These are the price increases of what I buy regularly from Adi: Butter - $1.99/$3.69 Bacon - $2.69/$4.19 Eggs - $.99/$2.09 Chicken Breast - $1.69 lb./$2.69 lb. Ranch Dressing - $1.99/$2.99 Cream Cheese - $.75/$1.69

I just went through my first kidney stone. I had felt like I was getting a UTI for a few weeks before I had my first episode of intense pain. It lasted about 5 minutes and then nothing. Continued to feel like I had a bladder infection. I use the over the counter UTI test strips and it was showing nothing. Two weeks went past and I had severe pain that sent me to the ER. They did a CT scan, which is the standard method of diagnosing kidney stones. I had a 6 mm stone. The urologist went up and retrieved it and I had a stent for a week, which was no fun. The pain of a kidney stone is very intense. You only have pain when the stone is moving. Two of my dd's and my late dh both have had bouts of kidney stones. She has been having pain for quite a while now. I believe if it is a kidney stone she will eventually have an episode of such intense pain that they will need to do an emergency CT scan. Another month is a very long time. Most stones will pass within a few weeks of initial pain unless it is too big. If she is having constant pain as opposed to episodes of pain I would doubt it's a stone. Hope she finds some answers soon.

When I was having my own problems with my dog and neighbor (long, long story!) I had a police officer strongly recommend I get security cameras and point them toward his house. He also strongly recommended that I get a restraining order against him. He also recommended that my dc who were over 18 each get their own. The situation resolved itself when the police arrested him for discharging a weapon and the chief of police stepped in.

The very first sign that I have of a possible UTI, I take D-Mannose in capsule form. I usually take 2 a day for 3-4 days. Ninety percent of the time it knocks it out and I do not need an antibiotic.

This sounds like my ds last month. Your son's oxygen levels are not bad. My ds's went to the ER when his went below 90, were as low as 85, and they did nothing and sent him home. My DIL's brother is an EMT and he told her that they routinely go out on calls where the COVID patients have levels in the 80's and they do not take them into the hospital unless they are having shortness of breath. I would definitely have him get a chest x-ray. My ds had two. The first one was clear and the second one a week later was just starting to show cloudiness. They put him on a strong antibiotic and he turned the corner at that point. It was a full 3 weeks before he started feeling better.

If you are looking for a suburb that is within a 30-45 minute drive to downtown St. Louis, I would look at St. Charles county (St. Charles, O'Fallon, Wentzville) or the suburbs of Fenton, Pacific. Both areas have alot of nature experiences, especially the Fenton, Pacific area.

About 5 years ago, we went to the Badlands and Mount Rushmore on our way to visit our dd in Montana. We arrived in South Dakota the day Sturgis ended. We saw alot of motorcycles headed the other direction between Sioux Falls and Rapid City. We spent the next couple of days there. It was busy, but definitely not crazy. Saw just a few small groups of motorcycles at the different attractions. I imagine it was not much busier than it is most of the summer.

My grandkids recently had something going on with mainly headache, sore throat, congestion. My dd took them to the pediatric walk in clinic and they were tested for both strep and Covid. Both tests came back negative. Doctor said it was not necessary to quarentine or isolate them, that they could go about their normal schedule. Allergies are real bad here. Some of my kids have allergy symptoms like you describe.

No one should be profiting on unemployment. Benefits should be capped at the wages you were making before losing your job. My ds did not have an option of unemployment because grocery stores were not laying people off due to the pandemic. Just the opposite, their employees were working more hours. So, for the past year he has been working a high exposure job because our household does not have a wage earner since my dh passed away in 2016. It is called survival. So it is very disheartening for him to see friends rake in the money while he has worked his butt off between work and school at great risk for him and his family. My whole point of this is no one should be bringing in more in unemployment than they were making before.

But what about this scenario: Student A - 20 yo student who worked as a waitress in a restaurant that had to close its dining room. Took 12 hours virtually at a community college. Went on unemployment and drew $925/week. When the restaurant recently opened to full capacity, student A decided they made more by drawing unemployment and decided not to return to work. Student B - 20 yo student who worked at a grocery store 40 hours a week at $15/hour. Gross pay $600 before taxes. Grocery stores did not close down and student had to continue working to pay living expenses. Grocery store workers were considered high risk exposure to Covid. Took 18 hours virtually at a community college. My son is student B, his friend is student A. I am not begrudging unemployment benefits to anyone, but it shouldn't be more than you made when you were working your job. I believe the benefits should stop when you are offered your job back, whether you choose to go back or not, especially since you can be vaccinated.

My 20 yo son had wanted to be a police officer since he was 10. When he was 16 the officer that was shot and killed in Boulder, Officer Eric Talley, was his counselor at a boy's camp he attended. He had many lengthy conversations with Officer Talley at camp the next 3 years. Officer Talley offered to be his mentor and they kept in touch on a regular basis. He encouraged him to get a criminal justice degree first before entering the police academy, which he was doing. During the summer last year, Officer Talley suggested he pursue a different degree to have something to fall back on if he decided not enter the police academy given the current environment. My ds switched his degree to Cyber Security. Even up until this year, he did still intend to join the police academy. He no longer has that desire. I think years down the road, we will all be paying for this demonizing of all LEO. That is not to say that there are not bad police officers that really should not be wearing the badge. Training of police officers definitely needs to be changed, but that will take time. But there are also bad doctors, who make deadly mistakes. I will never forget the look on my ds's face when he came into my room the night he realized it was his friend and mentor, Officer Talley, that had been killed. I had not seen that look since his father passed away unexpectedly when he was 16.

I have the Cuisinart Double Belgian Waffle Maker and I love it!

My dd flew Delta airlines in August from Montana to Missouri and she said she had never seen the plane so clean. They are (or at least were then) keeping the middle seats open except for family groups. She took clorex wipes to wipe down the seat and seat belt. She said absolutely no dirt came off!

It is very disheartening to see the meanness lately of this board and how much people attack others that have different views than their own.

I've had three granddaughters born since March. For all 3 I was the caregiver to my other grandchildren. My dd had a c-section in June and I watched my 20 mo grandson. He has Arthrogryposis and is unable to walk. It was impossible for her to lift him, so I went over each morning for 3 weeks until her dh got home from work. When my other dd had her baby in July she asked her pediatrician how to handle visitors to the baby. The pediatrician told her to let people see the baby outdoors and they could hold the baby provided they had masks on, a clean baby blanket over their clothes, and just for 5 minutes. Also, if anyone had any type of symptoms at all, even if they thought it was allergies, not to allow them to visit. Maybe you could suggest a visit outside and for now not trying to hold the baby. Wear masks and keep your distance, but at least you will be able to see the baby.

I have had three granddaughters born during the pandemic. One in March, one in June, and one in July. They have been my joy during all this!

Four We moved when I was three and lived there until moved into an apartment after getting married at 18. We lived there for 6 months before buying our first house. Lived there for 7 years and moved to my current home, where I have lived for 35 years.

Growing up, from the time I was 4, there were 4 of us girls the same age living on the same street. We were very close, more like sisters. We drifted apart after we each married. A couple of years ago I reached out to one of the girls on Facebook and we got together and had a wonderful time. Last year, I attended one of the other girl's surprise 60th birthday party. Three of us got together for dinner shortly after that and it was like old times. We planned on doing more things together when Covid hit. I felt like I was finally moving forward with my grief from my dh passing away in 2016. Its been extremely hard for me.

My ds is a manager with a national chain of grocery stores. He had an employee who lived with her mom and the mom tested positive. She was tested and was negative, but she still could not return to work for 10 days. My SIL works for a local chain of grocery stores. His store had an employee whose wife worked closely with someone who tested positive. He had to stay out of work for 10 days.

My youngest son and I could quarantine for 14 days. But my other son and daughter that lives at home could not. If they had definite exposure they would have to and their employers would insist that they not come back to work for 14 days. But to do it as a precaution before getting together with someone, they couldn't. My ds works at a grocery store. His college classes are all online, so that is no problem. My dd works at a hardware store and goes to school at night. She is in an esthetician program. Only six students and an instructor. Wear masks and can definitely social distance.

Today is the 4th anniversary of my dh's sudden death. I am struggling so much more this year than last year. Last year I had finally come to the point of remembering the good instead of focusing on his death. I had reconnected with childhood friends and our plans were to get together on a regular basis and I was really looking forward to that. Once the pandemic and lockdowns started, all that came to a screeching halt. I have struggled mentally these past few months. I feel like I've been taken back to the first stages of grief. To some extent its been that way for my kids too, especially my 22 yo dd. My 17 you son was just 13 when his dad passed. He's had a rough time. He was finally getting to the point where he wanted, or more like needed, to be active again. He had joined a Ultimate Frisbee team. The played one game in early March and then everything got lockdowned. It has not been good for his mental health. It's been a very rough day today for all of us. I really think this is a result of the pandemic. I have had to make the hard decisions of what we do or not do by myself and I don't like it. It's alot of pressure.

His understanding from the staff is that they are to detect fevers.

Last week my son and DIL had to take my grandson to the ER. I met them in the parking lot and stayed with my 5 mo granddaughter while they went in with him. They weren't sure if both would be allowed in, but they were. Masks were required. The hospital had set up tables and chairs spaced apart outside the entrance of the ER for those who had family in the ER. My DIL had to take my grandson this week for an appointment with the surgeon. They have scheduled a hernia operation for him next week. Again, masks were required and temps screened. He had to have an x-ray and Covid test and they were shocked that he did not have a mask on. He just turned 2. Not healthcare related, but my son is on vacation at an all-inclusive resort in Cancun with friends. They all self- quarantined before, working from home. The resort only allows 30% capacity. He said it is absolutely empty. He also said they have alot of thermal cameras set up around the resort. I thought that was interesting.

My son bought a rehab house last August, finished it in May, and put it on the market beginning of June. Had 17 showings the first day. By the next day he had two all cash offers on it. Sold for $12,000 over asking price, and they were willing to go another $20,000 to beat any other offer. It was insane what he got for a 775 square foot house, but it was in a very up and coming neighborhood. I have heard houses around me only stay on the market for a day or two with multiple offers. Definitely a sellers market.

I am coming up on the 4th anniversary of my dh's sudden death. Five of my 10 children were still living at home, my youngest was 13. It's been a very difficult journey, still is at times. I was blessed in that I had a very close homeschooling friend that I could talk to and say anything and not be judged. She listened to me, cried with me, and most importantly just sat quietly with me. She was and is a lifesaver. We had been friends for almost 25 years. My dh's aunt also became a huge support. Once family leaves and everyone goes back to their normal lives is when she will need you the most. I found that with a sudden death, you have to get through the shock before you can really begin the grieving process. For me this took a long time. I learned there is no timetable for grief. Everyone is different. She might have people try to push her to do things before she is ready. It took me almost 2 years and numerous tries before I could even start going through my husband's clothing. And thats ok. I've gone through his things 4 or 5 times and each time let go of more and more, so now I'm down to 2 drawers. Her kids will likely each grief differently, I know mine did. I am so, so sorry for her loss. It is not a journey I would wish on anyone.