Tag Archives: challenges

January 2, 2024 · 10:17 am

Too Much?

Freepik

I had a subscriber write and ask me how to unsubscribe this morning. I thought an ‘unsubscribe’ button was automatically included on the blog website pages and certainly at the bottom of emails or texts people receive from me.

I found out that there wasn’t one on my blog that I could find, so I looked for one I could add. I couldn’t find one. That frustrated me. I then researched further, and found instructions to unsubscribe. They are –

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Unsubscribe From a Blog

To stop following a blog’s updates, follow these steps:

  1. Click on Reader in the WordPress.com toolbar. (upper left on your screen)
  2. On the right side of the screen, click the “Manage” link next to your existing Subscriptions.
  3. Click the three dots next to the title of a specific blog you’re subscribed to.
  4. Choose “Unsubscribe“.

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I did this, and found a LOT of things to which I’VE subscribed in the past, and some I didn’t even remember. I’m going to clean those out this morning.

I have had others contact me over the years, and I can go to my list, find their name or email address or website, and delete them. No muss, no fuss. This isn’t possible when I don’t have any of that information, as was the case this morning.

I realize that I write a lot. Sometimes I have to cut myself off because my intention is NOT to bury you in emails on your computer or messages on your phone. Every person’s definition of ‘too much’ is different and I respect that.

If you would like to unsubscribe, 1) comment to a post on the blog and I’ll handle it if I have your information, 2) follow the directions on this post, or 3) you can always email me at lindawlewis1@gmail.com and ask me to help.

Sorry I can’t seem to find information on adding an unsubscribe button.

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December 29, 2023 · 2:01 pm

Making Progress

I’ve finished reorganizing and labeling everything on my “Etsy shelves” in my office now. I found a couple of things I THOUGHT were listed, but weren’t, so I took care of that.

Now I’m going up to my art room to gather a few more things I want to add to the site.

When I’ve gathered them, I’m going to allow myself the time and space to start experimenting with my new wood burning tool. REALLY. I AM. :0)

We went to Lunch Bunch and Kay and Bud were there. We had a good time catching up.

About an hour ago, FEDEX came and delivered the MIG wire welder my husband ordered. He took it out to our shop and brought back the manual to read. He says it looks good.

I hope you’re having at least HALF a good a day as we are enjoying.

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December 17, 2023 · 9:43 am

Possum Update 12-17-2023

Facts You Didn’t Know

Update – for those of you rooting for the opossum we caught in the humane trap in our garage two night ago –

  1. the ones we find are NOT sweet little cuddly furry creatures we could adopt. They have big teeth and hiss and spit. They try to eat not only all the birdseed they can find in the garage, but roam over our counters, knocking things off onto the floor, walk over the top of my husband’s Vette, scratching the paint and sometimes leaving ‘treasures’ on top and in the bed of our truck. They terrorize our cat, eat the food out of her bowl and knock the bowl onto the floor, and the list continues.
  2. The one we trapped two nights ago is free. Our dog Amber got into the act (my husband never thought about leaving her inside – go figure) and proceeded to try to fight with the possum. The possum DIDN’T play possum, but ran across the yard. My husband thought, “Oh, well,” and started back inside. The possum ran BACK into the garage under the Vette. He looked, but couldn’t find the possum.
  3. SO – last night we were awakened at 0-dark-thirty by Amber barking in the utility room. We managed to ignore it. When she started up again this morning, my husband ignored it, but I couldn’t.
  4. It didn’t bother me a bit that Amber went upstairs after I had done all the morning chores and cold-nosed my husband awake. :0)

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December 3, 2023 · 11:09 am

Changing Non-Gracefully

Pinterest

Imagine my shock that I’m NOT aging gracefully. I’m doing it with some resentment, dragging my feet, gritching, and gnashing my teeth. Changes bother me more and more. I’m tired of ‘rolling with it,’ ‘adapting,’ etc. My latest gripe is companies that are changing the way they are paid.

One example is our water bill. It used to be that I wrote and mailed a check. I did this with everything else, so that was fine. Then I was paying everything online through my bank EXCEPT the water bill, for which I wrote almost the ONLY check I wrote each month. They are finally allowing online payments, but they must be done through their payment thingie, which charges you an extra $2.25 to use the service and you have to enter all your information each time, like you never used it before. UGH.

I was cleaning out my gmail this morning and ‘newly’ discovered some emails saying my insurance bills are due. (They sent these in November and the bills aren’t due until the middle of December.) We always get a slew of bills from our company in December, putting me off my Christmas spirit a bit, but I’ve gotten used to it. When I saw them, though, and we haven’t received the paper bills yet, it got my attention.

Maybe they won’t send the paper bills this time. They’re due the 12th, and I haven’t gotten anything in the mail. I went online to check, but then had trouble (imagine that) getting logged on. I went through my notes and was reminded that I had to sign up for a ‘new’ account with new agent in our regular company, and so had a different user name and password now. I logged in and discovered that they were now doing everything online.

To make a long rant a bit shorter, I went ahead and paid the premiums, and then had to go looking for the paperwork that should accompany the bills for our records. I found and printed them. I’ve never met the new agent and now the company seems to have gone all digital, so I may NEVER meet him.

Now that I’ve overcome yet another change, I’ll probably get the paper bills in the coming week…

Bah! Humbug!

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December 1, 2023 · 10:04 am

Ummm..

As I get “more mature” (read ‘older than dirt’), memory becomes more of an issue.

I used to think it was ‘aggravating’ to go into a room, then realize I couldn’t remember why I had gone there. I had to go back to what I was doing, get into it, and THEN I remembered why – getting up again to go DO it this time. NOW I write a sticky note before I get up, KNOWING I won’t remember. I’m not sure I can call this an ‘improvement.’

Paul Harizan-Getty Images

My husband has kept a spreadsheet on his computer for years that lists what he considers important things for us to remember. This has helped us many times. We’ll list the date of installation of our new tankless water heater on there, for example.

I’ve devoted a whole big notebook to keeping stickies with artist information on them so that I don’t have to start from scratch when I feature an artist’s work on the blog. Right now I have 6 pages of these.

I have stickies everywhere – on my desk, on my computer, in my hand, on the fridge, on the ‘go-out’ table, etc. You get the idea.

I notice I have a word retrieval challenge more and more often these days. I’ll start to say something or write something and the word I’m trying for just won’t come. I’ve given up on being embarrassed with names, even with people I’ve known for a hundred years or so. The words simply ‘disappear’ until they’re ready to come – usually in the middle of the night. I’ll sit up in bed and say, “THAT’S what I was trying to think of!” (Unless I write it down on the notepad on the table beside my bed, I’ll forget it again by the time I get up in the morning.)

I write notes to myself, leaving them on the dresser I pass on my way out of our bedroom, reminding me of something I need to put on the grocery list, or something I need to do during the day.

Even though I’m coming up with ways to get around the problem, I’m aware that the problem seems to be growing faster than the solutions I can come up with. I comfort myself with the following –

Spreadshirt

Medical News Today

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November 27, 2023 · 12:00 pm

CyberMonday 11-27-2023

cutigers- @cutigs1 on X

We just got back from taking out trash down, getting our mail and making a grocery run to Walmart. I’m exhausted.

We had TWO Black Fridays this year and NOW it’s CyberMonday, and the crowds are already fearful. In Greenwood. Arkansas. An extremely small town in the middle of the River Valley, ‘small, sweet, but nowhere’ U.S.A. I can only imagine what it’s like in big cities.

I always make a point of either making the Christmas presents I give or shopping the whole year, buying something for someone when I find it and then putting it away until Christmas. This is so I don’t have to fight the crowds. Nothing kills my Christmas spirit more than lots of aggressive folks pushing and shoving their way through shops, stores, parking lots, and streets between me and where I’m trying to go.

Fighting our way through today – just to replenish our groceries – reminded me that I really enjoy people AT A DISTANCE rather than in large menacing groups. We just put our groceries away and are resting before putting our lunch together.

Happy CyberMonday to YOU, too.

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October 22, 2023 · 10:10 am

Sunday 10-22-2023

Pinterest

Listening is becoming a lost art. Too many of us listen until we figure out we don’t agree with the ‘side’ the speaker is on and tune him/her out. People gather on the streets to shout over each other, waving signs. We prejudge based on a person’s appearance and our ears shut off.

The evidence is on the news daily. I watch shorter and shorter sessions of the news before becoming totally upset with the state of the world and seeking some way I can ‘escape.’

I have caught MYSELF being surprised when a talking head says something with which I agree after unconsciously deciding he or she represents an opposing view.

I have to tell you I was embarrassed when I caught myself yesterday doing this very thing. I admitted it to my husband, but my admission fell on deaf ears, as he seems to be more guilty of this than I. He will use the ‘fast forward’ on taped programs with our remote to get to the end of what a person is saying, not even giving the person time to make his or her point before writing them off. Knowing I’m not alone doesn’t negate my embarrassment.

Real listening, respecting another’s right to say what he or she thinks, especially when we don’t agree, USED TO BE one of the things that made our country unusual, strong, and special. Re-evaluating our beliefs, based on the latest facts to come out, USED TO BE another thing that could bring opposing sides together. I HOPE that we can get beyond this situation somehow.

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October 11, 2023 · 9:44 am

Creaky, Crunchy, and Corroded

festivebazaar

Actually, I’m better today, but still creaky, crunchy, and corroded.

We’re still finding things in our house that are showing how long we’ve lived here – 36 years. I guess we can’t really gripe. Things are long out of warranty. Though we can’t replace EVERYTHING, we are replacing what needs to be, one thing at a time.

Last night my husband took Amber out for her last outing, then came back in, saying that the garage door wouldn’t close when he pushed the button. He had to decouple it from the electricity and close it manually. This morning he looked at the situation and the wiring for the control was corroded. He was able to fix it (hooray!), but we’re having to deal with something not working a lot these days.

We’ve almost replaced all the fluorescent lights – my husband is having to remove the old ballast transformers, rewire the fixture, and then we add the newly purchased LED tubes. This is due to the government requirement not to make our fluorescent tubes anymore. Same with the lights in our lamps. When we started switching the old bulbs for the new, we were told the new ones would last a lot longer – even years. Apparently our lamps didn’t get the memo. So far, we can’t tell a difference. The new ones just cost a fortune.

We’ve talked to our plumber about replacing our hot-water-on-demand equipment as soon as he can get to it. It’s trying to die. After looking at it, it’s the same corrosion, hard water type problem that is getting to everything else, even though we haven’t had it nearly as long. He cleaned it out as well as he could and we have our fingers crossed each time we need to reset the system. I keep reminding myself ‘one-thing-at-a-time.’

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October 1, 2023 · 9:18 pm

Can You Hear My Sigh of Relief?

Clker

I’ve been fighting with my WordPress program all day long. I hit some awful combination of keys and inadvertently made the viewing screen unusable, as far as writing anything. One word would fill up the entire screen. I couldn’t even tell which page I was on, much less where I was on the page.

Of course, the chat help people weren’t available today. I couldn’t figure out how to email them, or to explain the problem in a way an expert could help me fix it.

I’ve worked on it, then given up in defeat countless times today. At least it gave me a reason to brave the heat and strong sun to do more weed tree weeding in my current project area. I would work out there, get overheated and tired and come back in, rest, try to fix the WordPress problem again, then do it all again.

A few minutes ago I sat down once again. I looked across the top of my screen again and suddenly saw a ‘400%’ I hadn’t noticed before. I went up to it, changed it to ‘100%’ and my problem was fixed. Ahhhhhhh!

When I caused the problem, I had been trying to change an ‘n’ to a Spanish ‘n’. I had looked up the procedure and it said to hit ‘control’ then ‘shift’ and then ‘n’. When I did that, I got 99 screens one on top of the other of my email screen PLUS the unusable WordPress screen. Needless to say, this non-technical person will just forego the change in the artist’s name the next time I try to share his work with you.

I am SOOOOOOOOOOO relieved right now! :0)

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September 30, 2023 · 9:48 am

Saturday 9-30-2023

VinePair

I don’t actually have this hole in our back yard, but one about half this size is what I mentally picture from time to time when my husband and I are having a disagreement…

I won on the latest ‘discussion’ of whether Amber should be wearing her cone or not. Her surgery was Wed. This is Saturday. She’s supposed to wear it at least a week, if not two, so she doesn’t mess with the stitches on her arm or paw at her eyes. End of discussion? NOOOOOO. Just the beginning. After I went outside to contemplate the hole, my husband finally relented, so Amber is protected from herself again. Fighting over things that shouldn’t be issues is exhausting.

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The 8 Hour Diet by David Zinczenko with Peter Moore

I read Intermittent Fasting for Seniors by Norah Halstead recently, since I’m trying to put together things that will help me lose and then keep off my lard. Norah’s book made me want to learn more – specifically, more details of what to do and how to make it work.

I’m now reading the 8 Hour Diet. It expands on the idea of intermittent fasting, zeroing in on the time I had chosen from Norah’s book, where you fast for 16 hours and then eat during an 8 hour time window. I’ve been doing this for several days now, even without more information, and the scales began to notice this morning. The smirking was less, enabling a small smile to appear on MY face. I’ve been bouncing around about 10 pounds off lately, and this morning I have almost 12 pounds off. I feel that I’m working a 1,000 piece puzzle, but the pieces are finally beginning to come together.

I’m about half way through my first reading of the book. I’m dog-earring pages to read later (like success stories) because I’m already convinced that this might help me in my efforts. I’m digging for the meat – the details these two men are providing – that may lead to success for me. I’ll share more as I go, but thought I would go ahead and recommend this book in case you are considering intermittent fasting.

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Craftsman – Lowe’s

We have a push weed whacker similar to this. I’ve been planning to use ours to do a major clean-up around our garden. It’s WAAAAAY to wet to do it now. I was just walking Amber and came in with not only my shoes wet, but my jeans about half way up to my knee! Waiting till afternoon seems good, but the temperatures have been climbing into the 90s – too hot for me to do much. I’ll give it a try, but I may have to wait until the afternoon temperatures moderate a bit more.

I hope that you enjoy this last day of September. I’m hoping that October brings us some good fall weather.

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September 23, 2023 · 10:29 am

Trying to be an Adult

We just got home from taking Amber to the vet.

Two days ago she came in with swollen eyes. Yesterday the swelling was down and she seemed to be improving. This morning I called the vet’s office and we saw the vet first thing.

He gave her a shot and gave us some cream to put in her eyes twice a day. The only diagnosis was, ‘she got into something.’ (with our yard and Amber’s personality, it’s a question of which hole did she NOT put her nose into, or which stand of weeds did she NOT run through, or which critter did she NOT confront. )

The rest of the exam was concerning, though. We pointed out a knot on her front leg and a lump on her belly. The vet wants to remove the knot. He isn’t concerned about the knot itself, but the healing that is needed for sutures after should it continue to grow. The lump on her belly is a fatty tumor. He’s not concerned about that, either.

What we DIDN’T notice was a lump on her neck. He IS concerned about that. We will take her in first thing Monday morning for a fine needle aspiration of that neck lump plus removal of the knot on her leg. The vet is concerned the lump in the neck may indicate cancer.

I’m concentrating this weekend on getting the cream in her eyes about 4 pm and 8pm today, twice tomorrow, and then getting her to the vet by 8:30 a.m. Monday (remembering to bring her in on an empty stomach).

I’m trying to be an adult about the possibility of cancer. I’ll try to keep busy the rest of the weekend, and do my worrying when we know what we’re dealing with.

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September 16, 2023 · 9:59 am

Lots of New Things –

123RF

We have a paper that comes out every two weeks, I think. It’s free and I get it when we go to Lunch Bunch. I was FLOORED when I read one article on the front page, listing a bunch of stuff about which I was not aware that is or will happen in our little town of Greenwood.

THING ONE – I’ve told you about the bridge between us and town being completely taken out and replaced. It is finished for all practical purposes, but the barricades are still up and it isn’t open for traffic, so we are still having to go to town a back way that is much longer and aggravating.

THING TWO – Now it looks like just as this bridge is opening and we can enjoy getting back to our normal route to town, the main road to town is going to be barricaded by another thing.

The powers that be have long discussed a bypass that would go past the ‘square’ in town, easing the bad traffic that happens twice a day due to people trying to drive through Greenwood from towns to the east – with people trying to get to work in Fort Smith – plus the traffic caused by kids trying to get to, or leave, school by buses and what my husband calls, “Mommy traffic.” This has been a pie-in-the-sky thing for years. Apparently, Phase I of the bypass will START before the end of THIS YEAR! This will obliterate the intersection of Hwy 10 and Hwy 96 – an intersection we have to go through to get to town. Oh, GOOD!

I read a lot about it online yesterday, studying maps provided. They said it is due to start in November – no estimated end date. This would mean that the back way we’re having to take NOW wouldn’t be possible, NOR our normal route to town. We’ll have to take a rural road that goes into pasture-type land behind our house and WAAAAAAAY out to HWY 71 South and then BACK to GREENWOOD…. to tell you I’m not looking forward to this is a vast understatement.

THING THREE –apparently, they’re going to build a new medical center to replace the one where our primary doctor is, from just off the square in town to out on HWY 71.

THING FOUR – likewise, they’re going to build a new library to replace the easy-to-get-to one in town out to HWY 71.

THING FIVE –They are going to build a new Senior Center – you guessed it – out on HWY 71.

They say this will be more ‘convenient’ for people living in South Sebastian County. I have to admit feeling a bit selfish. I like things they way they are. The only one of these last three that won’t affect us yet is the Senior Center. I may be as old as dirt, but I’m not old enough to go there to do anything yet, and may never be. :0)

I guess that’s the list. I’m still feeling pretty shell-shocked. Too many changes in too little time.

I have to tell you that I’m pleased with myself for handling the problem of our pharmacist retiring and sending my husband’s prescription to Walgreens – something that meant we would have to drive to Ft. Smith once a month. I asked our doctor to call the prescription in to Humana. They did that, and I got confirmation today that the med is on its way. HOORAY.

I hope that you are able to handle the changes happening in your life – whether they are simply small and irritating, intimidating, or even scary or life-changing. Try to handle one thing at a time and try not to feel stressed. We can do this.

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September 10, 2023 · 11:07 am

Sunny Sunday 9-10-2023

junerollins.wordpress.com

I hope you’re enjoying your day.

It’s sunny and 74 here right now. Since our weather is forecast to be much more civilized in the coming week, I’m going to try to get something done outside each day. This will be good for the yard AND my trying to move more. Today’s project is pulling out the dead tomato plants and cleaning up the planters.

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Challenges –

THING ONE– We have Humana. I got a letter saying that since they were having trouble contacting me, they had cancelled my auto-renew authorizations on meds. ARRRRGH. The whole point of auto-renew is that they shouldn’t HAVE to contact you! ARRRGH again. I tried to solve this online, but it wasn’t working. I got on my phone, installed their app, and tried again. This went through fine, but I really don’t like having a lot on my phone…

THING TWO – I purchased a year’s worth of heartworm preventive medicine for Amber last week. I had to give my vet’s info. I did that. I got a call later in the week that said my vet’s office said they wanted me to go through them. That meant my purchase was cancelled. Since we had used the last pill, we went and bought 6 months worth at the vet. I’ve just written them an email telling them that I could save $40 on the 12 month supply online, explaining that we are on a fixed income and need to watch our money carefully, asking him to reconsider. We’ll see.

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I’m going to jump outside now and see if I can do some good on the tomato plants. I’ll be back later.

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August 30, 2023 · 10:01 am

Hooray!

YouTube

My husband has always been our fix-it person. He can look at something, figure out how it works, see why it ISN’T working, and FIX it. This has saved us untold money over the years and won my admiration years ago, since “I” look at things with a glazed look in my eye and think, “Magic.”

He is still able, to some degree, to do this. Two years ago, however, he had a stroke. And then another one later. He has recovered largely, but has trouble typing and intermittently has trouble speaking, etc. He is many times looking at ME, the most non-technical person on the planet, to figure out why something isn’t working and fix it. We’re in big trouble…

Last night he wanted ME to reprogram our two irrigation system controllers in the well house, switch them to ‘manual’ for a test, and then switch them back. Tonight we’ll work on where the water on the floor in the well house is coming from.

This morning he mentioned that there was a red flashing light on the floor under the dishwasher. When we turn the dishwasher on, there is a red light that shines on the floor showing it is on. (This is the one that is flashing now when the washer is NOT running.) I got out our paperwork, but there is no troubleshooting information. I got on the net and looked up ‘troubleshooting’ for our make and model of dishwasher. The only information I could find readily was information on cleaning the filter. Since I didn’t realize we HAD a filter, I figured I should start there. :0)

I actually found it, removed it, washed it and put it back in. The light was still flashing. I held the ‘start’ button for 3 seconds, in effect resetting the system. The flashing light went off. MAYBE cleaning the filter and resetting the system was all it needed. Fingers are crossed, but the jury is still out at this point. I’m declaring victory, though, until the flashing light starts again…

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August 9, 2023 · 11:54 am

We Prevailed!

Vintage Hardware and Lighting

We just finished changing out the fluorescent tubes for LED T8 tubes and rewiring the fixture in my art room. We had the easiest time yet, with absolutely no problems – no accidents, no harsh words, no bloodshed. :0)

I spent yesterday afternoon moving stuff out of the way and putting the ladder under the fixture so it would be ready. I did well because the ladder went right where he needed it to work as comfortably as possible.

After we did that – in record time – I showed him one of the lights that is attached to my drafting table. In moving the table a bit to get it out of the way, I broke the plastic thingie that the light fits into in order to attach to the table. :0(

Thankfully, we had another one in the shop. I was able to put the replacement part on myself – with some fumbling around – but he doesn’t need to know that.

This afternoon I’ll work on getting my art room back together. If I can get that done, I’ll continue working on the Christmas presents for my friends, sort my new marker collection, and more!

Since it’s raining off and on, this is a good ‘stay-at-home-and-be-happy-we’re-dry’ day.

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July 25, 2023 · 9:56 am

Too Quiet

Bouncy Mustard

If you’re a parent, grandparent or teacher, you know that ‘quiet’ may not be a good thing.

I had that feeling right after breakfast this morning. I sat down at the computer with my cup of coffee, but my husband didn’t come into the office. I couldn’t hear the TV, either. That, in and of itself, wasn’t worrisome, but I got up and checked and his chair was empty. The dog was out, too. Ominous.

I looked out at the shop and my heart stopped. The tall ladder was propped against the side of the shop with the people door open. I tried to walk calmly out there, but I was scanning the shop roof as I walked. I didn’t see him up there.

I found him in the shop, getting ready to come out. My heart started beating again, but he wasn’t finished. We got a new whirligig for the deck lately and my husband had attached it to the railing. He decided that he wanted to move it from there and hang it from the wood that ran around the outside of the deck roof; hence, the ladder.

I carried the Makita and the screws. He carried the ladder. I held it steady while he went up, handed him the Makita when he had the end of the whirligig where he wanted it, climbed the ladder behind him to put the screw on the end of the Makita. He ALMOST got it to work, but the screw fell into the grass never to be found again. We did it again, and this time, it worked. He added one more screw on the other side of the hanging thingie and handed me the Makita. I held the ladder steady while he came back down. We took things back to the shop and he said, “That’s it for me for the day.”

As we walked back to the shop, he told me the project went much easier because I was out there. I quietly mentioned that it would be good if he let me know what he wanted to do before he went out there, so that I could help. He said, “I thought I could do it.” I smiled and said, “Do you want me to put that on your tombstone?”

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July 16, 2023 · 10:35 am

Gnashing My Teeth

Dimented Stitches on Etsy

The last couple of days have been challenging. I’m a reasonably calm person. I won’t say, “nice,” because it’s hard to judge from the inside. But I have found that most people don’t have trouble dealing with me.

I have been on my last nerve the last couple of days with my husband. The idea of a hole in the back yard dug by my friend with the backhoe beckons.

Friday we were driving home from errands and it was so hot the dash cam was hanging from its cord when we got in the car. I put it back up and we started home. My husband wasn’t happy with its ‘attitude’, though, wanting it to tilt downward more. I change the thing three times as we drove. He suddenly pulled to the side of the road, yelled at me, and did it himself. I did NOT bite him in the leg, although I have to admit I thought about it.

Later when we were converting fluorescent fixtures to accepting LED tubes, he had trouble getting the legs of the step ladder to close. He started acting like a two-year-old having a tantrum and I told him I would handle it. He looked at me as if I had sprouted another head and then threw up his hands and said, “Okay, YOU do it!” and left the room. I did it and put the ladder back in the garage.

Later, he asked me what happened with the ladder. When I told him, he went to the garage to check, obviously not believing me. He came back inside, saying nothing. Later, he asked me how I got the legs to close. I explained what I did. He looked at me a minute and then went back to reading.

To his considerable credit, this is a man who has fixed things his whole life. He can look at something and figure out how it works, figure out why it isn’t working, and figure out what to do to fix it.

In the past couple of years he has had two mini-strokes. He is doing remarkably well, but he has trouble speaking at times, has difficulty typing, and gets frustrated with stuff like smart phones (which I have to admit are smarter than both of us together). Most of the time he handles the changes very well, even with humor. A lot of the time you can’t tell anything has changed.

The biggest thing I’M seeing is the change in temperament. He has to ask me to figure out how to change which chime sounds on the driveway detector, and this HAS to be frustrating for him.

We’re trying to get the lowest price possible on a medication he takes. We’re in the “donut hole” on Medicare for the first time ever, and the price for this med skyrocketed. I found a place where we could get it more cheaply. He said he would rather write the manufacturer because he saw a deal they were offering. Several days have past and we haven’t heard from them. I asked him about it and he said he had heard from them and put it in his important folder on the computer. When I read it, there was nothing about the special price. He didn’t remember telling me about any prices. So now I’ve written our doc to ask her for a prescription so we can get what he needs.

Whole new “ballgame” and it’s difficult to deal with since I’m older than dirt.

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July 3, 2023 · 10:22 am

Did It!

We have the first floor now almost completely converted from the old-style fluorescent fixtures, ballast transformers and tubes to the new-style LED tubes. We put fluorescents everywhere when we built because we liked the fact that they last a long time and give a really good amount of light.

We just learned that the tubes we have been using will no longer be made starting this August (!) so we really had no choice. My husband ordered a box of LED lights (count of 30). He got antsy waiting for the delivery, so he went to our local Yeager’s and bought the 6 tubes they had that were the color we had ordered online. We laboriously put the six in and then the box of 30 more arrived.

We have now finished the kitchen (above). Last night my husband sneaked in and converted the one in the pantry. (He said the last two tubes were “calling to him.”)

The only fixture left to be converted on the first floor now is the back bathroom, beyond the utility room.

Yesterday we spent all day converting these three fixtures in our office. We worked well together. In fact, my husband complimented me on what a good job I did helping him, anticipating which tool he would need when, etc., plus “helping him stay calm.” He cooperated with my insisting we take breaks, hydrate, eat lunch, etc. and this, I think, helped both of us a lot.

I’ve been having to flip the switch in the office 5 or 6 times each morning in an effort to get all three fixtures lit at the same time. Now, one flip and the room is ablaze in light! I keep finding myself expecting a light to suddenly go off. :0)

The tubes are expensive, but the regular fluorescents weren’t cheap, either. They are supposed to last 50,000 hours. They use less energy. They allowed us to get rid of the ballast transformers which were failing. Even though the conversion is a lot of work, these tubes may last longer than we do. :0)

We have another box ordered, but we have agreed (at least right now) to replace the upstairs tubes as they fail, rather than continue the race we’ve been on lately. Having been married to this man 54 years now, I know that this agreement will probably last until the delivery of the box of tubes, but at least I’ll get a break until the 20th, when the delivery is estimated.

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June 29, 2023 · 10:33 am

Thursday 6-29-2023

Forwarded by a friend.

I’m having a grumpy day. I’m still feeling the stress about spending the whole day yesterday doing really laborious and possibly dangerous stuff, not finishing until well after dinner.

I’m delighted that the used air pump we got for the bed seems to be working and the mattress held the air pressure last night. In fact, the mattress was a bit TOO firm. :0) I’ll adjust that tonight.

LightUp.com

We changed out the tubes in one 4′, 4-tube fluorescent light fixture in the kitchen, taking out the old T12 (I think) tubes and putting in the new LED T8 tubes. We finally got it accomplished, but it took all afternoon.

When we were both tired, my husband decided he wanted to put the big thermostat in the master bath window. I got in there to find he had torn a hole in the screen trying to do it and was busily trying to make another one. A ‘discussion’ ensued and I finally got the thermostat. I stood on the whirlpool tub and shut the top part of the window that shouldn’t have been opened at all. I opened the bottom part and slid the thermostat in where it belonged. My husband realized this morning what he did, so now the replacement of the screen is on our ever-growing list.

The replacement battery for my Dyson isn’t working. It ISN’T a ‘Dyson’ battery, but that shouldn’t be a problem. My husband is looking into the problem, seeing if there is another, more powerful one we can try. Apparently, he didn’t look at the actual Dyson replacement batteries, to see if they are affordable, so hopefully, he’ll do that today. He is also working on trying to get the old air pump for the bed to work. If he can do that, we’ll have a backup.

5News

My sweet cousin/friend Murray has just moved to Fayetteville AR and is in the 105-109 degree part of this. Welcome to AR, Sweet Murray!

We are in the 105-115 degree part of this in Greenwood, just southeast of Fort Smith. I think we have at least one more day of this ‘intense heat warning’ before we move to ‘just-plain-too-hot’.

If you’re in the super hot warning areas, please be safe.

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June 28, 2023 · 3:23 pm

Grrrrrrr

Clipart Library

I may very well be bald as an egg by the end of the day. My husband is on a tear and it’s impossible to stop him without completely decking him – though I’m thinking about that as I type.

We got the new/used air pump we bought on eBay today. My husband disappeared, when I thought he was in his chair reading, and took the old one out, put the new one in, and it WORKS! We just now went up with soapy water to see if we could find any leaks in the mattress. We didn’t, after extensive testing, so we’re suspecting that the leak came from the connections to the failing air pump. We are now letting the mattress dry before we try to put the bed together again, put on fresh sheets, etc.

I have the washer going to wash the mattress pad and then the sheets we took off, or I DID. My husband came in and announced, “The washer isn’t working.” Since it was when I left it, I got up and checked. ‘SOMEONE’ had pushed buttons – putting it in a waiting state. When I asked him, he said, “Well, it wasn’t working, so I pushed some buttons.” I got it going again.

Then I saw the stair lights were on and figured out he was upstairs again. I went up to find him with one of the new LED tubes in his hand, looking around. I finally found out he was looking for his glasses. I pointed to his shirt, where they were hanging on his front. He had the good grace to look sheepish, but I asked him why he was up there with the tube. He then said he was going to put in one of the new tubes in the kitchen.

We had a ‘discussion’ at this point, since he told me earlier that we were only going to tackle one of the project things today and were already in the middle of the bed project. He said, “Well, that’s drying and we can see if this tube stuff is going to work. I objected, since I am usually there to receive the old tubes and hand him the new. AND this will be a matter of taking the ballast transformer out, rewiring, and THEN putting new tubes in. I told him I really didn’t want to get into that today.

He said, “That’s fine. I can do it myself.” After growling to myself (I think) I mentioned that if he was going to do this, he should do it in the utility room where the only ceiling light we had only had one dim tube working.

I’m giving myself a chance to cool down mentally a bit and then I’ll go check on him. It used to be that we could do our separate projects, if needed, without even thinking about it. This is no longer the case and I find I may need to check on eBay to see if they have any used brains with an extra supply of patience for sale.

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June 20, 2023 · 9:33 am

I’m a Wuss

Adobe

We go for our 6-month teeth cleaning this morning. I’ve always been afraid to go to the dentist. This fear intensified when my my mom was diagnosed with oral cancer and died of it.

Each time before we go I have a recurring nightmare about our driving in the Vette, going to the dentist. (My husband puts on the gas when I would put on the brake in any given situation. The Vette makes this tendency worse.)

In the nightmare, my husband has another stroke while driving. I’m trying to steer the car to the side of the busy traffic and get it stopped while he is fighting me, but steering the wrong way and putting his foot on the gas harder and harder. Then I’m trying to get us help – and having to drive the Vette to follow the ambulance.

The fact that I’m an adult seems to have no bearing on my fear of the dentist. I tell myself I’m a wuss and should be able to get over this doesn’t stop the nightmare the night before or the tension of having to ride in the Vette to Ft. Smith. Should I enter a contest for Drama Queen?

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June 17, 2023 · 9:19 am

Digs

The only thing worse than this is having to do it with what I consider super small type fonts.

Yesterday I signed up for a 6-month membership at a site designed to help pre-diabetics (me) and diabetics (my husband is Type II) manage their condition better – better information, diet plans, exercise advice, menus, etc.

I spent several minutes trying to read a ‘free gift’ booklet as an introduction. I finally figured out a way to enlarge the font so I could read it without my glasses (and worse – a MAGNIFYING glass) to better see the diagrams. I thought about writing a nasty note, and then figured they would probably refer me to an optometrist…

My take-away from all this is happiness that I am in good enough health to LOOK for ways to improve it, and the smarts and determination to figure out how to make the information I found work for me.

I’ve now added the site to my computer, signed up, and also added the app to my phone. I ain’t dead yet. :0)

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June 15, 2023 · 12:53 pm

New Confidence!

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________________

We’re home from my haircut and now I’m feeling newly confident about not ending up in Lower Slabovia while trying to get home from town. We’re having to go the back way because the bridge between us and town is completely gone now, with only a huge hole and a backhoe in the bottom of it. It’s been years since we had to go the back way. The last time there wasn’t even a street sign at the turn off and I just drove right on past it.

I asked my husband to drive me to the hairdresser so that we would be lost together if we didn’t get back. It is amazing what has happened to that part of Hwy 10 since we were last there. There is a whole housing addition going up with either duplexes or triplexes. There is another sign further out about ANOTHER new housing addition. On the other side of the road, the place that used to be a gymnastics place is now a Crossfit place. There is now a new auto sales place right before our turn-off to come home, so it’s now easy to see where we are.

Now I’m not worried about getting lost or having to go even more miles out of our way in order to get back home the next time I’m out. Confidence is very important to me, particularly on how to get where I’m going since my sense of direction skill was given to someone else when I was born. :0)

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June 14, 2023 · 10:14 am

MORE Celebration!

Yesterday we got two problems solved.

THING ONE:

This is one of the two receivers that go with our new driveway detector that my husband installed yesterday. The system is solar-powered. The detector is along the driveway and both of the receivers go off when someone drives up. They make a very pleasant noise, but one that gets your attention. (I heard the one in the office even though I had headphones on, listening to YouTube when our plumber drove up.) We really like to be warned when someone is coming up, rather than just having someone ringing the doorbell or knocking on the garage people door, so this is a really nice problem my husband solved.

Rheem Tankless Water Heater

THING TWO:

Our plumber’s assistant came about a week ago and tried to light the pilot light on our regular backup hot water tank when our tankless system was showing ’13’. He was able to light it, but it wouldn’t STAY lit. He turned it off, so we were safe, but we were without hot water.

A person our plumber knows and trusts who works on tankless water heater systems came to look at ours. He cleaned contact points, and tested, and then was able to start the system. It worked for a minute or so and then the dreaded “13” displayed again. He said that the system needed to be flushed out. He called our plumber and told him what he had found.

Our plumber came yesterday and flushed out the system. He got the system to work, but told us it looked like things were on their last legs. He puts in a system that he trusts and says it’s the best one he’s ever found. So now we are contracted for him to order and install a new system for us in two weeks or so. Meanwhile, WE HAVE HOT WATER for the first time in a week! No more cold washcloth ‘baths.’ No more cold hair washes in the kitchen sink. I smiled and sank all the way through my gloriously hot shower and hair wash this morning. :0)

When I got to my computer and phone this morning, the first thing I did was text our plumber, thanking him for providing us with hot water and wishing him the best day ever.

The NEXT problem is the failing air pump on our mattress. My husband is handling that one, so I’m trying to be patient and keep my mouth shut….

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May 7, 2023 · 4:05 pm

I Prevailed!

Pond 5

I think I told you yesterday that we tried to get our flower planters/tomato planters watering system going and failed. My husband was able to change the batteries in one of the timers, but he gave up on programming it. This is one of the many things he has always been good at doing – making me feel inept – but now “I” am the go-to technical person. YEAH.

I tried to do it yesterday, but it didn’t run. I decided to see if I could find the paperwork and try again today. This morning I went out and started from scratch, completely resetting both timers to run 15 minutes apart. I set my alarm so I wouldn’t forget to check to see if they actually ran this time.

I’ve just come back in and I prevailed! I had time to go around to all the planters – including the tomato planters – and make sure all were getting water. I tweaked the amounts, since we had shut things off tightly for the winter and there was still a lot of air in the lines. Once I finished that, I cam around the front and the 2nd system was working!

I think I have most going fine. We’ll check for any breaks in the lines and keep tweaking how much water each of the planters is getting, but the main system seems to be going fine. I’m really relieved. Can you see me grinning?

Romper

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April 22, 2023 · 10:38 am

Stuffing My Face

ebaums world

I did well on eating yesterday, plus getting lots of exercise doing 7 total loads of laundry, cleaning up the sheets I used protecting plants from the hail storm, folding them and putting them away for next time. I did the 7th load because my husband had trouble with the bacon cheeseburger I brought him from Lunch Bunch, dumping it on his robe. I finally went to sleep after getting that in the dryer, about 1:30 or so this morning. The problem is that when my husband went to bed, I was ravenous, eating everything except the fridge.

It’s been a bit stressful around here. My husband hurt his back about a week ago. He was pulling on something in the shop and heard a ‘pop’ in his back. He wouldn’t let me take him to a doctor. He’s been using the heat pad (won’t switch off with ice), and taking Tylenol.

After about half an hour of my massage therapist’s expertise Thursday, he spent the first day since he hurt himself pain-free. He is still better than he was, but is having trouble when he has to change position. she said he should get x-rays and probably go to a chiropractor. (Of course, that went in one ear and out the other.)

Last night he came downstairs about 2 a.m. and went to sleep in his chair. About 4 a.m. for some reason his recliner went over backwards, dumping him on the floor. His feet knocked his tray table over. He managed to get the chair back upright and slept the rest of the night.

This morning I picked up the tray table and put it back together again, retrieved all the stuff that fell off of it, etc. Thankfully, the glass that was on the rug was plastic, and was empty at the time everything dumped. He seems to be doing fine right now, but I’m checking on him on a regular basis.

Until we can get his pain and movement under better control, I’m afraid I’m destined to look like the sweet critter at the top of this post. I’ll try again today, and hopefully won’t be still doing laundry at 1 a.m. and will be upstairs with my husband – both of us resting quietly tonight.

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April 17, 2023 · 9:53 am

Life Status:

lemonsandpearls.com

Can you hear me gnashing my teeth from where you are?

It’s still morning and I may be completely bald by the end of the day from tearing my hair out, or hoarse from going outside to yell.

You know my husband ‘pulled on something’ in the shop and heard a ‘pop’ hurting his back. You know he refuses to go to the doctor. I told you in my first post that he INSISTED he accompany me to Walmart yesterday. He ALSO insisted that we stop at the Sonic for a large banana milkshake, though he is a Type II diabetic. (He denies this, saying he has a ‘sugar problem.’)

So – we tested blood sugar and blood pressure this morning as we do twice a week. He was shocked that his blood sugar was 185. He was piously telling me he didn’t eat a ‘sugar ball’ (an apple tart) for TWO days. I pointed out that he had a large banana shake yesterday, and he then had to admit that THAT wasn’t a smart thing to do.

I started gathering trash and had to tell him “NO” firmly when he started to get up to help, pointing out that he was having pain when he walked, got up, or sat down this morning and should be resting all day. He grudgingly said, ‘okay.’

We’ll probably have the same or worse ‘discussion’ later this morning when it’s time to take the trash down. I’m going to try to sneak out and get it done while he’s taking a nap in his chair. I already have the bags of trash in the back of the truck.

This is the same man who was explaining details neglected in the ’60 Minutes’ two segments on Artificial Intelligence last night…

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April 4, 2023 · 9:01 am

Feeling Creaky

Herdaroff’s World

Yesterday we loaded the back of the truck with metal trash plus regular trash. We left the regular trash in the can and left it ready for emptying today, then drove to the recyling place and left the metal trash. We got a flat of spinach plants and a flat of head lettuce plants on the way home. I planted those before lunch. After lunch we changed our snow tires for regular tires on the truck.

I was stiff and sore by the middle of the evening. I SHOULD have done yoga to try to stretch things out, but I was exhausted and just didn’t. I’m paying the price this morning, feeling as if I were run over by a truck.

Thankfully, we don’t have any big errands today. We’ll get our mail, maybe hit the local grocery, and tether the emptied trash can to the pole toward the bottom of the driveway on the way home.

123RF

We’re due for severe weather this afternoon, tonight, and tomorrow morning. I have all my appendages crossed, in spite of the creakiness, hoping we come through the storms intact.

Meanwhile, I’m glugging coffee, trying to wake up.

Happy Tuesday?

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April 2, 2023 · 9:40 am

Sunday 4-2-2023

I’m trying to ‘gird my loins’ to help my husband change the tires on our truck today. We need to get the snow tires off and the regular tires on, aired up, etc.

When we first bought our truck, we bought an extra set of wheels so that we could have snow tires mounted on them. We store them in the back of the shop, along with the lug nuts that go with them, so that we are able to change to snow tires reasonably quickly, if needed.

This was in 2006, so that was awhile back when we weren’t as older-than-dirt as we are now, and at our mature age, 17 years makes a big difference.

I tried to convince my husband that I could take the truck, with the regular tires and lug nuts in the back, to the tire place and get this done tomorrow. I discovered that this is apparently now a thing of pride – that we are independent, capable, and NOT older than dirt – despite appearances.

So, we will try to get this done today.

Wish us luck?

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March 26, 2023 · 8:56 am

A Small Pat on the Head

Giphy

I made it through the day yesterday without stuffing my face the way I have been. I’ll try to do it again today.

Another arrow in my quiver – I’m NOT going to loosen the fastening on my jeans to make myself more comfortable during the day. I’m going to keep them fastened, reminding myself that my overeating has CAUSED this discomfort, and that acting ‘maturely’ might relieve that if I keep it up.

I’m in this fight by myself, since my husband insisted we stock up on a bunch of assorted chips. Maybe a bit of frustration and anger will help me in my goal…

Each person makes a decision – or a series of them – when he or she wants to change, in the effort to STOP a bad habit or START a good one. I’m trying to look at all the excuses for what they are – smoke.

TODAY I will eat healthy meals and try not to eat anything in-between. I will drink a bottle of water if I get hungry, and I will do a good session of yoga this afternoon. Maybe I can earn another small pat. :0)

Tenor

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March 20, 2023 · 10:12 am

Role Reversal

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Wow. Are we in trouble in the Lewis household.

I’ve told you before that my husband, computer analyst and general figure-everything-out-and-fix-it-person, had a couple of strokes in the past couple of years. This has resulted in some interesting situations.

I’m the original use-it-but-don’t-understand-how-it-works person. I’m fine as long as something works. When it is throwing a fit, spewing water, smoking, or is simply on strike, I have no patience. My eyes glaze over and what few brain cells I had leave.

The touching/interesting situation this morning was that my husband came into the office and told me that he had moved the laundry load from the washer to the dryer and had loaded the washer again, but couldn’t get it to start.

“Touching ” because I really appreciate his recent efforts to pitch in and help me do things around the house. “Interesting” because I have shown him how to start the washer 5 or 6 times now and he really has trouble grasping it. Add “grateful” because he isn’t angry about it, just quietly came and asked for help. Add “melting” because he’s my favorite man in the world and I’m still trying to adjust to our role reversal.

I showed him, talking him through it, having him push the buttons as we decided which ones to push, and had him wait with me as the machine changed from ‘add garment’ to the ‘lock’ icon which shows you’re in business.

I then hugged him and thanked him for his help.

This is the same man who gave up on trying to explain “quantum computing” to me after we heard a news item on TV last night…

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