My Sanity Needed Vents

[KarenK]

I gave up trying to understand my grandchildren a long time ago. I found out recently that my oldest grandson has decided to "come out" as they say. Big surprise, but it's his life. I hope he is happy. What I really don't get is his new look. A Facebook photo shows him with a completely insane expression on his face wearing a stringy straw colored clown wig. Also has adopted a female name. Not the intelligent young man(works in IT) that I remember. I wonder if my daughter is turning in her grave. I also wonder if his father's mental illness has rubbed off.

I am still toothless. Dentures still don't fit, so back to lab. Will try again next week.

[Margm]

Have faith Karen.  Your gums are getting tougher.  Billy's Uncle Chan could eat cracked ice with his gums and corn on the cob.  That oral surgeon (because I didn't want to shell out $9,000 for screw in's) told me to just leave my teeth out then.  You will get a fit.  Billy never had a moment's trouble with his, but we did start on a 900-mile one way vacation, and he had left his teeth at home.  We had just got on interstate when he thought about them.  We turned around. I could have not adapted to the screw-ins because I can only take antibiotics IM.  Too much infection happens.  You're in pain for a long time too, and then to hold them in they put denture coverings.  No guarantee's either.  For $9,000 I expected to at least get free oil checks.   

[KarenK]

Screw ins are super expensive and sound really painful. I'd had enough pain already. Looking forward to eating something besides soup and hamburger meat. It's surprising there are so many things that require teeth to eat.  lol  Fixing a pizza for the guys and a bowl of soup for me really sucks.

I am watching "Heartland". Into Season 2 now. Would watch it for the beautiful scenery, if nothing else.

[Margm]

Billy and I never missed "Heartland."  It is clean, interesting, and may show some of the United States, but think most all of the actors and the scenery is in Canada.  It is beautiful.  Try soft macaroni-and-cheese Karen.  Marshmallow sweets too.  I don't think any on the "keto" diet, but to live, I cannot eat anything on the keto diet.  That colon rupture makes carbs mostly all I can eat.  I sure miss my salads, celery, and those raw vegetable dips.   

[kevin]

That Drug culture is something I've had close exposure to for 45 years.....I can't or don't understand how a Mother/Father can choose drugs over kids and Family......../Throw good careers down the drain, and take advantage of friends, relatives, and the Parents(the easiest ones to fool....Drugs are the Curse of Society...............Karen, the new Pup gets along very good with Zoe the 2 year old ....Pup is a little too aggressive but after 5 days there is piece....They love to play outside together energetically ...Even the young cat plays with him to some extent....(pic of Zoe and Cat)

[kayc]

Oh Karen, I am so sorry.  I turn off my laptop and am in bed by 7...yesterday we were w/o internet and phone all day.  No clue why someone would wear clown hair...nothing to do with being gay.  I guess he's just asserting himself how he sees himself.

Hopefully next time they'll have it right?  My dad's were made in the army, he always ate w/o them.  My sister accepted her ill fitting dentures w/o a word!  Ate without them too.  I had my bridge redone after a year of dissatisfaction.

Kevin, the pup is adorable and I'm glad he's doing well with you guys.

 

[KarenK]

I don't know my daughter's children well at all because of our distance from each other. The most time I've spent around them was the last month before Debbie died. My granddaughter was always immature, but very sweet. My grandson is very intelligent and politically outspoken. My granddaughter had been divorced and remarried for 2 years before I found out through my son's Facebook(which he rarely looks at). Same with these things about my grandson. Sometimes I feel like when I left Kentucky that last time, that they just erased me. I wouldn't even know what to say to them anymore. My bad, I guess but I have many other things to worry over.

Marg, stay safe! I see Louisiana is having bad weather, although it appears to be in the south.

[Margm]

All the bayous, creeks, rivers are overflowing.  Wish we had an underground pipeline to send water to states that need it.  

[kayc]

17 hours ago, KarenK said:

My granddaughter had been divorced and remarried for 2 years before I found out through my son's Facebook(which he rarely looks at).

I just told Melissa's dad (we don't have contact, been divorced nearly 24 years) she was divorced nearly two years...she said she'd told him and he'd even met her BF, shows how much he retains.  Last time I'd seen him was 4 1/2 years ago, at my son's also.

17 hours ago, Margm said:

Wish we had an underground pipeline to send water to states that need it.  

Boy, wouldn't that be great!

Did anyone get to see the eclypse?  Nothing here, no dark sky, zilch.

[Margm]

I saw it on TV.  That was how I wanted to see it.  

 

[kayc]

Urgent prayer request:  I'm having a bid done for the back of my carport to be lifted and replaced...they quoted $2500 before Covid then was told it went up 4-8 times as much, not having $10-$20k laying around I've been waiting for the price to go down...they said it hasn't.  The room on the end is the important one, it has the electrical, water tank and pipes...they're doing a bid tomorrow.  

Today I get a bill from the well people (just paid them $4300 on my M/C) for MORE $ that I'd been told was included in that, now they say not!  The guy had said I was in it for $3750, they billed me $4300, now more yet!

[MartyT]

15 hours ago, kayc said:

Urgent prayer request:

Granted, Kay ❤️

[kayc]

Thank you, Marty!

[kayc]

The contractor just left...I requested two bids, one for short term emergent to save my essential room with electrical, water tank, pipes, and freezer, and the other for the back of the carport.  He agreed.  I told him I understand wood fluctuates by the week (Random Lengths comes out with it's pricing every week...I used to be Office Mgr for a mill) but it'd give me an idea give/take.  I feel so relieved!  He's going to call the Mormon missionaries to have them give me a call and I can arrange a time with them and get a dumpster up here meanwhile and he'll provide a dolly to them.  Later when I've had $ saved up I can do the back of the carport.  I discovered a "blower & box" that weighs a ton that needs moved, I didn't even know I had it...that will go into the dumpster if they can get it in there.  A truck will move it when it's full.  

Now that I have a plan, I am so relieved!  I don't want the carport going too long w/o the back replaced so will do my best to save $ for it.  Still no prices but he said what he does to save my tank/electrical room will be under $1,000.  Whew!  

[KarenK]

Kay, I'm so glad there is a cheaper solution. I've been worried for you all day. Every summer I hold my breath when we start the AC. For the last 3 years, my HVAC guy has been replacing parts to keep it going. It's at least 30 years old and he scrounges for parts. He told me last summer that it's on it's last leg and a new unit is around $12000. All I can do is cross my fingers. Barely have $12 to spare, much less $12000. Sure love these "Golden Years".

[kayc]

And I know it's a necessity in your city.  I got a window A/C that seems to take care of the heat here, I know we aren't as hot as there but there was a time we hit 121 and it handled it.  Of course you'd need more than one in different parts of the house, I sleep in my living room not my bedroom.  Got it on Amazon $2-300.  Also, you might check with senior services and the electric company to see if there are any programs/helps.  I know in my state they helped people (AFTER I got mine) who didn't have one esp. the elderly.

[kevin]

Karen, I have a Grandson who has a "friend" who appears to be Gay/Trans....it is a different world today.....Going to cool again tonight28F....And our first Fire alerts in the Fort McMurraY Area. Line ups for gas this morning, a little dramatic but its on the evacuation check lists...

[Margm]

I have a sister who is bi. She told me it was wonderful and the whole world was open.  That was many years ago.  Then, my daughter has gay vibes, sometimes I'm positive, sometimes I'm even more positive.  My friend has a gay grandson, and she said you hate the sin but love the sinner.  I'm not on that level.  I accept it.  My nephew, Billy's sister's son is gay.  I know it is a surprise to the older generation, like me.  But, damn I do accept it.  I never knew there was a choice, in fact, I'm afraid I would have liked to dance in the cages above the floor with white high boots and pasties.  That was when we had the Whisk-A-Go-Go's.  I had the figure to do it then, but I'd make more money at it now.  Couldn't do that with a deacon father.  So, actually nothing surprises me and I totally accept it. 

[Margm]

Marty, I hope I don't get thrown off.  Sorry folks, my vocational aspirations were just above the floor.  Spent 43 years in medical transcription, and loved it.  

 

[KarenK]

Marg, my aspiration was to marry a cowboy and live on a ranch. Didn't happen. I have to laugh at these motivational speakers who tell you that you can be anything you want. NO YOU CAN'T!

Being gay is not a lifestyle I would choose, but each to his own. I just want my grandchildren to be happy and safe.

In the 90's here gearing up for summer.

[kayc]

I'm exhausted, worked my tail off yesterday moving metal pipes from under patio to where they'll deliver the dumpster, also two cat scratchers, then I realized I had enough to fill it and we hadn't started on the area of the carport & electrical room that needs cleared out so they can work on it, so will put the cat scratchers back today, maybe I can put them on the next burn pile, will get Jack's opinion.  Throwing away two new cots something chewed the foam out of, will send with garbagemen instead of dumpster.

Having a time with my diabetes, don't know anyone who tries harder w/o the desired results, I'm feeling discouraged.  Was ecstatic about our unanimous vote of our new pastor...which in turn raised my cortisol and hence my blood sugar.   Working so hard yesterday raised my BS.  Last week Iris gave me what she thought was a diet soda, 43 carbs!!!  Drank 1/2, just got back into Ketosis and now this.  I feel like giving up but can't this is my life.  Need to make appt to see doctor, don't want to but will have to see him within two weeks, ugh.  I'm eating OMAD, weight 102 with 10-15 lbs excess skin, that puts me at 87-92 w/o it.  Size 2 jeans falling down, have nothing smaller.  Hate to shop and can't buy w/o trying on, ugh.

Anyway, this is my life, such as it is.  Wish I could hear from my kids.

I have a niece who is in a gay marriage, a gay couple down the street, married 27 years or so.  They're nice.  I don't judge.  Can't understand because I'm not but don't judge them either.

[KarenK]

Kay, eating one meal a day does not sound healthy for you, especially losing too much weight. Sounds like you are working too hard and burning calories also. We are not "Spring Chickens". Slow down and breathe.

[Margm]

As you know, my diet is high in carbs.  I can have meat protein.  The only vegetables I can have are potatoes, green beans, cooked carrots, cooked/pickled beets, and all the sweets I want as long as there are no nuts or seeds.  I go to the doc every four months for lab work check and mostly blood sugar check.  He realizes I cannot eat healthy.  My mainstay is eggbeaters and instant grits.  No corn whatsoever but can have grits and I have learned to make a "grits bread" from that.  I fixed a potatoes, green beans, carrots and mushroom soup, HB meat, and beef broth soup last week that was actually good.  I cut down on the size of it and had it two days.  I hate to cook, and the frozen dinners all have seeds of some sort in them or corn.  One day I just drank three Glucerna's.  Probably the healthiest I have eaten.  If I eat wrong, I suffer terribly.  It is TMI to tell you how, but I do place a cross in my bathroom and say, "Please God, I promise not to eat that again."  I have 13 crosses in my bathroom and have not had to add others in a long while.  Propranolol helps my essential tremor, but my stay in the bathroom was four hours. I also had to cut out caffeine.  Addict that I am, I miss that "lift" but cannot handle the shakes.  My old reliable meds do not hurt me.  Anything new heads to my gut and a prolonged stay in the essential room.  

Having a lot of (my kids) sibling rivalry and trouble right now.  I do have to take care of my sister constantly, and my granddaughter is still here.  Too much wear and tear on this nearly 82-year-old woman.  I cannot run away from it.  When I was fighting cancer in 1982, I had a lot of family troubles with my dad with cancer too.  He was a mean cancer victim (like my sister) though and will have been gone 40 years day after tomorrow.  Family troubles seem to be the norm with me, and I wrote that little ditty back then:  "I'm not that important, life does go on, if I wasn't here then I'd be gone."  Written out of pure exhaustion.  I'm there again.  And I'm still here.   Gotta take my sister for surgery in south "big city" where all the traffic is.  She will be impossible to handle, of course.  But I am all she has, and we are our brother's keepers. 

As far as the LGBT (QRS) and whatever letters they add, you just live and let live and thank God it was not something you ever wanted to be.  

ADDENDUM:  Kay, listen to Karen!!!!!

[Margm]

Kevin, is this what happens every year? You have massive snow (water) and then you have massive fires?  We have massive flooding.  I guess strange things happen wherever you live.  I did love those water coolers in Albuquerque, and probably around Karen's home.  But, the takeaway was it took water and water was not in high supply.  They were so comfortable to sleep in at night, and I think Albuquerque is about 5,000 feet.  Maybe more.  I remember the doctors having people with heart trouble moving to lower levels.  

And, I'm on here trying to kill time to face the day and people with their petty gripes and fusses.  Mama cannot choose sides anymore.  So both get angry at Mama.  Good.  Means I don't have to talk to them.  

[kayc]

OMAD is very healthy!  It means you fast 23 hours/day in which your body has time to heal and improve.  I have tons of energy!

I literally got most of the work done on the carport yesterday and had filled the dumpster by the time help arrived (they had a flat tire so were late), they got the blower box into the dumpster!  Also got a bike rack down from the rafters and finished stacking my son's hemlock boards on the other side of the carport (I had it started).  Neighbor came over and got the antique scythe which I'd gotten down and also some chains and tools I knew I wouldn't use.  I have several smashed fingers and places on my hands which I cleaned up and put neosporin on.  I did better than I thought I would!  I have everything organized into sections...stuff to get rid of little by little, stuff to give away, and the rest which is mostly wood, can be burned little by little or thrown away little by little.

Our new pastor bought the house Pastor Dennis and Cindy had rented!  They are busy packing.  So excited!  I called Susie's parents and we shared for 1/2 hour, it'd been years, it was nice.

On 4/23/2024 at 10:13 AM, Margm said:

You have massive snow (water) and then you have massive fires?

Sounds like where I live!

Wish your sister well, Marg and bless you for helping her!  
Sounds like we eat opposite, my diabetes could never handle it, I'd be dead already if I ate what you eat!

My BS this morning was 82, so glad.  I've been under tremendous stress and it's finally lifting a bit!