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Post by chapeaunoir on Oct 19, 2022 20:30:09 GMT
Love the Gunner photos! Also the cat-staffed workspace! I miss Cassie being my office buddy.
We're socked in with smoke up here, too - the air quality is moving from unhealthy to very unhealthy and quickly toward hazardous. It's impossible to keep it out of the house so I now cough all day even if I'm inside - apparently I have bronchial inflammation from the Covid so I have an inhaler to use. When I start my office work I'll move our HEPA filter into the room in the hope for some relief - we run it at night in the bedroom. As it gets thicker, it gets darker outside and everything has turned gray. It has been worse, but not for this long, week after week.
Yes! Waiting for our rains to return!
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val2525
Chaos Manager
Posts: 30,768 
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Post by val2525 on Oct 19, 2022 21:02:04 GMT
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Post by Emerald_Door on Oct 19, 2022 21:16:37 GMT
Dawn R, I'm sorry about your lonely situation. I hope you can find some things that will help.
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Post by denise15601 on Oct 19, 2022 21:40:50 GMT
So, I guess that there is no room for a fourth cat?
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Post by chapeaunoir on Oct 20, 2022 0:37:24 GMT
Air quality has moved to hazardous now (in my area - it varies because of our topography - I'm north of Seattle). We have had almost no wind, so the smoke comes through the gaps (Skykomish/Snoqualmie) and along the valleys and collects up against ravines and mountains, and it feels like it's coming from all directions, creeping on little cat feet. It's odd because the wind here blows most of the time. A good westerly would clear a lot of it but then it would only pile up against the Cascades and start cloaking Eastern Washington (again).
ETA: People were going for walks and runs, at least earlier in the day.
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Post by labbypaws on Oct 20, 2022 2:29:26 GMT
I wouldn’t be able to tolerate a steady smoke odor. Ugh. Hopefully the air quality will improve soon.
So back to that elementary school job. I was 100% right. They offered the job to the guy I thought they would offer it to. He turned them down. I asked my friend to let me know who they hire. They haven’t hired anyone yet. I reread their e-mail from last week and it said “At this time, however, you are no longer under consideration for this position”. So I assume they would not reconsider. We shall see. That is what they get for offering the job to someone who retired making $140000🤣🤪 a year.
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Post by Dawn R on Oct 20, 2022 10:31:00 GMT
Dawn R , I'm sorry about your lonely situation. I hope you can find some things that will help. Thank you. It is hard to find people who are home during the day to do something with. Most people are working even if they are working from home. I retired at 48 and worked a little part time job which was so nice, but since COVID have been home. I do try to go outside to walk or ride my bike just to get out of the house. |
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Post by allikat on Oct 20, 2022 12:59:54 GMT
Dawn, are you anywhere near Frederick, MD. I am home all day and would be glad to have lunch or go shopping with you.
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kritter
Mod Squad
When we lose sight of how we treat animals, we tend to lose sight of our humanity
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Post by kritter on Oct 20, 2022 14:27:06 GMT
Why don't you consider volunteering somewhere where you have an interest.
There are probably lots of opportunities in your area that could use volunteers to help with transportation or in-home visiting of the elderly. Animal shelters always need volunteers. Meals On wheels looks for volunteers here.
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val2525
Chaos Manager
Posts: 30,768
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Post by val2525 on Oct 20, 2022 16:20:25 GMT
Does your schedule allow you to get out to volunteer, Dawn?
I've been looking a opportunities here so I can get out of the house but I'm not willing to do indoor activities with hordes of people. I discovered that Habitat for Humanity has plenty of outdoor activities (even for unskilled volunteers like me), and so does the area food bank (distribution sites and working at the food bank garden or farm locations). Meals on Wheels here even has animal meal deliveries, for pets of people who receive Meals on Wheels deliveries. Many places don't require major time commitments - some will take you even if it's just for a day or a few hours. Other organizations just need help around holidays and special events. When I lived in Dallas I used to volunteer every year for the Turkey Trot, which is on Thanksgiving Day. No matter where they put me to work, it was always fun.
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Post by chapeaunoir on Oct 20, 2022 20:18:59 GMT
There's always going out with a bike club if you have one in your area.
Also the volunteering is a great idea!
I went out at about 8:00 a.m. for my run instead of waiting in the hopes that the smoke would not be as bad as its been - it looked OK so out I went. I was only out for an hour, but by the time I was nearing the last mile I saw smoke building and drifting. I'm back inside now and staying there while the air quality index goes back into hazardous again. It's a clock calm outside and that's one big problem - the smoke just sits there and builds with no wind. The DH is commuting to work wearing an N95 mask. He was wearing a Gerson particle mask but said he couldn't get enough air in on the uphills. A lot of people are masking up outside again.
We're due for our usual months of rain starting on Friday - there will probably be dancing in the streets as we're so rain starved here (almost two months with only a few days of rain) and we'll also be happy for the firefighters up in the mountains. I has been one of those odd years.
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val2525
Chaos Manager
Posts: 30,768
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Post by val2525 on Oct 20, 2022 21:38:04 GMT
So, I guess that there is no room for a fourth cat? Nope. I don't want to change the status quo here. All 3 cats get along and it's really nice. A fourth cat would upset that balance. Plus, I'm in a one bedroom apartment and 4 cats are waaaaaaay too many cats for an apartment  |
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Post by staytuned on Oct 20, 2022 22:11:25 GMT
Well, that was odd. I was over MIL's doing a load of laundry. Sitting in the living room having a chat when a guy jogged up to the porch so I got up. It was an Amazon driver who dropped off a couple small packages on MIL's porch, was parked next door (house divided in 3 apartments) that, unfortunately, have no numbers on them other than the mailboxes at the road. He hurried back to the van and drove off, even leaving the side door open. Of course, the packages were for one of those neighbors, who SIL knew and took them over. The neighbor was not only home and waiting, but had given detailed instructions where to deliver. Bet that driver doesn't get any kudos. Thinking he left them at MIL's "ASSuming" she knew the neighbor and would finish HIS job.
Chap, I hope you get plenty of rain and vastly improves the air quality.
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Post by Dawn R on Oct 20, 2022 22:25:03 GMT
"Dawn, are you anywhere near Frederick, MD. I am home all day and would be glad to have lunch or go shopping with you."
Allikat
I am about an hour from Frederick, but I don't mind traveling.
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Post by labbypaws on Oct 20, 2022 23:23:14 GMT
Amazon is supposed to drop off all packages at our college mailroom during business hours. Instead they find someone to open a door ANYWHERE and they dump off a load of packages. Sometimes they throw them on the side of a building. Last week I found 21 boxes outside our science building. The mailroom director came in and go the packages.
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Post by somany on Oct 21, 2022 0:17:22 GMT
Amazon is supposed to drop off all packages at our college mailroom during business hours. Instead they find someone to open a door ANYWHERE and they dump off a load of packages. Sometimes they throw them on the side of a building. Last week I found 21 boxes outside our science building. The mailroom director came in and go the packages. They need to get Amazon lockers installed. |
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Post by labbypaws on Oct 21, 2022 0:40:07 GMT
We do have lockers for the students to get their stuff but our mailroom handles all the packages. I am sure the problem is the drivers change everyday and there are multiple drivers each day. Yes, students could get those lockers at off campus locations to get stuff.
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val2525
Chaos Manager
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Post by val2525 on Oct 21, 2022 4:04:50 GMT
I think what somany might be suggesting is that college contact Amazon about getting Amazon delivery lockers installed at the college. It seems a very logical thing for the college to do, IMO.
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Post by chapeaunoir on Oct 21, 2022 6:29:11 GMT
Amazon is supposed to drop off all packages at our college mailroom during business hours. Instead they find someone to open a door ANYWHERE and they dump off a load of packages. Sometimes they throw them on the side of a building. Last week I found 21 boxes outside our science building. The mailroom director came in and go the packages. For some reason that reminds me of my cousin in Russia who hadn't gotten any of her mail for weeks. She and a friend finally went to the post office to find out what was going on. Her friend handed the postmistress a bottle of vodka and the postmistress took them to a back room, unlocked the door and OH MY GAWD, there were piles of packages and envelopes. My cousin went in and got all of her stuff. In Russian, commerce is run by having 'a friend.' |
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Post by allikat on Oct 21, 2022 12:28:47 GMT
"Dawn, are you anywhere near Frederick, MD. I am home all day and would be glad to have lunch or go shopping with you." Allikat I am about an hour from Frederick, but I don't mind traveling. An hour which direction? We could find somewhere sort of in the middle. |
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kritter
Mod Squad
When we lose sight of how we treat animals, we tend to lose sight of our humanity
Posts: 19,898
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Post by kritter on Oct 21, 2022 17:00:17 GMT
International Day Of The Nacho on a Friday definitely calls for a Happy Hour. Good excuse to escape this house of cats for a few hours.  |
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val2525
Chaos Manager
Posts: 30,768
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Post by val2525 on Oct 21, 2022 17:53:27 GMT
Ooooh Nacho Day! I like mine fully loaded: beans, meat, cheese, sour cream, guacamole. They can even add lettuce & tomato and I won't complain (makes it a huge tostada  ). I moved my COVID booster today to Walmart. I originally scheduled today at a CVS across the street from WM, and figured I'd just go over to WM after I get the shot. Then I dedided to see if WM was taking appointments for vax shots, and thought, "why not get the vax and shop in one stop?" Plus, WM already has my insurance info on file. I'm lazy like that.  Twila is so cute. She jumps up on the desk when I'm working so she can get some petting. If I'm absorbed in what I'm working on and don't see her jump up, she taps me on the arm with her paw to get my attention. Such a polite little missy! |
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Post by jesmelric on Oct 21, 2022 18:07:46 GMT
Hi, hope everyone is having a nice week. Boy this week went fast! We had some rain Monday, not enough but it was good to get something. Then cooler and now a warm up, which is typical. I did have to wear my gloves and ear muffs one morning walking Janey 
DD is back from her trip to Italy and Amsterdam and I am looking forward to talking to her this evening and hearing all about it. She is in Portland, I believe they are having air quality issues there from the smoke, too. She has a convention in San Antonio week after next and then she is going to rent a car and drive up here for a little visit, and I'm super excited! It's only Saturday afternoon through Tuesday morning but I will take what I can get.
Mom was doing well Monday when we went. They relaxed some covid protocols and the door wasn't locked and we didn't have to do temperature checks. They are having a Thanksgiving dinner for the residents on the 17th and even though we are picking up mom on Thanksgiving day I think my sister and I will probably go even though I do have covid concerns. I don't want mom to feel bad. Positivity rate is just under 7% here and I hope it stays low for a while.
We have Goodwill Sunday I hope to find some stuff, a new Value Village opened the other day nearby. I was hoping they would do a grand opening sale, but no luck. But we will check them out next Sunday, even though the area isn't the best.
Youngest DD is coming over tomorrow to make vegetable soup and watch some Halloween Roseanne episodes. I am making browned butter blondies and just realized I was supposed to use a 9X13 and I used an 8X8 
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val2525
Chaos Manager
Posts: 30,768
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Post by val2525 on Oct 21, 2022 18:09:34 GMT
Heads up - you might want to start looking for your Christmas gifts early: www.washingtonpost.com/business/2022/10/10/discounts-inventory-excess-retailers-economy/After struggling with product shortages for much of the pandemic, the country’s retailers are now facing the opposite problem: an unprecedented glut of unsold merchandise that’s cutting into profits, derailing holiday plans and threatening to drag down broader U.S. economic growth.
In response, many of the country’s largest retailers are kicking off holiday sales earlier than ever, in hopes of clearing their warehouses enough to accommodate a new round of winter orders, according to company filings and earnings calls.I came across another article about 2 weeks ago, saying how retailers aren't getting rid of seasonal goods anymore, but are offering them again the next year when the season rolls around again. I tried to find the article again but haven't had any luck. But retailers are definitely doing this - I'm seeing it at Macys, Belk and Kohls. In most cases, they've removed the reviews that would indicate the items were older season goods. |
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kritter
Mod Squad
When we lose sight of how we treat animals, we tend to lose sight of our humanity
Posts: 19,898
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Post by kritter on Oct 21, 2022 18:09:38 GMT
Nope, no beans but please load on the Jalapenos.
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Post by chapeaunoir on Oct 21, 2022 22:05:00 GMT
The DH makes a platter of nachos every Friday night and devours them with two beers. He's been doing this for decades lol. He makes really good vegetarian nachos. He'll make me a small plate of nachos if I ask (that's as much as I want), but I'm not eating them lately as they're kind of fatty and I can't taste them - even the jalapenos which he liberally layers them with - I can only tell I'm eating one because my mouth tingles and my tongue burns. If I'm going to eat fatty stuff I want to be able to taste it!
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Post by chapeaunoir on Oct 22, 2022 19:54:47 GMT
IT'S RAINING!!!!!!!!!!
::bows down::
The smoke is washed clean after weeks, and we've got our lovely weather back. This is helping the firefighters and everyone is happy!
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Post by labbypaws on Oct 22, 2022 20:43:23 GMT
![]()  Was a bit surprised. The blind arrived today and hubby put it up. I dismantled the old one. It will go out to the curb Friday. |
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val2525
Chaos Manager
Posts: 30,768
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Post by val2525 on Oct 22, 2022 20:46:03 GMT
Looks nice, labby!
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Post by labbypaws on Oct 22, 2022 20:50:45 GMT
Chap, glad you are getting rain.
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).
