MONKEY MUSINGS DAILY OPEN DISCUSSION #61 04/22/13 - 12/03/14

[MuffyBee]

The Maytag front loader I have now is fairly quiet, which is good since it's right off the kitchen/breakfast area.  I could hear my old one all the way out in the driveway when it was spinning the water out 

[San]

The Maytag front loader I have now is fairly quiet, which is good since it's right off the kitchen/breakfast area.  I could hear my old one all the way out in the driveway when it was spinning the water out 

OMG that's the worst.  When my front loader used to spin there would be a loud banging noise like someone was shooting a machine gun.  When we removed the machine to replace it with the new one it was the pipe in back of my machine banking against it.  Because the front loader was so high with the attachment the pipe would hit it.  7 years we heard this noise.  We thought it was because the machine was off balance which it really was.  We put a baseball glove between the machine thinking that would help. Boy were we stupid

[Bearlyhere]

This tornado hit about 15 minutes south of my home today.  Luckily it hit farmland (not so lucky for the farm buildings which were destroyed) and only 1 with minor injuries.  Just too darn close for comfort!

At first I was trying to figure out what kind of blue moon that was.

Then I realized it was not a moon and definitely too close!

 

[Bearlyhere]

I'm glad to hear you're feeling better Bearly.    I don't know of anyone with experience with any of the mobility products I posted.  If I come across anything, I'll be sure to let you know. 

Thanks, Muffy!

 

[Bearlyhere]

So, this was my week:

I finally got rid of the squirrels in my attic and no, that was not a diagnosis.  There were 5 of them.  They got in through the fan that goes on when the attic is too hot.  It apparently stopped working and the handyman just happened to see one peek his head in there when he was up there trying to find out where these buggers were coming from.  

He went up and put metal screening in there and replaced the fan.  The only problem was, now they had no way to get out.  So he set a trap and forgot to put the piece on that keeps them in there.  So they would get in the trap and then they could get out after they had their snack.  Then, he realized the piece was missing--luckily the 2 he caught when it was that way did not figure out how to get out while he was carrying them through my house or I would have had to move.

Finally he caught 3 more, once he even caught 2 at once, we could not imagine what the heck the noise was.  I was afraid to open the attic door.  One of the 5 squirrels we caught was regular size, but 4 of them were like little kid squirrels, so she may have had babies in my attic.  It is always something.  

I called the tree people to cut back my trees and accidentally ripped the owner off 50 dollars.  That's what I thought the price was, neither one of us had the slip with the estimate, so I gave him the money, he counted it and that was the end of it, or so I thought.  His daughter called me when he got home and told me what happened (I had given him cash and he counted it in front of me, so neither one of us knew the cost or one of us would have said something).  How embarrassing!

She said her father said I was such a nice lady and was so good to them, providing them with water, snacks, and offering to get them lunch to tell me not to worry about the $50.  So, it does pay to be nice.  I keep trying to tell my Mom, but she disagrees, she says I am too nice to people who are in the service industry, and it really makes her angry.  I have to sneak the tip to the waitress (believe me, I am no big tipper, just a normal tipper and I give more when the service warrants it, but still not a hundred dollars or anything).  I do this automatically and not because I am looking for anything, but for some reason, it burns her up. It was her parents I learned that from, it must have skipped a generation.  She thinks you shouldn't tip at all unless you are rich.  Can you believe it?  I say if you can't tip, you don't go out, you are stealing money from the server.  We go round and round about this.

So, I finally have my handicapped spot in front of my house.  It is under a tree where the birds poop all day long and it is so hot there, it bakes on the car.  I went to the power wash place thinking that would get it off, and the hose got away from me and made a huge cut in my other hand.  It was a big gash and it hurt like heck, the end of the hose was so full of rust and had a jagged edge.  

Off I went to the doctor.  I came home and fell asleep at my neighbor's table while talking to her, at least I thought that's what happened.  She wanted me to stay and lay down, but I went home and went to bed thinking I just did too much that day.  The next morning, I drove my son part way to school where he could catch the second bus he takes to school.  He yelled at me to wake up while I was waiting for a red light, I didn't even know I was asleep.  I dropped him off and I went right around the corner to eat breakfast thinking I needed some caffeine.  I ordered breakfast and was on my way to a face plant at least 5 times when the waiter grabbed me each time.  I never felt myself go to sleep--apparently you can just keep passing out from the tetanus shot, and it can last for 5 days, extreme fatigue is also a side effect of a tetanus shot.  Who knew?

The waiter wouldn't let me drive home.  Fortunately he knew me and knew this was not normal behavior for me.  Apparently this is a side affect from a tetanus shot.  I also had the sweats, muscle aches in my legs, pain in my stomach, a sore throat, a headache, a neck ache, and a back ache, and my feet hurt.  This was different from the pain I usually have there.  

I got home, sat on the couch, and the kids were banging on the door for me to watch my Grandson and also were ringing the phone, they forgot their key, I never heard them, even though I was right on the other side of the door!  I am not sure how I got upstairs to bed.  When my son came home, he told me I was not making sense when I was talking.  During the day his teacher called me, I think he did anyway, and I am not sure what I said to him and he said to me.  I am embarrassed to tell him I have no recollection of our conversation at all.  

The sad part was, it was my Dad's birthday, this is the first time I didn't see him on his birthday.  

I have 3 more days to go.  I am now speaking English, but I am still very tired and fall asleep easily, but at least I have a warning that I am going to fall asleep, not like the first day where I kept passing out.  The doctor told me I would have pain in the injection site--that is what usually happens to me, so I was prepared for that.  That never happened.  I think they should warn you about the fatigue and the passing out.  It was frightening because it was unpredictable, there was no warning.  I am so darn tired!  Did that ever happen to anyone?

So, how was your week?

I haven't checked in here for several days...OMG Sis, you've been through it!   

I read ahead and am so thankful you're feeling better!      

That's scary stuff, imo you definitely need to let your doctor know everything that happened.

(((HUGS))))

Yup.  No more tetanus shots for me.  I refused to take meds after that, but slowly added them back with no ill effects.  He said it was definitely the shot.

 

[Bearlyhere]

Bearly...this whole event worries me.  I hope that you are totally well now.  Be sure you always tell medical people that you had this reaction.  Hugs.

Blue Moon.....that is one big ole tornado.  Now that I am without a basement and surrounded by tall pine trees, I pay big attention to the weather reports.  

I am adjusting again to the deep South, and if I could just unpack and put away the last 30 boxes and hang the last 20 pictures, I would be "home".

Daughter and son-in-law have been wonderful.  We are now going to change out all the faucets and shower heads as I think they are about 30 years old....lol.  There was no washer and dryer and an old
refrigerator....so those were delivered last week.  I am trying to learn to wash with a washer that provides "low water levels".  I hear that is standard in California.  The frig is wonderful.  Been a long time
since I had one this nice.  

I am making chicken and sausage gumbo today although daughter tells me that I can get the base from the grocery and add ingredients....will see how that works.

So nice to check in here with friends....

Welcome home!  

It's written on my chart.  The pharmacist said he would never need it.  My doctor, who has snow on his roof, has never heard of anything like it, but said they are definitely signs of a bad allergy to tetanus.  Make sure you have a driver when you go get a shot.

 

[Bearlyhere]

Do you guys find that some things that are supposed to be "new and improved" aren't nearly as good? There's a front loading washer and dryer at the lake that I use and then I have an older top loading set at my house. My old set gets the clothes cleaner and I like it much better. I have the same reaction to new toilets. I had to replace one of my toilets with a newer one, so I took the opportunity to get a taller one. It uses less water, blah, blah blah. My old toilets stay cleaner and flush better and more quietly than the new one. Waylon is potty trained but still helps himself to a lot of TP when he "goes". My old toilets handle it just fine, but the new one often has some left stuck to the inside of the bowl.

I just think when it comes to "clean", there's not a great substitute for enough water! I suppose I'm not the "greenest" person in the world, but you shouldn't have to choose between green and clean.

Gosh, I'm not just getting old, I'm sounding old, too!   

A former neighbor of ours that was an Engineer in his working days claims that most of our city sewers and lines to the houses don't work correctly with the newer toilets.  He told us to hang on to our old ones as long as we could.  He claimed that our sewers and lines are built to work best with more water flow.

Not sure if he is correct but we've hung on to our old toilets because of that 

Where my Parents live, they have 2 washers, one the older kind and one the HE kind.  In the newer one the clothes don't smell as clean.  Where my Dad is they got 2 new ones and they smell a little better, but not as good as the oldie but goodie.  I dread having to throw mine out one day.  Don't get me started on the toilets, I am always plunging!

 

[Bearlyhere]

  I fell asleep this afternoon and just woke up...I thought it 5:15 AM and almost started the coffee pot LOL!

Reminds me of when I was in school and got up in the middle of the night to get dressed.

 

[Bearlyhere]

On the subject of washing machines, I was reminded of something that happened to my little sister years ago.    She and her family were living in a trailer on their land while they built their house.  She had three kids at the time, and no room for a washer in the little trailer, so her husband put the washer on the back porch, which was sort of a platform he built with a step down. Nothing fancy.   Anyway, one time she went out, got her load of laundry going and went back in.  When she came back out, the washing machine was down off the porch (a couple feet down) laying on it's side, still running but off balance of course, making this crazy woompah woompah woompah sound (as she put it).  I guess it walked it's self right off the porch.  The best part of the story was watching and hearing my sister tell it, as she has a wonderful sense of humor.   

 

[MuffyBee]

A note on those Seventh Generation Dryer Sheets I use and San mentioned trying:

The first time I opened the box with the dryer sheets, they looked like brown waxed paper with perforated holes.  I wondered what the heck?  However, they work just fine.  I use the same one several times with no problem.  Of course, by the second or third use they look like a wadded up piece of paper sack  but they still work   

My family has gotten so used to unscented laundry products, when I sent my son's big comforter out to be cleaned (even too big for my front loader) we had to hang it outside for a couple of days to air in the sunlight because it had a sweet, flowery/fruity odor to it and it was almost over powering.  I can still smell the detergent or softener they used if I hold it near my face.  If I want my bedding to smell nice, I just spritz a bit of natural lavender water on it. 

[Blue Moon]

Think I may have to try this for 4th of July!

This looks good Klaas.  I may try it since sweet corn and tomatoes are starting to come in.  That would be yummy with fresh-from-the-garden stuff.

[Mere]

   Happy 4th....!

Bearly....so good to see you....

Will be cranking up the barbeque pit today for daughter and son-in-law who have been doing so much to help me settle in....  The menu is steak, camping potatoes and grilled veggies with salad using creole tomatoes....something I really love.

http://neworleans.about.com/od/fooddrink/qt/Creole-Tomatoes.htm

What are you all doing today?

[San]

Hi Mere, I will be home most of the day today.  My family is having a party at a place and I decided I wanted to avoid the family fights...lol.  My neighbor invited me over and so did my friend who lives around the corner.  I told them I might stop by for a little bit but then I wanted to go home because my four pups would be home scared to death of the fireworks.

Enjoy your BBQ.

[San]

HAPPY 4TH OF JULY ~ GOD BLESS AMERICA

[MuffyBee]

  Happy 4th of July!!

[klaasend]

 

Every year we have a 4th of July party for the family and some friends.  Normally there are anywhere from 25-30 people.  We keep it simple and only BBQ hamburgers and hotdogs and I make chili and others bring side dishes. 

Last year my son and DIL were here as well and last year I was sick as a dog for the entire thing.  Ten days ago I woke up with Bell's Palsy!  I am getting better but it's harder for me to do stuff cause my right eye bugs me (although much better now).  So THIS year I was hoping less people would come but no luck, we will have about 26 people.
I hope next year I'm 100%, LOL 

Off to the grocery store to get last minute stuff!!!

HAPPY 4TH! 

[MuffyBee]

I hope your health continues to improve Klaas.     Your parties must be pretty popular if you're having 26 coming today.      Hope you and your guests have a good time!     Happy 4th of July!       Party on!   

[Green Eyes]

HAPPY 4th OF JULY
Hope everyone has a safe & wonderful day. Thank you to all who have served our country past & present. Without them we would not be able to celebrate this day. 

   May God Bless America 

[Green Eyes]

I hope your health continues to improve Klaas.     Your parties must be pretty popular if you're having 26 coming today.      Hope you and your guests have a good time!     Happy 4th of July!       Party on!   

What Muffy    said. 

[grace-land]