Sudokuaholics Anonymous 11

Don't let anyone dull your sparkle!

My sparkle is dimming I can tell you!!

I went to my Doctor yesterday to get a new script for my Arthritis tablets. We were talking about Covid - always the top topic these days. I told him I was concerned about the huge rise in cases in Victoria and that they might spread up to here despite border closures. He said to me, and this was fairly ominous -'if you have something you really want to do or somewhere you really want to go, do it now! Don't wait.'
Who knows what's still coming? Until there's a vaccine we are living in a Covid world. I think I'll just keep clear of it as best I can.

Hooray for Heidi's trap! Another opossum caught. Apparently the heat isn't bothering the predators around your farm, Heidi.

Great TOPP, CynB! Unfortunately, I don't feel I've had much sparkle this spring/summer. Hubby hasn't benefitted much from his epidural, and does not deal very well with pain. He has an appointment with a back/neuro surgeon coming up later this month. Because of COVID-19, I'm not allowed to come with him to an appointment unless and until surgery is scheduled.

CynB, you're right; your doctor's advice is ominous. Australia is still better off than the U.S. Unless people really start following directives, they're talking like COVID-19 is here for the long haul. That's not very encouraging, as there are SO MANY covidiots.

Thinking of everyone and sending warm and positive thoughts, healing energy, , prayers, and {{{{{HUGS}}}}}. Take car and stay well!

Well, where I was at, it was cell phone or no Sudoku...

Yes, the Doctor's advice is ominous, but I'd much rather hear that than hear that ''Everything will be back to normal soon. It;ll go away on it's own.'' I prefer honesty and erring on the side of caution.

Yes, you're probably right, Heidi! People are stupid the world over. It seems that it's not just confined to the US. Many don't realise that after all the restrictions during lockdown, an easing of them isn't free rein to abandon all sense. There is still reason to exercise caution. I think my Doctor was warning me that things in Australia could easily go the way they have in the US.

Julie, I'm sorry to hear that your husband is still having health problems. I hope they come up with a better solution for him at his next appointment. I hate to think of him having to go to hospital with Covid patients there as well. I read on FB that Jane's husband has just been admitted with pneumonia. So worrying, at his age and with his health problems to be so close to Covid patients.

The German news (DW.COM) is very interesting. Watched it this morning about 5 a.m. and they had a segment on Covid. Apparently Germany has been testing a vaccine since April and believe it can be out for distribution in December. At the moment there are about 150 labs competing for the vaccine at the moment.) The scientists still do not know if this virus is DNA related or a virus that will not last. It appears to be in the middle of once you have had it you will have anti-bodies and not get it again - or become dormant in your cells (like herpes, chicken pox etc). To me that is the scary part.
Hope your hubby can have some improvement in his pain management soon Julie.
My sparkle too has almost gone, A friend passed away last night (after an aneurysm last week and my brother had a heart attack. He lives in the country and was sent by ambulance to the Royal Melbourne but was diverted to another hospital because they were busy evacuating 2 aged care homes and moving all the patients into wards there. Waiting on news as no-one is allowed to be with him - even his partner,
Take care everyone and wear masks in public.

Oh Midge, sorry about your friend passing away and how awful about your brother and the hospital. It's so awful that even his partner can't be there. I think that is what scares me most about Covid, almost more than the disease itself! The idea of being taken off into a hospital without the possibility of seeing my husband or family again unless I recover. I think I would willingly just die!

And we hear so many conflicting stories about Covid and scientific studies into it. I think they're basically still flailing about in the dark. So many scientists looking for a vaccine, hearing recently that it looks like it lies dormant and can strike again like the herpes virus.
Hopefully the German vaccine will work!

DOrA, when it comes to cell phone or no Sudoku, you need to make a choice, and it seems you chose wisely.

Heidi, I'm with you. I'd rather hear an honest medical opinion than have information 'glossed over' to make it more palatable.

CynB, I agree about the stupidity of so many people around the world, but especially here. It seems that so many people have lost all common sense and decency and courtesy towards others. It's frightening and sad at the same time. How much effort does it take to think of others and not just oneself?

Thanks for mentioning Jane's husband Bailey. I hope he can be treated and recover quickly so he can return home. I'm shocked that in some locations, hospitals have begun to schedule elective surgery again.

Midge, you're right that there is still so much unknown about the coronavirus. It's quite concerning that they still know so little.

Midge, I'm so sorry that one of your friends passed away last night as a result of an aneurysm last week. And on top of that, you also are dealing with your brother having a heart attack. I hope he can get excellent care at the hospital where he was sent! This is such an awful time for a loved one to be in the hospital, worrying and having to wait for news, I hope he is doing well and has made some improvement!

Thinking of everyone and sending (good & happy) warm thoughts, healing energy, {{{{{HUGS}}}}}, , and prayers. Take care, Everyone! Stay healthy; wash your hands; wear masks; stay socially distant!DOrA, when it comes to cell phone or no Sudoku, you need to make a choice, and it seems you chose wisely.

Thinking of everyone and sending (good & happy) warm thoughts, healing energy, {{{{{HUGS}}}}}, , and prayers. Take care, Everyone! Stay healthy; wash your hands; wear masks; stay socially distant!

I'm glad SOME elective surgery is being done. Otherwise, CynB's husband Col wouldn't have gotten sight back in his eye. Some so-called elective surgery IS critical surgery to the patients.

It's so not here that I can step outside for only a few short minutes. And as soon as I step outside, my glasses fog over from the humidity. I'm about to go out to the barn and check the trap again. I hope I get another raccoon. The count so far is 3 raccoons and 13 opossums.... ALL trapped in the male alpaca's inside pen where they killed Lily and Skeletor.

not = hot.

'I asked one of my friends who has crossed 60 & is heading to 70 what sort of change he is feeling in him?
He sent me the following very interesting lines, which I would like to share with you ....
1) After loving my parents, my siblings, my spouse, my children, my friends, now I have started loving myself.
2) I just realised that I am not “Atlas”. The world does not rest on my shoulders.
3) I now stopped bargaining with vegetables & fruits vendors. A few Rands more is not going to burn a hole in my pocket but it might help the poor fellow save for his daughter’s school fees.
4) I pay the petrol attendant a big tip. The extra money might bring a smile to his face. He is toiling much harder for a living than me
5) I stopped telling the elderly that they've already narrated that story many times. The story makes them walk down the memory lane & relive the past.
6) I have learnt not to correct people even when I know they are wrong. The onus of making everyone perfect is not on me. Peace is more precious than perfection.
7) I give compliments freely & generously. Compliments are mood enhancer not only for the recipient, but also for me.
8) I have learnt not to bother about a crease or a spot on my shirt. Personality speaks louder than appearances.
9) I walk away from people who don't value me. They might not know my worth, but I do.
10) I remain cool when someone plays dirty politics to outrun me in the rat race. I am not a rat & neither am I in any race.
11) I am learning not to be embarrassed by my emotions. It’s my emotions that make me human.
12) I have learned that its better to drop the ego than to break a relationship. My ego will keep me aloof whereas with relationships I will never be alone.
13) I have learnt to live each day as if it's the last. After all, it might be the last.
14) I am doing what makes me happy. I am responsible for my happiness, and I owe it to myself.
I decided to send this to all my friends. Why do we have to wait to be 60 or 70, why can't we practice this at any stage and age....✨'

... Anthony Harris

Thanks for that Heidi! I have learned a lot of that. Or maybe I am trying to practice much of it. I certainly know I'm calmer these days, now that I'm in my early 70's.

I went outside to do a few quick chores and the sky opened up, much to my surprise! Pouring rain and a bit of thunder in the distance. Hopefully it will cool things down. But it means I can't mow the lawn today.

Yes, I am glad that elective surgery is happening again here and that Col was able to get his eye done. The hospital, while their communication was bad, their Covid strategies were great. And it should be said that Queensland had a 'mild case' of Covid anyway (total cases 1071, currently 3). Whether it stays that way I don't know.

It's 2 weeks since they reopened our borders and we have had a huge influx of people from NSW come through heading for their winter holiday break. Great for our economy. Now is the time we may get our second spike. Hopefully, if we do, it doesn't get like the one in Victoria.

Wise words, your friend has, Heidi.

Loved the sentiments Heidi - it seems as we get older we don't take life around us for granted as much. I know I certainly enjoy the little things in life a lot more, things I would have just accepted as 'being there'. Cold and very foggy here today - degrees this morning. Brother needs vale repair and stents - being done today. He is high as a kite - told us 50 stents to be done by Donald Duck!! At least they are controlling his pain,. No visitors and no elective surgery here. So sorry for the organ transplants.
CynB - I hope too you do not have a second wave. Unfortunately it is up to the covidiots how widespread this virus will be.
Take care everyone.

Hi, Everyone!

I completely agree with you, Heidi. I didn't mean to sound as if I was against all elective surgery. Some (as Col's) is quite necessary, even if deemed elective by certain hospitals. Obviously, organ replacements, cancer surgeries, etc., should be allowed when they can be done without causing unnecessary exposure to COVID-19 or when the possible outcome is deemed beneficial or necessary to the patient. Surgeries like breast augmentation would seem to be truly elective and expose too many, including medical professionals, to more negative than possible outcomes. I apologize for seeming to be cold-hearted and antagonistic.

Wow, the combined heat and humidity sound awful, Heidi! I hope the rain brought some cooling relief and lowered the humidity.

Heidi, thank you for sharing the sentiments/advice shared by someone who is older and wiser (than some of us). I feel as if I'm better able to deal with disappointment/frustration now that I've entered seventies than 5 or 10 years ago. There are SO many more areas where I need to make improvement, though. Definitely food for thought!

CynB, I also hope your area can keep down the number of COVID-19 infections! It's so amazing to us that there are so many deniers here, and some of them have become violent/dangerous about it. I hope it will be possible to counteract their actions and eventually reduce the number of new infections and deaths!

Midge, I'm sending your brother powerful positive thoughts and healing energy! I'm so glad they're able to control his pain prior to (also hopefully during and after) his surgery!

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

Stay healthy by socially distancing, washing hands, and wearing a mask! Take care! Good Night.

I didn't think that you were condemning elective surgery, Julie. Your comments sounded sane and rational. They do need to discriminate better between different levels of surgery: Emergency, Vital (life and death but can wait a week or two), Elective (affects quality of life and funcrion, but isn't life and death) and Vanity (for appearance only). No two cases are the same and each should be evaluated on their individual merits. Right now, there is no place for Vanity surgery, but the first 2 categories of mine should not stop, and the third should be on a case-by-case basis.

Right now we have pouring rain and crashing thunder and lightning. So I can't mow the lawn today. At least the temperature has dropped from 92˚F / 33.3˚C down to 76˚F / 24.4˚C. Major improvement.

I'd better post this before the power gets knocked out again.

Got another big raccoon. The total is now 4 raccoons and 13 opossums.

Heidi, congratulations on 'bagging' another big raccoon. I hope you're making a difference for a lot of people/animals in your area by reducing the big raccoon population. It would seem like they have had a plentiful supply of food this spring/summer. Also, it doesn't seem like there has been an effective natural predator.

I hope things get dried out enough for you to be able to mow before everything grows really tall again.

Thinking of your brother, Midge, and sending lots of positive thoughts (for both of you) and healing energy for him. I hope his surgery was successful!

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

It's 93˚F / 33.9˚C with a heat index of 107˚F / 41.7˚C, and 61% humidity. Possible thunderstorms later. I'm going to TRY to do some mowing. Fortunately, it's a zero-turn riding mower with a drinks holder.

No predatory critter caught today. The population must be thinning, finally. I have some baby guineas and peachicks due to arrive in a few weeks, and I want to keep them safe.

I quit. I was mowing the lawn in front of the horse barn and a nut came off the front wheel, the bolt holding it on slipped and the bearings broke. I won't be able to get it fixed/ replaced for 2 days. I'm just going to sit inside in the A/C, read, and down cold drinks.

Heidi it seems like you have a lot of niggling little problems with that bad boy period.

It's one too many periods...

I don't blame the Bad Boy. It's operator error.

I know all about operator error. I'm a pro.

Wow, Heidi, you were brave to start the mowing in such awful heat & humidity. I guess your Bad Boy mower didn't think you should b doing that, so found a way to stop you. Sitting in the air conditioned house with a good book and a tall drink sounds so much more enjoyable! (It may or may not have been operator error.)

Speaking of operator error, I'm having one heckova time typing text that is readable. I know the signs. I need to get to bed. Sending healing energy, prayers, positive thoughts, {{{{{HUGS}}}}}, and for All! Good Night!

No critters in the trap again today. I'm going to keep it set, though, in case more take up residence in my barn.

A day without trapped critters is a day when you can breathe a sigh of relief. I hope there will be many more, Heidi!

I'm running on empty tonight and need to head to bed. Sending warm positive thoughts, healing energy, , {{{{{HUGS}}}}}, and prayers for Everyone! Take care and stay healthy!

They've gotten the broken wheel bearing replaced on the Bad Boy. Off to pick it up in a few. I hope I can get some mowing in today. They're calling for possible thunderstorms this afternoon.

Got the Bad Boy's tire back on.... but it's SO hot outside that I may wait a couple of hours before I start mowing. Mid 90's with 75% humidity.

I mowed everything outside the fenced in yard. I took a 2 hour break in the A/C, then finished the job. Then I cleaned out the water tanks for the alpacas and turkeys and refilled them. The alpacas looked fascinated with what I was doing, so I decided to spray one to see how she reacted. She went into ecstacy! So I started to soak her down and the others all crowded up wanting to be hosed down, too. So they got sprayed until soaked through, squealing with delight. Normally, you shouldn't get them soaking wet because it ruins the quality of their fleece, but they were sheared 9 days ago so they have no fleece.

Greetings, Fellow Sudokuaholics!

Heidi, that's great news that the Bad Boy could be repaired quickly. In spite of the heat and humidity, you obviously got a lot done today! And what a cooling treat for the alpacas! The water must have felt wonderful.

This is a busy week for us with lots of appointments and things that need to be done. It makes it hard to get things done around the house, and too much time is going into making phone calls and getting appointments made and bills paid. Because I'm continuing cello lessons during the summer, I also need to find an hour or more to practice every day, too.

Thinking of everyone and sending , healing energy, prayers, positive thoughts, and {{{{{HUGS}}}}}} to all of you! Take care; stay safe; wear your mask if you can't social distance, or even if you can.

Glad to hear that Bad Boy got fixed and that the alpacas had a cooling shower.
Julie, I understand all the appointments and phone calls. We are in that phase now.
Col has his followup colonoscopy on 4 August, then his portacath removed on the 12th. That should finish the cancer follow-ups until checkups in October.
He saw the eye doc on Tuesday. Progress is slow but good on the eye. Back in one month. He can see colour, movement and shape but can't see detail clearly, that is still blurry. Doc is very happy with everything and said he just has to be patient.