Post a bad thing that happened in your life today

[spacecadet]

6 hours ago, sb photos said:

the earlier ones we used had only a month left before expiry.

I can assure everyone that the old tests (expiring in January 24) are perfectly capable of returning positive results as we have both "tested" them with Covid recently. Some of the reagent has evaporated but you can double up with a second ampoule if there isn't enough to fill the well.

Edited December 31, 2023 by spacecadet

[Rebecca Ore]

34 minutes ago, Michael Ventura said:

It's best we stay clear of politics

 

Politics here is "Like these roads, this new school, that new hospital, the ambulance boat?  We got them for you.   Interest free loans with a .05% origination fee, get them from your FSLN government now, and low cost rent for your shop in the municipal market."  (Boss Tweed crossed with FDR with  socialized small scale capitalism). 

 

I'm in the middle of a novel that involves Nicaragua and the US threatening to fix Nicaragua with "as little force as possible." (words from the actual State Department/USAid RAIN Project documents).   So, I' don't react favorably to military guys who've been trained in hand to hand combat to lethal ends using those skills on a crazy guy.  Kindness often works better on the crazies we have here.   Certainly worked better with the one I had sleeping in front of my house.

 

Mental health care is a harder problem to solve than just "lock them up."  One city in the Netherlands, if I'm remembering correctly, has been housing psychotics with families trained in case management with better results than ward style hospitalization.  They're surrounded by sanity, not craziness.  From what I've read, the children of the families often make the best connections with the patients.   All US and British solutions have been to segregate the mentally ill from "law-abiding citizens. who have never even touched pot or had a drink before legal age or went over the speed limit."   That European city with its tradition of housing the mentally ill with families has a stronger sense of inclusive community, I think, than the US has.  Finland solved its homeless problem by giving housing first, working on any problems later.

 

My novel's characters have a family and my protagonist will say (when I get to that scene) that he'll take care of the children on weekends unless the US invades.   

 

I told my landlord in real life that I'd be here unless the US invades.   He said that we didn't have to worry about that since the US would be having a civil war soon.   I don't think so, but it might be good if the US realized what bloodshed in one's neighborhood felt like to the people we've bombed from our own planes or by proxy, or by using social media to incite riots that left bullet scars on my British friend's house. 

 

Urinating in public is not illegal here, either.    Housing First -- but OMG, someone might take advantage of that.  The US is not like Finland.

 

[Bryan]

It's early January and the weather is miserable and cold, surprisingly not as cold as in the south of the country - we have no snow - and no floods in these parts, but miserable nonetheless. Yesterday we spent most of the time travelling around on buses in order to get out of the house, visiting Newcastle and Durham. The high spot of the day was lunch in Greggs. It's been too dull and grey to take worthwhile photos, and too cold to  spend idle time at the allotment. In previous years we may have jumped onto a jet and flown to somewhere sunny, but we've decided to cut right back on air travel, partly due to concerns about the planet, and partly due to airport weariness. My wife is proposing to ride a bus to Hexham today, but I'm not enthused. I need a project to work on, something that involves physical work to keep warm, maybe build a bug hotel to be sited at the allotment, or dig a soakaway to improve the drainage.

 

The daffodils are starting to appear above ground, roll on the spring.

Edited January 9 by Bryan

[gvallee]

Not loving the Bush so much today. Temperature just shot up to 42.7C/108.8F. Hubby got two bee stings on the bum (not hard guessing how we live...). I'm applying ice cubes on it 🤣 Finally, a gust of wind just sheared off our awning bracket. Called a caravan repair shop. They said it's too hot and they're closing the shop for today but we can come at 7am tomorrow... Making memories... 

 

Edited January 9 by gvallee

[Ed Rooney]

3 hours ago, Bryan said:

It's early January and the weather is miserable and cold,

 

This is the coldest and wettest of the 4 winters I've been here in Liverpool, but . . . we've had no floods or other life-threatening weather.

[Betty LaRue]

It’s been a harder winter in Kansas than usual. First an 8 inch snowstorm right after Thanksgiving (late November) which is very early for these parts. A smaller snowfall, a bit over 3 inches last Friday. It began raining Monday which melted most of the snow off, but it turned to snow after dark. Around 2 inches or a bit more. Mid to North Kansas got a blizzard, people lost power, most highways were closed. So I’m trying not to gripe at my 2 inches plus, but yeah, I’m griping.

It stayed cold today. The sun melted some off the streets but it turned to ice once the sun went down. I can hear the tires crunching when people drive by.

Friday, an arctic front is coming in which will drop daytime highs below freezing and minus zeros at night. This will go on for a week at least. A bit more snow with it.

I’m not liking the weather at all. Normally, we “might” get one snow of 3-4 inches and a powdering or two the rest of the time, with highs decently above freezing. We’ve already had two winter’s normal amount of snow and a lot of winter left to amass more.

I think I’ll make some banana bread tomorrow. That’s why people gain weight in the winter. Hibernate and eat. I skipped dinner this evening so I’ve saved calories for baking. Plus I’ll take pictures of the whole loaf…then a slice, etc. Maybe a vertical & a horizontal, then face plant in it. 
Too bad y’all aren’t around to get a picture of THAT.

[Ed Rooney]

 

 

You're gonna need some mulligatwany soup, Betty. Dinner? What's that? I've had just one dinner in the past 5 years. 

[Michael Ventura]

6 hours ago, Betty LaRue said:

It’s been a harder winter in Kansas than usual. First an 8 inch snowstorm right after Thanksgiving (late November) which is very early for these parts. A smaller snowfall, a bit over 3 inches last Friday. It began raining Monday which melted most of the snow off, but it turned to snow after dark. Around 2 inches or a bit more. Mid to North Kansas got a blizzard, people lost power, most highways were closed. So I’m trying not to gripe at my 2 inches plus, but yeah, I’m griping.

It stayed cold today. The sun melted some off the streets but it turned to ice once the sun went down. I can hear the tires crunching when people drive by.

Friday, an arctic front is coming in which will drop daytime highs below freezing and minus zeros at night. This will go on for a week at least. A bit more snow with it.

I’m not liking the weather at all. Normally, we “might” get one snow of 3-4 inches and a powdering or two the rest of the time, with highs decently above freezing. We’ve already had two winter’s normal amount of snow and a lot of winter left to amass more.

I think I’ll make some banana bread tomorrow. That’s why people gain weight in the winter. Hibernate and eat. I skipped dinner this evening so I’ve saved calories for baking. Plus I’ll take pictures of the whole loaf…then a slice, etc. Maybe a vertical & a horizontal, then face plant in it. 
Too bad y’all aren’t around to get a picture of THAT.

 

So that is where our winters have gone! This is our the third winter, in a row, with no measurable snow (so far).  Growing up in this area, we used to go ice skating on frozen ponds every winter, that is impossible now, cold blasts only last a day or two and then it is back above freezing.  As an older person now, I actually don't mind the lack of snow but it is pretty when it does fall!

[Betty LaRue]

5 hours ago, Ed Rooney said:

 

 

You're gonna need some mulligatwany soup, Betty. Dinner? What's that? I've had just one dinner in the past 5 years. 

Do you snack on something minor at dinner, Ed? I try to have my main meal at noon, but usually have something like a piece of bread with something smeared on it, or an apple, etc. in the evening. Last night it was a very few almonds.

Edited January 10 by Betty LaRue

[Betty LaRue]

3 hours ago, Michael Ventura said:

 

So that is where our winters have gone! This is our the third winter, in a row, with no measurable snow (so far).  Growing up in this area, we used to go ice skating on frozen ponds every winter, that is impossible now, cold blasts only last a day or two and then it is back above freezing.  As an older person now, I actually don't mind the lack of snow but it is pretty when it does fall!

I’m mailing your winter back to you, Michael. Expect a delivery truck before the arctic blast hits. You might have to chip the ice off the driver, though. Today we’ll have a small break in the weather. I expect in a week or so, the pond ice here might hold an elephant. Two more minor rounds of snow in the 7-day forecast.

Edited January 10 by Betty LaRue

[Ed Rooney]

1 hour ago, Betty LaRue said:

Do you snack on something minor at dinner, Ed? I try to have my main meal at noon, but usually have something like a piece of bread with something smeared on it, or an apple, etc. in the evening. Last night it was a very few almonds.

 

I fast at night -- I eat or drink nothing but water. 

[Allan Bell]

1 hour ago, Ed Rooney said:

drink nothing but water. 

 

Thats what wakes you up every hour.

 

Allan

 

[Ed Rooney]

18 minutes ago, Allan Bell said:

 

Thats what wakes you up every hour.

 

Allan

 

 

I wake up just twice at night. At about 3 AM when I'm up for an hour -- my anti-siesta. And I get up for a few minutes at about 6 AM. 

[Bryan]

40 minutes ago, Ed Rooney said:

 

I wake up just twice at night. At about 3 AM when I'm up for an hour -- my anti-siesta. And I get up for a few minutes at about 6 AM. 

 

My sleep follows a similar pattern Ed.

 

I guess this started as I got past my 70th year and has stuck since, previously I used to sleep through no bother. The experts do advise that you actually get out of bed and do something at 3 in the morning, only returning to bed when you feel tired.

 

I'm too lazy and it's too cold in the house to wander in the small hours, so I do a crossword or two in bed,  I might listen to some radio (earphones), and I generally do get back to sleep.

[Ed Rooney]

59 minutes ago, Bryan said:

The experts do advise that you actually get out of bed and do something at 3 in the morning, only returning to bed when you feel tired.

 

Hmm. I've not come across that, Bryan. 

 

I check for new Alamy sales and zooms. Then I play virtual pool on my iPad. I usually get about 7 hours sleep. 

[Mr Standfast]

Getting up in the middle of the night was quite common in medieval times. Handy to make sure the fires were out, doors barred, servants in their own beds and the like.

 

https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20220107-the-lost-medieval-habit-of-biphasic-sleep

 

G'night.

Edited January 11 by Mr Standfast
spelling

[Bryan]

15 hours ago, Mr Standfast said:

Getting up in the middle of the night was quite common in medieval times. Handy to make sure the fires were out, doors barred, servants in their own beds and the like.

 

https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20220107-the-lost-medieval-habit-of-biphasic-sleep

 

G'night.

 

Great article thanks.  I was aware of the two sleeps pattern as one of my friends taught history and mentioned it, but without the detail the BBC piece contains.

 

I have been recommended by a doctor to go to bed later, but I generally find myself falling asleep at around 9 to 9:30 so that's when I head off to bed, getting up at around 6:30.

 

 

[Mr Standfast]

5 hours ago, Bryan said:

 

Great article thanks.  I was aware of the two sleeps pattern as one of my friends taught history and mentioned it, but without the detail the BBC piece contains.

 

I have been recommended by a doctor to go to bed later, but I generally find myself falling asleep at around 9 to 9:30 so that's when I head off to bed, getting up at around 6:30.

 

 

Hibernation has its appeals...

[Betty LaRue]

It’s 40 degrees F at the moment. A bitter cold front is poised to enter any minute. Tonight will be a low of 10F. Sunday, the forecast is 3F for the high! Lows will be way below zero. Minus 23. That’s -30.5C

I made my last run to the store, then put the insulating cover over my outdoor north-facing spigot. I forgot to catch a fish during the salmon run before going into my dark hibernating cave with Echo.

Edited January 11 by Betty LaRue

[Michael Ventura]

16 minutes ago, Betty LaRue said:

It’s 40 degrees F at the moment. A bitter cold front is poised to enter any minute. Tonight will be a low of 10F. Sunday, the forecast is 3F for the high! Lows will be way below zero. Minus 23. That’s -30.5C

I made my last run to the store, then put the insulating cover over my outdoor north-facing spigot. I forgot to catch a fish during the salmon run before going into my dark hibernating cave with Echo.

 

That weather is coming here Sunday-Monday but not as cold as what you are getting.  Highs in the 30s all week.  Our first cold snap of the season.  Today was 53F!! 

[Betty LaRue]

4 hours ago, Michael Ventura said:

 

That weather is coming here Sunday-Monday but not as cold as what you are getting.  Highs in the 30s all week.  Our first cold snap of the season.  Today was 53F!! 

Good it will moderate by the time it gets to you. We did this in ‘21 for nearly 2 weeks and have an extra few dollars added to our natural gas bill each month to pay for what was used then. It’s 19 degrees at the moment. My ankles are cold. I need to hunt up my wool ski socks.
 

I definitely don’t see global warming here. When I was a kid, we more often than I liked had summer temps of 110 & I remember it hitting 115. Long range heat spells that had people without AC sleeping outdoors in my small town. We had a water shortage & the grass burned up.  For some reason, I think I was born tuned into & interested in weather. I should have been a meteorologist.

 

My mom had a wringer washing machine then, (mid 1950s) and the only way we could wash a car or water anything was by using the two laundry rinse tub’s water after the clothes were washed. Carried it out in buckets. I think last summer we hit 105-107 a few times, but 100 was usually the highest it got over the hottest couple of weeks.

[Ed Rooney]

 

MisterS -- I knew I was no longer young but now it turns out that I'm medieval. Holy moly! 

[spacecadet]

2 hours ago, Ed Rooney said:

 

MisterS -- I knew I was no longer young but now it turns out that I'm medieval. Holy moly! 

Never that, Ed.

Some of us have been there, a few have even got the T-shirt, but you invented the T-shirt.

Edited January 12 by spacecadet

[Allan Bell]

3 hours ago, spacecadet said:

Never that, Ed.

Some of us have been there, a few have even got the T-shirt, but you invented the T-shirt.

 

And I made it to order.

 

Allan

 

[Betty LaRue]

There is a white & yellow cat running around nearby. I see it around my house & the house next door. I have no idea if it belongs to someone or if it’s feral. I’ve called it many times with my best kitty-kitty voice but it just glares at me & runs off. I’ve been seeing it for a couple of months, now.

Yesterday afternoon just before the arctic front moved in, I was outside putting on the insulated cap over my backyard faucet. To the left of the faucet is steps leading up to Echo’s room, a sunroom-type build, an add on. Underneath the steps is open passage to under Echo’s room.

So there I am, painfully crouched down putting on the cover & that danged cat came shooting out of the crawl space, just a few feet from me. About gave me a heart attack.

I worry about it now, because it’s brutally cold. 9F degrees when I got up at 7 with windchill of -13. It doesn’t appear to be starving, but not fat, either. Something to fret about. It’s too cold for pets to be out. I’m afraid to leave the garage side door open for it because we also have raccoons, possums and foxes running around, & the occasional coyote. I truly would have a heart attack if I walked out to get in my car & met a puffed up critter snarling with sharp teeth.

 

Edited January 12 by Betty LaRue