Christian Photographers Community

Hi Everyone. It is going to be another gorgeous day here in South Carolina only getting up to about 75 degrees.  It is going to be a nice day for those attending college football games in the area. I am feeling much better this morning and looking forward to a good day.  I plan on attending a meeting this morning and perhaps stopping to get a haircut and a brief stop at Aldi's to pick up some fresh fruits and vegetables. Yesterday was pretty much a lost day as had no energy, certainly nothing to write about. 

Janet, I am not unhappy with the cost of living increase for next year.  Hope you don't get much snow.  Happy Birthday to Darrel and hope Kerri can be there to help celebrate it. 

Rebot, as always you are most welcome.  We are happy to have to joining us. 

Janet, you are correct and I checked and Rebot's email address is available there if you click on the little envelope under her screen name. 

Greetings Larry  You must be well up on computers.  Lovely of you to tell Janet how to contact me.

What is your living increase for next year, or is it information I should not ask you about. 

Rebot, if you scroll back a day or two, Larry posted about our cost of living increase in our Social Security checks.

I have been in an alcohol inks tiles class again today; learned some new techniques, and will have three more Christmas gifts done!

We are waiting for our out of town guests, who went to Hugoton instead of here.  They are working on Diane's AC at her store.  That gives me time to rest for a while, and my back will appreciate that, as it's hurting.

It's 64* now, but cold and snow is on the way, so they tell us!

Flowers are blooming in the desert.  There has been rain and fog for several days more
like a mini monsoon but it is later than usual.  A shrub of mini bright yellow flowers is blooming in the front yard so it is colorful at what we would expect to be a dull time of the year. 

The stores are over the top about Halloween.  I don't know how anyone else feels about that day of the year - to me it is a terrible waste of money on costumes and really a dangerous time for the children.  My children are adults and they never drive on that evening and even grandchildren try to stay out of their vehicles - children run straight into the street without looking. 

Am so thankful for getting over what seemed like food poisoning this week.

Janet:  I do hope your back feels better - guests coming?  I hope they are good friends too.  They will understand if you have to rest. 

Larry:  Your game is on right now.  That is a huge crowd!  We try to stay away from crowds anymore.  Hope your Georgia guys win! 

Take care everyone!  How is the weather in Canada?   

Greetings Larry   I  noticed you talked about a TENS machine, they are excellent in dealing with pain issues. 

Greetings Carol  I know little about the cost of living.  But I thought it best to look at Larry's post on the topic you mentioned.

It mentioned an increase of 2.8%.  Though I noticed your countries inflation rate for next year is forecast to be 2%.  That to me means an increase of 0.8%.   

Hi Everyone. It looks like it will be another very pleasant day getting up to around 80 degrees late this afternoon.  It is in the 50's right now.  I am ready for Sunday School and Church and have everything laid out to fix Pat's breakfast when she arises in a few minutes.  As of now I expect she will want me to come home and get her for Church.  We will then go out to eat somewhere.  I will rest when we get home and then watch some more pro football games from the comfort of my easy chair. 

Yesterday afternoon we went to Texas Roadhouse for our main meal.  It was the first time Pat had gone to a restaurant using her Rollator and it worked well.  When we got to the table I folded it up and set it at the end of the table.  Fortunately, the isles were wide.  I did go to my meeting yesterday morning and then stopped at Aldi's as planned.  Unfortunately, neither South Carolina nor Georgia won their college football games yesterday. 

Rebot, I have been using computers for around 25 to 30 years now and have learned more than I can remember now but with the help of the Internet and YouTube videos I can usually find out how to do most things on the computer.  I did teach several classes for our SeniorNet Learning Center during the 10 years I was associated with that organization.  That Learning Center eventually broke away from SeniorNet and became independent and is still in operation as far as I know.  Pat did get her TENS unit in the mail yesterday and was reading the book that came with it last evening.  The Cost of Living increase is based on a formula of where the inflation  increases during July, August and September of the current year compared to the same period of the year before and that determines the rate to be applied to the next year. 

Janet, I don't think I ever heard of alcohol inks before.  It is fun to learn something new and you are getting an early start on your Christmas gifts. 

Carol, I bet the desert is beautiful if things are flowering.  I agree with you on the waste of money on Halloween.  We try to stay home that evening as well and do not participate in the trick or treating at the door anymore.  We just don't turn on the porch light and have had no knocks on the door for the last couple of years.  Our Family Room is at the back of the house and it isn't easy for either of us to get up continually and answer the door.  There are also no little children anywhere on our end of the street.  Glad you are feeling better.  College football games do draw very large crowds. 

Good Sunday morning to you all!  It is a chilly 32* here, with predictions of a little snow tonight, maybe one inch.

We celebrated Darrel's 81st birthday yesterday evening, with all of our kids and grandkids except the Grandson and wife who are in Florida.  We just went to a local restaurant which is a Mexican restaurant, but now also serves very nice steaks.  There were eight adults and three children, and the restaurant had set up tables for us on one side of the dining room which is behind a half-wall, so was a little bit secluded.  Daughter from Salina came, but left immediately after to go home.    She comes so seldom, I was hoping she would stay at least until after church this morning.  But her guy friend (I think fiance' now) was to be on Security Duty at their church in Wichita this morning, so they took off.  Sigh.....   Well, Darrel enjoyed the little "party", and he was the guest of honor, so that's what counts!  Little Chelsea, the middle great-granddaughter, brought him a yellow balloon which she had blown up and tied off, all by herself; then wrote "Happy Birthday" and drew hearts on it, along with a nice note saying happy birthday, I love you, I hope you have a 'grat' day, with more hearts.     He really liked her efforts!

We have a little meeting with Pastor's wife after church about the Guatemala trip.  We are to bring final papers and payment, along with our passport information.

I now have three endorsements for my book, am getting excited about having it available!

Have a great day, everybody!

  Greetings Larry  Could you  let me know what Pat thinks of her TENS machine please.   As its use is related to what was my vocation in life.

My hubby asked me to ask you about the 2.8% increase.  He said does it factor in an inflation rise that might occur after September.  And what if foodstuffs and other household increases occur,  Would the 2.8% increase be enough? 

We have a TENS unit saved from years ago.  It did help with some back pain after surgery.  I am sure it cannot help everyone but sometimes the hospital will loan the unit. 

Rebot:  The price on food is rising - especially vegetables and fruit.  We are now into non-growing season and certainly the damage to the state of Florida and other states from the last two hurricanes will factor into everyone's cost of living. 

Janet:  How sweet of your great-granddaughter!  Darrel and you must be feeling good for planning a trip to Guatemala. 

Two Humming Birds spotted today.  One is a solid green color. 

Carol we have massive problems with our health system.  Despite what many say, we are out of pocket for many things and waiting times are upwards to a year. Also there are many blood tests that we also have to pay for. We don't have supplementary insurance at all so we are out of pocket..... 

Well the tree colour has come and nearly gone.  the tree tops are somewhat bare, and a good wind will remove the rest.  We have had our first load of wood delivered, this is much easier than cutting it ourselves.  Now the work of putting it into the basement.  John has been lighting  the (wood) furnace morning and night for a few weeks now....soon it will be all day.  Buying wood is much less expensive than using oil.

Tomorrow I babysit my 2 grand daughters, Elizabeth's girls. Ivy is now in school and Maddie is a going concern at 15 months.

Well I am off have a good evening everyone.

Greetings Carol  Of course, not every patient will not benefit from using a TENS machine.

TENS is not a cure for pain, but when it is being used, it will provide pain relief in the short term.

Hi Everyone. Our summer weather is returning for a couple of days as we expect to get into the mid-80's this afternoon.  However, it is nice and in the low 60's this morning but it soon warms up.  I expect to have a quiet Monday at home with nothing special on the agenda.  Pat did join me for Church yesterday and then we went out to the Sunshine Grill for our lunch.  She did use her Rollator for the first time for going into the Church service and then again when we got to the restaurant. 

Janet, it sounds like it is time to polish up that snow shovel.  That sounds like a very pleasant birthday celebration with so many of the family gathered together. I bet that balloon is a gift Darrel will not soon forget. 

Rebot, Pat plans on using the TENS unit today and needs me to help her get it on her back.  In answer to your hubby's question on the 2.8%, the answer is know.  It uses only the three months I mentioned although that is the year to date inflation rate not just the increase for one of the three months.  So if inflation went on to increase to 3% that would not be considered.  The government measures the cost of living increase in several different ways but the law specifies which of the inflation measurements to be factors in.  One think it does not consider is the increase in health care costs that impact seniors the most and those costs go up every year. 

Carol, our daughter found the TENS unit helpful to relieve some of the pain she experienced with her back.  This is a nice unit Pat got that comes in its own carrying case and has large pads.  She got one a year or so ago that we had to return as it didn't work. 

Judy, our health system seems to be gravitating more and more to the way yours works.  However, we are not there yet.  I was under the false impression that your health system was free of cost at the time it was needed.  Of course, nothing the government does is free as it is the taxes paid that actually pay the costs.  We haven't really seen any color in most of our trees yet although they are looking rather drab.  Glad you are not having to cut up your own wood this year.  That is very hard work I know as used to help my dad do that job on the farm when we heated with wood.  I bet those two great granddaughters kept you on your toes. 

Judy:  I hope your back is strong - taking care of the toddlers.  As to health care, I see a great amount of money being spent on helping those on drugs - opioids and so forth.  If only society would return to the church, a lot of misery and health issues would disappear.  If the country south of us would shape up and care for their own - it wouldn't fall to us to pay for the high-risk patients along the border. 

Larry:  I am glad to read that Pat is using her rollator - it is for her safety and she can keep visiting with friends.  I tried sewing a zipper pouch (small) yesterday and it looks lopsided so something is wrong. 

Don is off to Acupuncture this afternoon.  It has helped some years but we never know - for a shoulder pain. 

Greetings Larry  I do hope Pat does have some relief with the TENS machine.

Hubby said that seniors usually are worse off with increases.     

I managed to get some work done today; spent a few hours cleaning in my studio--it needed it!!

We are still working on getting ourselves strong so we can do the Guatemala trip and do the work required, along with the up and downhill walking.  But the Morocco trip is first, we leave for there a week from tomorrow.  (30th)

I'm tired, will go to bed and read a while.  I'm reading The Paradigm by Johnathan Cahn.  Fascinating!

See you tomorrow!

Hi Everyone. This is suppose to be the last day we are in the 80's, at least for a few days.  We also have a 50% chance of afternoon showers.  This is going to be a busy morning.  The kitchen choirs have been done and Pat's breakfast fixed for her.  In about an hour or so I will drive her down to to Church so she can help in the pricing of the items for the women's bazaar that will be held tomorrow.  I will come home and meet with my friend for an hour at 10 am and then go back down to the Church to get Pat and we will go to Chik-Fil-Lay for a good lunch.  I also contacted an individual to see about getting the outside of our home pressure washed and a repair done on the gate to our fence into the back yard.  He is suppose to call sometime today to set a time to come over and give me an estimate of the cost.  That will be it for today and that is plenty. 

Carol, I would like to see a ban put on advertising drugs on TV like they did with cigrarettes many years ago.  By the time they tell you of all the terrible side effects possible with them I have to wonder why a doctor would prescribe them.  I hope Don's Acupuncture treatment brought him some relief. 

Rebot, Pat still hasn't used the TENS unit but it is here when she is ready to try it.  I just heard and advertisement this morning for the drug store chain Walgreens saying they have now filled over 2 Billion prescriptions and that is just one drug store chain. 

Janet, you and Darrel certainly have a full schedule ahead with your foreign travel.  Our Church is having a "Pancakes for Bolivia" fund raiser to help support the annual mission trip members of our Church go on.  The lady heading this effort this year spoke briefly to our Sunday School class last Sunday and told us the trip costs around $35,000.  We have another mission team that goes to one of the Central America countries annually as well. 

Judy, have you heard any more from Pat.  I just read on Facebook that she was headed back to the hospital due to a problem that has developed with her hip and was requesting our prayers. 

Greetings Larry  I think you will find that all prescriptions that are given to us from the  Doctor, will have a leaflet enclosed about the medication.  Telling us what it is for, when to take it, and the make up of the medication.  What is also listed,  is the possible side effects, that range from very rare cases of side effects to side effect's that might happen occasionally.   Though, in most cases most patients wont suffer any side effects at all.   

And some prescribed medications in their 'make up' do have opioids.

I see like me you have the odd 'typo' now and again.  In your post you meant kitchen chores, but said choirs, unless you were singing in the kitchen! 

Hi Larry. Just to answer your question about Pat. She has not come home from Hospital from her surgery yet. The hospital they are transferring her to has a large rehab program to help patients get back up and going after such surgeries. At the moment that's all we know for now. Hope all is going well with you. I sure wish sometimes that I lived down there where you are. We had our first snow of the season last night. Not looking forward to it coming again. I find that as I get older, I enjoy winter less each year. I would be a good candidate to go south for the winter if we could afford to do it. That's a bout it for the moment. Blessings everyone.

                              Pat...

Thank you Jacqueline for the beautiful card supporting Pat!!  It is very kind of you to take the time in making the card. 

Thanks John B for the update on Pat.  She is in prayer. 

Janet:  You sound pretty busy with a couple of trips coming up and a lot of walking.  I hope the weather cooperates for you two. 

Yesterday, I did get some fabric cut for a couple of projects.  That was in between making appointments, etc.  Don had a favorable outcome to the Acupuncture treatment.  He could drive without pain so we hope it works alright. 

My neighbor calculate three inches of rain over the last few days. 

Jacqueline, that's a lovely card for our Pat!  Thank you for that, and do come back and visit with us!  We can't bite, from so far away! 

Larry, sounds like you are staying busy, as usual.  And if you do sing in the kitchen, I'm sure it sounds beautiful! 

Carol, that much rain in Arizona surprises me!  But the weather has been crazy all over the place.

Yes, we are going to the gym and working pretty hard to get into shape for the walking required for the two trips.  The Guatemala one is an extra that wasn't planned, but we want to go help the missions team.

John, good to see a post from you, and thanks for the little update on Pat. She has suffered so much over these past three years, I just wish there were some way I could help her.

I agree about the medicine advertisements.  By the time they list all the possible side effects--including death--I say I'd rather keep my original problem, thank you.  Yes, we get all those inserts, but we do not read every word.

After going to the gym, we made a big breakfast, called it Brunch, then went out and cleaned in the garage for a couple hours or so.  Then I came to my computer, sent the back matter for the book, sent three endorsements, got out suitcases and talked about what we need.....been a busy and tiring day!
I planned to do some painting, but don't know if I have the energy left for it now.  Anyway---see you all later!

Greetings   I think the prescription leaflets sometimes are read by patients, before they take the medication.  And in some cases. after the leaflets are read, patients won't take the medication.[font]

Hi, friends,

What a long time to be away!Our apartments are being renovated and, 2 floors at a time, we must either move into an open apartment in the tower, or be sent to a hotel for the period of about 2 months.  Of course I would fall into into the hotel group.  All my possessions were packed up by a moving company and stored in a storage facility, even including my piano.

I did not have access to the internet while away.  Today is the first time I have had internet access.  It has been so good to read posts from all of October.

My fixed up apartment is wonderful  Now, I must get things unpacked and put away.

I must close for the night. May God richly bless each person who comes here.

Ruth Ann

Ruth Ann, what an inconvenience for you to be moved to a hotel!  But how nice to have a newly renovated apartment, all sparkling and shiny!  Enjoy!  You were missed, and it's so good to have you home again. Love you!

This is Wednesday, so I get to go paint with my friends!!  I enjoy it ever so much.  Also, my book is in production.  I sent the endorsements I have yesterday, also re-sent the "back matter" for the back cover.  I hope to get them everything they need before we leave on October 30 for Morocco.  We will be gone about 15 days.

Time to wake Darrel so he can have his tea before we go to the gym!

Later, Peeps!

Hi Everyone. My morning is starting out at 67 degrees and is to get into the low to mid 80's this afternoon.  Pat did not go and help with the Bazaar setup preparation as it required a lot of carrying of items from one building to another and that is something she can no longer do.  However, she does want to go down and take the Bazaar is this morning so I will be taking her later this morning.  This evening we plan on going back to the Church for our Wednesday Night dinner and then enjoying a time of visiting with Scott. I know of nothing else on the schedule for today. 

Yesterday we did go to Pizza Hut for our main meal of the day.  They have a noon buffet 5 days a week.  We stopped at the Pharmacy where we got the Rollator to see about an attachment so the cane could be affixed to the Rollator and they didn't have one in stock that would work with the model of Rollator that Pat has.  I did not hear back yesterday from the man I contacted to pressure wash the house and hope to hear from him today. 

Rebot, if I sign in the kitchen it is usually under my breath so that was just a good old typo.  Glad it could be deciphered as to what I met.  Yesterday on the news we had word that new regulations are being considered that would require drug coompanies to reveal in their TV ads the costs any medicine over $35/month.  They said the 5 highest selling drugs cost anywhere from $500 to $11,000 per month.  Apparently there has been a rule in effect that prevented the Pharmacist from advising that there is a cheaper generic drug available.  Both of these chances would certainly be user friendly and sound like a good thing to me.  Of course the drug companies are going to fight in court to stop them and will probably be able to find a judge somewhere who will do so.  We do look at the information sheets we get with medications when first prescribed.  They come everytime with the prescriptions we get from Walmart and from our mail order drug company for non-generic drugs.   

John, thanks for the update on Pat.  I am glad to see she will be getting some rehab and hopefully this will be of great assistance to her.  I sure don't envy you the snow and not having it is sure a nice benefit of living in the south. 

Jackie, that is a lovely get well card.  I second Janet's comment that we would like to see you posting a little more often.  We miss you. 

Carol, it was nice to read that Don had a favorable outcome from the Acupuncture treatment.  Isn't that  a lot of rain for your area?

Janet, unfortunately I no longer have a very strong voice.  I  now very often leading the singing in our Sunday School class and when I come to the higher notes I find I have to shift down and octave or my voice gets strained.  Enjoy your painting with your friends today. 

Ruth Ann, welcome back and I am sure you are delighted to get back into your newly refurbished apartment.  How is your sister-in-law doing?

Larry Hanna - Janet...
...I am here just dont seem to have anything happening in my life to post about...Oh yes I do, I am going for my three year mammogram tomorrow...think you ladies know the contraption...

I recently informed a couple of members of one of our members name...seems I was out of line as this member wanted to stay anonymous...making my apology to this member...

Greetings Jackie  We all enjoy your posts and miss you, please post some more.

I think I must be the member you are apologising to.  No apologies needed, as the members know who I am, well some do 

  Just had a thought...If there is such a thing as re-incarnation, I want to come back as a man...No smear tests ( PAP ) no mammograms, no child birth...

Rebot...
... yes...now do I continue calling you Rebot on our Christian site? or by our email correspondence name?...whichever you prefer...

Carol...
...I have never tried acupuncture but there is a lot said for alternative - complementary therapies... I personally would rather lean towards those than I would conventional...

 

Hi, friends,

It's so good to be back.

My post disappeared.  And, since it's late, I'll leave for the night.

Y'all have a wonderful night.

Ruth Ann