Follow
Share
Read More
Find Care & Housing
Golden, sometimes I’m embarrassed to admit how much I love home economics! It’s been very out-of-fashion for most of my lifetime but it really does make me happy to figure out how to make a home function well.
We have a lack of closet space here, too. It doesn’t help that I commandeered the coat closet right off the kitchen and turned it into a pantry, since we also had a lack of kitchen space.
I’ve been feeding a jacket fetish for years. I think it’s time to cut back.
(3)
Report

Nacy, you have your hands full with Christmas, mom and an ill husband; I hope you’re getting enough rest yourself. Didn’t hubs just get the newest vax? My BIL has had Covid twice and sis didn’t get it either time so it is possible that you will escape. I’ve got my fingers crossed for you and am sending healing vibes for DH.
(1)
Report

I'm so sorry, nacy. He's been ill a bit recently. I know you have to be careful around your mom. Take care of you too.
(1)
Report

Yoda - what if you put a safety pin through the opening, once the socks are mostly on you could remove the pin and readjust?
(2)
Report

psue - probably. I'm needing things better organized and a little more colour. Also finding new ways to do the same things. We don't have enough hanging closet space, so my summer stuff got rolled up and put in drawers. It works fine. I had closets and closets and closets in the old house.I have to go through my baking cupboard, sort and get a few organizers.Still figuring out how to make the best of my walk in (through) closet and the bathroom shelves. What more can I get rid of? My vision for the extra (storage?) room. Stuff like that.
(1)
Report

I bought a good tool that I pull my compression sock down over and then point my foot down the center and it has slid on great. However, I have needed to change to open toe. How do I set my open toe compression sock on this tool without ending up with almost the whole sock on my ankle or too much over my toes. I am now wishing that I had not changed to open toes. Any and all suggestions are welcome.
(1)
Report

Golden, you’re in my favorite stage of living in a new abode - you’ve been there long enough to know how it LIVES but not so long that you’ve become blind to the little things you could do to make it live better.
(1)
Report

techwhiz - some people just don't do well with technology. Sig other has a high IQ but doesn't get it quickly. he is learning, but slowly. On the other hand my mother taught herself to use simple aspects of a computer at age 94 with a little online tutoring from my dd and me.

psue - got the door lock replaced. Long story but the one we had was a temp replacement and it was time to do it properly. I am at that phase of moving in where, about a year later, I have things pretty well where I want them, and have lived with them for a while, and now see adjustments I want to make. Lots of little things to do.

I agree about google being your best friend when it comes to computers. I never met a virus I couldn't get rid of due to help via google. That was the old days. Don't get viruses these days (hope I haven't jinxed myself). I'm not fond of videos. Just give me a list of what to do.
(1)
Report

Geaton, I find video tutorials so helpful and there is one (or many) out there for anything DIY, tech help, academic help, etc.

I usually put my search into a search engine (Google) first, then click on "videos" tab. That will pull up any videos on the topic, even those not found on YouTube.
(2)
Report

One last "hack" to remember when you are waving your fist at your "smart" device or longing to fling your phone: YouTube has a tutorial for almost any problem. The more accurate your search prompts (the words describing your issue), the better your search results will be.
(3)
Report

I have long said that, if I ever come into bazillions of dollars, the first thing I will do is hire a crowd to complete my “To Do” list. Yeah, I’m looking at those dusty boxes of flooring and baseboards again.
(2)
Report

Golden, what are you having workmen do at your house?

My whine: all the work (that I can afford) is done at my house. Whatever $ is left is going to go to MC so nothing better break around here!
(1)
Report

All this tech stuff is an attempt to rid the world of old folks IMHO. I’ve managed to keep up (and DD still takes my occasional calls for help, although with muffled sighs) but DH is completely lost at sea. One by one, all electronics, even appliances, have become odd, squarish things that only the females in his universe can control.
(2)
Report

My mother wanted only rotary dial and fussed about using a push button phone. When I bought her a simple cordless phone (21 years ago) she refused to use it.
We probably dodged a tech support nightmare.
(4)
Report

"I think if one has not been keeping up continually all along, it is just so much harder to then "jump in" because of the learning curve"

I think this is very true. Being a single person with no kids I could have very easily kept on living without tech in the 90's and beyond, but thankfully I had nephews that needed help with their homework so I was introduced to Windows and Word et al. and have tried to keep somewhat current since then. Even so I dread every update and new technological innovation because I find learning new systems is increasingly nerve wracking.
(3)
Report

Teckwiz, I was PoA for 2 elderly Aunts who live in FL (and one is still alive at 105). I live in MN. Back in the late 90s, early 2000s they had an "e machine" computer which mostly only did emails, and it was great. But then that was supplanted by laptops, etc. They called to ask me what type of computer to then get. I have been an Apple person in my business and personal life. I saw the writing on the wall. I told them to get a PC because I knew they'd be calling me every other minute. Best decision I ever made. My long-suffering cousin in FL has had to help them all these years. Our business purchased our first tower computer, a Mac, in 1989. I don't think that age is the dominant factor in adapting to new technology (but cognitive decline def is). I think if one has not been keeping up continually all along, it is just so much harder to then "jump in" because of the learning curve. Our parent's generation (and some in mine, I'm 65 boomer) still chose to remain tech illiterate. Sometimes it's the cost. I greatly benefited from being in the graphics/marketing business and therefore always needing to use a Mac (and for many years employed a tech person from whom I learned a lot). I still am the "tech help" in our house. It takes a lot of time but I have more of that now. My 95-yr old Mom finally broke her flip phone last year and I opted for a RAZ mobility phone. Looks like a smart phone but I control everything from the app on my own phone. The biggest challenge has been getting her to not grab the phone by the screen and inadvertently "thumb dialing" her contacts. But I can control when those contact buttons are active, so problem solved. Many years ago I gave her my old iPad on which to play games, and she loves it, but still sometimes manages to "break" it. She's called me at 11pm once to come fix it. Nope. A thing that gives me joy is to go to our Apple store and see all the silver-haired tech employees working there.
(2)
Report

My dad is SO technologically disinclined that he makes my mom look like BILL GATES by comparison. Seriously. The man can't even make his own online accounts. My mom is out here downloading apps, using a Fire TV, etc. My dad has a FLIP PHONE.

He didn't even HAVE an online account with Social Security until I made one for him LAST WEEK. He's been on Social Security for EIGHT YEARS!!!!!!! sjfkhkdjhfjhsjkfdhjsdhfjdh My sibling WILL NOT HELP because they 'literally can't deal with him' (their words).

I'm already tired of being tech support and he's only lived near me for a couple of months. UGH. END ME NOW, PLEASE. 😂
(2)
Report

Dang Golden, it’s +9c here. Heavy rain. Our driveway is almost as much water as dirt. Hoping it drains before it freezes.
(1)
Report

Re: spam calls. My favourite is tech support calls. As the person tries to tell me I need tech support, I talk over them and confirm that yes, we do provide tech support. “Windows, Linux or MacOS? Have you been advised of our rates? $99 for the first hour. $50 per hour for subsequent hours. In order to speak to a technical support expert, you must provide a valid credit card number.” (repeat the last line ad nauseum)
Those calls stopped too.
(0)
Report

Peasuep, keep reporting the packages and change your Amazon password. It’s a brushing scam to boost traffic by the vendor. Amazon will boot them.
(1)
Report

minus 20 C = minus 4 F
(2)
Report

cw - I got three more calls this morning but had a workman in the house so was distracted. On the 4th call I said, "I didn't ask for your help, I don't want your help, Stop bothering me." Haven't had a call since. Well not quite true, I just had some garbled something or other I shouldn't have answered. Not sure it even was a language

ana - well done. I like it! One of my techniques is to play the doddery old woman and keep asking them to repeat themselves. I repeat back to them what I "think" they said and ask them to explain, interspersed with, "You said what?" Then I go for the kill and get very assertive and tell them very clearly that I'm not interested and hang up. It gives me some satisfaction.

nacy - ice with snow on top is the worst. Cleats do help.

psue -no unsolicited packages here but lots of packages. Finally getting he little things I want for here. You were very polite to the APFM caller. It will be interesting to get the results of the eval.

Worked something out about the humidity. I didn't close my front door properly so it swung open and I didn't notice for a while. The humidity dropped like a bullet.to 15. There is always cool air coming in under the door. So I rolled up a rug and placed it as a barrier and the humidity started rising. Another Amazon purchase is on it's way - a draft stopper. There are always many small things (and some big ones) to buy when you move.
(2)
Report

Margaret, it’s always fun to get Christmas photo cards of my Australian grandniece in her kiddie pool. I wouldn't want to try to sleep in that heat though! Relentless!

Golden APFM called me too! Maybe I clicked on something I shouldn’t have?
I thought, well, yeah, could be nice to have some help looking for placement until the guy on the other end started asking for personal financial information. I told him “thanks, but I don’t think this relationship I going to work out” and hung up.

Nacy, things went pretty smoothly for the part of the neuro-psyche evaluation I was allowed to sit in on. It was cumbersome in that the doctor would ask DH a question, wait for an answer, then look at me for confirmation or rebuttal. It was a bit uncomfortable. I don’t know how the testing part went but DH said he thinks he failed.
We won’t get his findings for a couple weeks.
(3)
Report

Speaking of scams, is anybody else getting unsolicited packages from Amazon? Got the third one today. I called Amazon after the first one and was told to keep or donate the item. I didn’t bother after the second or third. I assume it’s a holiday phishing scam. Too bad the items are junk.
(1)
Report

Anx: My daughter’s are NEXGRIP Canada. (who doesn’t save a sturdy boot box?) Hubby and I use the strap-on cleats.
(1)
Report

Anxietynacy, I bought boots with flip out spikes in the sole, for my mother and daughter. My daughter says they’re so comfy she wears them from October through April. Hers look like hiking/work boots.

Margaret, a friend in Aus has been lamenting the heat. Wish we could split the difference.
(2)
Report

Anx, I'm in Alice Springs in the dead center of Australia. I've just woken up. It was 86F min all night, and now. We have an overhead fan, but I think we'll need the aircon as well if tonight is like that too.
(2)
Report

We were being bombarded with spam calls with spoofed numbers, at 4 minute intervals from 1pm until 5pm. One day, as I cleaned, I decided I’d answer them all. With my porn star receptionist voice.
“Hello, how may I direct your call?”
”I want speak with (husband’s names).”
”That is not possible. Your name and message please? I’ll have him return your call on the number from which you called.”
”No, no, no! He can’t call me back.”
”Certainly he can. I have your number right here.”
”I must speak with him directly, now.”
”Oh nooooo. (dramatically) NOBODY speaks directly with Mr. -—-!”
Same script, 4 calls in rapid succession. And we haven’t had a single spam call since.
(4)
Report

I hope you remembered to tell them to remove you from their call list Golden!
(0)
Report

send - we had a bunch of them over a few days. Wish I had written them down. You could put out a book of weird telephone conversations, I like yours.

psue -sunshine and warmth on snow can cause real problems. It melts the snow in the pastures and turns it to ice, Then the horses have trouble getting at the grass. Dark I like less, I walk the stairs and the underground parking lot in the cold weather - better than nothing. Sorry about the earring backs and the stink bugs Yuck! No bugs in the condo so far.

Good for you cw and nacy. I've dodged SAD so far but sunshine is always good.

LL - I can sit on my balcony in the sun all wrapped up with a warm cuppa.

Margaret - I wouldn't mind a little of it, but 107 is way too much!!!

Hard to believe but this morning at 8:02 am I got a call to ask if I needed help placing myself or my husband. For the previous couple of hours I had been surfing the web looking at multiple level care facilities in Edmonton. I like to plan ahead. Doesn't hurt be prepared. Who knows with R having prostate cancer which recurred after the first treatment, though he is doing well down with hormone treatment. Also re his severe concussion, I think has affected his behaviour a little.

Anyway, you'll never guess who the call was from.

Yup - A Place for Mom!!!! How did they get my phone number????
(4)
Report

Start a Discussion
Subscribe to
Our Newsletter