Just this year, I was reading a story about Thailand and how police there have to buy unforms, all equipment on them, and I think also pay for schooling so police illegally trying to get money from tourists is a problem there. Vietnam also has an issue w the cops.

Does your insurance pay for it? Dh got a prescription but it costs over 1k a month for it. We are hoping that the weight loss version of Mountjaro, which will be pils and not shots, will be much cheaper or covered by Tricare. .

The article compared societies in different countries and throughout different times. It specifically spoke to the fact that both England and the US have a lot fewer children getting to school by themselves, while in Finland, where children start school at 7, they have children going to school and being independent generally at a much younger age. It also looked at indigenous communities that have youngsters helping around the house and being able to explore and use knives at earlier ages. It also examined the differences between high school students with part-time jobs and those without. I know that in our family, my son had a few summertime jobs from age 14, so in the early 00s. I think the next one did babysitting from age 16, which was in the late 00s. My youngest had no paid jobs at all, but that was partially due to her health, her extracurriculars, and changes in society. I remember that people were shocked at the fact that she liked to study at the main library here, where there are homeless people- she said that she had no issues with them. A lot of them read or slept. Just several people were surprised that dd2 decided to go to college in Memphis because how could I let my 18 yo go there since it is so dangerous? Also in the article was what level of mental illness- suicide rates have been skyrocketing among young people, and it talks about all these trends from the 1960s onwards. This means that just about all of us here on this forum have experienced some of the societal changes toward less independence, even in our childhoods. A lot of mental health research has found that people who have interesting and productive lives are much less likely to be addicts (a study of heroin addiction in soldiers returning from Vietnam). The article also mentioned that a study of what kids define as playtime depended on whether or not adults were present. If the adults were present, it wasn't considered play, and I believe these were preschoolers to early elementary-aged kids.

Good morning! I hope everyone's Christmas was nice. My brother is still here until midday (in a motel), but maybe he could do something here with dd1 instead of with us. He missed the Christmas walk yesterday because of his motel's breakfast issues. He asked the front desk what the breakfast hours were on Christmas Day, and he was told 7 to 10, unlike the usual 6-9. So he drove the two blocks to Denny's (he didn't feel comfortable crossing the very big street, even though there was a light, because we had already told him that there are a lot of pedestrian deaths on that road). The wait was half an hour. Now I slept way too long yesterday and was awoken to a breakfast of pancakes at 11:15, and then between breakfast, the huge chore of cleaning up is now with no plumbing, and we can't get plumbing until we get countertops. Apparently, we can't get countertops until the electrician comes back and rotates the outlet (though I am unclear if that is needed before the countertops or just needed because it doesn't work with something else). The three walkers decided not to wait for my brother anymore because it was already after 2 pm, and we had sunset very early around here (dreaded daylight savings time). Then Dd chastised me on text for not entertaining my brother-- he is 67, and I did talk with him and helped him some, but I didn't want to watch what he wanted to watch, and I didn't want to keep running up and down stairs . Bu t the visit with my brother this year has been a bit better. He figured out to go to the downstairs door when he came and knocked. We had an ADT system with an ADT doorbell, but that was taken away with the whole kitchen remodel. For some reason, and I am unsure if it was dh or dd1, we decided we needed to use our China both on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. We had a strange Christmas dinner-turkey with oranges- I am not a fan at all; I wanted to use my perfectly okay apples, but dd1 idiotically thought since they had been here in the house since the Thanksgiving era, they were bad- they weren't. They forgot to buy potatoes, so we had rice. We also had no stuffing (which I guess I should call dressing since we never actually stuff the turkey). We had no dessert, too, which was okay, I guess, since dinner ended up being ready at 9pm or so. To do deal w coffee clean up after Christmas more- like put away presents properly, etc call in prescriptions figure out what to do with my left arm-go to see an ortho or first go to see my concierge doctor print out an Excel spreadsheet of charity donations and also figure out our income this year call the bank and get a new debit card figure out how to give gifts to service workers make weekly medication box take meds

And the vrand new frig we just got for our unexoected kitchen remodel beeped at me yesterday when it wasn't fully closed. We haven't set up wi-fi yet on all the new appliances but I was really happy that the frig beeped. (Yesterday was a tough day for me physically since I overdid it on a few previous days)

We have lots of places like you listed. And yes, I see a lot of different people using parks, rec centers, arts places, etc Re being used,

Two misses here - both by dd1. First , she bought a book about sloths (not a nature book but drawings) that she was going to give her sister in law. Either her hubby or my dh told her that was a bad idea. So she gave it to me and I don't like it either. I did like the new Stephen King book that is only out in hardback. The other miss is that dd1 buys socks for eveyone- cute ones and I used to like them. But about 5 years ago I started only wearing diabetic socks because of bad lymphadema, not diabetes. And the last 1.5 years, I can't even wear any socks. Now I have to tell her and hope she remembers.

Yes, we went on a similar church trip to Greece, islands, and Turkey (Ephesus). At least one couple tacked on extra days to visit a child. Another joined our tour because they had already been in Europe before the tour started. We were starioned in Belgium for three years. My brother visited (only immediate family relative of me). My FIL did not. However, he didn't like to travel and wasn't close to my husband or my kids. He was poor but we were willing to pay but he didn't want to come, just like later he didn’t want to come to Florida and even when we lived in DC area (4 hours drive) he didn’t wang to come. We last saw him when we lived there because we drove up about halfway at a historic place. I am sorry for your circumstances.

And that communication is what is so impossible to so many people. I had been worried about all the people I know who are mostly isolated because of diseases, injuries, etc because all the new studies coming out that loneliness is deadlier than cigarette smoking. Then I found out that people who had many internet friends were as protected as people who meet up w others at coffee shops, etc.

Merry Christmas everyone!

No and Thank God!!!! I did not want a repeat of last year-- --- super cold for here - high did not go over freezing for a number of days and we had snowfall and ice and I had 7 extra relatives here and also 2 dogs. And the snowfall amounts weren't expected by metereologists.

I talked to dh this morning about the possibility of going away to somewhere on New Years day weekend. He is going caving w ds on the 30th and doesn't want me to plan MLK weekend or anything until this kitchen is done. And he is being so perfectionist, having dd1 help him haul out huge box of canned good, baking stuff, etc. And yellinng at me for sitting at the dining room table and putting my lunch medications in a custard dish because it already has a tablecloth on it, and decorations.

Just talked to dh about if we have any vacation plans at all. No, because who knows when kitchen will be done.

That was what I was trying to do each time my cortisol level rose but I keep crashing. One more thing on my 2 do list. I had a really good telehealth counselor in 22 I think. Now I love mysteries and that is one thing good about being my brain fog issues- I get to solve lots of them. But it takes a lot of time. Two days ago, dh kept telling me to pay our lawn service. The problem is that he sends the invoices by email but doesn't notify me when he does it. And the email is not from him directly and I didn't remember his lawncare service name but finally found it by looking up a date. My whole life is one big mystery.

My life has just been such a mess this year. This is, I think, the third worst year of my life. 1st was in 2008 when three really serious illnesses and issues arose with all three kids; the second was in 1976 when my father died, and my mom got depressed, and I had to grow up very quickly, and abuse started too, and then this year is number 3. And I had such high hopes for this year. I finally went to the Mayo Clinic and got my proper diagnosis and a cure for a lot of my brain fog. But the neck surgery I needed so badly turned into a nightmare--- my arm subluxated in the recovery room or during surgery or whenever, and I injured the nerves in my left arm--- also, it may be true that surgery did a number too. However, in the last few days, my left arm has been subluxating a lot, along my left shoulder blade and I am back to not being able to use my left arm well again. I also had a Colles fracture in my radius in October and will probably need carpal tunnel surgery, too. Other bad stuff listed double leg surgery because of bad blood clotting a few days after that neck surgery being pressured to go home right after neck surgery instead of staying overnight in the hospital\ this led to me being almost a month in a horrible hospital experience not being able to go to a good rehab place subsequent hospitalization the following month that I can't even remember (I had been having severe gastro problems) My kitchen flood in mid-June means that I can't keep easy track of any of my medications or schedules, and it is still not done, which is putting great pressure on dh our sleep doctor closed his practice, which negatively affects dd2, dh, and me DH is probably traveling to Australia in April. He will take a few days' vacation but mostly work. I know why I can't go- I would have to travel 20 hours in three parts by myself to my home. But the whole thing is making me very depressed since I have not had any vacation, even a few days vacation, for over a year. My new kitchen will be beautiful, but I sometimes I wish I were an injured vet who would be getting a new home from tunnels to towers (which I definitely support financially) I know that both ds and dd2 tried to convince dh to move or redo my house to help me be more independent, but none of that happened. Now I will have a beautiful kitchen but a husband who is not doing well (note that sleep doctor left). I am also concerned about lung cancer with him- he is always coughing and smoked in his teens to about 20 or 21. I have to also only a few days to do all kinds of tax stuff I really have to see many doctors, and so does DH, but again, all this is very hard to do. My OCD autistic brother is here till Tuesday (fortunately in a hotel) and again that isn't making me happy either I really hate that I don't get to see dd2 and dsil2 and ds and ddil and dgs more./

I hate that too, but especially this year, since our kitchen, which flooded on June 15th, is still unfinished. And dd1. who was at the house taking care of me since dh was in Boston, and did all the initial talking w/both insurance and the contractor with both the insurance and the general contractor, was telling us yesterday, how the contractor was promising it will be done before Christmas. I am really not sure why we are having Christmas now, but I guess it is because my brother is here- and at least he is staying in a hotel..and because dd1 is insisting. I would have been (and still will be doing this otherwise) going on the Orthodox schedule this year. My kitchen supplies, food, and most things are in parts of the great room, sun room, and the guest room.

We have been to the Great Smoky National Park many times since moving here. Google Maps inevitably tells us to go take noninterstates to TN, then an interstate that goes from Chattanooga to Knoxville and switches to an interstate going east from Knoxville till the exit for Pigeon's Ford. We did that once, but since then always just gone on the interstate from Chattanooga but got off before Knoxville and went on country roads. Although Google claims it is slower, it inevitably is not only faster but more pleasant, too. That is because of the propensity of accidents near Knoxville that cause traffic jams.

Having to write letters to my Compassion children, Take my meds put away clean clothes go to a laser show tonight help dh with Christmas stuff

We have fish crows in the southern part of our state. Crows everywhere in the state. And Ravens only very rarely here.

Praying for your family.

Crows are more in groups, while ravens sometimes are in groups and other times on their own.

And typically, my city is very, very responsive. But we have had really cold weather spells, which means water breaks, and the utility and the city can't hire enough people. We have a really low unemployment rate here, and unfortunately, just as in many places, the people who do things like repair pipes are getting older, and younger people aren't choosing those blue-collar occupations anymore.

Well, I know South Carolina had bad flooding, and also the Northeast last week. CA this week. I think there were record floods in part of Australia. And the stupid thing with our drought is that we have a water leak coming from the street down our driveway and a channel and then into a stream further off our property. My dh notified the city two weeks ago, and yesterday, they acknowledged that they know, but nothing has been done so far. I hope it doesn't get worse. A few years ago, there was a water main break, and the repair people caused a geyser to rise up and then fall on our brick stairway- loosening the bricks. I just don't want a repeat of that.

I am so happy for your family