In the garden, and RAIN!!!!

POSTED BY: SIGNYM
UPDATED: Thursday, December 25, 2025 04:27
VIEWED: 1008338
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SECOND

Thursday, January 30, 2020 4:36 PM (P)

Quote:
Originally posted by 1KIKI:
Hey Jack - not scolding ... or nagging ... just observing that when you smoke you directly expose all your mouth tissues to nicotine. Nicotine is a vasoconstrictor, which means all your little arterioles that supply blood to the tissues clamp down and blood flow goes way down. If you could reduce your smoking some for a few days, your healing would be speedier. Your mood OTOH might be cranky!

Did you know that half of periodontal (gum) disease in smokers is caused by smoking? Chronic (long-term) gum disease can lead to the loss of your teeth. Studies have found that tobacco use may be one of the biggest risk factors in the development of periodontal disease.

More at www.colgate.com/en-us/oral-health/basics/threats-to-dental-health/smok
ing-a-danger-to-healthy-gums

If 6ix didn't smoke he'd still have those teeth. The Trump lovers of America cause their own hardships and yet I have NEVER heard a Trump lover say "It's my fault, all my fault" but a million times I've heard "It's the Democrats" or variations on that theme. LOL

The Joss Whedon script for Serenity, where Wash lives, is Serenity-190pages.pdf at www.mediafire.com/folder/1uwh75oa407q8/Firefly

6IXSTRINGJACK

Thursday, January 30, 2020 8:23 PM (P)

Well... I feel a lot better this morning.

But I did when I woke up yesterday too. We'll have to see how the day goes.

The good news is, my mouth didn't smell bad this morning. I did a ton of salt water washes, and took them out several times yesterday to wash them and let everything "breathe" for a while. It also looks a lot better. The bottom ones are practically healed already, but the top ones have quite a way to go. I think one of the really rough ones that he had trouble getting out is a dry socket right now too. It's hard to tell with my tongue, but I don't feel that anything is in there like the rest of them. Maybe that part is just more sore because of how hard he had to work to get those two out back there?

Anyhow... still not taking any pain meds, and even eating without them was fine last night.

Though I have been "taking it easy", at least physically, yesterday was far from stress free. I had some cash payments last year that I wanted to report, but holy shit do they make that a difficult thing to do. (Why? Why, Uncle Sam do you make this such a difficult thing to do?????)

My usual 2 page 1040 was already going to be 3 pages for the unemployment, but after reporting some cash I made doing a bit of work on top of it, I now have a 10 page tax return, and 30% of that small amount of extra cash I now ended up losing for having to pay Self Employment taxes, 15% on top of that for state and local taxes, and about a $50 hit on my EIC.

No good deed goes unpunished, right?

I'm pretty sure that I could have written off driving to and from the worksite with the .58/mile rate and easily gotten that low enough to not pay any SE, but I'm not going to hire a tax guy to do this and because the wording of that section of tax law is so purposefully convoluted, I'm not entirely sure that driving to a temporary work site is an expense I can write off because of how it is written (and, BTW, apparently neither are any of the IRS "experts" I waited 30 minutes on the phone to talk to who don't do anything but read the same stuff to me that I'm able to read online myself). I certainly don't have any proof that I did drive these distances either if I were to get an audit. Yanno what??? I don't need the stress of worrying about that. It's worth it to me just to pay the extra and sleep soundly at night.

Oh well... That's $250 less on my tax returns, but still the return is going to be about 3.5 x's higher than I'm used to because I had a few bonuses at the job before being laid off at a higher rate, and I elected to have taxes taken out of the unemployment which are all coming back to me. What usually is only enough to pay my car insurance for the year is going to be more than enough to pay my property taxes this year.

So... I'm not doing shit today except for going to the Post Office to drop that and my rebates off. (I'll have over $300 for windows when I get this batch back).

This weekend I'm applying at a few local places that won't pay well instead of all of the applications I've put out for good jobs so far that haven't even given me a callback. My teeth should be fine by next week if I have an interview. I figure I'll either be getting an employee discount on food or on home improvement stuff whichever place I end up working for. I'll put in my first couple of months kicking ass in the provisional period and then let them know that they're going to have to work around my schedule if they want to keep me on.

Do Right, Be Right. :)

BRENDA

Thursday, January 30, 2020 10:17 PM (P)

Have I ever mentioned that I hate mornings. Cause I do.

6IXSTRINGJACK

Friday, January 31, 2020 12:41 AM (P)

I didn't like mornings when I was younger. They're pretty sweet now.

I could do without the dreary days though. I think that's like a dozen in a row without any sun at this point. Kind of sick of everything being grey all the time and February hasn't even begun yet.

At least it's pretty warm for the season and we haven't had much snow.

Do Right, Be Right. :)

BRENDA

Friday, January 31, 2020 6:38 AM (P)

Feet hurt and right wants to cramp.

SIGNYM

Friday, January 31, 2020 6:47 AM (P)

They say you can beat cramps with potassium- bananas, orange juice, potatoes, coconut water and such.

I can't say they've ever helped me but it might be worth a try

-----------
Pity would be no more,
If we did not MAKE men poor - William Blake

Happy New Year, WISHY. I edited out your psychopathic screed!

1KIKI

Friday, January 31, 2020 6:58 AM (P)

Hey Brenda - nice to see you around again! - I noticed you were gone for a bit.

I found an online remedy that people at work used to swear by, though I've never tried it myself: https://amishcountrystoreonline.com/stops-leg-foot-cramps/

Sometimes if I have a leg or foot cramp at night, if I chew on a Rolaids (has both calcium and magnesium) it helps, but for some reason Tums doesn't (just has calcium).

SIGNYM

Friday, January 31, 2020 12:11 PM (P)

Quote:
Originally posted by 6IXSTRINGJACK:
I didn't like mornings when I was younger. They're pretty sweet now.

I could do without the dreary days though. I think that's like a dozen in a row without any sun at this point. Kind of sick of everything being grey all the time and February hasn't even begun yet.

At least it's pretty warm for the season and we haven't had much snow.

Do Right, Be Right. :)

I know what you mean, where I grew up always seemed to have clouds about 500 ft off the ground. I used to like the dreary days, but I'm sure that if I had to watch clouds scud overhead for a week or more at a time, I'd get pretty tired of it! I know I can get tired of constant sunshine. Gosh, if only we could do a weather-swap!

Yeah. About those taxes. Because we've always run some version of Linux, I've never been able to use TurboTax or any of the other DIY tax software, so I set up my own spreadsheet/expert system with all of the relevant "worksheets" built in, but somewhere around 10? years ago I said fuckit, and started taking our taxes to a tax guy. Why do they HAVE to make it so complicated?

-----------
Pity would be no more,
If we did not MAKE men poor - William Blake

Happy New Year, WISHY. I edited out your psychopathic screed!

6IXSTRINGJACK

Friday, January 31, 2020 7:36 PM (P)

Yeah. It's not the cloudy type of grey sky where you at least get the enjoyment of watching things move when you look up. It's just solid gray. Every day, over and over. This part of the country is basically dead 3 months out of the year. I'm sick of it.

I've done my taxes since I was 21, so this will be my 20th time. I'm trying to do the right thing here, and I feel like I've been severely punished for doing it. It was all cash with no 1099 forms for a quick side job I helped out with and my taxes were so thick I could barely stuff them in the standard envelope, and they're going to take over 40% of what little cash it was, with around 100 of that going to my SS/Medicare.

Oh well. :(

My friend said I need to go see a tax accountant. I'm like, dude, I didn't even make $1,000 over the standard deduction. I'm not paying somebody $200 or more to do my taxes. I'm just in a position where my two options are paying that money to the government, or paying a tax attorney to do my taxes better and just giving the money to him. And if it turned out I did them right and they couldn't do them better, then I'm out the $250 to the government plus the attorney fees.

So I'm looking at it like I overpaid by not claiming any mileage to and from the job (which at .58/mile was over $300 and would have meant no Self Employment tax, $30 less FED tax, $15 less state and local, and about $50 more for the Earned Income Credit for state and fed).

Better just to do that and not worry for the next 7 years that one day they're going to pull it and make life hell for me for a few weeks.

I HATE giving free money to the government and overpaying taxes, but the ROI of my plan is sound here. $250 isn't going to make or break me and it's worth it not to have the stress of doubt. I just gave them most of the money I'm saving on my internet this year.

Do Right, Be Right. :)

SIGNYM

Friday, January 31, 2020 10:09 PM (P)

I used to work for a guy, he always ALWAYS left a deduction off his taxes (something smallish), that way if he was audited he could always pull that rabbit out of his hat and say "AHA! YOU owe ME!"

Now that I'm retired I might go back to doing our taxes, again. I'm actually pretty darn good with a spreadsheet (I used to program some doozies at work) and I could run my spreadsheet on some past returns and compare what I get to what the tax guy got.

-----------
Pity would be no more,
If we did not MAKE men poor - William Blake

Happy New Year, WISHY. I edited out your psychopathic screed!

6IXSTRINGJACK

Friday, January 31, 2020 10:25 PM (P)

Not a bad plan if you do your own and they're regularly tricky.

Mine are usually really easy. It's the state taxes that are stupid in my case. I really think they make you fill out all of those extra forms and mail in a novel because they're trying to get everyone to do it online.

I'm not trying to hide anything here. But I just feel like I'm being punished for being honest about cash. And rather than try to claim mileage to a place where hung some drywall and did some painting, I'm just going to swallow it and pay what is probably much more than I should be. The IRS themselves are useless in 2020. They just read the same damn things to me over the phone that I already read myself online, and would not commit at all to anything, and didn't even understand the questions I was asking them.

I really get the feeling that nobody reports this type of stuff, so at the end of the day, I'm the asshole here.

Maybe you have thoughts about this? It's the Schedule C I had to file.

https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/f1040sc.pdf

Without giving exact numbers, let's just say that line 6 was around $600.

With no expenses written off, that's over the $400 that requires you to pay the 15.3% Self Employment tax (form SE), as well as the 10% FED tax and then any State and Local taxes on that separate tax return. These inflated numbers also eat into Earned Income Credit as well.

But I drove quite far to do the job, on quite a few days. Even if I were to do an extremely conservative estimate of my mileage for this work, it comes out to nearly $280 if it qualified for the .58cents/mile, and would go on line 9 in Part II.

Here's the rub... well... two of them, actually...

1. I have no proof of this if somebody asks me for it. I have zero GPS systems. I have no electronic toll unit. I don't even have any saved gas reciepts.

2. Even if I had any or all of that, the way the instructions are worded for doing Part IV "Information on your Vehicle" are convoluted as hell. I must have re-read that part a dozen times and I still don't know if my mileage even would qualify for that. (Especially troubling is that the amount of the write off I'd be looking to get is so close to the exact amount I'd need to have not to pay any SE taxes, which to me looks like a big red flag).

Instructions: https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/f1040sc.pdf

Specifically, line 44b:

Quote:

In most cases, commuting is travel between your home and a work location. If you converted your vehicle during the year from personal to business use (or vice versa), enter your commuting miles only for the period you drove your vehicle for business.

Travel that meets any of the following conditions isn't commuting.

You have at least one regular work location away from your home and the travel is to a temporary work location in the same trade or business, regardless of the distance. Generally, a temporary work location is one where your employment is expected to last 1 year or less. See Pub. 463 for more details.

The travel is to a temporary work location outside the metropolitan area where you live and normally work.

Your home is your principal place of business under section 280A(c)(1)(A) (for purposes of deducting expenses for business use of your home) and the travel is to another work location in the same trade or business, regardless of whether that location is regular or temporary and regardless of distance.

I don't own a business. I've never owned a business. But the income I made here has no other place to go than on a Schedule C that is designed for businesses and self proprietorship.

Basically, I really fucked myself here.

Oh well. Keep my money, you vultures. I'm SURE you're going to put it to good use.

Do Right, Be Right. :)

BRENDA

Friday, January 31, 2020 11:07 PM (P)

Quote:
Originally posted by SignyM:
They say you can beat cramps with potassium- bananas, orange juice, potatoes, coconut water and such.

I can't say they've ever helped me but it might be worth a try

-----------
Pity would be no more,
If we did not MAKE men poor - William Blake

Happy New Year, WISHY. I edited out your psychopathic screed!

I usually eat a banana at work during my coffee break and it doesn't help.

BRENDA

Friday, January 31, 2020 11:10 PM (P)

Quote:
Originally posted by 1KIKI:
Hey Brenda - nice to see you around again! - I noticed you were gone for a bit.

I found an online remedy that people at work used to swear by, though I've never tried it myself: https://amishcountrystoreonline.com/stops-leg-foot-cramps/

Sometimes if I have a leg or foot cramp at night, if I chew on a Rolaids (has both calcium and magnesium) it helps, but for some reason Tums doesn't (just has calcium).

Nice to know I was missed. Had a few problems with this thing. So was slow posting for a few.

I'll have a look at your link Kiki later. Got things to do today in the rain.

Cramps like to happen when I am at work or just finished work.

BRENDA

Friday, January 31, 2020 11:15 PM (P)

Another weather front has moved in which the weather people are now calling, "An atmospheric river" translated that means rain upon rain upon rain. Now there is a worry of flooding in low lying areas with the rain and the snow melting.

Also talk of a dribble more snow for my area over the end of the weekend into early next week. So we shall see.

But for today and tomorrow. Soggy, soggy, soggy.

1KIKI

Saturday, February 1, 2020 12:05 AM (P)

Quote:
Originally posted by 6IXSTRINGJACK:
Yeah. It's not the cloudy type of grey sky where you at least get the enjoyment of watching things move when you look up. It's just solid gray. Every day, over and over. This part of the country is basically dead 3 months out of the year. I'm sick of it.

Sounds like Buffalo, but I think Buffalo has got you beat. And here's why! The county hospital where I worked had 13 floors - well they only counted 12 because they had the 'ground' floor and the next floor above that was the first floor ... it had 13 floors, despite their superstitious numbering. MANY a day, at any time of year, I'd drive in to work and the top floor(s) were in the clouds. I shit you not. On top of that, all the dirt had been scraped off by the previous glacier that left just a thin layer of clay behind. With the high water table and the lack of good soil, the trees were always stubby. There were these stubby trees, the low, grey ceiling, the short houses ... it was really claustrophobic.

Quote:
I've done my taxes since I was 21, so this will be my 20th time. I'm trying to do the right thing here, and I feel like I've been severely punished for doing it. It was all cash with no 1099 forms for a quick side job I helped out with and my taxes were so thick I could barely stuff them in the standard envelope, and they're going to take over 40% of what little cash it was, with around 100 of that going to my SS/Medicare.

Oh well. :(

My friend said I need to go see a tax accountant. I'm like, dude, I didn't even make $1,000 over the standard deduction. I'm not paying somebody $200 or more to do my taxes. I'm just in a position where my two options are paying that money to the government, or paying a tax attorney to do my taxes better and just giving the money to him. And if it turned out I did them right and they couldn't do them better, then I'm out the $250 to the government plus the attorney fees.

So I'm looking at it like I overpaid by not claiming any mileage to and from the job (which at .58/mile was over $300 and would have meant no Self Employment tax, $30 less FED tax, $15 less state and local, and about $50 more for the Earned Income Credit for state and fed).

Better just to do that and not worry for the next 7 years that one day they're going to pull it and make life hell for me for a few weeks.

I HATE giving free money to the government and overpaying taxes, but the ROI of my plan is sound here. $250 isn't going to make or break me and it's worth it not to have the stress of doubt. I just gave them most of the money I'm saving on my internet this year.

Do Right, Be Right. :)

I feel ya on the taxes. Better to have them as overly-honest as possible.

1KIKI

Saturday, February 1, 2020 12:56 AM (P)

Hey Brenda - you know, my mantra is to see your doctor! Fortunately you live in Canada where it's easier and far cheaper. ANYway - leg cramps at night are common for some strange reason, but leg cramps during activity could be another issue completely. It's possible you have poor circulation, aka peripheral artery disease. If you have it checked out, you should mention when and under what circumstances your legs cramp up.

6IXSTRINGJACK

Saturday, February 1, 2020 7:02 AM (P)

I'm getting the antibiotics tomorrow. I think one or two of them might not be healing right. This is the third day in a row where I feel extreme fatigue and chills at around sunset. It's still hard to eat too because of the pain in two spots in particular. It's been 4 days. This should be over with.

Do Right, Be Right. :)

1KIKI

Saturday, February 1, 2020 7:10 AM (P)

I'm glad you're going to see a doctor, Jack! Since you didn't mention anything, I was hoping everything was OK. that it's not.

6IXSTRINGJACK

Saturday, February 1, 2020 7:17 AM (P)

I'm probably just overreacting. Reading online nothing is out of the ordinary. It's probably not fair for me to be comparing what I just went through with a single pull from before either.

With how good things went from day 1 to day 2 though, I would have thought I'd be eating peanuts tonight. I don't think that's in the cards.

Do Right, Be Right. :)

1KIKI

Saturday, February 1, 2020 7:55 AM (P)

If it were me I'd go see somebody. A simple blood test can tell if you have an infection.

SIGNYM

Saturday, February 1, 2020 9:00 AM (P)

Quote:
Originally posted by Brenda:
Quote:
Originally posted by SignyM:
They say you can beat cramps with potassium- bananas, orange juice, potatoes, coconut water and such.

I can't say they've ever helped me but it might be worth a try

-----------
Pity would be no more,
If we did not MAKE men poor - William Blake

Happy New Year, WISHY. I edited out your psychopathic screed!

I usually eat a banana at work during my coffee break and it doesn't help.

Yeah, doesn't help me either. Sorry.

-----------
Pity would be no more,
If we did not MAKE men poor - William Blake

Happy New Year, WISHY. I edited out your psychopathic screed!

BRENDA

Saturday, February 1, 2020 11:40 PM (P)

Laundry day as soon as I get a move on.

BRENDA

Sunday, February 2, 2020 4:16 AM (P)

nice, bright sunny day here for a change.

SIGNYM

Sunday, February 2, 2020 5:05 AM (P)

Are you on antibiotics now, SIX? I hope so!

*****

I read the portion of the tax code that you posted... it's clear as mud. I know that the IRS is very very strict on declaring part of your home as your "place of business" ... there was an anesthesiologist who billed from home and declared the home office a place of business (and tried to deduct that portion -by square foot- of mortgage, heat and light as a business expense) and got nailed by the IRS because in THEIR view the anethesiologist's principal place of business was the hospital.

anyway, I know you're not deducting home expenses (oh btw, keep your receipts on all of the money you're spending on renovation, when you sell you can deduct the reno expenses from the sale price so your tax isn't so high. But if you use that money to buy another home, you get a pass on the taxes.) so that's not your problem. I'm pretty sure that you could deduct the auto expenses ... you don't need receipts it's a standard $/mile that takes into account gas, depreciation etc ... but you're probably better off not even trying.

-----------
Pity would be no more,
If we did not MAKE men poor - William Blake

Happy New Year, WISHY. I edited out your psychopathic screed!

6IXSTRINGJACK

Sunday, February 2, 2020 6:16 AM (P)

Quote:
Originally posted by SIGNYM:
Are you on antibiotics now, SIX? I hope so!

Nah.. I neglected to pick them up yet. They're ready for me though. Nice and sunny and very warm tomorrow. Going to go out and enjoy the sun that hasn't been out in weeks now. :)

Feeling much better today though overall and the pain is almost completely gone even in the bad spots. I may or may not take them right away. It's always nice to have a stash of antibiotics on hand if I don't need them right now.

Quote:
I read the portion of the tax code that you posted... it's clear as mud. I know that the IRS is very very strict on declaring part of your home as your "place of business" ... there was an anesthesiologist who billed from home and declared the home office a place of business (and tried to deduct that portion -by square foot- of mortgage, heat and light as a business expense) and got nailed by the IRS because in THEIR view the anethesiologist's principal place of business was the hospital.

anyway, I know you're not deducting home expenses (oh btw, keep your receipts on all of the money you're spending on renovation, when you sell you can deduct the reno expenses from the sale price so your tax isn't so high. But if you use that money to buy another home, you get a pass on the taxes.) so that's not your problem. I'm pretty sure that you could deduct the auto expenses ... you don't need receipts it's a standard $/mile that takes into account gas, depreciation etc ... but you're probably better off not even trying.

I already sent them in without trying to claim any mileage deductions. I may try to do a 1040X next year and recoup that by writing the mileage off. I figure this way at least I paid the maximum in full up front as a show of good faith. That way if they don't agree, the worst that can happen is they just flat out deny my 1040X and give me the exact reason why.

Do Right, Be Right. :)

BRENDA

Monday, February 3, 2020 9:12 AM (P)

No snow where I am but other areas have some.

Fun morning. Fire alarm went off while I was in the shower. So I was stuck.

6IXSTRINGJACK

Monday, February 3, 2020 11:15 AM (P)

Jeez...

How long? Everything okay now?

Do Right, Be Right. :)

1KIKI

Monday, February 3, 2020 11:27 AM (P)

Quote:
Originally posted by Brenda:
No snow where I am but other areas have some.

Fun morning. Fire alarm went off while I was in the shower. So I was stuck.

The fire alarm AGAIN??!!! DANG!!! That seems really annoying.

SIGNYM

Monday, February 3, 2020 12:40 PM (P)

Hey Brenda, I have a ?? about your apartment building: Does it have a sprinkler system? Does it have emergency lights? Clearly marked and lighted exit signs?

If no sprinklers, does it have TWO stairwells, on opposite sides of the building, that can be used to evacuate in case of fire? We just recently had a high-rise apartment fire that killed two people, and this building wasn't required to have sprinklers since it was an older one and was "grandfathered" in. About a dozen people were pulled off the roof by helicopter.

Which reminds me of that horrible fire in England, the Grenfell fire

So I hope you have several evacuation routes planned ... preferably to the ground floor because there's no assurance that anyone could be evacuated from a rooftop ... and an idea what to do next if one route is blocked. For example, if you start down one stairwell and encounter a lot of smoke, are you able to exit that stairwell, cross the building (touching and counting doors as you go if there's too much smoke to see) and access another one? Do you have a flashlight or three charged and handy? (Here in earthquake country we have one in every room, plus special battery-powered "nightlights" that plug into a socket and only turn on in the dark when the power goes out.) Look into it, grab your flashlight, walk the building and the routes even in the dark, make sure that the exit doors are unlocked (In some public buildings here you can exit into the stairwell but not re-enter into the building except at the ground floor ... that kinda makes an alternate evacuation route impossible to access) etc. Mentally prepare yourself, but nothing beats actual walk-thru practice, which will carry your thru in times of stress. Check it out, walk thru your plan a few times a year.

Other than that ... carry on!

-----------
Pity would be no more,
If we did not MAKE men poor - William Blake

Happy New Year, WISHY. I edited out your psychopathic screed!

SIGNYM

Monday, February 3, 2020 12:54 PM (P)

So over at this end ... I read in your post KIKI that you're still wheezing and bubbling. I'm still coughing and occasionally wheezing but the bubbling seems to have stopped. I had a coincidental appointment with my PCP and I'm loaded up with all kinds of asthma medication but I have to say ... I'm not sure they're helping, and I'm tired of being tired. I mean, overall I'm way better than I was 2 1/2 weeks ago when I was in bed with the covers over my head shaking with chills, but ... still... some days just walking the dog gets me out of breath! I just started picking up the pieces about four days ago, but "things to do" are piling up way faster than my ability to handle them!

So I'm thinking about this coronavirus and, like you, imagining that if I were ever to get it I'd be the one in the hospital dying of pneumonia.

Supposedly the "regular" flu has a death rate of about 0.4%. A death rate of 2-4% is way higher than the plain-old flu, and altho not like Ebola if enuf people get it, it could really rattle an economy.

-----------
Pity would be no more,
If we did not MAKE men poor - William Blake

Happy New Year, WISHY. I edited out your psychopathic screed!

SIGNYM

Monday, February 3, 2020 1:46 PM (P)

Just household kind of stuff ... there are a lot more scrub jays in the neighborhood than I anticipated! Because I've been sick I haven't been putting peanuts out for the crittrs, so this AM I finally managed to toss out several handfuls.

Well, I don't know who rang the breakfast bell ... I gotta say, it works better than our social media! ... but a bunch of ravens and FIVE scrub jays showed up for breakfast, as well as a yellow warbler (not a big fan of peanuts, I don't know why it showed up), a couple of squirrels and the usual mockingbirds.

Plus, our dog is in heat. We haven't spayed her because by the time she started living in our backyard and became ours she had already passed any possible reduction of risk factor for mammary tumor, and spaying would just increase the risk of urinary incontinence. So for the time being, she is a whole- if occasionally messy!- dog. But we have to put her in her carrier at night.and because she's so cold sensitive I put a bunch of rags in the bottom and a heating pad across the top along with a towel to hold the heat in.

I had to irrigate the entire yard yesterday (which meant I had to fix a couple of sprinkler-heads) January was such a bust rain-wise. I'll probably irrigate again tomorrow; better to deeply water less often.

And dear daughter and I managed to make eggs Benedict with Hollandaise sauce. She has been bugging and bugging and bugging me about it for months after she ordered it in a couple of local restaurants. I know she "hates fat" and despite the fact that I've told her many times that Hollandaise sauce is just a mixture of melted butter and egg yolks, we did manage to make a sorta-OK sauce to top the poached eggs/Canadian bacon/bagel and she wants to make it again.

Time for me to toddle off. I decongested and rinsed my nose thoroughly and inhaled all the meds I'm supposed to, taken all the pills and drunk all of the liquids* and I hope to god I sleep better than I have been for the past I don't know how long!

* This reminds me of the LAST big flu I had, literally right before my scheduled excisional biopsy. I was so sick, they canceled the surgery and my PCP worked mighty hard to get me helthy enough for the next time-slot: breathing treatments, two rounds of azithormycin, oral steroids, anti-asthma meds and shit I've even forgotten. I'm not sure any of that pushed my recovery forward faster than cough syrup, steam-breathing, and albuterol would have. Wondering if I have something a little different than asthma going on...

-----------
Pity would be no more,
If we did not MAKE men poor - William Blake

Happy New Year, WISHY. I edited out your psychopathic screed!

1KIKI

Monday, February 3, 2020 2:50 PM (P)

My energy levels are down and up, then down again. I'm way better than at the start when I wasn't sure I could help myself if I got any sicker. But I sometimes go to bed feeling like I have some energy, and the next AM I'm wiped out, and more than half the day is shot until I can manage to do something ... little. I try to do at least one little thing. But I too am falling way behind. And I noticed that my left lung isn't expanding much. So I try to do some deep inhales w/ pursed lip exhales from time to time during the day. And sometimes my lungs are quiet, sometimes wheezing, sometimes bubbling, and sometimes both.

Signy, you're probably in bed already, but I hope you sleep well, too. Goodnight.

SIGNYM

Monday, February 3, 2020 10:54 PM (P)

I'm past the bubbling stage (I think). Possibly the meds really ARE doing something for me: Advair inhaler, montelukast pill, albuterol (inhaler, as needed), nasal rinse of budesonide and mupirocin, plus ... on my own ... cough syrup, nasal decongestant, humidification/steam breathing, and the occasional "gargle with vodka". Seems to have been helping. No longer coughing up green chunks from my lungs, it's mostly clear and thin, but I STILL feel a "catch" with every breath and occasionally uncontrollable spasmodic coughing. When I DO cough hard, I kinda get woozy. My thinking is super-fuzzy ... I keep forgetting where I put things etc.

Maybe you need a chest x-ray for pneumonia??? Make a same-day? Or go to a local urgent care? You might get some helpful meds from a doc; sounds like you could use some!

When you say "do something little", like .... HOW "little" do you mean? Yesterday I did three sinksful of dishes, threw peanuts out for the little critters, did a half-week's-worth of grocery shopping (but dear daughter put the groceries away), managed to do 20 minutes of weeding but didn't walk the dog except for a couple of trips across the street, and made beef, bean, and cheese burritos for dinner. Also, took a 2-hour nap!

I consider that to be VERY unproductive day. My previous night's sleep was shit and my energy levels were frustratingly low. How does that compare to your days? About the same?

Also, dear daughter is still coughing altho her energy levels appear to be better than mine, hubby is not coughing at all anymore and he's been woodworking (planing, sawing, chiseling wood to make a bed platform) for about a week so HIS energy levels appear pretty good.

Just trying to give you a metric on how we're all recovering so you can decide if you're making good progress or need extra help.

-----------
Pity would be no more,
If we did not MAKE men poor - William Blake

Happy New Year, WISHY. I edited out your psychopathic screed!

6IXSTRINGJACK

Monday, February 3, 2020 11:06 PM (P)

Hope you both feel better soon.

I'm taking the antibodies now. I was able to eat peanuts for the first time last night, so at least I'm at the point where I am able to eat anything I used to eat pre-surgery. Yesterday is the first time I didn't take any Tylenol before eating or going to sleep. I've barely been taking any, but I would still pop a 500mg pill before I ate the last few days.

I think I might call up one of my friends and go out for some chicken or steak this week or next depending on how I'm feeling about it. I haven't been able to eat either for years. I'll feel a lot better about all of this after a belly full of real meat instead of constant hamburger patties.

Do Right, Be Right. :)

BRENDA

Monday, February 3, 2020 11:14 PM (P)

Quote:
Originally posted by 6IXSTRINGJACK:
Jeez...

How long? Everything okay now?

Do Right, Be Right. :)

Think it was about 5 minutes but yeah everything was alright.

BRENDA

Monday, February 3, 2020 11:16 PM (P)

Quote:
Originally posted by SIGNYM:
Hey Brenda, I have a ?? about your apartment building: Does it have a sprinkler system? Does it have emergency lights? Clearly marked and lighted exit signs?

If no sprinklers, does it have TWO stairwells, on opposite sides of the building, that can be used to evacuate in case of fire? We just recently had a high-rise apartment fire that killed two people, and this building wasn't required to have sprinklers since it was an older one and was "grandfathered" in. About a dozen people were pulled off the roof by helicopter.

Which reminds me of that horrible fire in England, the Grenfell fire

So I hope you have several evacuation routes planned ... preferably to the ground floor because there's no assurance that anyone could be evacuated from a rooftop ... and an idea what to do next if one route is blocked. For example, if you start down one stairwell and encounter a lot of smoke, are you able to exit that stairwell, cross the building (touching and counting doors as you go if there's too much smoke to see) and access another one? Do you have a flashlight or three charged and handy? (Here in earthquake country we have one in every room, plus special battery-powered "nightlights" that plug into a socket and only turn on in the dark when the power goes out.) Look into it, grab your flashlight, walk the building and the routes even in the dark, make sure that the exit doors are unlocked (In some public buildings here you can exit into the stairwell but not re-enter into the building except at the ground floor ... that kinda makes an alternate evacuation route impossible to access) etc. Mentally prepare yourself, but nothing beats actual walk-thru practice, which will carry your thru in times of stress. Check it out, walk thru your plan a few times a year.

Other than that ... carry on!

-----------
Pity would be no more,
If we did not MAKE men poor - William Blake

Happy New Year, WISHY. I edited out your psychopathic screed!

There is a sprinkler system and stairwells that I can get to. Had to use one of them when the elevators were out a couple of weeks ago. I have small flashlights, I just have to put batteries into them.

1KIKI

Tuesday, February 4, 2020 1:19 AM (P)

DANG! Signy, I had a whole long response that got 'et' by the website. But in sum - we started out at VASTLY different baselines! Your bad days are like 3 or 4 pre-flu good days for me. My left lung has already improved with breathing exercises and postural drainage. And overall, I've improved quite a bit. I'm probably at 70-80% baseline, but with - yanno - the frequent wheeze, occasional bubble, and of course some bouts of random coughing.

As for your cough-wooziness, you may possibly have 'cough syncope' (so called because some people actually faint after a prolonged bout of coughing), and it's caused by mechanical disruption of circulation to the brain due to coughing. Treatment is cough suppression.

SIGNYM

Tuesday, February 4, 2020 3:37 AM (P)

Quote:
Originally posted by 1KIKI:
DANG! Signy, I had a whole long response that got 'et' by the website. But in sum - we started out at VASTLY different baselines! Your bad days are like 3 or 4 pre-flu good days for me. My left lung has already improved with breathing exercises and postural drainage. And overall, I've improved quite a bit. I'm probably at 70-80% baseline, but with - yanno - the frequent wheeze, occasional bubble, and of course some bouts of random coughing.

As for your cough-wooziness, you may possibly have 'cough syncope' (so called because some people actually faint after a prolonged bout of coughing), and it's caused by mechanical disruption of circulation to the brain due to coughing. Treatment is cough suppression.

Just to make sure I understand ... my post-flu "bad days" are like your pre-flu "good days"?

If that's the case, you might want to see a doctor and figure out what's going on!

-----------
Pity would be no more,
If we did not MAKE men poor - William Blake

Happy New Year, WISHY. I edited out your psychopathic screed!

SIGNYM

Tuesday, February 4, 2020 3:40 AM (P)

Quote:
SIGNYM: Hey Brenda, I have a ?? about your apartment building: Does it have a sprinkler system? Does it have emergency lights? Clearly marked and lighted exit signs?

If no sprinklers, does it have TWO stairwells, on opposite sides of the building, that can be used to evacuate in case of fire? We just recently had a high-rise apartment fire that killed two people, and this building wasn't required to have sprinklers since it was an older one and was "grandfathered" in. About a dozen people were pulled off the roof by helicopter...

So I hope you have several evacuation routes planned ... preferably to the ground floor because there's no assurance that anyone could be evacuated from a rooftop ... and an idea what to do next if one route is blocked. For example, if you start down one stairwell and encounter a lot of smoke, are you able to exit that stairwell, cross the building (touching and counting doors as you go if there's too much smoke to see) and access another one? Do you have a flashlight or three charged and handy? (Here in earthquake country we have one in every room, plus special battery-powered "nightlights" that plug into a socket and only turn on in the dark when the power goes out.) Look into it, grab your flashlight, walk the building and the routes even in the dark, make sure that the exit doors are unlocked (In some public buildings here you can exit into the stairwell but not re-enter into the building except at the ground floor ... that kinda makes an alternate evacuation route impossible to access) etc. Mentally prepare yourself, but nothing beats actual walk-thru practice, which will carry your thru in times of stress. Check it out, walk thru your plan a few times a year.

Other than that ... carry on!

BRENDA: There is a sprinkler system and stairwells that I can get to. Had to use one of them when the elevators were out a couple of weeks ago. I have small flashlights, I just have to put batteries into them.

My mind is vastly relieved. Get those batteries next time you shop; preparedness never hurt anyone! Othere than that ... carry on!

-----------
Pity would be no more,
If we did not MAKE men poor - William Blake

Happy New Year, WISHY. I edited out your psychopathic screed!

1KIKI

Tuesday, February 4, 2020 9:10 AM (P)

So, before I forget - last nite the power went out - not once, not twice, but at least three times that I know of. The first time I was still up. So I went felt my way to the window in total darkness, looked up and down the street - nope, no streetlights on ... no house lights on ... it's the neighborhood, not just me ... might was well go to bed. Then about an hour later I woke up and all the lights were back on - so I went around rebooting the DVR, fixing the clocks, re-starting the air cleaners, turning out the lights except for the couple I leave on - and I was in back in bed for no more than a few minutes when it went out, again. So I said to myself to hell with it and went back to sleep. Sometime later, I woke up and the hall light was back on, and I thought to myself, well, I guess I'll get to everything tomorrow. Woke up again and all the lights were back off, again. But I slept till pretty late, so if there were anymore ons and offs, I didn't track them. And when I got up this AM, the power was back on.

OF COURSE I couldn't go online last night to report or read information about the outage @ SoCalEd because ... no power. And when I looked today, it's as if it never happened.

Nothing happened ... nothing to see ... move along.

BRENDA

Tuesday, February 4, 2020 9:27 AM (P)

Quote:
Originally posted by SIGNYM:

Quote:
SIGNYM: Hey Brenda, I have a ?? about your apartment building: Does it have a sprinkler system? Does it have emergency lights? Clearly marked and lighted exit signs?

Other than that ... carry on!

BRENDA: There is a sprinkler system and stairwells that I can get to. Had to use one of them when the elevators were out a couple of weeks ago. I have small flashlights, I just have to put batteries into them.
My mind is vastly relieved. Get those batteries next time you shop; preparedness never hurt anyone! Othere than that ... carry on!

-----------
Pity would be no more,
If we did not MAKE men poor - William Blake

Happy New Year, WISHY. I edited out your psychopathic screed!

Yeah, I just have to check what size batteries they take.

That is very true.

BRENDA

Tuesday, February 4, 2020 9:28 AM (P)

Another good day today. Weather is still calling for snow but still dry where I am. So, we shall see.

SIGNYM

Wednesday, February 5, 2020 12:13 AM (P)

Quote:
Originally posted by 1KIKI:
So, before I forget - last nite the power went out - not once, not twice, but at least three times that I know of. The first time I was still up. So I went felt my way to the window in total darkness, looked up and down the street - nope, no streetlights on ... no house lights on ... it's the neighborhood, not just me ... might was well go to bed. Then about an hour later I woke up and all the lights were back on - so I went around rebooting the DVR, fixing the clocks, re-starting the air cleaners, turning out the lights except for the couple I leave on - and I was in back in bed for no more than a few minutes when it went out, again. So I said to myself to hell with it and went back to sleep. Sometime later, I woke up and the hall light was back on, and I thought to myself, well, I guess I'll get to everything tomorrow. Woke up again and all the lights were back off, again. But I slept till pretty late, so if there were anymore ons and offs, I didn't track them. And when I got up this AM, the power was back on.

OF COURSE I couldn't go online last night to report or read information about the outage @ SoCalEd because ... no power. And when I looked today, it's as if it never happened.

Nothing happened ... nothing to see ... move along.

Yep, except for those blinking lights on your clocks, microwave, oven, DVR etc demanding a "reset" you would never know.

Was it very windy that night?

-----------
Pity would be no more,
If we did not MAKE men poor - William Blake

Happy New Year, WISHY. I edited out your psychopathic screed!

SIGNYM

Wednesday, February 5, 2020 12:14 AM (P)

Quote:
Originally posted by Brenda:
Another good day today. Weather is still calling for snow but still dry where I am. So, we shall see.

I hope your weather stays dry!

-----------
Pity would be no more,
If we did not MAKE men poor - William Blake

Happy New Year, WISHY. I edited out your psychopathic screed!

1KIKI

Wednesday, February 5, 2020 12:19 AM (P)

Quote:
Originally posted by SIGNYM:

Was it very windy that night?

Deader than a door nail.

6IXSTRINGJACK

Wednesday, February 5, 2020 1:03 AM (P)

Lights good now?

Do Right, Be Right. :)

1KIKI

Wednesday, February 5, 2020 1:22 AM (P)

YEP! Lights are on, somebody's home!

BRENDA

Wednesday, February 5, 2020 3:06 AM (P)

Quote:
Originally posted by SIGNYM:
Quote:
Originally posted by Brenda:
Another good day today. Weather is still calling for snow but still dry where I am. So, we shall see.
I hope your weather stays dry!

-----------
Pity would be no more,
If we did not MAKE men poor - William Blake

Happy New Year, WISHY. I edited out your psychopathic screed!

Well that hope was dashed over night. The snow is baaaaaaaaack.

6IXSTRINGJACK

Wednesday, February 5, 2020 3:09 AM (P)

It was 50 degrees here yesterday. Finally had some sun around these parts. Back to gloomy February weather now though. :(

It's been warm though, and not much snow. I can't complain about this winter at all.

Do Right, Be Right. :)

BRENDA

Wednesday, February 5, 2020 1:15 PM (P)

Quote:
Originally posted by 6IXSTRINGJACK:
It was 50 degrees here yesterday. Finally had some sun around these parts. Back to gloomy February weather now though. :(

It's been warm though, and not much snow. I can't complain about this winter at all.

Do Right, Be Right. :)

Don't tell me stuff like that Jack. That hurts.

Somewhere along the lines tonight it is suppose to shift to rain then rain the rest of the week.

1KIKI

Thursday, February 6, 2020 12:23 AM (P)

Well, after a couple days of treating myself at home with non-scrip medicines and therapies: cough syrup(cold), postural drainage(pneumonia), deep-breathing(asthma), pursed-lip exhaling(COPD), and cupped-hand percussion(cystic fibrosis), 1hour each, 2x/day, my symptoms are 80% improved.

But I still intend to not catch anything else this year if I can at all help it. Having 'just' a flu took nearly a month out of my life. And this whole coronavirus thing is a good opportunity to perfect my anti-viral practices.

6IXSTRINGJACK

Thursday, February 6, 2020 1:13 AM (P)

Quote:
Originally posted by Brenda:
Quote:
Originally posted by 6IXSTRINGJACK:
It was 50 degrees here yesterday. Finally had some sun around these parts. Back to gloomy February weather now though. :(

It's been warm though, and not much snow. I can't complain about this winter at all.

Do Right, Be Right. :)

Don't tell me stuff like that Jack. That hurts.

Somewhere along the lines tonight it is suppose to shift to rain then rain the rest of the week.

Sorry about that, Brenda.

If it makes you feel any better, it's back in the 30's and gloomy as shit out here by me again, and I haven't gotten back to 100% so I was barely able to enjoy the nice days while they were here.

Do Right, Be Right. :)

BRENDA

Thursday, February 6, 2020 1:30 PM (P)

Quote:
Originally posted by 6IXSTRINGJACK:
Quote:
Originally posted by Brenda:
Quote:
Originally posted by 6IXSTRINGJACK:
It was 50 degrees here yesterday. Finally had some sun around these parts. Back to gloomy February weather now though. :(

It's been warm though, and not much snow. I can't complain about this winter at all.

Do Right, Be Right. :)

Don't tell me stuff like that Jack. That hurts.

Somewhere along the lines tonight it is suppose to shift to rain then rain the rest of the week.

Sorry about that, Brenda.

If it makes you feel any better, it's back in the 30's and gloomy as shit out here by me again, and I haven't gotten back to 100% so I was barely able to enjoy the nice days while they were here.

Do Right, Be Right. :)

It did rain last night and some of today. So a lot of the snow is gone. Just hope that is the end of the snow for this winter.

6IXSTRINGJACK

Thursday, February 6, 2020 1:40 PM (P)

Uggggggh....

I slept for most of the day and when I woke up there was a few inches of snow out. I think that's the most solid snow cover I've seen so far this winter. :(

Hope yours is gone for good, but it's still only the beginning of February. Good luck!

Do Right, Be Right. :)

BRENDA

Friday, February 7, 2020 9:20 AM (P)

Quote:
Originally posted by 6IXSTRINGJACK:
Uggggggh....

I slept for most of the day and when I woke up there was a few inches of snow out. I think that's the most solid snow cover I've seen so far this winter. :(

Hope yours is gone for good, but it's still only the beginning of February. Good luck!

Do Right, Be Right. :)

Clumps of dirty snow around and a bit more rain today. Suppose to be nice and sunny on Saturday.

I know what you mean. Even for my corner of British Columbia the weather is getting strange.

6IXSTRINGJACK

Friday, February 7, 2020 9:43 AM (P)

Yup. More snow by me too today. I guess I jinxed myself by talking about the good weather.

But like they say about Chicago... If you don't like the weather, just wait 15 minutes.

Do Right, Be Right. :)

BRENDA

Saturday, February 8, 2020 9:18 AM (P)

More wind heading for Vancouver Island and the Mainland. So more ferry sailings are going to disrupted over night and into tomorrow morning.

1KIKI

Saturday, February 8, 2020 9:55 AM (P)

Just saying hey all. I've been absent because I had somewhat more energy and needed to get a least SOMEthing done - which pooped me out!

Well, January was pretty much a bust for rain, and so far February has been as well. I really hope we get a reasonable amount this month, but time's running out and we have a lot of making up to do.

Brenda, wouldn't it be nice if you could send oh about 4" (~10cm) of rain our way over the next 3 weeks? I think that would make us both really happy!

Anyway, there's not much going on at this end, other than I'm slowly crawling my way out of the hole the flu put me in.

I hope everyone is well - or at least greatly improved!

Good night all.

6IXSTRINGJACK

Saturday, February 8, 2020 11:31 AM (P)

Getting there.

Glad you're feeling better.

Do Right, Be Right. :)

BRENDA

Saturday, February 8, 2020 11:37 PM (P)

Quote:
Originally posted by 1KIKI:
Just saying hey all. I've been absent because I had somewhat more energy and needed to get a least SOMEthing done - which pooped me out!

Well, January was pretty much a bust for rain, and so far February has been as well. I really hope we get a reasonable amount this month, but time's running out and we have a lot of making up to do.

Brenda, wouldn't it be nice if you could send oh about 4" (~10cm) of rain our way over the next 3 weeks? I think that would make us both really happy!

Anyway, there's not much going on at this end, other than I'm slowly crawling my way out of the hole the flu put me in.

I hope everyone is well - or at least greatly improved!

Good night all.

If I could I gladly would Kiki. More rain in my area over night and quite heavy too as I hear it hitting my windows.

BRENDA

Saturday, February 8, 2020 11:38 PM (P)

More snow and ice hitting the east. Another big storm blew through on Friday this time hitting Quebec and Nova Scotia. Massive amounts of snow and another one suppose to hit them today or tomorrow.

BRENDA

Saturday, February 8, 2020 11:40 PM (P)

Flipside replaced old kettle and now taking it in to be recycled today. Part of video cabinet is apart and will get taken down to the garbage in the next few days.

BRENDA

Sunday, February 9, 2020 9:42 AM (P)

Saw a beautiful moonrise this evening. Big, bright and full.

6IXSTRINGJACK

Sunday, February 9, 2020 9:44 AM (P)

Still haven't taken that video cabinet apart!!!

Do Right, Be Right. :)

BRENDA

Monday, February 10, 2020 11:04 PM (P)

Quote:
Originally posted by 6IXSTRINGJACK:
Still haven't taken that video cabinet apart!!!

Do Right, Be Right. :)

I have one door off that is going down into the garbage tomorrow then probably the rest of it this week.

BRENDA

Monday, February 10, 2020 11:05 PM (P)

Bright sunny day today.

1KIKI

Tuesday, February 11, 2020 12:12 AM (P)

Quote:
Originally posted by Brenda:

I have one door off that is going down into the garbage tomorrow then probably the rest of it this week.

It's nice to see you making progress Brenda! in your Brenda way - steadily, day by day.

And I hope everyone else is at least continuing to improve to good health!

SIGNYM

Tuesday, February 11, 2020 1:35 AM (P)

Crawling out of a hole here too. It's amazing how many chores and tasks pile up when you just drop everything for a couple of weeks!

In the interim the weeds have taken over the garden. But I finally got my weed torch and now just need to get the propane an someone other stuff. The house is dusty and all of the repairs and improvements are still on hold, altho hubby is making great progress on building a platform for her mattress (I think over all he was less sick). I did finally call a contractor to get estimates of what we need, and hubby and I walked him thru the projects so it will be interesting to see what he comes up with.

-----------
Pity would be no more,
If we did not MAKE men poor - William Blake

Happy New Year, WISHY. I edited out your psychopathic screed!

6IXSTRINGJACK

Tuesday, February 11, 2020 1:41 AM (P)

Seems like Brenda throwing out part of her cabinet this week is more work done than the rest of us combined.

Maybe I'll get back to work tomorrow.

Maybe.

Do Right, Be Right. :)

1KIKI

Tuesday, February 11, 2020 1:52 AM (P)

I'm glad that people are improving!

I have to say, if I could figure out how to make progress like Brenda, I'd be happy about it!

BRENDA

Tuesday, February 11, 2020 7:12 AM (P)

Quote:
Originally posted by 1KIKI:
Quote:
Originally posted by Brenda:

I have one door off that is going down into the garbage tomorrow then probably the rest of it this week.
It's nice to see you making progress Brenda! in your Brenda way - steadily, day by day.

And I hope everyone else is at least continuing to improve to good health!

I've got a small metal grocery cart that I will be using as it is full of paper recycling. So it will be killing two birds with one stone. Then I will use the grocery cart again to take the rest of it down once it is broken down more.

The brackets and screws will be donated to a thrift shop so someone else can get some use out of them.

Have to do it a bit at a time as I can't move it while it is in one piece and since I am doing it by myself. If I want it done that is what I have to do.

BRENDA

Tuesday, February 11, 2020 7:14 AM (P)

Got another dresser drawer cleared out and found some shirts to donate. Have to try on the pants to see if they still fit me.

1KIKI

Tuesday, February 11, 2020 10:03 AM (P)

Well, it looks like including the forecast, the first 3 weeks of February are going to be a bust for rain.

BRENDA

Tuesday, February 11, 2020 1:23 PM (P)

Quote:
Originally posted by 1KIKI:
Well, it looks like including the forecast, the first 3 weeks of February are going to be a bust for rain.

Wish I could help as we are heading into more rain up here.

BRENDA

Wednesday, February 12, 2020 4:12 AM (P)

One door and another piece of the video cabinet in the garbage as well as the paper recycling done. Also took off the other door as well.

1KIKI

Wednesday, February 12, 2020 6:03 AM (P)

Well, here's a couple of things I completed!

I have a hallway where things get tracked through a lot, and end up around the house. I did put down one of those cheap entry mats you can buy at Lowe's that was 5' long and covered the hallway edge to edge, but oddly enough, it wasn't long enough, and stuff got tracked right off the end ... and still ended up around the house. So I went to Lowe's and bought similar stuff except it was a runner that they cut to length (12' in my case), and I installed it. So I THINK it'll work!

I had saved a lot of heavy duty cardboard for use as a Bermuda grass killer. That grass has so little green on it, it doesn't really have any surface for Roundup to penetrate, so I've been looking for alternate ways to do it in. And using cardboard to kill off weeds and grass is common i-net advice. But a while ago I did some research and found out that cardboard is a great! home and tempting meal both for termites! In fact, one of the ways they monitor for termites it to put heavy cardboard pieces out and check them from time to time for new infestation. So I prepared and recycled all of that cardboard. I also read that really deep sawdust is a great way to kill Bermuda grass, so that's what I'll be doing next when I work on my yard.

And I'm ALMOST dug out of the hole the flu put me in for nearly 4 weeks, in terms of regular household doings. Two or 3 days should do it.

1KIKI

Wednesday, February 12, 2020 6:07 AM (P)

Quote:
Originally posted by 1KIKI:
Well, it looks like including the forecast, the first 3 weeks of February are going to be a bust for rain.

Quote:
Originally posted by Brenda:

Wish I could help as we are heading into more rain up here.

Do you have any pull with any of the gods/ spirits/ whatevers that might arrange a transfer of your rain to here? I seem to be persona non grata with it/ them at the moment.

6IXSTRINGJACK

Wednesday, February 12, 2020 6:08 AM (P)

Good to hear, both of you.

But... you're willingly housing and feeding termites, Kiki? Not sure I understand the plan here.

Do Right, Be Right. :)

1KIKI

Wednesday, February 12, 2020 6:13 AM (P)

No, I actually had no termites in the cardboard. I was saving it to kill grass. The idea is you lay the cardboard down in a thick layer on whatever plants you want to kill (grass, weeds ...), and let the darkness starve the plants of their food (sunlight). That's what I was GOING to do, until I read cardboard's a wonderful termite hotel with room service!

So I got rid of the cardboard and found a plan B.

What termite-killing businesses sometimes do is use cardboard pieces as bait, to check on whether or not there's termites in the area. Apparently it is that attractive to them, like Krispy Kreme is to us, that they'll be there before they'll be anywhere else.

6IXSTRINGJACK

Wednesday, February 12, 2020 6:17 AM (P)

Oh... Okay. I misread what you said then. I got the part where you figured that out, but then I thought you were eagerly going forward with the cardboard solution and couldn't figure out exactly why that was.

Glad to hear that you don't have them. I've got enough of a problem dealing with carpenter ants and the damage they caused. If I had termites around here instead I don't think I'd even have a house anymore.

EDIT:

But wait... I did read that right....

You're going to use sawdust instead???? Termites love that shit, don't they?

Do Right, Be Right. :)

1KIKI

Wednesday, February 12, 2020 6:33 AM (P)

Not at all! They need something solid to munch through as they create their tunnel-homes. Wood (or heavy-duty cardboard) is both food and home to them (with the cardboard being soft and pre-digested).

SIGNYM

Wednesday, February 12, 2020 6:36 AM (P)

SIX: Termites don't love sawdust, they love WOOD. Sawdust (and shavings) are an entirely different thing, as they are very light and fluffy and leaves them exposed to air, letting them dry out ....

*****

Not entirely unproductive at this end. I spent some quality-time with our sometime gardener, pulling weeds. Then hearing that he had a bead on a temporary job IF he had a stand-up forklift cert, I drove him to the company that does the certs (which he got) and can only hope that it isn't just one more company with its hand out asking for a fee, and actually gets him a job driving a forklift!

Got the weed torch today, am going to have to get the propane and a few other sprinkler system items tomorrow. The weed-pulling was to remove the weeds from around my permanent plants so the torch doesn't burn them, too!

I had a strainer full of crap that I couldn't scrub out so I decided to put it in my oven (which also needed cleaning) and start the self-cleaning mode. It's amazing what heat can do! Have a lot of legal stuff to attend to, plus I STILL have to fully put away the Xmas decorations! (At least they're in a box!)

-----------
Pity would be no more,
If we did not MAKE men poor - William Blake

Happy New Year, WISHY. I edited out your psychopathic screed!

BRENDA

Wednesday, February 12, 2020 9:44 AM (P)

Quote:
Originally posted by 1KIKI:
Quote:
Originally posted by 1KIKI:
Well, it looks like including the forecast, the first 3 weeks of February are going to be a bust for rain.
Quote:
Originally posted by Brenda:

Wish I could help as we are heading into more rain up here.
Do you have any pull with any of the gods/ spirits/ whatevers that might arrange a transfer of your rain to here? I seem to be persona non grata with it/ them at the moment.

I would have to do a look up at what gods or spirits were responsible for rain around here.

Think my own ancestors knew how to call for it aka rain dance. That was just generally directed at the universe.

6IXSTRINGJACK

Wednesday, February 12, 2020 10:04 AM (P)

Quote:
Originally posted by SIGNYM:
SIX: Termites don't love sawdust, they love WOOD. Sawdust (and shavings) are an entirely different thing, as they are very light and fluffy and leaves them exposed to air, letting them dry out ....

Yeah. That makes sense.

Unlike carpenter ants who only burrow their tunnels in compromised and/or wet wood, termites will eat any wood. But yeah... I forgot that they don't like the sun.

Not all varieties are subterranean though, at least that's what I think I read when I was researching what was doing the damage to my house. As long as you've done your research, don't listen to me.

Do Right, Be Right. :)

6IXSTRINGJACK

Friday, February 14, 2020 5:38 PM (P)

Greeeeeeeeaaaat.....

I think I may have developed an allergy to Amoxicillin in my old age.

I had just about finished off my prescription last night, and not 5 minutes after taking a pill I started having a very uncomfortable itch. Mostly concentrated around my waistband at the time, but on my arms as well. An hour later, I had bumps everywhere. I took a shower and lotioned everything up afterward. I got about 5 hours sleep and woke up to find that they're basically out of control at this point. The ones on my lower stomach and along my waistband are so bad they've basically all melded together into a giant blob.

I'm not experiencing any other symptoms that are considered something to worry about, so here's hoping they clear up in a day or two and that they don't start taking over my face in the mean time. They're up around my neck and under my chin too, but at least at the time of writing this I still haven't seen any evidence of it on my face yet.

I'd love to just sleep it off, but man do they itch something fierce right now. I feel like I did when I had chickenpox as a kid. :(

Do Right, Be Right. :)

1KIKI

Friday, February 14, 2020 11:40 PM (P)

Been there, done that!

I'm wondering if you've ever had hives before, and if these are exactly like them.

My hives were due to skin contact with something I was allergic to (orange juice - long story) and they appeared immediately. They later spread out from areas of contact to everywhere. After a couple of days of them getting worse, I eventually took benadryl (diphenhydramine) to quell the itching so I could sleep, but 4 hours later when its blood levels dropped too low my tongue swelled up. That was the trigger for me getting allergy tested. Anyway, it sounds like it's hives ... and brought on by the antibiotic ... but maybe not.

Here's a link about amoxicillin rash ... there are 2 different kinds!
https://www.healthline.com/health/parenting/amoxicillin-rash#TOC_TITLE
_HDR_1

And here's a link about drug-induced rashes in general ...
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/drug-allergy/symptoms-c
auses/syc-20371835
... and a picture.
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/penicillin-allergy/mult
imedia/drug-rash/img-20006121

I've also had a major photosensitivity reaction to the sap of a plant I was removing + sunlight that seemed like hives, but it wasn't. That required oral steroids to clear.

I've also had weird skin reactions to various antibiotics and the zovirax (that would have helped with the shingles) that weren't hives - that didn't show up until after a few days. The doctors went ???! and told me to not take those medicines again

They were
a weird puffy purple rash
a rash of very fine red spots on my forearm, stomach, and inner legs only
a rash of petechiae which are red or purple small dots (like made by a fine sharpie marker) made by broken capillaries

6IXSTRINGJACK

Saturday, February 15, 2020 12:29 AM (P)

4 days... eech. :(

Mine don't sound like yours do. I was almost done with my prescription and only had a few pills left so I'm not going to take them after the reaction last night.

I made that post after getting about 5 hours of sleep. It took me a while, and I really don't know how I managed it, but I was able to get back to sleep after a few hours and by the time I woke up the situation is a lot better. There's no itching on the scalp at all anymore. I still have some pretty bad itchy areas on my forearms and calves, although most of the raised areas are gone and a lot of the discoloration has gone away. The waistband area still looks pretty bad though, but I guess that's to be expected since it looked absolutely horrifying when I first saw it and it wasn't until I was sure that it was hives that I wasn't freaking out. It's still very large down there and now it's very red.. but the raised surfaces seem to have more or less evened out.

Contrary to popular belief, at least from the research that I did on hives, not only aren't they contagious, but nothing you can do can make them "spread". It just seems that way because a lot of people who get them can have them for up to 4 to 6 weeks, and since hives usually resolve themselves withint 24 hours if they're popping up elsewhere it gives the illusion that you're spreading them by contact.

Hopefully I don't get any new ones. I know that for the first 12 hours new stuff was popping up, but it now appears that while the old ones are going away they're not being replaced with many new ones to speak of.

And they haven't gotten on my face yet. *knock on wood*

Do Right, Be Right. :)

6IXSTRINGJACK

Saturday, February 15, 2020 9:13 AM (P)

Yeah... well it's definitely hives from the behavior. Unfortunately, it either isn't the Amox that caused it and I'm getting them for some other reason, or I'm still reacting to it 24 hours after I took my last one.

Ate early and went to sleep, hoping that it would be a memory when I woke up, but they're back with a bit of a vengeance right now. They're not as bad overall as they were last night around this time where they've popped up anew, at least in the looks department, but boy... they seem to itch about 10 times as bad as the ones I had yesterday.

They seem to have hit almost entirely different areas of my body this time. The initial monster around my waistband is mostly gone now except for a reddish residue where it was, and if it still itches I can't feel it at all over the itchiness of the new batch. Except for some new ones on my forearms by the wrists, my arms, armpits and calves are basically free of them this time. They're almost gone on my back now too. But my thighs are terrible, and it's quite bad between my shoulder blades, neck and chin area. I can tell I have a bit under my beard as well, although it still hasn't gone to any part of my face where hair doesn't grow.

I hope I was right and it was the Amox and it's not a symptom of something larger. I'm still no showing any other symptoms that would require me to seek immediate attention like fever, nausea, loss of appetite or swelling in the mouth.

God help me if it's an allergic reaction to the dentures themselves. Especially after the money I spent on them.... :(

Do Right, Be Right. :)

BRENDA

Saturday, February 15, 2020 9:30 AM (P)

Quote:
Originally posted by 6IXSTRINGJACK:
Yeah... well it's definitely hives from the behavior. Unfortunately, it either isn't the Amox that caused it and I'm getting them for some other reason, or I'm still reacting to it 24 hours after I took my last one.

Ate early and went to sleep, hoping that it would be a memory when I woke up, but they're back with a bit of a vengeance right now. They're not as bad overall as they were last night around this time where they've popped up anew, at least in the looks department, but boy... they seem to itch about 10 times as bad as the ones I had yesterday.

They seem to have hit almost entirely different areas of my body this time. The initial monster around my waistband is mostly gone now except for a reddish residue where it was, and if it still itches I can't feel it at all over the itchiness of the new batch. Except for some new ones on my forearms by the wrists, my arms, armpits and calves are basically free of them this time. They're almost gone on my back now too. But my thighs are terrible, and it's quite bad between my shoulder blades, neck and chin area. I can tell I have a bit under my beard as well, although it still hasn't gone to any part of my face where hair doesn't grow.

I hope I was right and it was the Amox and it's not a symptom of something larger. I'm still no showing any other symptoms that would require me to seek immediate attention like fever, nausea, loss of appetite or swelling in the mouth.

God help me if it's an allergic reaction to the dentures themselves. Especially after the money I spent on them.... :(

Do Right, Be Right. :)

You might need an allergy test.

My brother went through a full poke test after his face swelled up from eating peanuts over 10years ago. They discovered that he is allergic to corn, garlic, onions, peanuts of course. Fish oils that I can tolerate are bad for him.

BRENDA

Saturday, February 15, 2020 1:34 PM (P)

Got a picture of my grandmother hung up today.

BRENDA

Saturday, February 15, 2020 11:07 PM (P)

Rain again today and also laundry day.

SIGNYM

Saturday, February 15, 2020 11:40 PM (P)

After plentiful rain in late November and all of December, we've had no rainfall in January, and none so far (and none predicted for the next 10 days) in February. Which means that our rainy season will likely be a bust, since heavy rainfall in March is so rare that the last time it happened (and saved our rainy season) it was called "Miracle March".

I hope for another miracle, but sure not expecting it.

-----------
Pity would be no more,
If we did not MAKE men poor - William Blake

Happy New Year, WISHY. I edited out your psychopathic screed!

6IXSTRINGJACK

Sunday, February 16, 2020 1:24 AM (P)

Looks like I got that one where they just show up wherever you scratch. It always looks better after I've been sleepging because I'm not scratching myself in my sleep. It feels like chickenpox all over again. Fun times.

Do Right, Be Right. :)

BRENDA

Sunday, February 16, 2020 4:02 AM (P)

Pants can be donated. Too small for me.

1KIKI

Sunday, February 16, 2020 4:17 AM (P)

Quote:
Originally posted by SIGNYM:
After plentiful rain in late November and all of December, we've had no rainfall in January, and none so far (and none predicted for the next 10 days) in February. Which means that our rainy season will likely be a bust, since heavy rainfall in March is so rare that the last time it happened (and saved our rainy season) it was called "Miracle March".

I hope for another miracle, but sure not expecting it.

-----------
Pity would be no more,
If we did not MAKE men poor - William Blake

Happy New Year, WISHY. I edited out your psychopathic screed!

Yeah.

1KIKI

Sunday, February 16, 2020 4:21 AM (P)

Quote:
Originally posted by 6IXSTRINGJACK:
Looks like I got that one where they just show up wherever you scratch. It always looks better after I've been sleepging because I'm not scratching myself in my sleep. It feels like chickenpox all over again. Fun times.

Do Right, Be Right. :)

One way to figure out if it's hives or something else is to take Bendaryl (diphenhydramine). It should reduce them and the itching. I've been given by a doctor and also taken myself more than 1 benadryl at a time.

HOWEVER, when I took more than 1 for hives, AFTER IT WORE OFF MY TONGUE SWELLED UP. So BE AWARE THAT YOU COULD END UP WITH A SERIOUS REBOUND PROBLEM.

I didn't realize it but there's something called chronic hives: https://www.webmd.com/skin-problems-and-treatments/hives-treatment#1

6IXSTRINGJACK

Sunday, February 16, 2020 9:16 AM (P)

Quote:
Originally posted by 1KIKI:
Quote:
Originally posted by 6IXSTRINGJACK:
Looks like I got that one where they just show up wherever you scratch. It always looks better after I've been sleepging because I'm not scratching myself in my sleep. It feels like chickenpox all over again. Fun times.

Do Right, Be Right. :)
One way to figure out if it's hives or something else is to take Bendaryl (diphenhydramine). It should reduce them and the itching. I've been given by a doctor and also taken myself more than 1 benadryl at a time.

HOWEVER, when I took more than 1 for hives, AFTER IT WORE OFF MY TONGUE SWELLED UP. So BE AWARE THAT YOU COULD END UP WITH A SERIOUS REBOUND PROBLEM.

I didn't realize it but there's something called chronic hives: https://www.webmd.com/skin-problems-and-treatments/hives-treatment#1

Yeah... I've read that. I was actually considering ordering it on Amazon to have it delivered, since my driveway is snowed in until it gets warm on Monday (I didn't plan on having any reason to leave the house until then, and quite frankly I'd rather deal with the itching than go out in the cold and clear a driveway that will be completely melted this week). But I've got nothing else to order and don't feel like paying double the price for shipping.

It looks like I've got a form of hives they call dermatographia. (Cool name).

Mine wasn't so bad that I could literally write the name of the condition in my skin and it would pop up like I've seen pictures of, but just any general area I would scratch would result in the welts showing up within about five minutes that would subside anywhere from 30 minutes to 12 hours later, seemingly depending where on my body I made them.

Jury will be out until I wake up tomorrow to see if my unorthodox ideas here have truly worked or not, but without anybody giving these pieces of advice, I did two things on my own that seem to have worked. (Well... either that, or I may just be getting over it on my own sooner than expected).

1. I swallowed a fistful of Vitamin C at once about 5 hours ago.

2. I've decided to make the most of the situation and immerse myself completely in the heavenly experience of scratching the itch. One thing they probably don't mention much with hives is that while the itch is the most terrible itch you'll probably ever experience, the reverse is also true and you'll never feel that good scratching yourself at any other point in your life.

Who's to say if #1 did anything, but it couldn't hurt.

But number 2...

Of course, I know full well that scratching like this will result in welts almost immediately. But what I've found is that areas that had welted up heavily earlier on seem to do so a lot less the 2nd time around. Without having any scientific or medical knowledge about it other than what I've read on WebMD, I'm going to make a guess that the mast cells that go a bit haywire when you suffer from this only have a finite supply of histamine to leak.

So I figured, rather than wait this out, why not just dive in and "bleed" it out instead?

Now, if I were fearful that I'd be risking permanent scarring by doing this, I wouldn't have attempted it, but of all the welts I've had up until this point none of them have left any permanent marks and its as if they were never there 24 hours later.

The one place I'm not willing to risk trying this on though is my face. I don't think my face is actually suffering from it, but I do avoid scratching any itches on my face just in case.

It seems to be working pretty well so far. If this does the trick I might be over it in a day or two. I might actually miss how nice it felt to scratch it by the time it's over.

Do Right, Be Right. :)

SIGNYM

Sunday, February 16, 2020 12:56 PM (P)

SIX do you have a digital camera or smart phone? I suggest taking several pictures of your skin ... close up, real close up, and medium distance (to indicate the spread) and take them to your dentist since he was the one who rx'd the amox. I think a second pair of eyes on this would give you assurance that your self-dx was correct. Also, at your earliest oppty get some Benadryl for possible emergencies.

You may need to be alert for any future rxs since all penicillins will prolly create the same reaction. There are 15 different 'cillins. Allergies are nothing to fool with because the next one could be critical.

-----------
Pity would be no more,
If we did not MAKE men poor - William Blake

Happy New Year, WISHY. I edited out your psychopathic screed!

SIGNYM

Sunday, February 16, 2020 12:58 PM (P)

Put three new light fixtures in today. They are my second favorite but at least hubby and I could agree on them!

Have to say they look pretty good. Altho my top pick would have looked a lot better

-----------
Pity would be no more,
If we did not MAKE men poor - William Blake

Happy New Year, WISHY. I edited out your psychopathic screed!

6IXSTRINGJACK

Sunday, February 16, 2020 1:48 PM (P)

Quote:
Originally posted by SignyM:
SIX do you have a digital camera or smart phone? I suggest taking several pictures of your skin ... close up, real close up, and medium distance (to indicate the spread) and take them to your dentist since he was the one who rx'd the amox. I think a second pair of eyes on this would give you assurance that your self-dx was correct. Also, at your earliest oppty get some Benadryl for possible emergencies.

You may need to be alert for any future rxs since all penicillins will prolly create the same reaction. There are 15 different 'cillins. Allergies are nothing to fool with because the next one could be critical.

I really should have taken some pics or a video of what it looked like that first night. It was awful. Yesterday was better, but some spots still got pretty bad. Today was less eventful. At this point the itching is still there, but it hardly welts up anymore. I could snap a few pics now, but it really wouldn't do the initial problem justice.

I don't imagine my dentist would tell me anything except that I need to see my doctor about it. I didn't even talk to him and just talked to his girl at the front desk who relayed everything and called in the scrip. She asked if I had any penicillin allergies and since I never had before I said no.

You're right about emergencies though. I hate taking anything, but now that I'm getting older I should probably have a few things on hand just in case something happens.

It's nice to know there are 15 cillins. I've taken Amox probably a half dozen or more times in my life before this with no ill effects. I know that I have no plans on ever taking it again after this happened though.

Do Right, Be Right. :)

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