57 thoughts on “Our Daily Thread 10-20-17”

  2. It seems that today is another big day for Michelle. She is speaking on Biddy Chambers today isn’t she?
    It has been a really long week for me and while I am thankful it is Friday, I will be headed to Pensacola today to speak with prospective agents and then again tomorrow to teach all day.

    Once again, things are changing. The friend who hired me has taken a position in South Florida. She offered me a position down there, but this time it is Mr. P who refuses to move. He isn’t leaving this grandbaby, and I can’t really blame him.
    I will be staying at the Market Center in Pensacola, but my roles will be changing. I will slide into more of a managerial and leadership role. It was nice to hear that one of the first questions the new Team Leader asked was, “Kim’s not leaving me, is she?” I spoke with him on Monday and he asked me the same thing. I promised him that I am here to help make him successful. I did tell him I had higher aspirations but not right now. I also told him that I agreed with the choice of him for the position. He is only 28 and to have achieved this level by this time is an honor for him. We talked about that and all the things he could achieve with the company —sky’s the limit!
    I am working on being able to teach Continuing Education classes, and eventually I would like to be able to teach real estate and the KW programs nationally. I also want to do some regional recruiting with the team I am on. Slow and steady. I really feel like I am where I am supposed to be right now, but it is nice to be told that if things change just pick up the phone.

    Now, to get about my morning. I am supposed to pick up BG and take her with me this morning. I promised her lunch and that we would go to the mall in Pensacola today.

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  6. Yay Kim — sounds like some great open doors and a good niche.

    I still need to listen to Michelle’s radio interview from yesterday, might not get to that until the weekend. I have a story to conjure up out of thin air today.

    But first, I need to haul the trash out somehow. The driveway is filled with a trailer collecting all the old crumbing foundation pieces, but I think there are 2 of the trash cans I need within reach. I’m just waiting for a bit of daylight before I tackle that. It’s dark and windy here this morning (well, dark because it’s still before dawn, of course 🙂 ).

    Pic looks like the normal Hollywood & Vine scene where all the movie characters in costume hang out to delight the tourists and pose for photos. The characters sometimes get into fights with each other, though, as they vie for attention and territory, meaning then the police have to be called …

    Carol left a voice mail last night asking if I could “help her” go buy things when she gets paid near the first of the month. I’m willing (if my schedule allows, and it may not) to help her take care of business — which means getting her to the place so she can get her paperwork notarized (at last) to get her pension coming again and to get and send a money order (at long last) to replace her long-lost transportation card. She runs through all her money every month before she can take care of these things, of course, so they’re tasks that are long overdue and that never get done.

    But if I do that, I won’t also take her to the store (which is what she really wants me to do) where she’ll spend all her money on junk food and be left (again) penniless for the month. She’s already talking about buying up a bunch of Halloween candy. I just don’t want to see it or be part of it, been there, done that. She’ll have to manage to do that on her own via the bus (and trust me, she will find a way).

    But I’m not sure I can even commit to doing the ‘taking care of business trip’ at this point as that weekend she’s talking about will be the one right before my window fixer crew arrives and I’ll have some serious moving around of stuff to do. The windows all have to have 10 feet clearances for the crew to do its work and my windows are everywhere (nearly floor to ceiling casement styles).

    Seems like the chaos here will never end sometimes.

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  8. Yes, today I’m at Wheaton. Met a bunch of my OC-related heroes last night and got hugs, saw a book in which I’m quoted (!) and Biddy is listed in the references. Big time for me and so very gratifying. I always wanted to be an expert. I guess I am now.

    Wheaton is beautiful, Baker is pleased, my husband is happy and I have a home to return to.

    God’s in His heaven and all is right with my world. Blessings to all.

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  11. It’s interesting how we all interpret the photo from our own generational experience. Chas thought it might be Beauty and the Beast, Peter & DJ recognized Chewbacca and thought the girl was Princess Leia. I’ve never seen the recent Disney reboot of Star Wars, but I think the girt is supposed to be the character of Rey. What can I say? I have nephews that really enjoyed that film and will probably be excited to see the next one.

    I finished my paper and submitted it. 🙂 I still have to write a midterm exam this afternoon. :-O Actually, I have done all my readings for this exam (elective in history), which makes a record for me, as completing the readings is a human impossibility in nursing courses.

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  12. Donna,

    No, not Leia. That’s Rey, the heroine of the new movies. But you’re right about the walking carpet being Chewy. 🙂

    I got Kilo Ren and Capt. Phasma too. Plus we all had a pic taken with Kilo.

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  13. And Leia will be in the new movie, despite her death. She’ll get the CG treatment they gave Peter Cushing (Grand Moff Tarkin) in Rogue One.

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  14. I actually wondered about that, she didn’t have the braided donuts on her ears 🙂 Yeah, I lost interest in the Star Wars brand very early on — I wasn’t even that much of a fan of the first ones (unlike everyone around me at the time) as fantasy is just not my favorite genre. So I confess, haven’t bothered watching the rest. The first one (or two? I do think I saw the trilogy, but maybe not) was/were fun, but after that I’d decided it was enough for me.

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  16. Among the decisions we are making to cut expenses is the decision to cancel our cable TV. The actual package, the lowest one they offer, is only $25 a month, but with the $8.50 per month fee for the stupid cable box (which we didn’t need for several years until they changed their system last year), a $4.00 monthly “broadcast fee” & something else, it comes out to $42.10. But, since it was part of a “bundle”, our internet service fee will go way up if we cancel cable.

    We have learned that our internet/cable company, Cox Communications, is considered to be too expensive, so Nightingale wants to cancel our Cox account completely, & switch our internet to Frontier. We have heard it is much less expensive, but I’ve also heard plenty of complaints, along with others who say they’ve had no problems. I’m a little nervous about that, but certainly willing to save money.

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  17. I had Cox for a number of years until their prices went way high (which is what all those companies do, though). Not sure they’re pricier than others, but maybe. I’m with AT&T now, which has been ok though I think their internet isn’t as good or fast, but what are you going to do. Part of the problem is the lack of competition as in many places each company monopolizes its own territory and consumers have very little choice but to go with what’s available.

    Netflix and other streaming services help fill the gap when you cut the cord, but I have a strange feeling those companies will start charging more, too, as more and more people go that route instead of cable. Very frustrating.

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  18. Something I am also a little nervous about & wondering how to do:

    Hubby took care of any computer issues. He knew the wifi password & guarded it, not even telling Nightingale when she asked (although I stumbled across it one time, & I think I can find it again – maybe). When we would get a new laptop, he would do whatever needed to be done to connect it to the wifi. (I think I’m using correct terms, but may not be.)

    I have absolutely no idea of how to go about that sort of thing when we get the new internet provider, & I don’t think Nightingale does, either. Not sure about Chickadee, who is more tech savvy than we are. Can any of you describe the process to me?

    And would getting a new internet provider mess up the connection Hubby’s computer has to the printer?

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  19. A co-worker once justified the expense by saying it was pretty much their sole “entertainment” budget for the month nowadays since they no longer went to first run movies, plays, concerts or even out to eat very often. Cable is another business model that’s rapidly changing, I think, as more people go for other options. I saw a chart recently indicating that all of them are now consistently and steadily losing business every month.

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  20. The Real, from what I’ve read, which isn’t much, Carrie Fisher had shot all her scenes for the new film before she died.

    Kizzie, if you have unlimited internet, one of the internet streaming sites, like Netflix, would be much cheaper than cable. If you have limited data on the internet, however, watching Netflix eats data. YouTube has quite a few films available for rent and uses less data. Of course, if you have a DVD player, the library usually has or can order in anything and everything.

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  21. I’m not good with that either, Kizzie, though I’d think the tech who helps set up the new service (assuming they still send people out for that) should be able to help — otherwise, try the live chat feature with the company. I write all my passwords down (or at least hints for them) anymore and seems that it’s something everyone in the household should have access to if needed. My wifi password for AT&T is on the modem (but I also have it on my cell phone in the notes app for quicker reference).

    Very annoying that there are so many different passwords now needed for everything, who can keep up? I have both work and home passwords also, numerous ones for both.

    Chickadee may be a good option also — or maybe any random 10-year-old kid on your block? 🙂

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  22. DJ – It is only in the last few years that Frontier has been available alongside Cox in our area.

    I like Netflix, & right now, it is pretty reasonable. Even if it were to go up, it would still be more affordable than cable. It is my only entertainment expense, & Nightingale & Chickadee use it, too.

    Hubby & I had the theory that the reason Cox re-instituted the need for a cable box after something like 20 years without one, & needing a more expensive cable box in order to connect to a DVD recorder (which is what we had), is to force people to get their DVR packages, which are very expensive.

    I am hoping that I will still be able to watch my favorite shows (especially This Is Us) online. I know that with ABC, they can tell whether or not you have cable, & you can’t watch their shows online if you don’t. (At least, I think that’s the way it is.)

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  23. DJ – I wrote about about TV being my only entertainment expense before reading your comment in which you said you’ve heard others say that. 🙂 But it’s true. I’m a pretty low-maintenance gal.

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  24. Roscuro – We do have unlimited data, I’m guessing, as we can watch Netflix online. We also have a “smart TV”, which Hubby got at a good price when our old “regular” TV bit the dust, & can watch Netflix on there.

    Oh, that’s another thing! That is somehow connected to our internet, too. Oh, crap.

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  25. Come to think of it, I think the McK dad is knowledgeable about techy stuff. But I’d like to be able to know how to do it myself, if I can.

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  26. Can’t you do all of that stuff with a smart phone? It seems the children told me that other devices can be piggy backed off the phone so you can potentially watch movies on your smart tv through your phone with unlimited access. Might be the way to go. But what do I know.

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  27. Idaho may be right. She’s hipper than we think. 🙂

    I do think that industry is in a major flux so changes will come. But yeah, we’re all used to watching shows not when they come on but when it’s convenient for us (I just watched last week’s Blue Bloods last night).

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  29. Kizzie, if you have the WiFi password, you just need to enter that password into any new device you are connecting to the internet – you just click on the little internet icon on the taskbar of a computer, it will pop up a list of available Wifi networks, you select the one which you want, it will prompt you to enter the password, and that’s that. Once the password is entered, the device should automatically connect every time it is within range of the WiFi. My laptop and smartphone automatically connect to three different password protected wireless internet accounts at school, at my apartment, and at my parents’ home – it drives sites like FB, which track your IP location, crazy, as I’ll get notifications that I signed in from a new location and would I please confirm this was me.

    If you can’t find the password, there are ways to change it, including contacting the internet provider. If you change providers, then you generally get a new router and you just take the password of the new router (my parents just got a new router, and the password came with it) and enter it into each of the devices and they’ll connect. Your Nightingale and Chickadee will probably know where to find the internet connection on each device, and if The Boy has been around electronic devices, he certainly will know.

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  31. Oh, and my printer can work with WiFi (I don’t allow it too, because I don’t want other people in the house finding my printer on the network and using up my ink and paper, so I just connect it to my computer with a USB chord when I need to print something). The printer program should prompt you through connecting it to a new WiFi network. It is all really quite simple. Most internet connections are very intuitive. You will learn, after connecting a device or two, that there is a pattern to it, and very few variations to that pattern.

    I don’t know about American Netflix, as media copyright ownership varies between the U.S. and Canada, but ‘This Is Us’ is available on Netflix here (I have access through a sibling’s account, which is why I know how Netflix eats data).

    Now that I think of it, the way internet supply is charged is different between the U.S. and Canada too. We pay for a certain amount of downloadable data (say 100 GB per month), while you pay for download speed. That is why, unless we have something huge, like 500 GB per month, Netflix will eat through our data.

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  32. “This is Us” (what a good show) — since it’s on a mainstream channel (NBC) — should be easy to access somewhere. I usually watch a few shows belatedly on the ‘on demand’ channel I have with my provider now (I never did get with the whole recording shows era, I was always too scattered to think ahead that much 🙂 ). But ‘on demand’ doesn’t keep a huge number of the shows available as a backlog, I think you have to catch the episodes within the week that they were shown. I think of it as free, but of course it’s part of the monthly paid service I have now with AT&T Uverse. (In our area now we have Cox, Uverse or Direct TV — last 2 both owned by same company, AT&T.) I’ve never had a satellite service, only cable and whatever technology it is that Uverse uses (fiberoptics?).

    And, yes, everything automatically hooks up my home wifi, including my work laptop when I bring that home to work on. I think Kizzie was saying she didn’t know the passwords, but Kim is right, with a new provider all that will be changed anyway so you can then choose your own.

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  35. The new password for connecting to wifi, but not the passwords for personal business. And the tech guy, if anything like ours, will connect everything for you, and he will write it down, making sure it works for you.

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  37. Beauty and the Beast is the first thing I thought of . I didn’t notice the Star Wars posters until some f you said something.
    I never saw Star Wars on the big screen. I suspect it was something.
    I never got over the sound all these missiles were making. I know there is no sound is space. But I know the producers can’t have a silent battle.
    Elvera says I’m too technical. But it bugs me.

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  39. We pay for data on our internet and do not have unlimited, so do not watch on our tv. It has to be replaced, since it does not want to start anymore unless we use a hair blower on it. I noticed it did not want to turn on when I had the windows opened at night and it was quite cold. My husband decided to try heating the switch are with my hair dryer and it worked. Now it refer to it as the tv starter. 😀 We actually have looked for one and trying to decide whether to get one with internet capabilities. We may just do without for now, since I am the one who has to deal computer issues and have very limited knowledge. If we only had those young grand children living closer, we would go for that.

    I am not sure when shopping became such a chore. I never have been a big shopper, but the array of choices seems overwhelming these days. How blessed we are to have such a problem!

    I do enjoy Netflix etc. when at their homes. I just recently saw one of the Star Wars movies when at the grandchildren’s home. Otherwise, I only saw the first in the theater at the time it first came out. Not my cup of tea. My grands love it. I just got a picture of one thrilled at Disney World with ‘meeting’ a couple of the characters.

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  40. same here. I enjoyed the first three of the Star Wars flicks, there was a real story. Haven’t kept up on the rest.
    Grandson just sent me a picture of snow in the mountains. His sister is thrilled as snow is her favorite thing.

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  41. I just lost my long post. Oh, well. Now I don’t have time to reconstruct it. Good afternoon. except for that!

    I thought the header was AJ and Liz in costume at a convention like we have in Atlanta.

    We dropped cable years ago. We use DVD from our local library which our tax dollars pay for. It is the least costly option. And I think it helped our son become a great reader since he had less screen time.

    Glad to hear that Michelle is doing well in her literary environment. I think it sounds like she has her foot in the doorway to heaven!

    Mumsee, I had to return the ring because I seemed to have a reaction to the metal mixed with the gold. My finger had a stiffness similar to arthritis. Now I have on my tight rings that are not quite as tight since it got down to 43 degrees overnight. Maybe I have new incentive to lose weight. And I will look for Art’s ring as another option.

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  42. The smart tvs are nice, I bought one on a Labor Day sale several years ago. Since I don’t buy big TVs, it was very reasonable.

    Loved the story about starting the TV with a blow dryer.

    But yeah, I agree, shopping in this age of high tech choices can be challenging. And it all changes so quickly, I’m sure my (4- or 5-year-old?) “smart” TV isn’t considered all very smart at all anymore by 2017-18 standards. 🙂

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  43. Yes, router, not modem — wifi password is on that.

    Seems my house may someday end up in the street blow, but I probably won’t be around to deal with, it barring a huge earthquake that still could occur in my lifetime. Then on to Plan B …

    The house is built on an incline up from the sidewalk and, at some point, a huge covered porch, concrete, was added to the front. Seems things are pulling down toward the street now, though my real foundation issue was the water leaks over the years. The porch is pulling forward and taking part of the house with it (sounds more dramatic than it really is).

    The real fix for “someone someday” likely will be to demolish that porch and replace it with something lighter and more securely connected or bolted to the house.

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  46. Reminds me of the opening theme for the original “Star Trek” in ’66-’69. Every time the Enterprise zoomed across the screen, it “whooshed”. My dad often pointed out that was wrong. They did the same thing in the “Next Generation”.

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  47. I was amazed at the CGI version of Tarkin they did in “Rogue One”. My untrained eye couldn’t find any flaw.

    They did a good CGI of young Princess Leia at the end of that movie too, but something seemed a little off to me. I couldn’t quite put my finger on it. (Carrie Fisher was still around then but they had to do CGI because they needed her to be her original Star Wars age, not 40 years older.)

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  48. In an email, a dear friend told me she is proud of me for the way I am handling myself with the confusion I have inherited, & that goes along with what needs to be done when a person dies. I think Hubby would be, too. Nightingale was concerned, with my past history of depression, that I would sink into depression once again, but I have not. I believe God is upholding me from that.

    Although not depressed, I am certainly very sad, heartbroken. There are bouts of crying every day, usually a few-to-several times each day, but then I go on with whatever I’m doing.

    I do a lot of talking to God about how I feel, how perplexed I am that Hubby had to die so young, so unexpectedly. On the other hand, if he had known that he was going to die soon, he would have been so very regretful. He would have mourned that he would not be with me anymore, & he would have greatly regretted the mess he has left me with (his bill paying & filing “system” that I didn’t understand & am trying to get a handle on). And he would have greatly mourned that he would not be around for his precious grandson. (That is what hurts me most of all, that The Boy has lost this strong, godly male in his home & life. I pray that he will always have a clear memory of his Papa’s love & faith, even if he doesn’t retain any details.)

    So for Hubby, it was merciful that we didn’t know this hospitalization would lead to his death. I suspect that at some point, when he was on the morphine, & told that his kidneys were shutting down, that he must have realized, or at least suspected, that he was dying. But the morphine kept him “out of it” enough that I don’t think he had time to worry or fret about it.

    After typing, that I had to put my face in my hands & weep.

    I think I am grieving well. I am not ignoring my feelings, but I am also not wallowing in them unhealthily, either. Writing about my feelings is a big help, as well as the ongoing talks I am having with God. And I am sure that the many prayers that are being said for me are being answered by our merciful & loving Heavenly Father. But still. . .this is the hardest thing I’ve ever gone through.

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  50. Just prayed for you, Kizzie. Having watched my mom, my sister, and my favorite brother lose a spouse, all “prematurely” by American standards (40s, 50s, and 60s, two with at least three children still at home), and knowing the loss my own dear husband faced (40s, two children at home), I have great sympathy for the young widow (half in my family were in their 40s, half in their 50s at the loss of their spouse). It’s a huge loss, and a different one from losing a spouse who is already old (maybe worse, maybe not, but more unexpected).

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  51. Kizzie, grief is like the ocean. It ebbs, it flows, sometimes it is a hurricane, sometimes a tidal wave, sometimes calm. It will take you as long as it takes you. Don’t feel you have to apologize. Not too long ago a song came on the radio and I drove down the road with tears streaming down my face because I missed my daddy so much. That was a father who you expect to die before you do. I can’t imagine what a spouse that you thought you would grow old with would be like.
    The truth is that if George died tomorrow I would cry. I would cry because I was once married to him, I still love him like a brother, and he is the father of my child. I would cry mostly because she lost her father.
    If something were to happen to Mr. P…w, I would cry, mourn, ask God why, and get angry at him for leaving me. I am sure God understands all of those emotions.

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  52. Kizzie, thank you for sharing your grieving process. It is a testimony to the Lord’s faithfulness that is helpful for me to see. I am sometimes afraid that I will fall apart upon losing someone I’ve lived with. I struggle to focus on the great blessing I’ve received that no one I’ve ever lived with has died yet, too often imagining how awful it must be to lose dear loved ones to death, instead of being thankful I still have them. My parents, my four siblings, my husband, and our six children — all of the family members I’ve ever lived with are still here on this earth. (I’ve lost two babies to miscarriage, so I suppose it could be said that I have lost loved ones who lived with — within — me, but that is different, as there are no real memories of who they were. Having never seen them, heard their voices, held them…it’s a different sort of loss.)

    Keep showing us God’s faithfulness, Kizzie. He is indeed faithful, and worthy of our trust. Thank you for how you show that through your words. You are a blessing, friend. Prayers for you.

    With much love and gratitude,

    6

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  53. Thank you, Ladies.

    It is interesting to me that in many ways, my life routine is the same, even while it is different. It is familiar & yet new. I’m still cleaning my house, still childsitting The Boy, still keeping up with this blog & Facebook, still watching “my” shows. One thing that has made the transition a bit easier for me than it might be for some other widows is that Hubby & I had different schedules, with him getting up extra early & going to bed extra early, & me having a more normal schedule. Even still, we did have our times together that we don’t have anymore.

    Part of the “new” is that Nightingale & The Boy are spending a lot more time downstairs. That has helped me feel less lonely, but I am not relying on them to always be here. They have their own lives. And quite frankly, I do like my alone time. So far it has been a pretty good balance.

    Another part of the “new” are the things I have had to take over, & the usual things one must do when a spouse dies. I know that last part will eventually all be dealt with & over.

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  54. I also look at the ways God helped prepare me for this. It was only in the last couple months before his death that Hubby got around to doing something I had asked him to do a while ago. He made a list of all his passwords & websites for various companies, & he put that list, along with the information for his life insurance, in a file at the front of one of the cabinets.

    While he was in the hospital, Hubby had me do a few things for the online bill paying, walking me through each one in messages or a phone call, which got my feet wet with that, & gave me enough of a start to figure things out from there. (I can’t tell you how very grateful I am for that!)

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  56. Awesome.

    Kizzie, sounds like you’re coming through it all quite well, better than I would have, I think. You’ve got a good head on your shoulders — and a tender heart and spirit. Thank you for sharing the journey with us.

    Well, I’m home (wound up with 2 stories to do today, but I was able to hold one until Monday).

    When i got home, the guys had moved the truck filled with concrete chunks out so I could drive my jeep up again, thankfully. The openings along the side of the house are covered with a couple tarps I’d given them when Real Estate Guy said we’d need something to cover it all up with. It’s windy tonight, though so it’s flapping a bit, we’ll see if it’s still on tomorrow morning.

    I’m beat.

    Oh, and the helpful neighbor said rest of my sewer line under the house looked in really bad shape, he suggested we go ahead and replace it while we’re at and since it’s all so open down there and is easy access; especiallyt since we replaced almost all the rest of it traveling down the driveway at great expense. I’ll mention it, makes sense to me actually, though I dread having to do or pay for anything else right now.

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