Fashion

[Fressa]

Hi Everyone!

It's sunny & cold so YIPPEE!!  I hate to say this but I believe Spring is arriving and we have had only 2 days of winter. The daffodils are about to bloom in the woods so that's my "sign". My allergies are in full bloom as well as the dogs. UGH!!  The birds have been trying to pick the grapevine off the door wreath so I expect to see a few nests in trellis and hanging planters sooner than later.

I saw Jayne Brown hosting D&Co this morning. I always enjoyed her presentations. Perhaps she will be the "official" host. I didn't see much of the show because I wanted the dogs to get some  extra outside time. 

I use the Dr.Denese day cream and really like it especially when I'm with the dogs or weeding. 

I paid bills yesterday and learned that the company that covers the utility line insurance was sold to a company in England. I had a heck of a time trying to find the address for mailing the check when it was missing from the envelope. Not sure what that would mean (if anything) should you need to file a claim. I guess that explains why the utilitiy companies seem to have a seperate company for the same insurance. What a mess.I'll have to get some more details and see what options are available. 

Our grandson returns from Germany tomorrow so fingers crossed that all flights are "snag-free". He had a real "mess" trying to leave when his original flight was cancelled and rescheduled and then his seat being sold. WHAT??? He said it was a giant mess. He was flying to meet his fiance for a buriel so he couldn't have days delayed. 

Prayers for Jean and all others in need. 

Have a good afternoon/evening.

[Bird mama]

Hi Fressa @Fressa  thanks for getting us started today.  It looks and kinda feels like Spring today in my part of the world.  Folks in Michigan should know better and not trust it until Memorial Day   I take Spring in Michigan with a grain of salt.

I went for my annual mammogram yesterday morning and had the results in the portal last night - all clear for another 12 months.  Because I have dense tissue and have been going through mammograms since my mid 20's I usually read my results kinda one sentence at a time like I am bracing myself.

Nothing like the fear factor of one my birds being under the weather to change my perspective.  I opened those results full page for the first time in many years and said, you know what if there's an issue I'll work it out.

Incidentally Presto is doing so much better.  As a result I am doing so much better mentally.  Whoo-weee.  

DTE Energy, my electricity supplier started time of day pricing as a means to curb usage with price increases during peak periods as defined by 3 pm until 7 pm.  If I understand it correctly there are winter peak rates and more expensive summer peak rates.  To that end, I've been good about not running the dryer between 3 and 7 pm.  I have one dinky clothesline in the basement that my husband strung up years ago.  For sentimental reasons I refuse to take it down.  It's not enough so I ordered this clothing drying rack by Babrantia from Home Depot.  It's out for delivery today (they don't sell it in store).

Laundry related things are my favorite things to do.  I don't even mind ironing.  If I do a load of wash too close to 3 pm to dry it in the dryer now I'll have this extra rack to assist in air drying.  Actually 4 hours in the basement with the furnace running almost dries out the clothes so it helps with my gas dryer.  I just fl*ff the clothes a few minutes to beat out any wrinkles.

I have a double flood light on the outside wall of the family room that illuminates the patio.  You might wonder, isn't that blinding light?  Not really, the flood light bulbs have a yellow tint so as not to draw bugs to where I might be sitting at night.

Well, that patio light isn't used much as it took forever for one of the bug flood lights to die out.  I went to Home Depot this morning and bought two new LED yellow flood light bulbs.  I had to buy Philips yellow party bulbs.  I replaced both halogen bulbs (one worked, one petered out) with the yellow LED flood light bulbs.  I also picked up some indoor LED bulbs.   

[LindaLatte]

Good Afternoon and thanks for getting us started, Fressa.  Sorry winter will end sooner than you would like.  We are having cloudy and very windy weather here with a wind advisory in effect until tomorrow morning.  Not very nice.  Hope your grandson is able to get a flight home with no problems.  I read that there had been an airline strike in Germany -- hopefully it is over.  Good luck with that insurance. 

I was concerned because I didn't receive any information about the travel insurance I purchased for my Michigan trip.  It used to be that they would send an email with links to print out the policy.  When I called the tour company, they gave me the name and number of the insurance company, and they gave me the website address.  Yikes.

You can sign up for a special money-saving program if you don't use much electricity during certain times with our electric company, Bernie.  But, I decided that I would just stick with the old plan and pay extra if I used electricity during the peak hours.  Glad you are able to avoid the extra charges.  I have use a drying rack or racks for years.  Much of the year, clothes dry quickly since it is so hot here.  I have a regular one (somewhat like yours) plus a sort of umbrella one that I use for drying clothes on hangers.

Glad your mammogram came out okay, and Presto is doing so much better.  

I read on FB that Jean is being transferred to a rehab facility.  As far as I can determine, it is just across the border in Ohio. Not sure that is the case, but....  I am glad they found a place for her.

The hospice volunteer coordinator called me this morning to say that the first patient I visited yesterday had fallen after my visit and broke her femur.  I think she is in a hospital now, and will return to the assisted living place when she recovers.

The senior lunch program went well today, but my fellow volunteer was not feeling very well.  She struggled through it, and planned to go to bed when she got home.  Hope whatever she has (she feels bad and has no appetite) is not courageous.  I am supposed to be taking her out for lunch on Friday, but who knows if that will happen.

I am headed to the gym soon, and have a bunch of housecleaning to do when I come home.

Waves to Glenda, Susan, and all of our posters and readers.

Hugs,

Linda

[Bird mama]

Linda @LindaLatte  The house was already metered and wired up for something called Cool Currents when I bought it.  Basically the A/C is on it's own meter and I allow DTE to interrupt my A/C for limited periods of time per day in peak hours.  The understanding is that they will not exceed a given time (I need to look that up) in any 24 hour period.  Because I allow them to do this, I get a cheaper rate on the A/C meter than folks who aren't all cool currents.

DTE listed a bunch of other energy plans and I said, I am not doing that.  As it is, I try to be mindful right out of the gate with the 3 pm to 7 pm rates so it will be a habit and natural for me.

At one time my city was talking about water rates based on peak times.  Basically your water is cheapest I think between 11 pm and I think 5 or 6 am.

I am 60 years old and I live by day and sleep by night.  I'm all for saving myself money while conserving on energy and resources but if I sign up for all of these crazy plans I am not gonna know what day it is

I'm glad that they found Jean a rehab center.  I hope the fellow volunteer was not contagious - I don't care what she has, you don't need it 

[Bird mama]

I think I forgot to mention on this thread (I think I talked about it in the Bird's Nest) that my eldest niece got covid-19.  Her eldest daughter's birthday was on March 3rd and we had some bad weather that Friday; suffice it to say I didn't bother travelling out there.  When I texted my niece the following Friday on March 10th to ask if it would be convenient for me and Mary to stop by the weekend on March 10th to wish great niece a belated birthday my niece told me she just tested covid positive 30 minutes before.  As of Sunday (9 days after testing positive the first time) my niece was still testing positive.

As if that wasn't bad enough, her youngest (8) daughter tested positive on March 14th.  There are 2 more humans in that family and I don't know if they are still clear or if they caught it by now.  Lord!

[LindaLatte]

Sorry to hear about your niece and great niece getting COVID, Bernie.  One of my former colleagues who was on the video chat last Thursday said that she had COVID for the first time.  Most of the others had not had it, which was a bit surprising to me.  Hopefully, once was enough for me.   Regarding testing, my doctor's office said that you might test positive for quite a while after you have COVID.  But, you are probably not contagious after 10 - 14 days.  

[Fressa]

Birdmama---Glad to hear that Presto is recovering! Good news for sure....

I like that drying rack you found at Home Depot. I have two that resemble the shape and size of a tv try but are plastic and have the multiple rungs. I can't even remember how old they are but I still use them quite a bit. I do line dry most of our clothes in the laundry room. I just toss them in the dryer on air fluff to get the wrinkles out and soften them a bit. Having a larger laundry room was on my "wish" list when we purchased this house.

I have the same condition with the dense tissue. Now that I know what it is called and can get the proper scan I just add it to my list .

That's interesting how your utility companies bill. We have the peak hours increased rates but they seem to come and go depending on "who knows what". I think with the energy efficient light bulbs, let bulbs, etc. we do okay. We are up early (like you) and the dogs bedtime is around 6P so we see to avoid most of increases. I figure if I'm on a roll with the vacuum or cleaning then I keep on going.  

It is such a difference when you replace the outside lights with led or color bulbs. I started to put blue bulbs in a few solar lights and it looks nice. We have a lot of solar lights because of the driveway being on a hill. 

[Fressa]

LindaLatte---It's a good thing you checked on your trip insurance. It annoys me when companies do not follow thru with providing the information that you purchased and assured would be sent to you.  Good thing you kept track of that and called. That's how I discovered that our boiler/water heater/etc. company forgot to sent the maintainence contract for this year. Now I put a schedule on the file folder that lists what is due when. 

Thanks for the update on Jean. Hopefully, they will get her on the mend sooner than later.

I'm crossing my fingers that your helper at the senior lunch center didn't have anything that was contagious. It's always a worry.

I heard from our DIL last night that our grandson landed in New Jersey and was waiting on the connecting flight for home. He was a day early which was good to hear. I'm sure he was back at the restaurant today. I think he got very lucky with his flights and timing this trip. Once in awhile  you catch a break with your travel plans.