Older Folks and Vaping Back Porch - Part Seven

[DancingHeretik]

I'm not as upset as I was when I first realized that my brother was probably going to die before me. But, it's going to take a long time for it to sink in completely.

My brother was pretty much a male version of me. We were SO much alike.

 

[Janet H]

I'm not as upset as I was when I first realized that my brother was probably going to die before me. But, it's going to take a long time for it to sink in completely.

My brother was pretty much a male version of me. We were SO much alike.

My heart aches for you. The only thing you can do is let it marinate in your mind, but be mindful to balance the sadness with the good stuff. As a wise man said to us during our darkest days, "you won't always feel this bad". It's true.

One thing that has helped me is that I still talk to my parents, my father especially. I feel him near me when I do that and it's comforting. That may sound weird to some, but it helps me.

 

[DancingHeretik]

My heart aches for you. The only thing you can do is let it marinate in your mind, but be mindful to balance the sadness with the good stuff. As a wise man said to us during our darkest days, "you won't always feel this bad". It's true.

One thing that has helped me is that I still talk to my parents, my father especially. I feel him near me when I do that and it's comforting. That may sound weird to some, but it helps me.

No, it doesn't sound weird at all.

 

[Janet H]

Anybody else scaling down Christmas this year? We finally settled on both our kids and their kids will come here the day after Christmas and that's it. We're just going to put up the pencil tree and the mantle is decorated. Mike did put up the lights outside. I've ordered gifts online, but we also have 3 birthdays in December - what poor planning for those kids!! We'll probably make one trip to the toy store tomorrow, but that's it. I'm hoping our daughter will be able to come here one day so we can bake cookies together at least. She could use the break and I could use the help.

 

[DavidOck]

Hah, Bumbug.

Yes, scaled back some. We'll be skipping our "Santa" run and no gatherings at all. But we'll still "decorate" some of the smaller trees outside with sparkly things. Inside, well, there's a constant rotation of lights year round to fit the season. And other decorations as well.

 

[Uncle]

Honesty, long story short, although I come from what some people refer to as a large family (7 siblings + their families) any holiday for "Me" has been scaled-down for decades, especially Christmas - not just this year. And - Now that the tenants where I live are no longer allowed to decorate the windows outside our apartments, which I did more often then inside for the past few years, NOT NICE .. . However, I still do celebrate the holidays in "My" own special way and wish everyone a JOYFULL CELEBRATION . . . Just Sayin' . . .



.

 

[Diver9543]

I'll be putting up the Advent candles as usual.

 

[Janet H]

I was surprised the evening after Thanksgiving when I went out on the deck to bring in the bird feeder. I could see through the trees that all the houses on the street were decorated with lights. It was so pretty and a nice visual to remember the holiday when we can't get together.

 

[DancingHeretik]

My daughter brought home a new Christmas tree tonight.

 

[Janet H]

My daughter brought home a new Christmas tree tonight.

Are you decorated? We haven't brought our tree up yet, but it's a pencil tree so it won't take long to decorate.

Winter arrived today. We actually got a dusting of snow. It was so pretty while it lasted, but the ground was too warm for it to stay. I love the quiet when it snows.

 

[DavidOck]

 

[DancingHeretik]

Are you decorated? We haven't brought our tree up yet, but it's a pencil tree so it won't take long to decorate.

Winter arrived today. We actually got a dusting of snow. It was so pretty while it lasted, but the ground was too warm for it to stay. I love the quiet when it snows.

Yes, she bought lights and such at the same time. It was done in minutes.

She had wanted to put lights in the trees and the house. But, she went the lazy way. She just put lights in the bushes and bought a little Christmas themed projector thingy to show Christmas lights onto the front of the house.

Quick and simple. A lot better than not getting it done at all.

 

[DavidOck]

 

[Janet H]

Whoa, we're supposed to get 6-10" of snow with wind starting Wednesday morning into Thursday ending with sleet. Hmmm, our 2-4" today turned out to be nothing. Started as rain this morning, turned to huge fluffy flakes for 10 minutes and ended as rain with no trace of snow anywhere. It's still cold though so it's definitely turned into winter here.

 

[Janet H]

Well, we did get the 6" of snow with a lot of rain and sleet afterward. Mike has been out snow blowing for quite awhile. It looks pretty out there, but it's too cold to want to be out there. Oh well, this is winter. At least we got some snow and not just ice.

 

[FranC]

17 inches fell here.

 

[r77r7r]

12+ of very heavy sleet laden snow. Brutal!! Need to know how to keep the front down in the snow. Kept wanting to rise up. Mike?

Maybe those fancy plastic shoes I put on the front?

 

[MikeE3]

12+ of very heavy sleet laden snow. Brutal!! Need to know how to keep the front down in the snow. Kept wanting to rise up. Mike?

Maybe those fancy plastic shoes I put on the front?

If you mean a snow blower that wants to rise over the frozen snow under there softer or crusted snow on top. Ain't much you can do except back up a lot and hope then next forwards movement bites in. That or just leave it and come back later on a second pass, sometimes that works.

 

[r77r7r]

If you mean a snow blower that wants to rise over the frozen snow under there softer or crusted snow on top. Ain't much you can do except back up a lot and hope then next forwards movement bites in. That or just leave it and come back later on a second pass, sometimes that works.

TY. Yeah, I think my first gear was faster than liked for this. I'm looking at Weighting the frontend down. 30lb looks like the thing.

Was an exceptional mess up here. Six inches, then sleet for 2hrs, then 6 more inches. Then the plowed junk. The plows gave up after a single pass and never came back or treated. Half of them are out per Covid.

 

[Janet H]

We were lucky around here with only 6". Would have been much deeper without all the sleet, but that makes it so much heavier to clear out. I did go out yesterday and at least the roads were clear and dry. Our SIL was up in Albany NY and said there was 26" there.