A Gardeners Forum Forums General Discussion The Banter Hall Coffee House 2520

James, smart going on the Benadryl - dad said you could stay up but you feel asleep - dad is still the good guy :) I've never cooked a ham in the crock pot. Do you add liquid?

Sunny, glad you're feeling better.

Tina, be careful up on your roof.

Thanks Tina, it was a great holiday with my kiddos, they get so big so fast...


It takes way longer than you'd think, depending on the size, if it's too big you have to wrap the top in foil and pray for the best. I would definately recommend adding some water; I put a 10lb ham in with 2 cups, but there will be a lot of juice from the water they inject into the ham.

I am not crawling on my roof today. I would take wing in the winds.
It was warmer this morning at 40*. But still colder than I would have liked.
Travel safely wherever you are, Carol.

I lit my fireplace for the first time since John died, I think. But it's too windy out and blowing smoke back down the chimney and inside. I had to close the glass enclosure. Well, it looks warmer in here anyway.

Good morning.
It is 42* out and I didn't see anything that said 60* in the 7 day forecast. I am not use to this bone cold without relief. And the wind does not help. Or maybe I'm just getting old. Jonni kept the fire burning last night.
Today I go to Home Depot. And when the wind eases up. I climb on the roof.
I hope you all have a great day.

Tina, it is 70° and windy here. It must have rained during the night because it feels damp out side. We're still 9 inches under for rain this year.

James, they do grow up fast. I can't believe Darbi will be in college next year. Seems like she was born yesterday.

Hi all.

I dismantled the tree and Xmas decor...I just finished cleaning the mess and mopped. It is all over for another year.

It snowed about 10 inches last night and so far I have only shoveled the step. I need to start the tractor and clean a path wide enough for DH to get in from work. I dread getting older with the weather where we live.

Anyone have any New Year's plans?

Sunny I'm getting ready to do the same thing.

We're having communion and dinner at church on New Year's Eve.

I don't know much about Obamacare except that it doesn't work the way everyone thought it would. A friend signed for the first time this year because she lost her job. She was told that her income "doesn't qualify her for insurance." I told her she wasn't understanding that statement correctly because it doesn't make since. But she got a letter saying her income doesn't qualify her for insurance in NC and that NC did not take the option of offering Medicaid to people who did not make enough money to qualify for insurance BUT not to worry because she will not be charged a penalty for not having insurance. What????

Yes, apparently "some" of what I have heard/read about Obama care is a money making scheme. IF you do not have insurance you can "simply" pay the penalty......somewhere around $2500.00 last I heard........and no you cannot avoid it, the IRS knows if you need to pay or not by your taxes...and everyone should be paying their taxes, right ???

Well anyway Hi everyone !! It is good to be back home. (& to my computer)
I have read back & for the most part Christmas was nice with you all. That makes me happy. I was having a good time until a 48 hr. bug his me around noon on Christmas Day.

I think I am now back to 100% thankfully. Now if I just did NOT share with my granddaughters & grandson that will be wonderful to me.

I wish everyone a great (and warm) day. Tina you be safe & come in & tell us when you are down from the roof so we all know you are in the house safe.

I'm glad you had a good time for at least part of your visit. And glad that you made it home safely, Carol.
I did not go up on my roof today. The wind is still a formidable force. I'm hoping for some roof time soon.
I am not sure how the Medical insurance works these days. Mine stayed pretty much the same.

well as far as insurance goes, this next year we will have insurance thru Rod's work. BUT..he will retire in late October. I hope we get it all figured out by then. It is much more complicated than I would like it to be. I swear my parents just went signed up for Medicare & were done...their private work insurance became their secondary....

Glad yhoiu heeded the winds, Tina...there will be better times, I am sure.

Do start the paperwork for medicare now, Carol. Then you will have a seamless transition.

well I intend to go in march to ask questions. I fear I will have trouble with Rod. I think he is thinking us buying private insurance & NOT using medicare is the wise move---I wish he would find out the facts. see, I will be drawing off of him in SSI and I do not know if I also need to wait on him to go on medicare or if I have to wait another year until I too am 66.

I hate all of this. BUT having said that, I am now going to bed. sweet dreams to you all.

I think he will find out private insurance is too expensive. Even with medicare the the extra that you have to buy to make you fully covered is crippling. I think we paid $400 a month for John's.
Did your DD and family use your house in your absence?
Sweet dreams all.

Good morning.

Nice to see Junie back with us...hoping your 'bug' is over itself.

I am glad we do not have to worry about primary insurance...I guess that is the trade off for being taxed so high. We have to pay for secondary insurance though to cover meds, physio and psychology needs if needed. DH's work pays 65% of that when he is working. We drop it when he isn't working and pray services aren't needed.

What happens when people have no insurance and can't pay the medical bills in the U.S.?

Good morning.
People who can't afford insurance here get medicaid. It is a national and per state funded help. Nationally that is over 12% of the people.
Over a certain age, they get medicare, something they paid into their entire working lives along with social security. The ideas are simple and pay for themselves if the government would keep their fingers out of the pie like they are supposed to do.
It is still windy out but seems less than before. If it dies out, I can get on the roof.
But my oldest is coming by today and we're exchanging gifts. It is going to be a fun day.
I hope you all have a good one.

Thanks for explaining Tina....have a fun day with your family.

I headed out to get a few groceries....it is snowing and is supposed to continue for the next few days. They wanted $9 for a handful of strawberries, $8 for a small bag of apples and $9 for a dozen of small oranges (all on sale). How are people supposed to eat healthy? I took the apples and oranges but to GG's dismay the berries stayed there. I guess the one good thing is that after I buy the necessities...there is absolutely no money for junk food.

That's a lot of money for so little. I'm sorry. Have you any frozen berries to cheer your GG up? I am mostly sorry because I believe the prices are not going to get much better. They will improve during their season but off season, not so much.

Yes. one day a container (not even a qt.) of strawberries are $6.99 and the next they may be $3.99. In the summer they sometimes come down to $2.99 all the same container---not a quart..somewhere between 12 & 16 oz. usually.

a not real full pint of blue berries or blackberries can run around $5 to $6 dollars each. I buy them rarely. Usually when Henry is coming to stay. Luckily for me he is equally happy with Welch's fruit snacks. (the gummy things)

I just do not understand how we are supposed to live and eat when wages are what they are and then it costs so much to live......Here I thought yoiur life was supposed to be better in your "golden" years....I just do not see it.

Making Taco Crunch tonight for supper. I wanted soup, but DH does not care for it, so......

I'm having difficulties staying connected. It may be time for a new modem.

Sunny, every state doesn't offer Medicaid, like NC for instance. From what my friends letter said she is just without insurance (since she doesn't make enough money to get Obamacare) and NC opted out of offering Medicaid for adults without dependent children. She takes daily medication so I don't know how she'll afford it all. Seems contradictory since Obamacare is supposedly for everyone.

I've got to sign up for Medicare soon. I wasn't going to sign up but from what I've read there's a penalty if I don't. What a crock.

I'm thankful I still have blueberries and strawberries from this past summer in the freezer.

I just wish I would get a letter in the mail and it would say "Carol, you need to signup for this medical insurance now and this is what the government will do for you in your retirement"
--real simple like----but no--not so simple. I just wish it was next year already..so the "decisions" were over & done already.

Sheri, I heard if you are working and/or have other insurance methods available to you, you can put off signing up until that is no longer the case. I would go to a SSI center near you and see what NC's rules are. I will be 65 in June. I will go to the office in End of Feb/March--then I will know where I stand when Rod retires in October.

Tina did you ask?? my youngest DD is not coming by AT ALL to see us. I have no idea where in Illinois that she is staying while home or with who. She knew I was not well, apparently my oldest DD told her, but did she call & even say so much as Merry Christmas to me?? NOPE

She finally could not avoid it & tonight messaged me to say that we would exchange gifts Sunday Morning after the wedding we are all going to. (so have to pack them & take them to the wedding in Missouri. SMDH in general.. I get that she is a grown women with children and a life of her own, but she could have at least let me know they got home safely, ........or something.

Time for me to go to bed. Sweet Dreams to you all.

Well, that sucks, Carol. Your daughter should treat you better.
But you should go to SS sooner than that. Sometime after the new year.
Sweet dreams all.

Hi all.

Here you have to apply a year early for any kind of benefits due to you at a certain age....and they surely make it complicated.

We are in for another bad storm this afternoon and overnight. They are calling for about 16 inches of snow this time....with flooding along the coast.

Carol, I hope you get cuddles and kisses in with the grands...we can't change our kids no matter how hard we try. I have given up on that idea.

Good morning.
I am going to do yesterday all over today.I hope it works out.

A repeat of daily activities never fails Tina.

How did the visit with your oldest go?

I will get cuddles in Sunny. During the wedding there is a sitter coming for the 3..(or 4) babies of the family. Then after we eat at the reception, Rod & I will go back to the Hotel and babysit the 7 Grandchildren. Good thing at least 4 of them will be sleeping by then. so basically we will be reading/playing with the 3 oldest boys.

I hope al goes well for you today, Tina

Yay, Christmas is over. I've got some happy kids. Well, adult kids but kids. And Teddy still gets kid stuff.

I am always sad when Christmas is over---I like the anticipation of it all the best. It is great though when one's kids are happy though isn't it?? Glad Teddy is happy as well. And kids are kids so if they are adult or young does not matter really....

I have winds in the oven as I type. I will turn them into hot wings when they are cooked. mashed potatoes & whatever veggie I pull out of the freezer to go with.

Good news is I have chicken wing tips saved back in the freezer to use for chicken stock---I am one happy lady right now.

Yes, Christmas anticipation is good. I just had to wait and that never happens. I was beginning to think that it wouldn't.
Wings sound good, Carol. I have never bought into the hot wings myself. I would like some of the soup you're making better.

When I get enough pieces I will let you know and you and Teddy can come to eat it with me.

I did not think I would care for the wings---I also am NOT a hot person...

They were FANTASTIC !!!! While I did make mashed potatoes and a veggie, between Rod & I we ate 22 pieces of the hot wings between us. I do not know about him, but 11 is far too many for this "supposed to be eating healthy" girl to be eating at one sitting. BUT Gracious I am glad that I did.

I make wings with only garlic, s&p, lemon and butter. My family like them that way.
I'm going to say good night now while I can. New modem is going to be here early next week.
Sweet dreams all.

YAY for new modems....

I make a recipe of wings with soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce & I think butter---you cook frozen wing pieces in a Dutch oven. They too are wonderful.

I will make them soon I think. Then you have the sauce for the mashed potatoes.

Going to sleep soon...g'nite

Mmmmm, I love wings...any kind.

We are in the middle of a bad storm...and my power is flickering.

Good morning. What a wonderful night's sleep. I'll take it.
Waiting on the rain. It is supposed to start any minute in our area. I'm ready.
Take care in your storms, Sunny. I hope your power stays on.
I hope you all have a great day.

Sorry for the flickering power, I hope it stays on, Sunny.

I hope your rain make sit soon, Tina. Glad you are ready for it.

Today I will pack for the wedding tomorrow. IT is sunny but cold outside today.

Who is getting married, Carol? Do you have to spend the night?
It started out kind of warm with the rains we had today. It's slowly getting colder. I like the rains but not the cold so much.

Speaking of modems, the Cable Modem Rental fee with Comcast is now $10/mo here in Portland, OR. The best cable modem currently on the market, outright, costs $110, easily paying for itself in a year... Made my internet a little cheaper over all the years I've been a subscriber, lol.

I only started paying a fee fo mine a year or so ago and it is only $2. I can handle that and they are responsible for it.

The "little" girl (she was 2) my oldest (15 at the time) began watching, is getting married.
She has now just began her Master's program in whatever therapy field she is going into, after graduating with a 4 yr. degree.
she and her fiancé decided to do a "theme wedding "Great Gatsby" and so a Dec. 31st wedding it is. He has just a few months ago got his license to be a registered pharmacist.
So yes a destination wedding, & we will be staying with my oldest DD in their room, and my youngest DD & her family will be in an adjoining room. "Grandpa" & I will be babysitting after we eat dinner at the reception. AND My 2 oldest grandsons (Luke & Henry) are part of the wedding party. That will be ever so cute.

Did I mention we will have to take our Pack N Play, and diapers, and the 2 boys Christmas Gifts...
LORD I have NO idea why Rod ever thought we could get by with buying the Chevy Cruz....it has proven inconvenient more than once.

I may be back early tomorrow but then I will not be back until Sunday at some point.

but anyway... sweet dreams.