I'm curious - these noodles, are they like those thick chickeny gravy covered noodles that certain regions call dumplings? I could see liking something like that. There's not much I wouldn't like on mashed potatoes. 😁

I usually have some frozen brown rice on hand, so I do that with Fillo's or A Dozen Cousin's beans on top. I add avocado and Tajin - yum!! But I'm the only one who eats that around here. For the rest of the fam it's usually hamburgers and/or hot dogs, homemade chicken pot pie or about 5 other things we keep in the freezer, spaghetti with jarred vodka sauce, open face not-grilled cheese (toast bread, add tomato slices, cheese, sprinkle of pepper and oregano and put under the broiler) or various leftovers. We always have homemade soup in the freezer to bulk up lighter meals. Oh, and Trader Joe's shakshuka is a current easy favorite. I just bought 8 boxes of it the other day.😁

I could imagine that being an Amish thing, but I haven't seen it in PA Amish. I'm guessing it's a midwest thing?

This test is literally running a paint brush across the poop that's floating in the bowl and depositing that water on a very small square on a sample card, which is why neighbor can't do it with his shaking hands. They don't actually want any poop, so that's a relief! Except he's unable to poop now because he's mortified that I have to do this for him. I've never seen a test like this before, wondering if it's a new thing.

When dh was on the squad a good deal of calls were for similar things. (We’ve called for help getting fil off the floor more than once, police or ambulance squad were always wonderful!) And teenage girls fainting at the mall, every darn Saturday, at least once!!!

Our hospital actually has a service that is similar. I considered it, but I just couldn’t figure out the logistics - I don’t think if I called them and said the poop is ready, come and do this thing that they would rush right over, so who knows how long I’d have to keep this thing floating around in the toilet bowl lol.

He flat out refused! I don’t know how he was an EMT!

I’m very thankful that I don’t need to actually collect any poop! The test says just the water, so not too bad. I just know from being in the bathroom after him and having to go use a different bathroom instead, that it will smell bad!

I was actually thinking of that. Dh used to do that in his fire department/rescue squad days when they were dealing with not-so-recently-deceased people.

Nope, I think I'm stuck with it. My mother-in-law would have done it if she didn't recently have knee surgery. I need a day or two to work myself up to it! I'll be wearing a mask and gloves, but I know I will be gagging.

Our elderly neighbor was staying with us during lockdown, but now he sleeps at home and stays with us all day. I take him to all appointments, handle his meds, he eats with us, etc. but he is otherwise able to care for himself. At his latest dr. appt. his bloodwork had some issues, and they sent him home with a mail-in fecal sample test. There is no way he can take a paint brush, run it along his poop and dab a smaller than a centimeter square on a 2 inch sample card, twice. Ugh! I need some strength people!!! And an iron stomach!! 🤢🤮

I’m so sorry you’re going through this. I remember being in the same state of shock, disbelief and anger after repeatedly catching family members being less than careful around my mother in law after my father in law died of Covid and the vaccine seemed years away. Thankfully we’ve had no vaccine hold outs on that side, but I’ll feel better after we’ve all had boosters. My sister couldn’t get past her anxiety to get the vaccine and decided going on a bar-hopping vacation to Nashville was a good idea. She got Covid and got the antibody treatment right away, but she only got tested after telling me she had the flu and me asking if she verified it was flu. 🤦‍♀️ At least I can finally have her in the house. Even though we’re all vaccinated we haven’t stopped masking and probably won’t for a while. A breakthrough infection may not kill us, but it could definitely cause an MS relapse for me or cause my mil or elderly neighbor who stays with us all day to become very ill…

I purchased a fudge-making kit, and I was supposed to add 2 tbsp of butter, but misread it and added a whole stick. It was delicious! We bought the kit again and I realized my mistake and made it correctly, and it wasn't even close to being as good as the first batch. I add the whole stick whenever we buy the kit, which for obvious reasons is not very often.😁

I just can't wrap my brain around the idea of savory oatmeal. Grits, yes, no problem, but oatmeal I think would kind of gross me out. I have used it as an ingredient in meatloaf instead of breadcrumbs, and I liked that. It may be one of those things that I would have to try if someone else made it, but I'm not going to make it.

Dh is still smoking and is at that heart attack age for men, so I have the same worry. And the book thing, yeah, that is totally me. 🙂

I can't say it's helped him lose weight - that was more diet than exercise. I was more interested in something to keep the blood flowing as he will sit for hours no matter how much I try to get him to move. I've used it vigorously sitting in a stuffed chair and I definitely felt it. One thing that I have used and I definitely feel it in my legs is this: https://store.bobandbrad.com/products/bob-brad-knee-glide I bought it for mil for pre and post knee surgery but she rarely uses it. I use it on the couch while watching tv. I can feel it in my calves and above my knee, but I have MS related weakness in my legs, so I feel everything, lol. Not sure how much someone in very good physical condition would get out of it. Mil's physical therapist loves it and is now recommending it to her patients.

I have one friend that I keep up with on a not very regular basis, and that's it. When ds was in school I never clicked with any of the parents. They all knew each other for years and I didn't find them very welcoming. I had work friends that I hung out with frequently before moving in with dh. I tried keeping up with them but it was too difficult. Dh was a firefighter for a few years and that was fun, but once I became pregnant and I couldn't drink, that ended. (Big drinking scene there!!) Now dh and I are very content with each other's company and visits with family. Ds is on the spectrum and not interested in connections beyond family and online at this time. The three of us were perfectly fine during lockdown while mil was having a very hard time with it. We could do it again for a few years and be fine lol. I find it very draining to cultivate friendships or deal with groups, so I'm very content with the way my life is socially.

Just saw my neurologist today, and she is recommending I wait until 8 months after my last dose for better protection and less side effects. In the meantime we have never stopped masking and avoid higher risk activities like eating in restaurants. I will take my elderly neighbor for a booster after I speak to his oncologist. He just had some really wonky bloodwork, so I don't want to do anything until he gives the ok. Mil had the Moderna vax, and it looks like the FDA advisers are recommending boosters, so hopefully that will happen soon. If Covid is going to hit this house it will be from her. She's the only one in the house that has gone out to eat, plus she has been in the hospital twice now. I know the staff masks, but the patients do not.

My son has this: https://smile.amazon.com/Cubii-Elliptical-Adjustable-Resistance-Turquoise/dp/B074F1S194?&linkCode=sl1&tag=self01b-20&linkId=2224b48577cc1ca987b071824e8cd8e7&language=en_US&ref_=as_li_ss_tl He likes it a lot and has had it for two years now. Lately he has been having to tighten something on it a few times, not sure what, but he is rough on stuff.

I have one TJ about 10 minutes from me, but the parking is horrendous if you don't get there very early on the weekend. The other is almost 20 minutes from me but the parking is better and it's just a nicer store - wider aisles and much better layout. We just went today and stocked up on the shakshuka, which I'm totally addicted to. I bought a gf cauliflower pizza crust which I hope is good. We do a big homemade pizza night every 2nd Saturday and I'm tired of missing out or suffering when I give in. 😊 I also bought some PBJ bars and organic frozen broccoli florets. We purposely didn't get a cart this trip so we wouldn't buy a lot.

In the early days of the pandemic it was very hard to get a spot for grocery delivery, and the cart was often wonky. Diet coke was out of stock for weeks and suddenly it was in stock, so I ordered about 8 12-packs. Dh had a saved cart and added that to our order and didn't realize I had diet coke on the order already, so when the delivery came I think we had about 20 12-packs. I wonder what they must have thought of us!

We have been trying to buy extra sale meats because the prices have really gone up. Dh has been making soups and stock but I'd like to buy some veggie and chicken broth to have on hand. We have a lot of beef broth at the moment. We've recently discovered Aldi, so we've been stocking up on favorites there. If we don't have cookies in the house the elderly folks get very upset, so I'm very thankful they love Aldi's cookies. I need to increase my stock of almond milk. I used to have 8-10 on hand at any given moment but I'm down to 3!!😲 We plan on making some freezer meals for the winter to have on hand for busy days, but we always have enough food on hand for 3 - 6 months. The perishables are the problem - milk, half and half, eggs, etc, but unless they start restricting amounts again on those we'll be fine. We have a two supermarkets in town, literally down the street, so I'm not worried about not being able to get out over the winter. We need to replenish our butter, flour, sugar and other baking supplies, which we've been slowly doing every time we shop, but we will put in a few large online orders for flour soon. We have a few diet Coke drinkers in the house, and that's been difficult to get on sale lately. When it does go on sale we buy a lot. I don't know what it is about diet Coke, but heaven forbid we should run out!! You'd think civilization was coming to an end lol.

Same day or next for sick visits. They always leave room in the schedule for these. Regular non-sick visits schedule within 2 - 4 weeks. This is a large 6 doctor practice.

Could you put something like this on the end of the island? https://smile.amazon.com/VIVO-Floating-Organizer-Workstation-DESK-SF01W/dp/B07R69WC9Y/ref=sr_1_17?dchild=1&keywords=floating+desk&qid=1633413728&sr=8-17 Or keep a small storage cart or shelf at the end to hold what you need close by?

We don't get many ToTers, so we will go lights out and watch a movie or something. We usually have stuffed orange-colored peppers carved to look like mini jack o'lanterns, and that is the extent of our Halloween celebration now that ds is an adult. Thanksgiving and Christmas will be us and local family, who are all vaccinated. Last year we were in shut-down and it was the first holidays without fil, but it was such a strange holiday season anyway, so it was different and weird without even factoring in his death, but also quiet and enjoyable. This year will be the first year we are all together without him, so in a way it's going to be more difficult than last year. On a positive note, I will finally be able to see my sister. She was afraid to get vaccinated and ended up with Covid. She was able to get monoclonal antibodies and thankfully had a somewhat mild case. She's just out of quarantine today and we are planning on having her over on our next homemade pizza night. Can't wait!!