Post a good thing that happened in your life today

[Betty LaRue]

11 hours ago, Colblimp said:

Yesterday I ate lobster, first time in years.  It was yum.

I haven’t had lobster for years, either. I need to make another trip to Maine for lobster, clam chowder and blueberry pie.
Oops. Made myself drool.

[Colblimp]

2 hours ago, Betty LaRue said:

I haven’t had lobster for years, either. I need to make another trip to Maine for lobster, clam chowder and blueberry pie.
Oops. Made myself drool.

Blueberry Pie?  Yes please!

[Thyrsis]

On 14/06/2020 at 10:49, sb photos said:

Good news yesterday. On Thursday my wife started coughing, and pretty continuously early evening, then it cleared before bedtime. Although she had no other COVID-19 symptoms and the coughing had cleared up, she had a test booked at the Serco run drive through testing centre at the Oxford Thornhill Park and Ride on Friday. 

 

Good to hear it was negative, and Oxfordshire has a pretty low ‘r’.

Thornhill is our nearest testing centre too. Was it fast and efficient? 

[aphperspective]

I had a massive glut of Cucumbers in my Greenhouse, mentioned it to my local shop who agreed to take on the excess on a 50/50 deal and see how they go. He rang this morning sold out have I got more, local home grown is a premium product apparently. This could be the start of an empire.😂

Andy. 

[Allan Bell]

14 hours ago, Betty LaRue said:

Is it beginning to feel like home, yet, Allan? Have you met any neighbors?

 

I have some lovely neighbours. Next door there is John and Angela, very nice people who looked after my bungalow for me while I was in lockdown in Cambridge. Next to them is Richard and Ann (Anne) who are also very nice and communicative. Both these neighbours are like me, retired. Then there are another two families who I have met also. Nice quiet, friendly people including the youngsters. On the other side of me is the last bungalow on another road and Ted and Jill live there. Again nice friendly retired couple.

 

Slowly getting things sorted and feeling more like home every day.

 

Allan

 

[Betty LaRue]

2 hours ago, Allan Bell said:

 

I have some lovely neighbours. Next door there is John and Angela, very nice people who looked after my bungalow for me while I was in lockdown in Cambridge. Next to them is Richard and Ann (Anne) who are also very nice and communicative. Both these neighbours are like me, retired. Then there are another two families who I have met also. Nice quiet, friendly people including the youngsters. On the other side of me is the last bungalow on another road and Ted and Jill live there. Again nice friendly retired couple.

 

Slowly getting things sorted and feeling more like home every day.

 

Allan

 

Wonderful! My neighbors here are also friendly except for the ones next door west. It took nearly 2 years before the man spoke to me, and his wife longer yet. They studiously refuse to glance my way if we’re out at the same time. I keep going back in the house and looking in the mirror to see if I’ve grown horns.

[Michael Ventura]

Having good neighbors is truly a luck of the draw.  I am very happy with mine as well.  I live on a very ethnically diverse street, people from all over the world and every shade of skin color.  We all get along great and help one another out when needed.  Been at this address for twelve years with no issues from anyone!  Makes life easier when you are not at odds with a neighbor!  

[Bryan]

1 hour ago, Michael Ventura said:

Having good neighbors is truly a luck of the draw.  I am very happy with mine as well.  I live on a very ethnically diverse street, people from all over the world and every shade of skin color.  We all get along great and help one another out when needed.  Been at this address for twelve years with no issues from anyone!  Makes life easier when you are not at odds with a neighbor!  

 

Perhaps uniquely in these parts we have an African lady living to the right of us and an Indian family to the left. Couldn't wish for better neighbours, and unlikely to find anyone who could make a better curry! 

[sb photos]

8 hours ago, Thyrsis said:

 

Good to hear it was negative, and Oxfordshire has a pretty low ‘r’.

Thornhill is our nearest testing centre too. Was it fast and efficient? 

 

My wife said when she arrived just before 11am last Friday there were 5 cars in front of her. She didn't have to wait long. She opted not to take the swabs herself. Likely not so accurate using the car mirror for the throat swabs. Nose is no issue, simply push up each nostril as far as you can and rotate 5 times.

[Betty LaRue]

8 hours ago, Michael Ventura said:

Having good neighbors is truly a luck of the draw.  I am very happy with mine as well.  I live on a very ethnically diverse street, people from all over the world and every shade of skin color.  We all get along great and help one another out when needed.  Been at this address for twelve years with no issues from anyone!  Makes life easier when you are not at odds with a neighbor!  

I agree! Possibly the problem with my neighbor is before me the owner was a single middle-aged man who drank like a fish, and had a large dog that caused problems. The owner before him was an old guy so crotchety that if a neighbor’s tree shed leaves on his lawn he raised he** and made them rake them.
Then along comes me, who politely spoke to them which caused them to respond. Briefly. The ice dam is still there, though. Maybe when my tomatoes ripen I can give them a few. Although that might threaten the status quo for them. Obviously they wish to be aloof. Maybe nix the tomato gift as a bad idea. As my mother said, “I kicked that idea in the street!”

[Michael Ventura]

51 minutes ago, Betty LaRue said:

I agree! Possibly the problem with my neighbor is before me the owner was a single middle-aged man who drank like a fish, and had a large dog that caused problems. The owner before him was an old guy so crotchety that if a neighbor’s tree shed leaves on his lawn he raised he** and made them rake them.
Then along comes me, who politely spoke to them which caused them to respond. Briefly. The ice dam is still there, though. Maybe when my tomatoes ripen I can give them a few. Although that might threaten the status quo for them. Obviously they wish to be aloof. Maybe nix the tomato gift as a bad idea. As my mother said, “I kicked that idea in the street!”

 

Sometimes there isn't much you can do.  My last home, which was only a half mile from where I am now, was very different.  Had some difficult neighbors there.  One guy borrowed a dirt tiller, one that I had only used a couple of times.  I never got it back.  He said it broke down and then took it to a repair place and claimed they lost it.  When I suggested that he replace it, he got angry and said I borrowed plenty of stuff from him.....but I returned everything in good shape.  Oh well.  Another neighbor complained whenever a tree in my yard dropped a branch in his yard.  But I did have one guy across the street who was nice. he was a DC homicide detective and drove an unmarked Police SUV, I always felt a tiny bit more secure when he was around.  So like I said, it  is a luck of the draw.  I am sure your neighbor has some issues, you are too nice to be a problem neighbor.

[Bryan]

Went for a bike ride exploring the network of paths and tracks nearby. We're fortunate in that, in this once coal mining district, some of the old colliery sites have been turned into green spaces while a large proportion of the network of coal carrying railways is now converted into traffic free paths. 

I encountered an interesting old building in the area called Philadelphia (don't know if it was always called that or named after the city in the states - or vice versa) and asked a man walking with his family what it was. He reckoned that it was once a power station for the sadly long gone (60 years) tram network. I need to do some research.

Way back in the 1960s I'd visited this place and photographed the few remaining working steam locomotives hauling a declining coal traffic, it brought back a few old memories.

 

 

Edited June 18, 2020 by Bryan

[Marianne]

I spent all day Sunday and Monday working on my garden. Such gorgeous weather. It was great to work so hard outside. 

[Betty LaRue]

I traveled 140 miles round trip to see my sister. We went to her son’s cabin in the woods, sat on the deck and had Fritos, a dip sis had made and margaritas. I had my camera at the ready for birds, but I think it was too late in the morning for them to come to the feeders. 
Later in the afternoon and after the margaritas, (2 small) who cared. 😁
 A good day.

[Michael Ventura]

A couple of days ago, I got an email from a Washington Post photo editor asking about licensing a stock image of mine (not one that is on Alamy).  It is of a judge (not a Supreme Court judge) I photographed him for a magazine article back last winter.  It ran online today and it paid $100!  Happy to have a direct sale, no commission fee!  Apparently they could not send a photographer over since that court is still closed due to Covid.  There was a recent Covid outbreak within that court.

Edited June 18, 2020 by Michael Ventura

[Betty LaRue]

10 hours ago, Michael Ventura said:

A couple of days ago, I got an email from a Washington Post photo editor asking about licensing a stock image of mine (not one that is on Alamy).  It is of a judge (not a Supreme Court judge) I photographed him for a magazine article back last winter.  It ran online today and it paid $100!  Happy to have a direct sale, no commission fee!  Apparently they could not send a photographer over since that court is still closed due to Covid.  There was a recent Covid outbreak within that court.

Congratulations for a nice sale!

I just begged off jury duty last week because of my bad back. I don’t think I could sit very long. There was a time I would have enjoyed serving. Besides the fact of CV-19 and being one of the compromised. Too bad. 

Infection is on a slight uptick here but expected with opening things up a bit more.
If one can find a shop open, there are bargains to be had. Today, I scored 4 very nice tops for less than $8 each, and three dresses for $15 each. All nice enough to wear to church. 

[Bryan]

2 hours ago, Betty LaRue said:

Congratulations for a nice sale!

I just begged off jury duty last week because of my bad back. I don’t think I could sit very long. There was a time I would have enjoyed serving. Besides the fact of CV-19 and being one of the compromised. Too bad. 

 

I did jury service some years ago and found it to be quite interesting. Fortunately there was nothing too complex or gruesome. The worst part about it was the hanging around between cases. A small minority of my fellow jurors showed little commitment, clearly more concerned to bring things to a rapid conclusion rather than see justice done, but most people played their parts conscientiously. An unexpected benefit was the generous payment I received for cycling to the court, so generous that they demanded to see my bike as proof of my mode of transport! No  provision for bike parking mind, the car rules ok.....

[Betty LaRue]

Just now, Bryan said:

I did jury service some years ago and found it to be quite interesting. Fortunately there was nothing too complex or gruesome. The worst part about it was the hanging around between cases. A small minority of my fellow jurors showed little commitment, clearly more concerned to bring things to a rapid conclusion rather than see justice done, but most people played their parts conscientiously. An unexpected benefit was the generous payment I received for cycling to the court, so generous that they demanded to see my bike as proof of my mode of transport! No  provision for bike parking mind, the car rules ok.....

That’s why I would have enjoyed serving. I have a very inquiring mind, don’t tell me you had a kidney stone operation or I’ll ask to see the incision and ask you to give me the details, please. I ask very nicely. 😊
Funny thing, I did that very thing to the doctor I worked for. After he got his eyebrows back in place, he undid the bandage while in his hospital bed (back kidney area, nothing naughty) and showed me. I worked for him for 10 years so he already knew how much I loved to learn about anything medical. I’d once begged to observe cataract surgery and he allowed me to scrub, mask, gown up and observe while he explained every step.

Observing how the justice system works would have scratched an itch.
I almost made a jury once. They filled it about two people ahead of me. I was fit to serve, then.
Betty

[Michael Ventura]

7 minutes ago, Bryan said:

I did jury service some years ago and found it to be quite interesting. Fortunately there was nothing too complex or gruesome. The worst part about it was the hanging around between cases. A small minority of my fellow jurors showed little commitment, clearly more concerned to bring things to a rapid conclusion rather than see justice done, but most people played their parts conscientiously. An unexpected benefit was the generous payment I received for cycling to the court, so generous that they demanded to see my bike as proof of my mode of transport! No  provision for bike parking mind, the car rules ok.....

I have been called for jury service twice in my life, the first time I was in my early twenties and was not seated on a jury.  The second time was more recent and was seated on a jury. Like you, Bryan, it was not too complex and not gruesome.  It was a two day trial and I took it very seriously as did my fellow jurors.  I get your reasons to beg off service Betty....I have back issues too and would have a tougher time now.  I have urged my kids to serve when they get called, it is a great and meaningful experience.  Our court system only pays a whopping $16/day so I opted to donate my money to a legal defense fund for those who cannot afford an attorney.

[Michael Ventura]

41 minutes ago, Betty LaRue said:

That’s why I would have enjoyed serving. I have a very inquiring mind, don’t tell me you had a kidney stone operation or I’ll ask to see the incision and ask you to give me the details, please. I ask very nicely. 😊
Funny thing, I did that very thing to the doctor I worked for. After he got his eyebrows back in place, he undid the bandage while in his hospital bed (back kidney area, nothing naughty) and showed me. I worked for him for 10 years so he already knew how much I loved to learn about anything medical. I’d once begged to observe cataract surgery and he allowed me to scrub, mask, gown up and observe while he explained every step.

Observing how the justice system works would have scratched an itch.
I almost made a jury once. They filled it about two people ahead of me. I was fit to serve, then.
Betty

I’m like you, Betty, super curious!  Being a magazine photographer has been so fulfilling as it has me taking photos in all kinds of places that I would normally not have the reason to be there.  One of my most memorable shoots was documenting a brain surgery and they kept the patient awake the whole time.  It was a ground breaking procedure called Deep Brain Stimulation, it can counter the effects of chronic tremors.  I was completely covered with sterile operating room gear.  If only they could have seen my face, my mouth was hanging open in awe of what I was seeing!

 

This is a shot from that photo shoot. You can see the woman smiling!

 

Edited June 19, 2020 by Michael Ventura

[Betty LaRue]

I’ve heard of that type of surgery and the need for the patient to be awake. The patient most definitely need to provide feedback and the surgeons need to be able to see if what they are doing has the effect they are after. I would have loved to have seen it. That’s an amazing picture.

You made me remember something, Michael.  I was having cataract and implant surgery a couple of years ago. They gave me versaid (is that correct?) which is a drug that can pretty much put you to sleep but it is a light sleep. I’m told you can feel some pain but the drug makes you forget you felt pain. It’s used often for colonoscopies and scoping the stomach, which I had done (the stomach thing) and that’s a whole nuther story. Did you know Versaid can loosen inhibitions? Or maybe I should say it can loosen lips? Or..maybe it can loosen lips and prod you to into sayIng something you shouldn’t say?
Okay, I digress, back to the eye surgery.  
So I go to sleep. Something that was done roused me. I’m feel some pain but I’m a big girl and handle it. My eye was clamped open as the doctor worked and he and the nurses were discussing OU Sooner football, of which I’m a huge fan. We once had season tickets. Have I ever mentioned Red October? Oh, heck. Digressing again.

One of them said something...maybe the wrong name of a player. I piped up and said, “actually, it was blah blah who did that, you know he’s been the running back for two years...and blah blah....” I felt very wise. I was teaching them something. I knew how it really was.

 

There was dead silence. Seemed like it lasted for a minute but probably was 10 seconds. I heard a giggle. Then two giggles. Then I was out like a light as my IV was surely doctored. Dang it. Just when the conversation was getting interesting.

Edited June 19, 2020 by Betty LaRue

[sb photos]

5 hours ago, Betty LaRue said:

That’s why I would have enjoyed serving. I have a very inquiring mind, don’t tell me you had a kidney stone operation or I’ll ask to see the incision and ask you to give me the details, please. I ask very nicely. 😊
Funny thing, I did that very thing to the doctor I worked for. After he got his eyebrows back in place, he undid the bandage while in his hospital bed (back kidney area, nothing naughty) and showed me. I worked for him for 10 years so he already knew how much I loved to learn about anything medical. I’d once begged to observe cataract surgery and he allowed me to scrub, mask, gown up and observe while he explained every step.

Observing how the justice system works would have scratched an itch.
I almost made a jury once. They filled it about two people ahead of me. I was fit to serve, then.
Betty

 

I was called for jury service a few years back at a coroners court re a worker who was electrocuted. It was at a very inconvenient time, but I never had to serve. They always cover themselves by selecting more jurors than required. I was the last to arrive because of parking issues so wasn't selected.

 

Re observing a patients cataract surgery, the patient may have liked a photographic record (and paid for it) or prints in exchange for releases for stock.

[Allan Bell]

Feet and ankles started swelling. Doctor had blood sample taken. All normal.  (That is the good bit.)

 

Now arranging two ultrasound scans.

 

Allan

 

[Michael Ventura]

6 hours ago, Betty LaRue said:

I’ve heard of that type of surgery and the need for the patient to be awake. The patient most definitely need to provide feedback and the surgeons need to be able to see if what they are doing has the effect they are after. I would have loved to have seen it. That’s an amazing picture.

You made me remember something, Michael.  I was having cataract and implant surgery a couple of years ago. They gave me versaid (is that correct?) which is a drug that can pretty much put you to sleep but it is a light sleep. I’m told you can feel some pain but the drug makes you forget you felt pain. It’s used often for colonoscopies and scoping the stomach, which I had done (the stomach thing) and that’s a whole nuther story. Did you know Versaid can loosen inhibitions? Or maybe I should say it can loosen lips? Or..maybe it can loosen lips and prod you to into sayIng something you shouldn’t say?
Okay, I digress, back to the eye surgery.  
So I go to sleep. Something that was done roused me. I’m feel some pain but I’m a big girl and handle it. My eye was clamped open as the doctor worked and he and the nurses were discussing OU Sooner football, of which I’m a huge fan. We once had season tickets. Have I ever mentioned Red October? Oh, heck. Digressing again.

One of them said something...maybe the wrong name of a player. I piped up and said, “actually, it was blah blah who did that, you know he’s been the running back for two years...and blah blah....” I felt very wise. I was teaching them something. I knew how it really was.

 

There was dead silence. Seemed like it lasted for a minute but probably was 10 seconds. I heard a giggle. Then two giggles. Then I was out like a light as my IV was surely doctored. Dang it. Just when the conversation was getting interesting.

 

Yes, you are exactly right about why they need to keep the patient awake and alert, they interacted with her to see if what they were doing was working.  Two hair thin wires get implanted in her brain and these will essentially shut off her tremors.  They had her attempt to write her name with the device off and it was a mess, once it was turned on, she had a smooth signature.  They then put a pacemaker type device under her skin, near her shoulder that has a long term battery in it to keep it running for a while.   One cool thing I learned, the brain has no nerve endings in it so no pain in the brain!  The just needed a local anesthesia to get through the scalp and skull. 

 

I have not heard of the drug, Versaid, but I have had Propofol, which sounds sort of similar.  Had it for a colonoscopy and another time to have a camera scope go down my throat.  Both times you are not totally out, you can hear conversations and can take their direction.  I was too out it to speak though.  This is the stuff that Michael Jackson was hooked on and wrongly given to him at home.  I can see why he liked it tho,  it really put you in a crazy dreamlike state.

[Betty LaRue]

6 hours ago, sb photos said:

 

I was called for jury service a few years back at a coroners court re a worker who was electrocuted. It was at a very inconvenient time, but I never had to serve. They always cover themselves by selecting more jurors than required. I was the last to arrive because of parking issues so wasn't selected.

 

Re observing a patients cataract surgery, the patient may have liked a photographic record (and paid for it) or prints in exchange for releases for stock.

Oh, this was way before I got into serious photography. Wasted opportunity.