CHIT CHAT in VOLTVILLE

[rave]

I lived in Turkey for 6 months, and during the winter we had running water and a heater in the living room, but then we went to the summer place, right on the sea, which was lovely. There, we were about a mile from town, a small fishing village, which I hear is now a hot tourist destination, and we had no electricity or running water. We had a pump outside the house, and a tank on the roof. About 1000 pumps would fill the tank, and then you could turn on the faucet in the kitchen and get a little water, if you used it sparingly. We filled terra-cotta jugs with water to drink right from the pump, not from the roof reservoir, and that was the sweetest-tasting water I've ever had. The sea was right out the back door and down a steep set of steps built into the cliff, and we swam every day, so all we did for bathing was to rinse off the salt water. My daughter was a baby when I was there, and the biggest inconvenience was doing diapers by hand. Also, in the winter place, to get hot water for a shower, you had to build a small fire in the bottom of the hot water heater tank, let the water warm, then shower quickly. For washing dishes, we heated water in a kettle and mixed it with cold water from the tap. Same for doing the diapers. Disposable diapers weren't commonly available in Turkey in 1971. I brought some with me from the USA, and when guests visited, they were handed around for visitors to exclaim over. Also, when I arrived, we slept under mosquito nets, which I found stifling, and somehow, an enterprising mosquito always managed to get under the net and drive me crazy, so I suggested screens for the windows. I explained what they were, and a local carpenter was found to install them, and we were the first in our neighborhood to have screen windows! Who knows -- maybe the idea spread, and I was the one to introduce screen windows to Turkey. I doubt that, though, since if I had the idea, someone else must have had it, too, and a useful and easy to install thing like that probably originated from several sources. However, a change I wasn't able to make was using the short brooms to sweep. They had the brush end the same size and type as the brooms we know, but no long handle, more like a whisk broom, so you had to bend over to sweep. When I suggested a longer handle, I was told it's good for you to bend over to sweep. Huh? Anyway, other than vacation camping trips, that was my experience roughing it, and I had no problems adjusting -- except maybe washing diapers by hand, which was really hard on my hands. Of course, I was in my mid-20s then, so I was probably more adjustable than I would be now, but I'd like to think I could still fill that reservoir on the roof all in one go without a rest as I worked myself up to that summer.

Holy cow!! That IS roughing it! How fascinating too.

 

[SandySu]

Holy cow!! That IS roughing it! How fascinating too.

Rave, I consider my time in Turkey one of those life-changing experiences, one you will never forget, and one that broadened my horizons when I was young and impressionable. Going there was scary but an adventure I'll never regret. I have so many memories of that time. I really should write them down sometime, but I'm lazy and busy.

 

[kia2]

Well, heck. Ordered three replacement 78 batteries a couple days ago (I wore them out, they were not defective), and tonight I just ordered four new X2's (guess what colors...), and a lanyard and a bottle of liquid. I'm in hoard mode at the moment. I may leave my job after 28 years - all the surgeries and stress in the past 10 have really made my days not so much fun, and I need to have a stash, as I can't collect any kind of retirement for another 4 years, and even then it will be with a 20% penalty for another 6 years after that. Gov't jobs ain't what they used to be, but it was announced today that we will not get a wage increase for the third straight year, but the social security tax is going back up, so my check goes down yet another 2% for net take home. With that and the stress (I worked a solid 10 hours today with no break and ate a sandwich in between phone calls and answering questions from the year old newbies who have no initiative to work it up themselves... well, I smoked a cigarette today after I got home. Very first lapse in 6 months since I started vaping. It tasted like hell, but I smoked it. I'm feeling guilty as all get out, I didn't enjoy it, and now I just want to hide away somewhere. I'm so tired.

 

[Teacup36]

Kia don 't be so hard on yourself I swear the gov is gonna be the stress death of us all. Deep breath you did the right thing judt typing out ur stumble and thats all it was just a little stumble.
Hopefully your new gear will get there super quick! I'm sorry you had a really rough day. Hang in there tomorrows a new day.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Renolizzie]

Hang in there Kia. Maybe you can look into some sort of side jobs for when you do retire. Take those skills of yours and do something less stressful. Just a thought to consider working for yourself somehow.

 

[starsong]

Sorry things are sucky at work Kia But don't beat yourself up over 1 lousy cigarette. Like you said, you didn't enjoy it, so it was a good reinforcement/reminder that they are gross - you are a bona fide non-smoker and that is a great accomplishment!

 

[Qew]

Hugs to you (((Kia))) You have been an inspiration to me and it's about time I came up out of the background and give thanks where thanks are due. Take a couple of slow deep breaths and keep your chin up.

Please don't feel guilty for being human, it's what makes you YOU. Teacup is spot on, just a stumble while moving through a particularly rough patch.

 

[Konstantine]

I guess things are crap there too. We only need to keep ourselves together.

 

[awsum140]

Don't let it get you down, Kia. I'm not going to rattle on about jobs, the economy, such as it is, and so on. I juts want to say relax, take a breath, have a nice cup of coffe and a vape. Things will get better or something nice will happen to offset what happened yesterday. Trust me on that!

 

[rave]

I can't add much more that the others haven't already said, Kia. It's just a hiccup that you had on a bad day during a rough time. Awsum is right: Things tend to even out. There will be better days ahead. Believe it and move forward!

 

[marlou]

Keep your chin up, Kia. These rough spots in life are hard to get through, but you will. I understand what you're going through with the job situation, but I'm confident that you'll work it out.

That's neat that you just ordered 4 new x2s. I need to order 2 replacement x2s, but can't make up my mind on the colors. It would be nice if we could order slide-on covers in a variety of colors for the x2s. Then we could "dress" them each morning after we dress ourselves.

 

[Raynes]

Well, heck. Ordered three replacement 78 batteries a couple days ago (I wore them out, they were not defective), and tonight I just ordered four new X2's (guess what colors...), and a lanyard and a bottle of liquid. I'm in hoard mode at the moment. I may leave my job after 28 years - all the surgeries and stress in the past 10 have really made my days not so much fun, and I need to have a stash, as I can't collect any kind of retirement for another 4 years, and even then it will be with a 20% penalty for another 6 years after that. Gov't jobs ain't what they used to be, but it was announced today that we will not get a wage increase for the third straight year, but the social security tax is going back up, so my check goes down yet another 2% for net take home. With that and the stress (I worked a solid 10 hours today with no break and ate a sandwich in between phone calls and answering questions from the year old newbies who have no initiative to work it up themselves... well, I smoked a cigarette today after I got home. Very first lapse in 6 months since I started vaping. It tasted like hell, but I smoked it. I'm feeling guilty as all get out, I didn't enjoy it, and now I just want to hide away somewhere. I'm so tired.

Kia everything is going to be OK. I can totally relate to what you are saying. You smoked ONE cigarette that you didn't enjoy. So now you know,you don't enjoy smoking anymore. That in itself is a major milestone.
Its OK to get down in the dumps,your tired,you hurt and mental stress is the worst stress of them all and your fed up,the costs of living keeps going up and our paychecks decrease,and we see our plans for retirement going down the drain.
I feel that way to more times than not,and the older we get its harder to bounce back and harder to take

 

[Raynes]

Just got in from my cube... I would swear they are shrinking it a little each day (uuuggghhh)... Tonight being Wednesday we are busy busy busy, but I wanted to share something with yall before we went out...

Somebody shared this with me, so I thought I would share it with ya'll. Ignore the ads at the end, but it is fun to watch and will give you something to think about...

flickspire - Life is like Coffee

Thank you Semi, a LOT for this. I needed that "coffee" conversation this morning

 

[awsum140]

Just got in from my cube... I would swear they are shrinking it a little each day (uuuggghhh)... Tonight being Wednesday we are busy busy busy, but I wanted to share something with yall before we went out...

Somebody shared this with me, so I thought I would share it with ya'll. Ignore the ads at the end, but it is fun to watch and will give you something to think about...

flickspire - Life is like Coffee

Just got around to watching this, fired up the high horsepower desktop so the video played smoothly. Funny, I'd go for the porcelin cup, they're usually larger than the fancy ones and keep the coffee warmer longer. Does that make me pratical, a "pig" for wanting more coffee or something else? Beats me.

 

[Raynes]

OK I have a funny for you all this morning. I stopped at the little convenience store where I live to get some headache powders and had my silver X2 vaping,well as I was going in a cop was coming out and stopped me. He said," Step over here by my car"
He says "Lady,what do you think your doing?" I reply "Vaping" then he says and your a nurse. (DUH, I'm wearing scrubs).
Then he says "Can't you read you can't go in there smoking" . At that point I realized what I was dealing with,so I held up my X2 and asked,"Does this look like a cigarette,blew vapor in his face,"Do you smell smoke? Do you see ash or fire?"
At that point I turned and went in the store before I got arrested for pointing out stupidity

 

[Raynes]

Just gpot around to watching this, fired up the high horsepower desktop so the video played smoothly. Funny, I'd go for the porcelin cup, they're usually larger than the fancy ones and keep the coffee warmer longer. Does that make me pratical, a "pig" for wanting more coffee or something else? Beats me.

 

[rave]

OK I have a funny for you all this morning. I stopped at the little convenience store where I live to get some headache powders and had my silver X2 vaping,well as I was going in a cop was coming out and stopped me. He said," Step over here by my car"
He says "Lady,what do you think your doing?" I reply "Vaping" then he says and your a nurse. (DUH, I'm wearing scrubs).
Then he says "Can't you read you can't go in there smoking" . At that point I realized what I was dealing with,so I held up my X2 and asked,"Does this look like a cigarette,blew vapor in his face,"Do you smell smoke? Do you see ash or fire?"
At that point I turned and went in the store before I got arrested for pointing out stupidity

Excellent!!

 

[awsum140]

OK I have a funny for you all this morning. I stopped at the little convenience store where I live to get some headache powders and had my silver X2 vaping,well as I was going in a cop was coming out and stopped me. He said," Step over here by my car"
He says "Lady,what do you think your doing?" I reply "Vaping" then he says and your a nurse. (DUH, I'm wearing scrubs).
Then he says "Can't you read you can't go in there smoking" . At that point I realized what I was dealing with,so I held up my X2 and asked,"Does this look like a cigarette,blew vapor in his face,"Do you smell smoke? Do you see ash or fire?"
At that point I turned and went in the store before I got arrested for pointing out stupidity

I will say I'm glad he didn't "pull an attitude". The County hoosegow ain't a fun place from what I hear!

 

[lilac7779]

OK I have a funny for you all this morning. I stopped at the little convenience store where I live to get some headache powders and had my silver X2 vaping,well as I was going in a cop was coming out and stopped me. He said," Step over here by my car"
He says "Lady,what do you think your doing?" I reply "Vaping" then he says and your a nurse. (DUH, I'm wearing scrubs).
Then he says "Can't you read you can't go in there smoking" . At that point I realized what I was dealing with,so I held up my X2 and asked,"Does this look like a cigarette,blew vapor in his face,"Do you smell smoke? Do you see ash or fire?"
At that point I turned and went in the store before I got arrested for pointing out stupidity

Would that be a misdemeanor or a felony?

 

[awsum140]

I think a missed felony by someone meaner