Norms Bait and Tackle

patricia19 · December 25, 2020, 12:44:56 PM

Good morning, Merry Christmas, and here's to a sprint to the New Year!

I hope everyone is having a good day, and MarsGal, thanks for the update on George. After hearing about him from you, we all feel like we know him and wish him well sooner.

I had a great morning; we all opened our gifts during a group text and my favorite? Ten pairs each of black and white men's socks! I'm still wondering and biting my tongue over that one!

Sandy · December 25, 2020, 01:37:56 PM

Merry Christmas Everyone!!!

May you all have pleasant day
considering all of the restrictions
that we have now during the season
of Covid.

It is good to see People
returning that we have not seen
for a while..

Bless you all
love
Sandy

CallieOK · December 25, 2020, 01:46:41 PM

Marilyne, Just talked to "covid family". They all feel okay - just a bit "down" because of not being able to do the usual get-togethers with both sides of the family.

MarsGal, I agree with Patricia about George. Good thoughts for his continued healing.

Patricia, LOL at your "stash" of men's socks. Wondering what you'll say as a "thank you".

Marillyne, It's sunny but too cold and windy to have a Koffee Klatch, unfortunately. Guess we'll all just wave at each other from behind our glass storm doors.

Other son/dil have been here. I'm now well supplied with bird seed and suet - plus a new bird feeder that should be harder for squirrels to get into.

.

Marilyne · December 25, 2020, 05:04:32 PM

I'm back to say Hello to Sandy, who posted a Christmas greeting earlier. I hope she drops in more often in 2021.

Also, good afternoon to Patricia. Twenty pairs of men's socks? Just what you've always wanted! Let us know when you find out who that was from?

Also, I want to wish a Merry Christmas to Amy, and Shirley, who are regulars in Soda Shoppe, but who've been posting here also, in the past few months. I

I hope everyone is having a nice Christmas Day. I've spent most of my time going through old photo albums, looking for family Christmas pictures from the past. A real nostalgia trip, with lots of good memories.

patricia19 · December 25, 2020, 07:04:57 PM

Marilyne, I know who it was from. I'm waiting to hear what her husband received!

Beverly · December 25, 2020, 07:22:33 PM

Merry Christmas Everyone!

Hope you all have had a good day. I know it's a been a lonely one for so many. I wasn't able to do any decorating but I did want a tree. Chape went out hoping to find a table top tree and came home with a 7 ft. lighted one! Donna came over and assembled it. Today I managed to put some simple decorations on it, all white and pale blue.

Last night Donna made our traditional Christmas Eve oyster stew as a surprise for her Dad. Today she made lasagna and a green salad, plus chocolate fudge and delivered it. They joined us for dinner, Donna and Mike on the lanai and us inside. Then she set up a Zoom meeting for us on her laptop with our youngest daughter, her husband, and Michael and Jennifer, (who spent the day at their new little home here). Lauri didn't join in because she was helping to provide dinners to the homeless where she lives in Maine. I'm hoping to talk to her tonight. All in all it was a nice but unusual Christmas.

MarsGal - I hope George is improving. I've heard they've had success with the antibody treatment.

Callie - Happy Belated Birthday! We also had a very nippy day which would not have been good for an outdoor coffee klatch.

I haven't been posting this week but I've kept up with the daily messages.

Sandy · December 25, 2020, 11:45:33 PM

Good Evening Everyone

I forgot to mention that we have had
pouring rain here in Portland Maine..
and the temperature
has been in the upper 50's..

Very unusual weather...

I hope that everyone has had a
safe holiday ...

Sandy

MarsGal · December 26, 2020, 05:38:45 AM

A very frosty day greetings to everyone. It is 24^oF right now. Brrrrrrrr!

Patricia, Well, you could make a bunch of sock toys for Farrah and friends.

Thanks again for your Well Wishes for George. I talked with him yesterday afternoon, and he sounded much better, not to mention starting to complain about the TV remote, etc. He said it is an odd setup. He had also complained about the antiquated phone system. They still have him on oxygen, though, because he still has trouble maintaining adequate oxygen levels when he moves around.They gave him a flu shot and a pneumonia 13 shot. The attending doctor's nurse called later and said his color is better, he is eating better. I'll be heading out later to feed his cats.

A new year will soon be here. I sincerely hope things will improve significantly by spring for everyone.

patricia19 · December 26, 2020, 11:57:37 AM

Thanks MarsGal, and I'm glad George is better. If a man is complaining, he's feeling better.

I figured they'd be good slippers or boot liners. Poor Farrah, at eight and a half no longer plays with toys or my fingers or toes. If we were allowed, I'd get a younger cat so she'd have someone to play with or keep her active

CallieOK · December 26, 2020, 12:06:51 PM

Good Morning,

Happy Boxing Day to our English friends.

Beverly, Oyster stew was the usual Christmas Eve supper at my grandmother's when I was growing up. Not sure where she got the oysters in southeastern Oklahoma this time of year - but it was traditional before we all went to the Christmas Eve church service. Sometimes Santa had come while we were away. I could look at whatever he brought that wasn't wrapped but had to wait until the next morning to open wrapped packages.

Back to the same old routine around here.

Wishing Everyfriend Everywhere an Enjoyable Day. Stay warm and safe.

FlaJean · December 26, 2020, 12:25:13 PM

Today is sunny and cold at 43°F. I hope everyone had a nice Christmas. Not the best circumstances but it sounds like we are all muddling through and waiting for better days.

Larry put some dried mealworms out for the bluebirds and it didn't take long for them to fly in for food.

Have a good day everyone.

patricia19 · December 26, 2020, 01:28:39 PM

My childhood Christmas Eves were busy as both parents worked and we would have a light dinner before Dad would take us for our drive to see the lights. Mom would always stay home and SURPRISE! Santa would just happen to have come while we were out. We were allowed to enjoy our Christmas stockings but then on to the bed and how hard that was.

Marilyne · December 26, 2020, 02:00:45 PM

MarsGal - good to see that George is feeling better. As Patricia said, it's a good sign when a sick man starts getting restless and cranky!

Patricia - the last 8 or more years before Winnie died, he lost interest in toys or playing with anything. We have an outside bamboo blind at the kitchen window with a long pull cord that gently swings in the breeze. He would bat at that thing, when I went outside on the deck to pull it up or down. That was the extent of his "play"!

Jean - Your temperature was much lower than ours this morning. We only dropped to 49 in the wee hours of morning. We have a cloud cover today, that keeps things a bit warmer. We had a high of 64 yesterday, and probably will be the same today. I keep meaning to ask you if you have a birdbath in your yard? If so, how do you keep it mold free?

Callie - I've heard about oyster stew my whole life, but I've never had the pleasure of even tasting it? In spite of the fact that I've always lived within 20 miles of the coast, with lots of commercial fishing, restaurants and fresh fish markets. Only once when I was younger, I tried oysters on the half-shell, at a seafood restaurant in Santa Cruz. Not bad, but not something I would want to have again.

Amy · December 26, 2020, 02:32:34 PM

Marilyne, I don't mind clam chowder but always though oysters as elevator food......going down and coming right back up!! Love shrimp, as long as it is breaded. Scallops are also delicious.

Marilyne · December 26, 2020, 03:38:19 PM

Amy - That's why I was reluctant to try the oysters on the half-shell! Definitely "elevator food"! Fortunately, it goes down very quickly, and then it's over. I was fine afterward, but I would never do it again!

patricia19 · December 26, 2020, 04:10:20 PM

I'm not a lover of fishy foods, perhaps because it was a large part of my growing up. Of course, King Crab was always available here, and Grayling, rainbow trout, and Halibut were staples. And Alaskan scallops and Alaskan prawns. But, oysters, clams, lobster, and canned fish were never on my menu. I do buy small tins of tuna for a treat for Farrah. A small tin can last for quite a long while.

Amy · December 26, 2020, 05:21:38 PM

Patricia, my Dad loved to fish and he was very good at it, so we had fresh fish on the table.Pickeral,bass,mudcat and perch along with smelts. The only rule I have on fish is cook the wiggle out and take the head and skin off.

patricia19 · December 26, 2020, 06:29:58 PM

I agree with the head, tail, and wiggle, gone, but it is tough nowadays to find the fish I grew up on. Grayling has been catch and release for years, and where they were 21 inches in my childhood, they're now about ten to fifteen if it's a good year.

We used to go upriver, and Mom and kids would stay there, and Dad would come on the weekends. We were sixty miles from the bridge and 36 miles from Fairbanks, but Mom could operate the jet boat, and bears mainly stayed away from too much noise. Then, of course, as a teen, I wanted to stay with my friends, so I never had that special time again.

Beverly · December 26, 2020, 08:03:19 PM

I wasn't sure my post showed up last night but then Callie responded to my oyster stew. Ours was very simple. The online recipes have all kinds of added stuff but ours is just oysters simmered in their liquid till cooked, then milk, butter, salt and pepper added till hot. Served with oyster crackers.

I'm a seafood lover but not a fan of raw oysters. Someone talked me into eating one by dipping it in vinegar and letting it slide down. My first and last!

MarsGal - Glad to hear George is making progress.

Another cold night here in Florida. We had a frost last night and it's already down to 42 at 8:00.

Denver · December 26, 2020, 08:52:24 PM

A belated MERRY CHRISTMAS to everyone. I thought of you ALL on Christmas Eve and again yesterday, but I was a good girl and just enjoyed being with the family and not spending any time on my computer. Thought sure when we got home last night at nearly 8 PM I would be able to get n and say HELLO, but I was truly wiped out and fell asleep in my "recharger"!

We were not able to buy our live Dungeoness Crab, So we had to break the 17 year tradition and have crab cakes instead. They were tasty and all the family understood that it is 2020 and nothing has gone right this year.

Christmas Day was wonderful but quite emotional for me. I felt so blessed to be with our son and family. We were the only family members together. The 3 grands kept telling us how happy they were that we could join them....it was very sweet. There was a abundance of gifts and everyone really enjoyed the time together. Dr. Dave had so many gifts from his patients....some of them so thoughtful and the words they wrote to him had he and I in tears. I could not believe how thankful many of them are that he has treated them and they are now healed and healthy. One Russian Orthodox Priest gave Dave his personal copy of a book that is clearly a book very special to him. One lady gave him a $500 dollar gift certificate for he and his family at a famous local restaurant. The words she wrote were so heartfelt. One man gave him a bottle of rare whiskey that did not retail for a lot, but is so rare it now sells for many hundreds of dollars.....it made me so proud that my son is a friend to all of these thankful patients. My heart was so full❣️

I loved reading all of the, posts and was pleased about many of your posts. It was good to see a post from you, JACKIE. You have been missed. Also that you came back in SHIRLEY N and BEVERLY.

Our dinner is ready and I must go, but I did want to check in and say HELLO.

Jenny

MarsGal · December 27, 2020, 05:47:50 AM

George update: He was moved to Covid-ICU. He status is the same, but they are getting even more aggressive with the oxygen therapy and monitoring. Now I can only talk to the staff to get a status. Every time he moves about too much or even talks, his blood oxygen levels take a dive. The nurses are saying it takes a while for the levels to come back up, so they are trying to keep him still and talking only when necessary. My task for today is to clean out a room so I can bring his cats over here, or at least Lilly if I can catch her. At this point I don't expect him home anytime soon. I won't be surprised that when they pull him out of this, he will be sent over to physical therapy to gain strength back before releasing him. I just realized that I will have to start looking into making sure his bills are paid, etc.

It is to be a sunny day with temps to 40. Tomorrow will be cloudy, but temps into the high 40s.

Marilyne · December 27, 2020, 10:27:41 AM

MarsGal - I'm sorry that George has been moved to Covid-ICU, but it's for the best. He will get 24 hour care, with constant observation and on the spot monitoring. When he is better, he probably will be sent to a recovery hospital to regain his strength.

You're going to have your hands full with three more cats to take care of, but good idea to keep them closed off in a room together. I really admire you for stepping in and doing what needs to be done!

patricia19 · December 27, 2020, 11:08:59 AM

MarsGal, I don't envy you as I was a durable power of attorney for my parents. Even if it's short term, it's still a lot of time, effort, and lots of papers. I'm sorry George is having oxygen issues but I sort of expected it. My father had a similar issue after a stroke in the nineties.

Taking care of six cats is going to be a fun job...

Do you have a carrier for them?

FlaJean · December 27, 2020, 01:12:05 PM

Marsgal, George's move to ICU should be good for him. He is fortunate he has your help. I'm sure you are being as safe and careful as possible.

Jackie, these are sure trying times that we are all going through. I hope all is going well with you and I think of you often.

Jenny, what a nice post from you. Good to hear you had a nice Christmas with your son and family.

Beverly, we have been having some cold weather here in northwest Florida but the weatherman says things will be warming up. Larry had several of our plants under covers and removed them this morning. Probably will have it to do again before winter is over.

Marilyne, we do have a birdbath. We have an old brush specially for the birdbath that we use frequently to keep it clean. This morning Larry went out took the ice off and gave it a scrub and put in some fresh water. He takes good care of "his birds".

Larry's sister's husband passed away unexpectedly two days before Christmas. They weren't able to have the funeral until Wed. as the funeral home has had so many funerals lately. They live in northwest Ohio. This will be our second family funeral we have missed going to this year. Traveling is getting harder and harder and especially with the worry of this horrible pandemic.

The sun is shining and as Mary Ann used to say "if the sun is shining, it is a good day".

Marilyne · December 27, 2020, 02:55:30 PM

Jean - I liked your mention of Mary Ann, this morning. I've been missing her, and thinking about her a lot, the past couple of days. I always enjoyed reading her Christmas messages here - all about Tom and Annie, and those cute little redheaded twins. I hope everyone in her family is doing well. I occasionally look at Tom's Facebook page.

We also have a brush that we use to scrub out our birdbath. I read that anything made of copper, placed in the water, will cut way down on mold. Old copper pennies were suggested, but they have to have been minted before a certain date, to have enough copper in them. I think the date was before 1975, but will have to check on it.

Sorry about Larry's brother-in law. It's doubly hard to lose a loved one during this Pandemic, even if the death is not related to Covid. Gatherings of any kind are still not allowed here, so no funerals, memorial services, or anything inside a church has taken place in the past nine months.

MarsGal - I'm looking forward to hearing any updates on George, and what you decide to do about his cats?

MarsGal · December 27, 2020, 05:48:58 PM

I am getting a bit frantic now. When I called at 3pm the nurse told me George took a turn for the worse about 2 hours before I called. They had to intubate him. Nurse said his is now critical but stable. prognosis not good when they get to that point. I am waiting for the doctor to call with an update this evening.

I am having difficulty finding a cat rescue place that doesn't outright say on their website that they are not taking any in now, etc. The Harrisburg Humane Society is an exception, maybe, but they are a kill facility. The vet's website says they don't want anyone who has, or has been around anyone with COVID to drop any animals off. Someone else must pick them up and take them. So, I can't even take them over there.

patricia19 · December 27, 2020, 06:30:26 PM

MarsGal, I'm sorry, and I don't know what to say other than I'm, and I think everyone is here for you and George. I sent you an email.

Amy · December 27, 2020, 06:52:59 PM

MarGal, I am also sorry to read about George. Sending you both prayers ,covid can be beat it just takes time.

Marilyne · December 27, 2020, 07:26:10 PM

MarsGal - I'm so sorry that George has had this setback. It sounds like he's in an excellent hospital, with great doctors, who will continue to take the best care of him. I hope you can find a pet boarding facility tomorrow, that can help you with the cats? I'm thinking about both you and George, and hoping he will be better by morning. I'll be looking forward to your next post.

Denver · December 28, 2020, 04:26:32 PM

Special thoughts and prayers going to you, MARSGAL. I am sorry to read the latest update on George. I hope you can find some shelter to help you with the kitties.

JEAN, my condolences to Larry for the passing of his brother in law. Such a hard time of the year for loved ones to pass. It is nearly impossible to travel to a funeral, if they can even have one these days with Covid.

It is a really cold and dreary day here. We are to get snow but they are not expecting too much accumulation. If it is going to be cold I would at least like to get some moisture out of it.

I wish you all a good rest of your day.

Jenny

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