Sally your downstairs looked like mine and all that paneling. I thought it was lovely but my kids were so glad to see it gone.

Kitty, whatever you were doing to your little twin grand babies it seems to be working or maybe they are just tickled over watching you all laugh. She's a keeper.

My GS age 9, thinks it looks like a log cabin...lol
I said good, it's supposed to be a man cave.

Now that the basement is all finished and I am sooooo glad to be back
to my normal every day boredom, I'm lonesome for the noise.. I can't
afford another project, nor do I need one, but now that my Ins. ded is
paid, I could have another claim somewhere. I could use some new
furniture.

How are you all doing today?

Sally think of something that needs done so some hunk can come to stay all day with you again

I have been enjoying some lovely weather down here in Texas. Temperatures have been in the mid 70s. A cold front is supposed to come through tonight, and the high temps are supposed to fall to the low 50s. it is so funny watching the weather reports on the news here. " Winter isn't over folks. We may get a hard freeze Thursday night. So don't put away those parkas yet."

I have not adapted totally to living here. I think I have been experiencing a bit of culture shock. I am surprised to find I miss some of the features of small town living like either knowing or recognizing lots of people when you go out and being greeted by name at restaurants or the drugstore. The crazy traffic here is also a negative. I have enjoyed spending time with family and all of the amenities that are close by.

Morning everyone! Hope all of you out East are surviving...

Barb, I believe when we make major changes at our age we do seem to assimilate more slowly...but I get what you mean about missing the small-town culture.

Sal, glad your basement is done...now what kind of trouble can you get yourself into?
Try to get through the winter months now without further mess

Our house is almost finished...both bathrooms are just about done. The large bathroom still needs the shower walls installed, another coat of paint and the lights installed. The new small bathroom needs another coat of paint and a towel bar with shelf installed. The shower stall is finished, so at least we have a shower.

The downstairs foyer was grouted yesterday, and only needs to be sealed. I packed up our clothes and the pup and was on my way home from DS & DIL's house where we were staying during the foyer tile work, when DH called and told me that the workers were at our house prepping the kitchen and family room to replace the warped wood flooring and sand and varnish, which means 3-5 days more of living at DS's.

Then it will just be a cleanup crew and the carpet install, and we will be done, after 6.5 months, no less

Yey! We're in a big thaw in my area. Finally the 5 feet of snow that has fallen this winter is melting and being outside above freezing temps is pure heaven. Even some winter birds are changing their tune to ring in an early spring.

There is a flock of crows that visits my yard to hang out and for the odd supplement when it is really nasty & cold out. A couple of them are survivors of rescues and first aid that they needed in years gone by, so they know I'm a friend. A week ago I found one of the younger crows huddled against the back gate in the snow early in the morning. I think that he spent the night there because he obviously couldn't fly when I opened the gate to see what his problem was.

He let me pick him up and right away I noticed that he was really light in weight and very weak. Poor thing had lost part of one of his toes and there was an open infected wound where the toe should have been. The area above it was swollen with a large abrasion that went down to the bone and that too was infected. He must have been having trouble for a while for things to get so bad with the infections and his weight loss.

Needless to say he's been getting first aid treatment and seems to enjoy being in the house where food and water is readily available. In the last week he has gained back a lot of weight and his feathers are starting to shine again. The leg wounds are responding to soaks in Epsom salt water and baking soda water with an antibiotic mixed in from the vet. He's also been getting some vitamins mixed into his drinking water so that he recovers quickly. I named him "Soot".

The other two crows that have been treated in Erika's makeshift animal hospital are named "White-wing" and "Junior".
White-wing had a broken one that required splinting and some of her feathers came in white after that. Junior was found in a near by park on chilly spring morning and looked dead. He was just chilled and once he warmed up, he was good to go later that same day.

I think that Soot may be one of Whit-wing's babies because she has been visiting more often than usual and caws to him from the front fence. He hasn't answered her but they can see each other.
If all goes well, Soot should be able to go back out with the flock in a week or two. I'm hoping that the temperature comes up so the transition will be easier for him to spend the night outdoors again. Soot's cage is near the front door and I leave that open and my heat is generally turned down to 58 F anyway, so he hasn't gotten used to usual indoor temps.

Me? I'm continuing with therapies and have made it into work a couple of days a week for a few hours, so things are improving . Fatigue is a problem but I'm hoping that as I get stronger, that will improve.

With love, Erika

Yayyy for you Erika on getting better and helping your little feathered friend..

Hi Everyone!

I have not been on for a bit. I pulled my usual and got nailed with several things at one time and am just now getting back in to the swing of things. MS reared it's ugly head again but once the abx kicked in for the bladder infection and "other" infection, I started to improve. I also had pelvic issues due to a ruptured cyst. I'm so tired of cysts, UTI's, and tummy troubles.

I got the results back on all the testing the rheumy did. All he said is that they were interesting. I have more testing to get done but at least we were able to rule out several rheumatic diseases. He noted my muscle weakness and slight drop foot and ordered an EMG ASAP and gave me a referral to a different neurologist.

My little grandson is doing well. He's now 2 months old and is darling. He's a little colicky though and DD23 is trying to find ways to help him out. She is now back at work and going through the learning process of being a single working mom. It's not easy but I told her she can do it and that she has a great support system. I have been trying to help out on the days the baby's dad is working. It's a lot of work having a little one around. I was at my mom's for a week or so and the 2 of us took care of him. This week I'm home and on my own with him. It makes me a little nervous but DD23 doesn't want him in day care until he has his shots. He's on a waiting list for a day care that came highly recommended by several people including his pediatrician but they won't have an opening until November. So, for now, I'm helping out as is DD24, the baby's dad, and the baby's other grandma.

DD24 got engaged in January. She and her fiance have been together since they were sophmores in high school. They did break up for a little bit, 6 months maybe, during her junior year in high school but got back together. So, they've been together for like 9 years.

I hope you all have a great evening!

Erica, your life enriches mine just by reading about your wildlife and how you adopt them.

My computer seems to be dying and I am writing from my iPad. You type and then wait a minute and your words appear. So I can't be long winded.