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Post by shades on Dec 8, 2016 2:59:29 GMT
Beautiful cat, Shades. Some cats have really pretty faces. I've only had one with a beautiful face, but it stands out. Thanks for that. She really does have a beautiful coat. If I can get her to stand still long enough, I'll take some photos from all sides. This is the time when I wish I knew how to make these 3D photos you can rotate as seen on some shopping sites. And that perky little patch-nose. I've seen some strays outside and they really aren't pretty - especially a black one with what looks like a boxer's nose
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Post by jolovespiggies on Dec 8, 2016 9:13:19 GMT
She looks like our neighbour's Kitty who also has a cheeky and very beautiful face.
Hugs Jo xx
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Post by 3piggles on Dec 12, 2016 21:56:07 GMT
Another 5-5.5 inches of snow last night, thank you, Baz The storm came in from the Midwest, which as where we get most of our storms. Since I have friends in that area, I get to track the storm as it approaches. I knew when a friend in Long Island posted that she was getting snow, that it was almost here. Not only is everything so nice and clean with a fresh coast of snow on it, but it dampens the sound, so everything is more quiet than usual. Vehicles on the snow-covered road hardly made any noise at all. We got out around noon and did the snowblowing and shoveling. Our neighbor who just lost his wife stopped to talk, and talk, but that was okay. I figure he doesn't have his wife around to talk to any longer, so he's lonely. He also didn't vote for Trump, so we had a grand time bashing the T-rump. He looked rather sad when he stopped to talk, and was laughing when he left Lately BBC, NHK, NYT and other major news sources have been doing in depth segments on the age division that elected Trump and passed Brexit. Those are two of the current events hot buttons, but Japan doesn't have enough people to care for the elderly, Australia doesn't, the business segment of the local Sunday morning news focused on New Hampshires lack of trained elder care workers, and all of these places are wondering what they're going to do when all of the people my age get even older. Elder care workers tend to be woefully underpaid, unmotivated and transient. Japan has a training program for alternative ways to provide elder care, and they are training people from around the world. A friend's dad just died in California. He was in a hospice before he died, luckily not for very long, as it cost $1500/day. We won't be able to afford that, and we were white collar workers. What about all the blue collar workers and service workers, who are earning a fraction of what we earned? They won't even be able to pay for Medicare, especially with the constant cuts to social security benefits. I think the answer to the elder care problem in the US is to just let them die
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Post by bazookagoof on Dec 13, 2016 3:38:05 GMT
Another 5-5.5 inches of snow last night, thank you, Baz It would have been rude not to share. (If it makes you feel any better, the temperature over here is going to drop drastically, so it will be too cold to snow, but we're going to freeze!)
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Post by Bean on Dec 13, 2016 9:39:12 GMT
Oooh more snow! No more here and it's pretty mild still. The kids would love it if we got a good covering at some point in the holidays (although preferable not when we're off visiting family!).
The Santa Dash even I mentioned to you was for a local hospice and they do so much amazing work but seem to rely so much on loads of fundraising. I think a lot of people who have had family go there end up raising money for them as they were so grateful for the care their loved ones received.
Glad you cheered your neighbour up - his daily routine must seem so empty now, even if he has got lots of people around him. Do you have any get festive togethers with neighbours where you are now?
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Post by jolovespiggies on Dec 13, 2016 9:58:41 GMT
I don't think we are going to get any snow here Bean love more's the pity. Even when it tends to snow in the north where you are, we tend to be too mild most of the time and dip out. Wow Piggles hun, $1500 dollars a day, I don't imagine many people can afford that, it is robbery. I think elder care is something which needs addressing world wide. I would settle for just a layer of frost, at least that looks seasonal. I am sorry it will be too cold to snow where you are too Baz sweets, I would love to see your lovely little girl playing in the snow.
Hugs Jo xx
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Post by 3piggles on Dec 13, 2016 21:25:30 GMT
Yes it would be, Baz Polar vortex headed our way, too. Overnight temps are below 0. Our weather station keeps freezing. A neighbor who has one said we need to get Lithium Ion batteries for it, as regular batteries get sapped of their strength really quickly in the cold. Not much use if none of the outdoor information registers. Hubby said to change the batteries. I'll let him do that when he gets home I don't know if I'll do my walks this time, although the polar vortex hasn't stopped me before. I'm feeling lazy this winter. I don't think the neighbors get together to do anything for the holidays, as no one has mentioned anything about it. This is our first Christmas here, so the future is open to all sorts of get togethers. My perfume allergy makes it hard for me to attend large gatherings. I know our next door neighbor wears quite a lot of perfume, so that wouldn't work for me. I'm glad the Santa Dash is for such a great cause. The most effective charities usually are run by individual donations, unlike our United Way that gets a lot of corporations involved, but only gives a dime of every dollar to the actual charities. They get large corporations to push employees into donating, doing payroll deductions directly to United Way, and generally pressuring employees to donate. When we worked at Digital Equipment Corporation, they pushed United Way something wicked, but it's also where I first saw one of their annual statements that showed how much went to high salaries for executives, and how little went to the actual charities. No wonder they need corporations to pressure employees to donate. Yes, Jo, it's an outrageous amount, and it's not for a luxury hospice, just a basic one. I worry about when we're older and in need of hospice care, and hope we don't live that long.
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Post by Bean on Dec 14, 2016 8:58:10 GMT
Our hospices are free (there may be private ones too) but the NHS obviously doesn't cover all the running costs if they're relying on charity donations too. Still, there are two within a few miles of us and both have excellent reputations. They have a limited number of places, but at least it isn't money that gets you in - that would be horrible to think about. I'm assuming insurance covers it over there? If you have the right package of course.
Jo, I think you're right about the snow - I just googled it and most sources say it's likely to be a pretty mild Christmas. Only the Daily Express (hardly a reliable rag) are screaming about the calamity of us all likely being buried in feet of snow and sub-Arctic conditions?! Ooookaaaaay...!
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Post by jolovespiggies on Dec 14, 2016 10:13:15 GMT
I hope your first Christmas there is a great one Piggles love and there is plenty of goodwill. I dread to think what the cost is for a luxury hospice is, we are so lucky to have our national health, well at the moment anyway. We are lucky Bean love but the private ones here probably cost about the same. After my last stint in hospital, I really wish I could go private, there is a world of difference between private hospitals and the NHS ones and my last experience of an NHS hospital was pretty bad.
Yes, I think it is going to be a mild one Bean hunni, no white christmas yet again.
Hugs JO xx
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Post by 3piggles on Dec 14, 2016 22:08:57 GMT
You're not the only one, Jo. The husband of one of our former members has been in and out of the hospital getting hernia operations and other things. It's been one oversight after another, one miscommunication after another, results of tests received after the next appointment to have more checking done. It just seems to be an overworked system that is generally trying it's best, but constantly falling short. NHS is one of the reasons we don't get a one-payer health system in the US. The NHS in Canada and the UK have been fraught with problems, and since it's government run, there's no chance to appeal or improve it.
Jo, I think our health care covers some of it, but far from all of the cost of hospice care. Health care costs are the #1 reason senior citizens go bankrupt in the US, and even with all the supplemental insurance coverage some of us can afford, there are endless deductibles and copays that bite us when we're down. People in the service and retail industries definitely cannot afford health care, even with Obamacare. That's why we have Planned Parenthood, which does perform abortions, but it also provides cancer screening and contraceptives for women at a fraction of the cost of regular doctors. The republicans have done everything possible to shut down Planned Parenthood, and the pro-lifers gather outside the clinics taunting the women and calling them names, trying to shove religion down their throats, and if they really are in need of an abortion, making the hardest decision of their lives even harder. I'd like to stand outside a Planned Parenthood clinic and blow an air horn to drown out their insensitive blather.
Now that we're senior citizens and have Medicare, it's even more limited, for even more money, than the insurance we had when Hubby was employed full time. One things a lot of plans push is the health savings account. Basically donate $X to the account out of every paycheck, so when you need health care, you have a savings account with the money in it. The problem is every one of those savings accounts takes any money you have left over at the end of the year. You don't get it back. The only benefit is that the savings is tax free, where as a regular bank savings account would be taxed. Still, there's no way a family can save enough for open heart surgery or cancer surgery. It's an outrageous thing to even expect, but most plans of any kind have low cut offs, leaving us to pay the rest out of pocket.
On a different subject, we are getting some bitter cold and possible snow flurries in for tomorrow and Friday, with temps below zero, and windchills as much as 20 below zero. I got out to walk today, but doubt I will for the next few days. Once the polar vortex lifts, we're getting snow, sleet and freezing rain on Saturday, so we only have Sunday to get out to do any shopping.
I filled all the feeders, used up the rest of the peanuts for the birds and squirrels, so I have peanuts on the list when we go shopping. I am putting the regular browser seed out on the ground, which should help them. I'll try to get out tomorrow and Friday, and spread more for them daily. Need to keep for furry and feathered friends well fed in the cold.
Also, while our weather station ran flawlessly for quite a while, we're now having trouble getting the outside and inside units to connect to each other. I have to unplug the inside unit, replug it, reset all the settings, and then it will update the temperature, etc. We have no idea what's wrong, except that the generator has a massive number of electrical boxes and switches with it, and I think it's somehow interferring with the signal. I can get a good signal, but I can't keep it? Hopefully we'll figure out what's wrong, so it's working again.
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Post by jolovespiggies on Dec 15, 2016 9:10:09 GMT
I can imagine people going bankrupt at those prices piggles hunni, you would have to be super rich to afford those prices. I am so sorry your cover is really limited too, with everything else going on it must be a major concern. I wish someone would deal with Trump, it is going from bad to worse. It is dreadful what is happening to women who are going for an abortion as you say love, it is hard enough as it is. We have had similar things here and it makes me sick. Being catholic I am supposed to be anti abortion but I am not.
Bless all the little birdies, it will be lovely watching them all at their feeder. Yes I agree, little wildies have to be considered at this time of year although at the moment it is quite mild here, so they are not having many problems. Sorry to hear you are having problems with your generator, I hope you manage to get it to fit.
Hugs Jo xx
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Post by Bean on Dec 15, 2016 13:02:04 GMT
I hear quite a bit from people who work in the NHS, about how private companies are increasingly brought in to cut waiting lists etc, but the way it's organised is definitely geared up to making staff want to leave and work in the private sector (because the extra ones coming in are private agency staff getting paid 4x what they are for working far fewer hours in better conditions in terms of staffing levels). They think it's at least partly intentional to undermine staff confidence and morale, and increase levels of disgruntlement to help pave the way for privatisation. They say with the money that's been spent, training more permanent staff and increasing equipment would be cheaper and also be setting things up for the future (given there are more and more people living longer, we need a more longterm solution).
I hear a lot of positive experiences of the NHS too, but it's a bit hit and miss depending on area and department. We need a government who are invested in making it sustainable or even more of it will go down the pan.
Hope you get the weather station working again, 3piggles - it's frustrating when you can't get to the bottom of something quickly.
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Post by 3piggles on Dec 15, 2016 22:48:00 GMT
Jo, I don't think I explained very well. The generator isn't the problem except that it has a lot of high powered electrical service to it that seems to be disrupting the signal from the outside weather station unit to the inside weather station unit. Once the signal is disrupted, it's hard to get it back without a whole lot of trouble (taking batteries out, putting them back in, putting the two units together for 20 minutes, then seeing if the signal is going to last when we put the outside unit back outside). The weather station is working, but it's zip tied to the railing on the front steps, a few feet from the inside unit. It's also where the sun really beats down in the summer, so it can't stay there. We have to find a better place, someplace where it's not in solid direct sun or constant shade. That's why we moved it to the back porch, but apparently both the back and side porches have enough electrical interference from the generator hook ups, we can't get the two units to connect from either place. Bitterly cold and windy today, so I got all dressed in my thermals, my heavy socks, hiking boots, winter coat, ear muffs, etc., opened the door to go out to walk, and snow and wind starting like a blizzard. I decided I had gone through too much to get ready to to outside, so I went to walk anyway. I only did about half of my usual route, but it was nice once I wasn't walking directly into the wind. I think I got a good facial from Mother Nature I've heard some good things about NHS, too, just maybe one good thing to every 10 bad things I hear. I'm not at all surprised nurses and doctors are leaving for the private sector. That will destroy NHS, as it needs professionals to work for very little to make the whole system work. As long as there is a private sector that will hire them, NHS workers will jump to the private sector. If the private sector is hiring all the good medical staff away from NHS, then NHS will continue to fail. It will be required to hire less qualified people who are willing to work for those wages, and the communication will get even worse. That's what has happened to a lot of our nursing homes. Nothing against Filipinos, but while their training programs are supposed to be as good as ours, they don't speak English well enough to get the English language medical instructions right, so there are mistakes, sometimes bad ones. The assisted living place where my father was before he died was staffed with Filipinos. They were given strict instructions not to feed him between meals, as it caused intestinal obstructions, yet somehow that didn't register as not taking the treats cart around to him every hour. After he was hospitalized a couple of times to have his stomach pumped, they finally got the point. NO FOOD BETWEEN MEALS! My sister had to threaten to sue the assisted living facility for the extra medical costs, before they finally made sure the Filipinos understood and would follow instructions. I think the Filipinos are getting better, especially since many of them have now been in the US long enough to speak the language, but they have also been here long enough that they don't have to work for peanuts, so they are demanding better wages, or going to jobs that pay better. I have no idea how to fix this problem, but I do know that the higher up we go in the private sector, the more money they earn, so that's what all medical staff seem to want.
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Post by jolovespiggies on Dec 16, 2016 9:55:06 GMT
Very true Bean love. I know it has its faults but I don't want to loose the NHS.
Sorry Piggles love, it is me not reading properly, not you not explaining well enough. You know what I'm like lol!
Hugs Jo xx
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Post by 3piggles on Dec 16, 2016 20:45:50 GMT
I'll settle for a little of both, Jo I think NHS is better than nothing, but I also think it needs to be replanned, especially for the funding, so it can provide a consistent level of care for everyone, including the elderly and disabled. Our health insurance system works best for people who don't need it, which isn't how it should be. Some health care plans include wellness visits, which are basically to head off illnesses and disabilities before they become a problem. Most health insurance only covers the basics of a wellness visit; blood tests, maybe a stress test walking on a treadmill, etc. They are even getting away from doing annual mammograms and Pap tests. So finding a health insurance plan that will work with a health care provider to give the best and most affordable health care is really difficult. Back in the 70s, when we started working full time after college, health insurance coverage was great, and a very reasonable prices, as it was well subsidized by the company. As health insurance got more and more expensive, more and more companies went to cheaper and less inclusive plans, and they subsidized less and less. The main reason for Obamacare is that all insurance companies could refuse to insure anyone with a pre-existing condition. If someone developed cancer, heart disease, diabetes and any of the other chronic illnesses that can't be cured with a pill, and they lost their health insurance because they lost their job, they couldn't get any other insurance coverage. Insurance companies were also allowed to refuse to cover anyone who developed a chronic condition, or they would cover it so badly, it was almost the same as not being covered. Some established networks of doctors and hospitals, and would only cover services provided by members of that network. They would temporarily drop someone from their network, if a patient using that doctor incurred too many bills. A friend with NF2 had Aetna pull that on her, saying the doctor she was going to in Los Angeles was covered when she arranged for the surgery, but by the time she submitted all the bills, he wasn't in the network any longer. She took Aetna to court over than, and won. Especially since the doctor testified that he was never informed he was no longer in the network, and that all of his other patients insured by Aetna had been covered by Aetna, during the same period. It never ends. On another topic, it was -7F at 7 a.m., and it now up to 12F, with a Feels Like temp of -9F, because of the wind. I put out a lot of peanuts for the furry and feathered criters outside. I tossed peanuts all over the back yard, so there not only was plenty for everyone, but more than enough space to accommodate everyone eating at the same time. Lots of cawing and talking, so everyone was having a great feast in the back yard Snow, sleet and freezing rain tomorrow, so no walk today, and probably not tomorrow, either. That's okay. I've been getting really bad pain in my legs when it gets really damp or the there's an extreme weather change, even just in temperature, so I haven't been up to walking today, and probably won't be tomorrow. It always passes when the weather sorts itself out again, but is very painful in the meantime.
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Post by jolovespiggies on Dec 20, 2016 9:36:03 GMT
I am sorry about your pain Piggles love, I have bad days and good days. I don't think today is going to be too bad which is good as we have to go out. I bet the little cuties are so glad of their winter feed. The friend we are gong to see today has a bird table and you can watch the little birdies enjoying their food whilst we have our coffee, it is delightful.
Hugs Jo xx
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Post by 3piggles on Dec 20, 2016 20:46:11 GMT
I've never heard of a bird table. Is that just a flat surface with seed on it? We have those that attach to porch railings, hang from trees or poles, and do or don't have roofs on them. They're getting hard to find, so I may have Vic build one or two, once he retires.
Pain was better today, so I got out to walk. Need to wear my thermal undies to stay warm, but it was refreshing. I didn't go out yesterday because I needed to wash my hair, and if I walk, I can't stand up in the shower long enough.
The generator installer came over this morning, when temps were still about -6F, to see if the generator would start for its weekly test. I think it did, as I heard it start twice, but not sure if he had to start it, or it started on its own. At least it was started and ran for a bit today, so if it's cold again overnight, it should be okay.
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Post by Bean on Dec 21, 2016 7:08:09 GMT
This is a traditional bird table although you can get all sorts of fancy feeding stations now. We've got one of those at the bottom of the garden near the line of trees. We did have it closer to the house but it didn't get as much traffic - you tend to get bigger birds closer to the house. I've got another feeding station with a water dish etc closer to the house and it does get some interesting visitors, but the small birds prefer the bottom of the garden, and quite reasonably so as there are loads of places to hide! Hope you had fun with your friend, Jo - sounds like you've had a good run of festive visits with friends! And hope your legs continue to improve, 3piggles. Sounds cold over there!
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Post by jolovespiggies on Dec 21, 2016 9:51:59 GMT
I am glad you are in less pain piggles love and on a cold day I agree, you cannot beat warm undies. When I went out yesterday I didn't realise how cold it actually was outside but I was alright except for my feet, they were cold. That is a gorgeous birdy table Bean hunni and yes thank you, I did have a lovely time yesterday. We were watching the birdy table at my friends and other bits of food she puts out and what made it special as she has put a wire cage around each one she has so that the pigeons cannot steal the food. The little birdies can get through the spaces so it is no problem for them.
Hugs Jo xx
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Post by 3piggles on Dec 21, 2016 20:35:36 GMT
We have a lot of different names for those bird feeders, and ours can usually be mounted on a pole as that one is, or hung from a pole, as ours are. I like that feeder, though I can't see hubby digging the hole to hold that post, lol! We've kept our feeders near trees or bushes, and the birds seem to like that. I think they know cover is nearby, should a predator come along. If you remember, a bird of prey landed right outside my basement door at the last house, right in the middle of my feeding station. The birds and squirrels were in the surrounding bushes faster than that predator could turn his head to look for prey. That's safety for them, so they'll use feeders close to safety, first. Ugh, cold feet! I can be toasty warm, but if my hands or feet are cold, I'm cold. I do like the thermal underwear for the really cold days, especially if the wind is really blowing. The tight weave of the thermals tends to stop the wind from getting to my skin, while the denim in my jeans doesn't. I even have a pair of gloves that take those warming packs, that provide heat for up to 8 hours. I'm kind of a wuss about cold hands and feet. We've decided on a slow cooker pot roast and some cod fritters for Christmas dinner. We had planned to try some new recipes, but since we don't know when the family is going to arrive on Christmas day, if they're going to be there more for brunch or a late lunch, so how much undisturbed time we'll have to figure out new recipes, we decided on the pot roast and cod fritters. I won't eat the cod fritters, but hubby will, and he rarely gets fish of any kind cooked at home. I've made the pot roast many times, so that's not a problem. The cod fritters just require cutting the cod into sized of one-two bites, dredging them in flour, coating them in batter, and frying them. Easy enough. I'm also going to make Zeppole, which I've never had, but have always wanted to try. I'll make the batter early, in case we have a late lunch, and the family wants to try the Zeppole. Zeppole have different names in different cultures, but it's basically a lite, puffy pastry/donut-type confection with powdered sugar sprinkled over it. The cool thing is they can be filled, and I thought it would be fun to put different jams in some of them. allrecipes.com/recipe/19847/zeppole/
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