Older Folks and Vaping Back Porch - Part Seven

[MikeE3]

You're so welcome! I am almost certain that Mandy said someone had been checking their mail and stuff like that. I know they are taking care if several things at the house, so I expect that's one of them.

I'll put these thoughts here for everyone.......There is something I haven't asked Mandy about, mostly because I don't want to bug her. She's got so much on her plate with the chemo, mom to two boys, the virus and with her husband still having to do some admin stuff at the school, (he's a principal) and now all this with her mom and dad. She has I think 2 sisters, so I'm sure they help, but I try not to bug her about stuff. The thing I haven't asked yet.......is if he remembers all of us. I imagine he likely does.....but he still has cognitive issues. But I think whether he does or not, the more things we can send him, cards, letters, pictures etc the better. The girls have been really good about making sure he gets info in small doses, as they think he can process it. They waited awhile before telling him that Patty had been moved to a facility because they wanted to make sure he would understand why and be able to talk about it. The girls stayed at the house with her 24/7 because she needs round the clock monitoring, for as long as they could, taking turns being with her. But it just got to be too much with them trying to take care of their families also. It's hard to think of it this way, but in a sense, this may have been a blessing. Physically and emotionally, it was becoming very difficult for Johnny to do it all, and there were a few times one of the girls would come help to give him a bit of a break but it was wearing on him quite a bit. He hated the thought of putting her in a nursing home, so it may have been a good thing this happened before he ended up having a heart attack or something. I think y'all have seen posts he made about how neither of them had to take any prescriptions for anything, but I'm maybe a year and a half ago or so, he told me that he'd had to start taking BP meds. I'm sure that was from the stress on his body and emotionally, worrying about Patty all the time. His only breaks were the couple hours a day he'd go to his "office/cathedral"


You're so welcome hun! Jup, recovering the ability to walk so quickly is a great sign, and even though he's not in the rehab, he's still receiving physical and cognitive therapy.


yw hun! Jup! Definitely hope they all have good hygiene practices there. I know the girls will keep a close eye on it. They haven't even been allowed in the place where Patty is. They can only see her through her window. It's good the facility is taking it that seriously, but I'm sure they'd like to be able to go in and see for themselves that all the employees are doing all the right things.


wow! That's a lot of stuff, and a lotta money. Was that pic you posted actually y'alls old house? Or just one that was about the same square footage?


Wears me out too! Moving is a rough job! Are y'all thinking about moving from PA? to Colorado maybe? Y'all need to come south where it's warmer. lol


Well, kind of glad you got a replacement. the convenience of them sure is nice, but my dil had one when I moved in here. We would clean it with vinegar etc, but I was a bit leary of them when I saw the thing at the bottom that seemed to be holding water. It wasn't the container you add the water too, it was another part. Then I saw a video about a guy who took his apart, and there were a lot of places in it that were super funky. That was when my son talked her into getting rid of it and just using a regular coffee pot.


I didn't know those existed. I wonder if a lot of them have issues with water collecting where it shouldn't and getting yucky stuff in em that made them come out with that type. That seems like a much better option.


((((((((((Uncs)))))))))) thanks sweetie! Admit it..........you just miss my 9 page long multiquotes hehehe I tried calling you a few weeks ago........left a msg on your vm. Did you get it? Ya better say ya didn't or else have a good reason you didn't call me back! hehehe

Ah Ha ... now that was a true Deb post ... a multi-mutli-quoted post with personalized responses to folks. Nice one!

 

[pwmeek]

wow! That's a lot of stuff, and a lotta money. Was that pic you posted actually y'alls old house? Or just one that was about the same square footage?

That was the old house. I spent ten years building it. My wife and I spent 12 years (about 20 hours a week each) making design decisions. I spent almost all the money I had, and all I could borrow, to finish it in the same manner that I began it - no compromises; if there was a right way to do something, that's how it was done. It was essentially a work of art that you could live in. It was, surprisingly (to others), a very warm and comfortable (although large) home.

Here is the real-estate company's sales site (inexplicably still online nearly a year after it was sold):
Dogwood Manor – Just another WordPress site

We never called it Dogwood Manor - which we think is ridiculously pretentious; if we called it anything, we called it Wahnsinn (VAHN-sin, which is German for craziness or even megalomania) as a sort of self-deprecating reminder that the house does NOT make the person. See Neuschwanstein: Neuschwanstein - Google Search for another example of Wahnsinn.

Unfortunately, the monthly upkeep turned out to be more than we could afford, and after about ten years living there we had to sell it (for about 1/10 of what it cost to build, which was a shock!). Financially, it has been a terrible experience, but I think that even if I knew then what I do now, I would do it anyway. The world deserves all the art we can create, no matter the cost. Wahnsinn.

 

[DavidOck]

Uh, an OBSERVATORY?

 

[pwmeek]

Uh, an OBSERVATORY?

Yup. 10" Meade Schmidt-Cassegrain telescope.

 

[Debadoo]

@Debadoo
Again, thank you! I'm so glad that you have been able to post lately, you have a way of lighting the thread up. How are things going for you & family? Lots of hugs &

Awwwwwwwwww your such a sweetie pie!!

Actually, I though your last couple of post were a little too short . . . Couldn't Ya' find anyone else to "Quote" . . .

As for your phone call - I don't answer the phone unless I recognize the number and usually block them (cuts back on unwanted calls from telemarketers, etc.) . . . Just checked, the old Voicemails in the "Spam"/Blocked calls folder and there "YOU" are . . . So - THANKS - for mentioning it . . .

"MY" BAD . . . Can Ya' forgive "Me" . . .

If so - I'll be returning your call in the next couple of days (got Doctors Appointments) . . . Talk to Ya' soon . . .


.

forgive you............hmmmmmmmmm lemme think on that one......... Now where did I put my "I'm thinking about it" emoji. For that matter, thanks to the stoopit whatever that site was I used that stole all our emojis and held them for ransom, where did I put all of them! Of course I can forgive ya and look forward to your call. Hope it's the number that is in my contacts, or else, I probably won't answer it either lol

I "could" find someone else to quote, but either y'all gotta talk more.........or............ I'm gonna have to go out and find random posts on random threads, and that could just get confusing. lol

Ah Ha ... now that was a true Deb post ... a multi-mutli-quoted post with personalized responses to folks. Nice one!

Just when ya thought it was safe to go back on the threads again huh hehehe

That was the old house. I spent ten years building it. My wife and I spent 12 years (about 20 hours a week each) making design decisions. I spent almost all the money I had, and all I could borrow, to finish it in the same manner that I began it - no compromises; if there was a right way to do something, that's how it was done. It was essentially a work of art that you could live in. It was, surprisingly (to others), a very warm and comfortable (although large) home.

Here is the real-estate company's sales site (inexplicably still online nearly a year after it was sold):
Dogwood Manor – Just another WordPress site

We never called it Dogwood Manor - which we think is ridiculously pretentious; if we called it anything, we called it Wahnsinn (VAHN-sin, which is German for craziness or even megalomania) as a sort of self-deprecating reminder that the house does NOT make the person. See Neuschwanstein: Neuschwanstein - Google Search for another example of Wahnsinn.

Unfortunately, the monthly upkeep turned out to be more than we could afford, and after about ten years living there we had to sell it (for about 1/10 of what it cost to build, which was a shock!). Financially, it has been a terrible experience, but I think that even if I knew then what I do now, I would do it anyway. The world deserves all the art we can create, no matter the cost. Wahnsinn.

Wow.........that is truly stunning and definitely a work of art! Stinks that it took such a financial toll, but you definitely put something of beauty on this earth and now others are enjoying it!

 

[Uncle]

To One & All

.​

 

[misswish1]

 

[Janet H]

Except for the religious shows on tv it didn't seem much like Easter at all. No grandkids except on text video. We don't need all the calories so not even a chocolate Easter egg here. I did make a nice ham dinner for us last night, but that's it.

 

[clnire]

We are usually at a dog show for Easter, so it was weird to be home and have our roast leg of lamb with oven roasted potatoes and asparagus on Easter! Just seemed like another day, but with a special dinner!

 

[skullblade789]

Hello, how is everyone?

 

[DavidOck]

Surviving, but, well, feeling a bit isolated ...

 

[FranC]

Surviving, but, well, feeling a bit isolated ...

Same here.

 

[pwmeek]

I'm inclined to be a hermit anyway; isolation isn't as much of a trial for me.

 

[mattiem]

I know I have been absent from the forum for a while. I still stop by and catch up from time to time. I was sad to hear that our "Iffy" is not well but thrilled that he is doing better and Pray he is soon well enough to be with his Bride again.

We had to help our sweet "Mattie Marie" cross the rainbow bridge yesterday. She blessed my hubby and me with her company for a little over 13 years. She came to live with us March 7, 2007. She was at least 2 years old at the time. She could have been 3 or even 4 years old. There was no way to know her true age. Letting her go was beyond a doubt the hardest decision we have ever had to make but it was actually past time.

We have had several wonderful dogs through the 40 years we have been together but our little Mattie was beyond a doubt the sweetest most lovable of them all.

April 14, 2020

Rest in Peace my sweet beautiful little girl.

I hope you are all doing all you can to stay safe. Hubby and I didn't get out much before all this mess started but now we go out even less. I've not been away from home since the middle of February. If we really need something hubby goes to get it. He wears a mask and gloves but still washes up well as soon as he gets back home. We live out in the country so there is lots to do around here to keep us occupied while this mess plays out.

Since it seems a lot of us don't catch every cold and flu bug going around I wonder if we that vape have an extra layer of protection to the bug going around now. Would be nice if there was a study to find out but of course that isn't going to happen.

Thankfully I paid head to what will eventually come and am well stocked up on all we need to continue vaping for the rest of our lives. I will be forever thankful to @FlamingoTutu for gifting me a beautiful Dragon Provari. Once I started using it I found out what everyone was talking about. I managed to buy 4 more (2 satin gray, one green and one blue) while they were still at a reasonable price. They are all I use now and are each topped with gs-air toppers. Thank you @MikeE3 for helping me out with my supply of them. I managed to get a lifetime supply of coils for them from fasttech. My e-liquid has very little flavoring in it so each coil lasts me about a month. That helped me figure out how many coils I would need to stock.

Vaping equipment has moved so far away from where I stopped buying anything I am lost when I try to figure out what folks are talking about these days. I am just thankful I found what works for me and was able to stop hunting. Hopefully a lot of y'all are in the same boat.

If y'all have wondered where I've been. A little over 4 years ago I got back into fish tanks. I spend a lot of my time over on a forum called Fishlore. I enjoy helping folks out over there with my limited knowledge. I love the fact that that forum is much like this one. The rules over there are much like this one. Number one rule-Be kind to each other. If you can't be kind at least be civil. If you can't do either you won't be there long.

you all ......

 

[skullblade789]

Sorry to hear about the fur baby. Hope and peace to you and your family.

 

[seapeach]

(Susan here) So sorry to hear about @Iffy. We met up with him and Patty often when we took the boat to Bradenton to do Sarasota Bay. Wishing and praying for a speedy recovery. We moved from Orlando to Matlacha Island in June of last year and planned to pop up there to visit him until the Great Isolation hit us. Thanks @Debadoo for keeping us posted.

So sad about your doggie @mattiem. Our doggies are are such special members of our family, it is soul-wrenching to have to let them go. Love and hugs and guiding light.

As for me, I have stopped writing and started painting. I have painted 45 paintings from August 2018. The last 3ftX4ft seascape burned me out so I have been making and painting art stones. I am also making hypertufa pots for succulents and draped pots for my garden. We planted a Meyer lemon tree today to go with our Mango and lime trees. Greg has been totally rewiring his brother's charter boat and doing some updates, so he has kept busy these past few weeks. He's retired now but never stops working. He's also turning wooden and acrylic pens.

May 13th is my 5th vapeiversary. I've gone from 24% to 6% nic. I have only vaped violet flavor for the past three years. I have a HUGE box of flavors I have never used or used little of. I finally settled on a simple concoction after many recipes. I also have a couple of REOs and mini REOs. I don't know what the rules are now, but if anybody needs them, let me know. (sknicholls1) that's a Gmail address.

Please do come by and visit if you are ever in the Ft. Myers/Cape Coral area. Matlacha is just over the bridge on the way to Pine Island. We would love to visit once the Great Isolation is resolved.

Stay safe and be well. ❤ Love and hugs. We miss you.

 

[misswish1]

@mattiem

So good to see you again, you have been much missed! I'm so sorry about your baby, such a hard time for you guys. It sounds like you are staying busy and enjoying life, good for you! Please stop in whenever you can.

 

[misswish1]

@seapeach

You are a busy lady, too! I enjoyed your writing, thank you. Would love to see your art. What is a draped pot? Glad to see you here again, please drop in again.

 

[seapeach]

@seapeach

You are a busy lady, too! I enjoyed your writing, thank you. Would love to see your art. What is a draped pot? Glad to see you here again, please drop in again.

A draped pot is made by mixing Portland cement, s-type mortar, vermiculite, sphagnum peat moss, and pearlite and water, then saturating the fabric, like terry cloth, in the mixture and draping it over a cheap plastic flower pot as a mold. You can create some really cool things. Here is an examp0le pic (It's not mine) Mine are to be painted with iridescent flip paints in blue/purple trimmed in white. My garden has an ocean theme. Here are a few of my paintings:

Okay.....several, not a few....Oh, I have so many and I can never decide which are the best because just like with writing, what one person loves another can't stand.

I have fun with it and it keeps me busy and focused on things that are beautiful in these trying times. The problem now is that I have no more room on the walls, so I had to quit painting pictures until I sell some.

I need to set up a website or something. There are art galleries all around me but they all want 50% of sales, PLUS exclusivity, meaning you cannot sell your work in a 50-mile radius, including commissions.

 

[misswish1]

Your draped pots are intriguing! And love your paintings, wow. Thank you for letting us enjoy your art.