That is beyond sad and horrible,  MaryPage and this quote from the article is so right!

"A sucker born every minute is a long-standing American religious proverb."

Patricia, for some things, I would not be considered weak, but I would for others.  As I wrote, I have trouble lifting the corners of my mattress.  I can get it so far, but my right shoulder stops movement just when you need it.  My age doesn't help any.  I think it is a shame that qualifications are such that borderline people do not qualify, an area where you seem to fit.  I sometimes tell people that I walk like a drunken sailor.  I can go across the street and back to get my mail, but I can't walk further and I don't do good on uneven lawns.

Tom and I drove to Sheridan MI to have lunch with his former mother-in-law today.  She is a lovely person who recently had surgery for a mass found in her uterus.  She is 80 years old and someone who everyone likes.  She has the wet macular d and has to depend on others to help her but she lives alone with her two cats and does very well.  Better than I think I do.  We wanted to take her to lunch but she insisted on having lunch for us - leftovers, she said.  Not only that, she gave us the left over leftovers!  She was tired of eating them.

Mary Ann

MaryAnn, somehow someone else's leftovers are always so much better than our own! Tom's mother-in-law probably follows the idea of "use it or lose it" and is independent to boot! That is the way I wish I could still be.

I put the corners on my bed by pushing out the mattress so that particular corner is shoved off the bed. I am a restless sleeper and only use a fitted bottom sheet, large throw and a firm pillow for side sleepers. So it is easy to shake out and flip the throw over the bed. Since the spraying, I have been on the couch with first a blanket and now the cheap sleeping bag I purchased the other day.

I keep sliding around on the bag's interior material, but I am waiting until the spraying is totally finished, the guy I hired, cleans my apartment and I have all materials dried on high heat, washed in hot water and again dried on high heat. Then I will reset up everything and give away as much as possible to the Thrift stores. I'm too paranoid otherwise.

You may need to use a cane for balance, sometimes feel I need a long staff....

I have always had trouble qualifying for programs. I'm like that old Burl Ives song, "Mr. Inbetween." You have to be either fully bedridden or completely healthy in this state. Even the fact, witnessed and corroborated by staff, that I can fall flat on even ground isn't accepted as they are not medical doctors. I suppose I need to find a medical doctor and proceed to fall on my face in front of them.The office here seems to feel I can get a doctor to vouch for me but I, after a lifetime of bureaucratic experience, am pessimistic.

That is a major problem with all of the applications for any type of medical assistance approval: non-medical clerks who are trained specifically to turn down as many applicants as possible.  I have heard, Patricia, that the only hope anyone has is to apply over and over and over again.  And back up your requests with letters from medical people you know.  Keep copies of everything!  Remember, in this world we live in, MONEY rules.  There is little room for compassion or empathy, except between two individuals.  Companies just don't allow any space in the minds or hearts of their employees for such luxuries.  Exceptions, of course, are NGOs or NFPs such as Doctors Without Borders, etc.  God Bless Them, Everyone!

The only medical assistance I ever applied for, and felt I needed, was for a handicap license plate for my car.  I looked it up on the Internet, found a form for Michigan, filled it in and sent it to my doctor.  He signed it and returned it immediately and had written "arthritis" in one spot I had missed.  I got the plate in short order.  When I sold my car and Tom bought one, they asked for my registration and Tom was able to get a handicap plate for my benefit.

Patricia, I don't walk on  uneven lawns if I can help it, most of my walking is on pavement.  If it is necessary to walk on uneven ground and Tom or someone else is with me, I take their arms and that helps.

Tom's MIL has always been very active and even though almost blind is keeping up.  She is very active in her church, doing whatever she can to be useful.  She's a wonderful woman.  She and I went to Denmark and Germany in 2000 and she calls me her "little sister" because I am so short and she is tall.  Of course, she is my "big sister", only I'm 12 years older!

Mary Ann

MaryPage, I have had 65 years of attempting assistance. Other than March of Dimes, Alaska's Crippled Children's Program, Vocational Assistance by the state, DVR; and many other state grant employment programs and jumping through bureaucratic  hoops,before age 18; I have been listed as high functioning and not in need of further assistance.

MaryAnn, you and your nephew Tom are lucky to be able to help each other out.

Patricia, if Tom didn't live with me, I probably would be in a retirement home.  And I have no idea where he would be.  When Tom moved in with me, he had no job and he had been living with his brother and wife.  Annie lived with him.  Annie didn't have a job either, but got one delivering pizzas.  Eventually Tom did get a job with a phone information company.  Both of their jobs paid little.  Annie now works for a man who has a hydro-plant company and they do very well.  I don't know how it operates, but it is successful.  Tom isn't crazy about his job, but it is picking up.  He recruits semi-truck drivers and as he learns more, he is doing better.  Annie is always welcome to come back but I don't know where we'd put her.

I feel fortunate that Tom is here because it does allow me to stay here.  Otherwise I'd have to sell the place and go to a retirement home which no one seems to want.  We kind of take care of each other.

Mary Ann

Believe me, from one whose family is scattered hither and yon, family, especially close ones are very important at all of our life stages!

Patricia, until Norm married and started a family, we were much like your family.  My mother's relatives were in Wisconsin and Illinois, my father's family in Minnesota and Wisconsin.  We traveled to Illinois each summer to spend a couple of weeks with my mother's sisters and every three or four years we'd go to Minnesota to visit Dad's brother.  I had only six cousins, two in Illinois and four in Minnesota.  The Illinois family moved to Indiana and it is that family I visit in Indianapolis.  I have only one cousin left.  At least my family is in the US because I know you have a sister in Italy.

Mary Ann

Hi everyone on this Sunday morning.  We expect to see it get to 85 degrees again this afternoon.  I am ready for Sunday School and Church this morning.  I have things ready for Pat's breakfast whenever she decides to get up.  This afternoon or tomorrow I will need to make her another batch of the sausage muffins she likes for breakfast.  She alternates those with scrambled eggs and bacon bit or cut up ham and also will have a little bowl of strawberries or cantaloupe. I have no idea what we will do for lunch but will decide later.  Nothing of note occurred yesterday.  Once again the University of Georgia was beaten in college football by the University of Florida. South Carolina did beat Tennessee so all wasn't lost in with the teams I try to follow.   I will likely watch some pro football this afternoon as the Atlanta Falcons play a late game today. 

Marilyne, it is Pat's computer that is the problem and I don't think Pat would ever consent to changing to a Mac.  Her memory isn't as good as it used to be and I am not sure how well she would get along with the PC if I were not here to solve the problems she runs into.  I am confident I could adapt fairly easily to a Mac but have been a PC user for the last thirty years and probably will stay with the PC.  I do know that people who use the Mac's love them and wouldn't consider changing.  If you get a new Mac you will certainly see a big difference in speed and quality of the graphics. 

Patricia, I don't envy you the ice and snow, particularly the ice.  If we get ice I will be staying in until it is gone as sure don't want a broken hip or arm.  It sounds like your folks did think you to think for yourself and have a wide area of interests.  It is sad when people don't want to learn and just want to let others tell them how to think.  Fortunately what I experienced with my sinuses didn't develop into a cold, just a stuffy nose.  I feel for you in trying to get some aid with your household duties as well remember what Stacey went through to finally get disability approved, which was well after she was disabled. 

Mary Ann, it seems you do very well and it is good that Tom came to live with you just at the time you needed the help.  Obviously it was a mutual benefit.  It is nice there is still a good relationship with his former mother-in-law.  She sounds like quite a lady. 

MaryPage, I am a firm believer in the fact you can't keep too many records.  It is better to have them and never need them than the other way around.  My problem is not keeping them it is finding where I put them.  At least I know it is going to be somewhere in my office.  You are right it is all about money. 

I hope all who visit us here today will have an enjoyable Sunday.

Good morning from an empty house.  Ken and Alice were both here most of the week.  I've been pretty much away from the computer and I'm waaaaay behind - so I'm not going to try catching up on what's been posted.  If I'm skipping over something I should know, post it again or PM me, ok?

During my last stay in the hospital I had a lot of help cleaning and all sorts of things got either moved around or thrown out.  That's (mostly) great until I can't find something - like my bread recipes when I wanted to make a loaf of bread this morning.   

Jeanne Lee, I know whereby you speak!  Tom has put things away where I either can't reach them or can't find them.  No recipes because he doesn't  cook from recipes but dishes to store left overs in. 

Dot and I have just returned from church and OTB.  We changed our orders today to include a tuna melt sandwich cut in half and pieces of pie for each of us.  Then we sit an gab for a half hour to an hour. 

We have a new minister today, called a Transitional Minister.  A couple of years ago our congregation helped organize a Latino church and their minister has preached at our church occasionally.  Now he is our Transitional Minister but he will still be over the Latino church.  The man speaks English very well; he may be US born and I don't know that much about him.  He has his doctorate.  I tried to visualize our former minister giving the sermon we heard today.  This man has volume and his voice has ups and downs whereas our former minister was more quiet.  I liked our former minister, especially as a person, and I think I will like our new man.  Our church needs a lot of building.

Mary Ann

Good morning! It is another cold day and Farrah and I are simply hanging about today. Of course,that isn't anything new for either of us.     Next Tuesday will be the second of four sprayings and so there really isn't too much to do in this transition period. I am hoping to use this period as a time to reflect and dump the majority of items I've hung on to. It isn't easy, I've sent loads here and there to thrift stores or downstairs to the giveaway table. However, I have a magpie mentality in that I've brought things back just as often from that downstairs table.

MaryAnn and Larry, my family has never been a close one. My sister in Italy and I are too opposite to get along for more than short periods. My father used to say it was her way or the highway and she wasn't sentimental, never really celebrated holidays or birthdays in her family or our extended one.

She is innovative, cerebral and wealthy. Yet she gave most things up after retirement to live in a small Italian village near vineyards,without Internet service or the horses she bred, raised and trained, the majority of her adult life.
My younger sister is gregarious with a wide circle of friends. She is the one who owns two scrapbooking stores in Coeur d' Alene, Idaho. She is one who will get along with anyone.

Reading, animals, the outdoors and hard work were essential in my childhood. You were expected to do  your share and to learn to think for yourself. It was ironic that I could read anything in my house yet if someone spoke up, I was expected to defend my choice of material. It was a very pragmatic upbringing.

http://www.seniorsandfriends.org/index.php?topic=11.msg57913#msg57913

Three cam photos of an Arctic winter.

Patricia, it's a bit startling to click onto this forum and see your post with "good morning" at the heat - when I'm reading it at 9:30 pm!  That's even more than the four hours that divide us.

I enjoyed your "snow" pictures.  It is to be warm this coming week so no snow, but our time is coming.  I hope we don't have a hard winter.  Fortunately, my place stays warm in the winter.

Mary Ann

Hi everyone on this sunny Monday Halloween morning.  We expect to get to 83 degrees this afternoon.  Today will involve going to my noon meeting and getting Pat to her 4 pm Chiropractic appointment.  I will just take care of several other errands around the house today including preparing some roast beef for our dinner tonight and taking care of some washing.

Jeanne, I know it is frustrating to not be able to find things you need after someone else has been tidying up or disposing of things.  We used to blame that on the cat when we had one but now must take responsibility for our own actions.    To sorry that Irene and your family now faces such a serious situation. 

Mary Ann, your lunch yesterday sounds very tasty.  I haven't had a piece of pie for sometime.  I think I will get a couple of the one serving frozen pies so don't have a full pie here to eat.  Glad you like your Transitional Minister. 

Patricia, at least you have room for the things you bring back from the downstairs table since you took something down there.    It sounds like you have quite a unique family.  Hard work was also an essential  when I was growing up although don't remember really having to do much farm work before I became a teenager.  I enjoyed the pictures you posted and am glad I live in the South when I see the ice and snow. 

Good Afternoon Everyone..   
I am sitting here on this cool but
sunny, Halloween,  here on  rocky
coast of Maine, with my windows
open listening to a sidewalk musician
playing his saxophone across the
street from me.   

It is really very pleasant...

I hope that everyone has a very
happy Halloween!

Sandy

 

Good bright and beautiful morning.  A tad on the coolish side, but delicious.  The sun is on its way, foretold by a bright pinky peach swath around the horizon across bay waters to the east.  I think of it as Dawn cracking open the curtains of the night skies, only you have to understand that it is the type of curtain that pulls UP, not sideways.  I never tire of it.

This is my granddaughter Judith's 41st birthday.  Judith lives in St. Louis, Missouri.  She is my daughter Becky's 2nd daughter, and the mother of Mateo and Solo.

And this is my great granddaughter Lexa's 6th birthday.  Now We Are Six!  I always think of A.A. Milne whenever someone turns six.  Lexa lives in Boyds (near Fort Worth), Texas and is my granddaughter Deborah's 2nd daughter.  Deborah is my son Chris's 3rd daughter.

It sounds so very complicated, but it is very simple to me.  After all, they each came one at a time.  And each is the most splendid creature ever there was!

Have a beautiful day, Everyone!

Hi everyone on an overcast first day of November.  My agenda is fairly light today with the main activity being an appointment with my Cardiologist at 12:15 this afternoon.  It is a followup appointment from seeing her two months ago.  I have already fixed Pat's breakfast as she wasn't moving very well this morning and have emptied the dishwasher and cleaned up the kitchen. 

Yesterday was a very busy day.  I contacted Comcast as I had decided the modem/router I was using was failing and will could be the source of many of the problems.  The tech at Comcast agreed with me so I took the device back to Comcast, which isn't very far from where I live and replaced it.  I then went on to my meeting stopping at the Target store for a tube of Crescent rolls that Pat wanted for a recipe.     I came home and rested for awhile and then got up and helped Pat get our roast beef in the oven for our dinner.  It was soon time to go to the Chiropractor and when I got home I spent an hour with Comcast to get my new device activated.  Scott was off work yesterday as it would have been his 24th wedding anniversary and he came out and had dinner with us and stayed a couple more hours.  He was very down yesterday.

Our new neighbors moved in yesterday as the big moving van arrived and was here most of the day.  Seeing all of those boxes going into the house brought back some memories of us a couple of years ago and I have to say I am glad it is them and not me. 

Sandy, is that picture one of your grandchildren?  That sure is a cute picture.  It sounds like you had an enjoyable day yesterday being serenaded by the street musician. 

MaryPage, I loved your description of the morning and your comments about the birthdays in your family.   

MaryPage, I loved your beautiful description of the beginning of your day.  I didn't notice any pinkish clouds but I did go to the Grand Haven site and saw there were lots and lots of whitecaps along with a blue sky.  Two nights ago we were at 32 degrees and now it is approaching 60 degrees for a nice day.

I must get myself together and fill in my absentee ballot, then have Tom take me to the Township building to leave it there.  For some reason I do not want to mail it in.

Mary Ann

<---------------  This is a picture of my only Great Grand Child "Fi" ...   She is the daughter of my Oldest Grand Daughter Madison...

Here is Fi with her Mom and Dad:
Madison and Athen:
I think that Fi resembles both of
them.

http://www.seniorsandfriends.org/gallery/89-311016130127.jpeg

Has dad eyes. mum's smile.  They will have this photo out showing it to her boy friends when she grows up.  We all had our photo taken when that age. We were laying naked on a Bear Rug.  They always had it out to show when I was about 14.  Wish I had it now. Not that I would have put it on here. Would have gotten me for posting naked photo's I am sure.

Hi everyone.  We have sun today after a day yesterday when it stayed overcast all day and the temperature went no higher than 75.  Today we expect to get to 80 degrees.  Yesterday I saw my Cardiologist for a followup appointment and don't need to see her again for 6 months.  I was shocked as was finished and on my way home within 30 minutes of my appointment.  That was most unusual.  Later I took Pat  to the chiropractor.  Today should also be quiet and I will fix the sausage muffins for Pat and I don't know what else.  I will eat tonight at the church with Scott and then he plans on coming out to spend a few hours with us.

Sandy, a nice looking family and I think Fi liked being in that pumpkin. Grandchildren are great and great grandchildren are extra special. 

JeanneP, my folks didn't take many photos when I was growing up.  I think the cost of the film and the developing were a factor. 

Very quiet here in the Bait and Tackle shop yesterday.  Hope business picks up today. 

Ah, the sun has finally made an appearance!  I thought we were doomed to a dismal, pale grey day all day.  Good to see 'ya, Mister Sun!

Warmish day.  My geraniums are still blooming their pretty heads off!

With all the election news pushing everything else off the front pages and out of the morning and evening news broadcasts, you may have missed the fact that our planet has passed the 400 ppm (parts per million) of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere that scientists had not expected us to reach for decades yet, if ever (they were hoping we'd agree to measures to turn it around before it got here), and that is NOT good news.

MaryPage, it is pouring pitchforks and hoe handles here and the rain is very welcome. 

Tom, Terry, Dot and I met for lunch today, Jan and her parents could not make it.  We ate at a sports bar and it was very noisy.  Next week we will go to Russ' where it will be more quiet.  Tom isn't too fond of their food (nothing fancy) but he loves their "quiet".  Russ' is where all the older people go.

Dot's friend is going to move in the condo next door to her and they both love the idea.  Dot's son came up from Chicago last week and fixed a path between the garage and building for them to walk between their front doors so they don't have to go around the garage to visit.  The building is a two-unit condo so they will be next door neighbors.  It'll save on driving too.

Mary Ann

If you check out our HOME PAGE you'll see a lovely graphic made by GinnyAnn!

What a clever gal you are, Ginny Ann!  I am in awe of your talent.

Good Afternoon Everyone...
I was fortunate today to spend time with
my daughter Kelly,  her daughter Madison and Madison's daughter Fi.     

We went "Good Will hunting"  (thrift shop),
then went out to lunch and on to get me
some groceries.    It was a good time had by
all.   

Fi was great and we had a good laugh
about some believing that she was
naked  in that pumpkin..   (giggle)

She had her diaper on and
the whole pumpkin was covered
so that she did not get any
pumpkin on her  skin.   

Except she did try to eat the pumpkin
(around the rim)  before they rescued
her.      She just loves to eat food.   

All the time that we were  eating
lunch today,  Fi was sitting there getting
her share served up from her Mom.     

Even though she has been
nursing for six months,  she love eat
real food.      Funny and cute.   

So we had a great day  ...  All four
generations!!! 

Have a good day,  Everyone ...
Sandy

Some photos of Creamers Field, a wildlife, and bird sanctuary.

http://www.seniorsandfriends.org/index.php?topic=11.msg58510#msg58510

Hi everyone on this Thursday morning.  It is to be another nice day here getting up into the low 80's this afternoon. 

We had a nice dinner at church last evening, one which Scott thought was among the best he had eaten there.  Then he came to the house and we had a very nice visit.  He seemed to be over the down mode he had been in on Monday. 

I seemed to stay very busy yesterday.  Today will be no exception as need to stop at Walmart for a prescription on my way to pick up my friend for coffee, will bring him home and then go back to the church for the Wisdom Class, which doesn't end until 12:30.  Then Pat has an appointment at 4 pm with the Chiropractor.  I am going to suggest that if she is up to it we go out for our evening meal.  I did watch most of the World Series game last evening but fell asleep and missed the 10th inning and had to check the news this morning to learn that Chicago won.

Mary Page, my Impatient plant hadn't bloomed all summer and I was about ready to discard it.  This week is has blossomed out with more buds visible.   I had not heard about the carbon dioxide levels you discussed.

Mary Ann, I have never heard that expression for rain before.  We haven't had rain for several days now.  I had met to turn on my sprinkler system yesterday and totally forgot.  How neat for Dot to have her friend become her next door neighbor. 

Jeanne, that is a beautiful Thanksgiving graphic that Ginny Ann made.  It puts one is the spirit of the season. 

Sandy, cute story about Fi and the pumpkin.  Glad you had such a nice day Madison.  Did you find any bargains that you couldn't live without on your "Good Will hunting"?

Patricia, were these the pictures you took last year on your nature walk?  Very nice pictures of a beautiful place.