MORNING ROLL CALL! ! ! November - December CLOSED

[DaveMcK]

Good Morning to the Front Porch and Welcome to November 2019 Goodbye October. 

Hoping everyone has a great First Day November. 

[Frozenoem]

@MsStretch 

Thanx I'm not allowed to move much until Dec. 4🤬. Height can be a bugger at times.

38* and clouding up, preparing for an onslaught of weather. Glad I won't be going further than a quarter mile up the road.

Minor nor'easter or dumping of 9"+ coming. Thankfully no. 3 foot snows for  awhile. Although Monday promises to be more fun.

Hope all enjoy their  travels, family and  eats.

Froze

[catwoman500]

Hi, Everyone,

We have a gorgeous day here today... sunny and 57 degrees.

Had our school breakfast this morning and then stopped at the Dollar Tree. You might have thought it was December 26th with all the people in there buying Christmas stuff!

@LydiaN586309 ...National Cake Day? Sounds like a good reason to celebrate. Guess we are going to have to loosen our belts in the next few days or...

Happy Cake Day. Happy Thanksgiving!

[n566192l]

Greetings,

Just wanted to share with you that AC Moore is closing stores.

Catwoman500, I know AC is closing stores in NJ. Not sure about your area. I do know that teachers spend their own money in the classroom. Just wanted to let you know so you can pass it on to any teachers.

Everyones post about having your Fat Pants Ready is so true. Just great. Stay safe and warm and take care of yourself Nancy

[Frozenoem]

It's snowing 28* and perhaps expecting 6-7" , tonight maybe more. Small flakes generally mean a little more, when it ends.

 I'm wearing an exo-skeleton, Seemed to have over tweaked back on last oopsie.

Think snow removal will be sometime Monday perhaps, dependent. Need to work up nerve and pain relief, then I'll check out snowblowing.

Figured out how to feed fire and load stove without bending👍. Carry wood , etc👍 Had a that should work moment in the garage - pulp hooks work.

Pulp hook

Hope everyone is enjoying their days, need coffee and more wood.

Froze

[n566192l]

Greetings,

Well, I finally got my maintenance people to believe me that my front yard was bubbling. Thank goodness, my neighbor had an iPhone and look a video. The maintenance guys told me it was rain water, and there was no bubbling.

So I did the only thing I could do, float a big yellow ducky in the pond. Well, the broken pipe was fixed. The water in Alfred Vail was off for hours. Today, I found another bubbling spot on my front yard. Just glad my dogs are not here and are safe. Plus, Shrewsbury TWP is responsible for the pipes and repairs. I have an insurance policy through USAA in case I need to move out while work is being done. Just wish the maintenance guys would believe me when I said my yard bubbling. 

Just raining here. I'm watching the bubbling from my yard. I put a big pink flamingo in the pond on my yard.  My neighbor took another video, so we are all good 👍

[catwoman500]

Good morning, Porch Peeps.

It’s 37 degrees, feeling like 28, raw and raining. It started raining last night and still continues. Luckily when I went to the grocery store earlier, it was only a mist, but now it is back to steady rain. It’s a shame because there is a big marathon in Philly today and today is the day of the huge Hatboro Christmas parade right here in our little town. It starts at 2:00 so I hope the rain stops by then.

@LydiaN586309 ...just reading what you did today makes me want to take a nap!

For those of you remembering my pumpkin pie yen, I have news. I bought a pie today and intend to have a piece later. I can’t wait. Just the aroma coming from the box is intoxicating.

Hope everyone is safe, warm, and happy.

I'm so ready for this!

[catwoman500]

PS...Just posted my message, stood up and looked out the window and it is POURING... SNOW! Big fat juicy flakes. A bit unexpected I'd say!!!

[LydiaN586309]

That's me right now.

Good Morning, Everybody!

We're expecting a heatwave here today--43 degree high.  Yippee!  No snow and no rain.  Clicking my heels together.....in my mind only.  But I'm happy for the break in the weather overall.

Hope everyone has good weather, a great Friday, and an even better weekend!

Enjoy,

Lyds

[DaveMcK]

Good evening to everyone on the Front Porch on this Thursday in November 2019. 

Hamilton was great last night! The acting was marvelous and the costuming was spectacular! I would highly recommend that if the play comes into your area that you go. It will be in Madison until December 8th which shows how popular it is as a normal run for a Broadway Play in Madison is 5 to 6 days.

• No one could have predicted that a hip-hop-infused musical based on the life of Alexander Hamilton would be Broadway’s hottest ticket, but Hamilton—which Lin-Manuel Miranda wrote over the course of six years—is sold out through next year. Here are a few things you might not have known about Miranda’s take on the life and times of the first Secretary of the Treasury.
• IT WAS INSPIRED BY RON CHERNOW’S BIOGRAPHY OF HAMILTON.
• Not long after his show In the Heights won four Tony Awards in 2008, Lin-Manuel Miranda went on vacation. Before he left, he picked up a biography called Alexander Hamilton. “I was just browsing the biography section. It could have been Truman,” he told 60 Minutes. “I got to the part where a hurricane destroys St. Croix, where Hamilton is living. And he writes a poem about the carnage and this poem gets him off the island.”
• “That is part and parcel with the hip-hop narrative: writing your way out of your circumstances, writing the future you want to see for yourself,” Miranda told The New York Times. “This is a guy who wrote at 14, ‘I wish there was a war.’ It doesn’t get more hip-hop than that.”
• Miranda recalled to Vogue that “I Googled ‘Alexander Hamilton hip-hop musical’ and totally expected to see that someone had already written it. But no. So I got to work.”

Some rain last night and cloudy today!

[LydiaN586309]

Good morning, Peepers!

Just had my first cup of coffee this morn and just re-lit my fireplace.  I'm keeping the daylight out by keeping my room-darkening blinds closed--just trying to extend the peace and quiet of the night  a little while longer.  So yeah, "coffee do your magic!"

Anyway @DaveMcK, I know you must have had a great time at the play Hamilton last night.  Hopefully, if it ever comes my way, I'll be up to going to see it.  Haven't been to a play in years, but I used to love, love, love the whole "going-to-the-theatre" thing. Maybe later or again one day.

@catwoman500and @LaDolceVita, I hear you both about getting the Shingles vaccine, but I'm not getting it because I've already had Shingles maybe five or six years ago and I believe that it is unlikely that I would have a reoccurrence.  Plus, I've had no good luck with those "preventative" shots like for the flu, etc.  So I'll just try to keep myself as strong and healthy as possible and keep on pushing (without a walker mind you).  Smile.

Morning, @Frozenoem!  Hope your fires are stoked and you're keeping warm and feeling better and better.  Brrrrrr....winter!

I've got one more day and then my weekend starts.  Now, that this early winter has set in, I'll probably be spending another weekend in hibernation.  The other day I went out and purchased several cases of Duraflame logs and I already had enough dry wood; enough to keep my fireplace burning for the next few weeks.  So weekend....I'm ready for ya!

So I'm signing off for now.

Second cup of coffee setting in........

 

Be good, Peepers!

Lyds

[Frozenoem]

@LydiaN586309 

I'm alive , temp is hot and yet, I'm freezing. 38* and cloudy, coffee, expresso not cutting through the fog that has settled in my valley.

Stove is burning yes, need to get wood from garage but, not looking forward to it. Back brace and pain relievers don't play nicely together.

I thought rib breaks or sternum, were painful, boy was I wrong. Lower lumbar now, that's real pain.

Feed the fire, and then try to standup, not fun. Think I'll try Kopi Luwak Coffee for a bounce blast, might work.

Froze

[catwoman500]

Hello, All,

@DaveMcK ...sure hope you enjoyed Hamilton!

It's 52 and sunny here so I decided today was the day to close up the front porch.

So now I am recovering with my friend "Joe" (in a mug). I should probably take some Aleve because I know I'll feel it tomorrow. But...the table and all but one of the chairs are covered and I vacuumed the cement. It looks sad...like a ship in mothballs. I did leave one chair uncovered just in case we get a freak warm day and I can go out and sit.

@LydiaN586309 ...I thought the same thing about the Shingles so asked the doc if i still needed the Shingrix, and he said yes, so...following his advice.

Hard to believe a week from today is Thanksgiving! Time flies!

Stay safe and warm.

YES, Time flies!

[DaveMcK]

Good Tuesday morning to everyone on the Front Porch!  I had the Shigrix shot with no real issues. Sorry that others here have. Mary had shingles a few years ago and it was no picnic so the shots are worth it! Not much going on here.

The Wintery mix went South of the Madison area. We have tickets for Hamilton tomorrow night at the Overture Center. Hoping everyone has a great day!

[LydiaN586309]

Hello Peepers,

It's been c-o-l-d and with bursts of sunshine this weekend.  It's 21 degrees right now this morning.  They say we may have a "warm up" to maybe 37 degrees. But I have been burrowed in this house like a hibernating bear.  Been doing little of nothing more than eating, sleeping, and resting....

Last night, I lit the fireplace and enjoyed the quiet burning light of the fire and it's warmth. 

I curled up on the sofa and watched one Hallmark Christmas movie after another and then got hooked on a Chicago PD marathon.  Great TV show!  Fell asleep.

Awake and up this morning.  The fire is out in the fireplace.  Peeped outside and the sun is trying to make a comeback.  I plan on going out today.  But think I'll have another cup first and then decide.

To Everybody on the Front Porch,

Lyds

[Frozenoem]

17* and sunny on this Sunday.

@LydiaN586309 

Really hear you on joy of discovering fire has gone out, happened this morning to me.

Tossed a log in stove, raked coals and it's back. Problem being put stove/chimney cleaner in on embers and took a quick seat on stove surround.

Saved by Celis' Sealy Posturepedic mattress sample, when back goes ,storm within the next 7-10 days.

Think I'll be vegetating for awhile. After DD coffee brews.

Froze

[LydiaN586309]

That's all for now!

[catwoman500]

Good morning all,

@LaDolceVita ...Shringrix still not widely available around here. I've been on my CVS call list for ages, and when I go in I still ask. Not looking forward to getting it, but after having a mild case 2 years ago, I don't want it again. 

This morning it is 36 feeling like 30; a little milder than it has been this past weekend.

Saturday night we went to our last play for the season…(one of my favorite Christmas movies). They put on A Christmas Story and although I knew I’d enjoy it, there were some unexpected events. This theater group performs in a playhouse that used to be a huge barn. There have been a lot of upgrades though including heating and AC and renovated bathrooms. However, a few minutes before the intermission, the fire alarm went off and the guy playing the adult Ralphie narrating the story rolled his eyes and said, “This happened last week, too. We have to evacuate the building.” So there we went out in the cold for about 15 minutes until the fire marshall arrived and checked it out. Back in we go and 20 minutes later it happened again. This time they just disconnected the system and we stayed put. Amazing that the actors were able to just pickup and carry on. Then it came time for Ralpie’s father to light the tree and of course the tree didn’t light. Actors and audience just started laughing. He turns to the audience and says, “What else can go wrong tonight?” Just pretend the tree is lit. The show was great as it always is and we at least left with smiles on our faces.

Sunday was the grocery store and Ebay auctions for me. Rather uneventful.

Tonight meeting some friends for dinner.

Hope everyone is coping with whatever weather you have. Stay warm.

We advise wearing hats!

[LaDolceVita]

Hi folks.  About 16 hours of sickness from the Shingrix so it was not so bad.  Funny, pharmacist wanted to give me a flu shot at the same time.  I know better than that.  @catwoman500  The pharmacies here went over a year w/o being able to keep them in stock and they are still running out periodically.

It has warmed up again after hitting an overnight low of 21 during the cold spell.  I am still without help other than hospice and staying way too busy.  I find caregivers sent by the agencies to be more intrusion than help so I just muddle along.  I prioritize, if it does not have to be done, it will not be.  Will know in a month whether mom's companion will be able to return, her  maximum 100 day rehab will come to an end.

[DaveMcK]

Good morning to everyone on the Front Porch on this Friday morning in November 2019. We are looking at a chance of reaching 40* for the first time in a while. We should have some melting of our last snowfall. 

We will be visiting some of our friends this morning. Wayne has been battling cancer for several years and has been in and out of the hospital for 8 weeks now.

I'm not sure how he has been able to deal with all of the therapy over the years.  

I'm hoping that everyone has a great weekend and hoping we can return to Fall weather for a while. 

[MsStretch]

Two more nights of installing Christmas joy overnight.  Working outdoors in the 20s suck!  Even with my baselayer rated for frigid and assorted fleecy mid-layers and windbreaker outer layers and neck/face gaiter and faux-furry Klondike hat, it is COLD. 💨

🎅 Ho ho ho. 'Tis the season.  (Or so they say.  At this point, I say "Bah humbug".)

Keep warm, everyone!

[Frozenoem]

Morning still🤣 it's hot outside 40* and cloudy.

@MsStretch 

Almost forgot about your being an elf in Winter, Xmas decorations at malls.

can suggest with a link to boot to happiness at least for me, good to around -20*. Finnish/German/Austrian winter pants surplus. Otherwise call local milsurplus stores and try them on first.

https://colemans.com/finnish-military-wool-pants

In my hiking days to camp, they kept me toasty for the 10 miles in. Hardly fashionable bu t, very warm and waterproof.

After 40+ years actually 👀 ing for another pair, if I ever find right waist and length. Coleman's doesn't mind running a tape down inseam for tall folks.

Otherwise it's back to Walls Work bib overalls, comfy too--40*. 

Spent fun weekend on my knees with a water Ram jet, defrosting with hot water at -30* a septic tank inlet pipe in 2001. Not enough snow cover before deciding to return to DOD status.

Flush toilets rock🤣.

Sorels pac boots with felt liners and wool socks good to -40* , no problem. Or Merrill insulated goretex hiking boots.

Layers are good, and your always spot on.Wool and polypropylene - rock for warmth.

@DaveMcK 

Check out Stat for your friend, new advances always ,former neighbor had Stage 4 prostate 

, total remission for 4 years.

Presently enjoying year round golf on West coast of FL, think he tired of freezing his posterior off. Will post link when it hits inbox - it's a Boston Globe affiliate for medical research.

Froze

[DaveMcK]

@Frozenoem Wayne has been battling 4 different types of cancer over the years. 

He has seen several doctors over the years that have given him several types of treatments.  His doctors now are partnered with UW Madison University hospital.  They are some of the best doctors in the country. The next treatment they are looking at could destroy his kidneys which have minimal function now. He also now has a cancer in his red corpuscles and a couple of other issues they have not figured out yet. He has been in the hospital for 17 days over the last 8 weeks. 

Dave

[Frozenoem]

@DaveMcK 

He's actually at one of the better oncology facilities, they rate right up along side Dana Farber and others.

Mentioning it now, in case brain misfires in morning, one of those years😎.

Take care, wish him luck 

Froze

[LaDolceVita]

HI folks.  Had the new Shingrix shot to add to my other troubles.  I feel really crummy with teeth chattering, low grade fever general malaise.  And I have to have a booster in a couple of moths.  Yikes. 

[Frozenoem]

@LaDolceVita 

According to ex-side effects only made life hades like for 2-3 days. She didn't enjoy the aches or teeth chattering either.

Toasty 16* feels like 2*, if it above -15* it's a heat wave.

Looking forward to more like November temps next week, won't even mind the snows that could come with them, beats ice.

Only other news is our spinning disks in the rivers up North are reappearing. AKA down East, took a long while to discover why down East was Nor'East of me.

https://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2019/11/14/another-floating-ice-disk-emerges-maine-caught-video-ha...

Time to play in the wood box.

Froze

[LydiaN586309]

Good morning, Front Porchers!

Coffee, coffee, coffee.  There!  I have spoken my To Do List for today.  Smile.  Really though, I am awake and up and counting my blessings this day.  And most importantly since it is Veterans' Day, I am thinking of our veterans and am thankful for their service and sacrifice.  

For those who were drafted during our past wars..."Thank You!"  And for those who gave of themselves and voluntarily joined to keep our land safe and free..."Thank You!"  And for those men and women who are right now defending America at home and abroad, I say to them..."Thank You All!" I'm truly glad there are folks out there who are willing to do the thing I could not/cannot do.  

To my uncle Lee who served some eleven years in the army and is now long gone and to all vets everywhere, I say simply...

Happy V-D Peepers!!!

Lydia

[LydiaN586309]

It's still snowing................

[Frozenoem]

Morning all, It seems to be snowing up here, confusing weather reports.

Think I'm getting another 5-8" before it ends, and gets colder around 9*, presently 21*.

I'll play outside later today, need to test snowblower out, after it stops snowing.

Yep, still get excited with first snowfall, round about the 10-15 foot mark it WILL become will this never end🤣.

Froze

[catwoman500]

Good morning, All,

Wow...what a change in the weather. A real roller coaster ride. Yesterday I had a few windows open for a while. Hope all the veterans had a wonderful day.

Woke up today and it was still 50 with rain. As I was getting ready to go to the post office it started to flurry. It did make me smile because I know it's not going to stick. It's very windy and in just a few hours it has dropped to 34 and feels like 25. It will only get lower during the day.

I got my parka ready to wear out to lunch. Brrr! Found my cane spike and attached it so I'm ready just in case.

"Feels like" temps tomorrow AM will be 0-15 degrees in this area! Temperature records will be broken!

So glad there is coffee in the world!

Thank you, Coffee!

You all hang in there! N.

[Frozenoem]

Morning Wednesday 17* Windy and sunny -2* windchill day, just started fire.

Made coffee Dunkin luxury and watching Impeachment hearings.

Hope all are enjoying the day, I'm attempting to stay in and get somethings done.

Froze