Norms Bait and Tackle

patricia19 · March 17, 2025, 11:39:25 AM

I have friends with china and crystal that no family members want, as their styles don't coincide. What they've done instead is to donate it such as the local Pioneers which is huge in the state, a group of former immigrants and their descendants or those who can prove thirty years of state residency. The Pioneers have a number of museums that will care for and display the items.

Another idea that some of my friends follow is to hang some of the set on the walls or display succulents or other small plants in teacups or bowls.

patricia19 · March 17, 2025, 03:04:16 PM

For those with ant issues.

https://www.realsimple.com/home-organizing/cleaning/how-to-get-rid-of-ants

BarbStAubrey · March 17, 2025, 04:38:15 PM

Patricia like the idea of planting succulents in cups - what I have done is as the childhood friends, whom I know from visiting, of my grandsons are getting married I'm sending as a gift one of my cut glass pitchers or something similar usually with a note telling them about how the pitcher was used and how old it is - one was my grandmother's but the young man was a special friend to my grandson - so now they can start married life with an antique. Their notes seem to indicate they enjoy the gift and usually tell me the special place in their home where they have it displayed.

A couple of years ago I read a great light, what I call a chit chat book about a women who hoarded and her house burned to the ground and how she started life over in a coastal community having been rid of all those possessions that she felt responsible for and therefore kept adding to... I'm not a hoarder as such but I guess it is a form of hoarding not easily letting go of things I will never use again - my issue is they are full of such history but I'm seeing 20th century history especially the last 40 years of it is not chic - the 50s stuff seem to be the new decorating phase however I think it is more the 20th century's culture and way of life is not admired and so things that we valued are no longer valued.

Marilyne · March 17, 2025, 05:27:54 PM

Patricia, I'm fortunate that my two daughters, my dil, and a couple of granddaughters actually want some of this stuff! They would be welcome to take whatever they want, right now, but don't have the room. Both daughters live in small apartments, but are confident they will soon be able to upgrade to something larger.
I've already given away full sets of dinnerware to a couple of Grands and one niece, when they got married. My youngest granddaughter is now engaged, so will be marrying soon, and wants lots of the glassware. All of them have put a "dibs" on the things they want in the future . . . probably sooner than they think! (Remember way back when we used to say "dibs" on things we wanted?)

CallieOK · March 18, 2025, 12:03:52 PM

Happy Day After St. Patrick's Day!

This weather and allergies "got to me" yesterday and I spent most of it snoozing.

Re: getting rid of household things: My church is involved with furnishing an apartment in a facility for abused women. When they are able to be on their own, they get to take the furnishings with them.
I donate to that program with my "get rid ofs". Since I will never again have a group gathering, it's probably time to make a donation!

Re: family taking things: I find my Grands aren't interested in anything that can't go into a microwave or dishwasher.
However, when they were younger, I overheard my granddaughters discussing which one would get my Mother's sterling silver and which one would get mine. Now that they're grown and have their own residences, I probably should ask them if that still stands!

Barb, I read somewhere that you buy a big roast, etc. and make several meals from it. I do the same thing - particularly with my slow cooker. I like a pork loin or chicken breast halves. Also make a casserole and divide it into individual ramekins (does anyone use that term any more? )

Supposed to be windy and fire danger again today. Bleah!!!!

Wishing Everyfriend a Terrific Tuesday

MaryPage · March 18, 2025, 12:25:32 PM

Marilyne, I remember dibs. I am fading rather swiftly these days, & regret I have to look backwards into the deep past to find a time when my fellow citizens valued the good & admonished the bad. I remember the elderly who were like me now in my family back then offering me a penny if I could tell them I had not told a fib since they saw me last. My hot little fist instantly turned that penny into a piece of sticky candy.

Remember "Honest Abe"?

We were being taught that honesty paid dividends. And the word honest appeared in many business names or reputations.

phyllis · March 18, 2025, 12:45:33 PM

I often feel like Diogenes of Greek mythical fame, who roamed the Earth with his lighted lantern searching for an honest man. I am sure there are honest men somewhere but they seem much fewer now. Or, maybe it's just we only hear of the dishonest men because they are more newsworthy...supposedly.

MaryPage · March 18, 2025, 12:58:38 PM

Ha! Good on you! I had forgotten
Diogenes!

Marilyne · March 18, 2025, 03:52:56 PM

I very much enjoyed reading all of your messages here today. Phyllis, I had forgotten about Diogenes and his lantern! He would have to search far and wide in today's World, and probably come up empty.

That reminds me of a book that I ordered this morning, that sounds like one you all might be interested in:
The Extinction of Experience: Being Human in a Disembodied World, by Christine Rosen
"Christine Rosen investigates the cultural and emotional shifts that accompany our embrace of technology. In warm, philosophical prose, Rosen reveals key human experiences at risk of going extinct, including face-to-face communication, sense of place, authentic emotion, and even boredom."

I checked the Library, but the wait list was too long for me. I feel a need to read it now. The hard cover and the paperback were the same price on Amazon, so I chose the hard cover. It sounds like a book that I'll want to pass around to my two daughters, and dil. My youngest is struggling, and seems to be sad and conflicted.

Callie, my Grands are like yours, in that that don't want to be bothered with anything that can't go into the microwave or dishwasher! That pretty much eliminates China, crystal and sterling silver. However, my Mother willed her set of sterling silverware to our oldest daughter, who was her first grandchild. The china and mid-century dinnerware is spoken for. Youngest granddaughter is already using the crystal wine glasses.
I remember that you have the Metlox Red Rooster dinnerware? It's a popular pattern with MSM collectors. My mother had a set, and used to put it in the dishwasher, so that is something one of your girls may consider. Doubtful that it would survive the microwave.

MaryPage, I'm glad you remember "dibs". I still occasionally say it, when offered a choice of something. "Dibs on the small one", or the pink one, etc.etc. One of those long gone sayings from the past that will soon be forgotten

Patricia, I try to keep things cleared out here, but it seems like a bottomless pit! We have a great non-profit thrift shop here, The Thrift Box, where everything goes to The Lucille Packard Children's Hospital at Stanford. I donate my best items there, that I think will sell high. (I know I already mentioned that one here a while back?). My second choice is Salvation Army. It's some distance away, so I don't get there very often.

patricia19 · March 18, 2025, 04:16:26 PM

I always seem to get the decluttering bug every few years and since my closest relatives live 2,256 or more miles away, I donate the majority of my items. My father donated or sold the majority of her items when my mother became ill, and some of that can be seen at the Pioneer's Museum at Alaskland.

BarbStAubrey · March 18, 2025, 05:18:20 PM

Not getting much done again today - just want to sleep and doing my best with coffee to not cave in - the allergens in the pollen are sending me to never land...

Marilyne my daughter and I were just talking last night on the phone about the cultural shift and what is accepted today - we gave some credit to technology but we also see communities fractured with new cultures - we said fractured because a big change makes everyone feel on edge so that they no longer easily practice what had been an established way of life - its like throwing a pebble in the middle of a still pond - the ripples spread all the way to the shore - Plus we see how in the last 25 years the middle class has been gutted and history shows how the middle class carry forward not just cultural norms but behavioral norms.

I'm remembered and shared with Katha the huge shift that took place after WWII - How we embraced all the new products from dishwashers and freezers to window wax instead of pails of ammonia water to wash windows and for sure penicillin and the pill for women. However, I could not define if the change was either gradual because something was different - I do not remember it being an unsettling time - The only ones who I remembered were unsettled were the priests and ministers preaching about women going to work and couples (actually women again) limiting the size of their family, the number of children. But kids were still kids with yes, most going through all 12 years of grade and high school which was different then in the '30s when many quit at age 16 and went to work but boys still played sandlot baseball and girls still played with dolls. What was that doll in the '50s and early '60s other than Barbie that moms were busy making extensive wardrobes for... a bigger doll than Barbie. Maybe Charming something???

All to say we both sorted through our memory of history and realized there have been major cultural changes that did usually accompany new technology like when farm equipment replaced the need for tenant farmers however, this time it not only seems to be changing and changing in rapid succession but there are other--- I'm thinking the word is organic - the changes are less organic and the mixing of cultures along with the loss of security and iffy secure economic futures for many, has us teetering with some changes similar to the 1930s in addition to the advanced technology that for some threatens to permanently sideline them while those doing well are upper middle class and they seem to have little appreciation for the average plus they embrace all the newest and latest technology. All very unsettling so that we both, Katha and I could see how stress and anxiety seems to be the ground we walk on.

All that but we were on the phone for over 2 hours not only discussing the issue as we saw it but talking about the experiences of some of the people we knew who fit the different economic situations we thought were a part of this changing world we live in.

Hanging onto something in our life seems to be the challenge - we both decided our home and how we live in our home gave us security - thank God we each have a home that even Katha and Gary will have theirs paid for in another 3 years - since we are all over 65 although, living in different states we both took advantage of the over 65 exemption for paying our property tax by letting it accumulate and paying it all off when we or our heirs sell the house after our death and so we both have the security we would have our home where we can live as we choose. That is what I did when I was living in Austin - didn't know about it till I was nearly 75 so I had about 15 years of accumulated property tax that was paid when I sold which worked out great since the single person one time exemption would not have covered the appreciation but together that covered it so no extra tax to the Feds.

My sense is like you Patricia and Marilyne the clearing out will be bottomless so I probably need to wrap my head around at least a yearly if not by-yearly clear out - many 'things' were so important to me at the time it reminds me of accepting I was a teen and the things I cherished as a kid was history that even my kid sister (15 years younger) did not want.

Oh yes, I forgot the expression "Honest Abe" - ah and yes, I can see the illustrations that were popular of Diogenes and his lantern - didn't he have a crow or some sort of bird sitting on his shoulder - as a kid always thought the bird was his way of sending messages back to his home - of course as a kid I just assumed he had a home

patricia19 · March 18, 2025, 07:24:49 PM

Diogenes, truth or fiction;

https://history.howstuffworks.com/historical-figures/diogenes.htm

Ciaobella · March 22, 2025, 02:05:11 PM

Callie, the wildfires seem to be out of control and in states that generally have never experienced them unlike California which expects to have them. 5 miles away is a bit close for comfort, I pray all has settled down. Doctor appointments and scheduling tests has now become a part of my routine, and I must say it can take up a lot of your time, but it is what it is, and I am getting adjusted to it.

Marilyne, thank you for your kind words. I must say here where I live, we do indeed have many still attending Ash Wednesday mass. I even noticed while watching different news channels the anchors had ashes on their foreheads, although I do agree I think this younger generation is not taking the religious acts as important as past generations. I taught CCD classes (religion on Wed. nights and then Sunday mornings) for over 3o yrs. and as time went on, I noticed parents were placing sports activities above bringing their child to CCD. When my students would say their parents do not get up on Sunday to take them to church, but they never miss a practice or game in whatever sport they were in I realized then we were headed in this direction of putting religion on the back burner. No judgement, just an observation.

Barb, I agree with Marilyne, place a setting of your fine China out so you can enjoy looking at it and use a cup from time to time for a cup of tea. I have been getting rid of tons of kitchen things I no longer will use but I'm keeping my beautiful dishes for Easter dinner even if it is just hubby and me. As for cooking...since my hubby retired, he seems to have taken over cooking our dinners although I do jump in and try out a new simple recipe, I find on Facebook every now and then. The crockpot is my favorite kitchen appliance, and I also do many recipes that I can place all food categories in the same glass dish and cook in the oven. Our favorite dish is chicken breast, rice and green beans. I mix 1 cup of rice with 1/2 cup of milk, 1 can of cream of celery soup and the green bean juice, pour it over the chicken breast and green beans, put some French's crispy fried onions on top and bake for about 45 minutes. So easy, healthy and good!! My grown kids are slowly taking over all the holidays get together and I am okay with that. I did huge dinners for Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter and even birthdays and summer swim parties all these years and now I'm okay with passing the torch. I do insist on Christmas Eve still, but I suppose it will be passed along in the coming years.

Okay, well I need to get off of here and enjoy the March Madness basketball games on today. We enter brackets & squares and love watching the games. You all have a great weekend!

Spring has sprung!!

Marilyne · March 24, 2025, 11:22:43 AM

Spring is here at last! Yesterday we got a "preview", with temperatures reaching 72 degrees locally. Today is predicated to be 75 to 80. That will last a few days, and then the weather will swing back and forth through the month of April. Spring is my favorite season.

I received the book I ordered, that I mentioned in my last post - The Extinction of Experience: Being Human in a Disembodied World, by Christine Rosen. I haven't opened it yet, but hope to sit down this afternoon and take a look. From all the reviews I've read, it will be helpful to those of us who feel sad and hopeless about the chaos in our Country, and in much of the World.
Barb - Your comment, says it all: "Stress and anxiety seems to be the ground we walk on."

Patricia, I liked the link you posted, "Diogenes, truth or fiction". I'm so glad I've rediscovered Diogenes, and have enjoyed reading lots of information about him on the net. As for "truth or fiction", I'm going to go with fiction? When I read that he lived in a ceramic bowl, that helped me make up my mind!

Barb, I liked reading about your phone conversation with your daughter. You and Katha, hit on all the subjects that interest me very much. The cultural shift that has happened since the start of the new Century, and that has excelerated in the past four years has been hard for people in our generation to understand. I do think that the Covid lockdown of the schools, did major damage to the children - especially the teens. I have four great-grandchildren who were in high school at the time. Only one of them has gone on to college, and the only reason he did, is because he got a baseball scholarship. The others are drifting.

Ciaobella, thanks for your chicken, rice and green bean casserole recipe . . . sounds delicious, and simple enough for me to prepare. I plan to get the ingredients and hope to make it some day his week. Our son and his wife, have taken over most of the big family events. They have a large house, and a comfortable enclosed patio off the kitchen, that they use year around. They even have a couple of those heat lamps to use during the Winter months. Our two daughters live in small apartments, and don't have the room for hosting a party.

Time for me to put this computer on "sleep", and get started with the day. Lots of things I hope to accomplish, and it looks like a beautiful day to get things done. Hope you will all enjoy this beautiful Spring day!

MaryPage · March 24, 2025, 01:29:55 PM

Culture does indeed shift. I am in a stage of advanced age & lots of napping. My days are bland, except when Debi has to take me out for a medical appointment of some sort or another. Remember when the culture was that the doctors made home visits? I'll bet there are few of us left to give testimony to the truth of that; & then they probably believe we are fantasizing!

One thing above all that crushes my spirits regarding the culture of today is that we are no longer one people. We do not live the American Dream, as we used to call it. We are a divided people. We no longer open our blinds in the mornings while wondering what sort of day it will be. Will someone drop by? Will there be a letter from a loved one? Today, we are an immensely divided people. Once upon a time, we felt only kindness & good will to those who struggled among us. We took them food, items we no longer felt need of & felt they might benefit by. We were not lording it over them: we were sharing our blessings. Trying to give them a boost ahead.

Gawd bless you all, & may we all benefit from a humongous infusion of love for our country & all of its peoples.

I miss those times when my neighbors included each soul in my country. Those years when we were a we.

Ciaobella · March 26, 2025, 11:10:21 AM

Marilyne, your new book sounds interesting, please let us know how you like it once you have gotten a chance to read some of it. Spring, yes, it is a season of new life and hope and I for one am getting so excited seeing my Daffodils and Tulips pushing up through the ground! I completely agree with your assessment of how the Covid lock down affected our children/teens and even college students. Psychologists, psychiatrists, therapists, counselors, physicians and teachers have all noticed the increase in lack of motivation, increase in depression and anxiety and drop in test scores in the schools and colleges since the lock down occurred.

Mary Page,
"One thing above all that crushes my spirits regarding the culture of today is that we are no longer one people. We do not live the American Dream, as we used to call it. We are a divided people."

Oh, you have truly hit the nail on the head with this observation. We are indeed a divided culture/country. And I go one step further in saying hate has become a factor in causing such a division in the past decade. I have family and friends who would no longer speak to me or allow me to visit them due to our differences of opinions on political, cultural and religious views. We used to be a people who could respect each other's differences and agree to disagree, but of late it's as though the divide cannot be narrowed or bridged to be able to be around each other.

I must say that social media can also be a factor in the divide because instead of our neighbors, family and friends dropping in to visit, call you on the phone to chat or send a thinking of you card it has become a tweet, message or post on one of the various social media apps. The human presence and voice have been replaced with a short text message. All our family planning for birthdays and holidays are done through our group chat. I open my Facebook and notice posts from my daughter in laws sharing special events that have happened with the grandkids at school or jobs that I would not have known about had I not looked at their Snapchat, Instagram or Facebook page. I absolutely LOVE technology, I was the groundbreaking computer instructor for our K-8th grade Catholic elementary/jr. high school back in 1984 when Apple computers were just coming into the education sector, but I could see very quickly how computers could replace social physical contact with each other. Sadly, I don't see it ever going back to the physical human contact. But.. I must also say that every morning my hubby or I open our living room blinds and watch over our neighborhood. I have NO curtains up in my kitchen so I can see my backyard neighbors as well. When weather permits, I am outside gathering in a group of neighbors talking and sharing what's going on in the neighborhood. I have two chairs on my front porch for anyone to come sit and chat with me. My grown kids keep nagging us to sell our home and move closer to them and we refuse to because we have lived here for 41 yrs. and our church and community is like family. And let's be honest if we did move closer, they would still not have any more time for us. We are happy living 30 minutes away and we do have enough get togethers throughout the year with them so we will stay here until our health would not allow us to.

Oh dear, time has flown by, and I need to get my day started.

Marilyne, let me know how you like the rice/chicken dish. We just had it last night and have enough for leftovers today.

You all have a great day!

MaryPage · March 26, 2025, 01:22:49 PM

Ciaobella, I have 28 great greatgrandchildren, & one of them is named Annabelle & we all call her Bella. Bella has finished college & taught for 2 years & will now go to law school.

I have never done Social Media. Unless you count Senior Net as that, which I do not. Never, ever. Also, I do not use or own a cell phone. Never have. So I do not text. My great grands probably could not live without these & other technology. They are great for jumping in & fixing mine, but otherwise, I am your opposite. I find this world way too scary. It is good to hear your enthusiasm, though! You GO. Gal!

Ciaobella · March 27, 2025, 10:11:24 AM

Mary Page, what a blessing to have 28 great grandchildren. I have only one and he is 2 yrs. old I love the name Bella. My mother's name was Annabelle, and she had four daughters before me and wanted to name me after her. My father being Italian agreed only if she put the "a" at the end to make it Italian rather than keep the "e". Bella in Italian means beautiful. They decided to call me by my middle name which is Marie. I wish they would have stayed with my first name.
I am in shock you do not own a cell phone and have never done any sort of social media. I say good for you! We no longer own a landline phone, so my cell phone is the only form of communication along with my iPad and laptop.

Denver · March 27, 2025, 02:04:50 PM

Good morning.....I have just managed to catch up on posts since St. Patrick's Day.🤪 All of your posts are delightful and make me smile. I miss being active in this group. Please understand that I have a lot going on and I am not dealing all that well with keeping up🥵

MARILYN, our San Francisco family loved and cherished their time living in SF. DIL can live anywhere they want that has a good airport for my sweet dil can fly in and out of, as she travels quite a bit with her job. The decision to move on was solely based on the cost of living. As you know SF is very expensive to live and they cut their expenses in half by moving to AZ. They bought a beautiful home w pool and backing up to open space that is amazing. They have lived in many wonderful locations and now they are on to the next one❣️❣️

We have been going down to sons new home quite a bit to help him with a few projects that require a second hand, and while we are there we are looking at some possibilities of where our next home may be. We have one more month here in Prescott, and the time is winding down rapidly. It is going to be hard to return to Colorado and leave these two little grands, but we accomplished exactly what we wanted to do. Get to know them better and SEE them grow and for them to know us better. It has been wonderful.

I must run....hubby and I are off to get haircuts that we desperately need.

Have a good day my friends❣️

Marilyne · March 29, 2025, 12:48:00 PM

Good morning to everyone looking in. Spring arrived this week, here in Northern California. Comfortable temperatures, but still some of those sun showers that keep the yard well watered.

Jenny, Good to see your message, and to hear all about your Winter spent in Az. I can see that life will be easier for your son and dil, as far as the Airport is concerned. It's a miserable drive from the neighborhoods in SF, to the airport. It will be hard for them to get used to the heat in AZ this Summer, after the cool fog of SF. You're so right in that the cost of living in SF, and here in the San Jose area is shocking! One bedroom apartments in SJ, (if you can find one) start at $2,250 per month for only 650 sq ft!
I saw the picture you posted on FB of your two little grandsons! They've grown so much, and are so adorable! Please return in the weeks ahead, and let us know if you made a decision on buying a place in AZ?

Looks like all of you have said "goodbye" to your land line telephone? Not so here. We still have the phone on the kitchen wall . . . and when it rings, you can hear it throughout the entire house! We also have connections in a couple of bedrooms and beside both computers. (remember phone jacks?) Most of the calls we get are junk calls, which we never answer, but let them go to our old fashioned answering machine. Both daughters call us on the landline, if they feel like talking for a long time. They have landlines as well. Son and his wife no longer have their landline. Yes, we all do have cell phones, and use them a lot for everything other than personal calls.

It took me a while to get comfortable with texting, but now I'm okay with it. I still can't figure out how everyone "types" so fast with their two thumbs? Neither my husband or I can do it? It must be our arthritic old hands and fingers? On the computer I love email, becasue it's like writing a letter, from days of old. I tend to write on and on, and probably bore people silly!

MaryPage, I do enjoy some social media, but mostly I follow certain news sources for the latest news, and for reading columnists that I like. I also long for the days of old, when we mostly enjoyed face to face conversations and get-togethers, without everyone having a cell phone in their hand!

Ciaobella, Embarrassed t o say that I haven't yet made the, chicken rice-bean casserole that you were so kind to post. I always feel like I have to pick & choose just the "right" chicken. I will be going to the grocery store on Monday, so hope to get things together then. I took note of what you posted a few messages back"

"When weather permits, I am outside gathering in a group of neighbors talking and sharing what's going on in the neighborhood. I have two chairs on my front porch for anyone to come sit and chat with me."

Believe me when I say that I'm genuinely impressed! That is a wonderful thing for you to do - something that is lost in history. I remember that life was like that when I was growing up, and during the early years of marriage when our children were growing up. Summer evenings were something we all looked forward to - all ages. Now just a pleasant memory.

MaryPage · March 29, 2025, 04:11:28 PM

i still have a land line. It is a cell phone I DO NOT have, & never have had. And never will. To me, it is a real downer to see everyone sitting around looking at their phones, & not conversing. I miss conversation.

In so many ways, it is a pity I have lived to be 95. Ninety-six next month. We seem to belong to & best understand our own times.

Ciaobella · March 29, 2025, 08:39:25 PM

Marilyne, yes from the beginning of Spring until the weather gets too cold, I have my chairs on the front porch for neighbors to come sit and talk. We are having a changeover in our neighborhood and many younger families with children are moving in. The kids actually come and pet my dog and hang around to talk, their parents like coming to talk about what's going on in the neighborhood. There is a tree across the street that the kids love to climb in and I keep a watch on them. These kids are out from sunup to sundown. They ride their bikes, rollerblade, etc. No devices in their hands.

Mary Page, I sense there is a peacefulness in not being attached to any devices, or cell phones. Good for you.

I've gotten into this March Madness basketball, and it is so exciting! My brackets may have busted but my hubby and sons brackets are still alive.

maryde · March 30, 2025, 12:20:31 AM

You've probably all forgotten me, Mary de from New Zealand

Denver · March 30, 2025, 01:32:05 AM

MARYDE......what a pleasant surprise to see you popping in here. I often think about you and hope that you are doing well. I hope you will come in again and share what you have been up to😘

MARILYN, thank you for the kind words about my latest post. Oh you know our family will indeed miss the San Francisco weather‼️‼️ We still have our landline at our Colorado home. Only one of our sons still has one as well as my brother. Bob and my brother get our landline coved from retiring from the telephone company. We only have to ppay the tax that comes to nearly $10. a month. Yes, these grands are growing like weeds. We sure are going to miss them when we have to head back home.

CIOBELLA, we are watching the March Madness games as well as our AVALACE Hockey team.

Time for me to head,off to bed.....many of you are snoring logs by now‼️‼️

Marilyne · Reply #24054 - Re: Norms Bait and Tackle

Good morning everyone. Not much going on here to mention, so I'll try to keep this message short. (for a change!)

maryde, Nice to see your post, and to have you back with us.
Please return and bring us all up to date on what's been happening in your life in recent years? I'm looking forward to hearing from you again.

Ciaobella, We haven't been caught up in the March Madness, as yet, but I think it could happen if we had a special "connection" with one of the schools. That's how we became fans of college football. We had grandkids and other relatives attending some of the schools. LSU, Oregon State U, Stanford and San Jose State U are some of our favorites. Right now it's hockey! We live here in Sharks country, so that's our favorite. They haven't done well in recent years, but we will always be loyal fans!

Jenny, You'll miss the two little grandsons, but it will be good to get back to Denver for the summer. You can catch up with the older kids. I'm sure their lives are very busy and exciting now! It would be difficult to live in AZ during the Summer months.

MaryPage, do you have any plans for your 96th birthday in April? With all of your adult children, grandchildren, and great grands, I'm sure you will be hearing from everyone. Hope you'll have a chance to see and talk with the young ones who live fairly close to you?

A new week ahead, so best that I sign out for now and get ready for today. It's still early here only 7:45, so I have a long day ahead. Hoping we hear from others who post here. Callie? Rick? Patricia? Phyllis? Has anyone heard from Joanne - Tomereader?

patricia19 · Reply #24055 - Re: Norms Bait and Tackle

Marilyne, I thought about not seeing Joanne's post for a while and checked. Her last post was January, 31st.

MaryPage · Reply #24056 - Re: Norms Bait and Tackle

Hi & all Hail to you, Maryde from New Zealamd! How lovely to have you pop in & gladden our old hearts.I, too, left Senior Net for a very long time once, but here we are, and Good On Us!

MarsGal · Reply #24057 - Re: Norms Bait and Tackle

I am getting a little miffed at Microsoft again. I have found them sneaking some new apps onto my computer that appear to be designed to work with 365 which I do not use, have never used. I don't even like that One Drive business. They've been busy renaming some apps too. Now I find, on my Task Bar, Microsoft Defender. I did not put it there, and if I click on it, it insists that I need a Microsoft Account (which I have) AND 365 Personal. Oh, and of course, they want money for it. I wonder if they will be offering Microsoft Defender to those who do not want 365 in any way shape or form or if they will tie it to 365 to squeeze more money out of us and to keep/gain more control over Windows users unwilling to go to Windows 11. BTW, I did hear that they are not going to allow anyone to install Windows 11 without them having a Microsoft Account now. I didn't know you could run it without having an account. Well, tightening control on the Windows 11 users then too. How many people actually install Windows without creating a Microsoft account anyway?

Rant over.

RAMMEL · Reply #24058 - Re: Norms Bait and Tackle

MarsGal - I get those attempts to install that 365 stuff, but so far have managed to avoid it. I believe "Windows Defender" came with Win-10. I'm one of those that have chosen to REMAIN with Win-10, and not update to W-11. They have recently ruined my Calendar, by forcing their version on me. So far it doesn't work right for me, and I have found an alternate. It looks like Microsoft is trying to get themselves in trouble again.

MarsGal · Reply #24059 - Re: Norms Bait and Tackle

Here, here! Microsoft isn't the only bunch that want to force us into AI control (subservience?) in the name of security and questionable life-improvements for the masses. Do I sound way to pessimistic? Think 1984.

Addendum to the previous rant over. Time to spend quality time with my kitties. Have a good evening everyone.

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