Greatest global online bookclub in town

I wondered why I was still chilly even after turning the inside temp up – it’s 16° out there!

Joy,
The girl, Inge’s, German is hard to understand but the Norwegian seems clear enough. At any rate the movie has subtitles so you should be alright.
Jerry

Jerry: I want to put that title in my queue @Blockbuster’s, but would first like to know if the language is hard to hear properly, as I have a hearing problem, especially with foreign accents.
Joy

I’m reading some of Lauraine Snelling’s books about the Dakotah territory and the folks who moved there. These are Ruby, Pearl, Opal and Amethyst…I am enjoying them a lot. I’m waiting for the last two to be delivered from booksfree.com.

I’ve also got Some of Margaret Truman’s non-fiction. I read McCullough’s TRUMAN and I’m a fan of Margaret Truman’s Capital mysteries but I’ve not read any of her non-fiction until just very recently. Right now, it’s THE PRESIDENT’S WIVES or maybe it’s FIRST LADIES, I’m not too sure which but it does pertain to all the wives and is very very good. I have her volume on The White House coming. Since she lived there for 8 years, she should know the place very well. I don’t know how much she’ll go into the 3 years they spent at Blair House while the White House was being refurbished so it wouldn’t fall down around their head, but it should take a page or three, I’d imagine. At any rate, her book on the wives is very good.

Jo

I will get that movie. My mother was German and my father Norska. I don’t think it caused any problem except when they visited their families. At my fathers they spoke Norwegian and Mother would get upset but it was OK that when visiting her family they spoke German. They each didn’t understand the other. I think over the years they all spoke English. I know that my German grandparents were upset when they found out their daughter was marrying a Norwegian. They got over it.

Hey all you Northerners from up around Minnesota, have you seen this great little film? It’s about a mail order bride from Germany who is sent to marry Olaf Torvik somewhere up in the plains. The community, including Olaf, were upset to find out she was German instead of Norska. It was in the early twenties and all were wary of the “Hun”. The poor girl could only speak German and Olaf could only speak Norwegian and English. They couldn’t get married because she had no proper papers and you can probably guess what ensued. All of this is told by Inge (the bride) in a reminiscence to her grandson. Rent it folks, it’s a winner.
Huggz all,
Jerry

ROFL Candace; I bet he got a good laugh out of that!

I have a kitty kennel – I can’t believe the size that TAZ is getting to be; he’s my macho man. Walks around like Arnie – muscles bulging and emitting the aura of THIS HOUSE IS MINE! Mom and Yogi say ‘SURRRRRE it is Taz – we know.’ Funny!

Cold today – gonna go get in the recliner with a blanket. AND a cuppa and a book! I’m reading PLAYING FOR PIZZA and I love it.

Darlyne, I have said for years that I live in a kennel–currently three dogs and six cats and a bird. I told a heat/ac repairman who came today he shouldn’t come in if he’s allergic to dogs, cats, and dirt because I collect all those.

Candace

Your house sounds like my daughters at Christmas when I was there. She has two very old labs, one was a pet of a daughter and the other a good breeder and hunter–and pet of another daughter. They were retired and kept in the house along with a visiting daughter’s dog and two puppies. One puppy was to be sold and the other she was keeping. They were being crate trained. For a few days another lab was kept in the house, although mostly crated because there wasn’t room in the kennel. The adult dogs mostly layed around and dripped dog hair but raced around and had fun in the snow when let out. So did the puppies. The puppies were a good alarm clock. They let us know when it was time to get up and let them out. That was better than cleaning a messy crate. When I left the house was down to the two adults and the two puppies. I think one puppy is going to its new home this week

Mine is impaired all right. I have an appt tomorrow and I shall see about that. Thanks Candace.

Jo, my card is for “impaired mobility” which certainly would include you. I have found it especially handy on those rare occasions when I have to go into a huge store (such as a new Target near me). Whatever it is that takes me to that store is usually in the far back corner. There is so much walking inside that parking near the door helps. It is also good on rainy days. I don’t use it all the time, depending on the availability of other space nearby.

Candace

Yes, Darlyne, they’re English. Brothers–a two-puppy litter–180 degrees different in personality. I had said for years I hoped to have another bulldog someday. I’d had a Boston and over the years three English. I was hesitant to get a puppy at 76. When I went to see these 10-week old puppies, one looked like my first bulldog (white with a brindle patch over one eye) and the other (Brindle and white) like the second one–I was hooked–she gave me a “fleet rate.” A few weeks later, the breeder called and asked if I would be willing to take the pups’ grandmother, Samantha. She had given Samantha to a friend of her sister after she no longer was breeding her. (I find this practice deplorable–use them and give them up when they’re too old.) To her credit, she found out Samantha was not being properly cared for and brought her back. Then Samantha and her daughter, the pups’ mother, did not get along. Meantime, the breeder’s young daughter had been diagnosed with a serious disease and her mother had had emergency heart surgery. She had too much going on to referee the bulldogs. I met her in a hospital parking lot and took Samantha, 9 years old, sight unseen. In weeks I’d gone from none to three bulldogs! At the time I also had three assorted-mix rescues. Samantha was quite a character and lived almost two more years which is quite good for the breed. Grandmother or not, she kept the pups, Pat and Mike, in line, which was very entertaining. They were eight years old November 30.

Candace

Candace

That’s a great reason to send a card Darlyne – I doubt if I’ll ever get all my grandkids in one place, let alone the g’g'kids. And some of either are darn good-looking too. Ah well.

Love those cards, Candace. Some folks make such clever ones.

I too am loving the “if I feel like it, fine; if I don’t, that’s fine, too!” attitude. And not putting up with poor service, etc., is also coming more into my life. I complain about it, but then I praise good service, too. I think I’ll ask for a handicap card; I’m so slow in walking, going up an incline, especially. My dr will likely say I’m too friggin’ healthy and she’s likely right.

I had an email from the retirement facility I was interested in – $2500 a month!!!!!!!!!! I nearly fell off my computer chair. That’s more than my income, and it’s for a studio at that. I sent my regards, thanked them for their courtesy and passed! I do plan to visit, unexpected visits, to see what’s what. I am looking forward to not cleaning and/or vacuuming. Also cooking – I guess we women all get sick to death of having to cook.

I too had a cleaning lady while I was working; she also ‘did for’ my mother. I had one here whom I really liked but she got into some trouble, minor actually – no stealing or anything – so I don’t have her anymore. Makes me sad cuz I’m having trouble finding someone else.

And I HATE to vacuum.

Be good everyone – stay warm.

I finally hired a cleaning lady–for just once a month but find that is all I need. It has been a great relief to me. It would take me all day to vacuum because I would have to stop and rest often and hated doing it. I had a cleaning person once a week when I worked but couldn’t really justify it when I retired. I can now.

Are they English bulldogs Candice? I love them too.

Jo, I hope you can find a place as nice as the one I am in.  There are 106 residents here.

Everything is under one roof and they have transportation to shopping, doctor appointments, etc.  Have fitness classes, walking groups, all sorts of card games and board games scheduled, a hair salon, library, housekeeping once a week – they do your bedding and towels, you do your own personal laundry.  Three meals a day and the food is outstanding, staff is very acommodating and  friendly.    We had a 15 piece old-time fiddlers group in to entertain us last night.  I like that kind of music now, never cared about it all when I was young – isn’t that funny?

 I would suggest when you have narrowed  your choices down, that you visit several times and get acquainted with the residents and become familiar with  activities.  When I first visited, they gave me a calendar  of activities told me to come to dinner or lunch, take one of their scenic drives, come to play bingo or attend one of their entertainment events.  I did all that and observed attitudes of residents, etc. and it helped me make up my mind.

This is a Leisure Care facility.  They have quite a few in the west.  It isn’t as expensive as some and is more casual so far as dress.  You can’t come to breakfast in your bathrobe, but you don’t have to be dressed to the nines for every meal either – some places do, more like a cruise ship.

 Anyway, don’t rush, but there is a lot to be said for not having snow to shovel and letting someone else vacuum, cook and clean.

>At my age I feel that if I don’t feel like doing something, I have a choice to do it or not—most of the time.

That’s the attitude I’m increasingly embracing. Problems with both knees have forced another level of accommodation to reality. I finally have stopped feel guilty and/or ashamed of pulling out my Handicapped card and into a space by the door. I think I’m beginning to get the hang of this age thing. Jo, I’ve been through periods of such listlessness–it’s hard to explain and get motivated. A change of environment can help. I’m just now getting back into exercise after months of limited activity and it is slowly helping my outlook.

The only reason I sent some Christmas cards this year was because my son found a box of cute cards with three bulldogs on the front (in case I haven’t made it clear, I love bulldogs and have two). They are lined up with halos over their heads–one halo is straight, the next is slightly tilted and the third has slipped down over one eye and underneath “Good” “Very Good” “Naughty” and inside: “We can’t be angels all the time.” I sent them to fellow bulldog lovers. Back to none next year probably.

Candace

I had stopped sending cards a few years ago. I never did send to the people I see and can wish a Merry Christmas.

This year I did send them though because I had a picture taken with all 12 grandchildren and had that made into a card. It is very easy to do on line. I probably won’t send them next year. At my age I feel that if I don’t feel like doing something, I have a choice to do it or not—most of the time.

I too hope Clive’s news is good.

I didn’t send one Christmas card this year; I could NOT get in the spirit of the season. I did send email greetings but it isn’t the same.

I’m looking into independent living/assisted living places as I hope that might help to stir my body/mind into “doing” again. I have had zero interest in much of anything altho I don’t feel depressed.

Sigh!

Do let us know how your hubby’s tests turn out – we thinking of you both.

Jo

I enjoyed the holidays, but the computer was only used by grandkids, so this evening I’ve caught up with what’s going on in GGOBIT. Glad you’re safely home, Jo and Darlyne. I didn’t realize those tornados were near Susan’s and you, Darlyne.

Our son and family, and my sister and family were part of our Christmas, and New year’s, our daughter’s and families from out of state came, and then the local family is here too, but it was very pleasant and goes by so quickly.

Thanks for the advice on Meniere’s Disease, it does help to hear of other’s experiences with it, and that it is not fatal. Her Dr has not mentioned Dramamine, and that is what both of my friends used to help, and both of them have not been troubled for many years. I did hear that Dramamine patches are no longer sold, but my daughter is going to ask her Dr about it next appt.

One friend of our middle daughter’s had surgery after 18 months of suffering most of the time, and she is now free of vertigo, but did lose hearing in one ear.

Our deep snow cover shrank greatly with some very mild temps, almost 40, but there’s a lot of winter left.

I’m reading Mary Jane’s House of Curl, by Landvik, and enjoying it, but seems like there’s a lot of church and community activity lately. Tomorrow my hubby finds out the prostate biopsy results, and hopefully can get off of one of his three blood pressure meds. His readings have been around 100 over 60 for several weeks, the only change in his life style is he has almost totally quit alcohol. He doesn’t say why he’s quit, but I’m thankful! Sorry for all this rambling, but good to be back, Jacky

I’m still working on “Christmas” cards”. Maybe president’s day.

There wasn’t time to take dogs in. We were thankful that the kennel had been emptied out. There had been over 50 dogs in there the day before.

We are all delighted to hear that the tornado passed you by. Tornados are scary things.

You said just a few dogs in the kennels; do you take the dogs with you to the basement?

Lived in “Tornado Alley” in TN while wasband was in the Navy and there were a couple of scary interludes there. We were in Millington just outside of the base, located perhaps half an hour from Memphis. I enjoyed military life.

My last afternoon in WI was rather interesting. The crazy temperture got very warm for January and we had tornadoes in the area. We had heard the forcast and were in the front yard watching the clouds. We saw some faint twirling ones in the distance and when the warning sirens went off we all dashed for the basement, We got strong wind, rain, hail, thunder and lightening but escaped the tornadoes. There were three that touched down in the area and a number of homes badly damaged but no injuries or deaths, thanks to the warnings. We were happy that the kennel was almost empty, only five dogs in it.

The next morning it rained hard on the way to Chicago but after tornadoes, rain is tolorable. i got home late yesterday afternoon, sorted through the mail and then tried to watch the primary but was too tired so went to bed. Today is catch up day.

We had a veritable heat wave today – it was 60°. Loved it.

And that’s all that’s exciting around here.

Take care everyone

Jan, those three weeks I spent in Idaho Falls in late January and February six years ago, it rarely got above zero and it was the same as you described–snow on top of ice. When I left Houston to get there it was short-sleeve weather. Just getting from a door to the car was a shock to my system. Glad you’re in a warm, cosy situation now.

Candace

It did warm up here but ac is not needed.

My daughter took back a ton of dogs today so the Christmas rush is over and I will be on my way home tomorrow.

There may be a primary results party at my house tomorrow night. It will be the overflow from a neighbors. I said they could use my house but I will likely go to bed. I will be playing bridge Thursday and hosting bridge at my house Friday night so it will be the weekend before I can get into my rut. I am reading The Three Junes. I have a feeling I have read it before but just am remembering snippits of it so am enjoying it, Happy New Year All!!