One question I learned to ask: "Am I the ONLY person who can do this job/service?" If the answer was "yes," well then it was just the way it is. If the answer was "no," then I had to ask whether I wanted to be the one to do the job, if my doing it was part of just being a DO-er--in which case I may be taking the job from someone who wants it more or would benefit herself or others by doing that job. Or if I was just being a perfectionist (if you want a job done right...) We also limited our outside activities to church plus one. One sport or interest. The "stay-at-home" one day a week practice worked well, too. So did planning homeschooling with more frequent cycles of school and break. We did 6 weeks on, one week off. Knowing that some slack was on the way let me plan ahead for some things that would otherwise have been interruptive. Those are all suggestions, and some may be helpful. What worked for me might be a total misfit for another.

Question about Amanda jeans. I have three pairs that are a few years old and they are NOT midrise as advertised. They are high waisted. And there’s a bit more fullness in the backside and leg than I want but at least that is true to the description. Q: Has the Amanda “recipe” changed? I LIVE in jeans but sm also of a certain age when rips and tears and distressing and grommets look ridiculous plus I hate them so I struggle to find mid-rise trim (not skinny) jeans that work with shoes AND socks. I have to wear socks. I found some mid-rise that are great for fit except that there is a sort of “pooch” in the belly (of the pants, not on me!!!) so I have to cinch with s belt and it looks stupid. Crops and ankle-high also look stupid with socks. So I read this thread with interest and if anyone has suggestions, you can DM me so Ottakee’s thread doesn’t get derailed. tThank you. I should also mention that I’m not a snob (read “thrifty” or “cheap” as you wish). If Lee jeans do the trick then that’s just great.

Have no experience but two friends who cruise with adult children and they live Viking cruises. I am given to understand it is 18yo+. I’m interested but dh not so much. 😒

I like Chocolove. I tend toward the 55% range but I like the higher cocoa content ones better than I like those in other makers. Pascha brand also good. Both are vegan. No gluten, no dairy, no oysters. (I made up that last one…)

Yay!!!!!!!!

Well, you said what I was writing in a lot less space. You win!

It's changed with aging. I used to weed the garden. Now I can't keep up with the weeds unless I have someone come do a major cleanup about 2x a year. I can keep up between those two master jobs. I have a maid come in and do baseboards, window sills, door frames, picture frames and a serious bathroom scrub down ... about every 6 weeks. I can keep up with the day-to-day but not all of it. And now I don't do anything that requires me to get on a ladder. Stepstool, fine. Two steps. But no more ladders, and that goes for dh too. There's a formula (not really but you know what I mean) that has to do with how much life it will take to do a job, how much frustration for the job-do'er and for the watcher (the spouse) while it is getting done (or NOT). DH CAN do anything. But if t's going to take a year and save us not that much money and keep us from being mad at each other--hire it.

A US-based Pfizer plant exploded a couple of months ago. That didn't help.

Re: the original post: for me it would depend a lot on WHO it was that was visiting. My dh, great. He can sit and do crossword puzzles quietly for 8 hours straight, no problem. A couple of friends, I would be happy just to have them there, with or without conversation. One person whom I love, she would drive me insane, asking every 5 seconds if there is something I wanted or just chattering away. Love her, but hoo boy, she wears me out when I am well. I would prefer shifts of one person at a time, OR having 4 people there who were talking to each other, playing Monopoly or something. Part of why I would want shifts is that I know for a fact that patients do better in recovery when there is an advocate (or series of them), making sure that all the people are communicating well.

These are the good ones. Gingher sold out (Idk when) and the Q went down. I have a pair from 20 years ago and they are great. Because in our family, one can never have too many of a good thing, DH also got me a fantastic pair of hand-forged Japanese scissors and ... they are both fantastic. I am so spoiled.

A pro tailor told me that Ginghers aren’t what the used to be. She uses KAI now.

I got Starlight. I liked it as a softer color than silver The 8 had two health tracking apps I (sad face) now can benefit by. Glad to have it.

It’s just as retitle. Same content.

It kind of depends on what you want to do with the frying pan. Omelettes or oil-free meat cooking? Different answers. :0)

Medicare A and B with supplemental and Part D. ------bossiness alert----- If you are planning to sign up for Medicare past age 65, get with the Medicare advisors to find out if that is a good idea or not. There are some twists and turns along the way, and signing up at 65 may end up keeping your premiums lower over the long term. Also the supplemental has turned out to be a GOOD thing... I am generally in good health but an accident can happen to anyone and if the accident had happened a year ago (pre-Medicare) I would be out thousands of dollars. Definitely getting my money's worth on that one. AND when you look for supplemental plans and Part D (prescription meds), check and see what meds they cover/don't cover. If the one you choose doesn't cover the med you NEED...it's probably worth looking for a different provider. Sometimes it gets gnarly: "we cover DrugX but only in pill form" and the other guy "covers DrugX but only as an injection." It's a lot of work to resolve soooo many questions but it is worth it. AND if you sign up for supplemental when you sign up for Medicare, the supplemental plan HAS to take you. If you wait a year after you sign up for Medicare, then you are into the "health evaluation" stage of life and the supplemental plans can reject you, or accept you but only at a higher premium.

This (or a variation of this) is what my friend with Carpal Tunnel proneness uses in her office and at home. https://www.amazon.com/Logitech-Vertical-Wireless-Mouse-Rechargeable/dp/B07FNJB8TT/ref=asc_df_B07FNJB8TT/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=309743296044&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=2074325018393281446&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9032916&hvtargid=pla-571699447918&psc=1 Not to be argumentative, BUT: The Wacom option is a good one when you are doing mostly drawing, animation - graphics that need fine muscle control. But for general computing (mostly using the keyboard), the mouse is more efficient. It got old picking up the pencil and adjusting the grip all the time. When I was doing photo editing and drawing, the Wacom was the bomb. (Probably outdated slang...ha.)

If we get a fire like this or a tsunami, we are completely screwed.

I've seen a bunch of videos from the actual time of the flames spreading. Repeatedly, people see smoke "way over there" and within minutes, the flames are across the street. People couldn't believe what they were seeing...and I don't blame them. Who could have anticipated this. One woman was videoing from one room in her house, and the fire was moving toward her, but still far away. She went to another room in her house and the flames were across the street. With hindsight it looks so ... dumb. But I can totally see myself being just that ... dumb. Now the thing that is making me mad is the stupid comments by armchair quarterbacks: "It's an ISLAND. How can it be on fire????" "This is so fake--how can BOATS be burning in the WATER?" "All those arrogant rich people lose their homes -- boo hoo." Stupidity beyond measure. (I wrote "ignorance" at first but changed it to what it actually is.)

I saw an instagram of the Chief of Police today. He was explaining why. people need to stay away and I got the distinct impression he could barely speak. He was so ... tactful and deeply moved in explaining that it takes time to identify those lost to the flames, and that the searchers can't even tell where they are, the fire was so hot. You can read between the lines...he was definitely "speaking" between the lines... "You don't know what you are walking on." "I know you want to know what has happened to your friends and loved ones. DNA testing takes time." The loss is astounding. Still stunned here.

I have two friends who did this, with the radio-beams or whatever, and it just didn't work for one of them and the other one loves it. Go figure.

I've read (but don't ask me where...) that even with unilateral, you want to have things evened up with 2 hearing aids. I looked into it as I have mismatched hearing loss and those hearing aids are expensive!! I wanted to save some $$$ if I could. "Nope" was the answer to that.

Yes. That is helpful. I saw them recommended by some other on the ground in Maui but with everything needing help NOW I thought I’d better check. Thank you!

That’s been my experience with my latest PCP. She doesn’t think she has to solve everything or know it all. She gets me to the people I need to see, pronto.

I’d love to know how straight up this org is as re high percentage of donations being used for stated purpose and not for high price administration. I’m aware that people have to be paid; I respect that. I just want to know that this isn’t a personal enrichment scheme. It seems straight arrow. Insights?

But it's still _cold_! 🙂