Daily Wash Saturday 4th September 2021

[LynnMac Ontario, Canada]

They are certainly lucky to have you helping them, Ellen!!!  Great that you are able to

Yes, Uschi, unfortunately the first class is in this next chemo round.  But it is in the evening, and I think I’ll be OK.  I am just so rusty, haven’t felt the urge to actually pick up a pen, but I think about it a lot   I’ll just take a stool and my light weight kit, and see what she has to say.  When I took landscape courses years ago we worked from our cars a lot, especially in the winter!  They were mainly independent work with critique.  I’m not sure about this one.

Cheers, Lynn
www.fineartamerica.com/profiles/lynn-macintyre
"Ring the bells that still can ring, Forget your perfect offering, There is a crack in everything, That's how the light gets in" Leonard Cohen

[S.T. Kutch – Memphis, Tn]

A good Saturday to all……another beautiful morning here.  Mid 60’s, with reasonable humidity but we’ll hit 90° later this afternoon.  Starting Monday highs are called for mid to upper 80’s.  I’m really hoping that’s the trend from here on out.  I’m done with Summer.

No real big plans today.  I’m gonna spray the back fence with cleaner and pressure wash it before it gets too warm.  BP is still trending downward……this morning it was 144/88.  Still high for me, but headed in the right direction.  RPR (resting pulse rate) was 48 (my normal). Other than that I’m feeling about normal…….which means, my pain level is around 4 (joints), brain is foggy (on my first cup of coffee…duh), memory is sketchy (had to check my pill case to make sure I had taken my meds last night and still needed my morning meds)……..and the day is off!  Of course it can all change in a matter of hours………everyday is an exercise in fluctuations.  Thus the Acro SOP……”plan, listen to your body, adapt, compromise, be flexible and keep moving forward……..even if it’s just 1 step. Tomorrow’s another day.”

As much as we like Texas (Hill Country – Blanco River area), I’m pretty sure we’ve marked it off the permanent retirement destination possibilities.  Can’t see ourselves living in an environment of utter patriarchal ignorance delegating women to 3rd class property status.  Their conservative fake “christian” ideology was one thing, but their abortion bounty crusade and tyrant leadership was the final straw……..almost ashamed to admit I’m a Native Texan.  The GOP (Republicans (conservatives)) have lost their friggin minds.

Seems most had a good night’s sleep…….hope it continues.

JJ…..lovely photos as usual.

Bill……good idea with the driveway alarm.  The front of our house is only 40′ from the curb, but I do have a security camera at the porch (front door) that notifies me via my cell phone or computer monitor with a doorbell ring tone that someone is at the door or on the porch.  The range is set for 25′ so it’s activated just after they enter our yard.  The other security cameras (6 – 1 on the backside of garages, 1 on the front garage, 4 on the corners of the house) covers the rest of the perimeter and signal with a single “beep” and a popup screen.  They’re all wireless.  Batteries for the ones covering the backside of the house(4) last almost a year.  The two that catch the front side (people walking, cars passing by) I have to change those batteries (recharge) about every 3 months.  End of the month I purge the storage drive.  Best $700 I’ve ever spent.

Cats want breakfast……..time to get moving.  Greetings to all here and those to come……..have a great day, evening or night.

Be good, do good………please stay safe.  Don’t get complacent….this crap is still out there and growing.  Breakthrough infections are rising.

Steve.

 

Pain and heartaches aren't options in life........misery is a choice.

[Uschi]

Lynn, this is for your own pleasure, you are not in any competition, your lively hood does not depend on it and Ring the Bells that still can Ring   and just ENJOY!!!!

Hi Steve!

Uschi

For Newbies, Demos, Learning Zone

[NancyR Plano Texas]

Good morning from the state that has been taken over by madmen.  We have a chance of rain tomorrow and Monday and cooler temperatures.  That will be a wonderful change, and I will not complain.  Had a great night’s sleep over 8 1/2 hours.  I will have the excitement of doing my laundry today.

Steve, I would not recommend the Hill Country to anyone.  It is prone to flash floods all the time, and it is ultra-conservative.  Saying that, it is the most beautiful part of Texas with the rolling hills, creeks, and rivers.  Quickly reviewing our options of where to live, we are really stuck here.  But the pendulum swings both ways, and there is already a lot of push back on the draconian law.  Both John and I take it one day at a time, because our aging bodies like to throw us gotcha’s!   We have Blink cameras over all our entrances.  We pay $10 a month for storage of the videos in the cloud, but self-monitor the notifications on my phone and iPad.  Our self-monitoring alarm company went out of business, and the company that took over did not have all the features running correctly.  I like the camera set up better.  Ours run on batteries.  Best money we ever spent!

Char, Someone will snap up that Smart Car quickly.  I still miss the heated seats in that car, and it was so easy to park and ride around town.  I hope that you were successful on the 5 x 7” gift cards!  If you get a chance, please post a photo of one of the placemat sets that you have been working on.  I made some coasters and a little basket out of leftover cotton yarn.  I plan on making more this winter.

Lynn, How exciting that you will be going to a painting class.  Just relax and have fun.  I am sure it will get your creative mind going.  I laughed because you are in your glory watching sporting events.  I am binge-watching old comedy series to keep the news off the TV.

JJ, I would babysit your grand pup in a heartbeat.  His eyes are stunning.  If you get bored, look up on What About Bunny on Facebook.  She is a sheep dog/poodle mix that has taken to talking buttons.  Her facial expressions and thinking process is amazing to watch.

Doug, So glad that you got a good night’s sleep!  Now that the work is ready to begin on the bathrooms, you are not worried the whole process.

Sylvia, The cheers from the football stadium are a sign that life is getting back to the new normal.  We still have to be careful, but we are all tired of looking at the four walls of our houses.

QS, The same is going on here with the extra support money going away from those that have lost their jobs.  There are so many job openings here, that a few restaurants have shut down due to a lack of workers. Many of those workers found better jobs that are safer and pay better money.  It takes time for everyone to adjust to the new way of doing business.

Bill, You deserve a day or two or three off.  We are retired!

Uschi, Please be careful with the rug cleaner.  Those machines are quite heavy.     I think it is just going to take time for my body to get used to the new medication.  It was quite a shock to be doing good, then having a spike again.

Ellen, Our cold front is coming from the plains, thanks for sending it our way! You are always so busy, I feel guilty for just playing these days with miniatures.

Hi to everyone I missed, and hugs to all in need.  Have a great day!  I am off to eat my morning waffle.

Nancy

 

MY FACEBOOK PAGE
"Imagination is more important than knowledge."- Einstein

[CharM Moderator Watercolour Forum]

Good Morning, almost noon!  It’s a pretty day with no humidity and at only 23C, it’s wonderfully temperate.  In the well slept camp, I am refreshed.

We have done nothing much, wiling away the time watching Hunger Games movies. Ted made my breakfast.  A two-egg omelette with perfectly toasted toast.    It’s a challenge to avoid glutamate rich foods, but this is deliciously ok.

I will get the next package of bacon cooking in the oven and then assemble the jalapeño poppers using up the last package.  I’ve made a couple of coasters this morning and will get the other two finished, completing the brown kitchen set.  My cards were not looking great.  I’ll try again.  Maybe tomorrow.

:grouphug: Lynn and Steve.

I’ve smiled and enjoyed all your posts.  Nancy replied perfectly and I’ll say what she said.  I wish a happy a creative day for Everyone. 

 

Char --

CharMing Art -- "Where the spirit does not work with the hand, there is no art." Leonardo DaVinci

[Uschi]

Hi Char!!  How do you cook your bacon in the oven and how do you use it afterwards. Do you freeze it and then what???

to you Nancy!!

Well, I am exercised, laundry is done, kitchen is clean and floor washed. I might go out and do some deadheading right now before lunch but the sun might be too hot already, I’ll see.

Uschi

For Newbies, Demos, Learning Zone

[CharM Moderator Watercolour Forum]

Uschi, I never fry bacon or use thick pads of paper towels in the microwave.  I lay down a parchment paper sheet on my baking tray, arrange the bacon strips on it, just touching each neighbour.  I bake it in a preheated 400F convection oven for 15 – 20 minutes. I turn the baking sheet around once during the bake time.

This makes for easy cleanup, no grease splashing all over the stove, and nice flat strips.  Sometimes I cook it to just short of crisp.  This allows me to heat it up in the microwave before serving.  This time, I cooked it fully.  I rolled the cooked strips in a couple of paper towels and then stored it in a zip-lock bag in the freezer.  I’ll pull out the portioned bags for a couple of breakfasts when my family is home.

I will be cooking up a few pounds of breakfast sausage the same way.  With the toaster waffles, everyone will be able to assemble their own breakfast without me standing in the kitchen.

 

Char --

CharMing Art -- "Where the spirit does not work with the hand, there is no art." Leonardo DaVinci

[Uschi]

Thanks Char!! That would be ideal for me who only wants a couple of strips at the time and I never bother because for those few it isn’t worth it. I am going to buy some bacon and I am surprised it doesn’t splatter all over the place.

I did the dead heading in the front garden, lots of them. The Echinacea doesn’t look that hot any more either but I need to leave them for the Gold Finches, they strip them but only when the seeds are ready and they are not ready until the flower looks horrible

Sylvia, that reminds me, the Swiss Chard I specially planted for them in my large pot on the deck – they never went anywhere near them, Failed experiment

Uschi

For Newbies, Demos, Learning Zone

[kaypainter]

Well,

Time gets away from me.  I was going to post yesterday, but realized I was logged out and would have to go look up my password, but on the way there I ended up filling out my applications for senior MTA passes for both NY and NJ which necessitated resizing and printing out the correct size photos.  Which, of course, ended up taking up the afternoon.  Then I had to get them in the mail because I had to go out anyway to pick up my prescription, so on the way back I decided to stop in the Lot Less to look for . . . . Hmmm, I forget, but anyway, I ended up with a new flashlight and shower curtain liner.  Then got home and was hungry and so had some peach cobbler with ice cream, but then it was the news and the cats screaming for dinner and . . . . Where was I?

Did I mention we have had a boil water advisory?  I forgot to look at my phone Thursday, so did not see a text from my upstairs neighbor until 4am Friday.  Was using tap water all day Thursday.  Oops.  But yesterday and today am boiling water, cooling, and filtering.  Gave up on trying to put off dish washing.

I think I had a good night’s sleep too.  Dunno, I was asleep.

Glad everyone seems to have also had a good night.  May it continue.

Later,

Kay

"Don't look back, we're not going that way." (Marcia Wallace)

[painterbear Moderator Oakwood, Ohio]

“I am just so rusty, haven’t felt the urge to actually pick up a pen, but I think about it a lot  ”

Lynn,

I know what you mean about not having the urge to paint or draw, that’s exactly how I was feeling until this week when I went to my first art class in a while. It makes a lot of difference to be with others who are making art.

Char,

Great suggestion about cooking the bacon in the oven. We only have it once in a while, so I usually fry it up fresh. If I were going to make a lot, I’d try your technique for sure. {{hugs}}

to all,

SYL,

Sylvia

[CharM Moderator Watercolour Forum]

Our InstaCart order arrived.  The Shopper plunked a 2.5 kg bag of flour onto our loaf of bread.  You can guess what the loaf looked like.  Anyway, everything is put away.  I reported the bread issue and have been refunded the $2.70 it cost.

I just finished the coasters.  Now I’m going to pack up all the sets into brown kitchen compost bags as their gift wrap. 

Talked to Christopher for an hour.  There was a HUGE protest in Vancouver against the vaccination passports in front of the Hospitals.  Stupid people.  Delayed the ambulances.  Threatened people, screaming, shouting, anger…  just wow.  He had two different cardiac events over the course of his shift, trying to weave through the crowd.  Stupid people.

Kay, your post tickled my fancy! 

Sylvia, cook up a package and then portion and freeze it. 

Uschi, my oven is self clean so I don’t worry about it.  It really doesn’t spatter much.  You can lightly cover the bacon with another sheet of parchment and it won’t spatter at all.

Char --

CharMing Art -- "Where the spirit does not work with the hand, there is no art." Leonardo DaVinci

[Bill]

Char, I’ve been whiling away the time watching the Hunger Games, too.  I read all three books a decade ago, so most is fresh.  Janet won’t watch it because the violence upsets her.

Nancy, I am so upset with the Texas government I could just you know what.  They have no respect for the poor,  women and people of color.  The same goes for the idiots on the Supreme Court.

Bill

Be kinder than necessary

[Yorky Administrator Ormskirk]

Here’s Joy’ misplaced post:

Hi All, I’m late checking in today.  It’s been a busy day.   Had a lovely long walk with Scrumpy on the moor first thing and we picked lots of blackberries.  (Scumpy likes to eat them straight off the bush).   We called at the little small holding on the way home and had a nice natter with the farmer’s wife – not to mention the nice runner beans, tomatoes and new potatoes picked fresh that morning.  Then to the supermarket to get the weekend groceries.  Rob had a cuppa waiting for me when I got home.      I turned the blackberries into 5 pots of bramble jelly and prepared and froze down the runner beans then spent the rest of the time before lunch on paperwork.

Made headway into the pile of ironing after lunch whilst taking a trip down memory lane watching The Railway Children.  (Love that film).

Good to know that so many of you are sleeping better at the moment.   The air pressure and temperature must have adjusted to a better level.

((Char & Ted)) It never rains but it pours for you, does it?   It’s a good job you have such a positive attitude to life.

I do hope you can soon settle your heart rate and blood pressure, Nancy.

Oh, ((Lynn), such a shame that the chemo must continue every month but I know you are strong enough to adjust to the regime and at least you know that it is keeping the leukemia at bay. Love the ice dancing.

Take care with the carpet cleaning, Uschi.   I shampooed my hall, bathroom and studio the other day and, although the machine does all the hard work, it’s still extremely heavy to push around.   Get help with it if you can.  You too Lynn.

Lovely birds and dog, JJ.

Pity the duo weren’t up to much QS.  Perhaps they were just starting out and need practice.  Your dinner to come home to sounds delicious and healthy.  Yes, like you I’ve no time for the whingers who want everything handed to them on a plate.  All my family (and their families) have kept themselves earning throughout the pandemic (irrespective of what they had to do); as did Rob and I when our famiy was young.   We weren’t brought up to look for hand-outs but to stand on our own feet and to watch the pennies.

No apologies needed for taking advantage of retirement, Bill.  The tree will still be there when you are feeling up to tackling it.

Enjoy the babysitting duties, Ellen.  They grow up all too quickly.  I regret that we never lived close enough to any of our grandchildren for it to be a regular event but I enjoyed it immensely whenever it was possible.

Glad your BP is heading in the right direction, Steve.  Take it easy with the jobs – they will still be there when you’re feeling better.

Hi     to Lulu, Adena, Anita, Carol and anyone else I’ve missed who is still to wash up on these shores.   Have a good day and stay safe and healthy.

Joy

We must leave our mark on this world

[Author]

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