I aint got nothin.....

Well, I have sat here for the past hour or so.. and

I got nothing... blank space between the ears..

So will turn this into a public service spot...

Good bye October (tomorrow with Halloween)

And hello November on Saturday...

and now for your public announcement...

DON'T FORGET TO TURN

YOUR CLOCKS BACK ON

SATURDAY NIGHT OR BY

2AM SUNDAY...

And for those who forget.. turn on the coffee at church,

as you will be there an hour early before the rest of us... 

My kingdom for a throne...

Why is it, when things go to hell, they go to hell in a

hand basket? 

With a full house.. meaning us and  two guest.. our

toilet decided to go to hell in a hang basket?

On a weekend...

So Googled the brand, so we could see if we could

get parts. As this is one of those high end, fast

flush models.. and we got it about 6 year ago.

OH, NO... no parts because.. they discontinued

this model and there is no parts sold anywhere.

Especially the interior of the tank.

So back to square one.. After trying to make

shift.. it is time to bite the bullet and spend

the $$$ for a new one.

Which is part of the rub.. see I don't care.. I

want to go back to an standard toilet. Less

problems and fixable by even me. Pretty

basis. 

But not the King.. he wants one like the one

that sits there.. Why? MORE POWER..

one of his joy when we first got it, was

the reaction of people when they came

out of the room.. See this toilet, like I

said.. is a high end fast flush models.

The one that is LOUD, and sounds

like it is going to flush you down with

everything else.

So we will see today who wins.. it is off

to HOME DEPOT... as I am tired of

dissecting the tank to manually push

the tiny plunger.  And after doing it

himself twice, he came out bellowing

"THAT'S IT!!!.. I'M GOING TO HOME

DEPOT TOMORROW."

My kingdom for a throne.. lol..  

Last steps of fall....

We are finally getting colors ... leaves are finally falling to the

ground... and it is dark by 5:30pm.. well dark enough. By 6

for sure.

Took the finally things off of the deck, today.. was trying to get a last cup of coffee ... one last one on the deck in the morning..but with the wind.. it is just too cold, so gave up the ship.

The tables and chairs are put away.. the wall art is

packed in the sheds.. the huge wind chime is in the living

room.. Only thing left out is two pots and a lot of my solar

lights.. still light the deck edge and lawn edge... along

with the kites still flying.

I know I have enough in the house to keep me busy for

the winter, but just not looking forward to it.. I need to

clean out my file cabinet.. I started last March, but did not

make a dent in it... and then there are some books I like to

read.  I got them 10 years ago, or was it more than 12 years

ago.. before I retired. I figured I would have more time, so

bought for later.. Funny, as that was before tablets like Nook

and alike.. but I still like the feel of a real book.

So as the sun sets with its reddish hue in the far distance.. I

feel sad that the warm days are less. And I know I will be

sleeping in more .. already started it.. My body is a day light

awareness, so no sun, no daylight...Cis is cuddled under the

warm covers with Misty... until the daylight comes thru the window at about 7:15am.  Long time after my summer rising at 5:30 to 6am...

Finally gave up the shorts, and back to long pants.. ah yes,

fall you are leaving us soon.. your leaves are turning faster,

and hitting the ground faster.  And the hint of snow up on

the ridge of the mountain. 

Looking out my windows..

     

Funerals weekend....

This past weekend the King and I, along with his brother and wife, and his sister attended a funeral per weekend day. Meaning one Saturday and one Sunday. 

They were nephew and aunt ...

Never done two funerals in one weekend.. Hope to never do it again.

It is sad to lose one's friend, but to lose two is even harder. While the age was appropriate for one.. she was almost 95. The other one was another victim of cancer.  Fought the good fight, as they say.

But none the less.. he is gone.. and left a huge emptiness.

The man was a gentleman and a gentle man.. He was ...what you could say, he was considered an uncle to the whole Vay valley.  The King worked for him as a teen.. zillion years ago. And has been close to him all these years. Watched his friend's children grow in to adulthood.  Fine children to be proud of. The other was like a grandmother to him. And his mom's best friend.

The Kings visits will probably be less in the area.. yes, he still

has friends there.. but these two were a must see each time

he went out there.. So he will feel off kilter.

Will miss the fine wonderful soft spoken man... and of course

will miss.. "COME IN.. ARE YOU HUNGRY?" and of course

you better say yes, or her feelings would be hurt..

No doubt at all that both of these will be up there, watching

over us all.. God Bless.... Louie and Daisy...    

Repost and comedy...

I have been asked by 4 people to do a repost of Monday's post... here is the link
http://wordtosser.blogspot.com/2014/10/understanding-health-isolation-and.html
You do know you could have scrolled down to Monday, right... T. M. L. and T. lol

Any way for the comedy...

I got my Bonner County History Museum 2015 Calendar.. 
and what a hoot... 
Some of the smiles to out and out laughing are:
 but you really need to stop by the Museum and see if 
they have any for sale... 
The calendar has in it.. things from 1915. 
There are quite a few post cards on it.. that are neat. 

On July 15 .. the owner of the Grill denies he intends to marry one 
Mrs. Gertrude Skinner. 
Which brings us to July 20th.. 5 days later... Mrs. Gertrude Skinner claims $284 in back wages from the Grill... (there went that love affair) 

Since Dinky train taken off past Kootenai, trains 41 and 42 will shift schedule slightly. (this is exact wording from the newspaper)
(now tell me.. what is a Dinky train? with a large D, so not a description). 

These I found interesting..

They had a gambling problem so they ran a person undercover so they would know when to raid the pool room. You have to read who they had for the undercover person.. this is in January. 

Also the first bloodhounds purchased by Priest River, and how they
found the thief and what he had. 

In February you learn about the possible new state called Lincoln. 
(some of this is has been a discussion in recent years.)
And the naming of the schools of today and their old names. 

In April, how a woman saved her cabbage from the snow.. red jackets.

In May, The new mayor forbidding the police officers from drinking in the saloon while on duty.

two 4th Avenue soiled doves skip town.. (soiled dove?) and it wasn't birds, I guess

all dogs without muzzles will be shot.. due to rabies outbreak. 
(little harsh, I would say...dare I say anything about the recent CD'A incident?)

July... a man got disgusted by Grand Opera, as all the singing at once AND in Italian... so he left. 

August they started the paving of 1st street ... for 2 blocks.. and finished in in late September celebrated in October with street carnival and Mardi gras.
(unlike the on going forever paving of 95 from co op to Walmart)

October has unsavory trio ordered to leave the city.. you will have to read who they were. 

November you will have to read how a federal prisoner escape.. Keystone cops, maybe? 

Then last is September.. a Tom English boarded a Spokane International Railroad with 2---2 quart bottles of alcohol. 
After entering the car he had an accident, dropping
both bottles on the floor.. (you got to read this as it is a hoot.. Oh, heck, I got to tell you this one.. as it was the funniest of all.)  It seems that he was so mad at dropping
them..he tried to destroy them all... he kicked one of the bottles, and the calk of his boot striking the metal in the floor of the car, causing a spark to fly which ignited the alcohol. The draft through the car cause by the speed of the train.. fanned  the blaze setting 
fire to all the inflammable material in the car. Many of 
the passengers were wet with chemicals, used by the train crew in their effort to control the blaze.  
. 
Yep, you got to get his calendar.. I only gave you a few of the highlights.. it is a hoot. 


  

Plants and the black thumb

This is my cactus plant. My house plant. And it is

still alive. And amazingly, throwing out flowers like

crazy.

What is so amazing is ... I have a black thumb.

I hold my own with outside plants. But bring

in them in my house, and it is certain death.

I am so bad.. that years ago.. my husband

who passed away in 1986, brought home a

dead plant he found. Said he knew I couldn't

kill it because it was already dead.

I have had this plant for about a year or so. It

had given me hope twice. that it might do

well.. it had 3 flowers on it ... twice. Then buds

that kept falling off.  I tried it in the kitchen.

Nothing. I had it in the living room, still

nothing. I even had it outside during the summer.

And it almost died. I thought cactus loved heat.

So when it came time to bring it in the house.

I was at wits end on where to put it. So figured

I had nothing to lose, and put it in my bedroom.

Next to the window, but with a netted curtain.

AND LO AND BEHOLD... you see what I have.

Can't believe it. Did see two buds on the desk

beside the pot, but the rest are going gang

busters.  Maybe I better not say anything more.

Might jinx it. Might find all the flowers on the

floor tomorrow.  

Old Friends, how great it is...

Once again, this past weekend, I got to make connect

with an old friend.. and her daughter... Her daughter

lives in Spokane valley, so the King and I made the

trip over. 

As always, it is like old times.. You know the kind of

friendship, that starts up right where you left off a

year or so ago..  Maureen and I go back 44 years.

So getting together with her and her daughter

Shari is always full of fun and laughter. And more

laughter.

The old stories of things of the past. The catching

up on the new things.. and with stories of our

other children and their children. Maureen is

like a kid sister to me.  Always great to be with

her.

Understanding health isolation and precautions

We hear a lot about isolation and precautions with

contagious disease, with Ebola in the news.

And many wonder what happen in Texas, why did

it happen.

They had a doctor and a nurse shipped from Africa to

United States.  If you saw the news when that happen,

you saw how they treated those two people.  They came

in almost a bubble wrap. In the plane, on the gurney as

they were taken to the hospital where they were treated.

And so were the workers.

Both survived.

So what happen in Texas?  The answer .. everything...

everything wrong.  First the Dr. and nurse were already

diagnosed with Ebola. So everyone was alerted as they

arrived in the United States.  Also the hospital they arrived

in, was CDC associated.  CDC = Center for Disease Control.

The CDC has years of experience with treating very

contagious diseases.  They have the isolation routine

down pat, they have the extreme isolation.

Texas on the other hand, first messed up with the

not following thru with the man, who stated he was

just from Africa.

I am sure that person has paid dearly for the mess up.

Next, what was their procedure? I am sure they did

do at least Universal Code of isolation.  But that is not

enough. All of which they have since found out.

Had this happen say 3 weeks later, they might have

been on board.. but then again.. who knows.

See when I worked in the nursing home.. we knew the

Universal Code. We practice it over and over. But it is

no where enough for Ebola.

To start off, when I first went to work in 1986, we didn't

even use gloves. Because we washed our hand constantly.

We washed our hands when we went into the room, and

we washed them before we left the room.  We had a cleanser

that we also used that killed germs.  Much like the wipes

they sell now days.

But then along came AIDS.  Then we went for classes.

Constant updates classes.  It depend on what was needed.

Some times it was just a mask.  BUT ALWAYS GLOVES.

Then with AIDS we were trained to use gloves, mask,

a paper cover for our bodies(gown) that was tied in the back.

And sometimes even paper shoe covers.  Some of it

depended on the patient (resident, in our case). If we

were protecting them from what ever we may be carrying

in, on our shoes, our clothing, and etc.  Other times it

was to protect us, from what ever they had, so we did

not take it to other residents, co-workers or our families,

or ourselves.

Then along came MRSA..  which had no defense as it was

mostly from an over use of penicillin. Also others. But it

was arm and dangerous with nothing to kill it. And higly

contagious.

Also it isn't just the gowning up, and gloves and mask and

booties... it was the taking it off.  And you took it all off

at the door. With another aide who had a bag there waiting.

You put your booties in the bag you have. Then reversing the

gown, so not to touch the outside of that gown. Balling it

up and into the bag. Next the mask... and last the gloves.

You tied the bag up, and then put it into the red bag that

the other aide has waiting.. them holding it with gloves on.

Then it was taken to a restricted area.  Hazard waste area.

Now with Ebola.. you have to do something very similar. But

more so. They have someone help you put on the gown,

booties, mask and gloves. The mask is more than just one for

your face. It has a full over your head, down shoulder length cover.

The person helping you, tapes the wrist area where the gown sleeve meets

the glove. The booties are higher and they are taped to the pants that

goes along with the gown.  Some have booties in the pants, much like

the ones that toddlers pjs are.  NO SKIN SHOWS...  And then you

walk into the room that has the person in it.  Everything in there is

considered hazard waste. All are put in a red bag. And removed each

shift by the last one out of that room.  The removal is like what I stated

up above. With a helper. All double bagged. Second bag is red.. with

the hazard waste icon on it.  There is someone there making sure you

do it exact. Some hospitals have an external middle room between

the room and where every one exits.

Had Texas had that in place, it would have helped a lot and the two

nurses would not be where they are now.

While I would love to tell you, that they work every time....

I can't tell you that. With the scare like it is now.. you probably

have a 99.9% chance it is done right.

But in time.. people get careless. Some don't  follow the code exactly. And

that causes problems. Which is probably the best guess they are the 2%.

but if they are caught.. they can be fired.

As long as we have this on the front burner, in HIGH ALERT, you have

the 99.9% working for you.  The hospitals are on top of this. They don't

want their reputation ruin.

But in the meantime.. with cold season here, which by the way.. has

kill far more people per year, than all of the victims of Ebola over the

years.  So when you are at the grocery store.. use the wipes they

provide.. if they are out, complain.  Wash your hands, wash your

hands.. did you understand what I said.. WASH YOUR HANDS.

Wipe any phone you share with anyone.. family or not... wipe the

door knobs if you can.. carry the little bottle of anti fungus with

you or the wipes.. wipe your hands after touching anything that

is in contact with your office personal.  There are people who

will come to work sick or not... don't want to lose the money.

And if you think that is crazy?  Well we use to put up a sign on

the door of the nursing home each year... "if you have the symptoms

of a cold or flu, please visit at another time."   Yet when we workers

called in because of the same.. we were questioned.. are you sure

you are sick.. surely you can take some cold meds and come in.

Or if you were at work, you were told, surely you can finish your

shift.  Because we were always short staff during cold season.

And I am guilty as charged.. as long as I was walking, I was

working.   We even had a nurse tell a worker on the phone..

well, if you are well enough to get to the phone and call in...you

are well enough to come to work.. and she did.

So be careful out there. Ebola is not around every corner yet. And

it won't be, if everyone follows the UC, and  if you take good

care of yourself... and WASH YOUR  HANDS. 

Liar's Club Convention

Around 1970 there was a game show called the 

Liar's Club.

Stars would tell a story about something or 

someone and the contestant would have to judge 

if it was the truth or not.

Well, once again we have the country attending a Liar's Club Convention. It happens every 2 years.. and really gets strong every 4 years.  Others called 

it election year.

We have it local and we have it state wide and national wide.

I have a site that I go to, to see what is true and what is not as it gets hard.  it is called FactCheck.com It is a non biases site.. It doesn't 

take sides, it just has the truth.

Some of the stories that people get by with about their opponents is scary. You wonder how they can get away with that.  It is out and out lies. But because the ad says it, some think it is the truth.  

A lot of people do, and repeat it as truth.

I wonder what would happen if all politicians  had to take a pill that made them tell the truth.  Now that would be interesting.

The skeptic that I am.. I look things up and when I see that it is a lie, then the rest of what that person says, is a lie to me.. Which basely means all politicians lie.

They just don't call it lying.. they call it spinning.

My mother use to say, if it looks like a duck, quacks

like a duck and  walks like a duck.. it is a duck..

So spin if you must, but if it sounds like a lie, looks

like a lie.. then it is a lie.. and you belong to the

Liar's club.. and I am tired of trying to figure out

if it is or not. 

GOOD BYE SUMMER....

I know, summer has been gone for a while. But the

temperatures have been nice with our Indian Summer.

But today, it is cloudy.. no sun.. and promise of rain.

And I hear the heater kicking in and out.

This past weekend, the King and I put the yard to

bed for the winter.. Gone are the table and chairs, the

lounge chairs, the pots all over, the flowers on the veins.

The yard looks empty.

Still have the deck to do.. being a die heart with my shorts

and the deck with small table and wall art still in place, I

know I might be able to catch a day or two before Halloween.

And the yard sale kites that became yard flags.

But actually, I am almost looking forward to doing fall and

early winter. It is the start of the next section of the year.

The cooking for Christmas part. The chocolate zucchini breads,

the jams and cookies for the Christmas baskets that we

give for gifts.  So it will be emptying out the freezer of

shredded zucchini's and the rest of the things we froze

with cooking in mind for the cooler weather.

So good bye Summer, I really, really did enjoy you this

year. Hopefully with our new greenhouse we can get

a good jump on plants next Spring and start with the

parade in May of yard art coming out of storage and

returning to the yard. 

It is all in the numbers..

We all have heard on the news daily.. the scare of Ebola.

So far a little over 4,000 people have died of it, in the 

world.  One in the USA..

Don't get me wrong, I take it serious.. very serious.. but I

refuse to fall in to the scare tactics  the news media and

internet have thrown at us..

You see it is all in the numbers... Here are a few that

I have come across...

5 million people will have what is considered a serious case

of influenza. 250,000 and 500,000 flu deaths per year

Estimated that 175,000 cases of pneumonia occur

with a fatality rate of 5-7%, roughly 55,000 people die 

of pneumonia each year - in USA

this I got from one of the National illness sites.

Number of deaths for leading causes of death

·                     Heart disease: 596,577

·                     Cancer: 576,691

·                     Chronic lower respiratory diseases: 142,943

·                     Stroke (cerebrovascular diseases): 128,932

·                     Accidents (unintentional injuries): 126,438

·                     Alzheimer's disease: 84,974

·                     Diabetes: 73,831

·                     Influenza and Pneumonia: 53,826

·                     Nephritis, nephrotic syndrome, and nephrosis: 45,591

·                     Intentional self-harm (suicide): 39,518

Over 33, 000 die per year in auto accidents..

which by the way is less than the 54,000 of 1973....

Nearly 1.3 million people die in road crashes each year,

on average 3,287 deaths a day in the world. an estimated

5,419,000 crashes 

Estimated 1,665,540 new cancer cases diagnosed and 
585,720 cancer deaths in the US. Cancer remains the

second most common cause of death ..

So you see .. with the law of average, you have more

of a chance of dying in a car accident, of heart attack,

of cancer.. after all.. we all know more than one person

who has died of cancer.. and some who have survived.

Or even the common cold, flu or Pneumonia, than

we have a chance to die of Ebola.

Yet, we don't see the media running around

screaming about those deaths.

To be honest with you.. the one that the kids

are getting and one has died so far.. is scaring

me more.. and not because I will get it but it

is getting one of the weakest of us.. children.

the EV-D68 Respiratory illness. 32 states have

someone or more with it.. Now that is scary.

Not the numbers listed above, but still scary. 

Spending time with a grandchild...

99% of my grandchildren have been raised

in other states than I live in.  Had the privilege

to have one raised in the same town..

So to get to spend some one on one time with one

of my grandchildren is always great. And never taken

for granted.

I have had water fights with two of my grandson's

over the years. Falling down with laughter.

I have had some serious conversations with my

adult grandchildren.  Every time, these precious

moments, mean a great deal to me.

So this past weekend was no exception. We, as

a family went to see the deer in Hope. With the

King, they went to see the bears.  But then the

parents went to my daughter's house, while

we had the pleasure of our granddaughter.

When grandchildren are on the edge of adulthood,

senior in high school.. you know your time is starting

to wan. As it is their time to test their winds and fly.

So time is precious.

Our time with our granddaughter was spent at

a sushi restaurant, as the King and this grand

child.. LOVE SUSHI.. not just like it .. LOVE IT.

We found a restaurant that had  both sushi and

other food. As much as they love sushi, I

don't..    So we had a wonderful dinner

together, as the generation discussion blended

over the love of the food, with granddaughter

and grandfather. .

We came home and being the King had been

up early to go hunting, he headed to bed. and

my granddaughter and I headed to the movies.

I had asked her which one of the movies we

saw in the paper would she like to go see.

After hearing the list, she named ANNABELLA.

I googled this movie, as she said it was a scary

movie.. I don't usually do scary movies. What

I saw on the internet... was a female CHUCKY.

OH, BOY..  this is going to be something else..

But I was game.  After all I don't get to spend

time with her by myself. We live 6 hours apart.

We got at the theater, sat down front, as that

is where she wanted to sit. I think I would have

picked by the door, easier to run. lol.. After

we got settled in, about 6 teenage boys

came in and sat about 3 rows down from us.

After carrying on a bit.. loud and lot of talking.

We looked at each other, and almost said the

same thing.  Teenage boys.. can be weird.

She added Idaho teenage boys.. told me

that in Washington they were a little more

quiet.  Just before the lights go down, about

10 more teens joined the boys.. Both boys

and girls.

We settled in to the movie.. knowing full well

when we saw the ugly doll, things were not

going to go well. Thru the movie there were

times it was suspenseful, and others were

thing just jump out of the side of the screen

and made you jump. Some times I closed

my eyes.. and some times I looked thru

my fingers.. Monster can't get past fingers.

lol... The teens in front of us were reacting

with yells, groans, jumps in the appropriate

times.  One girl on the isle across from us

startled all of us with her scream. But the

one that was the best.. during a really scary

part... everyone had a reaction.. and just

before the protective fingers when up to

protect me from the scene, I saw one of

the teenage boy up in front, jump and

scream like a girl.. of which my grand

daughter and I looked at each other and

started to laugh.. taking the scary part away.

This young man had been the macho guy

when they arrived.. so it was a riot to see

his reaction.  My granddaughter and I

talked about it, laughing as we left the

theater.

We went to Wal-mart as my microwave

decide to die that day. She picked out

a white one for me, to go with my other

appliances... I almost got a black one, but

she made sense.

When we got home and she installed the

microwave... we had some nice conversations.

A end to wonderful day.... so THANK YOU ...

Miss. BMW... not the car, but her initials.

We so enjoyed our time with you.. So thank

you for coming and hanging out with the old

folks.