Category Archives: Life

There’s an App for That

If you have embraced technology at all, you probably have oodles of apps on your smart phone. I do, though, admittedly, there are only a handful that I use on a regular basis. Did you know that there’s an app that can help answer the ever popular (and sometimes dreaded) question “What do you want for Christmas?” Giftster to the rescue!

Image from DepositPhotos.com

We were introduced to Giftster several years ago by our youngest son’s (now ex) girlfriend. I think we were all a little leery but decided to give it a try. Now, many years later, we’re still using it. (One of my daughter-in-law’s lists is even named “I concede. This was a good idea.”) Giftster allows you to create a group and then invite members; each member can then create multiple lists. This app has allowed us to stop the annual tradition of “harassing” everyone about what they’d like; it’s easy to just stop and add an item to your list whenever you think about it. When someone purchases a gift, they can mark the item so that others know it is taken. And, no worries, Giftster does not tell the list maker which gifts have been purchased so they can still be surprised on the Big Day whether it be Christmas or another gift giving occasion.

Of course, some are still resistant to the app. The only two members of our group who are inactive? Our sons.🙄For the most part, our oldest son is fairly easy to buy for, the youngest not so much; once the youngest out-grew dinosaurs and Transformers knowing what to get him has been… difficult. I have to give our daughter-in-law props – not only does she maintain her own list but she also created and maintains lists for their three kids.🏅Thanks to Giftster (and those who maintain their lists, LOL) I’m almost finished with my Christmas shopping. Stocking stuffers are the only thing left and that is my favorite type of shopping.

What are your favorite/most used apps?

Cat Math

In one of my last posts I wrote about the death of Marvin (one of our outdoor cats), my plans to move his sister indoors and stop leaving food out for animals passing by. (And how Kenn and I somehow completely reversed our normal positions on the topic of cats.)

As of this writing, Nellie (Marvin’s sister and our only remaining outdoor cat) is still outdoors and is ignoring all of my attempts to get her to try the cushy life of an indoor kitty. We also have at least four cats coming by to partake of our food on a regular basis. (We’re going through so much more food, LOL.) I was surprised that the presence of Marvin and Stumpie was such a deterrent as they were both neutered males. (Nellie is spayed as well so she is not luring in new cats with her feminine wiles, er, pheremones.)

Proof that anything can be found on the internet.

Since we now have regular feline visitors to whom we have never been properly introduced, we decided to come up with our own names for them. These names get used when we are talking to them (from whatever distance they will allow) which is one of the first steps in helping them learn they can trust us. Here are our regular visitors (for now):

  • Tiger – Tiger is one of the cats cared for by our elderly neighbors and is the only one who’s name we actually know. Confusion arises because Tiger is our Nellie’s doppelganger. I’ll think I’m talking to Nellie and only realize that it’s Tiger when s/he freaks out because I’m getting so close. Or, I think I’m talking to Tiger only to realize that it’s Nellie. (Tiger and Nellie are both silver tabbies.)
  • Crow – Crow is a handsome black cat. (I love cats of all shapes, sizes, and colors but have an extra big soft spot for black cats.) Kenn announced that he would be calling the black cat Crow or Calypso depending on if it were male or female. Crow rarely gets closer to us than ten feet which would have made the sex determination difficult if he had been neutered. However, even from ten feet away – with the right angle and lighting – it was easy to determine that Crow is an unneutered male. However, if we can ever get him socialized, this situation will be rectified.
  • Bruiser – Bruiser is an unneutered brown tabby with white feet. Bruiser made it a point to square off with Stumpie on a regular basis so I was forever running him off. Now that he’s not stirring up trouble I have no problem with him coming over but I’m probably going to have to work extra hard to earn his trust.
  • Ghost – Ghost, appropriately enough, is a gray cat and by far the most skittish of our new visitors. I have only seen Ghost twice. Both sightings were only glimpses of a gray blur disappearing across the back yard after I apparently scared the crap out of him/her by walking across the deck to the car port.

So, somehow losing two cats has resulted in gaining four. Cat math is weird. Sigh. Lucky for them, I’m a complete sucker for animals in need.

Color Street vs. Lily and Fox

Fair warning: this post is a little different from most of my others. This is primarily for my FB friends – and anyone who appreciates pretty poIished nails, LOL.

I was a nail biter for the first twenty or so years of my life. I realized a few months after I moved into the college dorm that I had stopped biting my nails. (Who knew that college life would be less stressful than home?) I also discovered that I loved the look of polished nails but traditional nail polish and I just don’t get along so I rarely went to the trouble. Then, about four years ago, I discovered Color Street nail polish strips. The strips are 95% dry so you just apply them and go – no dry time required. In roughly twenty minutes I could have fully polished nails on both hands with no smudging or peeling. I was in heaven and had “fancy” nails most of the time.

Hypothyroidism made my fingernails brittle; they would break if I looked at them sideways. In spite of trying numerous products to strengthen my nails I was having more and more problems with them so, in 2022, I took a break from polish for several months in an effort to get them in better shape. While the break helped, my nails still weren’t as healthy as I wanted them to be so even though I started wearing polish again, I limited it to once every few months. Then, earlier this year, I accidentally found the product that worked miracles on my nail health – Vaseline Intensive Care Healthy Hands lotion with keratin. I grabbed a small tube to keep at work and after using it 2-4 times a week for 3-4 months, I suddenly realized that my nails are healthy: they’re strong, their color is good, and – most amazing of all – the ridges on my nails are starting to fade. Mind. Blown.🤯

Say what you will about FB (and believe me, I have opinions), their algorithms work well (except when I’m the one running the ad) so I frequently see ads for nail polish strips. The ads for Lily and Fox piqued my interest and I took the plunge and ordered a few sets. The main thing going for Lily and Fox is price. I ordered three sets for a total of $12 dollars including shipping and handling. With Color Street, $12 will get you one set (maybe). Lily and Fox also included an extra set as a “tester” for those who aren’t familiar with the process and an adorable origami fox.

Lily and Fox has a lot of cute sets but I’m a glitter girl and they have very few full glitter sets. Most Lily and Fox sets are a gloss with glitter accents. I have now used 2 of the sets I purchased and the verdict is in… Color Street works better.

Both Lily and Fox sets went on easily but they are much thicker than Color Street strips so they don’t have that little bit of stretch that comes in handy if you chose the wrong size strip or accidentally apply it off-centered. The extra thickness means that I also need scissors and a nail file to remove the excess portion of the strip instead of just my fingernails. Also, the Lily and Fox sets lose their gloss quickly. I don’t want to have to apply a top coat to keep my nail strips shiny. The biggest problem with the Lily and Fox sets is how well they adhere. Even though I prepped my nails by washing my hands and cleaning my nails and finger tips with an alcohol prep pad there were issues with both sets. The first set formed bubbles under a few of the strips and the number of bubbles increased each day. The second set was fine – until the next day; the strip on my left ring finger started peeling off. I could push it back down, but the next time I checked, it would be peeling again. I have no patience for this. However, due to the fact that Lily and Fox strips don’t adhere like actual polish, I was able to simply peel both sets off with no damage to my nails.

CAUTION: Do NOT attempt to chip/peel off traditional polish or Color Street nail polish strips. Use nail polish remover. Attempting to chip the polish off will damage your nails.

I’m glad I tried Lily and Fox but, going forward, I’m going to be sticking with Color Street. I’ll pay the extra money to have an easier application and a longer lasting product.

Any other nail strip users out there? If so, which brand(s) do you use?

When Potato Chips Equal Love

As y’all know from a previous post, I finally found someone who listened to me about my ongoing gallbladder issues; I just needed to have a few tests run to make sure there was nothing else going on that might mimic gallbladder symptoms. I’m pleased to announce that all of the tests are behind me and nothing mimicking gallbladder symptoms was found. Now to get the referral to a surgeon…

My last test was my every-five-year colonoscopy; this was my third one. For each colonoscopy, the prep has been different, but never fun. The day before the procedure you can only have liquids, including broth and gelatin. An all liquid diet is hard enough but I don’t like broth and you can’t have red, purple, or orange gelatin. (Those colors could look like blood during the procedure.) However, I don’t like lemon or lime which limits my gelatin choices even further. I settled on blue “mixed berry” gelatin and Kenn found some green watermelon flavored gelatin that I was willing to try. Much to my surprise, I preferred the watermelon over the berry. I even managed to choke down a small amount of broth. I try to be a good patient but I spent most of the day complaining that I just wanted some potato chips. I love, love, love potato chips and desperately needed something salty to balance the sweetness of the gelatin. However, I was good and did NOT have any chips.

The next day, when I was back in the truck after the procedure, Kenn pulled out his insulated lunch bag and presented me with a bottle of soda and an individual serving-size bag of potato chips. Y’all, I almost cried with happiness. I also told Kenn that it’s one of the most romantic things he’s ever done for me. He found that statement amusing, but I was completely serious. It shows that he listens to me and went out of his way to do something to make me happy after a procedure he knew I was nervous about. If that’s not love, I don’t know what is.

Side note, if you’re over 45 and haven’t had a colonoscopy, please get on the phone and schedule one ASAP. There is no history of colon cancer in my family, yet precancerous polyps were found in my first colonoscopy (which is why I have to have one every five years). If I hadn’t had a colonoscopy as recommended, within the next several years, I would have developed colon cancer. A colonoscopy won’t be at the top of anyone’s list of Fun Things To Do, but, as the saying goes, it’s better than the alternative.

Now, what is the most romantic thing someone has done for you?

Tanglewood Mansion

It’s not uncommon when we’re traveling for me to see something and think “That would make a cool photo.” It’s not always possible to stop and take a picture, especially when towing a travel trailer. Other times, it’s just a matter of not taking the time to stop even when there’s no reason not too. Proof in point are the intriguing columns I’ve seen every time we go to South Carolina to visit our kids. During one of our trips earlier this year, I mentioned to Kenn my plans to eventually stop and take a photo. Being the good man that he is, the next time we were out Kenn whipped into the parking lot, we got out, and I actually took. the. pictures!

The columns that always caught my attention

We couldn’t have stopped at a better time; the lighting was perfect. The photo above is one of my absolute favorites. There was actually more to the site than I thought. The columns are what is left of Tanglewood Mansion. According to the sign, Tanglewood burned down twice: the first time in 1908 and again in 1970. (Yikes.) The Tanglewood property was eventually purchased for use as the location for a new branch of the Anderson County Library System; groundbreaking took place in 2004.

I love old architecture and I’m a big fan of older buildings being repurposed while allowing the age and history of the building to shine through. In that vein, I’m glad that the site for the library wasn’t razed to remove all traces of the mansion. I enjoyed looking at the remains of the structure and trying to figure out what was where. We were able to determine the location of multiple fireplaces; each chimney had at least three fireplaces associated with it.

The back view of the columns shows that they were actually brick and not wood which is one of those things that I think is really cool.

I’m also a big fan of stairs to nowhere.

Going forward, I plan to do better about stopping to take the photo or smell the roses or whatever. How about you? Do you make the time to do the things that are important to you – even when they just nourish your soul and not your wallet? (Our success driven culture can make those decisions difficult.)

So, What Exactly Do You Do?

I’ve been working at my part-time job for almost a year now and the most-oft asked question I get is “So, what exactly do you do?” The duties of my pre-retirement job were much easier to describe; even though I worked several different jobs during my career, they could all be lumped under the heading of IT Customer Support. (Except for the miserable 3.5 years I spent in Contracting.) The duties of my current job can’t be as easily defined.

I work at an agricultural research center as a Biological Science Aid. My boss is an entomologist so everything we do ultimately revolves around insects even though it may not appear to on the surface. There are two, soon to be three, full-time lab technicians above me. My job is to support everyone however I can with whatever needs to be done. I rarely know from day-to-day what I will be doing and even if I do, it may change at any time. I generally work two days a week but have the flexibility to work more if necessary. Earlier this year there were several weeks I worked three days per week because all of the things had to be done at the same time and even with four of us working, we were scrambling to get everything done.

I’ve spent the last two weeks fertilizing peach trees which is a much more time-consuming process than you might think. The timing was good though; after a long dry spell we’ve had several days of rain so the fertilizer got rained in so that it can do its job. One of the next things I will need to do will be to hunt down some pruning shears and trim the suckers (the shoots growing from the roots or base of the tree) off the same trees I just fertilized. This will also be a time-consuming process, but hey, that’s what I’m there for and – I get paid!

All dressed for work

The next couple of months will be rough. I no longer deal well with the oppressive heat and humidity of the South so the summer is hard. At least this year our summer has been mild, relatively speaking. Still, 82℉ with 80% plus humidity is pretty miserable. Since I’m fair-skinned, the heat is made a little worse by the fact that I am dressed in long pants, long-sleeves, and a big sun hat to protect my skin. However, one of the best things about my job is how laid back it is. Everyone makes sure to tell me to take as many breaks as I need to in order to stay cool – and one of them is always encouraging me to take the time to just relax and enjoy the beauty surrounding us. Yes, staying cool is important but this relaxed attitude is new to me; I rarely got to take breaks at my old jobs. Some days I was doing good just to get to go to the bathroom.🙄 So, you know what I do? I take breaks when I’m hot and occasionally I putter around in my utility vehicle and enjoy the scenery and take photos. Several of my Wordless Wednesday photos have been taken on the agricultural center.

The next time I work, I’ll probably be helping a coworker with a pulley system that will be used to raise potted pecan saplings to various heights in a pecan grove. (Don’t ask me why. I have no idea.) I’ll also need to water the plants in the greenhouse. After that, I’ll do whatever needs to be done starting with pruning the suckers I mentioned earlier. Later this year I’ll be collecting and counting weevils as I mentioned in a previous post. Along the way, there is no telling what else will be needed. So, what exactly do I do? Whatever needs to be done!

So, what exactly do you do?

In Memoriam

Last week was one of those weeks. It started with our oldest son having a health scare which entailed us making a quick trip to South Carolina. Fortunately, our son is fine. After we got home, our over-the-range microwave died. While we were dealing with the replacement of the microwave, which was much more time-consuming than it should have been, it became obvious that it was time to say goodbye to one of our cats.

When we moved into our home almost 6 years ago, Stumpie was a feral cat. It didn’t take him long to learn that we had a steady supply of food and water for our outside cats and any other critters that wanted to partake. Stumpie became a regular fixture in our yard. He didn’t trust us and would run off if we got too close. Over time, he wouldn’t run as far. Then, he began trying to befriend our cats and was rewarded when Roscoe took him under his wing (leg?) and they became besties.

All this time, he was watching Kenn and I and saw us interact with the other cats. After 3 years, he decided to take a chance on trust and love and gave me the honor of selecting me as his person. He decided that he enjoyed being petted but didn’t want to see my hand during the process. So, when Stumpie would come to me for attention, he would turn his back to me so he could enjoy pets without seeing my hand.

Over the past couple of months, Stumpie had developed a problem that I knew would eventually lead to his demise. Last week, it was time to let him go. As I have done with all of my furbabies, I held him and told him how much I loved him as he left this world.

It’s hard going to a home that no longer has Stumpie in it. He’s no longer be there to greet me with his gravelly voice and weave between my ankles as I shower him with attention. He’s no longer there to escort me to the food dish and to carefully turn his back on me so I can pet him.

All pets leave a hole in our hearts when they pass, but for some that hole is a little bit larger. I miss you Stumpie. Home just isn’t the same without you.

Here We Go Again

Y’all know I love cats and that we’re a multi-cat family; a few of our furry kids make regular appearances here. However, y’all don’t know how we became a multiple cat family. It wasn’t by design and we’ve never gone to a shelter/animal rescue to adopt a cat. We haven’t had to; the cats find us. My family “blames” me; they say I have a “cat gene” that attracts cats. While it may not be due to a gene exactly, cats do like me and will frequently seek me out.

Meet Smokey

Kenn and I recently spent a couple of an hours at a nursery researching varieties of Japanese maples. Smokey, the cat shown above, belongs to the nursery owners. According to them, she’s an old lady who is half blind and hard of hearing. However, she could see well enough to spot me across the parking lot and make a beeline to me. She allowed me to pet her before she walked away only to come back for a little more attention. Much to Kenn’s dismay, she wouldn’t have anything to do with him, LOL. She also wouldn’t let me photograph her from the front.

For a while we were members of what we called “The Cat of the Year” club. Every year, usually in June or July, another cat would show up. I rescued a kitten in the church parking lot where it had apparently hitched a ride in the engine of someone’s car. We found another in the middle of a busy road – after straddling him with our car. Fortunately, our CotY membership seemed to expire after a few years. For now, we have an aging clowder with ages ranging from 3-14. Or, that was the age range until last week.

My coworker and I were in the woods getting dirt for a research project when she stopped and said, “Is that a cat?” I listened and yes, it was a cat – a kitten to be exact – and it was yelling for us. We both dropped our shovels and went searching. Not too far from where we were working I saw a small calico face peering out of the brush. It didn’t take too long to coax her to me.

Shortly after the rescue operation

The fact that this baby was friendly in spite of being terrified means one of two things: That section of the agricultural center isn’t far from a road, so she either wandered across the road, got through the fence and got lost or, someone dumped her. Either way, she knows people.

Kenn wasn’t working that day and since we live near the agricultural center, I called and asked him to bring a carrier which he did – all while grumbling about another cat. I assured him that I just wanted to take her to the vet to make sure she was okay and then find a home for her. While my coworker and I were waiting on Kenn to arrive, other coworkers wandered by. At least two said they would have just left her in the woods. Y’all, I am just not wired that way and neither is my co-rescuer. (She has already rescued two other kittens this year.) I wouldn’t have been able to live with myself if I had left her in the woods.

Kenn and I took her to the vet the next day. She got a clean bill of health and her first kitten shots. The funny thing is, neither of us, not even Mr. Oh-no-not-another-kitten, have even talked about finding her another home. We just added her to our clowder. Yep, Kenn’s as big a sucker for a cat as I am even though he tries to hide it. So, everyone meet Roxie!

Roxie

Do you have any pets? If so, are any of them rescues?

Listen to Me!

I have been suffering from recurring upper right quadrant abdominal pain, nausea, belching, and gastrointestinal symptoms that I won’t detail for at least a decade. After numerous trips to my general practitioner, in 2018 he decided we needed to look into possible gallbladder issues. Me being me, I researched gallbladder issues and, lo and behold, my symptoms checked all of the boxes. I felt a sense of relief since, at the time my tests were scheduled I had been sick for a month with a low-grade fever having joined the list of symptoms above. My blood work was normal, an abdominal ultrasound showed no gallstones, and the results of my HIDA scan were on the low side of normal. So, with no answers, life as normal – with frequent flare-ups – continued.

Fast forward to 2019 and another month-long flare-up with additional symptoms of the “if you have these symptoms, please see your doctor immediately” type and I returned to my general practitioner. The nurse practitioner scheduled me for another round of tests. Once again, my blood work was normal and my abdominal ultrasound showed no gallstones. There was no HIDA scan performed. While I’m not big on unnecessary tests, etc. I felt like I wasn’t being listened to. Maybe it was because the nurse who performed my HIDA scan warned me that it wasn’t uncommon to have to have more than one; she had had two. Maybe it was because I had been having the same symptoms for years and was no closer to an answer.

I continued to have frequent flare-ups and Kenn encouraged me to go back to the doctor. My response didn’t make him happy. I told him that I wasn’t going to go back to the doctor because I didn’t feel like they weren’t listening to me; I told him that when my symptoms got bad enough to send me to the ER, maybe someone would take me seriously.

It’s now five years since my original tests and my symptoms have done nothing except become more frequent. I can go weeks with only minor abdominal pain, etc. and then I’ll go through weeks of being sick (complete with low-grade fever). The last week of March and the first week of April of this year were two of those weeks and I had a couple of nights where I thought it might be time to make that trip to the ER. Kenn, bless his heart, has continued to harass – I mean, encourage – me about going back to the doctor.

I had done a little research and determined that if I were to talk to a doctor again, a gastroenterologist would probably be my best option. Since I am due for my once-every-five-years colonoscopy, I already had an appointment with my gastroenterologist for a consultation. I promised Kenn that I would that I would raise the issue with the nurse practitioner during my visit and I did. And, she blew my mind. I expected to have to make another appointment at a later date to discuss my ongoing issues since they are unrelated to my colonoscopy, but… no. She spent another ten to fifteen minutes talking to me about my symptoms, my history, and what tests had been done when. I left her office with appointments for a new abdominal ultrasound, another HIDA scan, and an EGD to rule out an ulcer or anything of that nature since one has never been done. I don’t know what the tests will find but it is such a relief to finally feel like someone is listening to me and not acting like being miserable is no big deal.

I understand that my gallbladder has a function to perform, even if it’s not doing it well. I’m also not an advocate of unnecessary surgery. However, I am so tired of feeling bad that, at this point, I’d like to have my gallbladder removed just to see if I’d feel better.

Have you had your gallbladder removed? If so, did your symptoms improve?