Covid19 Spare time

Grumpy Bear · January 8, 2021

There IS news in the news but they ALL are more fluff than news. More speculation than facts. More the media's attempt to 'form' and view than report the truth. I watch it recorded slowly....so I can pick the truth out of those muddy methods.

KARNUT · January 8, 2021

I was watching an American documentary on 1968 last night. I was much younger at that time but old enough to be interested in world events. The part that struck me was how some areas of our lives have changed and where others have not. Technology, for example, has made considerable advancements. Information(news) was available but not as easily accessed. I delivered for a major newspaper back then and did my best to make my deliveries asap. Customers would anxiously await the news of the day and send-in a complaint to my boss if I was late with my delivery! It was quite a system where you could receive news on a daily basis to your doorstep. Now, most households have access to news, "live" and in color! I decided to watch this 1968 show because I have fond memories from that time. However, the "news" of the day was comparable in angst to news of recent times. I now have grandchildren who are my 1968 age. Hopefully, 50 years from now their accounts of 2020/21 will be overshadowed by fond memories! I'll continue to do my best to ensure this happens even if they remember me as a two-dimensional grandpa! ;-)

I can remember back to the mid seventies. The news on tv was about the personality of the host. They were pretty much saying the same thing, all 3 of them. The pain index comes to mind. As they called it. 13 percent interest on my first home. Driving my 8 miles per gallon truck. Just as the fuel price goes up times 2. My fond memory of the time was moving to a new state and realizing how much better life was going to be. I see that happening now. What amazing how life repeats itself. I was thinking about that recently with the happenings in the last few weeks. As I was filling up with gas. Wondering how much more fuel was going to go up. Being it went up 10 cents overnight. Amazing how the covid affected everyone and how it was reported. Stupidity I think so. A bright future. I don’t see it. I’m going to buy more gold. Covid stupidity? It’s affecting everyone.

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Donstar · January 8, 2021

1 hour ago, Grumpy Bear said:

There IS news in the news but they ALL are more fluff than news. More speculation than facts. More the media's attempt to 'form' and view than report the truth. I watch it recorded slowly....so I can pick the truth out of those muddy methods.

I compare the "News" to peeling an onion. People stop at different points of the process but it often takes a lot of peeling to get to the core. I seldom refer to people as "stupid" or "dumb" when they say/do something different from my belief. One of us has peeled more of the onion! Most of us now have the time and resources to be well informed on a topic. Topics such as Covid19 and politics will quickly fire up a debate which usually represents a lack of information by at least one of the parties. I was reminded years ago that I have two eyes, two ears and one mouth and to use them proportionately!

Donstar · January 12, 2021

After a long hiatus from garage decluttering, I returned with a new found determination! Yesterday, I sent spare parts to recycling that I've dragged with me for 50 years! Time has erased the usefulness and/or sentimental value of most of these items and the space created is currently much more useful! Marie Kondo would really struggle with me. The oil pan plug from my sister's new '67 Falcon still "sparks joy". (I stripped the threads in her oil pan on its first oil change) The face on my wife when I showed her this treasure and explained the significance was much more impactful than any book by Ms. Kondo!

Donstar · January 15, 2021

New riding gear for motorcycle, new tires for the truck, and a motorcycle trailer were all in my grasp until a visit with my dog to the vet yesterday. The choice between "things" and more time with my dog is the easy part. The procedures and convalescing for my dog is the gut wrenching part. I will get a second professional opinion but it certainly is incredible how attached we become to our pets. They depend on us to get it right! There was a time when I was consumed with work/family distractions and was more of a hard ass when it came to such decisions. On one hand I am thankful to have the time to really think this through but....

Grumpy Bear · January 15, 2021

4 hours ago, Donstar said:

New riding gear for motorcycle, new tires for the truck, and a motorcycle trailer were all in my grasp until a visit with my dog to the vet yesterday. The choice between "things" and more time with my dog is the easy part. The procedures and convalescing for my dog is the gut wrenching part. I will get a second professional opinion but it certainly is incredible how attached we become to our pets. They depend on us to get it right! There was a time when I was consumed with work/family distractions and was more of a hard ass when it came to such decisions. On one hand I am thankful to have the time to really think this through but....

Rex is my ninth dog. Loosing the first one was brutal. By the ninth the child like sense of personal loss has given ground to my insistence on my pups quality of life. But that balance between what is possible and what is hoped for and knowing the certainty and finality of your decision.........???

I feel for you and for your friend.

dieselfan1 · January 16, 2021

Hey Donny I feel for you buddy.
I love dogs. I have two .
One is 12 and one is almost 2. I dread that day that's coming eventually. We just put down two cats, in the last year or so, that were over 20 years old each and that was tough . We still have another cat that is 23 years old and he's slowing down but is still first in line for cat treats every morning. He caught a mouse last winter .That one is going to tear my guts out when he goes.
The best advice I can give is get a new dog right away. Some people say no way too soon , I say b.s. the new pup makes you happier than you think.
It's your call but I've given the same advise to many people and it seems to work.

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KARNUT · January 16, 2021

Many years ago we started having two dogs to keep each other company while we’re at work. Kid replacement for the wife I would say. Little dogs. With a fenced in area off our deck. Usually an older and younger. It’s seems to be a little more comical with two. The older one shows the new one the ropes it seems. It does make it a little easier when one passes.

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Donstar · January 16, 2021

Thanks for the comments regarding my dog. My wife and I will strive to do what is best for our pet but, as you all know, it is a struggle. I know my father's and grandfather's decision would be decided by cost and I'm sure we've already surpassed their threshold! We're not "there" yet but we're sensing our veterinarian might be overly zealous in response to our love for our dog. We have booked an appointment with another veterinarian for his/her opinion on future treatment. Jim's suggestion about getting another dog soon after a previous four legged partner dies is good. Our current dog was actually adopted shortly after a 13 year companion died from the anesthetic while having simple surgery! (This experience compounds our problem with surgical procedures for our dog,) I know others with pets overlapping like Karnut. I've often thought of owning two dogs at the same time but never happened. We are now at the stage(age) where if we adopted again, it wouldn't be fair to a puppy. We would consider an older dog but then the old dog problems and associated dilemmas come sooner!

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Edited January 16, 2021 by Donstar

txab · January 16, 2021

I feel for you. I put my last dog down 20 years ago. Didn't get another because of work beginning to require quite a bit of travel and time away. I miss that Irish Setter even today. He was 18 or so when he passed due to cancer of the mouth. He was the offspring of a couple of Setters my brother had. I was 22 and he kept me great company over the years. I thought of myself being alone at the house when there was not another human around. But my Setter was there. I found out I never knew what alone really felt like until he passed.

Fast forward many years, I now have cats. Started with 7 kittens 18 months that were born at my place. I kept all of them. Within the last month, I lost 2 of them, probably due to poisoning. Man I miss those 2, especially one called Grumpy. Her voice seemed to sound like a grumpy person, plus the look she gave me. Having 5 more helps, but still missing Grumpy.

Having animals in the family is a blessing for anyone. Wished we could keep them around longer, but I guess with their lifespans it allows us to love more of them over the years.

On the vet, it's a good thing to get 2nd opinion for sure. As you have noted some realize people will pay large amounts on their animals. But just like humans sometimes quality is better than quantity and we just have to let go. I'm working through this with my elderly mom right now, trying to find where that deciding line is and how to recognize it

Donstar · January 22, 2021

Boy the mind is a powerful beast! This morning I was grumbling about my dog waking me up before dawn to be taken outside. It is winter and she can't do stairs off the deck so it is a bit of an ordeal. As I was standing in the yard with my flashlight in hand and my dog doing what she needed to do, I started to laugh. My brain reminded me that there will be a day when I'm not standing outside in the cold at 4:30 am and to enjoy it while a can. Our dog's regular vet put our minds more at ease yesterday and assured us we have more quality time with our girl. The quality for her and us would be considerably less if we didn't have the time (& $) to enjoy this stage in her life!

Donstar · January 25, 2021

As the list of outstanding projects gets shorter, the tasks become increasingly more difficult. Sorting through poorly labeled VHS tapes of family adventures 1985 to mid 90's has taken over our minds and living room. My goal is to transfer the good stuff to a flash drive. Watching our children circa1991 on a good quality recording on a 65" screen is emotionally exhausting! If anyone has a tip on how to capture these videos on to my computer to edit and copy to a flash drive, I'd appreciate your suggestions!

Grumpy Bear · January 25, 2021

1 hour ago, Donstar said:

As the list of outstanding projects gets shorter, the tasks become increasingly more difficult. Sorting through poorly labeled VHS tapes of family adventures 1985 to mid 90's has taken over our minds and living room. My goal is to transfer the good stuff to a flash drive. Watching our children circa1991 on a good quality recording on a 65" screen is emotionally exhausting! If anyone has a tip on how to capture these videos on to my computer to edit and copy to a flash drive, I'd appreciate your suggestions!

You are going to shame me into action Don.

Grumpy Bear · January 25, 2021

Recently, last night, I loaded an old version of Chess-Master on the PC. Love the game. I spend to much time watching TV and the internet.

Donstar · January 27, 2021

I keep a word search game on my phone and will use it to bide my time while in a line or a waiting room. To the untrained eye it appears as if I'm busy texting but I'm just forming words from scrambled letters! I like a game of chess but prefer the actual board. Offering to play a game of checkers will more often find me a grandchild opponent than a game of chess. My oldest grandson is an aspiring competitive gamer. He won't hesitate to let me join in a game and he lets me feel successful sometimes! It is exactly a year today since I've been to his home to play a game with him so I can assume the spread in our gaming ability has grown beyond any hope for me providing competition! I advocate for less screen time and more physical development but I have a strong appreciation for the mental exercise gaming provides. The games may appear to be a lot of smash 'em up, blast 'em up but there is a lot of thinking and strategizing to succeed in these games - like chess but more exciting !

Edited January 27, 2021 by Donstar