What is Happening, part II

[Priscilla]

I really hope nothing is wrong with ginnystar, though I don't know how we'd ever know. She was working so hard to continue as a participant in this site. Crossing fingers she is simply making a longer stay wherever she was going.

[mawra]

I like reasonable Dr. I managed to get hold of the on call Dr where Kibby goes, he gave her a inhaler without seeing her.

[Priscilla]

I had not heard of using an inhaler related to the virus. Our son has asthma and occasionally uses one (his asthma has gotten better as he gets older). I hope it gives Kibby some relief.

We had about 12 inches of snow but with the intense winds there are areas with no snow and others with 2 feet. Our daughter gave Jeff an early birthday gift, an electric snow shovel. It did a great job on the sidewalk and the deck. He's pleased and with practice it will be even easier to use.

[BD1]

Hope Ginny is okay! We hardly got any snow! Less than a light dusting!

[mawra]

Kibby has asthma, it normally is not bad. Covid has made it much worse. The inhaler should help.

[Priscilla]

I hope Kibby gets relief with the inhaler.

Jeff has framed a dragon picture I made for Fred for his birthday. I can't post pictures any more but the company is Moohue if you Google cross stitch dragon picture kits. It is all blues, greens and purples. It is a very fierce looking dragon.

This morning it is 1 degree F. Brrr.

[mawra]

Kibby was breathing better last night

Dragon cross stitch sounds nice.

[Priscilla]

I know there are a lot of animal lovers here, I'm one of them. A news item today. A house sitter in CT in late December put out chocolate covered candies with moth balls she stuffed inside hoping the neighbor's dog would eat them and stop barking. When the police confronted her she admitted it and claimed it was a "treat" and she did not intend to hurt the dog, just stop it barking. There are so many things wrong with this. Thank goodness the dog's owner caught her and his dog did not eat any of it. Sometimes I do not like people at all!

[BD1]

Glad she got caught! One time I bought a muzzle for the dog that a girl I knew owned, she told me the muzzle was an abusive device! A muzzle is NOT an abusive device. It's a corrective device so the animal won't bite people. Whenever the girl would fuss at me, her dog would attack me and nip/bite me! It was a Jack Russell terrier. Excitable breed.

[BD1]

Try not to ever get a Jack Russell terrier.

[BD1]

Last Friday, was the 36th anniversary of the Challenger tragedy!

[mawra]

Originally Posted by Priscilla

I know there are a lot of animal lovers here, I'm one of them. A news item today. A house sitter in CT in late December put out chocolate covered candies with moth balls she stuffed inside hoping the neighbor's dog would eat them and stop barking. When the police confronted her she admitted it and claimed it was a "treat" and she did not intend to hurt the dog, just stop it barking. There are so many things wrong with this. Thank goodness the dog's owner caught her and his dog did not eat any of it. Sometimes I do not like people at all!

I hope she does time, & has to pay a lot in damages.

Kibby got her Covid test results. To the surprise of no one, it's positive.

[BD1]

And tomorrow, Feb. 1, is the 19th anniversary of the Columbia tragedy.

[Priscilla]

I hope so, too Mawra. Sadly we will probably never know the end result. The news has for years been all "Breaking News! OOOOO! Shiney!" There are so many things I want to know what happened about and never will.

My son was born two days before the Challenger tragedy. We were still at the hospital.

[SpaceCowboy]

And Thursday was the anniversary of the Apollo 1 launch pad fire. Seems strange that the three American space tragedies happened on days that are so close calendar wise.


[QUOTE=BD1;212914]Last Friday, was the 36th anniversary of the Challenger tragedy![/QUOTE

[BD1]

I was at work when the Challenger blew up! The news about the explosion came over the intercom. I wanted to cry but the tears wouldn't come. They came when I saw it on 20/20 a few days later. I broke down crying.

[BD1]

Priscilla, last August, I almost stopped being a permanent fixture here. Complications arose during surgery. But, God brought me through it all.

[mawra]

When it rains it pours. When we can least afford it, a kitten gets sick. Upper respotory infection, probably. Unlike human Dr. you can't do a video call. They have to see her.

[Allen]

Originally Posted by mawra

When it rains it pours. When we can least afford it, a kitten gets sick. Upper raspatory infection, probably. Unlike human Dr. you can't do a video call. They have to see her.

I know exactly what you mean. I think someone dumped 2 young cats at the cemetery across from our gate. That's about a quarter mile from our house. First the calico (which would be almost assuredly a female) showed up, then another, possibly a littermate, did. It's a grey/black tabby striped and white. With the calico being predominately white, very little orange, and the same color tabby spots, it's what strengthens my idea of littermates. But the two-toned one acted more like a male.

Our "stray that adopted us" who's now been neutered and is the biggest, most gentle-souled boy couldn't make friends with the assumed male, maybe because he was protecting the calico. Even our mean grey/black tabby bully (our gentle boy is afraid of him) couldn't stand up to the two newbies. They were eating Peanut's food (Peanut being the gentle in- and outdoor ginger cat, the gentle giant) and I started realizing that they were probably about old enough for the girl to go into heat, and cats are not shy about inbreeding.

So before we ended up with tame/feral cats with kittens and extra food bills, nobody to take the kittens off our hands, and the super-expensive flea/tick meds for our 3 and them too, we've decided they had to go. I made sure they didn't have any food to scrounge and chased them off the porch when I found them sleeping there for shelter. I really hated doing it because it seemed so cruel in this weather, and it took several days, but now I think they may be gone. I hope they stay safe and find a good home, just not here. Problem is, we're surrounded by woods for long distances in all directions. We have hawks, owls, coyotes, and so on. At least the nearest busy paved road is almost a mile away.

[BD1]

Cats are good about inbreeding! I once had two cats (think they were brother and sister), they mated. She had two litters before she got spayed, he got neutered. In the first litter, she had eight kittens, second litter there were four. In the first, there was a kitten that kept escaping the nursery area, so I named that one Houdini! One time I was gone all day, when I got back, Athena (the female) had had her kittens! The girl who originally owned the cats got a dog. She eventually got rid of the cats. It was around Christmas time and she left them in a cat carrier box outside a veterinarian's office. That was wrong what she did!

[BD1]

She cared more about the stupid dog than the cats!

[Mausey]

We had a nasty, one day storm yesterday. It didn't snow a great deal and the wind just howled. Roads were closed all over the area because of poor visibility. Trucks were being blown over and somebody posted a pic of a house with part of the roof flapping.

Today it's cold (-17c or 2f.) with a light breeze but lovely and sunny. A good face covering today is essential.

[Priscilla]

I feel sorry for the poor homeowner. That can't be easy to deal with in your super cold/snow & wind! Thanks for putting up both temperatures. I am all the time teasing a friend in England and another in South Africa that they need to give up their C and come over to F. I even offer cookies!

[GHarris]

[QUOTE=SpaceCowboy;212919]And Thursday was the anniversary of the Apollo 1 launch pad fire. Seems strange that the three American space tragedies happened on days that are so close calendar wise.

Originally Posted by BD1

Last Friday, was the 36th anniversary of the Challenger tragedy![/QUOTE

Well, the two space shuttles happened because of really cold weather.

Challenger - O rings froze, did not expand, and let rocket thrust out the side of the solid rocket boosters. I was at work when this happened.

Columbia - Ice fell off the fuel tank and damaged the shuttle. A weekend morning where I was watching The Dead Zone (movie). Didn't finish watching it, because I was more interested in the news.

GH

[Allen]

Well, I no sooner posted about how I thought I had run off the two stray/abandoned cats (actually, the calico was on the porch this morning and again when we were going out for storm supplies) than we come home from our supply run and she's back on the porch.

As we were going up the road from our gate on our way out, I think I got a glimpse of the male cat ducking into the roadside brush, but it was too far away for a positive ID. So the wife and I discussed it and we decided if she was still hanging around and he was moving on, he might have bred her and she decided to help chase him off, since instinct tells her that the male will try to kill the kittens when they come. So if she still hung around and he was gone, I'd no longer chase her and if he stayed gone, I'd try to gentle her down and feed her, as well as give her a place outside for her possible family. Then we'll see.

So, we get back from our supply run and late lunch and there she was, on the porch, the other cat nowhere to be seen. She was staying out of the rain, and while she ducked and hid a bit, she also peeked out and gave me a kind of pitiful meow. So we carried the groceries in and I took her some dry food out. When I went out the door I spooked her and she bolted across the yard and took refuge in the old ramshackle chicken coop that looks like it's about to fall down... but only because it is. Anyway, I poured the food into a pan on the porch, shook it to rattle it enough for her to hear it and called in a friendly tone, then went in. Now we'll see if she comes up to see if there's food. Bet she's already been to check, ate, and she's probably curled up on a cushion on the porch. I think I'll check.

She's not on the porch, but there's a big dent in the dry food I put out. Hope she didn't eat too much and make herself sick. She's probably off doing cat things because it's what cats like to do after eating. I'll check off and on now.

Our 3 cats are named:
KitKat - the grey/black tabby stripe mean bully cat, also spelled Kitt Katt, because I can.
Baby Ruth - seal point Siamese cross with 4 white paws and a "milk splash" on her nose and mouth. "Baby" for short, because she was such a small thing until we had her spayed. Now she's filled out some. I think she grew a bit as well, but she's still the smallest of our 3.
Mr. Peanut - call sign just "Peanut", and yes, they all 3 know their names. Our ginger cat; yellow-orange tabby stripe. All 12-plus pounds of him. My gentle soul. My big baby boy.

Now the debate is what to call the calico cat. My wife wants to name her Callie, because she's a calico. I want to stay with the candy/snack thing and call her Twix. We'll see. Maybe she'll learn to answer to both.

[Priscilla]

We have done the same with cats that showed up at our door. Once there was an old "boy" at the end of our driveway who had been dumped by the mailboxes by someone. He was trying to catch bugs in the light of the street lamp. Poor thing, he was sad and skinny. We brought him in and he got along fairly well with our other cats. He lived a couple years of what I am sure was his BEST life. We named him Shadow, short for Mr. Shadow Man. He was a long haired grey tiger. At least someone had had the sense to have him neutered. Over the years I'd say about a third of our cats have been strays dumped at the end of our dead end street. My theory is it is people who rent a place "on the shore" for the summer, get a kitten to entertain the kids, and then in the fall they can't take the young cat back to wherever they rent. So. Cats can take care of themselves, right? (WRONG). Just leave it here, it will be fine. I don't ever remember seeing a dumped dog. We moved about 15 years ago and no more strays where we now live. All our cats are indoors only. Too many coyotes, hawks, Fisher cats, other things in the woods at the bottom of the back yard.

Very kind of you, Allen. I hope the kitty knows how lucky it is!

[BD1]

[QUOTE=GHarris;212933]

Originally Posted by SpaceCowboy

And Thursday was the anniversary of the Apollo 1 launch pad fire. Seems strange that the three American space tragedies happened on days that are so close calendar wise.

Columbia - Ice fell off the fuel tank and damaged the shuttle. A weekend morning where I was watching The Dead Zone (movie). Didn't finish watching it, because I was more interested in the news.

GH

A piece of insulation struck the left wing and damaged the shuttle. Not ice! On the Challenger, it was an O-ring that froze.

[BD1]

I've been having stomach pain off and on since last night. I'm going to the hospital. I'll be offline. Wi-Fi service there is questionable. When I get back, I'll let y'all know how it went.

[Priscilla]

Brunch on Sunday someplace near my son to celebrate his birthday on Jan 26. Too much snow last weekend. We've got a tablet shaped SAD light for him to try, he finds dark winter days a bit difficult. Also have that dragon picture for his new apartment. It will be good for all of us to get together.

[GHarris]

[QUOTE=BD1;212937]

Originally Posted by GHarris

A piece of insulation struck the left wing and damaged the shuttle. Not ice! On the Challenger, it was an O-ring that froze.

Yes, I think you are correct that it was insulation. It may have been preliminary reports that did not know if it was ice or insulation. I'm sure the cold probably caused it to be colder and harder than normal.

GH

[mawra]

Our little gray kitten, Jessie, has an upper respotory infection. She's on antibiotics and back to her old self.i hope the other don't get it.

[Lets Gather In Pern]

I both host & would love to be invited to Pern zoom RPGs or other Pernese themed gatherings(especially holidays): This is what I host, free, w/friends, but it's once a month... & it's something different: It's like RPG, but happening in real life:
Campfire On PERN's Southern Shore, + GUILD Mtgs on Faire Day!
ZOOM & Audio Interactive Group ACTIVITIES: Live Gatherings w/Altruistic Exploratory Inspired Freespirits like Menolly & Friends: # of MEMBERS DOESN'T REPRESENT Us. We're a LARGE ACTIVE COMMUNITY.

not sure if below link will work, it's on goodreads, you can type pern in their groups search engine: https://www.goodreads.com/group/show...ve-group-activ

Do you have zoom RPGs?

I haven't used discord yet, but only have an ipad, eighth generation: i.e. I can only look at 1 window/screen at a time. I have a cell, but its not a smartphone: I want to do RPGs where I am looking at live human beings. (... or, fine if virtually enhanced; like zoom adds hats or can virtually embellish your face, etc...).

Any peers/friends w/similar interest here, or can you direct me to a zoom RPG or gathering group?

Thanx!🐉🕌🥀

[Priscilla]

I am guessing that BD1 has ended up in the hospital. I hope she will be alright. Still no word or sign of ginnystar.

[Mausey]

I hope BD and Ginny are both okay.

We're slowly warming up and now get to deal with freezing rain. I went and put some ice melt on the deck, steps and patio so at least we can walk there.

Our provincial government has said they'll be ending all restrictions soon, maybe by the end of the month if not sooner. While I'll be happy to lose the mask, I have a few doubts about throwing everything open. I know omicron seems to be much weaker but I have several family members on the medical front lines and feel for them. They've had to deal with this up close and personal for far too long and the last thing they need is for another wave.

[mawra]

Getting Covid even after vaccine in not fun. It sucks!

Someone recently gave me most of the Acorna books. Sadly missing, Acorna's, can't think of the name. The one before triumph. And any after Acorna's children first warning. Like the books. Wish Acorna was real & hear.

I need to read triumph & first warning. I can't concentrate. But at least I can read.

[Priscilla]

I'll have a look at my box of books that I intend to donate and see if I have any Acorna in there. Then I'll let you know what I have.

We also have ice on the ground this morning. Not good to drive.

Thinking of all your family, mawra. Get well soon!

[Priscilla]

Mawra, the only Acorna books I have are Acorna and Acorna's People, both in paperback. I also found I have 2 audio books on cassette, Dragonseye and Dragonflight both read by someone named Dick Hill. All this and anything else I have will get donated if no one wants them. I am keeping a very few things and the few signed books. Downsizing!

[mawra]

Thanks for looking, Priscilla

[mara]

I am buying pern e books. These are the only ones left to buy. Downsizing also

[mawra]

Feeling slightly better. Managed to eat real food. I have no appetite, fixing anything feels like too much work.

Kittens seem to be batter as well.