|
|
Post by nov21987 on Jul 4, 2021 19:47:46 GMT
Happy Fourth of July!
We are having ex-colleague couple and their 2 yr old son over for casual dinner tonight and to watch the fireworks from our balcony. Well, I thought it was casual because I was ordering out for delivery, but I'm ending up spending quite some time putting appetizers together and organizing/plating the delivery food. I ordered from one of the best barbecue places in the city. We had never been there before and we can't barbecue in our condo (not allowed by code only electric allowed so what's the point). We'll have a barbecue grill in our new house.
Of course I went overboard with the food. I got half chicken, half rack ribs, 1 lb pulled pork and 1 lb briskit, 1 pint each of macaroni cheese, potato salad and cole slaw, plus some pickles, 3 sauces, and some potato rolls. SO thought we should have something healthy so I'm making a salad. The vegetables they had on the menu were collard greens and brussels sprouts with bacon and pork drippings, ugh, too much fat already from the meats we didn't need more from the vegetables! I know I'll have leftovers which I'll freeze.
Joan, your beach bowls sound so, so cute! You are really creative. When is your Hawaii trip? So great that you can all be together, it is a huge group. I know you were disappointed the trip was cancelled last year, but this will more than make up for it!
Wow, how did you tear your tendons? Sounds so painful. Glad you found such a great dr
The new variant is really scary, sorry about your BF's friend, how is he doing now?
The thing with the variant is that without more people getting vaccinated, this virus is just going to keep mutating forever. Like the flu we will never eliminate it.
Holly, your garden sounds like it's doing well. I know what you mean about weight not budging. I keep cutting things down a little at a time and tweaking exercise and food and it's only making a slight difference.
SO will be taking all his books, he's already gotten rid of hundreds, through donating and selling, but he still probably have 5-6 thousand left.
It was really hot last week here too. I barely left the house. This week should be better.
One of the ships of our cruiseline set sail on its first voyage a couple days ago. Everyone on board is so excited and happy, the crew as well. I wish I was there, I really miss the ships and the people. This ship is departed from Athens and will be cruising around the Greek Islands. The other 4 ships are still docked.
|
|
|
|
Post by nov21987 on Jul 4, 2021 19:55:13 GMT
oh, this cruiseline is requiring everyone to be vaccinated, including crew. I would never go on a cruise where that is not a requirement, and most people who love this cruiseline feel the same
|
|
jmg44
Transcendent Member
Posts: 938 
|
Post by jmg44 on Jul 5, 2021 21:00:36 GMT
Sue, that was a lot of food!
We didn’t do anything special—I painted a bowl literally all day and have put in about four more hours on it today. I think it will be neat tho.
We did go up and get a Burger King ice cream cone in a cup and sat in the parking lot and watched the fireworks. I have saved on calories yesterday as I had literally no snack morning or afternoon. Was too busy to eat. This morning I weighed even tho I’m supposed to wait till Thursday (wanted to see if cutting out my morning egg was having an effec—I am trying to tweak my ratio of carb, fat, and protein—had been coming out high on fats. Even with the ice cream (which was only half a cup, soft) I had a better balance. I was down another 2 pounds—that’s in about three weeks. I was hoping to lose 3 more before Hawaii but that is doubtful—we’ll see. Still feeling so full—. I now weigh about two pounds less than when DH and I got married in 1982!
We are self quarantining now other than grocery stores. The guy with covid is still in hospital and not doing well. Now there is an elderly lady from the gym in hospital with it—both were vaccinated. Then today I heard from a former teacher of mine that her husband has it—at home—and he was vaccinated. Geez—so scary. Will stay out of gym until school starts as the kids there have it now—they are open starting today again—not sure how many people will go. I canceled my attendance at book club as well until August.
So the tears are up at the top of the bicep and tricep—is that called a tendon—the part that connects the muscle to the bone—hoping to hear from him about an MRI referral tomorrow.
It’s an irritating annoyance—pain if I try to move my arm the wrong way—like opening a door—getting dressed is a challenge as I have to maneuver the bra enclosure with my right hand and then the right does all the work—it’s comedic!
Thinking I’ll run my little kiln tonight and fire
DD’s cups I made her as I don’t think the weather will let up over the next week—tonight might be the coolest night—we have another heatwave coming. Sort of wishing I’d given in to a bigger kiln—my friend is just not building much so my larger things won’t get fired for a long time! Oh well, maybe I’ll learn some patience!
I wish they would require vaccinations to fly! And to go to the gym!
|
|
jmg44
Transcendent Member
Posts: 938
|
Post by jmg44 on Jul 8, 2021 21:31:53 GMT
Oh my, it’s 110º on my patio—which means it’s probably 114 or more downtown. Now suddenly the wind came up—perfect fire conditions. We are so stuck under a hot spot! I am so tired today—had planned to do clay but honestly I’m just wiped out—had a night of disturbed sleep two nights ago and have been getting up at 5 am to walk but not getting to bed early enough.
The friend of BF in the hospital with covid has taken a turn for the worse—today they are putting him in ICU on a ventilator—I’m really afraid he may not make it—so hard to believe that he was vaccinated! All from going to a hockey game—no masks on anyone. So sad.
I had two injections in my tears today—will see what happens—will have two more in a week at a higher level—he then will decide whether to go ahead with MRI—turns out that one of mis med school teachers was a student of mine in the 70’s here in Vegas! The X Ray showed no bone broken but there are a couple spots that upon certain movements bone is scraping on bone—explaining the clunkiness that I feel occasionally in the shoulder area.
I’m down another half pound.
We are going back to virtual book club meetings using face time tonight—a bit too scary with several of us having trips with families planned.
|
|
jmg44
Transcendent Member
Posts: 938
|
Post by jmg44 on Jul 12, 2021 18:10:28 GMT
Reading over what I wrote last week—Oh my gosh., BF’s friend’s SO died within an hour or so of my posting that about them putting him on the ventilator—they got him moved to ICU and he died before the dr got there to do the procedure! 64, healthy. So shocking. His estranged daughter and his sister have treated BF’s friend so horrible she had to call the police—they were shoving her and refusing to allow hers and her SO’s good friends to come in her house—she was so scared she locked herself in the bedroom and called metro. They kicked the daughter and sister out, allowing them to take his car and personal belongings which was all they were to be there for. They stole her password book—she had to go change her phone number—how can people be that horrible. THis daughter never lived with her dad—refused to even tho the brother did. She demanded financial support from him which he gave—told him last year she wished he would die. Now she found out he left 80% of his 100,000$ life ins policy to his GF and only 10% to her and her brother and she is going after the GF. The police could not believe how horrible the two women were! Sounds like a horrible movie that you think couldn’t be real! They weren’t even sad he died. His friends are life long friends and one has hired an attorney to help the GF in case they file to question this ins policy. The daughter even called the hospital and demanded that they no longer speak to the GF even tho that is who he had on his paper work. So she heard of his death from his mother! They had been living together for 12 years!
We did not celebrate DD’s birthday yesterday other than coffee on the patio to give her her coffee mugs I made—they went to Garth Brooks which was sold out—we were not comfortable with meeting inside anywhere. Just hope DD does not get covid—there were thousands of people in the indoor new stadium where the Raiders play.
I am mostly playing with clay and cooking dinners! Thank goodness for the clay part! It’s been so, so hot—117º day before yesterday. We did not walk this morning—just needed a sleep in so I did until about 6 or so. You have to walk at 5 to tolerate it—sun isn’t up but it’s dawn and coolest of the day, being about 90 but of course very dry!
Hope you are all well!
|
|
|
|
Post by nov21987 on Jul 15, 2021 19:13:48 GMT
Joan, delta variant is so scary! 64 is not that old, especially if he was healthy and without underlying conditions. Really sad. I am still wearing my mask if I go into a drug store or any kind of store (maybe at most once a week).
|
|
|
|
Post by nov21987 on Jul 17, 2021 18:18:25 GMT
Hi!
It's still hot here as well, hot and humid. The humidity is the worst. I can stand 110 degrees in Tucson but 90 degrees and humid here is unbearable. I've been checking Tucson weather and they're having a very wet monsoon season, and they're all so happy about it, they haven't had a good one in years.
I see that Las Vegas is now requiring masks inside again. I know that very, very few vaccinated people are dying or being hospitalized if infected by delta, but even so I still worry about the long term effects. With the previous variants, it was discovered that asymptomatic people might still get some long term effects later.
Joan, did you get the second round of shots? Hope your shoulder is feeling better.
I'm still thinking about your BFs friend's SO who died. So sad. And his sister and daughter sound crazy.
The July 4th dinner with our friends was so fun, hadn't seen them since 2019, their son has grown so much, he couldn't really talk the last time I saw him.
Last weekend a group of condo neighbors got together - 4 couples - at one couples' unit. The first time again, since I had a get together at the end of 2019 before our cruise. So much fun.
Oh, and in the last couple of weeks, SO sold 3 paintings! Well, actually, one was a triptych, but they go together so he counts is as one. And the other 2 to one of our condo friends' son as a wedding/house warming gift from the parents. Apparently he had been eyeing one particular one for years and while he was in our apt looking at SO's paintings, found another one that he really liked.
Holly, hope you're doing well, keeping cool!
I'm planning some dinners with my 2 younger nephews. Last year I couldn't take them out for graduation dinners. So Monday night I'm taking the youngest one (graduated HS last year) to one of the best Italian restaurants in the country, and in a couple of weeks taking the other (graduated college in 2020) to what some consider to be the best restaurant in the city right now. It will just be one on one with me with each boy. And my plan is that SO and I will take them both out at the end of Aug before the youngest leaves for college.
I took the older two boys out so much more for celebrations of milestones that I didn't get to do last year, trying to make up for some of it!
|
|
jmg44
Transcendent Member
Posts: 938
|
Post by jmg44 on Jul 17, 2021 21:20:18 GMT
So glad to hear you are seeing friends again, Sue—and family. Your nephews will love their dinners and having you to themselves.
I did get another round of shots —he found another tear in the “belly” of the bicep muscle—larger—I’m feeling so much stress in my upper back and shoulder blades from protecting the left arm—he said I could do massages to help as long as I disclose the areas to stay clear of—so I have booked one for Monday and another for Friday and am so excited my masseuse is still in business! She is just so good—cannot wait to go! My neck also just craving some attention!!
I transplanted basil, oregano and thyme from my raised beds to pots today and harvested a bunch of thyme as well—have been stripping leaves forever! I asked the gardener to take the raised beds out in August and we will buy three really large pots like my one big one I use for the beefsteak tomato—I’m done with bending over in such a cramped space and then getting poor results—DH thinks our soil has soured. None of the root vegetables develop roots—so disappointing as I had planted so many beets. Also trimmed back the tomatoes a lot so hopefully they will do a fall growth and bloom and bear some more after the worst of the heat. I was so sweaty and dirty—shower felt like heaven! Am glazing 3 more ocean bowls and two cups and plan to fire my bowls here tomorrow and the cups along with my horse and large bowl over at friends’ house on Sunday—it is supposed to be a few degrees cooler Sunday night so firing would be safe.
pretty sad week as DS in SLC and his SO have had to cancel the Hawaii trip—so we won’t all be together after all—their child dog Diz is in her last days—they simply won’t leave her with anyone and they want to spend as much time with her as possible—DS loves her so much and she is his constant companion at work, hikes, runs, biking. , climbing, etc. She still loves going with him and the vet told him when she stops wanting to it’s time to put her down—he was so devastated—he knew she has this tumor but he hoped it wasn’t growing so fast and suddenly it’s changing a lot. I just cried. It’s been 7 years since we’ve all been together.
so exciting about selling so many paintings suddenly, Sue!
The humidity makes a huge difference—Tucson has an advantage over Vegas—elevation—I would think nights would often be cooler than here. It’s the uninterrupted heat here that is hard in July—well, now June and July and part of August. We are having the hottest year ever!
|
|
|
|
Post by holly2007 on Jul 18, 2021 21:26:38 GMT
Hi All,
It is really humid here. My garden is doing well. I have some big beefsteak, Roma, and cherry tomatoes that are all just hanging out on the vine and still green. The cucumbers and peppers are coming in pretty fast. In another week or two, I will start planting fall lettuce, radishes, onions, etc. Gardening is good for my problem solver brain because I am learning a lot about what works and what doesn’t.
I binged watched the latest season of Virgin River last week and am watching Manifest now. The summer is flying by as usual.
COVID cases have jumped in NC. Not a good sign going into fall. The university is planning to resume normal operations with resources for testing and vaccines.
Joan, so sorry to hear about DS and his dog. I can’t believe that it has been that long since the whole family was together.
Sue, where is the youngest nephew going to college? Are you moving at the end of this year?
|
|
jmg44
Transcendent Member
Posts: 938
|
Post by jmg44 on Jul 22, 2021 4:21:21 GMT
Well, we have cancelled our Hawaii trip—DGS20 has covid—started getting sick Monday—had flown to Vegas and stayed with his mom and brother—now they are exposed—waiting for tests tomorrow. The friends he saw Friday night and Saturday and part of Sunday came down with it on Tuesday—so got it from him. DGS20 was vaccinated.
So we just decided it was too dangerous to chance flying over and what if someone got sick over there and we couldn’t get back for 14 days. \
we have now booked a really nice hotel right on Redondo Beach—called the Portofino—kind of pricey but it will be a smaller group now—DS park ranger and fam not coming as he doesn’t care for driving to LA. We will go Tuesday and come back next Monday. Details later.
|
|
jmg44
Transcendent Member
Posts: 938
|
Post by jmg44 on Jul 24, 2021 0:48:37 GMT
Covid is spiking in Vegas big time—DD here tested negative after exposure to her DS, DS still sick. Last night DD went out to dinner with her BF and two of their vaccinated couples friends—was sitting next to one of the wives—this morning that woman called—she woke up really sick, took a rapid test and has covid—now DD exposed again. Oh my goodness—it’s really bad—I went and bought 8 home tests—will ask Jordan and his GF to test before coming to the beach, also asking DD in CA to do the same with them and the girls—whoever is negative will go—and I’m taking a few more test kits with us. Tests are getting hard to find—I think people are buying them like crazy as it is so hard to find appts for rapid tests. Our county commissioners reinstituted mask mandate for all indoor employees. Wish they would just mask up the whole city again.
This Delta Variant is so contagious and so fast to develop symptoms. I think if we had booked our Hawaii trip for June we would have been just fine.
We had a real old traditional monsoon rainstorm here yesterday==I was at the market—=had to wait a bit to leave as the winds were so high with the downpour that it would have blown me and the cart away! It was so nice to see tho. Damage from that storm cell on the other side of town tho.
I filled out the insurance claims for refund on our house—when all is said and done we will be out about 2000 for the trip but that’s cheap compared to what it would be should we go over and then get sick over there!
Hope you all are staying well and being super careful!
|
|
|
|
Post by nov21987 on Jul 24, 2021 17:50:44 GMT
Wow, Joan, Delta is scary. Cases in Philly although low in actual numbers are increasing 50% since last week. Hope your DD will still test negative. Did your other DGS test negative? Does your DD's friend have any idea how she got the virus?
Holly, sounds like you have a nice garden!
I started watching Virgin River last year, and almost finished with the latest season. So many things to watch!
Good Girls is another one that I started a little while ago. It's really good. I also want to watch Manifest. I always thought that sounded interesting when it first came out, but never managed to watch it then.
The youngest nephew is going to Boston College. We had a really good time at dinner. Just wonderful to have the one on one time. He's the one that volunteered with me a few times in 2019 before he left for college.
We're supposed to settle on the house by Nov 1, if the house is completed. We'll see, there's a lot to get done by then.
We actually just bought the lot next to us, if someone else were to buy and build on it, it would mean a few years of disruption and noise for us.
We spent last night with a young couple that we used to work with. The young woman was someone I worked closely with and mentored for years, and we've kept in touch despite her jumping around a few offices. She's now working for the woman who we just had over with her DH (ex partner at our old firm) and young son for July 4th fireworks. She's 30 and is so very mature for her age. She just got married to her DH (who is sitll in our old company), and we took them out to dinner to celebrate. They came back to our house after dinner and stayed until almost 12, SO was so tired! But it was so great to see them. We ate inside the restaurant, all the waitstaff was masked. Our tables were socially distanced but it was still a little concerning.
Joan, I hope your Redondo beach plan works out and your DD lucks out and tests negative again.
Next Fri we are supposed to drive up to MA for memorial gathering for SO's brother who passed away last year. The Delta variant is making us a little worried, we're not sure how many people will be there.
|
|
jmg44
Transcendent Member
Posts: 938
|
Post by jmg44 on Jul 25, 2021 1:46:06 GMT
Sue, so good to hear from you—yes, Vegas is a Petri dish of the country—don’t know why people continue to come—that gambling, party thing is a big attraction to some I guess!
DD will test tomorrow night or Monday morning—we can cancel rooms up to 24 hrs in advance—so just by 4 pm on Monday.
There were 1000 hospitalizations in Vegas yesterday!
It’s hard hearing from BF in HI everyday and seeing her posts of them having fun == makes me teary eyed every once in a while—they have people not vaccinating and they get to go and have fun—I don’t want them to get covid but I feel angry that protected people are getting sick and my DGS was not doing anything nearly as risky as their grandkids have been doing for months now. But it’s so immature of me to be envious—I guess sometimes even tho you believe in the decisions you make it’s even hard for you to accept your own decisions!
DD if negative will come to the beach for only two nights—which basically means one day—her BF and daughter are not coming—I feel a bit disappointed in him about this—I feel he should be coming for her sake—but, again, I have to let go of all this. Just have to hope the girls test negative since they flew home to Sac today. We have all had Pfizer except DD here—apparently it’s much less immune to the delta variant. Bummer. Wish they would allow them to do the booster! I’d take it in a hearbeat.
I haven’t done any clay since all this happened == tried and I just couldn’t focus. Tomorrow I’m going to try painting some greenware I had made. I miss it—I got all the insurance forms finished and copied and mailed today—
So glad you had a nice dinner and visit with your nephew , Sue.
Remember Aimee with the husky dogs? OMG, I think I told you she and her DH bought a 50 acre farm—they are building a new house on the land. She now has goats, chickens and a donkey. She’s in seventh heaven—she wants to get a cow still as well. Good thing her husband likes animals too!
Wonder how Joanne is?
Holly, we had bacon, lettuce tomato sandwiches for dinner—another great big beefsteak ripened up really nice—I eat mine without bread—so yummy with good tomatoes. I’ve cut back my three tomato plants but the beefsteak still has some that are ripening—this monsoon weather we finally got a bit of is helping it—those 3 weeks of extreme heat about did everything in. I think my arm muscle/tendon tears are starting to heal a bit—getting a bit more range of motion without as much pain. Having had two massages this week helped as well for sure!
Oh my gosh—DH and I had a pedicure today — he had this idea and then was going to chicken out but he did it after all—he had his toenails painted—he picked the color—a beautiful Greek isle sea green—with glitter on the big toe (my idea) and I match—the kids don’t know—the girls are going to go nuts—DGS17, if he gets to go if DD is negative, will love it. He has come out to his mom and subtly to us—he wears finger nail polish sometimes—neutrals—jewelry, which he always did love—and I think he’s going to love that his Grandpa has the nerve to do this! I promised I would take some polish remover in case he wanted to ditch it after a while.
I have been watching Manifest—oh, it’s getting so stressful but it’s really good. DH has finished all three seasons—I am on season 2 about halfway. I’ll have to try the ones you mentioned, Sue.
|
|
|
|
Post by holly2007 on Jul 29, 2021 21:57:14 GMT
Hi All,
I am glad to hear that Aimee is happy! Valerie seems to be enjoying living in Maine.
It is crazy these days and the media sure isn’t helping with apocalyptic headlines. I think that educating people on misinformation will be the librarian job security in the future.
Things are starting to gear up for Fall semester. When summer starts it feels like we have all this time, then boom! it is time to start another academic year. We are planning to resume normal operations with face to face classes. Vaccine status has to be disclosed and they will hold clinics for testing and vaccines during the semester.
Sue, that was smart to buy the lot next to you. My house sits back off the main road with two acres. It is nice to have the space and quiet.
Joan, I just picked about 6 beefsteak tomatoes this morning. Since it is 95+ and humid, I try to pick them early before they burst. Pedicures are the best. I was going to get one once my foot healed from my surgery two years ago, but then COVID and life happened.
|
|
jmg44
Transcendent Member
Posts: 938
|
Post by jmg44 on Aug 1, 2021 9:17:34 GMT
Holly, where we went for pedicures every employee is vaccinated! They are also continuing to wear masks. Of course all of NV employees now must be masked indoors.
I envy your ability to grow a garden without this desert climate!
had to return from consolation prize beach vacation after three days as someone broke into our house and the police wouldn’t even come till we got home. Just one vacation hell story after another. It’s middle of the night—couldn’t sleep—more info about it tomorrow ==will try to go back to bed and hope to fall asleep now!
|
|
