The New Old Fuddy Duddies Lounge III

I have taken this site off my daily visited sites, but if there is going to be activity, I will put it back on that list.

I have a few friends at another site, and I post there several times a week. I visit Facebook every day as well. I have quite a few relatives there as well as some of the old friends from TA. It's not the same as the old TA, but it helps me keep in touch with friends and family that I rarely get to see.

Not much new here. Right now we are experiencing 85-degree weather and praying for some very badly needed rain.

They are tinkering with our Health Care here. Actually my income is low enough that I will be better off than I am now. I will be paying a maximum of $15 per prescription rather than the $25 I am now paying. Since I refill my prescriptions only every three months, and some are under $15 anyway, it won't mean an awful lot to me, but $10 every three months is $10. As a former boss of mine used to say, "It's better than a poke in the eye with a sharp stick." The changes are not scheduled to take effect until July 1 next year, so they will have plenty of time to change their minds.

Have a good day.

Lorne

I know this is probably futile but I thought I would just stop by and say "hi" in case anyone should read this. I'm not sure where everyone has gone but I sure do miss my old friends. I've tried using Facebook but it just doesn't interest me like Third Age use to.

Loren, what have you been up to lately? Do you post anywhere now or have you given up on posting as most of the old timers seem to have done?

Darlene, I check in on you occassionally at Facebook and have enjoyed seeing pictures of your garden. I just got mine planted in the last week or two. My tomatoes have taken off but nothing else is doing much yet. Since I have started gardening in the raised beds my husband built for me I haven't had as much luck with growing things like I used to with my community garden plot. In fact if my carrots and beets don't grow this year I think I will just give up on them and buy some at the Farmers Market in the future. It's really frustrating to spend all that time working in the garden and then not have much to show for it. The one thing that does great for me is the lettuce (or "salad" as my grandson calls it) that I planted in some big pots. They sure are easier to care for than bending over in a garden. :-)

I hope everyone is enjoying their Sunday and that some of you will post again. It sure would be nice to hear from you.

Just wanted to say hi to everyone. Hoping we can get the old TA-ers back together here and of course any new folks who want to join us. However, just wanted to say to anyone new that we are a friendship group, not a dating service, so you understand what we are about.

We had a nice heavy rain today and we sure needed it. So far, my garden is doing well this year, except for a few more ants than I would like.

What is everyone up to?

I didn't know whether I should correct you, Jolan, on the spelling of my name. I didn't want to be rude, but I am somewhat sensitive about the spelling of my name. The reason is very complicated and goes back many years. I'm not sure I could explain it, even to a brother or sister who know me well.

It wasn't the computer that caused the problem with the messages on the weekend. Some techie at TA obviously did something to mess things up, and corrected his/her blunder on Monday. While computers sometimes appear to display personality quirks, it is almost always a programmer that has caused the problem.

Lorne

LORNE: Of course you don't celebrate Valentine's Day any longer, and of course it brings a sense of sadness to you. I understand very well. Although it's difficult without eye contact to know when one is traipsing cluelessly into another's personal space, I appreciate your sharing what Valentine's Day meant to you and to your wife. Sometimes I think of how strange it is that we meet people in so many different ways throughout our life and never, ever know their life story.

I did know at one time that your name was spelled LorNE. Not quite sure just when I transposed the 'n' and 'e', but I'm glad you brought it to my attention. I've read stories of certain civilizations who believed that names carried power and to utter that person's name out loud was to give them power over you. Well, I don't know about the truth and/or fancy of those stories, but no sense in taking chances and foolin' around with someone's name by either pronouncing or spelling it wrong.

Wasn't that weird when only the Title showed up and the Message tagged along a good 24 hours later? Guess computers really do have a mind of their own and it's downright scary to imagine that someday they might really take over the world. Sort of like giant mushrooms growing down in your dark basement until one day . . . . . !! In any case, after trying several different methods of coaxing the Message to stand up and show itself, I'd pretty much thrown in the towel so was glad I decided to look one more time. Sure enough, there you all were. Life is good.

Hi Jolan;

My wife and I were not fans of Christmas. Our biggest day of the year was Valentines Day. Every year she would buy me a sweater and I would buy her a stuffed animal. On the evening of February 13 I would sneak the stuffed animal into our bed under the covers. When she went to bed that night she would discover the toy. My reward was well beyond the cost of the stuffed animal.

In her last year, even though she was dying, she managed to buy me three sweaters, saying, "I won't be around any more to buy you sweaters."

Ever since she has been gone (it will be 13 years on April 4) Valentines Day has been a little sad for me.

By the way, my name is Lorne, not Loren.

Lorne

. Yes Lorne - I am really really ready for Hoodie Hoo Day. Been practicing for a week.

Sha, Don is as cute as ever though I do think his blond hair has darkened a little. 3 already, they sure grow up too fast. He is a blabbermouth and told his folks that I am his favorite person. I would have thought his Uncle Troy would have been his favorite person since Troy spoils him rotten.

Val's tumor has started growing again so a new round of new kinds of chemo was started last week.

I am still working too hard and too much but that is going to stop in April. Then a friend of mine and I are going to Hawaii for 11 days the end of April. It will probably snow on the beach the way this winter has gone.

The rest of my life consists of going to work, working, ncoming home from work and sleeping - g.

included in my message.

This is interesting. The Title shows up, but not my message.

There is a link with my original message, but the message doesn't show

Click on the link.

http://www.wellcat.com/february/northern_hemisphere_hoodie.htm

Five more days.

Lorne

http://www.wellcat.com/february/northern_hemisphere_hoodie.htm

Click on the link.

Five more days.

Lorne

Another test

This is a "test".

I'm trying the "Message Box" without using the Title Box.

This is a test sentence to see if it appears.

Okay. I couldn't help it. Had to click on the website to see what the heck "Hoodie Hoo Day" was all about. Now I know. . . . it's a day designated for chasing winter off and encouraging spring to arrive as soon as possible. Have to say. . . . think I like that positive attitude a little more than the more passive method of "Grounddog Day" when all we can do is stand shivering around a hole in the ground and patiently wait for the little creature to pop out and tell us how much longer we still have to endure the miserable cold.

Had to laugh at the "Top 20 Ways to Deal with Cabin Fever," especially the one that suggested "filing your taxes early this year". Come on! Be serious! However, I did considered the suggestion that I "introduce myself to a neighbor or co-worker I've seen every day for years, but have never spoken to." Happily, I was saved in the nick of time by remembering that wise old adage "don't fix what's working."

So..o..o, Loren. ......couldn't help but notice in those two sentences you wrote that February 14th had no significance for you other than it being only 6 days to Hoodie Hoo Day. (Sigh) . . . at what decade do we Fuddy-Duddies" give up on Sweetheart's Day? For me I think it might have been around my 4th decade. Now April 7th seems more exciting. . . . . "No Housework Day"!

Today is February 14. A significant day because it is only 6 days to Hoodie Hoo Day.

http://www.wellcat.com/february/northern_hemisphere_hoodie.htm

How is little Donald doing? Does he still have that gorgeous blond hair? And how is Val doing? I think of her often and hope that she is okay.

It is cold here today and I am not liking it at all. My spring flowers are all sticking their silly little heads out of the ground and I'm afraid they are going to lose them if the temperatures stay like this for very long.

Are you still working as hard as ever? I've been watching my grandkids one or two days a week and that wears me out more than any office job ever did. I wouldn't give up the opportunity to do it however. :-)

By the way, I think I wasn't clear enough about putting the period in the message box. You only need to do that if you just want to post something in the Title box and don't have anything to say in the Message box. Hope that is a little clearer for you.

Take care and come back whenever you can.

.
I am tired of being cold. I am tired of ice and snow. I am being a cranky old Fuddy today. We are due for a whole week of below freezing temps at nite and not much hope for the day time. UGH.

I used to cross country ski but not for years now. Downhill seems to be almost all folks do these days. Never could see the point of riding up the hill and then coasting down.

Am giving the message period a try - will see how it does - everyone will. You know the new folks here at TA never did respond even to tell me to get lost when I made suggestions at their request of things that needed to be fixed. Of course they probably didn't like it when I complained that they could not take my copyright away and we all stopped posting photos on this site in the photography discussion and in the group. Ah well.

Good to see everyone. I'll try and stop by more often but no promises. Life keeps getting in the way.

Well, I've had a nice visit with my family and now that they've gone back to their lives and I to mine, I'm checking in to see what all's transpired since I've been gone. Sad to say, it doesn't look like the Fuddy-Duddy Lounge has been overcrowded lately. Still, it was nice to see, Loren, that you had dropped by. Wasn't too surprised to find out that you do indeed, have some teaching experience in your background. I also have done a little teaching in my younger days although not along the same lines as you. I taught dance for ten years and loved every step of it. It's been years now since I've had a dance partner so dancing is pretty much a thing of the past although I have to admit, every now and then when one of the old 40s songs come on, I might be found gliding about the kitchen floor just a bit.

When I was a kid growing up in Wisconsin I used to ice skate every winter on the local ponds and never broke a bone. Not sure what happened when I got older and broke both wrists, but after this last fall and damaging my shoulder I've decided that it's easier to deal with a broken bone. You have a cast on for 8 weeks -- the cast comes off and life goes on. With the damaged shoulder/arm it's 4 weeks of physical therapy and only the pain goes on. Hard to win.

Sha: I also found it easier all around to type my comments in the Message box at the top. However, I didn't know about placing a period in the Message box to prevent the Title from repeating. Good to know. Thanks!

Oh, and I did look in on the Grandparenting forum as you suggested and saw several familiar names; yours included, so now I know where at least some of the Fuddy-Duddies have gone to. I read a couple pages of the discussions and was quite touched by the warmth and friendliness you all express toward each other, as well as a genuinely caring involvement in the everyday happenings in each other's life. I'm not sure I'd have much to contribute since I don't have a great deal of opportunity to be with my grandkids, but who knows. . . . I suppose I can always fall back on the saga of the strange adventures of a homeless homing pigeon!

I have found it is much easier to read the posts if you don't use "Post a Reply" but just type your message in the message box at the top of the page. That way they always appear at the top of the page and it saves you from searching all over for new posts. Also, if you just want to post something in the Title box, you can put a period in the Message box and the line in the Title box won't repeat in the Message box. We use that a lot in the Word Association forum.

This isn't ideal but I still prefer staying in touch through TA over any other site I have found.

For 5 years I taught computer programming at a private post-secondary school. I also spent 10 years as a systems analyst where part of my duty was to train people on new systems.

I used to be very active in the sport of curling which is a game played on ice. One year I slipped and fell and broke my wrist. That same year, a woman at the club did the same thing, and a friend slipped and broke his collarbone. You can have a lot of fun on ice, but it can be treacherous.

Lorne

LOREN: Your comment about the duplicate postings made me laugh for the first time in this entire week. It was rather amusing that although unintentional, first you explained and then you demonstrated. Made me wonder if teaching was a part of your career.

Anyway, thanks for explaining about the "edit button." Although I couldn't understand the problem people were having, I still somehow had the sense there really was one -- I just didn't know what it was. I think there's some Murphy's Law that goes something like: "If you don't see the problem -- then you're a part of it."

I'm glad you were never seriously hurt the times you fell on the ice, although sore ribs can't be fun! While living in Durango years back, I slipped and broke my left wrist. The first winter I lived in OK. I slipped and broke my right wrist. This time I hurt my shoulder, but fortunately nothing's broken. I don't know if there's any hope for me or not.

Things are looking up though. My daughter is coming out to stay for a few days which makes me very happy. However, I doubt I'll have time to post any comments while she's here as we tend to be on the go a lot. Sure do hope that when I get back everyone is still around and Fuddy-Duddies are on the rise!

I don't know how, but I posted the same message twice. I didn't do it to prove my point, it was quite unintentional. Now I can't delete one of the posts, which I would like to do.

Lorne

Sorry to hear about your problems with the ice. I have slipped and fallen on the ice several times in past winters, but never got hurt seriously enough to go to the hospital. I did, however, have sore ribs for about three months after I fell. Last November I bought a pair of shoes with a non-slip sole. They are a help, but I still have to be careful, and on pure ice they are not very helpful.

To clarify about the editing, most forums, including the old format here at TA, have a little button marked "edit" that you can use to change your post after it has been posted. It seems that no matter how carefully I read my submission before I post, I can often find something I had wanted to say or should have worded differently or a word I have misspelled.. Once you hit the submit button here, the message is carved in stone and you cannot change it or delete it.

Lorne

Sorry to hear about your problems with the ice. I have slipped and fallen on the ice several times in past winters, but never got hurt seriously enough to go to the hospital. I did, however, have sore ribs for about three months after I fell. Last November I bought a pair of shoes with a non-slip sole. They are a help, but I still have to be careful, and on pure ice they are not very helpful.

To clarify about the editing, most forums, including the old format here at TA, have a little button marked "edit" that you can use to change your post after it has been posted. It seems that no matter how carefully I read my submission before I post, I can often find something I had wanted to say or should have worded differently or a word I have misspelled.. Once you hit the submit button here, the message is carved in stone and you cannot change it or delete it.

Lorne

I've been gone for a while tied up first with the ice storm and no power for several days and then managed to slip on black ice, spend 4 hours in the ER and the next 2 days all fogged up on pain medication. However, here I am back again and quite pleased and surprised to return and see that so many people have posted a comment.

I'm "technologically challenged" as my kids tell me fairly often, and seem unable to do much more than press an "on"/"off" button and click "help" on the toobar. My kids have to set up my cell phone, camera, DVD player and any new computer I'm courageous enough to actually buy. So I have no doubt that it's me that does not understand the problem people are having with editing their post -- and there really is a problem. It's just that I can't type three sentences without having to go back and delete or re-word half of them and so far I haven't had a problem with editing. I also go back and review my comments and usually edit them yet again before actually submitting or you'd be working your way right now through a very disjointed post.

SHA: Thanks for telling me about the "grandparenting forum". I haven't looked at it yet, but plan to as soon as I can. Since I have only 2 grandsons, both of whom live out-of-state and I don't get to see them very often, I may not have much in common with the other grandparents, but I'd like to give it a try. Facebook sounds complicated to me, so I probably won't try it and I agree totally with "ljb" that its hard to find new posts.

So as you can see, I'm a true "Fuddy-Duddy" and probably belong here more than anywhere else. I'll be glad if this board does pick up again and I have the opportunity to get to know everyone a little better. I agree with Lorne that the best way to revitalize this forum is to post frequently, even if it's just to say "Hi". One thing I find encouraging is that apparently we're still being looked in on even though a comment may not be posted at the time. We may be quiet, but we're not forgotten.

I get by here every once in a while. I invite everyone to join us at Facebook. I agree with Sha that it is not the ideal posting place, but is a good way to keep in touch with a lot of online people including our Third Age friends. Most of the cat forum folks are there except Val. I hope she will join there. I don't do seniorocity. I do a lot of emailing and I do political forums including Vent here. I am here and there and getting ready to set up a cousin forum when the last cousin finally gets a home computer. Sometimes I try something and if it doesn't work out, I move on.

It has not been cold enough to suit me this winter and it will soon be spring. If I didn't say so, I bought one of those little Cuisinart convection ovens when my oven went out and am enjoying it. For two people, it seems a waste to fire up the oven. Still doing my course at iTunes U.

Again, hello to all the newer fuddies and to my forever fuddie friends.

I think that most of the old regulars have scattered to the four winds and found other places to post. I know that Val is hosting a forum on cats at Seniorcity and others have found forums elsewhere. I don't know of any one site where all the old regulars have gone to.

Lorne

Is there another site where the old regulars are posting now? I know some of them are on Facebook but I find that a less than enjoyable experience and much prefer the discussion forums.

This used to be a very lively forum. Unfortunately, as Sha said, many people have moved away for one reason or another. To mention a few, Lois Beedle, Darlene Goff, Rosemary Wolkoff, Valerie Truax and Irene Mair posted here almost every day. Lois and Darlene still visit here and post occasionally, but most of the people mentioned, myself included, used to post here several times a week. Some of us have moved on to other forums and are enjoying the same experience there as we once got here.

The best way to revitalize this forum is to post frequently and hope others will respond. Eventually, others will find their way here and this will be a lively discussion once again.

Lorne

Before the big changeover at Third Age we use to have a bigger group of members who posted here. A lot of them felt as though they weren't treated very fairly by the management when the change was made and they don't like the new format, especially the inability to edit our posts, so they have chosen to go to other websites or have just given up posting.

I miss a lot of the people who use to post here and in other Third Age discussion groups. We use to have so much fun and there was almost always someone to "chat" with or who would respond in a relatively quick manner when you posted something. I had hoped that some of the members would come back after awhile but it doesn't look like that is going to happen. It makes me sad.

However, I would probably get a lot more work done around my house if I didn't frequent Third Age so much. :-)

By the way, I have enjoyed your posts here and in Spirituality. Do you ever go to the Grandparenting forum? I post over there occassionally but there are just a few of us there now. Join us if you feel like it. You are always welcome.

SHA: I've been without the internet for a few days compliments of the ice storm, but I'm back to give you the latest on the pigeon. After hearing that the owner didn't want it back I moved it to a corner of the living room near a window so it could have natural light and more company. Well, that bird just perked right up. Squawked and cooed and growled low, sort of like a dog; all the while fluttering about and climbing the sides of the cage to get to the window. Guess it must have seen the trees, the sky and other birds flying about 'cause it had one thing on its mind and that was to go! I decided right then and there that in about 6 weeks, as soon as its warmer and the ponds aren't frozen over and bugs and grain are available I'll set it free to either make it on his own or not. In the meantime, you're right. . . it is sort of a slob; spills water, throws seed all over and of course, stays busy doing the other messy stuff birds do.

So. . o. .o . . . I'm sort of surprised that the "New Fuddy Duddies Lounge III" hasn't shown a bit more life than it has. Since this is # III. . .I assume that #'s I and II didn't do much better. I'm new to the idea of discussion boards however, and simply assume that true Fuddy-Duddies are in short supply. On the other hand, I've looked in on a number of discussion boards in my search for one I might fit into and noticed that the majority of boards did not take off any better. It's only a relatively few out of many that seemed to have been successful. Wonder why that is? I suppose one thing is that like everything else in life, whether a living being or a concept, it must be nurtured in order to thrive. In any case, I'm interested as to what you, or any Fuddy-Duddy might think will happen to this board. Is it going by the wayside. . . or perhaps has it already gone?

Are you a bird owner now? I think I would take Val's advice and try to find a bird rescue organization to take it. I have had birds as pets in the past but just don't like the mess that they make. I would imagine that a pigeon would make a much bigger mess than my little parakeet did.

Let us know how the story is progressing, okay?

Well, I received a response from the pigeon owner. He doesn't want the bird back. Suggested I keep it or give it to someone who raises birds. Not sure right now just what to do with it, but guess life and time will give me an answer eventually.

SHA: I haven't heard from the bird owner so yup, I'm still bird-sitting. In the meantime I've let it loose in the laundry room a few times to see if it was able to fly up to the top of the washer, but so far it's only fluttered about and perched itself on the rim of a short wastebasket. It eats like a horse and seems able to stretch it's wings out so I don't know why it doesn't fly. Maybe the room is too small although it seems good-sized to me.

TERRACATTA: What great suggestions! Thanks so much. I followed up and discovered the closest bird rescue is in OKC, 3-4 hours from where I live, but that would be okay to drive if they were willing to take it. Haven't contacted them yet however, because it was during my search that I discovered that you live in S. Central Texas and since the address I found for the pigeon owner was listed as Pleasanton, Tx., I thought you might have a better idea.

Oh, and yes, I do live in the country. The cats were born in my laundry room about 7 years ago. ( sigh. . . . now and then I kick out whoever is living in there at the moment to do a load of laundry!) In any case, I let them stay in the house for the first year, but getting up in the night and finding one strolling about on my kitchen counter was annoying, as was their insisting on sitting in MY chair when I wanted to sit down and worst of all. . . they refused to sleep at the foot of the bed; nothing would do but to be on my pillow! So for the last 6 years they've been banned from the house and have to retreat to the shop building when weather gets bad.

Are you still bird sitting? I'm hoping you heard from the owner by now and are bird free again. That was quite a story and that pigeon was lucky you were there.

So........, a week or so ago a homing pigeon landed in my yard. Although far too many foolish little birds risk life and limb flitting about the big oak trees and pecking around on the ground while my two 12 pound cats relentlessly stalk them, this is the first time I've ever seen a pigeon in my yard. It was just walking about pecking away and as I stared at it, my Siamese cat suddenly jumped out of the shadows straight into the air to get the poor unsuspecting thing. It was only as I shrieked at the cat in an effort to scare him off that I noticed the bird couldn't fly more than a few feet off the ground. However, my shriek and it's feeble attempt to lift off seemed enough to cause the cat to miss and run off in disgust.

The next morning the bird was still hanging around the front yard. Assuming food was scarce at this time of year I threw out some bread. Later on that day I saw the dogs eating the bread, so I don't know. The third morning the temperature had dropped into the teens. Bundling up in several layers of clothing I ventured out and just happened to see my two dogs jumping excitedly about in the weeds over in the field. Catching just a flicker of blue and gray I thought to myself, "Is that that bird?" It was.

Calling off the dogs I went over and sure enough, that brave little soul had just about given up the good fight against dogs, cats, bitter cold and little or no food and water. There it sat; a bundle of frozen feathers huddled on the ground. This time it was the gold cat who sat about three feet away on one side; just waiting it's chance. Both dogs, frantic to get to the bird before the cat did, bounded hysterically about on the other side of it. Assuming the pigeon was only moments from dying, I picked it up and started for the house thinking that it did not need to die in what would surely be a most traumatic way and at the very least, it could end its days feeling warm one more time.

Putting it on an old pillow in the corner of my laundry room I closed the door and left it to leave this world on its own terms. A few hours later I went in with a plastic bag to carry its little body to the field across the road. The bird sat there on the pillow very much alive and watching me with it's beady little eyes. Not the plan! Getting in the truck I drove 30 miles round trip to buy bird seed and grit. The next morning I opened the laundry room door to discover it was still alive, most of the seed in the dish gone and the bird trying valiantly to take a bath in the little water dish I'd dug up.

Finding a couple of old railings that I'd used in years past to keep my baby grandson from crawling up and down the stairs, and a broken screen I found in the shop building, I made a "cage" in one part of the laundry room. Then, getting on the internet I read up on basic care of lost homing pigeons and how to locate the owner by the letters/numbers on the leg band. Well, I was able to find the owner's name and mailing address in another state, but no phone number and no e-mail address. I sent him a note by U.S. pony express, but have not received an answer as yet.

So here's the problem. I have a big bird living in my laundry room and I'm not sure what to do about it. If, for whatever reason, I don't receive an answer from the owner, I wonder if I should just turn it loose? But is that a wise thing to do in winter when it's so cold? It may not make it home. Also, I don't know if it can fly yet and am not sure how to go about finding out without turning it loose in the yard. And if it can't fly, but is strong enough to stay out of my reach, I might not be able to save it from the dogs/cats next time they spot it. Still. . . . what am I to do with this big bird? It's a dilemma.

I have heard of Birsay, but I never lived anywhere near there. I had to look it up on the map to find where it was. I see it is about 20 km south of the Gardiner Dam. We used to visit the Gardiner Dam on occasion when it was being built but, being from near Saskatoon, we never went south of the dam.

Lorne

It is so great to see you here again. You have certainly been missed! I can't believe you still have tomatoes and peppers growing. Have you left them outside all winter? That's amazing!

We are having a nice streak of weather at the moment. My sister in San Antonio told me it was colder there today than it was here. It got up to about 60 degrees here and was really gorgeous. I spent as much time as I could outside and loved every minute of it. When I drove by one of the grade schools I saw about fifteen kids on the playground in shorts. I'm not sure it was that warm but it was definitely warm enough to go jacketless. I've heard the temperatures are supposed to stay around 60 to 63 at least till next Tuesday. I've got to figure out some things to do this weekend so I can enjoy the weather and the outdoors. I think I'm going to put my walking shoes on and do some hiking.

Hope everyone finds something they enjoy and has a great weekend. Keep coming back here too. It's so nice to see new posts again.

LORNE: Your comment that you had lived in a "few small towns that few people have heard of" in Saskatchewan brought back to mind that a very long time ago I was married for a number of years to a man who was born in Saskatoon as there was no hospital in the town in which his parents lived in the 1920's. Although as a young man he came to the U.S. to attend Harvard and never did return to Canada to live, he also never gave up his Canadian citizenship and to my knowledge retains it to this day.

In any case, what caught my interest in your comment on the "few small towns" is that he grew up in a small town called "Birsey". As things tend to go in life, he pretty much lives in the more pleasant past now, but I imagine would enjoy hearing how his old home town had come along over the years. Any chance small Birsey was one you had lived in? Who knows . . . . maybe it even has a hospital by now!