sandsys

They turn the water off here in a couple of weeks so if you are headed this way best do it soon. Linda in Minnesota

It is "cold" here, too. For the season anyway. I was looking at temps elsewhere and it looks like Durham, North Carolina, is a good place to be this week. Now if I just had that Delorean. Linda

Is it wrong that I am enjoying that image? We are having highs in the 50s this week. I sure hope that doesn't mean winter is coming already! Linda

Have you seen the watch Apple announced today? "Calling Dick Tracey." I only use 4 of my plugs regularly. One for the tablet, one for the phone, one for the computer, and one for the O2Cool fan. OK, only two of those are actually using my 12v outlets but that's what plugs in above my desk. Oh, my GPS plugs into one up front. I suppose I could buy a 12v TV and some 12v appliances but... Linda

Lee, If you need any help buying all those electronic gadgets be sure to let us know. We can help you spend your money. Linda

Remember back when we thought 30 was old? Now we think they are kids. 70 isn't even old nowadays. Congratulations on making it to another milestone, though. Linda

Beautiful, Sue. We got to see those lights once from a lakeshore dividing Minnesota from Canada but they sure weren't as brilliant as yours. I agree, worth waiting for. Linda Sand

Way to go, Toni and Doug! We passed our sixth anniversary this year sitting right here in the apartment. Oh, well. We're alive so that's good. Linda

w6pea, Given your signature line I thought you might enjoy this: Our daughter, a truck driver, was trying to make a delivery one day when car drivers got upset with her maneuver. She yelled at them, "Do you want toilet paper today or not?!" On similar lines my favorite bumper sticker says, "Farming is everybody's bread and butter." I never get upset when following a farm vehicle or a semi-truck. I likely need whatever it is they are providing. And I'm glad there are still people working on my behalf since I'm not doing that anymore. Linda Sand

Welcome. The Class initiation process is in Q in January. It is not as painful as it sounds but must be done to become an official Classless Class member. In the meantime feel free to chat here as we take anyone but it sure helps to be able to laugh at yourself while the rest of us laugh with you. It also helps to join the Class of the year you actually go full-time so you have someone to commiserate with you as you all learn the lessons you thought you wouldn't have to learn. Linda Sand

Maybe you can catch a cowgirl who would think taking care of you gives her life purpose that is otherwise missing. I know there are some of those out there. You do have to set limits on what care you will allow, though, you don't need a boss. Or go home and let your former housekeeper do the minimum that needs doing--she sounds like a winner to me. Someone to do the cooking and cleaning can make life easier. Linda

There is an RV park in Durham where a lot of people stay when getting treatment at Duke. I've not been there but I hear good things about it. We want you to do whatever it takes to get well--short of major surgery that is. I'm with you on that one. Linda

Sounds to me like you all need to keep your map pins current this fall. If I get to go out again this year it won't be early enough to meet you all in Utah but I sure to hope to be in Q for the gathering there. Linda

3M Command Strips picture hangers ought to mount them just fine. That's what I use to keep my clock on the wall. Linda

Moving more seems to be helping my breathing, too. But, I was never coughing up my toenails so I hope my breather just got out of condition. Maybe I'll be able to go back out there this winter after all. Hope, hope, hope. If so, I'll probably leave later than last year, though, so missing Dave doesn't hit quite so soon. Linda

Glad you two managed to stick it out through the ups and downs. Glad to say we've been able to do that, too. Linda

Good to hear you are doing well now. I hope life continues to go well for you. Linda Sand

I remember that self-starting fire. I noticed because it was the wrong time of day to be starting one. It caused just a few minutes of excitement as I remember it. Linda Sand

Got my lab results today. Doesn't appear to be valley fever. Have not yet decided if that's good or bad news. Linda

Lee, I can't remember if you eliminated Valley Fever as a source of your lung problems? That's what my doctor is checking relating to my shortness of breath now. Shortness of breath is not listed as a typical symptom but I also have the fatigue and red bumps that look like bug bites. Although we were not originally considering valley fever as a source of either of those they are listed as potential symptoms and we haven't been able to find another source of my shortness of breath. Minnesota doctors don't see much valley fever so that was not considered until I brought it up then my doctor thought was an excellent idea to evaluate. My fatigue started last year when I was still in Arizona so it seems worth checking it out. Now we are waiting for a culture to develop enough to tell us whatever it is going to indicate. I don't expect to hear anything about that before Monday. Linda Sand

Tina and Jeff, Sorry to hear about your loss. It is a hard but good decision to make. Wishing you well during this time of grieving Megan. (Not that I don't wish you well other times too, you know.) Linda

They drew the blood and urine yesterday. Now we are waiting for the culture. I don't know how long that takes but I get lab results by email as soon as they are done then I get feedback from my doctor about the results. I sure do like this electronic charting that lets me go to a different lab but get the same quick report. My doctor doesn't want to start treating it until she is sure that's what I have since she doesn't want me to experience side effects of the treatment unnecessarily if that's not what I have. Linda

Good news; bad news. Good: No blood clot in my lung. Bad: I may have Valley Fever. Going to present that idea to my doctor and see what she thinks. Linda

I relate to day to Lee's challenges with his doctor. I asked mine today about this shortness of breath I've been having lately. She ordered a blood test--said negative proves something but positive proves nothing. Came back positive. Going to have a CT with contrast in about an hour and a half to be sure there's no blood clot in my lung. Whoopee! Here we go again. Linda

Plus, it turns the output green if I remember correctly. I hated taking iron supplements. Eating red meat is much more pleasurable. Linda Sand