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Wildcat

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Posts posted by Wildcat

  1. OP, I don't know the ages of your kids, but there is something exciting about being able to reinvent yourself in a new place.

    No one knows if a person was shy or outgoing, or if they were an Eeyore or a bouncy optimist. What people see when first meeting a person is how they will view them as they have no preconceived notions about "who" a person is.

    If there is something about themselves that your teens would like to change, a move is a wonderful opportunity to do so. Framing it in such a way might help if there is angst about them relocating. 

    Have you spoken to your kids about moving? If not, they might surprise you. Also, the kids with friends may not be upset at all about moving as they might feel like it's an opportunity to simply make more friends and would find moving exciting.

    • Like 4
  2. Poor Scooter!

    Filtered water. Seriously.

    Our male had recurring UTIs over a six year period. The year he turned 15 he had FIVE UTIs.

    As a last ditch effort, the vet said to try filtered or distilled water. We bought a jug of distilled water and once that was gone, we just refilled it from the fridge door since it was filtered.

    The sweet baby passed away at the age of 20y 10mo and never had another UTI. 

    It probably depends on the ultimate cause of the UTIs, but I'm a believer in the filtered water after our experience.

    • Like 2
  3. I hesitate to post because I'm definitely not a bagel connoisseur, but we're quite happy with the toaster we have. 

    We place the bagels in the slots with the insides facing each other and push the "bagel" button.  They get toasted (to whatever level we choose using the dial) while the outsides, facing the sides of the toaster, simply get nice and hot. Is that what you're looking for?

    It's a Black & Decker. Amazon has them, but they are cheaper at WalMart. I will say that the photo on Amazon is exactly the same one we have with the words printed above the buttons, whereas the one on WatMart's site just has icons, so it might be a newer model? Ours is about five years old and we paid $19.96 at Walmart, so I feel the one on Amazon is on the pricey side. I would not hesitate to buy the one from Walmart if our current one goes, so I hope it's the same and they only messed with the icons/words part.

    Amazon link  $31.01 :

    https://www.amazon.com/BLACK-DECKER-2-Slice-Toaster-TR1278RM/dp/B00CHJDJJQ/ref=sr_1_10?crid=1IXSA480WCCNU&keywords=black%2Band%2Bdecker%2Btoaster&qid=1706233142&sprefix=black%2Band%2Bdecker%2Btoaster%2Caps%2C118&sr=8-10&th=1

    Walmart link  $19.96:

    https://www.walmart.com/ip/BLACK-DECKER-2-Slice-Extra-Wide-Slot-Toaster-Black-Silver-TR1278B/20564667?athbdg=L1200&from=/search

     

    • Thanks 1
  4. 4 hours ago, gardenmom5 said:

    then the domain name is not blocked.  I block them, and I never see those domains.
    He may be blocking the entire line, not just the domain. e.g. i'maspammy at baddomain dot com. (they constantly change those emails)  as opposed to just "baddomain dot com".
    The biggest issue is the spammers keep coming up with new names.  It may only be one digit different - but that's all it takes to get through the blocks.

    I asked DH what he did and he said he did block the domain as well as trying some other things. He said that's why he was perplexed as to why it wasn't working.

    4 hours ago, kfeusse said:

    I just spoke to my brother, who checked with his IT guy and he suggested that I get a gmail email account and close down the AOL account.  He said AOL is so old that the security isn't want it needs to be compared to the hackers out there now and that I was an easy target.   So, I am making a list of all of the people, websites and accounts that I will need to contact in order to make this change.  I also have emails that I want to keep, so I need to find out how to move those over.  SIGH...this is going to be a HUGE job I fear. 

    That's a good point about AOL's security. I'm sorry this will be such a big job for you, but ultimately, you'll be better off without all that spam. I don't believe you were hacked, though, as they'd be doing other things in there. You probably just got on some spammer's website where they get paid to send x emails per day in the hopes someone will click on just one of them and then they "have a live one" to scam for money.

    Now, I have to figure out what I'm going to do with my email....

  5. 9 minutes ago, gardenmom5 said:

    have you checked your junk email settings?
    you can block domains (just plug in @badmaildomain) and it will block everything from that domain.   

     

    I've done something similar. Well, Dh did it for me since he's super tech savvy. I have everything blocked ten ways to Sunday and all it does is send things to my junk file.

    I've not tried the badmaildomain that you mentioned. It's new to me so, I'll have to check on that. DH set a rule for each and every sender from a domain, to block mail with emojis in the subject line, block mail from certain senders' names, etc, and it just goes into junk as opposed to blocking it. He's totally perplexed. I'm not sure that will work, though, as these people are spoofing emails the way they do with caller ID so I rarely get mail from the same domain.

    @kfeusse, I did a search and AOL has a feature to forward all mail or select mail. It's a bit like creating our own whitelist. I think I'm going to try this and see how it goes while looking into the thing @gardenmom5 suggested. Maybe I'll do both.

  6. 26 minutes ago, kfeusse said:

    I thought about your plan too....but there will be NO way I would be able to periodically look at my old mail and see if I missed anything as it would literally be buried in thousands of spam emails....and now that I think about it...the forwarding thing won't work as it would also forward all of the spam....UGH!   This is a disaster.  I am so discouraged. sigh!!! 

    In gmail, DH uses a forward rule for certain things. I think he goes in and says 'mail coming from XX address always forward to YY address". So, you'd just have to do that for each mail you really want to receive. That won't help for any new things you sign up for, so you'd just have to start giving out that new address for those. Again, I don't know if AOL has that feature since they're so old, but it's worth a look.

    If they don't have the pick and choose feature, maybe set up a gmail with the same name as your AOL account (for simplicity, if it's available), forward *everything* to that new mail, then have that gmail forward only the things you want to the new, permanent mail? Again, I might be making things difficult, but it's a thought since I know gmail does have forwarding for individual mails/senders.

    You definitely have it worse than me with the sheer amount of spam you're getting.  I hate that we have to be so creative and go through so much to get away from all of this crap. It's beyond frustrating and very time-consuming.

    If they would allow us to create a whitelist of senders we WANT to hear from and just bounce the rest, it would solve the problem.

    • Like 1
  7. 3 minutes ago, kfeusse said:

    yeah, this is me....and I am also thinking I am going to have to create a new email....but my current one I have had literally since I got email back in 1997 or something....(it's still AOL....if you even know what that is).....but I can't even imagine how many places I am going to have to contact to have my email changed.  Do you know, is there a way to do something like a "forwarding address" like you do when you move?  That way things still get to you, and then you can make the changes as you get contacts. 

    Yep totally familiar with AOL -- my gmail name is literally my old AOL account name. It's also my oldest email and tied to everything.

    I didn't even think about forwarding! That's a good idea. I know gmail has a rule for that so maybe AOL has one, too. Or, maybe it's a Mac thing. I'll have to ask DH as he has some things set to forward to me.

    My plan was more old school where I would just change what I could to the new account, then check periodically to see what's still going to that address, changing those to the new account, and after a year, quit looking.  🤷‍♀️  I'm definitely not tech savvy. I'm not bad, but I tend to do things the hard way if you ask my DH. 

    • Like 1
  8. Mine isn't that bad as I 'only' get about 250-300 a day, but I cannot find a fix.

    I am *thisclose* to just jettisoning that email address and creating a new one. If google doesn't care enough to enhance and BOUNCE these icky mails (and they are beyond obvious spam and some are borderline x-rated), then they can just darn well pay to store them forever all on their huge servers.

    I suspect my mail got on someone's list where all they do is send this spam crap -- lots of those "work from home jobs" are nothing but sending emails. I now know what emails those people are sending. 😡  I think it happened when I started receiving mail from some 'news' site that's seemingly legit and I unsubscribed. I did research them before clicking and they checked out which was the only reason I clicked. The spam bombing began about two weeks later. I figure it's probably a revenge thing since I didn't want to get their daily drivel and fear-mongering, so they sent my email to - whoever - to start spam bombing me. I don't know if that's a thing or not, but it's suspicious timing.

  9. 17 hours ago, itsheresomewhere said:

    I use it when they are showing signs of stress/illness or when a new one comes into our home.  Most arba people ( those who show Guinea pigs and rabbits) do as they can go from fine to extremely sick in a short period of time.  For us-  it helped our one guinea pig get through the night until when the vet opened in the morning.

    Ah, thanks. The GP owners I know haven't had any issues so I was wondering if I/they were missing some important knowledge. I'm going to pass the med info along to them, though, as I'm nearly positive they haven't heard of it before.

    @popmom I'm so glad your baby is better. She's such a cutie! And don't feel like you overreacted by posting. It actually warms my heart to see a pet owner be overly cautious as opposed to just ignoring how their animals are feeling. I never think strangely about people who ask for help/insight.  

    • Like 6
  10. 1 hour ago, hjffkj said:

    It doesn't get wrapped op in the brush. It gets wrapped up next to the brushes on both sides so you pop the roller out and just slide the clump of hair off. It take roughly a minute

    Ah, that doesn't sound too bad. Thanks.

  11. Does anyone here have experience with pet insurance?

    I'm just getting started in my research and it seems just as murky an area as human insurance as to what it covers, extra options, etc.

    Do they actually pay what they say they do? Are the policies that cover vaccinations, xrays, dentals, etc, worth it?

  12. How do these little guys handle long hair? Does it get all wrapped up in a brush like with a regular vacuum cleaner or are they designed differently so it's not an issue?

    Dh has said for years that I should get one but I worry about the long hair issue.

  13. 1 hour ago, Kassia said:

     

     

    My first thought was seasonal flowers, but she'd have to get them on Wednesday in a vase and then drive with them for about 40 minutes on Thanksgiving morning.  I don't know if she can secure them for the drive?  

    She's never met or had any contact with his parents before so I don't think she can ask what to bring.  I'll have to look up the Kringle.  I don't know if she has a Trader Joe's near her (we don't where I live, but she's in a much more populated/busy area).

    ETA - I looked up the waxed amaryllis and that looks easier to transport than a bouquet of fresh flowers

    The vase I have would be easy to secure ---- put the vase in a box or a pot or tall casserole dish or even one of those stand up zippered grocery bags (you get the idea), stuff a towel or two around it to secure it and place it on a flat surface. It might even fit on the seat next to her and be able to be belted in. Otherwise, she can brace it with her luggage and stuff. A small vase with flowers shouldn't be hard to transport. A full bouquet of, say, roses, yeah, that would make me nervous.

    Oh, there might also be a cute little flower//greenery plant thing in a Thanksgiving/fall themed basket or bowl or something. That would be flatter than a vase and easier to transport and the basket can be used as decor after the fresh stuff dies.

    I can't help with the amaryllis so I'll leave that to others.

     

     

     

    • Like 2
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  14. I've used Valspar many times and like it. It's my go-to for paint.

    Interior flat cleans well, as does eggshell. I haven't used any other finishes.

    Exterior went on well and dried well, but we moved shortly after using it so I can't attest to how it held up.

    I find Sherwin Williams to be over-hyped and expensive, but I realize I'm in an extreme minority when it comes to my opinion of them.

     

    • Like 1
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  15. About 10 years ago I received a small, solid white vase with some seasonal flowers in it. The vase is about eight inches high and the neck is about two inches at the narrow part and looks nice on any size table or even the counter.

    I still use it regularly.

    • Like 3
  16. 2 hours ago, lewelma said:

    The link between glyphosate and gluten intolerance is not strong in the literature, but there have not been a lot of studies.  But it absolutely kills your gut bacteria, that is strongly established.

    My dh has asked if I want to try organic flour, to see if it is the glyphosate that does me in. But I'm a bit skittish. Glad it worked for your friend. 

    FYI, I don't think glyphosate is banned in Italy and France from farm use, only domestic use is banned as far as I know. However, the laws are nuanced, so it would be hard to know what crop they were using it on, how much they were using, what the half life is (this varies quite a bit), and how long between application and when you eat it.  The half life is key.  You don't eat it, if it has been long enough to half about 6 times. 100, 50, 25, 12.5, 6.25, 3.1, 1.5%. If the half life is 30 days, that is somewhat reasonable depending on the crop. If it is 180 days, it is not.  

    My take away from my research is that the impact on human health is sort of bad, but the impact to the environment is catastrophic. 

    Yeah, I can only remember reading two papers (summaries of studies?) on the glyphosate/gluten intolerance & their similar chemical structures. They were recent to when I read them, within like six months or something. I'm sad that in the last two years that hasn't been explored further.

    If your reactions are the same as my family member's, then I don't blame you for being skittish! 

    Thanks for correcting me on France & Italy (all of the EU has the same rules, I think). I wonder if I'm confusing banned with 'doesn't use'. Or maybe it's that flour products from here aren't allowed there because they have so much more glyphosate than their domestically-grown wheat? It has been so long since I read all of that stuff and I just can't remember exactly. 

    My take away is the same as yours with regards to human health and the environment. I was appalled at the things I read.

    • Sad 1
  17. 18 hours ago, lewelma said:

    I've just finished the scientific literature review for the application here in NZ to the Environmental Protection Authority to reassess glyphosate (Roundup herbicide) and potentially ban it. (My first big side hustle since starting to reorient my career after homeschooling). I summarized the impact to both the environment and human health, and the problems with the archaic assessment methodology they use which masks roundup's effects. 

    In short, Roundup is used in the USA (and most countries) to dessicate wheat to make it easier to harvest. About 90% of the wheat crop in the USA is sprayed.  Because it is sprayed at harvest time (rather than during planting), glyphosate is definitely still in wheat when it is eaten (the half life is somewhere from 30 to 180 days, and that is HALF life). Glyphosate has been found the food we buy and in human gut, urine, and feces. Glyphosate is not denatured by cooking. Glyphosate kills not only plants but also kills bacteria, including the microbiome in the human gut.

    So if you are having trouble with wheat, it could be because your gut bacteria cannot tolerate the impact of glyphosate. After doing this work, I have switched to organic wheat for my family.

    I'm glad you posted this. Two years ago, while researching a relative's GI issues, I came across lots of into about glyphosate and gluten intolerance. What I read was that, in addition to it killing off the gut bacteria, the chemical composition of glyphosate is so similar to the composition of gluten that the body starts to recognize gluten as an enemy and reacts to that, as well. Hence, people think they are gluten sensitive or intolerant. That's a very dumbed-down explanation, but it was eye-opening.

    I asked my relative if they would be willing to experiment on themselves with organic flour and received an affirmative, so I started baking right away. The short of it is that the relative can eat all the organic breads, cookies, pastas, AND imported baked goods from Italy & France (where glyphosate is banned) they want without issue, but a single slice of traditional glyphosate-laden bread causes a major GI issue lasting several hours.

     

    13 hours ago, lewelma said:

    Plus drinking water and dust in the air.  You are not escaping glyphosate, but you can reduce exposure. 

    One paper I read said it was found in the rain that fell on farms, too, as there is so much of it that it's everywhere, as you said.

    I'd say more, but it would venture into politics.

    • Like 3
  18. I'm a true crime junkie.

    My favorite podcast is Crime Junkie.  😆  There is a main host and a co-host. The main host presents the info/research and the co-host will interject with questions to help fill in gaps, etc. I like this because I've listened to some podcasts where the host is simply droning along reading a script. This is more like a couple of friends talking about these crimes (they are actually besties in real life).

    Here is their webpage. https://crimejunkiepodcast.com/about-us/  (NOTE--- there is another podcast called Crime JunkieS (with an S)-- this one is not as good so be sure to check out the one I listed with the two female hosts. They have a ton. I'm still about five years behind on their podcasts!  You can listen online or go to any of the usual places to download their episodes.

     

    Another one that is based on a true crime is Dirty John. This is more like a mini-series but on audio. It was a big hit when it first came out. This was actually made into a TV series that's pretty good. I watched it on Netflix several years ago but don't know where it's available now. Def listen to the podcast first, though.

    https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/dirty-john/id1272970334

     

    Those are just a couple of names to get you started but there are others out there.

    Like others have said, there are so many podcasts on every topic imaginable out there that it's a bit overwhelming. It's almost like asking someone "what's good to read on the internet?"  So, search for a topic you are interested in and just dive in!

     

    Oh, some others that are spooky, but fiction, are The Black Tapes ( https://theblacktapespodcast.com/ )  and Limetown (  https://twoupproductions.com/limetown/podcast ). Another one we liked was about a mystery noise that made people kind of zombie-like and couldn't remember things, but I can't remember what it's called at the moment. I'll come back and edit if it comes to me.

    EDIT:

    I remembered the mystery noise podcast. It's called The Message. It's an alien radio signal received 70 years ago and those who hear it go into a coma.

    Here is a synopsis (with spoilers!!) on Wikipedia:  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Message_(podcast)

    • Like 2
  19. Something else you can try is Reflectix. That's the name brand of the stuff used in car window shades. You know, the ones that look like puffy aluminum foil?  you can buy it in rolls of various lengths and widths and cut to shape, using foil tape to tape pieces together and it would be removable and reusable. 

    I got a roll of the Reflectix and the foil tape at Home Depot -- you can find it  and the tape in the insulation aisle. Lowe's sells something similar under a different name. Amazon sells it, (and, of course, competitors) but my roll was half the price to simply buy it at HD, as was the roll of tape, so definitely compare prices if you decide to give this a try.

    You would just use regular scissors to cut it to fit the window, leaving a bit extra on each side so you can push it into the window frames where it should hold itself in place.

    RVers and even regular car/SUV owners use this all the time to make custom window shades and it occurred to me that it should work in houses, too, similar to the foil you are using now. This is also the stuff people use for DIY garage door insulation. 

    A word of warning --- my roll of Reflectix had a HUGE instructional/info sticker on it and needed a lot of GooGone to get it off, so make sure to have some on hand if sticker paper/residue is something that bothers you. 

    • Like 2
  20. Is there anything outside on the wall above the window? Like a dryer vent, bathroom fan vent, another window on a second floor? 

    If so, you'll need to check the exterior of all of those for possible water entry areas.

    We once had a little vent thing for the bathroom fan that suddenly, after about 10 years, started allowing water into the bathroom window below. We only know that was the issue because there was no caulk around it, and never had been, so we caulked it as a 'why not try it' thing and the water intrusion stopped. Why intrusion started after 10 years, we have no idea, but that fixed the issue. For us, it was an $8 fix.

    Also, someone in another forum had a sliding door on the second floor way on the other end of the house (same wall), and somehow, water was coming in through the top of that slider, traveling all through the brick facade, then into the window below. That was discovered when they replaced the slider and realized the water leak they had battled for years had stopped. I mention this simply because water will simply find the path of least resistance, so you'll need to check everything on that exterior wall.

    And, finally, someone else in that same thread said their leak was coming from under the eaves/soffit, but I forget the details of that. I just remembered thinking that was nuts. I want to say they had to pull off all the siding to find it but I'm honestly not sure.

    I'm thinking that if you can't find the leak yourselves, you'll need someone in construction as opposed to windows.

    Have you noticed a pattern of when the water comes in? Is it every time it rains? Just when the wind blows a certain way? That may help in your quest to narrow down what might be happening.

     

    • Like 1
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