MORNING ROLL CALL May 2025

[DaveMcK]

MORNING ROLL CALL May 2025

Top of the morning to everyone on this First day of

May 2025 

Happy Birthday to all of our MAY Birthday members.

[DaveMcK]

Homes Destroyed Amid Wisconsin Severe Storms

The Brief Storms swept across Wisconsin on Thursday, leaving significant damage. A tornado hit Dodge County. 

The Dodge County Sheriff's Office said many streets and highways are closed due to power lines and trees being down.

The sheriff's office tells FOX6 News some people lost their homes.

We definitely are seeing the affects of climate change!

We are expecting more stormy weather today.

[MsStretch]

@LaDolceVita , good luck to hubby and you with his knee surgery.

I actually love MyChart (and the others) as opposed to old-fashioned methods.  I can check in online, view all my records from various doctors as they can mine, not have to physically schlep files and records to this doctor or that doctor.  And I get test results as soon as they become available.

@LisaS961881, you can probably still print out your files for your use. 

[LaDolceVita]

Hello folks.  I have been quiet lately because hubby is having total knee replacement surgery in about 10 days.   This requires enourmous amounts of time with dr appointments and all kinds of computer time to fill out redundant forms, watch redundant videos.   I wish I had told them that I do not have internet access and cannot get texts!!!  

All is well otherwise.  For the Porch Ladies only:  I had hormone balancing done by a functional physician with good results.  What I mean is, I had a saliva test which indicated I had high estrogen levels for my time in life, desirable for bone building.   Very low progesterone,  which is not good for someone who has not had a hysterectomy.  Very low in cortisol and other hormones related to energy levels.  I began the hrt  4 weeks ago and feel better, with much more energy.  Thought I would share because I debated with myself whether to pursue this kind of medicine for almost a year.  

[LisaS961881]

….. I just wanted to reach out and ask how the knee replacement surgery went.  Hope the recovery is going well. I’m sending positive thoughts your way! 🌈

~ Lisa

[LisaS961881]

I am so glad that you’ve had positive results with your HRT!  I found myself nodding in agreement as I read how you took your time when making the decision about this. 

i hope that all goes well with your husband, and will keep him in my thoughts and prayers.  

I did smile when I read about you being bombarded with emails and videos.  I do have to admit that I still am adjusting to having all of my medical info available online.  At the risk of showing my age, I prefer paper documents in a folder - so I can highlight portions as well as use post-it’s. 😇

Enjoy the day!  I hope it is sunny and warm there!  My weeping cherry tree is in full bloom, so it must be Spring.  💐☀️🌸

~ Lisa

[LaDolceVita]

@LisaS961881  I really appreciated your post.  HRT is still a taboo & controversial subject.  @MsStretch   I do not mind the mychart kind of stuff, like those immediate test results.  I have been bombarded by  emails with "assignments" from the surgeon's office.  The "homework" was mostly videos to watch, tons of stuff to print off.  The written information was redundant at best, contradictory at worst!  I guess you did not have this happen when you had surgery?  It was downright weird.

[DaveMcK]

We are having a family dinner out this noon. Tomarrow we are going to an Easter brunch at the dinning room here tomarrow.

[DaveMcK]

With a strong storms hitting our area there has been areas with large hail damaging cars, roofs and siding. Some hail was as large as golf balls with some pieses as large as 2".

[SpringIsHereVA]

I have deleted my comment. Nicole  👵

[papawofboo]

This is what I was taught and done for years. If the pot has drainage holes then no rocks, in fact you should water a plant until the water comes out of the planter. I put a saucer under the plants that I have sitting on a shelf to keep the dirt from getting on stuff. Plus any water is drawn back up though the pot. If the planter doesn't have a hole then put rocks in bottom so that water will go below the soil. By the end of the season the plant will need to be repotted, or the root rot will take place. To me these planters are for inside because you don't want water running through pot onto floor or table. I don't buy planters without holes, just too much trouble.

[LisaS961881]

Good Morning Nicole!

   Your post made me smile because I truly needed to read about Spring things being that it’s snowing up here! 😮

     I do watch to see that my container plants don’t “get their feet wet”.  I don’t use rocks at the bottom of my pots/containers.  However, we did have a mild drought up here last summer, and I slid dishes under the containers when it did rain - but only for a day - to give the dry soil a chance to sop up that water.  My guess is that maybe in certain situations/climates rocks at the bottom do serve a purpose, but I’m just speaking from my own limited experience.

     My one indoor plant that detests getting its feet wet is my Christmas Cactus !

….to offset my “bleh” feeling at seeing the wet snow clumping down, I dabbed Lily of the Valley oil at my jawline pulse points - I feel better already! 🌸

~ Lisa

[MsStretch]

@LisaS961881 , I had a 2009 Tacoma (which I bought new) with about 200K on it, but last October, it got rejected during its annual inspection for rust on the frame which basically sounded the death knell on it. 😢 They suggested I could get it block welded and I did check with a few body shops, but no one wanted to touch it.  It probably wouldn't have been worth the cost anyway, so it was time to bid farewell.

The flowers are nice, but I really love the skeleton family with all the fur babies. 😄 There are a couple of houses in the area (including one across street) that have giant skeletons up year round, and dress them according to the season/holiday.  Right now, they are sporting bunny ears.  Here is a picture of the one across street.  The other one about a mile from here is humongous!

------Mr. Bones is in the Easter spirit.

I have a couple of cat skeletons and was thinking of putting them out with little bunny ears and maybe colored eggs too. 

@SpringIsHereVA , speaking of cats, yes, they definitely shed when it gets warmer and they even get mats which hopefully, they usually can groom themselves, although a brush definitely helps the process.  Giorgio has long fur, so he can be a mess sometimes.  His mama, not so much.  When I had indoor cats, I wore cat hair.  A friend (with cats) gave me a canvas bag that says "Cat Hair Both a Condiment and Fashion Accessory".  I love that bag!  I don't worry about hairballs, since they're outside and if they puke, so be it.

Willie Mae showed up with her 2 kids in tow in 2016.  We think Willie Mae had her babies in an abandoned trailer at a house next door and then, when the homeowner discovered them, she moved them to under my deck.  She may have had more, but only 2 survived.  Yes, they were absolutely TNR'd.  The boys were fairly easy to trap once they became old enough to fix, but Willie Mae proved elusive.  She would NOT go near the trap no matter how well we tried to disguise it. AND she was a priority, since we already knew she could pump out kitties. Finally, we got her trapped in a shed and my neighbor put on a Carhartt jacket with leather gloves duct taped to the sleeves and I had on leather gloves to hold the trap and door open and he manhandled her screaming and fighting into the cage. Impossible mission accomplished!

And lastly, about weights and exercise -- yes, I have weights, a weight bench, exercise bands -- I am even typing this on my desktop sitting on a exercise ball.  My rule of thumb is when I am watching TV or Netflix or whatever, that I also need to be doing something -- whether it be pumping out bicep curls, tricep dips, leg lifts, etc.  Of course, I love hiking and bushwhacking can be a challenge -- climbing over, crawling under fallen trees, boulders, rocky and steep terrain.  I don't walk around the neighborhood because the furkids would follow me.  So we go on walkabouts and runarounds on the property.  I stick in my Airpods and we're off on epic "adventures".

[LisaS961881]

….Sounds like you had an old friend too! 🙂. I think you made the right decision to bid farewell.  Being that I’ve had my Tacoma for 20 years, that it’s only the third vehicle that I have ever owned, and that so many who once sat in the passenger seat are no longer with here, I promised myself not to “throw good money after bad” if something major goes wrong.  I’ll admit it is an emotional attachment - this truck got me home safe and sound through countless snowstorms too.
    Oh gosh - thanks for sharing the skeleton with bunny ears!  I should try something like that.  Last Halloween it made me smile when a group of parents with their four and five year olds came to my door.  The kids ran up to pet all of the dog, cat and kitten skeletons!  It was sweet.

     (I noticed that, in your photo, the skeleton is attached to a slim plant hanger, which is a great idea.  While my skeleton was tied to the trellis with fishing line, I just realized that I could get a tall thin tomato stake and place a standing skeleton pretty much anywhere! )

 ~ Lisa

[SpringIsHereVA]

I have deleted my comment. Nicole  👵

[LisaS961881]

I miss your gardening posts Nicole!

I wanted to share that I saw the first Monarch Butterfly of the season yesterday.  I figure planting more pollinators helped! 😀

I also wanted to share a photo of an Iris that a friend gifted me with last year.  It’s in full bloom and made me smile this morning!

~ Have a great weekend everyone! 🌈🌸🏠🪺🪴

[papawofboo]

Only one has broke ground. Hope the warm weather in forecast will wake up the rest of them. I have 2 other plants that didn't handle the bad weather so well. Should have the final tally after next week on those that are going to make it. 

[SpringIsHereVA]

I have deleted my comment. Nicole  👵

[LisaS961881]

Nicole,

   I started doing core exercises and upping my daily yoga when I turned 65.  I’ve seen quite a change in my range of motion and stability.  I use little ten pound weights when I am walking.….and I had to smile at the description of your “old lady”!  My “Vinnie” is a 2004 Tacoma with 337,000 miles - I consider him an old friend.😺

~Lisa

[MsStretch]

@SpringIsHereVA , Sorry to hear about Mrs. G, but you have pretty much assumed caretaker duties for Mister, anyway, right?  Sometimes cats will get an attitude with people they knew, but haven't seen for awhile, and after the initial snub, they will come around and all will be forgiven. I had a cat who always greeted me at the door when she heard the car.  But on the occasion where I was gone for several days and someone else was catsitting the brood, she would still be at the front door, but once she saw me, she would promptly about-face and walk away totally ignoring me.  After a sufficient time of giving me the cold shoulder on purpose, she would eventually forgive me and all was forgotten.  Just her way of telling me she wasn't happy I had taken off.

[SpringIsHereVA]

I have deleted my comment. Nicole  👵

[papawofboo]

Have not checked lately. First we had the flood, 14+ inches in 4 days. Houses floating down the river, people being taken from home in boats, and happy tow truck drivers making money pulling dumb peoples cars out of flooded areas. Then for some reason ole man winter yelled out, 'I'm back". Temps in low 40's and lion wind of March blowing. On top of all this I have to listen to my wife say, "Ann (her friend) said never plant until after Easter." Back to your question, I don't think I'm going to be that lucky.☂️😫

[SpringIsHereVA]

I have deleted my comment. Nicole  👵

[LisaS961881]

Nicole,

   I’ve started all of them, and, so far, success!

On a different note, I keep forgetting to share that I so empathize having loud, inconsiderate “upstairs” neighbors.  Years ago, I lived in a condo complex and was very content until the unit above me was sold to someone who alternately blared their television or turned up their music so loud that the walls vibrated.  Even donning earplugs, I often couldn’t sleep. It was disheartening and beyond frustrating.

~ Lisa

[SpringIsHereVA]

I deleted my comment. Nicole  👵

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[LisaS961881]

Hi Nicole!

Gosh yes - my seedlings are all indoors.  We hit a low of 26 degrees up here!

Today we have a single day of respite - cold, but bright and sunny with crisp, dry air. ☀️

 ~ Lisa

[SpringIsHereVA]

I deleted my comment. Nicole  👵

---

[LisaS961881]

  Hi Nicole!

     I don’t have a greenhouse.  I start my seedlings in the basement under a plant light.

     In the past, I did grow or buy floral annuals, but now I am too cheap to do so. 😌.  For three years now, I have been cheating and placing Dollar Tree plastic/fabric flowers within my “real” plants and nobody is the wiser.  I cut apart the DT floral picks/clusters, and then remove the leaves, which always seem to be an unnatural color.

   Then I stick just a few stems within my ivy, hosta and other green plants.  It is the same look, but it lasts for years, and I am getting a tad lazy as I get older.  
  ~ Lisa

[SpringIsHereVA]

I deleted my comment. Nicole  👵

[LisaS961881]

Nicole,

  I found a photo from last year.  Every flower you see here is from Dollar Tree!