Sudokuaholics Anonymous 11

Alone we can do so little, together we can do so much.
- Helen Keller

Sorry to hear about your hubby Julie. Hope he is on the improve. Unfortunately you both have had to deal with this without the usual support - must have be a very difficult time.
I agree about the cellist - I did not watch him the first time, just had the music on - went back and had another look - he is very self opinionated..
Hope the knee and back are improving Heidi - you have a huge workload to contend with. are you able to get any help?
CynB - would love to swap homes with you - we are still in full lockdown and with the new clusters, unlikely to be out of it any time soon. I did see my sister from afar - took her birthday present to her (5 weeks late) and left it on her doorstep - thought the bottle of Sloe Gin and plant might be a surprise. She has almost finished her 1500pc jigsaw so left her another one to do also.
Mothers Day is cancelled for us but I consider every day to be that so it is no big deal anyway. As my daughter is doing the testing of the covid samples (and STDs) I figure it will be a long time before we can see each other. They even had to send some interstate for testing as they have been over-run with samples.
DorA - you haven't mentioned the hound lately - is all o.k.?
Take care all

Good one CynB - so true.......

Great TOPP, CynB!

Thanks, Everyone, for the kind thoughts for hubby. He's a bit better each day.

It's very late, so I'm off to bed. Sending healing energy, positive thoughts, , prayers, and {{{{{HUGS}}}}}}!

I'm so sorry that you and hubby had to go through that nightmare, Julie. This is a particularly bad time to go through it, too.

Midge, I did not realise that things were so bad still in Victoria. I'm sorry you couldn't see your sister for her birthday.
I'm not overly confident about our new freedom. I think it's come about by both the state and federal government's concern for the economy eclipsing concerns for the health and wellbeing of the people and the constant nagging by the press about when we will get those freedoms. I usually watch our premier's daily press conference and the media nag away at her. The small amount of freedom we have been given is being abused already with people just going back to normal behaviour. We will have another spike in a few weeks and be back where we started.
You can't fix stupid.

Rainy day here. They're calling for a freeze tonight, which is bad after nightly lows in the 50's, and fruit trees are starting to set fruits. My strawberries are full of half grown berries, too, and I may lose them all.

I don't think it got as cold as they predicted last night, thank god. When I got up, it was supposed to be freezing , but my thermometer said 46˚F. The fruit crop has been saved! I'll be able to start harvesting strawberries next week!!!

CynB, we're experiencing a similar situation here. People are pushing for the freedom to do what they want to do when they want to do it. A few churches are returning to their regular services with their regular number of attendees. I'm afraid it's not going to be good.

Heidi, I'm so glad the temperature didn't get down to freezing! It would be awful to lose your strawberries and all of the fruit from the fruit trees. Is this early for strawberries? I seem to remember they were a June crop in Massachusetts, as we went strawberry picking with D, SIL, and grandies a number of years ago when we were visiting.

Thinking of everyone and sending lots of {{{{{HUGS}}}}}, , positive thoughts, healing energy, and prayers for all! Take care and stay healthy!

MOTHERHOOD: A Lifetime Service of Love.

For All You Do

Happy Mothers Day to Mums, everywhere.

After me ranting about people mingling too soon after the easing of restrictions, yesterday being mother's day, we were allowed to meet with up to 5 family members at one time in an outdoor situation.
I ignored the rules and had my son and 2 of his daughters visit yesterday morning. Tried to social distance. Did not work. Chloe ran in and hugged us because it had been 6-8 weeks since we'd seen her. Gave up and hugged the others then.
In the afternoon, my daughter, her partner and both her kids came over. Hugging started immediately I let them in.
Felt good. Worth the risk.

At least it was just my own family. Of course who know what germs they were carrying, but meeting up outdoors means battling crowds for a picnic table, or a cool spot under a tree or a space on the beach.
People are out in force and pushing for restaurants, bars, sporting events etc to be opened. The plans for those are weeks/months away.

You know that there's going to be a second outbreak with people acting like fools again.

Our funeral homes are slowly opening. My friend Debbie's (only) uncle passed away a couple of days ago, and they're allowing a small visitation and tiny funeral. Visitation has to be scheduled in advance, for only 5 people at a time.... including allowing only 5 cars in their parking lot at a time. Funeral is for immediate family only, so I'm not sure how many they're allowing, but it's not many. I'm scheduled for visitation at 12:30.

A neighbors cow came for a visit, the day before yesterday. All efforts to send her home, failed. I think she likes it here........

Not good - I really don't need my septic system area trampled. Then there is the chance she could step on and break through one of the tank covers. And my lawn, such as it is, doesn't need fertilizing.

Efforts to 'lead her' with a pan of grain failed yesterday. The neighbor said he'd come back today with a rope and a tractor to lead her gently home.

Fascinating discovery!
https://www.cnn.com/videos/world/2020/05/12/belgium-ghent-llama-antibody-coronavirus-rob ertson-pkg-intl-hnk-vpx.cnn/video/playlists/coronavirus-intl/
It looks like Llamas are producing the antibodies needed to fight Covid-19!

I can't get that link to work for me, Heidi. It goes to the CNN page but says there is nothing there.
Sounds interesting anyway.

I'll try posting it again, without the space.
https://www.cnn.com/videos/world/2020/05/12/belgium-ghent-llama-antibody-coronavirus-roberts on-pkg-intl-hnk-vpx.cnn/video/playlists/coronavirus-intl/

Nope..... the space in ''robertson'' appeared again after I clicked on Submit Comment.

https://edition.cnn.com/videos/world/2020/05/12/belgium-ghent-llama-antibody-coronavirus-robertson-p kg-intl-hnk-vpx.cnn/video/playlists/coronavirus-intl/

Can get it but our connection lousy so keeps stalling - took me ages to view it. Hope they are right.
An article I found interesting too - met this gentleman last year. A bit of background info into immunology.

https://www.afr.com/life-and-luxury/health-and-wellness/i-m-79-i-won-the-nobel-prize- and-i-don-t-give-a-s-20200506-p54qhb?fbclid=IwAR07bIOTWqZpnCwx0_CXjwpmcqba09C8FJV-hDKq0kWbvVa7lNDj8t -RegA

I hope everyone had a Happy Mother's Day!

CynB, your Mother's Day celebrations sound wonderful! Actual in-person {{HUGS}} from family just can't be beat!

Heidi, condolences to your friend Debbie on the passing of her uncle. I'm glad they will be able to have a small visitation and funeral.

DOrA, your visitor certainly seemed happy to be there. I hope she is back home now.

Heidi, thanks for sharing about the llamas possibly having the coronavirus antibodies. It's an audio and video clip, so I can't just copy and paste in a comment here. However, there was a synopsis: 'Scientists in Ghent, Belgium, have found antibodies produced in llamas' blood could be critical in killing off the Covid-19 virus and saving lives.'

I'm afraid I'm about to fall asleep at the computer. Thinking off everyone and sending healing energy, positive thoughts, prayers, {{{{{HUGS}}}}}, and ! Have a great week!

Well, if my ''visitor'' is still here, she will be urged, in no uncertain terms, to leave, as I have enjoyed all I can stand...

I finally got to see the video - what happened was that the space in 'robertson' filled with an '&' when I put it into Google so that it didn't look like there was a space there. I always look for spaces.
Anyway that was interesting.
And at the end of the video, a testament to people's stupidity that they thought that obtaining some blood from the llama to drink would be a good idea.
How $#@$% stupid are some people?

There is no known depth to how stupid people can get.

I just realized ONE good thing about this pandemic. I'm on call for jury duty all of this year....and because of Covid-19, the court system is completely shut down. So I can't be called.

Hi, Everyone!

DOrA, I hope your 'visitor' has willingly returned to her home.

CynB, great detective work to find the extra & hiding in the space that had been in robertson. I suppose the same people who thought drinking the llama's blood would cure COVID-19 would also be the people who would try drinking bleach.

Heidi, that is definitely one bonus of the pandemic - avoiding being called for jury duty. Hooray! How are your knees and back doing?

Thinking of everyone and sending positive thoughts, healing energy, prayers, , and {{{{{HUGS}}}}}! Stay well, Everyone!

The cow has her evasion and escape skills pretty well honed. The owner is seriously thinking of renaming her 'hamburger'.

How is this for the government taking their time. On December 1 2019, I took my grandie Emily in to apply for Job Seeker benefits. They sent her to an employment agency who after talking to her put her in a 6 month course in Child Care, something she wanted to do. She complied with everything they asked and is now 5 months into the six month course. Until she turned 18 in November she had been at school and her father had been receiving benefit for her. He lost all of that from her 18th birthday, hence she had to apply back in December.
Finally after 5 months, she will receive her first payment today backdated to 1st December. What a ridiculous system. In the meantime, things have been hard for her and her Dad. Once he lost her as a dependent, his payments to his ex for the youngest girl doubled. And he has had to support Emily for an extra 5 months. Hopefully when her course is finished at the end of June, the college will be able to get her a placement in Child Care and she can get out of the system.
I hate the idea of anyone in my family being reduced into relying on the Government for handouts. Had to do it myself for 4 months once. I nearly had a breakdown.

Sorry I was venting there.
I hope everyone is feeling well and staying Covid-free.
Heidi, that's good that you won't have to do jury service.
Hi Julie, I hope all is well in your world and that your hubby's health has improved.

HooRah! The Bovine Trespasser has been evicted.

After yesterday, I wasn't sure of the outcome. The owner got a rope on her but she wasn't having any of it and took off through the brush and disappeared. Early this afternoon she nonchalantly strolled by, still dragging the rope.

Long story short, she didn't spook when I walked up and picked up the rope. She happened to stop near enough to a tree that I could get a couple of turns, with two half hitches (a knot). She wasn't very happy with having her freedom limited.

I called the owner. He and his son came over with a tractor to lead her home. Did I say she wasn't a happy cow. She lost the tug of war to the John Deere tractor....

Some pictures on my page. Click on the top left, then 'previous' to see them in order......

DOrA, if 'Hamburger's' owner was unsuccessful at capturing her today, how many more days is he willing to devote to her capture?

CynB, that sounds almost as bad as things here. How unfortunate for Emily and her Dad! I hope it will all get straightened out by the time she finishes her course next month. Hopefully the college will be much quicker than the government in finding a placement for her!

Hubby is regaining some strength and muscle control. He's very frustrated because things aren't happening immediately. He's also very frustrated about his vision not being as good as it once was. I know these are valid complaints, but think he wouldn't be letting things bother him so much if this were 'normal' times. He doesn't get out of the house much other than taking garbage to the street and bringing mail in from the mailbox at the curb. He used to do a fair amount of shopping for groceries, but I won't let him. (He is more at-risk than I am for COVID-19 because of being immunocompromised.)

I hope everyone is doing well and staying healthy! Sending healing energy, prayers, positive thoughts, {{{{{HUGS}}}}}, and . Feel free to share!

Unknown, Julie......

I loved the series of pictures of the cow, DOrA. Thanks for sharing them. Do you know if the cow is a Pinzgauer, or just a mixed breed? Pinzgauers were one of the breeds I seriously considered when I started getting into cattle.

I don't know, Heidi. The owner didn't mention and I didn't ask.

She will probably not be hamburger for the foreseeable future. That's what the owner was contemplating before we caught her.

Her immediate future will probably include a visit to see a bull, according to what the owner said..........

Morning all,
DorA, Loved the pictures of the cow capture and return. She really didn't want to go. Maybe she doesn't like the bull!
I was interested to see the area around where you live. For some reason I had imagined wide open plains and I don't know how I got that idea.

Julie, your hubby seems to be feeling just like Colin does. His health problems get him down. He's limited with what he can do. It's frustrating for anyone.

DOrA, thanks for the series of photos showing the cow capture. Here's hoping she doesn't want to return for more of the 'grass that's greener on the other side of the fence.' Maybe the hinted visit to a bull will take her mind off the goodies she found to eat on your property.

CynB, I think you have pinpointed what's going on. I can certainly empathize with you and Col as we go through our own version of this. The frustration and discouragement are hard to turn around, and being forced to be inside doesn't help take his mind off the current situation. He was always able to do everything that needed to be done around the house. Now, between his vision difficulties and lack of strength and stamina, he seems to be really focused on his current difficulty to do things that once would have been easy.

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

CynB.... My farm is wide open fields. That could be what confused you. Only about 4 of the 68 acres are wooded, for windblock and along the creek to prevent erosion, and none as thick as DOrAs, since my cattle browse in them.

My ear infection is getting out of control. The pain is awful. At least they're going to start opening up some medical facilities next week to things that aren't life threatening. I'm hoping I can get in to see the ENT specialist.

Heidi, yes I have always envisioned your farm to be like you described. Possibly it shows in many of your photos that I have seen. I think the word farm conjures up that vision.
I hope you can get attention for that ear. Even though doctors and hospitals here have been first and foremost about controlling Covid, if anyone has a real health problem, first they call their Doctor and he/she decides whether it needs hands on investigation. Sometimes they will prescribe over the phone, an absolute no-no here prior to Covid.

Julie, I read what you wrote about what your hubby is going through. Col said that he understands and sympathises. He knows what he's going through, especially about not being able to do the things he used to be able to do with ease.

Heidi, my place is just about the opposite. 40 acres with, perhaps, a total area of 3 1/2 acres in cleared fence line and cross trails. A mixed variety of trees and brush. Not currently 'productive'. Just plenty of room to stretch without shaking hands with a neighbor. Hey! I've been practicing 'social distancing' since long before it was suggested / required.


I think the neighborhood bear is back. An anthill went from a dome about 1 meter in diameter and nearly that tall, to a bowl or dish shape.

Today, a squirrel took a tumble trying to raid a bird feeder. Then he was successful. I'm going to have to come up with a better 'squirrel guard'.

Julie, My grass is definitely greener. She has to share her home pasture with 3 llamas and a herd of donkeys