I hope you get enough rain but not too much!!
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I hope you get enough rain but not too much!!
So, loving living in FL so far, but could do with a little less 90+ degree weather with high humidity in NOVEMBER. Whew! Locals tell me this is unusual, so yay for that.
Yes, we had been unusually hot here in the Yucatan Peninsula as well, Pax, according to the locals. But we just had a big front come through yesterday, bringing buckets of rain, and today it's cooler and breezy. Love it! Hope your temps will get back to normal soon too. Unfortunately, I think we're both stuck with the humidity, but at least it's not so intolerable when the temp is cooler.Quote:
Originally Posted by Pax
It's humid with record-high temps here in the DC area, and the I think the NYC area is also seeing unusual warmth right now. It ends tonight, though. I'm working from home today, enjoying some fresh air with the windows open, probably for the last time this year.
We're getting that storm for the weekend, next week it's supposed to be highs in the 70's and overnight lows in the 60's. Woo hoo!!Quote:
Originally Posted by emily_in_nc
After overnight and morning rain, we're back to being super humid -- dewpoint of 80F!!! :eek: I think that's the highest one I've seen here, tho' 79F is pretty common.
Enjoy your cooler weather, Pax. Ours was too short-lived!
It was ridiculously humid here yesterday and last night. I mean, it wouldn't have been ridiculous for August, but for early November it was definitely ridiculous. I guess it's the price we pay to enjoy a last burst of warm weather before winter sets in.
I went to the gym last night and couldn't decide if I was uncomfortable because the heat was on or if I was having a long hot flash. When I rule the world, the thermostat at all health clubs will be set by women who have experienced hot flashes.
Seriously think I am losing it. A week or so ago I was shopping online, getting a jump on Christmas shopping (not because I'm that organized, I just want to spread the expense over more than one credit card bill). I wanted to buy the same item for several of my nieces and nephews, but I wanted them in different colors so siblings could easily tell which one belonged to who (whom?). I found the exact thing I wanted at two different online stores so I bought 3 from one store and the rest from another. I swear they were exactly the same, down to the model number, except for the color. Really, I compared the model numbers.
Except now as I open the packages, the ones from one store are a different model from the others. Going back to the websites, it was all there in black and white when I placed the orders. I just seem to have lost the ability to read, or something. Sigh.
You hereby have my vote for ruler of the world!Quote:
Originally Posted by ny biker
Posting out to the world today and I know you all will pause and send positive thoughts. One of my best riding, hiking, just hanging friends is have 3 tumors and a "bit of brain" removed today. We are all focusing on the positive but can always use more. Hug your friends, smile and express your love today!
Warm healing thoughts headed to your friend, Sky King.
Thinking of you, Sky King.
Oh my, certainly sending warm thoughts and prayers to your friend, Sky King!
[WARNING: DON'T READ IF YOU ARE VERY UNCOMFORTABLE WITH DEATH - sharing my med school experiences...]
To my Cadaver:
Sometime early in my fourth month of medical school, on our calendar appeared a small, non-description event that said "Meet the Cadaver." I don't think any among us were quite prepared to walk into the room with cold, stainless steel trays on wheels, lined up neatly, each with a blue body bag zipped up on top. The smell in the room was almost that of new plastic - which is, oddly enough, how dilute formalin can sometimes smell to me. We were given a brief introduction by our clinical faculty. We were told that each cadaver in the room was someone who was a resident of my state and who had donated his or her body to the medical school to be used in our education. We were then told to unzip the bag, and take our first look at our cadaver. There is nothing in daily life that can possible prepare one to be staring at an embalmed body under such circumstances. I first looked at you with a mixture of trepidation and curiosity.
As I sit here, prior to beginning our dissection, I can't help but wonder who you were. What kind of life did you lead? What made you make the extraordinary decision to gift your body to medical education? You have given our group of 9 students an amazing and unparalleled opportunity to learn about the human body. I hope you somehow knew before you died how grateful we are.
Soon we will make our first cuts. It seems like a violation, an intrusion into a very personal space we were never intended to invade. I hope that you can forgive us. I can think of no better way to honor your gift but to treat you with the respect due any human being and to learn as much as I positively can from you. That is, after all, what we were told your wishes were.
My partner has talked about donating his body....
I have heard from friend and siblings who have had learn from cadaverS in their coursework...
mY doctor sister did mention, 1 key area when a person weakens ...in old, fragile ill state, is that person cannot pull themselves up to sit up from bed. So message to us alwhile we,re mobile: move while you can. Now.
Blueberry,
Thanks for your thoughts. My father donated his body to the University of Missouri School in 2011. Although it was a surprise to us kids, it was obviously a decision he and my mother (still with us) had thoughtfully planned many years before hand. It is comforting to know that the medical students appreciate the gift that has been given.
Best wishes in your medical career.
Penny Pinson
Bluberry - that was wonderful, thanks for sharing your thoughts.
Blueberry,
I am sure that was quite a life experience! I wonder if anyone has ever unzipped the bag and encountered someone they knew!?!? :eek:
Yep, my mind works in that kind of twisted way....
After I got hurt as a firefighter I worked at a hospital lab, I was a phlebotomist and helped with autopsies, very first one I helped with was the husband of an old coworker. It was a very strange sensation.Quote:
Originally Posted by emily_in_nc
One of my very first clients at the clinic I work at now is the husband of someone in HR at my DH's company. He still doesn't know, and if she knows, she is not letting on. I thought it would be obvious, as our last name is not common and I discussed it with my supervisor. We decided that since DH and the spouse of my client don't work closely together, it would be OK. There's been several other connections, with clients, too. I have refused a few who I know from my previous town/kids' schools. But, working 5 miles from home more than makes up for this.
That was really interesting, Blueberry. Good luck with "getting to know" your cadaver.
That WAS interesting Blueberry, though I admit that I was cringing when I read your disclaimer - and while I could have chosen to skip it I made the choice not to do so and I am glad I didn't. Thank you for the post and, indeed, good luck as you get to know your cadaver more.
I am getting all bent out of shape about this moving thing. While I am good with the septic fix, and waiting to relist our house, I thought the condo reno would be further along by now. All kinds of things have slowed it down, mostly because we are using Lowe's and having to oversee all of it. And we just didn't know about a few of the things we had to schedule. Also, it turns out the tile we are having removed (bathrooms and entry) was put in in an old fashioned way, where it was glued down. So, when the guy from the store comes out measure, he doesn't know this. They hire installers, who show up and discover this. Hence, that did not get done on Monday. They are coming back today to do the bathrooms, as they can lay the new tile over the old. But the entry way has to be sledge hammered out, so it meets the hardwood correctly. Has to be renegotiated for price, and then rescheduled. DH has spent hours on fixes for things that he didn't know about. Now, we find out one of our vanities has drawers in a place where the pipes might interfere... turns out a lot of stuff in the bathrooms was done quite strangely. But, we've been told we can order a new one if it doesn't work, and that means another few weeks. It's the guest bath, thankfully. Then, the vanities showed up without the sink bowls we chose. No one told us someone has to come out and measure for those, too.
These are not deal breakers, but I am wishing we just hired a general contractor from a kitchen/bath place, like we did with this house. I know it would have been a lot more $, but poor DH has had to take off a lot of work, at a time when he has a lot of work, and he's been gone from 5 AM to 7 every day. Very unlike him. And he's spent countless hours over there, doing stuff. We are lucky he has the trade skills to do this, but he's not doing much exercise because of it (except running up and down stairs). Our neighbors there asked if we were going to "flip" the place, because we haven't moved in.
Hoping that moving van can get up our driveway, if there's snow!
Hang in there Crankin! Hopefully soon this will all recede and you will be happily settled in.
Hope you catch a break soon, Crankin.
I wonder if anyone in the history of modern housing has EVER moved into a new/different place and not had it be a painful experience? Every place we've ever bought has been fraught with annoyance, difficulty, additional expense, uncertainty... and yet we just keep buying and fixing up places. Sure hope the current one is the very last one.
I feel much better after venting here! The good thing is, the kitchen is done (DH just has to hang the microwave), and it looks gorgeous.
We actually haven't had any really horrible buying or remodeling stories. Our remodel of this house's kitchen and bathrooms, went smooth as silk, done in 6 weeks. Yes, we discovered a lot of stuff that had been done wrong in this house, along the way, but that was really our fault. We bought this house very impulsively, and it's really the first house we've had that was older than 10 years. So, we have had to fix a lot of stuff here, but, we've also enjoyed living here. We had the basement finished and built a huge custom screened porch on our last house, and those things went well, too. I just think I would have been less stressed if we had spent the $ for the general contractor; that way, when you come up on a problem, they supply the alternative fixes, you choose, and it's not all on you. You are esentially exchanging time for money, which in this case, I think is worth it.
I decided to skip the group ride today, which had been rescheduled from Wednesday. We have a high wind advisory, with gusts up to 45 mph, constant breeze of 15-20. It's sunny out, and not that cold, but I hate riding in the wind. Going to yoga, maybe a hike later.
I think I've mentioned this elsewhere -- everyone who buys a house needs to rent Mr. Blandings Builds his Dream House with Cary Grant and Myrna Loy. It just sums it all up.
My last big project for my condo is replacing the wall-to-wall carpet with new wood floors. It needs to be done soon, while I have lots of stuff already packed up in boxes. And I bought new 8x10 wool rugs a couple of years ago when they were on sale and I thought I'd be moving ahead with the floors soon, so they're rolled up in one of my closets taking up valuable space. But I'm so overwhelmed at the thought of their having to move everything around in every room AND every closet in order to do the work. They say it will only take two days but in a way it's the biggest project I'm having done. I still have lots of things that need to be packed up. I'm trying to psych myself up to get it done soon.
Sorry there have been hassles and unexpected things with the new condo, Crankin! We have built three new houses plus one condo now so have dealt with all sorts of things. And we've bought two existing houses. One was older and needed some work, but that was mostly cosmetic, all easy things for us to DIY (paint, wallpaper, etc). One was only a few years old, and we did NOTHING to it. We liked the way it was decorated and left everything exactly the same. When we sold several years later, we had to have a window replaced that had the seal broken (dual-pane) and a couple other minor things, but really, that was our easiest house overall.
It's a trade-off. Since we've been renters, we've dealt with a new set of hassles, but it's different. I miss being able to paint and put things up on the walls and having my own space, but I don't miss some of the hassles and responsibilities that came with that. I am sure we'll own again one day, but we are not in a hurry. Our next home may just be a motorhome so we can continue our travels while having our own space.
I will say that owning my own home has not been good, financially. My condo building is old and the prior owners lived out of state and rented it out for years, so they did minimal upkeep, which has meant that I've had to spend a lot to fix it up as well as replacing the heat pump, windows and all the appliances. Meanwhile the market tanked so if I sold it now I'd only get the amount I paid for it over 10 years ago. But yes there are other benefits to owning your own place. Along the way I've learned a lot. And it is nice to sit back now, even with the old carpet on the floor and no pictures on the walls, and feel good about the way it looks.
I don't think i could ever be a renter again. When we moved here, we bought our house lease to purchase, for 6 months. The whole time I felt uneasy. We had sold our house in Tempe 6 months before we moved to MA, and moved into an apartment not too far away. It was really hard for me to drive by my house while I was in an apartment, even though it was all part of our plan to move back east. So, that meant we were renters for a year. We had a year to do the lease to purchase, but once we got our finances set, we could not wait to get the mortgage. Seems so long ago; that house cost 165,000.
Funny, the condo will be our 6th home, and I have only been emotionally attached to 2 of them... the one in Tempe and the last home we lived in, in Boxborough, before we moved to Concord. I think it has to do with the stage of life I was in. Although things were fun when we moved to MA, we ended up in a town that was not a good fit, and I spent 6 years just waiting to save enough to move. When we moved to Boxborough, it was like our life got back to normal, as it had been in Tempe.
Yep, we've had terrible market timing over the years with our various houses. We really only made money on our very first starter home. That one we were in for three years and made about $30K on. After that, things went downhill. Every other house we've sold, we've either lost money (after paying the real estate fees) or broken even.Quote:
Originally Posted by ny biker
The house we lived in the longest in NC was one we custom built and lived in for 10 years. At the time we sold, the market was in the toilet, and although we made about what we paid for it, we'd put in tons of landscaping, a beautiful porch, patio, walkways, a nice shed and woodbin, etc. And living in a place ten years, you kind of expect to have made something. We've kicked ourselves many times for selling that house when we did, but hindsight is always 20/20, of course, and at the time, it seemed like the right thing to do.
We just went into the black on our Belize condo, which we sold in March 2013 with owner financing. We get a check every month from the buyer, and as of August, we are now in the black on the sale, finally, and if he makes payments for the full five years, all the better since all the rest is profit in our pocket (although we're living on it).
I've read articles that say not to buy property expecting to make money; buy it because you love it and want to make a home, put down roots, stuff like that. That's why I'm not in a big hurry to own again immediately -- we're just not sure where we want to put down roots next. :-) It's a hassle and expensive to buy and sell quickly if you don't end up staying in place for at least five years or so (been there, done that way too many times), so we need to make very, very sure that our next real estate purchase is a "keeper".
Some sad news and it may be in a separate thread, if not we should start one. I have just heard that Chickwhorips has passed away. I knew she had struggled with cancer but last I'd heard was hopeful. I'm sure she will be missed here and by many.
Oh, my god, that is so sad and so shocking, Trek. I really liked her. Thanks for letting us know.
I'd heard from a mutual acquaintance, just unbelieveable, she was so young.
That is really sad. Her posts were funny and informative.
As for the house stuff, people in the US just expect to become rich from owning a home. You really cannot think of a house as an investment, given the volatile economy. We made over 300K when we sold our last house, and the guy just sold it for 100K less than he bought it for, from us. We bought this house, and I can't even add up all of the investments we put into the house. Because we put such a huge downpayment on this house, we'll make some $ on paper, but nothing really, compared to what we spent remodeling and fixing. But, I don't care. We lived here for 10 years, and enjoyed it. We broke even with our first house (only lived in it for a year). had to pay to get rid of the house I loved in Tempe, as it was a recession, and we had taken out a second, broke even on selling the first house in MA, and used stock options to make the downpayment on the house we actually made money on. I guess when you live long enough, it is easier to deal with this stuff. DH has been so calm about the slowness of the condo renovations, compared to how he would have been a few years ago.
The bathroom tile is done, the installer sent pictures. Lowes is not going to make us pay extra for the demo of the entry way tile, either. They really have been great to work with.
Saw a new primary care doc today, she was appalled about my leg, said I need to have some targeted PT since it's a swollen mess, with significant abnormality in the muscle mass in the quad and calf. God I feel old and busted, I miss the old badass me.
Well, hopefully this new doctor will help you get back to badass.
Hey everyone. So long, and thanks for all the fish.
Oh, Pax, I'm sorry. It sounds like you got some sensible help from the new doc. You may well become a new badass self--maybe not the same, but still, better than now--with the right help and time.Quote:
Originally Posted by Pax
(((Pax))) I hear you about missing your old badass self but glad to hear you've a new doc who is getting you what you need. And the new badass you will indeed be badass - even if different :-)
Kitsune - it's been a long time, hope all is well!
So lucky you met the new doc! You can be a bad *** in PT. From what I hear, most people are not like the people on this thread when following through with their PT stuff. In fact, I sent a friend to my PT, after a broken shoulder, and she laughed when I asked her how her exercises were going at home. We see it as an opportunity, and others see it as a punishment.