Girls Coffeeshop Talk

[Lion]

Good Evening to Everyone,

Judy, Yes, I live in the South Suburbs of Chicago and we are 30 miles South of the Loop. We are the last suburb before the countryside opens up into Farmlands...it's really a nice area to live in. But I will say most all of the South suburbs are considered the poorer areas to live in as the Northern Suburbs are where the rich(and sometimes snobby residents)people live.....but for bicycling on the country roads it's great. I only have to peddle for 5 minutes to get into the Country and then the roads are wide open!!!

As for this Winter, January set the mark for the third worst January since they have been keeping records. We would plunge into the "Deep Freeze" for days only to warm up for Snowstorms. This past Saturday we had 7" of that white stuff only to turn bitter cold on Sunday and today. Tomorrow starts the next Winter Storm Watch and we are expecting 5" to 10" of snow. It's starting to get to be a chore to shovel snow and heave it up onto the mounds that have already developed from previous snowfalls. Needless to say I'm grounded by the RA pain and shoveling snow and heaving it up over 4 1/2 to 5' doesn't help my swelling and pain. And the Fentanyl patches(75mcg.)are not lasting the three days they are suppose to be lasting and with the storms coming regularly I'm not sleeping at nite. Last week just over the border into Indiana(about 8 miles away) where they get major "Lake-Effect Snowfalls off of Lake Michigan" some areas received 18" to 24" of extra Snow while we would or could get 1" to 2" of extra snow. And by bitter temperatures we are talking between -15F to -30F at night(due to the Windchill Factor)only to awake to temperatures of -4F to -10F below zero in the early morning warming up into the teens and with the Windchill still below zero in the daytime.....fortunately today it got up to 18F and will plunge into the deep cold tonight.....

I've seen on the news and by talking to friends in Upper Minnesota where they are paying huge prices for Propane gas to heat their homes. Their is a shortage up there and where they were usually paying around $250.00 to $300.00 for gas in January now they are paying $800.00 plus when they can get Propane. The Suppliers have resorted to rationing the Propane Gas so at least most everyone can get some gas. One man they interviewed on the "News" says it can get down to 40F in his house and all they can do is pile on the layers of clothes and wrap up in blankets.....

[gmh1013]

-4/-5 for OKC on Sat .....I could never survive in that cold now that im old.....50 feels to cold for me.
Thats were my mother is now.. in a Conroe nursing home.....I would love to live on the lake up there and have a boat. In fact I should have never listened to my wife and moved to the Woodlands or Conroe to begin with.

[Lisa]

Originally Posted by Art 1

They just showed on the news about that big storm and it looks as if it's starting right south of Oklahoma City.

Different sources put our chances of snow from 40 percent to 90 percent, and anywhere from 1 to 4 inches. We have some snow left from Sunday. The kids are pulling for enough snowfall to cancel school, though our school tends to stay open even when most of the others close.

[Lisa]

Originally Posted by gmh1013

-4/-5 for OKC on Sat .....I could never survive in that cold now that im old.....50 feels to cold for me.
Thats were my mother is now.. in a Conroe nursing home.....I would love to live on the lake up there and have a boat. In fact I should have never listened to my wife and moved to the Woodlands or Conroe to begin with.

My sister does like the area. They recently put in a pool and lost much of their backyard, but it's still very pretty. So many trees. Luckily she works in The Woodlands and doesn't have to commute into Houston, but her husband does. He leaves for work at 5:30 am because of the traffic.

[Lisa]

Leo, have you considered moving to a warmer climate? South Texas is pretty nice this time of year!

[Art 1]

Originally Posted by Lisa

Different sources put our chances of snow from 40 percent to 90 percent, and anywhere from 1 to 4 inches. We have some snow left from Sunday. The kids are pulling for enough snowfall to cancel school, though our school tends to stay open even when most of the others close.

I'm seeing pics from neighborhoods up north that have high mounds of snow in the yards and streets, hope there is no flooding when it melts. It has to go somewhere though.

[Lion]

Wow, "Hot Cereal"...what a concept. As a child we would have Quaker Oats(the old style kind, think the end of the 1950's to the 1960's) or Malt O' Meal every morning for breakfast with a little butter and Honey(we were not allowed to have Brown Sugar)to the point where I burned out on the stuff and to this day I still can not eat either one.....

Dawna, I'm not sure but don't they make heaters for the water troughs and you can buy heaters and some kind of a small fountain or bubbler for ponds??? I know out in the country when it snows...it blows so traveling can be treacherous and it's best to stay put. Here we have had so many days where the schools have been closed that the children will be going to school far into June. I know we are going to have some unhappy children come June when their Summer Vacation starts late.....

Times are sure different when I was a kid you bundled up and went to school...we hardly had a day off due to inclement weather. You know, "when I was a child we used to have to walk 5 miles to school uphill both ways...and never got a ride from Mom to school and there sure were not school buses."

[Lion]

Originally Posted by Lisa

Leo, have you considered moving to a warmer climate? South Texas is pretty nice this time of year!

Originally Posted by Art 1

I'm seeing pics from neighborhoods up north that have high mounds of snow in the yards and streets, hope there is no flooding when it melts. It has to go somewhere though.

Yes, we have considered moving when Pam retires.....

And as for the mounds of snow, there sure will be flooding come Spring. As the ground is frozen so you have runoff and the rivers will surely flood due to ice blockage. It seems like every Spring you hear about the poor people who live along the Fox, Des Plaines and Kankakee Rivers where they get massive flooding. This may sound rude and uncaring but they knew these rivers flooded long before they bought their homes along these rivers!!!

[gmh1013]

Originally Posted by Lion

Good Evening to Everyone,

Judy, Yes, I live in the South Suburbs of Chicago and we are 30 miles South of the Loop. We are the last suburb before the countryside opens up into Farmlands...it's really a nice area to live in. But I will say most all of the South suburbs are considered the poorer areas to live in as the Northern Suburbs are where the rich(and sometimes snobby residents)people live.....but for bicycling on the country roads it's great. I only have to peddle for 5 minutes to get into the Country and then the roads are wide open!!!

As for this Winter, January set the mark for the third worst January since they have been keeping records. We would plunge into the "Deep Freeze" for days only to warm up for Snowstorms. This past Saturday we had 7" of that white stuff only to turn bitter cold on Sunday and today. Tomorrow starts the next Winter Storm Watch and we are expecting 5" to 10" of snow. It's starting to get to be a chore to shovel snow and heave it up onto the mounds that have already developed from previous snowfalls. Needless to say I'm grounded by the RA pain and shoveling snow and heaving it up over 4 1/2 to 5' doesn't help my swelling and pain. And the Fentanyl patches(75mcg.)are not lasting the three days they are suppose to be lasting and with the storms coming regularly I'm not sleeping at nite. Last week just over the border into Indiana(about 8 miles away) where they get major "Lake-Effect Snowfalls off of Lake Michigan" some areas received 18" to 24" of extra Snow while we would or could get 1" to 2" of extra snow. And by bitter temperatures we are talking between -15F to -30F at night(due to the Windchill Factor)only to awake to temperatures of -4F to -10F below zero in the early morning warming up into the teens and with the Windchill still below zero in the daytime.....fortunately today it got up to 18F and will plunge into the deep cold tonight.....

I've seen on the news and by talking to friends in Upper Minnesota where they are paying huge prices for Propane gas to heat their homes. Their is a shortage up there and where they were usually paying around $250.00 to $300.00 for gas in January now they are paying $800.00 plus when they can get Propane. The Suppliers have resorted to rationing the Propane Gas so at least most everyone can get some gas. One man they interviewed on the "News" says it can get down to 40F in his house and all they can do is pile on the layers of clothes and wrap up in blankets.....

The 3 day "patch" is like the 12 hour Oxycontin.....a myth....more like 48 hour patch and Oxy is only good for 8 hours.....at least my pain doc knows its and gives me three 80's a day.

[FeelingTheBlues]

Art, I kept looking at your various pictures of Kurt Cobain and it put me in a Nirvana mood, I listened to a few songs from their Unplugged album and among The Man Who Sold The World, Come As You Are, All Apologies and the other classics the song that stood out the most to me was Where Did You Sleep Last Night. The haunting, folk sound of this song is very, very good!

[Art 1]

Originally Posted by FeelingTheBlues

Art, I kept looking at your various pictures of Kurt Cobain and it put me in a Nirvana mood, I listened to a few songs from their Unplugged album and among The Man Who Sold The World, Come As You Are, All Apologies and the other classics the song that stood out the most to me was Where Did You Sleep Last Night. The haunting, folk sound of this song is very, very good!

I love that album and those songs.

[Art 1]

[Lisa]

Art, have I said before that I kind of envy your life?

[Art 1]

Originally Posted by Lisa

Art, have I said before that I kind of envy your life?

Oh, it's nothing to envy but I like to explore and smell the roses each and every day. Some day I'll grow up...Nah, never.

[Art 1]

alphabet soup. Used to eat it growing up a lot. Made some for lunch with a chicken bullion cube. Just had this now with beef bullion. Sooooo good.

[FeelingTheBlues]

That picture with the turtles is beautiful Art! I definitely must visit Florida one day...and Oklahoma if the ladies here allow me to.

Originally Posted by Art 1

alphabet soup. Used to eat it growing up a lot. Made some for lunch with a chicken bullion cube. Just had this now with beef bullion. Sooooo good.

Beef bullion, uh? I don't think I've ever had a soup made of it before, my mother is a big fan of chicken based soup so we've had plenty enough of them over the years. They were always delicious but I should try that one day.

[The Joker]

Originally Posted by FeelingTheBlues

That picture with the turtles is beautiful Art! I definitely must visit Florida one day...and Oklahoma if the ladies here allow me to.

What about the UK? Although we don't let riff-raff in

[FeelingTheBlues]

Originally Posted by The Joker

What about the UK? Although we don't let riff-raff in

Riff-raff? You hang around with Roger Waters way too much...

I will visit the UK as well someday, Scotland and Ireland are on my list and I would love to walk around in the different cities of England.

[Lion]

Originally Posted by gmh1013

The 3 day "patch" is like the 12 hour Oxycontin.....a myth....more like 48 hour patch and Oxy is only good for 8 hours.....at least my pain doc knows its and gives me three 80's a day.

Greg, I sure understand how the pain Meds do not last very long. I'm sure with it being Winter and that we are experiencing bitter cold temperatures is not helping the situation any as well. If it doesn't start getting better soon I'll have to call my Pain Mgt. Doctor and see what he says...as it sure does me no good to only feel halfway decent for only 12 hours out of every 72 hours...Thanx for your input through your own experiences.....

Take care.....Leo

[vitalsignsrn]

Those turtles look like they're relaxin alright. Cute.

Alphabet soup...blast from the past. Looks good.

I have the UK on my list of places to get to. Wes, does this mean customs won't let me back in? My cousin lives in London. He's trying to encourage me to come out there but the only time I think I could would be about mid Sept. Not sure what Im doing in the fall. I'd like to visit a lot of places in Europe. I hope I have enough time to get to the places I want to.

[The Joker]

Originally Posted by vitalsignsrn

Those turtles look like they're relaxin alright. Cute.

Alphabet soup...blast from the past. Looks good.

I have the UK on my list of places to get to. Wes, does this mean customs won't let me back in? My cousin lives in London. He's trying to encourage me to come out there but the only time I think I could would be about mid Sept. Not sure what Im doing in the fall. I'd like to visit a lot of places in Europe. I hope I have enough time to get to the places I want to.

Maybe plan your trip to coincide with the London summer GTG. Was August last year.

[vitalsignsrn]

I know it won't be August & Im tempted to go back to Cuba. LOL Especially since this winter has been especially white. :-( But who knows...Im going to have to make sure my cousin is there. I think he would take it personally if he decided to go to Italy in August and I show up when he's away. hahaha

[Lion]

FYI...Update in our Winter Storm Watch, we have received another 5" of Snow with more due this afternoon. Then the weather turns very cold again with temps. below zero expected tonite!!!

Everyone stay dry and warm.....Leo

[Cc1966]

Originally Posted by Lion

FYI...Update in our Winter Storm Watch, we have received another 5" of Snow with more due this afternoon. Then the weather turns very cold again with temps. below zero expected tonite!!!

Everyone stay dry and warm.....Leo

Wow Leo, you guys are really getting it this winter. Stay safe mate! Atlanta has fully recovered from it snow (2-3 inches) as it has totally melted and the roads are dry.

[gmh1013]

Originally Posted by Lion

FYI...Update in our Winter Storm Watch, we have received another 5" of Snow with more due this afternoon. Then the weather turns very cold again with temps. below zero expected tonite!!!

Everyone stay dry and warm.....Leo

We suppose to have a cold ( for south TX) week and next week warm up to 78-80 by next Wed....Ive been ready for 80 degrees for weeks! Don't see how you do it with pain Leo.....as we know the cold makes it twice as bad. I goto pain doc tomorrow for my Oxy fix....have you tried Opana 40mg?
Mine had some free samples last time....I would ask for samples before you buy.
You have the same problem as me with the
patch....it don't work for 72 hours.

[vitalsignsrn]

Leo..we've been blasted again too. :-( Toronto and surrounding areas are a big mess. I hate being stuck inside. Especially since Im working 4 12 hr shifts in 5 day. But too risky to be on the roads. Plowers are ready to roll later this evening when the snow is supposed to stop I hear on the news. I am working tomorrow so hope the roads are decent for my drive. Also, a 2nd storm is heading our way supposed to hit this weekend. Im buying an SUV.

[Lion]

Greg, Thanx for the "Heads Up," I'll check into the possibility of having my Pain Doc write me a prescription for the Opana...

Judy, sorry to hear you guys are getting nailed too...but at least with both of us living in Northern Climates we have Snow Removal Equipment and cities that know how to deal with it. Last week when the Deep South got hit I really felt sorry for them.....

I know everyone around here are complaining about how bad this Winter has been but I choose to look at it as positively as possible. This is the first really bad Winter that we have had in well over a decade so we should all feel fortunate for that fact. I think what really has everyone unnerved is we go from having to contend with a snowstorm which is then immediately followed by major Arctic Blasts. Then it warms up enough to snow and then plunges back down into bitter cold days...sort of like a Yoyo. And this weekend on Saturday we will be bracing for another snowstorm. We live about 8 miles from the Indiana border and that poor area(which borders the bottom of Lake Michicgan) gets really bad "Lake Effect Snowstorms." Last week the towns across the border got between 18" to 24" of snow...and that was on top of the snowstorm that hit all of us!!!

Take care everyone.....Leo

[Lion]

Judy, have you found eyeglass frames that you like? I feel for you when it comes to Astigmatism as I have been dealt a ton of it myself. One eye is -3.75 and the other eye is -4.75 and I have been wearing No-Line(Progressive Lenses) Bifocals for over 17 years. I had my eyes checked back in December and even though they have not changed very much in 2 1/2 years I decided to get new frames. This way I have a new pair and my old ones are backups now.....

Actually I did not need new glasses but a funny thing happened back in December, I again have been walking and talking in my sleep "Big Time" where you can talk to me on the phone for a half an hour or longer and I'm really still asleep. Or in the middle of the night I will do things like taking a bath towel and placing it in the freezer. And that is just one example of my "Sleep Walking" I have done things way crazier but those are stories for another day...so I awoke one night to literally bending my right eyeglass ear stem straight out so they ended up being 90 degrees from where they should of been. In my "dream state" I thought I was bending a piece of metal back to straight for a friend...go figure. The eyeglass place was able to bend them back but I thought it was best to buy new frames.....

Anyway I picked out new designer frames which are as close to round lenses as possible these days as completely round frames are not available here in the "States." I then added the progressive lenses, scratch resistance, the newer anti-glare(called Crizal)treatment and the strongest Transition Treatment that is available. The cost with the eye exam included added up to $405.00 and that's after factoring in Insurance Coverage. Luckily they recommended that I did not need to change my prescription Sunglasses.....

[vitalsignsrn]

Leo..I know I should be more grateful about the snow situation. I feel for others living in a worse climate and in snow belt zones. You are 100% correct, at least we have snow removal equipment ready and willing to roll out like soldiers to help keep us moving. Working in a hospital, ICU specifically, where general nurses can't work, makes us more stressed. We HAVE to get to work. There isn't any option. Even if we show up late, we MUST report. I don't have any one to call close to me with a truck or SUV so I just get up earlier and hope Ive allowed enough time to cushion if there is a delay enroute .

My eyes suck. My right eye is -6.25 now and my left eye is -6.00 & thats better than the -.6.75 they were 2 yrs ago. My reader strength was raised to 2.5 now. I forget exactly. And with new frames, and custom progressives, they will come to over $1000-1200. The lenses are the killer. The lenses I get are transitions too and coated as well. Cost is nuts. I could look elsewhere, but my doctor & the staff have been super wonderful and attentive. My doc is good to me and books appts for me very quickly because he knows the nature of my work. I need my eyes or I can't work. So my dilemma still remains that I really would consider laser surgery. If I have to spend this much money on glasses, maybe the way to go is surgery. I can't get out to try any frames on with this snow out there. Its just not a priority right now. As soon as I can though, I will. LOL

[teqp]

Originally Posted by vitalsignsrn

My eyes suck. My right eye is -6.25 now and my left eye is -6.00 & thats better than the -.6.75 they were 2 yrs ago. My reader strength was raised to 2.5 now. I forget exactly. And with new frames, and custom progressives, they will come to over $1000-1200. The lenses are the killer. The lenses I get are transitions too and coated as well. Cost is nuts. I could look elsewhere, but my doctor & the staff have been super wonderful and attentive. My doc is good to me and books appts for me very quickly because he knows the nature of my work. I need my eyes or I can't work. So my dilemma still remains that I really would consider laser surgery. If I have to spend this much money on glasses, maybe the way to go is surgery. I can't get out to try any frames on with this snow out there. Its just not a priority right now. As soon as I can though, I will. LOL

This is my first post in this thread and actually my first time visiting this thread. Excuse my interruption, but I always get interested when discussions about eyes come up.
If you do decide to go with LASIK, please go to a reputable surgeon and not just base your choice on price. Your optometrist might be able to give you recommendations. On a side note, you will still need reading glasses. Your myopia will be addressed, but presbyopia will not.