of the electric riding carts to get around in the store.  It was noon before I got home so too late to go downtown to the Church for the Wisdom group.  I had gotten one of the rotisserie chicken and when I got home we decided to have our main meal then while the chicken was hot and fresh. 

Marilyne, I am a pretty methodical person, guess it was my accounting background.  I like a routine and my wife hates a routine.  We make a good pair. For many years I went to coffee 6 days a week with retired men in our little community.  We then cut it down to four and since I moved I found another group from our church and while they meet about everyday at the Gary's Hamburgers I usually attend only one day a week.  Glad that AJ has his interests.  That is much better than sitting all the time in front of the TV.  Sure hope you haven't come down with a cold or the flu. 

Mary Ann, nice of Tom to offer to help with transportation for Jan's folks to get to medical appointments.  Glad to read that Dot was feeling better and was able to attend the Christmas lunch yesterday.  So sorry to hear that Annie had an accident but sure glad she wasn't hurt.  It sounds like her boss/boyfriend may have been wanting a new truck.

Patricia, how warm and zero can be put into the same forecast sort of staggers my mind.    That sounds like a very nice blanket that you will enjoy. 

Marilyn, I hope you feel better when you get up this morning.  At 9:25 here, it is 6:25 in CA so I imagine you are still in bed. 

I had two ice driving incidents that I recall and neither resulted in accidents.  Both occurred on downslopes of busy roads and with both I made a 180 degree turn on the road.  In one, I was beside the drive around a church, so I just went on that drive and went around the church and came out on another road and drove home.  I did almost the same in the second incident, but it was a different road and I don't recall what I did because there wasn't an "out" there.  In the first one, I was driving a Chevy Nova with a V8 engine and my salesman brother should never have allowed me to buy a V8; it was too much car for me, even if that was the only bad thing that happened.  The other I was driving a Dodge Omni 4 cylinder.  I had many more driving years under my belt than Annie has, however, she has become a very good driver and on ice you have little control. 

Larry, I think I used to be more routine-oriented because I belonged to groups that met at certain times of the week or month.  Now, if someone says "let's go", I make up my mind then if I want to go.  I would say that going to church weekly is my only routine thing.  I did plenty of meetings in past years, even when working.  I remember occasionally, I'd be busy five evenings a week and eventually felt that was too much.  I was on the Board of the condo association, also DAR, I volunteered at the food pantry each Friday, I might go out to lunch with my retiree friends and that was when I was retired.  Now, Tom might suggest lunch at noon and away we go.  I have a few years on you and when you get to my age, you might not be so busy.  I thoroughly enjoy things as they are now, especially since I can enjoy them!

It is all of 14 degrees here now. 

Mary Ann

Ice here but only 30 degrees.

Good morning from a cold Interior. My temperature reads minus 27, and the weather report says today's high is minus 11 and our low is minus 12, up from yesterday's high of minus 23. Today was said to be zero, then it was to warm to that on Sunday, and now they're saying by Tuesday. Fairly typical weather in the Arctic.

I've waited for it to warm up so I could do some errands. In past times, I would just bundle up and go. However, since retirement, I'm not acclimated to the cold and stay in on those days.

I'm hoping everyone stays safe, warm and away from illness and accidents these last parts of 2017!

Mary Ann - I slept well last night, and I'm feeling better this morning.  Maybe the stress of Christmas and all the company here, was catching up to me??  Yesterday at the shop where I get my hair cut, they had the AC going!  It was definitely not warm enough for AC, but the hairdressers there get overheated with the dryers going and bending over to wash hair, blow dry hair, et al.  They like the AC year round. Anyway, I think that's why I began to feel chilled.  I couldn't seem to warm up, even after I got home.

Larry - No rain in sight here either.  Today the temp is supposed to be in the 70's, in San Jose.  We are higher elevation here, because of the Santa Cruz Mountains, so I doubt that we will get that warm.  However, nothing surprises me anymore in the way of weather.   

Today I'm going to stay home and get some things done around the house.  Plenty to keep me busy, after overnight company.  AJ likes to go to the weekly, "Five Dollar Friday" sale at Safeway, so he will probably buy anything we need for the weekend, and a few things that we don't need!    

It is 19 degrees here. Overnight and tomorrow morning we are to get some light snow. I see that the whole of next week is going to be very cold including a dip into the minus numbers one or two nights.

I went over to feed George's cats their wet food ration this morning and then stopped at BJ's for a few things. Tomorrow, the cats will have to do without me. They have plenty of water and dry food out to keep them several days anyway.

Erin, Jan's daughter, just called and everything is going along fine.  She told me the same thing Tom had written in his last e-mail about Jan - she's at Mary Free Bed for therapy and may go home after two weeks, then she'll have to use a cane and/or walker and in three months she should be as good as new.  Erin said she may take another week up here, however, she is supposed to be back in Indps Tuesday.  As a complete family, minus Jan, we will be at Jan's tomorrow for our family get-together.  It will make it much easier for Jan's parents.  There should be three less-than-a-year babies and one almost-two-year old there, so there should be plenty of activity.  There also should be twelve adults.  And one dog (Erin's).  Annie's cat will stay here (Kendrick). 

Marilyn, I'm glad to see you are feeling better.  Often when we overdo things, especially around the holidays, we don't feel as peppy as we should. 

MarsGal, do I remember that you are located near Philadelphia?  I hope you're not included in the bad forecast for the East.

More of Lake Michigan is frozen by the shore.  It will take a lot of freezing temps for the lake to freeze as far out as the outer lighthouse (red building).  I didn't check the water temperature, but that has been going down daily to about 10 degrees above the air temperature but still above 32 degrees.  It may be snowing there because I could hardly make out the pier.

Mary Ann

Cats, once they start peeing, they can't stop midstream so to speak. Keep this in mind when you read the following bit of advice from a cat foster site.

"Friendly reminder to put new batteries in your smoke detectors and test to ensure they're working.

Also, double-check to make sure that your cat boxes aren't in use first."

Patricia - cute story!

I thought about you tonight when I was watching an episode of "Alaska State Troupers".  It's a reality show on the Nat Geo channel, so the Troopers are the real thing.  In this particular episode, two of them flew into a remote community, that was far north of Fairbanks, with a warrant for someone's arrest.  No one would cooperate with the officers, so they walked the two miles back to the plane, and left.  I've only seen this show a couple of times in the past, but will try to remember to watch it again.  It's one of the better reality shows.   

Thanks, Marilyn. I knew exactly what the foster was getting at....

It's a tough call, dealing with different jurisdictions and ethnicities with the villages because the Natives have their police force besides the State and Federal forces. They also have a rough history with outside police forces.

In the nineteen-seventies, the troopers were still coming into villages and hauling off young children to religious boarding schools without a parent's permission and denying those children fundamental rights or access to their own culture. 

That all changed with the Alaska Native Land Claims Settlement and the later Alaska Lands court Case giving Natives land and self-government. However, it is still a painful memory for many of how they were treated. The Troopers typically go through the tribal courts beforehand and work through that agency.

Bubble and I have been placing new year cards in "Cards" if anyone would like to join us with your own New Year's greeting.

https://www.seniorsandfriends.org/index.php?topic=80.msg115174#msg115174

Hi Everyone. It is a clear, cool and sunny morning here.  My weather app a few minutes ago said it was 26 but the outdoor thermometer on my front porch said 37 but it is up high on my front porch so I expect it isn't quite that warm here.  I just have two things on my schedule for today.  I plan on attending a meeting this morning and then will stop at Aldi's for a few items.  We decided to have our main meal of the day at noon.  Yesterday at noon we went to the Texas Roadhouse and had a delicious meal as always.  We had stopped at Costco as needed to get the ink cartridges for my Epson printer refilled only to find that they don't refill the ones I need and they also don't stock them in the store.  So I will have to order them.  Fortunately I don't use this printer very often as usually use my laser printer that prints only black. 


Mary Ann, I remember years ago when Pat was working as a nurse at a hospital in Kansas City on the night shift we had had an ice storm.  I had to get her to work and it was a slick and dangerous drive but I made it there and back home.   I certainly don't do as many things routinely like I used to when in addition to the coffee group I volunteered at a food bank, taught and served on the board of our local SeniorNet computer learning center and spent many hours volunteering as a host on SeniorNet on the web and a couple of other things.  Now a lot of routine are just things I do here at home. 

Joan, I hope it warmed up enough out your way to take care of that ice.

Patricia, you are wise to stay in when it is so cold up your way.  There is a good Netflix series about a police chief and department set in Wyoming that is very close to an Indian Reservation with their own police department and the interaction/friction between the two.  It is called Longmire. Thanks for the reminder to look at those nice New Year's cards both you and Bubble have posted.  I just looked at them and they were beautiful.



Marilyne, it is amazing what a good nights sleep will do for us.  Glad you were feeling better yesterday.  Hope you enjoyed your day at home yesterday. I have seen that "Alaska State Troupers" program once or twice. I agree it is a good show. 

MarsGal, some of that colder weather is seeping down our way.  There are two nights next week predicted to get down to 18 degrees but it will then get up into the higher 30's or 40's during the day.

Hi Sandy. 

We were, as of yesterday, to get maybe an inch of snow and that was to be all by 10am. Now, I see that yes, we are now getting not so light, but fine, snow, but there is already around two inches and it is to keep going, lightly they still say, until around 2pm. Wind is to kick up to gusts of 25mph but haven't seen any of that yet. Temo is at 15 right now.  Because of the nasty cold we are expecting for the whole of the coming week, at least one of the neighboring towns has cancelled their New Years Eve festivities.

I put a bag of used cat litter into a cardboard box because the bag got a hole in it. The trash recycle guy took it. That is the second time I've seen them do that. Are they going to be in for a surprise. I didn't put any recyclables out this week.

Radar shows us getting lake effect snow, but the sun is shining right now.  I can't see out the window so I don't know if it is snowing or not.  My indoor/outdoor thermometer says it is 11 degrees and I'll have to wait to see what my weather thingie says.  The weather thingie says 11 degrees!

We'll head to Jan's for our Christmas get together this afternoon.  Poor Jan, she won't be with us but gathering there makes it easier for her parents.  Both of her children will be there.  James is going to pick up some pizzas for food and we'll all chip in toward them. 

On Thanksgiving we took the family picture of Tom's family.  I sent some out with cards, but I also had four 5x7s for Tom, James, Annie and me.  We bought frames for those pictures and Tom wrapped them.  He just informed me that he had also wrapped mine so I would be giving myself a present.  The picture was shown in this folder shortly after Thanksgiving.

The insulation around my living area is not the greatest and I wonder if it is even too cool for Kendrick because he spends much of his time sleeping on my bed.  I try to go in and talk with him occasionally so he doesn't feel deserted.  He sleeps there much of the night too.  He may be a nocturnal animal, but I am not, so he must also sleep when I do!

Dot may or may not go with us today.  When I mentioned going to Jan's, she said at first that she couldn't take that long ride (it takes about 20 minutes from NE to NW just inside Ottawa County - we're in Kent County) but I think she realized she did not want to miss seeing the babies.  We will pass the intersection where Jan had her accident.

I don't know what's going on with the Grand Haven site because all you can see is the sky with the tops of a couple trees. 

Mary Ann

Mary Ann, I went to your Grand Haven site.  I scrolled down to the picture that says last four years.  It takes about 5 minutes (I have a danged old cold & doing nothing anyway), but it was interesting watching the trees grow, and watching the Fall colors followed by the winter scene and then the spring buds and then the summer scene.

shirleyn.

I just looked at the lake camera, and you can just barely make out the light houses.  Oh, it just looks so cold.  Those waves are just really rough.   And, the beach looks like it is frozen over, too.  That will be a very frequent picture for a few months to come. 

Shirley,  I never noticed that video down below the one for the lake. That was really neat.  I only watched it for a minute or so, but will go back later and watch the whole thing.    Beautiful place when the weather is nice and warm and sunny.

Joy

Joy   

Nice morning.  Tis 43 degrees and snow is all gone and ice is melting Candy says.  Yesterday Dan got stuck out in our parking lot.  His tires kept jsliding on the ice and he finally had to get out and push the car into a parking spot.

Patricia - The "Alaska State Troopers" program, always shows a map of the area where they will be heading.  I took mental note of the small community where they went, but now can't remember.   Mental notes are no good anymore . . . I must write things down!!  Anyway, I think it started with a B?  They walked the two miles on a gravel road. There was a store there, where they showed a picture of the felon they were looking for to the storekeeper, but he refused to cooperate.  The store and the few houses they showed were basically wood frame shacks. I didn't see any people who looked at all like natives.  No law enforcement people of any kind.  No one would talk to the troopers. A really tough/ragged group of settlers! 

Marilyne that sounds like many of the small off-grid villages with dirt or gravel roads, but not seeing villagers only, I'm assuming other races; is odd because there are homesteaders but they are often isolated with no gathering points.  When entering a Native village, troopers always go thru the tribal courts and while in the village, a Native public safety officer takes the lead.

It could be a camp of some sort or even a bivouac area for a company's workers.  I googled for a list of Alaskan place names beginning with a B if that helps. I am at a loss.

http://www.fallingrain.com/world/US/AK/a/B/

Really sorry to be such an infrequent visitor here, but I stay very busy taking care of Windell and getting him where he needs to go and by the time I get to the computer I am out of energy needed to post!

We had very nice Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners with our son Jim and his family who live here.  I took a veggie dish and dessert for both and we also celebrated our 60th wedding anniversary at Thanksgiving dinner. Really didn't want a big party this year.

Our daughter and her husband from Charleston were also here along with an 11-month step grandchild they have been fostering since July 11th.  He was flown to MUSC's Pediatric ICU unit in June from an upstate hospital with shaken baby syndrome and a skull fracture.  He was born in January to her husband's stepson and a girlfriend and they were both on drugs. He is really thriving with their care is a very happy baby.  He only cries when he is hungry.  They have had official custody of him since October from the Family Court.  The parents visited for the first time on Christmas and my daughter said that the baby didn't warm up to them at all.  You can't help but wonder if there are lingering anxieties in his little brain related to the sound of their voices or other body cues. His name is Atticus (from Atticus Finch in "To Kill a Mockingbird".)

Windell has been feeling fairly well until Christmas morning when he woke up with a pain in his back.  Tuesday it  was so painful that we went to the local emergency room and their xrays showed a lot of arthritis and a slipped disc that was pressing on a nerve.  We have managed to get an appointment with an orthopedic doctor on Thursday after New Year's Day.  He may be able to give him a shot to make it more comfortable.  The hospital doctor gave him some pills for pain that are a combination of tylenol and codeine.  Thursday I noticed some dark bruising under his right eyebrow above his eyelid and yesterday it had circled his eye socket so we managed to get in with his opthamologist yesterday to check it.  Windell said he had been rubbing it and the doctor thinks he accidentally broke a little capillary in the area.  He checked his eye and it looked OK and there was no blood there,  thank goodness!  January 8th will be three years since his accident with the ambulance that pulled out in front of him and he is fortunate not to have had more problems.

There are a variety of good restaurants within about 3-5 miles of us including a cafeteria where we can eat when I haven't had the time or energy to cook and that really helps.  I can even order something by phone and get a delivery or a take-out if I need to.

We don't get to church much now since we both have mobility problems (I don't have much cartilege in my lft knee) and it can be difficult to get a handicapped parking space, but we can watch it online.  I still try to get to my literary club meetings once a month and Windell and I have lunch once a month with my retired teachers' group. His hearing is very bad now, even with $6000 hearing aids and his glaucoma and macular degeneration have worsened also.

Looks like the mornings are going to be in the 20s here all week.  That's something of a shock with the warm winter we had last year!  But at least it will probably get cold enough here this year to kill off the bugs!

So good to see some of the regulars here today!  Want to wish all of you a blessed and happy year in 2018 with lots of unexpected serendipities! Love hearing the stories about your pets! 

I thought I posted here a few minutes ago, but obviously I did not.  I'll have to check to see where I was.  Absent minded! 

We were with Norm's grandchildren and their families this afternoon.  The little boy from CA is a dear and I wish we'd see him more often.  He is half Chinese.  We picked up some pizzas to eat and had a good time chatting.  Afterward Tom's family and I went to Panera's to exchange Christmas gifts and more chat.   We were gone from 2 pm until about 7:30 pm and I'm tired.  Tom was going to drive, but just came home, saying driving wasn't as productive as he would wish, so he left.  Tom will take me to church in the morning as Dot is still hurting.  She will find out something this next week. 

It's another hour before I usually go to bed, but I think I'll go before then.  All I have to do is feed the cat.

Johann, it is so good to see a post from you.  I know how Windell feels because as I grow older, I find there are more things I can't do easily.  Tom is a great help.

Mary Ann

Mary Ann - Sounds like you had a nice celebration with your nephews and nieces. I'm thinking that Annie, was probably there too?  I'll bet all those babies are adorable.  Just at the right age to be so much fun.  I'm glad you had such a good time, but I can just imagine that you were very tired when you got home. 

It's only 9:15 here now, and I would guess that all who post in here are now sound asleep.  Except for Joan, who is in my same time zone, and Patricia who is an hour behind me!  8:15 in Fairbanks!

Hi Everyone.  This morning started out for me at 33 degrees and will only get into the 40's this afternoon.  This will be a good morning to wear my new Christmas sweater to church in lieu of a suit jacket as will need my leather coat.  Other than going to Sunday School and Church this morning this will be a quiet day for us and a normal evening.  I have no intention of staying up to see the new year start as it can do that whether I am awake or asleep.  It amazes me that up to 2 million people will stand out in the cold in Times Square in New York City for hours just to watch that big globe fall at midnight.

MarsGal, hope you didn't get much more snow that you had had when you posted yesterday and that wind has died down.  We are in for some cold nights but days back into the 40's. 

Mary Ann, I bet the family picture will be something that everyone will enjoy having as I remember that was a very nice picture. It sounds like Kendrick knows where he needs to stay to remain warm.  It sounds like Dot wasn't up to attending your family affair yesterday.

ShirleyN, certainly not a pleasant way to start a new year having a cold.  It sounds like there is a lot of colds and flu now across the country. Good to see you posting.

Joan, a heat wave in the West.  Glad the snow and ice area gone from your area. 

Johann, glad you were up to leaving us a posting to catch up with what has been going on in your area.  It sounds like you celebrated your 60th wedding anniversary nicely without a big to do.  When we had our 50th five years ago Pat nor I was really feeling up to celebrating and not even sure we went out to have a special meal on the day.  Your daughter and SIL certainly are to be commended for stepping in an raising the grandson.  It is so sad when children get caught in the web of the parents addictions and it seem to be happening to more and more families.  I was always so thankful that our daughter had no children as in all likelihood we would have ended up raising them.  That child certainly has a unique name.  I hope Windell can have a shot to relieve the back pain.  The shots my wife has had the last two months have given her some relief.  We have the same problem at our church in no having enough handicapped parking as we have a lot of people who are handicapped.  Most Sundays there is a golf cart service to take people to their cars if they have problems.  However, that doesn't work well for Pat as it is hard for her to get on and off the cart.  I have used it a few times when I have had to park down behind the church.  Since our city is on a river bluff almost all the parking is on an incline.  I can handle the downhill but the uphill is a challenge.  I can let Pat off right at the door but have to park a ways away to get back to the Sunday School room.