Sudokuaholics Anonymous 11

Page 400!! We started this SA 11 in 2013. We have lost June and Mamacita. Others have just stopped posting or can't find their way back. It is such a shame. Please come back.

'Friends are the sunshine of life'

The numbers of new cases of Covid-19 in urban areas is slowing down, but the outlying areas are now getting more and more cases. PLUS, to make matters worse, people who have recovered from the virus are getting re-infected, so there aren't strong antibodies being developed. This pandemic isn't going away any time soon.... especially since people are tiring of social distancing and starting to gather together again. I was driving past our local golf course today, and was shocked to not only see the parking lot packed with cars, but a large crowd of people standing together talking! How stupid can people get???

I caught Mike the Vet planting daylilies along my fenceline today!!! What a nice person!

You are so right, CynB - 'Friends are the sunshine of life'

My two tractor tires came to $438. And the dealer complained that he should have charged me Labor for installation.

On a positive note, I'll probably never have to replace them.

Grandpa's Hands...
This is good. I'll never look at my hands the same!

Grandpa, some ninety plus years, sat feebly on the patio bench. He didn't move, just sat with his head down staring at his hands.

When I sat down beside him he didn't acknowledge my presence and the longer I sat, I wondered if he was OK.

Finally, not really wanting to disturb him but wanting to check on him at the same time, I asked him if he was OK.

He raised his head and looked at me and smiled. 'Yes, I'm fine. Thank you for asking,' he said in a clear strong voice.

'I didn’t mean to disturb you, Grandpa, but you were just sitting here staring at your hands and I wanted to make sure you were OK,' I explained to him.

'Have you ever looked at your hands,' he asked. 'I mean really looked at your hands?'

I slowly opened my hands and stared down at them. I turned them over, palms up and then palms down. “No, I guess I had never really looked at my hands” as I tried to figure out the point he was making. Grandpa smiled and related this story:

'Stop and think for a moment about the hands you have, how they have served you well throughout your years.”

“These hands, though wrinkled, shriveled, and weak have been the tools I have used all my life to reach out and grab and embrace life.”

“They put food in my mouth and clothes on my back.”

“As a child my mother taught me to fold them in prayer.”

“They tied my shoes and pulled on my boots.”

“They have been dirty, scraped and raw, swollen and bent.”

“They were uneasy and clumsy when I tried to hold my newborn son.”

“Decorated with my wedding band they showed the world that I was married and loved someone special.”

“They trembled and shook when I buried my parents and spouse and walked my daughter down the aisle.”

“They have covered my face, combed my hair, and washed and cleansed the rest of my body.”

“They have been sticky and wet, bent and broken, dried and raw.”

“And to this day, when not much of anything else of me works real well, these hands hold me up, lay me down, and again continue to fold in prayer.”

“These hands are the mark of where I've been and the ruggedness of my life.”

“But more importantly it will be these hands that God will reach out and take when he leads me home.”

“And with my hands He will lift me to His side and there I will use these hands to touch the face of Christ.'

I will never look at my hands the same again.

But I remember God reached out and took my grandpa's hands and led him home.

When my hands are hurt or sore I think of Grandpa. I know he has been stroked and caressed and held by the hands of God. I, too, want to touch the face of God and feel His hands upon my face.

When you receive this, say a prayer for the person who sent it to you and watch God's answer to prayer work in your life. Let's continue praying for one another.

Passing this on to anyone you consider a frien

Passing this on to anyone you consider a friend will bless you both. Passing this on to one not considered a friend is something Christ would have done.

I removed a dead plum tree from the yard (thank you, tractor), then mowed the lawn. It looks SO good freshly mowed.

While working on removing the dead tree, I messed up and had to jump out of the way when it fell. In the process, I injured my knee rather badly. I cannot walk without help from a sturdy cane.

Those 'wrong way' trees are a SOB. I've had a couple of scares, but so far no injuries, except my pride. If I could only find a copy of Tree Felling For Dummies.

Just a quick Hello and Good Night! I'm dragging

Sending healing energy, positive thoughts, , prayers, and {{{{{HUGS}}}}}

Been quiet here for a few days. Hope all is well. Especially with your injured knee, Heidi.

This Covid thing has altered the way I do my shopping. I have seldom ordered anything online, living close enough to be able to drive to any store/outlet. I like to be able to see what I am buying. But these days in isolation have forced me to buy online or to order online and then drive there and collect my purchases, which was what I did yesterday, driving to collect groceries and then driving to my closest Ikea. It's bad news when you need a new frypan in isolation. I made use of the Ikea range of products and bought myself several other things. Why not, I say?

Just as my knee was starting to feel better, and I could walk slowly around the house without a cane, Reeses smashed into my knee while roughhousing and I'm back to square one again. So frustrating. It's hard to feed and water everybody while using a cane. And with the social distancing, I can't call Debbie and ask for her help. She screwed up and exchanged some supplies with her daughter and future son-in-law, and he was around someone who tested positive for coronavirus. Even tho' they didn't touch, she handled some boxes immediately after he did. With my lousy, almost non-existant white blood cell count, I can't risk being exposed to even a mild or asymptomatic case. I'm way too susceptable and can't fight off diseases.

Are we contemplating changing Reeses name to 'T-bone'?

He's already being called ''sh:thead''. He doesn't mind. He's deaf.

Hope everyone is keeping well. We are still in iso - just going to our office every second day (we are the only ones in the building) and home again. Another few weeks and we will start to get out again. Have 2 of our sons living with us - the one that was in Sth Korea is still not well so that is a bit of a worry. Absolutely nothing extra doing here - I forgot, I have almost caught up on ironing - only 27 shirts to go. A job I hate. And I knitted a Hematite Shawl for 3rd son's partner. Enthralling news.
Hope your knee doesn't give you too much trouble Heidi - you have had enough lately.
CynB we also do our shopping online and son picks it up - because of 4 adults in the house we shop twice a week. I always forget something or it is not available. Time to leave work - enough for today. Take care all

CynB, that was a wonderful TOPP for the page! Thank you!

DOrA, thanks for sharing 'Grandpa's Hands.'

Heidi, how awful that you had nearly recovered from the first knee injury only to have your knee reinjured.

CynB, we need to work out a way to order groceries for delivery or pick-up. I'm so glad it's working for you!

Midge, it's so nice to see your comment here! I guess it's good that you can go into your office every second day without fear of contact with anyone. It's also good that 2 of your sons are living with you. I hope the one who had been in South Korea will soon be feeling better! Sending him some strong healing thoughts!

Yikes, Midge, I don't envy you having 27 shirts still to be ironed!

Thinking of everyone and sending positive thoughts, strong healing energy, prayers, {{{{{HUGS}}}}}, and ! Take care, Everyone!

Hello, everyone, just a heads up. I posted on the Easy page that Ian from Sydney has passed away. There's a bit more info on there.
I hate losing Sudoku people.

Oh, no!!!! Ian was such a sweet man. I hope his passing was peaceful.

Rest In Peace, Ian.

I helped Mike the Vet catch and load up his young bull this morning. He had been bred to 3 of Mike's cows that calved in the Fall. Now he's going to another farm in the county for breeding next month, and Mike's older bull will be coming back here. Ilike the looks and disposition of the older bull a LOT better, and he'll be bred to my cows as well as Mike's starting mid-May. Laird won't be used for breeding until next year. He's only 2+ months old now and will have to be over a year old before he can start getting romantic.

I fell 3 times yesterday while using a cane. The knee is a real mess. I'm now using crutches instead.

Perhaps, Heidi, it's time for a chair, for a while...

Unfortunately, critters on the farm need to be fed and watered. I cannot spend all my time staying off the knee.

No falls today!!!! It's an improvement.

I hope your knee is feeling better, Heidi!
If not, I hope you can get help, but I guess that won't be easy during these Covid days.

In these days of isolation, there's not a whole lot to say. Nothing happens!
Had a visit from my daughter and her partner for a few hours again yesterday morning. We kept our distance had coffee and snacks while we talked nonstop. In the afternoon, we facetimed with my son and his 3 daughters. Today we expect to Facetime with our other 2 grandchildren.
As long as I can see or talk to everyone I am fine, these are my favourite people.

Yesterday was Anzac Day here in Australia and in NZ, where we honour the fallen in all wars. Because of social distancing we were unable to go to whichever cenotaph or memorial is closest and participate with our fellow Australian and New Zealanders. So the plan was to go out onto our driveways or balconies at dawn 6am, with our phones tuned to the official service in Canberra. From there, we were able to stand, at a safe distance, with our neighbours, listen to the speeches from the dignitaries, observe one minute's silence, hear the 'Ode to the Fallen' read out and then the bugler playing the Last Post followed by Reveille. It was quite emotional and stirring and I was pleased to see so many neighbours observe the day this way.

No, the knee is not doing well. Reeses has repeatedly smashed into it so it can't heal. He's a sweet dog, but not a bright dog. ''Clumsy oaf'' fits him better. A 106 lb / 48kg clumsy oaf.

We're having a rainy weekend, so I'm taking advantage of it to spend as much time as possible with the leg up, reading.

Believe it or not, my idiot ex-husband STILL hasn't notified his clients of his change of address!!!!! I just got a very large box of fecal samples, addressed to him, but at MY address, for his lab to run. They're going in the trash, again. I get a lot of mail for him still, too. The moron keeps thinking that it is the responsibility of the postal service to notify his clients. I tried to explain to him a couple of years ago that a ''change of address form'' for the post office just gets them to forward mail for 6 months to give HIM time to notify everybody of the address change. Since he didn't do that, I told him that he needed to notify people, because if he didn't, his mail and packages would end up in the trash. He still thinks I need to deliver it to him. I refuse to. For a while, I marked the stuff RETURN TO SENDER / NO SUCH PERSON HERE, but that didn't stop the problem. So now it just goes in the trash.

That was a nice way for everyone to honor ANZAC DAY safely, CynB.

Just a quick visit to say Hello and Good Night! Time to get to bed here.

Thinking of everyone and sending , healing energy, prayers, positive thoughts, and {{{{{HUGS}}}}}

Heidi, sorry to hear that the knee is not feeling better.
I would throw away that mail too. Our neighbour has given the wrong street number (ours) to a couple of places - not important ones. In the beginning, 6 years ago when he moved in, we would put them into his mailbox. When they kept coming we 'returned to sender'. Now we just chuck them into the recycle bin with all the other waste paper. We tried!

I have finally finished the 4 stepping stones for my sister's garden in her new home. I have uploaded the 4 photos onto my photos if anyone is interested in taking a look.

Your stepping stones are fantastic CynB. Your sister will love them.

Those stepping stones are beautiful,, CynB. I like the variety, too. I think the bird is my favorite, then the tree. I like living things.... but all are great.

Yeah, Everything looks different.

Gath left this post on 'Easy'

Hi Everyone,

What do you think of the new look? This version should be a bit more mobile friendly.

If I have broken anything (and I probably have) I apologise. Just let me know in the comments or even better send me an email at info@sudoku.com.au

Also, if you can think of any improvements you would like to see - know is the time! .


Gath

Lovely, the mosaics are CynB.

I've tried several times to post today, but was told the page wasn't available (or something). Thought I'd try before heading to bed. It's very different, so don't know it this will work.

Sending lots of , positive thoughts, healing energy, prayers, and {{{{{HUGS}}}}} for Everyone!

I really dislike the new format. I can only read one post on my screen at a time. Of course, I'm not a person who adjusts well to change.

The new format was designed with 'thumb twiddlers' (smart phone and tablet users) in mind.

GATH posted a change notice @ 27/Apr/20 3:18 PM on the Easy page.