MaryAnn, this is confusing. Did she leave you there or was she never there? Whose car did you get out of?


"Dot called to see what I thought about church.  I knew our road was not too good, but I was sure the main roads would be OK so we decided to risk it.  The hand shovelers were here whe she got here and that was as far as we got. We have to go around a circle with the flag pole and it is hard to get traction to get to the main road which is uphill by us.  I got out of the car, hoping Tom would be available to get her car pointed in the right direction to get her home (not push because he cannot do that) but when we looked we did not see her car.  I called but she didn't answer and she probably was at Ruthie's, her next door neighbor.  Tom got out OK, but it wasn't easy. I'm just as happy that we didn't make it." 

We have ice rain going on this morning, and tomorrow we may get snow or more ice rain.

I spent some time yesterday and the day before on the St. Clair River. The most interesting bit was watching (slow as it was) a ship unloading a large piece that someone finally tentatively identified as a steam powered turbine for a power plant. He had seen them before where he worked, apparently. When I went upstairs this morning, Lucy was watching the bird video; when I came back down stairs Oscar had replaced her and was watching. When not watching the ships nor the cats watching the birds, I watched several YouTube histories about the Reconquista (the long struggle to remove Muslim rule in Spain). The Moors, with the occasional help of the Muslim armies of North Africa, controlled large parts of Spain for 700 years.

Happy Belated Birthday, Jenny.

Sorry, Patricia, I have often said I write as clear as mud.

Dot got as far as in front of my place where I got in the car.  From there on, it was slip and slide to get to the main road of our complex.  Dot made it that far, but the road is on an up incline by us and Dot did not have a good start to get up the incline.  Then she tried to back down and could not go far before she stopped.  We were on the main complex road and she made it back to in front of my condo and we decided we would not be going to church this morning.  I got out of the car from  in front of the condo and went inside to be met by Tom coming up the stairs.  By the time he got up the stairs Dot was nowhere to be seen.  I have not called her again but I think she was at her neighbor's condo because the neighbor was not going to her church either.  I hope this clears it up. 

Tom got out OK.

Mary Ann

Thanks MaryAnn.  If you read yesterday's post and retitle it for today, you have my day! I'm hoping to cook the turkey tomorrow. Any handy tips on keeping the meat moist?


Jenny,   Happy Birthday! 

Good Morning everyone:  Lots of interesting messages to read since I was last here. I decided to give it a rest yesterday, since I have tendency to write too much, but instead I ended up writing just as much as ever, only in the Library folder!

BEVERLY - Sounds like you had a wonderful Thanksgiving, with Jennifer and Michael there with you.  That's interesting, that they started dating when they were only 15, and had known each other long before that. Those marriages seem to work out well.  My son and dil met when they were only 17 and 18, and got married about ten years later. I think they will be celebrating their 30th anniversary next year?

JENNY - Belated HAPPY BIRTHDAY!  I remember seeing posts every year, between you and June, but I had forgotten.  I'm glad that Dave and Michele and family are back from their vacation in Florida.  That must have been a much needed break for them, after Michele's long siege with radiation and chemo. I will be hoping and praying that Michele's new tumors, can be addressed with the Gamma Knife? Either that or with the new immunotherapy?

MARY ANN - Like Patricia, I was also confused by your first message today, and couldn't figure out what finally happened to Dot?? Ha ha!  Anyhow, glad it has all been straightened out. I hope you an. Tom, and maybe Dot too, can go out for dinner later, when the streets get cleared?

JEAN - Glad you are having warm weather, and hope you and Larry had a nice Thanksgiving?  I know you're very concerned about your grandson.  Bad news like that, takes much of the joy out of any holiday.  I'm thinking about the fact that you had those tests last week, and I'm holding positive thoughts for you,  that the results will all be good ones?  Be sure to let us know?

PATRICIA -  You'll have lots of meals out of that turkey!  If you like it as much as I do, you won't mind it hanging around for a while!  I love turkey sandwiches, and also turkey soup and a couple of casserole dishes.  What's left, can be frozen and enjoyed later. 

JACKIE - Be sure to join us in the Television or Library folders, where we are talking about the TV series, The Crown.  I would be interested as to what you think of the way the Royal Family, is being portrayed? 

JOY - I don't believe we have heard from you in a couple of days, so hope you had the nice Thanksgiving with family, that you were looking forward to.  I remember that your contribution to the meal, was going to be a cake, and I'm sure it was delicious!     

Here you go, Marilyne, with or without a homemade crust, very easy,from Platter Talk;

https://app.getpocket.com/read/2809299266

We have snow this morning.  Not like last year yet but just a dusting..

Hi everyone.

Mary Ann, I was looking at YouTube at some of the ship sites in Michigan but didn't see any snow.  Then I clicked on your site and could see a little snow at the edges of the screen.

It is overcast here but warm.  Tomorrow supposed to get down into the 50s brrr.

Happy Birthday Jenny.  My daughter-in-law just had her birthday yesterday.

Marilyne, we gave up on Netflix as so little on it that we watched so I missed the latest on "The Crown".

A quiet day here.

Fairbanks, Alaska

Caribou and reindeer are the same animals. Reindeer are domestated, and caribou are wild.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MAdHnlGXBWY

People at minus 11 are dressing for Antarctica!?! The woman was naive. The old buildings she mentions are in Alaskaland's Pioneer Park. The ice hotel is in the ice park exhibit. Link below
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MNXNa0CDzwQ

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UT7L9QDcfU0

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ju1Ofz3jrBQ

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aYY9wUXa47U

Patricia, I enjoyed those links to Fairbanks and surrounding areas.  I remembered some of the places, such as North Pole.  I thought the woman's name was Chena Hot Spring but decided it was not.

I had an interesting day starting with the church episode with Dot.  After she let me out, she could not go backward but could inch forward, so she ended up going to church.  I was home by that time.  After Tom got home from church, he and I went to the New Beginnings restaurant for breakfast/brunch.  And from there, we drove to Holland.  What a surprise when we got half way to Holland, there was very little snow.  They are closer to the lakeshore than we are but our snow was mostly lake effect. 

We got to Holland and both girls were asleep on chairs in the living room.  There was room enough to sit.  Tom had bought a couple of pies to take with us and we ate some of those.  The girls had woke up and were very sociable.  After the pie, we watched a Disney movie (Charlie Brown) which the girls enjoyed.  Dot had found a train that  Norm had that went around the Christmas tree.  James put it together with help from the girls but it did not work.  Everything worked except James could not get it to go.  It's too bad because the twins would like to see it work.  After the movie/video we came home.  Annie was with us and she told her dad much about her new job; she is very articulate and does a good job of explaining. 

My eyes are tired but I won't go to bed yet - 7:40 pm - but will wait until  10:00 pm.  I have nothing scheduled for tomorrow but I will have a couple of things going next week - a Christmas tea at church and an appointment about my new hearing aids - which are working well.

Mary Ann

MaryAnn, Chena Hot Springs is one of eight local hot springs and not a woman's name. Although I guess some parents might have been that quirky. Even though the videos were two or three years old, they were still good representatives of the area.

It sounds as if your day was very active; no wonder you're ready for a nap!. My day has been quiet, and I'm still avoiding that turkey...

Patricia, while I thought Chena Hot Springs was an odd name, it was placed in positions where it could have been a person's name.  It sounded like a Native American name in a way.  It wasn't long before I realized it was not a person's name. 

It is 9:36 pm here and both the cat and I are ready for bed.  I'll see if there are any other S&F to read, then we'll retire.

Mary Ann

Lovely videos, Patricia. I love seeing the Auroras. My computer holds quite a few Aurora pictures which I often use for my desktop background.

The cats and I had a treat this morning. I put on the bird video from The Chech Republic for them. Lucy was watching when I went upstairs, but when I came down Oscar had the chair. What excitement! All the birds, were back (for the last week or so only one or two kinds were there), including the woodpecker, the bluejay, chickadees, several I haven't identified yet, and the sparrow/weavers finch. When I came back down the pheasant I had heard, but never saw went strutting across the screen behind the trees. What a magnificent, and very tempting, fat bird he is. Then the deer showed up, which confirmed to me that this video link is one of two in the same area as the other shows the pond and ducks, swans, etc. Then, one of the swans, the stork, the egret (I think), one of the grey geese and one of the white geese. The white goose and the egret both have damaged wings, and another non-flying bird I haven't identified yet. Quite a list. But that wasn't all. The alarm went out and all the birds departed. Next thing I see is the top of the back of a critter behind a pile of brush, the alarm continued. All of a sudden this pair of long pointy ears stuck up from behind the bird feeder. I very briefly say most of the face. I think it was some kind of grey fox. After it decided nothing was there to catch, it took off. The alarm stopped, and maybe 30 seconds later the birds came back. I wanted to post a link, but all I get here is a night shot now. It kicked me out with an error message, so I am not posting the link. Then I turned to the Cornell bird feeder. Oscar really perked up when the Cardinal arrived. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gKeN44OGeJA

When I fed the cats, I took the opportunity to turn to Boatnerd to watch the action there. The big piece that was sitting at the dock for several days finally got moved out by truck and another multi-wheeled flat-bed was brought up. I think they were getting ready to unload some equipment from the tug I saw come in last night. I finally had to shut the TV off so I could get some actual work done. So, now I am off to wash dishes.

A quick Hello, because our power will be off for an hour or so this morning,  while a tree is being removed from some lines about a block or so away. Strong winds and rain last night did lots of damage here.  Many trees down, and I'm worried about our huge Redwood tree, that's right up against the pole in our back yard, and is touching the lines!    Back later.

MarsGal, the bird videos sound interesting.  I'm not sure Kendrick would go for one. but I haven't tried, either.  I did catch him looking at the TV the other day when something was moving.  He does look out the window to see if there are any birds.

I've been watching the ship channels but at the wrong times.  I hope they get the PH channel fixed. 

The other day I wanted to print some bank statements and I have to print from another computer.  I was asked for a password and that computer didn't like the ones I have listed and I was blocked.  I just called and am now unblocked, but I still don't know my password.  At least I can get to the bank on this computer; I do a lot of online banking - transfers, payments, besides checking my balances often. 

Mary Ann

I can't believe I made the last post at 11:30 yesterday morning. 

Today I am going to a Christmas Tea at church.  After a short service, we will go to the drawing room where we will have cookies, tea and/or coffee.  I hope we don't stay too long because today is the day Robin comes.  I have a few things I want her to do and I must write them down in case I'm not here when she gets here.

Looking outside, it is a dreary day but I did not see precip i the forecast. 

Mary Ann

Okay, the Chech webcam is up and running again. The deer has been active this morning. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xOsXWkp1_BM  Another of the birds I couldn't identify is now known. It is a female pheasant. I had forgotten what they looked like because I mostly only ever saw the males. Here is the other cam showing the pond with the mallards, swans, etc. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Z7iIoeMlks

In other critter, but sad, news, Lil Bub died the other day, at 8 years old. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JxD19rN0sBk Oddly, my local paper reported it (and someone promptly criticized them for not using the front page space for "more important" news. What a jerk!

Laundry, and maybe some vacuuming today.

MarsGal - I had not heard of "Lil Bub", but I read his remarkable story, and was so impressed! The first story I've ever seen or read about a special needs cat,  What a dear little guy he was, and what a wonderful man his owner is, to take such loving care of him over the years.  As for the Jerk, who didn't think the story should be front page . . . he will get plenty of blowback from readers!  So many trolls like that now, both online and in print.

Mary Ann - I hate to see so few messages here yesterday too.  Seems like it's "feast or famine" here in Seniors and Friends.  Some days we get a lot of nice long messages from lots of members and another day will bring us nothing, or maybe a quick, "hello".  I know that's what I did yesterday . . . just said hello, and never returned.  Our power was out for a couple of hours, so we went out for lunch, and then did some grocery shopping and bought some gift cards for Christmas presents.  Last evening there was no Sharks Hockey, so we watched a good old black and white movie from the early 50's.   I don't know if anyone remembers it, but it won a lot of awards.  It was, Marty, starring Ernest Borgnine and a great cast of actors.  I had seen it many long years ago, but we enjoyed it all over again. 

MarsGal, I'm glad someone else showed up!  I save both of the links to the Czech spots.  Kendrick will not be able to watch them until and unless Tom can get my links to show on the TV.  As it is, they only come up on the computer and I'm not going to let Kendrick watch on the computer; his claws are too sharp.

What was Lil Bub's purpose - or where - that he is newsworthy.  I guess the fund raising was a big thing.

Annie gave Kendrick a covered bed; I think it is too small for him, but it's cute.  It's kind of like a fabric teepee with a hole in the front.  I put some catnip in it and he went after that gingerly, but when I have time, I'll do more with it.

I am waiting for Dot to pick me up for the Christmas Tea at church, however, it will be a long time.  I've called her twice to find out how long it is but she is not home right now.  I really don't expect Dot until about 12:30.

I watched a couple of salties on the St Clair River this morning.  There are a lot of boats painted blue now.  One this morning was renamed while in Sarnia.

Marilyn, I was glad to see your post.  What surprises me when there are no posts is there are absolutely NO posts, especially in B&T and SS.  There are few others I look at anyway.

I do remember Marty, however, I did not see it.  Didn't Ernest Borgnine win an Oscar for his role?

Mary Ann

Good morning, Bait and Tacklers.  It's a chilly morning here in Auburn, Alabama.  My cleaning lady was here before I had finished eating breakfast and I helped her change my sheets.  She sometimes brings a trainee to help, but no one to help today.  She's been my every 2 week cleaner for several years now.  She frequently brings a trainee with her, but today she was here by herself.

It is expected to warm up later in the day, so I'm going to put on my walking duds and get outside for a brisk morning walk. 

I hope everyone looking in here this morning have a nice day planned.

Sue

We had weather in the 70s last week and it is about 48F now.  I think the rest of the week should be a little warmer.

Marilyne, I had my visit with the oncologist yesterday and I got a good report.  I have to go back in 3 months for another blood test before they "cut me loose" as the doctor said.  According to the doctor my bad lab test could have been because I had a virus.

Things have been so quiet here lately.  Hope everyone is doing ok.

Mary Ann, that Christmas Tea sounds interesting.

Nothing much going on here today.  We went to Outback for lunch yesterday and we have some leftovers for today.  Now I'm washing some clothes and need to get a little dusting done.

Hope everyone has a good day!

Good morning from a fresh Interior at minus six. We had minus eighteen as a low and will have a high of plus eleven. As December is our month with the smallest amount of light, it's also colder.  After the winter solstice on the twenty-first, we will start regaining daylight at six or seven minutes each following day.

 The city has changed as they do with everything, to celebrate not on the actual date but one more profitable. There will be the usual fireworks, parties and of course sales. The University also has fireworks and activities such as the youth symphony headlining with Peter and the Wolf.

I have had a busy month in November with appointments, inspections, and welcoming back Tamra from Odesa, Ukraine, and getting sick off and on. This month I have Farrah's regular exam on the fifth, her dental in January as well as getting my desktop computer in for repairs, attempting to get some paperwork scheduled, revamped, and today's hunting and gathering accomplished.

MarsGal, thanks for those Czech links. I had them bookmarked before I lost my desktop. They're very appreciated! I read about little Bub yesterday. While any animal is essential, and especially for those in the family, he was also crucial for medical efforts and education as well as fundraising for rescues and other medically handicapped animals such as the dog mentioned who also has dwarfism.

If anyone remembers the five ill kittens on FDR's site who had infections that situated into their eyes, they're on FB with their pages. Hundreds of dollars were spent to save them and for two of the five to save their eyes and not have to amputate them. Two of them, Felix and Zero, are daily updated. They still receive daily eye drops and special care, but both not knowing, they're different, are brave, and rather fearless in what they get up to.

Jean, I hope that any more blood tests in three months are good as well, and it sounds nice with 48 even if it isn't in the seventies.

I remember going to Christmas teas at the Episcopal church with my family as a child but I rarely go to winter activites these days.


I expect that due to the lousy winter weather in the lower forty-eight that many are not posting due to winter difficulties along with those who leave on their own accord.

Dot and I did not go to the Tea and it didn't matter to me.  Dot goes to Bible Study Tuesday mornings and because of the Tea, they met in a different room with different chairs and her back bothered her at the end of the session.  I don't get out much which is the reason I said I'd go.  The Tea is nice, but it consists of a short service, then the refreshments which are cookies, coffee and/or tea. 

It is funny but I've gone to our church my entire life and I know who most everyone is, but because I have not been active in a group, I don't really know them.  Dot has been active in a couple of things and has gotten to know some of the women well.  And she has been a member only about 25 years. 

Robin will be here in about an hour so I'll have to make a list of what I want her to do.  Other than the cleaning the kitchen, my requests vary.

There are a lot of big whitecaps on Lake Michigan and someone is flying a kite.

Mary Ann

Good morning! I am definitely one of the guilty ones for either posting WAY TOO MUCH or MIA😩  Sometimes I just feel like I have nothing to say, and if no one else has posted then there is nothing to comment on either! 😘

MARY ANN, nice that you and Dot got out to the tea at church.  I hope you and Robin can accomplish all you hope to when she comes to help you today.

PATRICIA, nice to read your newsy post. 

JEAN, happy to read you had a good visit with your oncologist and you will soon be released from his care🥰🥰 Oh how I would like to enjoy some of your 70 degree temperatures, when you have them❣️

SUE, do you know if they have managed to clean up all of the toilet paper on Tomers Corner after the BIG win?  That was quite the game!  Hubby is a Bama Fan normally but I always pull for AU.

MARILYNE, good to read that your power was not out for too long of time, and it was a good reason to get out and have a nice lunch.

MARSGAL, thank you for sharing the info on "Lil Bub".  What a heart warming story.

Hubby needs me to help him so I must away.....
Enjoy the rest of your day.

Jenny

Good to see so many messages since I was here earlier today!

MARY ANN -  The last time I was active in a church was long ago, when Sandy attended school at an Episcopal day school near us. Of course the school was part of the adjacent Church, and there were all sorts of activities going on, on a regular basis.  I belonged to some of the groups, and really enjoyed them, for the most part.  Lots of teas, fundraisers, special services, etc.  Those were good days.  After she graduated and went on to high school, I started working, and slowly dropped all the groups.  We still went to church, but not on a regular basis.

JEAN -  I'm really happy for you, that your tests were okay, and the doctor was so reassuring to you.  That will give you one less thing to worry about. Sounds like a good lunch at, The Outback . . . my favorite of the franchise style restaurants!  Unfortunately, our closest Outback, closed about a year ago, to make way for a new shopping center and movie complex.  I really miss it, and I miss my Alice Springs Chicken. 

PATRICIA -  Yes, I remember FDJ's sweet little kittens with the serious eye infections.  Good to hear they are doing okay.  I'll have to find them on FB, and take a look.   That reminds me, is FDJ fostering new litters at this time?  Last I heard about him, he had remodeled the old kitten room and it was all spruced up and looking good, but no new litters.  Then I read that he was recently engaged, so maybe that is taking up most of his time?

JENNY -  I always look forward to reading your messages.  You have such an interesting family, with your four sons, and their wives and children!
Which reminds me again to ask about Michele?  Will she be having further treatments?   There are so many new treatments now, and I hope there is one appropriate for her.  As I mentioned before, I have heard wonderful things about the Immunotherapy?  I'm sure that Dr. Dave is aware of every new treatment that's available.

Patricia, I forget who mentioned it quite while ago, but I thought she said FDJ had to put off doing fostering until the beginning of the new year. I also forgot the reason.

To add to Patricia's explanation of Lil Bub, she (yes, in spite of the name, she) was one of the first cats on the web to become a celebrity.

Jenny, you may have missed it, but Dot and I did not make it to the Christmas Tea.  I was all ready, dressed and set to go, but Dot called that she did not feel up to it; the Bible Study had met in a different room with different chairs.  Dot has a constant pain from arthritis and the chairs were not comfortable for her and she ached when she got home. 

Robin has been here and we went to the family room to look for a book with family stories in it.  It was important to find the book because the disk I think holds the stories is a 3 1/2-inch floppy and getting to my old desktop is difficult.  Anyway, I found the book and now I will keep it upstairs where I should be able to find it.  The family room is a mess because there is some of my stuff and Tom's and there is more stuff than room.  I think with my success at getting downstairs that Tom will let me go down again when Robin is here and we will be able to get rid of stuff.  Robin used to volunteer at a thrift shop and she still has contact with them.  It is just around the corner and down the hill from here so isn't far to take things. 

Marilyn, I worked all of those years and women's circles met in the afternoon.  Later, we had couples groups and by the time I retired I don't know what we had.  About 1990 I started helping count the Sunday collections and did that for about 25 years or so but you don't get to meet others other than those you count with.  My mother was in a Ten (as they were called then) and was very active.  Even Dad had a scout troop for a while and he was a Deacon at one time. 

Jenny, I'd rather you write WAY TOO MUCH than be MIA.  I like reading about others families and their activities.  I figure I am a blabbermouth much of the time, but once I get started, it is hard to stop!  This post is a good example.  So keep it up!!!

Mary Ann

MARY ANN, I apologize, as I did not see the post saying you did not go to the church tea🤣🤣. Happy to read that you did find the family book you were hoping to find.  That must have made you smile😘. Thank you for the kind words to encourage me to post no matter what I carry on about! 😍 I do not recognize the term TEN that you mentioned your mom was a part of?  Please explain?

We have been without internet since 1 PM.  I thought I lost my post in the Soda Shoppe, but finally managed to find the copy I had emailed to myself.  It wasn't that big of a deal but it still is so annoying when we loose a post! 

We decided to go to our mall and look at new iPhones.....mine is so old it is no longer supported with updates.  My goodness those things are so darn expensive.....as all Apple Products are and always have been.  I looked around the mall a bit and I have to be honest I felt totally out of place there🤪🤪 The stores are so fancy and the prices on things are outrageous .....they would fold up if they depended on my business.  I am more of a Walmart, COSTCO
And Sam's Club kind of gal😂😂😂

MARILYNE, I still do not know what kind of treatment is down the road for Michele.  We spent a couple of hours with them for my Birthday meal, but it was not mentioned and I hope to talk to Dave soon, however he is up to his elbows right now with work after being off for a week.  I am not aware of "Immunotherapy" that you mentioned, so I will go look it up as soon as I get this posted. 

It sure is quiet around with no Cable TV tonight.....thank goodness I can use my iPhone as a hot spot so I can at least post in here tonight.

Good night....pleasant dreams to all 🦋🦋🦋😜

Jenny

Jenny, as for TENS - I think long ago when Women's Fellowships were developed in the various churches, they divided into groups of ten and called them "tens".  There were several "tens" at our church, also "circles".  The women met in the daytime.  Not all women drove, including my mother, but there were always a couple who drove and would pick up others for a meeting.  Later, as women worked outside the home, husbands were included and they had couples groups. 

I woke up about 2:30 and could not get back to sleep, started to get up to come in here and discovered the cat was on my bed and I woke him up.  I lay down again to let him go back to sleep, then got up in the dark and came in here.  I think he is still there and it won't be long before I'll be back in bed.

Mary Ann