It’s not just you. I think I’m proficient at interstate driving but I much prefer quieter backroads. Plus the scenery’s better.

That's why I try to be nice to them. They're so dang smart I figure they maybe could take over the world one day. So I want to make sure some of them remember me as the nice lady who gave them PB toast. 😉

I don't know about ravens but our crows will eat just about anything. I save stale bread in the winter and make them PB toast if the weather is bad. And they seem to love suet.

I'd err on the side of caution and "doing unto others" and stay home. When I was younger and healthier I probably wouldn't have thought too much about going. But now I'm older, and DH and I are both immune compromised, and MIL is frail, and . . . I don't ever want to be responsible for making anyone else sick if I can possibly prevent it (fully acknowledging that it's not always possible to prevent). Plus I really don't want to be the one that everybody talks about forevermore -- "Remember that Christmas when Spryte made everybody sick?" We've got one of those stories in our extended family, and I'm very thankful it wasn't our little group who was responsible.

I don't have any experience, but I'd consider -- How badly is the dog affected Have other things been tried (Adequan in particular, but also carprofen or other pain medications, supplements) Why does the vet think it's the best treatment for your dog How have other dogs the vet has treated with it responded? My only real hesitation would be because it so recently received FDA approval. If there are older effective treatments (again wondering about Adequan) that are well proven to be safe then I tend to err on the side of those versus jumping right on a new medication. But I really hope it turns out to be a good option, and I'd be interested in hearing how it works for your dog if you decide to try it.

FWIW, I very much wanted Hokas to work for me. But for my feet they're by far the worst "good" brand of shoes I've ever tried. They hurt so much. I think the main reason is that even their wide widths are too narrow for me, but I can't say for sure it wasn't something more than that because the hurt really was bad, and kind of all over. They do have a very good no-questions-asked return policy, though, so there's no harm in trying.

Orthofeet Signed, RA, OA, flat feet, wide feet, small bunions

Same. I think people who don't have joint/muscle issues think a shoe is good as long as it looks okay. And that's great if they can get by with that. I remember the days long ago when I could. But those of us with issues need the padding and support to be adequate. A New Balance rep told me years ago that (at that time) the technology didn't exist where they could make a shoe remain supportive for longer than six months or so, and he said that was only if they weren't worn for hours every day.

I think all of us could probably do better at acknowledging that multiple things can be true at the same time. Hugs, @Kassia.

DH and I are the same way with DS#1. DS#2 still lives with us, but he's a very quiet, laid back introvert, even more than DH and I are. So he's very easy for us to live with. But DS#1 is the sole extrovert of the family. Everything he does is loud, from talking (almost constantly) to moving to making a sandwich. We love him to bits, but we're always relieved to get back to our much quieter life after he leaves. And to be fair I suspect he thinks we're incredibly boring, and he's ready to get back to his middle-of-the-big-city apartment. 😉

I empathize, too. I can generally handle hosting, but I start thinking "can y'all go ahead and leave now?" after the first hour. Sometimes less. 😉

Androids are (apparently) more popular globally, largely driven by poorer countries. iPhones dominate in first world, higher income countries. In the US Apple has 56.93 percent of the smartphone market and Android 42.64 percent. Source

Think of an app as either 1. A shortcut to get to a website but not exactly the same as the website, since apps often have slightly different functionality. But still -- basically the same. For example, I can open the web browser on my phone and go to Home Depot's mobile website, just like I'd do on a laptop or desktop, or I can install the Home Depot app and get there by opening the app, which has a little more functionality and is a little easier to use on a phone. Either way I'm accessing the same site. 2. A program to do something specific, like making notes or lists, or keeping a calendar, or tracking your nutrient intake, or helping you meditate or a zillion other things. The phone will have a pre-installed app that takes her to their app store. From there she can search for and download any app she wants. Many are free, some require a small one-time fee of a few dollars, and some require an ongoing monthly or yearly subscription. She doesn't have to install any app--the phone will work fine out of the package. It's a matter of what functions she wants to add.

I'm glad you got the cortisone shot, and I sure hope it helps! Your doctor sounds very thorough. I'd hang on to him. The only other thing I can think of is maybe trying something like Tramadol. My MIL has arthritis in her spine and hips (reading her scans and x-rays kinda makes me want to whimper). She can't take NSAIDs anymore after two serious GI bleeds. But she says Tramadol along with Tylenol Arthritis keeps it mostly tolerable. And FWIW, my rheumy is a fan of bracing as much as possible when things are flaring, but he says if nothing else use a brace(s) at night. And it really does help my thumb OA to keep things stabilized at night. I'm so sorry you have to even consider a bone met. We think about that every time DH gets an ache. He had one bone met, but thankfully a short course of radiation seems to have taken care of it, and (knock on wood) it's been three years since he dealt with that.

We have oil rubbed bronze. I think things like toothpaste and hand soap dribbles show more than on stainless or chrome, but ours wipe clean easily. I clean our bathrooms once a week, and usually give a quick swipe around the sinks and faucets whenever I put out a fresh hand towel. We don't have water issues, so mineral build up isn't a problem for us.

You might check into a referral to a rheumatologist for a second opinion and (perhaps) other avenues of treatment. They treat a variety of musculoskeletal conditions, including OA, as was as autoimmune and inflammatory diseases. IME overall surgeons like to do surgery, because of course that's their main thing (so it's good yours isn't rushing to that). Other specialists tend to recommend various other treatments, the ones they're primarily trained for. So in your case seeing a rheumy would be like getting a second opinion on other possible treatments. Around here most rheumies are swamped with AI patients, there are long wait times for new patients, and they have to have blood work showing AI issues before an appointment will be made. So someone with OA wouldn't even be able to make an appointment with a rheumy in my area. But that might not be the case at all in other areas, so maybe it's worth finding out? I started out with a rheumy for RA, but since starting with him I've also developed significant OA and osteopenia, and he treats those, too.

I'm sorry. Arthritis is very painful. Have you tried a corticosteroid injection? I'm not gung ho on them, but I do think there's a time for trying them, and it sounds like you may be there. I also think PT might help. Wrist replacement or fusion surgery may be an option, but I suspect approval for those would require first "failing" other treatment options. But definitely talk to your doctor about options.

I haven't opened the link, but usually PEM means post exertional malaise.

A fruit bowl is always my go-to. It's healthy and most people are happy to eat some.

I think the wide age range of your kids alone likely means you need to meet with a very experienced wills and estates attorney. I'm not knocking your DH (obviously I don't know what the scope of his practice is), but you need someone who specializes in that area and who knows the ins and outs of your state's laws thoroughly, not a generalist type attorney who does some wills and estates as part of a broad practice. Even then I wouldn't count on drawing up a will that will cover things for years and years. I'd aim for the next five to ten years and then prioritize rethinking it as your kids age. Once you have a will and the other basic documents (HCPOA, POA, advance directive) in place then updating them every few years as your kids grow up and things change shouldn't be a really big deal. I really think that's going to be your best approach rather than trying to set up something that will cover varying needs and priorities for a very long time.

Raining and dreary here, too. I've been very productive this morning, so I may take the rest of the day off w/o any guilt.

How about just you and your DH go for a quick visit? Invent a reason that your kids can't come. And a reason you need to stay in a hotel, if you think you do.

I just joined the Speed Queen club (cult?). On Thursday I had a TR5 delivered. I've done four or five loads and so far I like it. But I've never had a washer that didn't clean well, or one that didn't work well overall, when new. So I'm reserving judgment until it gets some age on it. Longevity and the length of the warranty were the deciding factors. And the fact that I figured out my CA King sheets and fleece blankets will fit in it. But . . my understanding is that all of them have electronic circuit boards now, even the ones with dials and knobs. We've been told that at Lowes and by the owner of the small appliance store where we bought the SQ. So although I prefer the simplicity of dials and knobs, that wasn't a major deciding factor for me. ETA: Our dryer gave up the ghost a few weeks before the washer. We got a basic Whirlpool to replace it, whatever Lowes had on sale that could be delivered quickly. Over the years I haven't found dryers to be nearly as troublesome or picky as washers, so whatever's on sale seemed good enough. My only want/need was a wrinkle free option, where it keeps tumbling for awhile after the cycle is finished so clothes won't wrinkle. Lowes had a basic Whirlpool and a very similar basic GE on sale at the time, and I went with the Whirlpool because the wrinkle free time was much longer (90 minutes) than the GE (only 15 minutes).

This was my first thought. Most parking lots don't have anywhere near enough handicapped parking spaces.

Hugs, @knitgrl.