Sudokuaholics Anonymous 11

Julie, I am so sorry to hear of the loss of your husband. May his memory be a blessing.

Sorry I have been missing for way too long. I keep in touch with most people on facebook but miss the ones that haven't joined yet. Wishing all the best to my friends in SudokuLand.

If I had paid attention I would have tried for a better TOPP.

'Life is what happens when you are busy making other plans.' John Lennon

Thank you, Tami, for your kind thoughts AND the TOPP!

Heidi, I hope you have been able to make repairs to the fence. That bull doesn't deserve to be on your farm. He has caused you much grief and extra work.

I'm SO glad to see/read that you don't have blood clots and something else might be causing the pain and fatigue in your legs, Heidi!

Take care, EveryoneW! Stay healthy!

A quiet day here, but not in my area. About 120 miles away there was a mass shooting with 6 dead and nearly 30 (I think) injured. A very sad day.

I hope everyone is well.

Julie, I saw the news on the shooting. This has got to stop. Too many innocent lives taken too soon.

Sorry I've been missing. I'm still hurting (legs) and dealing with major depression. I lost Jet (black cat I raised from a tiny baby) when he was hit by a car several fays ago. He wandered down to the road (a quarter mile) and was hit by car. Then he dragged himself back to the house ... his whole back end was crushed... and the dogs alerted me. I rushed him into the Vet Clinic.... Mike dropped what he was doing, since he loved Jet, too... and examined him. Jet was purring loudly the whole time he was there, knowing he was being helped. He passed gently, the last thing going was the purr.

Heidi, I'm sorry about Jet and your leg pain.
But I am pleased to see you back here again. I was about to send out a search party - well, I was going to ask if MizT or Julie knew how to contact you.

I have been absent for a few weeks too. This is why, it is a post on FB by my Grandson explaining what has happened to him. I have been up at the hospital a lot in the past 2 weeks.
Lachlan's post: 'On the 24th of June I came into the Emergency Room for severe lower back pain, an MRI was done and it was confirmed I have a bulging disc. It was also discovered that I had a temperature. Blood cultures were taken and I was sent home in the early hours of the next morning with a script for pain medication.
By the 26th of June I could not move out of bed and had to get mum to come over to help me prepare to call an ambulance (the doctor had called to let me know I had positive blood cultures for a staph blood infection).
I have been in hospital since then on an iv drip which will continue for 6 weeks from the 29th of June (my last positive blood cultures).
Today is exciting as after 2 weeks in hospital, having 6 MRI’s, 2 CT scans, an ECO scan, 4 ultrasounds, 2 picklines, and countless bloods taken I am now being set up to be sent home with a drip that is attached to me and a nurse coming to see me each day. Some freedom!
It feels good to make progress '

To say I am relieved is and understatement.
He was so sick at times and there is a 10% fatality rate. I kept having to remind myself, and Col and his Mother and Sister, that he is young and otherwise very fit.

Cyn B - So glad to read about your grandson getting better. His youth and fitness will see him well again and hopefully the bulging disc will be eased too with the time restiing. Unfortunately recurring staph put my brother into Sunshine Coast hospital and because of his other issues, it is a constant fight. They have given him some more time for now and it is a day-to-day battle.
Heidi - so sorry to hear about Jet - he knew where to come for help. You have a big heart.
I hope the drs can help with your leg pain - with the work you have to do with your animals, it must be very difficult.
Hugs Julie.
We are surrounded by boxes as we try to move back into our home. Hubby has wrecked his knee and I still cannot bend properly with the spinal fractures so it is not easy going. I think we are the new Steptoes. No 2 son will be back from Thailand tomorrow (I hope) so he can move some of them for me. Everything has to be scrubbed, the chemical the firefighters used is black and oily and difficult to remove. Also, the field mice moved in over the past 10 months and settled in nicely - I have been catching them and releasing them into the paddocks down the road from us. I should paint their backs so I know if they are just returning. One thing for sure is the kookaburras are plentiful here. So sick of disinfectant.

No news here, other than it's HOT outside.

Did you know that manufacturers now build freezers specifically for use
in garages. They are designed to function in environmental extremes.
Around zero to one hundred. Perfect fit for me 'cause my freezer is
located out in the barn. Not a heated / cooled area.

Long story short, my old freezer went ten toes up, and I had to scramble
to find a suitable replacement. Searching online, I found a couple that
looked to fit the bill, but, availability was a week to ten days. I Need
It Now!

I found an appliance store, in that had one of the models I was
interested in, in stock, so off to town.

After returning home and unloading  the new unit, per owners manual, a
four hour initial cool down period is recommenced. Again, Long Story
Short, it was 2100 (9:00 pm) before I could put it in position, level it
and 'move in'. Finally finished about 2230.

At least I didn't lose any food. (I Hope)....

DorA, Nothing worse than a fridge or freezer that stops working and it's full of food.
Happened to me one Christmas Eve, my fridge was full of food, When I got home from work at 4.30pm it had stopped working. Luckily, Col had just enough time to go to a store nearby, buy a new one and bring it home in a trailer he borrowed.
Phew, crisis alerted!

It's very quiet on here recently.
There's not many of us left to post any more.
It's very sad. It's always been my go to place when I need to vent, or just need to talk.
I see many of the people who used to post and are now on FB. Many mention that they have forgotten their password, or even the name they called themselves on here.

For me, recently, I have stopped even playing the Sudoku games.
I use Google Chrome, which I prefer, but in recent weeks they have decided to put up an advertisement banner right across the numbers grid at the bottom of the game, which means scrolling up and down to access that grid. Hence I have stopped playing Sudoku for the first time since 2007, when it kept me sane during a family crisis.

Cyn, I do the Easy Medium and Parents in the morning over breakfast. Then some news. Finally, after about 3 or 4 hours, my back lets me know it's OK to start the day. Until then, I can't even bend over to 'lift the lid'. Need I remind folks that getting old isn't for wusses...

You are right. It seems like the site is 'withering on the vine'. Even the Easy page is down to just a few regulars. Sad.......

Sorry I'm not here much these days. I'm feeling cruddy with all this leg pain.
I DID get another skunk, tho'. It had the nerve to take up residence inside my feed room, and kept threatening me when I tried to enter to feed my critters. It's now joined the others in skunk heaven.

Tis sad to think of this page no longer being here. Many look but don't comment.
Heidi - hope your legs are on the improve. What treatment are you getting for them? We see on the news how the heat is affecting everyone your way - hope you and your animals are coping o.k. We are in the midst of winter here but even though we have had a lot of rain and it is cold, it doesn't seem so bad this year. Only had a couple of days where the snow was close to us.
DorA we have the 'resting' time each year when we move the refrigerator to our campsite - double the time the fridge is laying on it's side.My old freezer is still sitting outside and probably won't come back inside again - not game - we bought it in 1974 and was still running perfectly when we had the fire. Don't know how long these motors are supposed to last but can't stand the thought of another fire.
CynB - how is your grandson now? Hope he is up and about and doing well. How much is the covid present in Qld? I went past one of the covid testing lanes this morning and there were about 30 cars waiting in line. It seems to have really cranked up again down here. I am now officially over my 2nd dose of it but still not feeling back to normal again. (Whatever normal is these days) And still the morons won't wear their masks.
My brother is now back in Victoria and continuing his treatment here. Looks like dialysis is the next thing for him but the staph infection is in his heart surrounds so putting a port in is a final option. At least he is home where he wants to be.
Thinking of you Julie and hoping you are finding life a little easier now.
Cheers to everyone.

Oops, looks like I killed this page. Sorry. Hope all are o.k.

Yeah, Midge, starting to seem like posting here is like talking to ones self....

All is well, somewhere. Hot days, but nights cool enough to sleep.

Thinking of Heidi, with the flooding going on in Kentucky. Hope it's avoiding her area...

My excuse for not being here:
Not content with his eye accident and then Bowel Cancer, Colin has just had open heart surgery to replace a faulty valve in his heart. (Whammy #3). He had the surgery on Thursday and is currently in Intensive Care. They are happy with how the surgery went and were happy with his progress yesterday. Even though when I was there he kept asking me what day it was and what time it was.
He had been feeling tired, exhausted, and was getting bad headaches. After a few Rat tests were negative he went to the GP who when his blood pressure was 200 and it's never been high before, sent him for an ECG. Less than an hour after he returned home, the Cardiologist called the GP to get him into hospital because he was a 'heart attack waiting to happen'. His valve was 'flappin' in the breeze'! Because our hospital system is overwhelmed with Covid cases and staff shortages, it took a week to get a slot and the necessary staff to do the operation. It was a long wait and I'd see him gasp for breath at times.
He will be out of ICU in the next day or two, and in the hospital for a week or two, off work for 6-8 weeks, and not allowed to drive for 3 months.
He may have had a faulty valve but an angiogram showed NO cholesterol!! So that's good. Right?

Midge, your brother is having a worse time than both Colin and my grandson, who is home getting 'home hospital care'. I will keep your brother in my thoughts and hope for a miracle.
Strange thing was mortality rates - for staph infections it is 10%, for heart valve replacement operations, even though they are so invasive it is only 2%, The surgeon told us it is the most common heart surgery these days.
One for Midge's brother, one for Colin and one for Lachlan.

What a horrible time you are having CynB - Col should feel much better after this op. He certainly has used up a few of his 'lives' over the past few years. Hopefully this will be the end of the bits and pieces that need tuning. My brother's problem is that staph likes to attack foreign organs and has settled on his valve op but at the moment is controlled. The insertion of a port is a major worry. For a physical ed teacher, afl footballer etc these illnesses have hit him hard mentally too.
Is your grandson on the mend now?
We have had fun with me getting covid for the 2nd time and hubby having his knee operaton (meniscus) - it all happens at once. Now my daughter and her partner have covid . As she is a pathology scientist and has beenhandlng covid samples for ove 2 years she has done well to stay free of it. I am currently cooking some meals to drop off for them.
Last time we heard from eldest son he was in Ko Sammui and may be heading to Barcelona, Sth Korea or Japan. He is again not answering texts so must be on the move somewhere.
DorA - you certainly were able to fill in some spaces on this page. Hubby is deaf and refuses to get hearing aids so I am used to talkng to myself. The problem will be if he does get them, I will have to stop using rude words when I am annoyed........
Didn't realise Heidi had floods as well as unbearable heat. Hope your legs are better Heidi. You have so many animals and people relyng on you. Hope you are getting some help from those you do so much for.
Thnking of you Julie.
Cheers for now, back to the stove.

Here's hoping Heidi is not near the flooding going on in Kentucky. I think it's in the eastern part of the state. She lives in the western part.

Somewhere the cool of the morning is gone. The temperature is starting to rise. Heading for the mid-nineties, today. I do have to work outside, but, fortunately, nothing heavily physical.

Gatorade is my friend...

So quiet here - hope everyone is well and the heat and rain hasn't been too awful.
Cold winds here - had the strong winds for 2 nights and couldn't sleep just waiting for our gum tree to drop some branches. Gums tend to just drop them whenever - windy or calm. This one is only about 8ft from the house and is huge. Our local council will not let us do anything to it (remove split branches) as they claim it is a heritage tree - we planted it 46 years ago so i figure it is ours and not theirs!!
Hope you all have a lovely weekend. Cheers

I think it has been ages since I stopped by. My apologies. There's so much to be doing and not nearly enough time in the day. It feels like I spend nearly half of every day on the phone and a good portion of that placed on hold.

I hope everyone is well! I hope to get back in a few days and have time to read and comment.

Stay well, Everyone, and take care!

Heidi, I am so sorry to hear about Jet! He obviously knew how important it was to get back to you. I'm glad he was able to get back and the dogs alerted you. How wonderful that he knew he was being helped and was with those who loved him and so glad he could let you know he was aware that he was being cared for.

Heidi, I hope your legs are feeling better and that someone has determined what's causing the pain and fatigue!

Oh my, CynB, what a time you are having! I hope both Colin and Lachlan are improving and feeling much better. It must have been frustrating having to wait for Col's surgery! What a horrible time for both of you, as well as for Lachlan -and for you having to deal with their hospitalizations and concern and worry for them both. I'm not surprised that Col needed to ask you the time and day of the week. They say anesthesia can really affect awareness, one of the reasons they warn against driving too soon after having anesthesia.

Midge, you have certainly had your hands full, between your own health, your husband, your daughter and her partner with COVID, your brother, many boxes, and unwanted/uninvited field mice. (I'm sure I've forgotten something.) When you mentioned that your hubby is deaf and doesn't want hearing aids, it reminded me of how I had to be careful of my language when my hubby finally decided to get hearing aids. But he didn't always put them in, so I never knew when I needed to be extra careful about my language.

DOrA, I had no idea there were such specialized freezers that can be placed and function in temperature extremes. How fortunate that a nearby brick and mortar appliance store had one in stock! That made for quite a long day by the time you were able to get the freezer, get it set up, and get all of your frozen goods transferred into it! I certainly hope you're right that everything made the transfer successfully!

Midge, I hope your gum tree holds tightly to its branches! Eight feet is uncomfortably close to your house.

I'm having difficulty staying awake. I need to get to bed, as tomorrow is another day of trying to get things done. Unfortunately, our utility accounts were almost entirely in hubby's name. Some of the utilities seem to want to make it difficult to change the name on the account without a good bit of paperwork. I really don't need the additional aggravation, but there seems to be no choice.

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

It's weird being the same age as 'old people'...

Midge, I think I'd be telling the 'council' to put in writing their acceptance of responsibility for any damage the gum tree does. Otherwise 'go pound sand'...

Sorry state of affairs when one can't protect their own property...

No sign of Heidi for more than 3 weeks now. I do hope she's okay. Does anyone have a way to contact her?
I haven't been around for a while, just looking after Col after his big operation. He is doing fine, but it's slow going. He's started Cardiac Rehab with a physiotherapist. So we have no other news, life is quiet around here.

CynB - Thanks for checking in and letting us know Col is doing well. I too have been wondering about Heidi. It's unlike her to be missing for so long...

MizT ??

Just popping in quickly (1:00 am here). Will try to remember to look for Heidi's phone number tomorrow. {{{{{HUGS}}}}} to All!

It's 3:30 pm Central Daylight time. I tried calling the phone number I have for Heidi. After 6 rings the following message played, 'The person you are trying to call has a voice mailbox that hasn't been set up yet.' Perhaps Heidi has a new phone? I'll try again later, hoping that Heidi will pick up and it won't try to go to voicemail.

DOrA, your suggestion to Midge sounds reasonable. Unless the 'council' guarantees that they will pay for any repairs necessary if all or a portion of the gum tree falls on the house.

CynB, I was glad to see your message and the update on Col.

Thinking of Everyone and hoping you are all well. Take care!

In case you didn't see this on ''Easy''

A tune to put a 'spring in your step'

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4k2PJFPu57Y

It's now 9:50 pm Central Daylight Savings Time. Almost 2 hours ago I tried to call Heidi again - and had success!

She says Hi to Everyone and is aware that it has been a while since she posted. Unfortunately the pain in her legs is continuing unabated. It seems that doctors these days have trouble thinking 'outside of the box' (my assessment of the situation, but I think Heidi might agree). One doctor she saw went so far as to suggest that the pain could be in her head. If one possibility isn't the answer to the problem, then there must not be a solution.

Heidi said standing for any length of time produces a lot of pain. Unfortunately, sitting is also problematic and painful, which is why she hasn't been able to sit at the computer and check in with us. Also, standing and sitting cause swelling in her legs. She said she'll do one of her farm chores, but then must come in and lie down before going out to do another chore. The pain isn't lessened at all by lying down, but it helps to reduce the swelling somewhat. She has tried heat, cold/ice, baths, etc., but nothing seems to provide relief. She hasn't given up on finding a doctor who can help, but she's discouraged.