goldie
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Post by goldie on Oct 5, 2021 18:08:41 GMT -5
Tru, do you still take the driving class for people over age 55? Anybody else? You are supposed to take it every three years and if you notify your auto insurance company you can get a 10% discount on your auto insurance. That's how it is here in MN - not sure if it is the same in all states. It used to be called "55 Alive" and now it's called Road Wise or something like that. I used to take it in person in a classroom, but since the last time, three years ago, I've been taking it online. Both AARP and AAA offer the classes.
I started it Sunday and hoped to finish it yesterday, but haven't yet.. My insurance renews next week and I think they've already figured my rate and billed it. But I'm hoping that if I can get it in before then they'll give me the credit as of the first day. I tried to take it last month and had a heckuva time getting it to work on my computer and browser. To get it to work, I finally had to download Chrome, which I definitely did not want to do. Then Firefox came out with a new update and viola! The class worked on FireFox and I'd downloaded Chrome for nothing. And spent hours and hours and hours trying to get it to work before that.
Anyway, I just hope I can get through it soon, pass the test and get the insurance credit. Then there will be one less thing on my mind to do.
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goldie
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Post by goldie on Oct 8, 2021 12:43:56 GMT -5
I finished and passed the RoadWise class, and forwarded the info to my insurance agent before my new policy date. Turns out that the insurance company had extended the certificates as a courtesy during the pandemic, and had already re-figured my new premium based on having the certificate, before I'd taken the course.
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goldie
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Post by goldie on Oct 8, 2021 12:44:50 GMT -5
Just ate some of the "black cherry" tomatoes from my "garden" (ie, balcony plants). Those are an heirloom variety and soooooo, so, so good! The regular cherry tomatoes are really going to town - more than I've ever had before. The larger tomatoes are not so prolific. The heirloom Cherokee purples are done after only a few. There are still some regulars growing. I hope they'll survive and mature enough before the first frost. It helps that it has been unseasonably warm. It's fun to get enough to eat, to preclude having to buy some for a while. But it's also nice to have all the greenery from those plants on my balcony. Even more so now, after we were required to get rid of the old green indoor/outdoor carpeting and there is just very ugly bare concrete floor. It makes all the lugging of water out there worth it. This is the most cherry tomatoes I've ever gotten.
Did I tell you that I think my neighbor directly below me feeds the squirrels? I hate that and think it is against the rules. I've seen squirrels running into and out of her area many times. Since she's on on 2nd floor, her "balcony" goes out directly onto the garage roof. It's easy for the squirrels to get up onto the other part of the garage roofs, go through the chain link fence to our part, and into hers. I'm up higher and last year was freaked out by a squirrel all the way up here on my balcony. The only way it could have gotten up here is to scale the building wall. I saw it out my window and went out there to scare it off. I saw it scaling the wall to get back down. I hate that she is encouraging them. I also saw a blue jay eating from her area. That was kind of cool, but not worth the potential danger from the squirrels, IMO. I have seen blue jays on my railing, too. They are pretty, but I don't want any wildlife on my balcony. I like to go out at night in the summer, and don't want to have to worry about what might be on the railing when I lean on it. And squirrels can be dangerous. I don't want them eating my plants, either.
Reminds me: I don't know what I did with the last little mini eggplant I picked. I looked for it in the kitchen and couldn't find it. There are more maturing, but they are soo small and soo few that I hate to lose any.
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geezer
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Post by geezer on Oct 10, 2021 6:27:46 GMT -5
Don't worry about your deck at night, Goldie. Both the squirrels and the blue jays are only active during the day.
What's with the "No More Coat Hangers?" I have a similar adversity to Roman numerals and neckties. In my opinion they're both worthless and annoying.
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Post by Tru (NAPA CA) on Oct 11, 2021 10:48:31 GMT -5
Good morning hey g e z e r I believe the coat hanger means no abortions at your own hand because they've been made illegal in Texas hey Goldie how goes it you're really keeping this thing going. What's been going on with me but nothing interesting for y'all. I'm not hearing much about fires at all right now so they must be under control but today we have a wind and dry warning meaning hour futilities might go off. Futilities is right I said utilities but The Interpreter got it right. It is futile well I shouldn't complain I'm not paying anything on mine Heap pays mine. They just don't pay for it when my freezer goes off and all my food she h a w s out. I'm not seeing any squirrels this year. Usually they're all over the place oh, but this year we had an early drop of acorns d u e to the droughts. Acorns were all over the place in July or August. It's quarter to 9 and I got to get ready for a 10 a.m. interview. Yeah I'm going through that again even though I hired a woman she never showed up. Seems to be the main theme with these gals promise anything but don't show up for anything. Some of them don't even show up for the interview. Mssp has provided me with a pendant that I can push the button if I need help. I had one I paid for about 1215 years ago and it accidentally kept going off so I stopped the service. I've only had this one one night and so far so good. But I sure am not used to wearing anything around my neck and it does bother me. 3 months I'll be 91 so when they offered this I decided yeah I better take it. The guy left the wrist thing with me then they gave me a lock box this time in case I can get permission from the office to use it so that the EMTs don't have to break the door down. Cause when I do have a problem and have to call 911 it's usually after hours or weekends when the office is not available to open the door for them. Well going to get my day started tomorrow is another interview but this one is for emergency house work until I get somebody hired LOL hiring doesn't seem to be the problem it's getting them to show up after you higher them
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goldie
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Post by goldie on Oct 12, 2021 14:45:47 GMT -5
Tru, thanks for checking in! I think the device is a good idea, but I would consider it a nuisance, too, and not want those radio waves beaming against my body all the time. But given your circumstances, it sounds like a good idea. I've thought about it, too, but don't feel ready for it (or the expense). What is mssp that gave it to you? You would think that the management would prefer a lock box to the possibility of having the door broken down, but who knows.
When my neighbor across the hall was unconscious in her apt, the EMTs couldn't get a key and had to break the lock to get in. They didn't break the whole door down, b/c I didn't realize until much later that it was broken and she had to get it fixed. But it saved her life.
Geezer, it's not having an actual bird or squirrel on my railing at night that concerns me, but what they might leave (ie, drop) on it that I wouldn't see in the dark, if you get my drift. I think that's more of an issue from birds. Squirrels are just scary to me. They can bite and I don't want them eating my "garden" (ie potted) tomato and other plants.
Squirrels can get very aggressive. When I was working at the U in late summer before grad school started, sometimes we'd sit out on a plaza to eat lunch. Those squirrels were so bold they'd try to take our sandwiches right from our hands.
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Post by Tru (NAPA CA) on Oct 16, 2021 12:44:45 GMT -5
Good morning. It's 10:35 and I'm still sitting here looking at my tablet not ready to start my day except I have had a cup of coffee. My space heater is going full blast and has been ever since I got up it's just now reached 72 here so it's cold outside. But it's still supposed to reach mid-eighties today. Goldie mssp is a program for seniors to provide them with what is necessary to keep them living in their homes instead of putting them in Assisted Living which is very very expensive. So they feel that doing things like providing dependent which I understand runs about $30 a month and I by the way you took my next one off and switch to the wrist because I felt like I was being choked at night or it was hanging around the back of my head and twisting around and I can understand why people took them off and laid them on the nightstand but I don't want to do that I want to keep some protection for when I get up so frequently at night should I switch to the wristwatch hopefully it works and I won't discard it. Any way things are going pretty well I still don't have a caregiver even the emergency woman hasn't been able to provide me one with one although the lady who schedules them spoke to me about that and she said yes they are having a problem getting workers as well. Lack of Workforce seems to be affecting a lot of areas I understand truck drivers now are hard to get, providing delivery of food and stuff to us and my friend in Canada says it's really a problem up there as far as keeping stores supplied. I probably have already mentioned it but I am definitely giving up driving my car. So I have to have some way to get to the doctors and other appointments I have and to get food at cetera. So I used to by taxi script for when I couldn't drive for whatever reason and I am having a problem arranging Transportation through agencies like Molly's Angels who can't get drivers and are swamped and cannot take anymore reservations, mssp has generously purchased some taxi script for me. That will hold me until I get a caregiver hopefully. And I found out there is one drugstore what does deliver in Napa. So things are working out. I hope things are going well for everybody out there. I'll check in occasionally
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goldie
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Post by goldie on Oct 25, 2021 13:21:05 GMT -5
Tru, I hope you are still doing good, or at least pretty good.  Sorry to hear about Molly's Angel and continued difficulty getting a helper. Re: transportation, after you give up your car you'll have the amount you are spending on gas, maintenance and insurance to put toward taxis and other transportation. I know taxis can get expensive. I haven't tried Uber or Lyft, but they are very popular and reportedly less expensive. I see ads on tv for Uber delivers (or something like that) for meal deliveries. Maybe they can also do grocery pick-ups?
Are you going to give your car to your son or sell it? I've heard that used cars are in high demand these days.
I'm intending to take advantage of a local store's new delivery and curbside pick-up service, which has been free for the month of October. Not much time left to try it. Previously they only had Instacart, which I'd intended to try last spring, but had so much difficulty with it for another store, I never got around to trying it at this store. I hate Instacart so am glad to see that this store is now running their own service. Their delivery and pick-up fees after this trial period are pretty reasonable, so if I need to I might use it in the future. I was excited recently to receive a gift card for that store, and thought it a perfect opportunity to try their service and use the card, since I'm not going inside stores. But it turned out their online ordering is not set up to take gift cards. Bummer!! I hope they will get it set up in the future, b/c the card is enough to cover the minimum purchase required to get the best price on the service fees.
It reminded me that I'd also received a gift card for that store last spring, when I was going to try ordering from them through Instacart, but never did. I'd forgotten about that gift card and don't know where it is. I hope I find it and that I'll be able to use both some day.
Be well!
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goldie
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Post by goldie on Nov 2, 2021 15:11:12 GMT -5
Tru, how are you doing? Haven't seen you here for a while. Hope you're well and have gotten the help you need.
It's getting cold here. Down to and just below freezing last night, and will get down into the 20s. Actually it's late, but when it gets this cold is always too soon for me. I finally picked the rest of the tomatoes on my plants and brought them inside. I hope they'll ripen. Don't know if they were far enough along. I'd brought the basil in earlier, b/c it doesn't like cold, even the 40s. It's in my bedroom and now I have something like fruit flies in there that I think are from the basil plant. My guess is there were eggs in the dirt that hatched. Not too bad, but annoying. I left the chives and mini eggplant out but not sure if I should bring one or both inside. I don't know if they're annuals. I picked the last little mini eggplant and looking through the window the plant looks wilted, but it hasn't been watered since Saturday or so. I have several of the little eggplants that I need to cook. The first couple I cut in half lengthwise and sauteed with some onions and mushrooms. I've thought of doing a little more with the newer ones but if I don't do it soon it'll be too late. Each little one is small enough to fit easily in the palm of my hand. So cute.
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goldie
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Post by goldie on Nov 7, 2021 14:19:40 GMT -5
My water filters finally came Wednesday (after being shipped last Thursday and originally scheduled to come last Sunday, and had been in our metropolitan area since Saturday).
Tuesday I spent approximately 2 hours on the phone with both FedEx and Bed Bath & Beyond (who I bought from) about it. First trying to find the phone numbers (not easily accessible on their websites) then trying to reach a real person, then on hold, then while they looked into the matter, then getting disconnected and having to start all over, etc. The first BBB guy was trying to talk to FedEx about it, and I got disconnected while on hold and he was probably on hold, probably past some time limit. I talked to FedEx first, and it was only some call center with no authority to do anything but look up the tracking info which I already knew. Same with the BBB guy until he called FedEx. FedEx gal I'd talked to had no connection to the actual distribution center and wouldn't let me talk to a supervisor (I was disconnected while trying). She kept telling me I needed to talk to the shipper (BBB) b/c they had chosen that particular type of shipping. That made no sense to me, since the package was in FedEx's possession, not BBB's. When the BBB guy finally came back the phone (2nd time - 1st time he said it was taking so long he could call me back, I said I'd hang on longer), it sounded like they couldn't do anything to expedite it. Since it had been moved to a center only about 10 miles or so from me, I wanted them to deliver it that day (Tuesday). BBB guy finally came back and said they'd either know something or deliver it (I don't recall which) in 24-48 hours. WHAT??? That (48) would be a whole week from shipping date. I was very relieved Wed. am when the tracking said "out for delivery" instead of "in transit", and later said, "delivered". Since I was going to a clinic appointment Wed. evening I waited until then to retrieve my packages from downstairs, as I normally do.
I fell asleep watching t.v. shortly after getting home and grabbing something to eat (not even a meal) so it was Thursday when I started to assemble it. I hope they work ok. One time the first filter measured too high but mostly they've been ok.
FYI ZeroWater is a pitcher system that has 5-stage filtration, much better than the more common brands out there. It comes with a little meter so you can measure how many dissolved solids are in the water and know when to change filters. I always let it go longer than what they recommend, but it went way too long this time. Additionally, I've been using the old meter from my first pitcher and finally decided to try the newer one, and they got different readings. So now I don't know which one, if either, to trust.
Before the pandemic I was refilling my own water bottles from the reverse osmosis machine at the grocery store. RO filtration removes everything, and the ZeroWater is the closest thing to it w/o actually being RO. AFAIK RO is the only method that removes fluoride from the water, which I consider a toxin and do not want to ingest. Although ZW doesn't say definitively that it removes it, it is believed that it does. I enjoy not having to lug those water bottles back and forth any more. Clean, chemical-free water is important to me.
Now I've got to figure out how to recycle all those old filters I haven't wanted to throw away b/c of all the plastic on them. Oh, dear, I hope that plastic isn't leaching into the water. Hadn't thought about that before. At least the water doesn't sit in it very long.
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Post by Tru (NAPA CA) on Nov 11, 2021 16:35:19 GMT -5
I'm still around haven't thought about coming online for weeks. I just decided today that I wanted to see what people were saying on the politics sites. Nothing interesting to me so then I decided to come here and see what what's going on. Not much going on with me just living going through old age problems and getting a caregiver that take so much of my time telling her how to do teaching her to cook and cleaning up after her because she doesn't know how to do stuff. It's just time consuming and exhausting. But she is a help in some ways. I got a new chair from Thomasville actually bought it at Costco $300 less and I actually drove to Costco the other day by the way and got an open I've been wanting him to read some reviews that weren't too great but when I actually looked at the oven I thought they were kind of far out. So I bought the oven but even though the caregiver wants to get it done packed I am not ready to let her use it yet. She's kind of like a bull in a china shop. Willing but no knowledge and no care. I had another one that left the shower curtain outside the tub which would drain all the water to the floor and caused me to slip and break a hip or something I really chewed her out for that and I wouldn't blame her if she quit over the way I spoke to her condescending but in a way she deserved it. I haven't decided if she is worth all the agitation for what she does well. I'm still going through a flutter stage with my heart when they get around to it they're going to shock maybe I can too normal pattern I hope not too happy with the idea of getting shocked though. Show life goes on good and bad and it's sweet at times. My son is cooking Thanksgiving and bringing it down to me
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goldie
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Post by goldie on Nov 14, 2021 17:19:05 GMT -5
Tru, so glad to hear that your son will be cooking T-day dinner and bringing it to you! I know how much you enjoy his visits, and doubled by the good food.
We had SNOW yesterday. I think it was the first of the season. Most didn't stay. This morning I could still see it on the lawns, but that appears to have melted. But I still see it on the garage roofs visible from my window. More is in the forecast, but only 50% chance. But still, UGH! It's a long way til spring. 
I remember you talking about how much you like Costco rotisserie chickens, and yesterday my young(er) friends did a Costco run with a last minute notification to me with request for my list. I've already eaten more than half of that chicken! It's sooo yummy. But I am concerned about whether their chickens are raised with antibiotics. I called the local store once to ask and was told no, they aren't. But the labels say no hormones and doesn't mention antibiotics. I wonder if that guy didn't know the difference. But taste-wise: YUM!! And all but one time they've been good sized. One time it was kind of puny. Maybe all the rest were gone by the time they got there.
I haven't gotten a Costco delivery from them in quite a while. Poor things were struggling mightily carrying it all down my hallway, with several heavy things in my order. Included were such heavy items as a big bottle of pomegranate juice, an 18-pack of electolyte/mineral water, a big 30-roll pack of t.p. and a huge bottle of EVOO. I had only asked about what they had re: EVOO and would not have ordered it b/c it is 2 liters in a plastic bottle. I don't like that, but will have to deal with it. What I owed them this time was much more than ever before, but I can't complain when they are such dears to shop and deliver it. Another potential problem is a whole bag of avocados that are soft. I forgot to say "unripe" so I'll probably end up having to throw some (most?) away. My fault. Normally, at other stores, I only get a couple at a time. There are probably 6 in this bag.
I haven't heard any plans for Thanksgiving yet, but I'm assuming that they and his sister and her family will be getting together and inviting me. They're all really good cooks and such dear and loving people, that I look forward to the possibility.
Coincidentally I did a big delivery order from a local store that has switched from Instacart to their own online service and had it free until yesterday. Some of that order is still on my balcony until I get it all sorted out and put away. The temp is around 32º (probably a little warmer on my balcony) so it should be ok. I never would have chosen for both those deliveries to be on the same day, but it was not in my control (other than my putting off until the last minute the grocery store order).
It's so much better dealing with a local business directly instead of Instacart with a a call center somewhere in another country. This way I was able to call land talk to the manager of my local store directly. She answered my questions and after I got the Costco delivery which had a few duplicate items, I called her and she agreed to remove those items, even though my order had already been shopped. Only about three items. I haven't looked at the receipt yet to make sure the amount charged was correct, but I know I can call and talk to her directly if there is an issue. I'd probably do it again if/when necessary. Not so with Instacart, unless it was my last and only option for food.
The only downside is that I've been given a (2?) gift cards for that store and the online service is not set up to take those. So they are doing me no good, since I'm not going into the actual store. I hope they'll get that changed and that I can find the one from last spring and then take advantage of both of them.
Stay well and be happy!!
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goldie
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Post by goldie on Nov 23, 2021 9:16:57 GMT -5
I saw part of the lunar eclipse last week, but only a little bit of it. It was past the full part and was not red. But I think it is always special to see something like an eclipse, even part of it.
Yesterday I was sitting at the computer, which is in front of my balcony windows and I looked out and saw a squirrel sitting on the railing of my 3rd floor balcony again. It F-R-E-A-K-E-D me out. There are no trees or anything close by and he had to have climbed up the wall to get here, after crossing the other garage roofs. He was sitting on the south end of the railing, and my balcony is long. I don't think they make them this large anymore. I quickly ran out there - didn't grab a coat or anything, and it was cold. It ran across the whole railing to the north end and then jumped onto the wall of the building. Instead of climbing down it went up. I think I must have scared it to be a little disoriented. It ended up sitting on the security light for a while. I wanted to throw something at it to scare it so it wouldn't ever come back but I didn't have anything appropriate handy so I started barking like a dog. Don't know why, it just came out. Maybe that's what scared it into climbing up. Finally when I turned a way for a few seconds it got down onto the top of the chain link fence that separates the two garage roofs. It sat on top of it for quite a while. I had all the plants put away for the winter, so I don't think there was any food for it to be attracted to.
This was the second time it's happened, other time was summer last year. Then it was the growing season and my tomato plants, basil and mini eggplant were out there and I was worried that it would eat some. It didn't. Maybe I scared it enough so it wouldn't come back. I think my neighbor directly below me feeds the squirrels and that attracts them. I hate it. I've lived here for more than 20 years and had never seen one up here until that one last year and now this one. Maybe there's been more when I haven't been sitting here to see, but I sit here a lot so it wouldn't have been too many, if at any.
Back when I was in grad school, and working when it was still summer, sometimes we sat out on the mall to eat lunch. In chairs, not on the ground. There were a lot of squirrels around and they had become very bold and fearless. They'd try to take our lunches out of our hands. They get very emboldened and that's why I wanted to scare it away so it wouldn't consider coming up here again.
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goldie
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Post by goldie on Nov 23, 2021 9:18:02 GMT -5
I hope you're well and doing ok. Have a very nice Thanksgiving!
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goldie
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Post by goldie on Nov 25, 2021 9:54:20 GMT -5
As of the last NOAA reading it was only 13º, and windchill temp -1º. YIKES! YIKES!
I hope y'all have a very Happy Thanksgiving! 🦃 😋
I haven't yet decided if I'll join the young(er) folks for Thanksgiving dinner or just stay home. Or some compromise of those two options. And hopefully do some cooking.
My intention is to write notes of gratitude to certain people who have been very important in my life in recent years. Hope I follow through with it. 😟 😷
Tru, I hope you have a wonderful time with your son and get to eat some great food!
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Sorry to hear about Molly's Angel and continued difficulty getting a helper. Re: transportation, after you give up your car you'll have the amount you are spending on gas, maintenance and insurance to put toward taxis and other transportation. I know taxis can get expensive. I haven't tried Uber or Lyft, but they are very popular and reportedly less expensive. I see ads on tv for Uber delivers (or something like that) for meal deliveries. Maybe they can also do grocery pick-ups? 