Older Folks and Vaping Back Porch-Part Six

[yiddleboge6]

I am going to preface this with.....I had intended to start a new thread on the anniversary date. The post was written and ready to go, but I was in Florida, unable to post it from there, so.....I'm going ahead with it now...a bit late, but before we're into another month......

I have chosen to start a new thread....

To commemorate the 4th Anniversary date of April 21, 2012, when Txtumbleweed started us down the road to the Back Porch with the first thread...... ​

​

With hopes that it will continue on for many more years to come...​

............

To the sixth incarnation of the Back Porch​

Being a charter member from the very first 55 and Older......which split into the two porches, I am honored to carry on what Txtumbleweed started and Mike had so beautifully continued.

For those who weren't fortunate enough to know him, Txtumbleweed was a friend, mentor and great story teller. A person who cared that we older folks had a comfortable place to ask questions, share knowledge, and our vaping journey. When that first thread was moved to the lounge because of too much chit chat and off topic posts......he started the Front and Back Porches, and guided those threads with a gentle hand.

The Front Porch, where posts were to be kept to vaping subjects, so as to keep it in the general discussion area of the forum, where new members to ECF could easily find it. The Back Porch is where we can all hang out, share our stories, pics, music, jokes, important life events, be they happy or sad. Just about any topic......within reason .... can be discussed here

And if you wish to just keep it to vaping......please join in on The Front Porch

Older Folks and Vaping Front Porch - Part Four

We've got a new Back Porch.....so pull out those chairs, rockers, recliners, put your feet up and enjoy. There is no age limit, no ID check....Many have come and gone, but all are WELCOME....and we hope you stay and sit a spell

​

I wish to thank Mike for continuing this Porch that has become a home to many of us...and recently handing me the reins to carry it forward........which I will do for as long as I'm able.



Older People 55 and Up - precursor to Back Porch

Older Folks and Vaping - precursor to Front Porch

Older Folks and Vaping Back Porch - Part 2

Older Folks and Vaping Back Porch - Part Three

Older Folks and Vaping Back Porch - Part Four

Older Folks and Vaping Back Porch - Part Five

 

[2legsshrt]

YeeHaw well the cardiologist said other then the valve they replaced my echo is like a normal echo. He said I may have to have the aortic valve replaced in 5 or 10 years or maybe not at all. The leak is just a little worse but he is pretty sure that if I ever have to have it replaced they will be able to do it through the artery. Really good news. He also said that I should be ok for revision surgery on my stomach but do the Hep C treatment first and see if that makes any diff. If not then I have to have a myocardial perfusion pre surgery to make sure on the heart and then I should be ok. It's some kind of nuclear echo they do with stress. But good news , made my day. So now to get ready to go on our trip. Plus another problem I have this terrible urge to buy some shiney stuff.

 

[Rotowoman]

I am pleased to announce that my boss just asked me to work over for 4 days at the base that I've been working over. I am also extremely pleased to announce that I told him NO. I just can't freaking do it. I've been putting off car maintenance, my maintenance, and MY LIFE. Somebody else is going to have to step up to the plate. This girl needs her time off!!

 

[LittleBird]

Woot! Woot! No evidence of metastatic disease! It hasn't spread!!! (The report was in my patient portal. My heart is going a mile a minute. )
Thank you all for your prayers.

 

[LittleBird]

Some good news. I got the results of my biopsies, this afternoon. The chemo is working!
<insert Iffy's dancing Snoopy>

I start treatments again on the 19th. This news will make it a whole lot easier! Thank you all for your continued prayers. I'm so grateful.

 

[MikeE3]

Welcome one and all to the new Back Porch. It's a great place to kick back and make friends. A lot of us have been hanging on the porch for number of years but if you're new don't let that intimidate you ... please make yourself at home and join us.

Recently a bunch of us met in Bradenton, FL for our Odyssey Week Adventure. It was a grand time getting to meet each other face to face. It was like a family reunion as we knew each other so well from our virtual porch.

Here's the gang:

Back row: Semi-Retired's wife, Classwife, MikeE3, Mrs C, Mattb101, yiddleboge, semi-retired, old broad, Iffy, Debadoo

Middle row: Seapeach's husband, Seapeach, Flowersoul

Sitting: Janet H, Flowersoul's husband

 

[MamaTried]

i regret missing out on the recent potty-fest conversation. i imagine i could have contributed a nugget or two...







on a (hopefully) unrelated note, Torey reminded me that today is my 3 year vapersary-- vaperanisarry-- vaperaniversary

whatever.

3 years seems a long time after a near lifetime of 3 packs a day. (near-lifetime being the operative phrase.)



i post this not to celebrate myself, but to acknowledge what an amazing resource places like ECF in general, the now-defunct Reo forum, and both of these very porches have meant to so many.

y'all deserve a pat on the back

 

[therussellv]

I dont fear crime, someone broke in once, looked around in horror, and left a 20 on the coffee table, and last time my identity was stolen, my credit rating went up 20 points.

Sent from a dark, twisted corner of the back porch, covered in cobwebs and slightly damp.

 

[oldbroad]

WootWoot! The PT was here today...I graduated to standing/squatting exercises ( holding onto the sink edge)...next week , if I behave, I get to start using my fancy fire-engine red cane!!!!




Edit cuz i'm so tickled......I just walked a little way with only one hand on the walker....



another edit cuz i just thought of this...

in a couple of weeks I could be chasing men again!

 

[oldbroad]

Hey folks...

I just have to share the blessings.. one is great and the other one is major!

Today Chey showed up with a box of home-made meals, with the woman... an older friend of hers that works with her...that made it all...stuffed peppers, meatloaf/mashed taters, meat spaghetti, mac n cheese, chili,
chicken enchilada filling, bananas, sweet rolls, mini cinnamon rolls ( Chey musta told her some of the things i like!) I'd never met this woman ever and yet she has such a big kind heart that she spent hours shopping and cooking for me!

She definitely gets a tin of peanut brittle!

The second one from last week....

One day when Chey was here she said she had a message for me from her Dad. Now, we hadn't had anything to do with each other in at least seven years, when his wife, my daughter, assaulted me and destroyed some of my things...I had her arrested and got a restraining order on her...called him a eunich a few times over the years for allowing her to wreak havoc periodically over the years on their children with her drug use/abuse over the years, which she did just a couple of weeks ago.

She's straightened up a little, but still disappears for a few days once or twice a year. His parents get to be with Jazzy ,the other GD, the last few months, but I'm banned. I send her b'day cards/ presents and Christmas cards/presents every year though and Chey says my daughter hasn't destroyed any of them.

Anyway, the message was that I could see Jazzy either at my home or at a restaurant, but he has to be there the first time.Knock me down with a tiny feather!!!! I never thought I'd actually see Jazzy again till she was grown!!!! I'd just told Chey a few weeks ago that if I lived long enough she'd be grown and then I could be with her a lot, and thanks to her, at least she knows a little bit about me.

So Am I blessed? Yes indeed!

If there's a moral to this, I'd have to say...never give up hope!!!!

 

[Rotowoman]

WORK TO LIVE. DON'T LIVE TO WORK.

I had another sweetie tell me the same thing this afternoon. I haven't received any calls yet, and today is Monday, and I was rather expecting it. However, my body and mind are SCREAMING at me to say NO, and I will. I can't take anymore. I just can't.

On another note, I've been pretty much taking it easy here on the island. Because of the bankruptcy and all the other stupid stuff that goes along with it, I don't know how much longer I'll be on this base. They're saying our contract is up in August or October. I don't know which, and don't really care at this point. I'm not lamenting the fact that I may have to leave my beloved island workplace. What I AM doing is going out in the evening on the porch at the OPs building and enjoying the magnificent sunsets over the bayou that runs in the back of the base. This morning I walked up onto the dunes in the back of our living quarters and breathed in peace while enjoying the picture of the full moon shining down on the waters of the Gulf of Mexico. Nobody can EVER take those mental pictures from me.

 

[Janet H]

Wow! What a day we had yesterday. Our daughter was in labor all day, a good deal of it with a drug called pitocin which causes intense contractions when you want to deliver a baby early. Mike and I were in the delivery room the whole time! Finally the little guy was delivered at 9:52 last night. Mom and baby are doing fine. He's not much interested in eating, just snuggling and looking around at his new world. We all could't be happier.

 

[2legsshrt]

Well yesterday was some fun. The place we met up was a typical dive. My kinda place. The drinks were hand poured about 50/50 booze to whatever. People from all walks of life. One guy with a pool Q that said he just brings it to lean on after a few. 60's and 70's Rock music, patio with misters that never hit you. Nice greasy food. We drove by it 3 times before we saw the sign. It was hot yesterday for here about 85. The seating outside was mostly old theater seat pretty beat up. All in all we had a blast. One of the gals had pictures of parties I was at when I was 22 or so. I looked like a baby faced kid with long hair. I don't think there was anyone there under 50. I was the only vaper but lots and lots of smokers. The beer was cold and the drinks were cheap. Everybody was friendly. One guy came over and had to smack fists and then do a Hulk Hogan posture and tell me I was the toughest guy there. He got quite a kick watching me walking around and getting drinks for our group. You know I've noticed this before but I have yet to see over about 1% of the guys that wash their hands after they take a leak. Just amazes me in this day and age. We stayed about 4 hours and then had to fight rush hour traffic coming back up here. Damn the traffic is terrible here around 5pm and this is 30 miles outside of Seattle. It did look over the waterfront which has changed so much. Nothing down there any more. Used to be Scott Paper Mill, Weyerhauser, Fishermans terminal with fish stores you could get fresh fish right off the boats. All gone. A few upscale restaurants down there and a Naval base thats home to one of the Aircraft carriers and supporting ships. The RR yard I used to work at was empty. I think too many big shytes on the hill complained about the noise. Used to be able to walk accross street and get smoked salmon still warm out of the smoker. Fresh crab and shrimp. It was nice to go to a place that really hasn't changed in 50 years other then it is a tavern and back in the day they were only able to sell wine and beer but every place serves everything now. Both our friends looked a lot older but if you closed your eyes and just listened it was like you were transported back to 1970. There were Black folks, Indians, White folk and no one saw anything but a bunch of old people still living in the 70's but looking like they were rode hard and put away wet. It was a blast from the past most fun I've had for years. Everett used to be that kind of place everywhere but the folks at the bar did look like they worked hard all there life but still hanging on to a way of life that they loved.

 

[Flowersoul]

Good morning!

I could have sworn I posted an update last night, but don't see it here! Exhaustion can do that to ya.

Anyway,

Power was resumed about 5ish yesterday! Having electricity is one of those things we take for granted....not any more! Generators are good, but the real thing is better!

We went out to dinner with neighbors and when we returned, voila......so so so relieved!

We're all pretty exhausted and still have a lot of cleanup to do, but there was no damage to the house and our 4 giant live oaks are still miraculously standing tall although a bit thinner. Hurricane windows are dirty but not even a scratch. We have one screen missing from our lanai, but that's it....we are so amazingly blessed!

We were hit here with a Cat3 at low tide which was our saving grace......had it been high tide.....well.......

Feeling mighty grateful that we had a safe home with son in St. Augustine! Downtown St. Augustine is a nightmare!

Texted with Matt and he and Doree should be in Daytona sometime today!

Won't be on much cause we're still pretty busy with cleanup and helping others so will be back when I can.

 

[Myrany]

Well that sherriff did it again this morning, parked in the crosshatching between 2 handicap spots. So I called a city police officer to come ticket the sherriffs car. More than one way to get things done.

 

[oldbroad]

So...finally...i got my lawn taken care of! it was looking like a wild field! And i was so impressed with this man that I paid him an extra $5 and told him that I would do so every time cuz i really appreciate a job well done.

"Sides...he was kinda good eye candy gray hair to the shoulder, cowboy hat n boots.... big body....

"scuse me for a minute, i need a glass of ice water.....

On a cooler note..today I kept catching myself walking a few steps sans walker! I didn't do it deliberately either!

 

[seapeach]

Baby's surgery went well and quickly. Surprised they let mama leave with her. They are at the airport flying home to Orlando. Will follow up with docs here. Not much sleep for any of us tonight, but other granddaughter's recital is today at 1 PM and you know what they say...the show must go on.

 

[seapeach]

Think I'm about ready to graduate to the cane!

WhooHoo! You go girl!!! Fryin' pan's got nothin' on you.

The Wheel Turns Perpetually ..

It does. I am certain, if left up to my son, the dog will be put down.

Our Sashi was bit by another dog when she was a pup

Our Captain, a pug, was bitten in the face by a Jack Russell terrier as a pup. It happened at a dog park where dogs ran leash-less, but no one claimed the dog. Captain never had any issues and remained a waggy tailed little LUV BUG. I do think breed has something to do with it.

All is well, so far. Mama got a nap this morning for a couple of hours. She is healing from a broken foot, which she has had to stand on constantly for two days now holding her toddler, she's exhausted and her emotions are at the surface. She thanks you all for prayers and well wishes. Kira is, of course, very Mama clingy right now. Her face has several superficial scratches and one deep puncture wound they did not stitch, she has a large y-shaped sutured area to the right corner of her lip but the wound edges are well-approximated and the surgeon did a very good job. There is another sutured vertical line and it looks like baby pulled the stitch, but mama takes her to her doc Monday. A small piece of her right eyelid is missing, but the surgeon would not touch it. He says she needs to see an eye doctor for that. All-in-all, she is one lucky little girl.

We had a Happy Birthday dinner for mama at Applebee's after big sis's recital. Jalina was a beautiful ballerina and performed very well. Mama got a new mac book...which she was not expecting, and cried a lot. She's reliving her memories as she processes through what happened and how, but her heart is filled with gratitude. Peace.

 

[seapeach]

Mama is adjusting and baby is adjusting. Kira doesn't remember being hurt and tries to do things she mustn't do...like bap herself in the face with a toy, lay her face on the sofa cushions. Her usual play is interrupted when she hurts herself accidentally causing pain that she doesn't understand. She's picked at the stitches and pulled a couple loose, but mama is taking her to her doc today. All is well beyond that. We are truly grateful. The support has been tremendous and very much appreciated. Out of respect for my daughter and the desire to not debate dog, parenting, or dog owner issues with friends and family, I have not spoken to any friends or family on social media. But I did need support and you all have been terrific and in a most non-judgmental manner. I can't tell you how much that means to me.

 

[umanbean]

Good morning Good Folks!

Long time, no see...

A few months ago, beginning with a solo trip to So. GA to work at my Mom's house for a few days, Real Life shifted into high gear for me! Mom doesn't have WiFi and I am loath to glom onto a neighbor's signal - so in that week, I got out of the habit of coming here almost-daily, which rather quickly morphed into not spending any leisure time on a computer at all - just not enough time/energy to go around.

My son graduated Tech School last week (in the top of his class ... he missed honor roll by 0.6, with a 96.4 gpa), my daughter graduates high school next weekend (5th in her graduating class , so honor roll for sure), and my Mom has needed me a lot more often lately - she's "slowing down" noticeably, and more rapidly than I would've thought. She's quit doing yard work, quit going to her Sorority Sister luncheons, quit going to her church Wed. Senior day luncheons, quit going to my nieces' house to babysit her great-grandkids (Melissa brings them to her house once a week for part of a day)... she used to be so active, now hardly leaves the house anymore.

The prepping for the graduations - the attendant family gatherings and celebration parties, shopping for and purchasing grad. gifts, and busting my .... to work enough to pay for it all has kept me busier than a long-tail cat in a room fulla rockin' chairs!

Even tho I've been AWOL, I still think of all you good folks daily.

And even tho my absence began well before Odyssey week, I jumped back in and started reading (never liked the term 'lurking') a few days before the beginning of that week, and read daily for ~10 days or so. I wanted so badly to be able to go, but I knew my RL was going into over-drive at about that time, so I stayed out of any conversations about it. However, I did attend vicariously through the excellent photos, vids., and updates from attendees.

In the interest of brevity, more later...

Luv y'all, mean it!... Geno