Greetings everyone.
My #1 Grandson has our truck for the summer, and we are missing not having it, but not as much as he needs it. The Silverado is 20 years old, but still runs great. He is working at a camp ten miles from our house and uses the truck to go home, and to run errands. Two days ago, his other grandfather put some cement blocks in the truck from his house to send to us. Grandson questioned why we were putting blocks into his truck without talking to him first. “My truck…” Possessive all of a sudden. Well, at 18, and off to college in August, it is about time he had some independence. I got a kick out of the “my” truck comment. He has no idea how to get anywhere because he has always been sleeping or looking at his phone while in the car as a passenger. He needs Waze to find anything. He got lost the first time he drove home.
Congratulations, Nw Prepr on finishing nursing school. A very honorable and demanding profession. In the words of Tony the Tiger, ‘They’re GRRRRRRReat!
Congratulations, Mama Cando, you have TWO prepping partners in the family! I don’t think many of us can say that.
OMW: Thank you for the link to Duolingo. I think it will come in handy.
Next May, the first International High School Student that my daughter had, graduates from Dental School at Columbia in NYC. He is from VietNam. We are wondering if his parents will come for this graduation as they did for his undergraduate degree. They do NOT speak English. With Duolingo, perhaps I can learn some basic Vietnamese so we can communicate. Tuan is very happy that we care enough to attend his graduation; we are his American Family.
He is coming “home” to Minnesota to work as a dentist. Apparently, the dentists in VN are not regulated/licensed. So, he is going to work here, and go back and use his masters in Public Health to help his homeland that way. It is important to send the international students home. No brain drain. The last student they have is from Afghanistan. He wants to become an MD. DH asked him over the 4<sup>th</sup> if he intended to go home after he got his training. He said, “if there is still a war – no.” Sad.
Little Sister: Good luck with your DH. Perhaps your grandson will be a big help, there, too. And congratulations on getting your room organized. That is a major accomplishment.
After I remarried we purchased our 19 acres. My hubby cannot handle being in the city with all of its noise. He did his scientific research in rural areas like Nebraska, Peru, New Guinea. The calm of the country is for him. However, as Little Sister said, we have a mortgage on a fixed income. Fortunately, we have 50% equity. Right. There is money there as long as there is real money and no financial or housing crash. The truck and car are paid off. If we need any type of regular payment, we lose our comfort zone.
Hubby does not really have the get-up-and-go that I need for him to have here in the country, though. Yes, it is hot, 90 degrees and humidity every day, but we still need the wood put up for winter heating. There are still garden beds to weed and fences to fix. It seems that he will not get outside unless I am outside getting things done. Then he wants to be near me so he comes out, too. So, we go out earlier in the day and I Can the produce in the afternoon. No tomatoes, yet.
Corsaire: I spent one year in Georgia, Valdosta, and could not believe the humidity and heat. In-laws thought about retiring to Florida, but after spending a week with us they wisely said no.
I don’t know how you do it. Is an AC better than a Swamp Cooler?
Rufusj: glad you found some medication that works for you.
Anti-depressant – Paroxetine. I wanted a stronger one because I was not as patient with my DH as I could have been. (I think there are other reasons for that, such as he really needs hearing aids so I don’t have to repeat and shout, and HE is the one that always jumps to the worst scenario. It is not me, right? Right. Lol.) Anyway, it took months, and finally a blood test to get a better one. Med, not husband. It works well. However, DH found an article that said it was not a good one. Apparently is can cause cognitive decline. Considering my age, almost 70, I need to talk to the doctor and change. I have many years to go. Besides, I can tell that there are some problems, already. I cannot remember what I did or ate yesterday. Did I eat yesterday? If I can notice the gaps, something must change. At least now I also know that it is the anti-depressants that are causing my extra inches. The article said so!
CrowBar: I am glad you are taking care of yourself in the heat.
That is it. Pretty much caught up. Out into the heat to pick peas and beans and check on the black-capped raspberries tomorrow and clean house for our guest from Brazil. Just enough activity to keep life interesting.
Way up here in the frozen Nort-land, Minnesota, it is no longer frozen and we are reaching 90 degrees each day. I know that does not compare to what you all are experiencing in the south. So, take care of yourselves. Watch those heat indexes and find the shade. Work in short spurts. Lots of water. You are all Preppers and know all that.
Take care of yourselves dear friends.