richardderus's third 2023 thread

Still not up to making a topper yet, but feel much closer to normal than even a week ago.

From last thread:
Is it a good thing or a bad thing when your doctor says, "your strokes are the most curious ones I've ever encountered"? Apparently I should be much, much further away from functioning on my left side than I am...the pulmonologist who is supposed to evaluate me for a sleep study is getting their hindquarters handed to them by my doc for not seeing me yet.

All of my blood chemistry is normal. No elevated triglycerides or cholesterol. No thyroid problems (since I'm already being medicated for its malfunctions). No sign of diabetes. I am, in short, in good health for a man my age. Yet here came these strokes.... c'mon, pulmo doc! Chop chop! It's disconcerting not to have a cause for an event like this more because I can't then put a plan in place to reduce the chances of a recurrence in future. Even lightning risks can be ameliorated with lightning rods. This, however, appears to be so unusual as to be a curve-breaker...like my tophaceous gout...another thing that can't be guarded against.
***

Last thread's reviews.

THIS THREAD'S REVIEWS

010 Aunt Bessie Considers in post 90.

It is a puzzlement, my dear, but so is your recovery and I am so happy about that!

>2 ronincats: Thanks, Roni. I'm trying to see it all through that lens, so I won't feel like the guy on the rock who keeps getting his liver ripped out by a big bird every day. So far my success in this refocusing effort is iffy....

Puzzled by one but delighted by the other - must be a spike in your BP caused it but you really need to know what spiked your BP.

Happy new thread, dear fellow.

Hi ho, RD. Getting in here nice and early on. So glad to read how well you are progressing. It's March and so I shall. Keep up the good progress.

Happy new thread, Richard. It would be nice if they came up with a cause to treat. Best to have a plan so you can get out of there.

Happy new one, Richard!

*smooch*

Happy New thread, Richard. I hope you get some answers.

Hi Richard. What kind of topper do you think you feel like having?
Maybe simply post a photo and ask us to fill in the "blanks" as to what it inspires in each of your visitors?

Now mind, no x-rated shocks like those scrumptious Vienna Cookies or sunny beaches *with no snow*!

>4 PaulCranswick: I've honestly never had high blood pressure, PC, which is another weirdness. I strongly suspect it's the congenital arterial stenosis on my right side, plus my apnea, which is why I need the &^%%((&^% SLEEP STUDY!!

>5 weird_O: Your Weirdness is indeed early to the shindig. Welcome and please remember the chandeliers are not for swinging on.

>6 Familyhistorian: I'll be here for a while working on the weakness I've still got, Meg, but that's a reason to stay I can get behind and take advantage of.

>7 figsfromthistle: Thank you most kindly, Anita!

>8 Kristelh: Me too, Kristel, and thank you for the well-wishes.

>9 SandyAMcPherson: Ooooooooo those Viennese Cookie Company delights! They were something special.

Interesting idea about the topper...I haven't got a notion, to be honest, but I'll ponder carefully.

Hope they can get you in for that sleep study ASAP. And figure out why you were (see how I am hopefully using the past tense on that?) at risk for the stroke. Happy new thread (with or without the topper).

Happy Thursday, Richard dear, and happy new thread!

>1 richardderus: What the doctor said is odd, I hope it turns out to be a good thing.
And I hope you will get the sleep study asap.

Happy new thread, Richard.
I'm not sure being a medial miracle is ever a good idea...
hope the sleep study happens soon.

Happy new, new thread Richard! Your previous one rocketed away so fast that I see I've missed over 300 posts - so I'll just skip straight to here.

Happy New Thread!

Happy new one, RD. I hope things get sorted out and you get the sleep study soonest.

‘Morning, RDear! Happy Thursday to you. Happy new thread, too!

From your previous thread:
In her memoir, It's Always Something, Gilda Radner wrote that she hated losing time to her chemo treatments, when she’d basically be put under for 24 hours. To me, though, memory loss isn’t a bad thing. I’m remembering parts of labor with Jenna and parts of my heart attack/rush to the hospital/time in the hospital. The mind tries to take care of itself and/or drugs relieve the burden of trying to cope.

>1 richardderus: Take the money and run re the “"your strokes are the most curious ones I've ever encountered"?” comment.

*smooch*

>16 Berly: I'm hoping for steps I can take to prevent the next one more than anything else, Berly-Boo. Living under the Sword of Damocles isn't any fun at all.

>17 FAMeulstee: Thanks, Anita! Since I'm a "curious" case I'm pleased to be curious for being so much better than average.

>18 Helenliz: It ain't comforting not to be average in this circumstance, but I love being ahead of the metrics. Rough with the smooth, eh what?

>19 humouress: Oh no need to worry your pretty little head, no need whatsoever Nina! whew dodged that bullet

>20 SilverWolf28: Thsnk you, Silver!

>21 katiekrug: Thanks, Katie...I'll keep talking about it to everyone who stands still until I get what I want. *smooch*

>22 karenmarie: Forgetting is a strong mind's way of protecting itself, for sure. I've done it with bad memories for years...don't always love the recovery part, to be honest, and whatever's still buried can stay there for all of me!

I'm a BIIIG winner in this case. I am not unaware of my luck. I'd way rather be here than trapped in a chair forever after, for sure. *smooch*

Happy new one!

>29 richardderus: Amen and Amen. Floreas!

>31 LizzieD: Florebo!

*smooch*

>30 drneutron: Thank you, Doc...I'm surprised still that I'm keeping up as well as I am.

Happy New Thread, Richard. Just as I was going to make the rounds this morning, LT went down and then I had to leave to meet my birding buddies. We have been out 3-4 hours, so it takes up most of my AM. Books and Juno in the PM. I love my routine.

>34 msf59: You'd almost think you had planned this retirement lark, Birddude!

Just the proof that reading is the hobby that you never get tired of, no? Skritch Juno's ears from me...we had a beautiful Viszla therapy dog visit us today so I got some ear-schmoozling time in real life. Loved it...I wish the assisted living would allow therapy dogs, but one of the decision makers doesn't like dogs. *sigh*

>35 richardderus: I believe my former alma mater brought in therapy bunnies. Not quite the same as puppers but lots of ears to schmoozle. Perhaps an alternative to suggest.

P.S. I know better than to recommend my preferred familiar, lol. *smooch*

Hi Richard, Happy New Thread dear friend.

>36 MickyFine: Goodness, Micky, who thought of bunnies?! Inspired!
Of course I'd welcome...them...visiting. I need balance practice standing still on one leg while issuing a power kick with the other.

>37 johnsimpson: Thank you, John, I'm glad to see you here!

>38 richardderus: *shakes head sadly* That's probably going to be described as over doing it. Love the idea of therapy bunnies. Less bite-y and bark-y than dogs, less opinionated than cats. Superb!

Happy new thread, Richard! Hope you're able to get that sleep study and some answers soon.

>40 Helenliz: ...I'll risk it in a good cause...

>41 bell7: Thanks, Mary! I do, too. *smooch*

>35 richardderus: How unfortunate that one person can make the decision to ban therapy dogs. The good those visits do is so well documented.

>38 richardderus: When I first started doing pet therapy visits in a local hospital there was a bunny in the program. It was a fairly good sized grey lop-eared of some kind and its person carried it around in a wicker basket. Too cute.

So glad to hear of your continuing recovery, Richard. Fingers crossed for the sleep study.

>38 richardderus: No kicking the bunnies!!! Go kick the director who doesn't like dogs. : )

>44 Copperskye: It's his family's business, so his voice is unnaturally loud...unfortunately.

That sounds like the most cottage-core thing I've heard from this continent.

Thanks for the digital (in all senses of the word) support, Joanne!

>45 Berly: I'd never, ever kick a bunny, Berly-boo...they're cute and inoffensive and make the most adorable little teeny stink-free poos.

Unlike Them. I'll gleefully kick one of Them.

The Director's never said anything at all about dogs, to me at least. But the resident owner-family guy's scared of 'em. (So don't come in that day, said I...no one will miss you for one day.Not well-received. To be fair I probably said it in a nasty, sneering way, but in my defense that's how I address him all the time.)

Kim-Joy from season 9 of #GBBO has a graphic novel coming out in September called Turtle Bread: A Graphic Novel About Baking, Fitting In, and the Power of Friendship. Read more about it: https://ew.com/books/great-british-baking-show-kim-joy-new-graphic-novel-preview...

>47 richardderus: "Don't come in that day." LOL. Poor guy. He'll never win with you. Smooch.

>47 richardderus: Got you on a good day, did he?

The home that my Mum lives in has guinea pigs which the residents can help care for. Just a little thing, but nice.

‘Morning, RD. Happy Friday to you.

>35 richardderus: Therapy animals are da bomb. The assisted living/24-7 facility where Bill’s mama lived, the expensive one not the Medicaid one, allowed therapy animals. Bill’s mama loved the dogs. I’m sorry yours doesn’t because of one person’s fear/problems. I mean, I don’t particularly like dogs, but I would never prevent people getting joy from therapy dogs.

*smooch* from your own Horrible

>49 Berly: Nope. He never will.

*smooch*

>50 humouress: Some people never see my good side, Nina, always for what I consider a good reason.

>51 SandDune: Plus they're there for emergency rations!

>52 karenmarie: This is a Medicaid/Medicare facility, Horrible, showing you the fundamental selfishness and greed of "conservative" states.

Your unenthusiasm for Humanity's Best Friends puzzles me as much as my dislike for them does you. Yet neither of us thinks the other should be deprived of our companions of choice, being reasonable souls.

Morning, BigDaddy! Happy new one. I'm hoping you get that sleep study very soon - how crazy that it hasn't been done yet.

>48 richardderus: Very cool! I'm going to pre-order that.

>57 Crazymamie: I did, too, Mamie. I will get my Kindle copy on 2 May. I can't wait. Kim-Joy seemed like someone whose presence in public-facing places made her feel very uncomfortable so I've always felt a little warm glow of pleasure in her accomplishments on #GBBO.

I truly don't get it about the sleep study. Whatever the heck is the holdup?!

Thank you for visiting me today...I'm dragged out from a new PT regimen, so I don't think I'll be making the rounds today. I'm very happy you're here always, but especially so when I'm just not up to paying calls. *smooch*

>54 richardderus: There's a good side?

I will allow you to borrow my 'therapy' dog. But only for a bit; you have to give my Jasper back to me.



(That, by the way, is his 'it's between the hours of 8 and 5, there are no boys at home; if there's no food involved do what you want - just don't interrupt my nap' look.)

(Sorry; you'll have to come back later for therapy.)

‘Morning, Rdear! Happy Saturday to you.

>56 richardderus: Bill’s Mama lived in the expensive one ‘til her money ran out, all $1.5 million. We had to move her to a Medicaid facility, where she declined within 3 months and was dead. The private facility charged $8K/month for 24/7, I think. She lived there in Assisted Living, too, prior to that.

I had Dobermans for one glorious time in my life, with a boyfriend I thought I’d marry. Alas, he didn’t want to get married again, I wouldn’t have children without marriage, and things fell apart for that and other reasons. He kept the dogs, Jet and Ruby, because I had an apartment and took my two kitties Imsai and B’Naj, and that was that. Bill and I discussed getting a dog when I first moved to NC – I wanted Dobermans and he wanted Shepherds. We talked about a Sheltie instead, but it never went anywhere.

Anyway. My unenthusiasm and your active dislike are moot points in the larger scheme of things, right? Not in a bad way, though.

*smooch*

Good morning, Richard. Hope you're finding a new fund of energy for the morning. You know what I'd likely say, so I'm going to depart with only a *smooch* instead.

I hope they can get to the bottom of it RD, but so glad your recovery is coming along well.

I'm happy your treatment is progressing.

Happy Sunday, Richard dear.
*smooch*

'Morning, RDear. I hope your silence is from being busy, productive, and active and/or getting a lot of restorative sleep.

*smooch*

Happy Sunday, Richard. Thanks for your comments on therapy dogs. Sorry, you can't have one at your place or a shared one. You can borrow Juno anytime. We have Jackson for the weekend. He is our comfort baby.

>59 humouress: There's a good side?
There doesn't have to be...

Jasper himself is therapy enough, tbh, I simply need some dog-ears to be contented.

>60 karenmarie: Moot indeed, Horrible.More unites than divides us!

Good morning, Richard. Our May died four years ago. For a couple of years I missed May (I still do), but now it's more that I miss a dog. I'm with you in the need for dog ears. I love our cats and would keep them forever, but it's not the same. I want both.

>61 LizzieD: Morning a day later, Peggy! I got a workout yesterday plus a very annoying meeting with a pulmonologist that still produced useful information. Maybe not wasted time, but deeply annoying (see below). Today might be a workoutless day, remains to be seen...but in any case I'm roaming the halls before going to sleep each night. *smooch* Thanks for visiting!

>62 Caroline_McElwee: I wonder if the bottom of it will reveal itself...mostly I just don't want to live with the sense of being under the Sword of Damocles without any information to guide me in not throwing myself another stroke or two. Can't even believe I was so lucky in my rapid recovery once, and don't want to find out what unlucky would look like!

>63 thornton37814: Thank you, Lori, me most definitely too!

>64 FAMeulstee: Happy Sunday from my sunshiney room, Anita! *smooch*

>71 richardderus: Wise. You obviously need to know what was behind the first one to avoid any re-occurrence.

Hani was Beef Wellington her way through her 50th birthday today dear fellow and she sends her love to you.

>65 karenmarie: I am sure I meant to catch everyone up yesterday, but forgot to in my irritation.
PULMONOLOGIST REPORT
He bustled officiously in to the gym, already annoyed that I wasn't submissively flat in my
bed..."oh, here you are at last, quite the busy man I see" so we were not going to be besties, when he issued a chiding rebuke that apnea is "not urgent, see your primary care doctor for a local referral." When I pressed him about the family history of apnea causing strokes, he said no tests happen outside hospital settings for the telemetry, so use someone whose practice is closer to my home and the hospital in Oceanside. "Besides, you're very healthy and show no markers for apnea, not that it's impossible for you to have it but this test is more to rule it out than find it." before delivering his killer blow, "you *do* know that pnea doesn't actually cause strokes, just exacerbates an underlying weakness." Gosh, no, your grace, I hadn't thought that through! I was thinking that stopping breathing while asleep was just something we'd want to know about me if something's already caused a healthy person (by all testing anyway) to have several strokes.

Since that's what all the testing done so far has been to do, I acquiesced to his verdict. Did not like the man and would not use him, but his reasoning is the current orthodoxy and can't be argued away. So I'll get Dr. Grlic at Long Beach to put in for the sleep study. A little bit of fast and loose with the truth...like "it was recommended" and I'll have another data point. Maybe even a clue, if it's positive for apnea.

>66 msf59: Juno's doggy smile in that photo detoxifies my mood like a sunbath, Mark, thank you!

You and Sue enjoy your Jackson time today.

>69 LizzieD: It's not an easy loss, when our companions go before us...even though we know logically that they will. May's space can't be taken, but you other loves being there for you certainly helps ease the ache of her loss. *smooch*

>74 PaulCranswick: Hi PC! Please send my love back to the evil, wicked Wellington-eating stripling. I mean, 50? I barely remember that far back into the mists of temps perdus. ...closest thing I've had to a beef Wellington this century was Friday night's Jamaican beef patties. Good, but no patch on the pastry-wrapped mushroom-enrobed lusciousness of a rare beef tenderloin.

>78 richardderus: There was my goodself and my three ladies. Belle and Hani had Beef Wellington and Yasmyne and I had Sunday Roast Beef - delicious but horridly expensive.

>75 richardderus: Bleurgh. One of those. *rolls eyes*
Hope one more data point adds up to a more comprehensive picture.

>80 Helenliz: Thanks, Helen, a more comprehensive picture's The Thing I Most Desire because there are no Answers in sight. Nothing's wrong with me, apart from having had some strokes. Maddening!

>79 PaulCranswick: Beef'a hideously expensive by all measures, PC, but so delicious when prepared well.

A lovely celebratory party indeed.

>75 richardderus: Having had a recent experience with an asshole doctor, I empathize. Too bad you have to do all the work of advocating for yourself - you'd think a doctor just might consider it his job to 'read the room' on a patient and be supportive, polite, and not antagonistic, rude, and Not Helpful At All.

((hugs))

A very belated happy new thread to you, Richard.

>38 richardderus: I take it you really aren't fond of rabbits?

>60 karenmarie: Grr @ this killer system we have in the US.

>84 ArlieS: Thank you, Arlie...I'm fine with rabbits, they're both delicious and adorable. I've got no huge interest in them as pets, I'd take a ferret or a stoat before any rodent, but they're undeniably really sweet-acting.

>85 ArlieS: For-profit medicine is evil.

>75 richardderus: Well, I hope you weren't looking for any answers or treatment plans, Richard. Hard when the gate keepers of medical knowledge are more interested in showing off than helping.

Enjoy the rest of your Sunday.

>88 Familyhistorian: Indeed, Meg! Now to hunt down someone who isn't like that....

Thanks for the Sunday wishes, heartily returned.

010 Aunt Bessie Considers by Diana Xarissa

Rating: as close to four stars as makes no never-mind

Fun and fluffy...lots of food eaten, a rotter murdered who comme d'habitude with La Xarissa just flat needed killin' and nobody shoulda done more than tut unconvincingly about these awful modern times and scarfed another jammy dodger or two and left it alone. I hope Aunt Bessie has occasion to delve into the murder of someone who's decent instead of another craptastic creep.

The setting, an archaeology conference about Manx history, was very interesting; several people from this story will be returning or I have lost my spidey-senses along with my left side; and a big ol' hint about who'll end up in some bad trouble eftsoons got plonked before us. The British obsession with tea remains opaque to me. Stuff's nasty, yet these folk swill absolute hogsheads of it, even polluting it with sugar and milk like it wasn't foul enough already. Still and all, they're good company are Bessie and her Scoobygroup, and the stories feel so genuinely honestly reflective of the author's worldviewthat I look forward to my next outing with them.

'Morning, RDear. I hope you're still in the arms of Somnus.

I, alas, woke up at 3, gave up at 4, and have been puttering here on LT for the last hour. Time to update my books read spreadsheet, my Lightning Round, my books read ticker, and my pages flipped ticker then read some more.

*smooch*

>86 richardderus: I can tell you not all rabbits are sweet, Richard dear.
I had three rabbits as pets in my youth, one was very sweet to people, one didn't care, and the last one was agressive (with nasty teeth!). And all I wanted was a dog ;-)

>91 karenmarie: A 5:09 Somnus got out of my clutching arms so Rajiv the phlebotomist could drain me of a quart. At least I'm used to Rajiv, and can chat with him. He did come back for a quick cuddle, did Somnus, until I made my usual 7am start. I'm pleased you got so much practical stuff done, instead of obsessing about not being asleep, which always leads to more sleeplessness.

>92 FAMeulstee: I thank goodness I've never met a mean rabbit, then, Anita! I mean, anyone who's read Watership Down knows they're not all cuddlesome and loving, but a mean one?

Give the meisje her hond already!

>94 richardderus: The last rabbit was probably mistreated by the former owner, Richard dear. So I could not really blame him, but it was not an easy task to take care of him.
The girl took care of that as soon as she settled on her own, and had 35 wonderful years in canine company :-)

>75 richardderus: I'm sorry that the pulmonologist is a jerk. So long as he's a competent jerk, the jerk-factor is his problem. If only he recognized it as a problem!

All good wishes for your good day of more healing!

>90 richardderus: Heretic! I'm drinking a nice cup of tea right now, even as I type this. ;-)

>97 ArlieS: What kind of cup is it to merit the adjective "nice"? Bone china is my gold standard for niceness. The fluid within it, if tea, can only be described with adjectives like "foul," "repugnant" or "revolting." :-P

>98 richardderus: ROFLMAO

I tried hard to find a link to an online picture, but failed.

It's this mug, but in English rather than German.

>99 ArlieS: Cool drinking vessel!

The Pulmonologist sounds like a pompous guy. No thank you. Still get the apnea scheduled by your local doc. No use adding any unneeded stressors. xoxo

>101 Berly: He was both pompous and dismissive. However, he's never going to enter my life again, so adieu to you, Doc.

Happy Tuesday to come, Berly-boo.

>103 humouress: *eeewww* Earl Grey (hot) reeks of bergamot! That stuff's ghastly...like citrus candied in rosewater *gag*

>104 richardderus:  

>86 richardderus: Love that response. Never did eat a bunny yet.

>104 richardderus: While I disagree with your assessment of tea in general, I wholeheartedly endorse this description.

Tuesday *smooches* and hopes for a good day!

‘Morning, Rdear. Happy Tuesday to you.

>93 richardderus: I learned a long time ago that if I’m still awake in the middle of the night after about 15 minutes or so, I need to get up and read or whatever. Get back to sleep? Great. Don’t get back to sleep? *shrug* Saves the stress of worrying about NOT sleeping.

>105 humouress: I love Picard anyway, but that puppy is priceless.

I like drinking hot black tea, quite strong, with sugar, but only if I’m sick. Unsweetened iced tea is pleasant with lunch.

*smooch*

>105 humouress: Really...I have no doubts about my assessment of the horrifying nature of tea. Boiled Chinese camellia-shrub pruning trash. The proximate cause of the Opium Wars after some dim bulb in the "Imperial" Government finally twigged as to how hard the UK's middle and upper classes were getting screwed by the tea monopolists and decided to nationalize the trade mlitarily.

Over tea of all the unworthy things.

>106 PaulCranswick: Properly prepared they're quite succulent. Undercooked even slightly they're rubbery as hell. Slow roasting's the best way forward. When you're back in the UK, give it a whirl!

>107 bell7: Hi Mary! Happy-Tuesday *smooch*

It's never really occurred to me to put it that way before, but it fits doesn't it?

It's a pretty day here, with sunshine and a chilly breeze...perfection!

>108 karenmarie: Hi Horrible...I've never voluntarily drunk tea, hot or cold.

Your somnia attitude makes such common-sense that I finally understand why so few follow its course. Too likely to be effective.

The puppy's totes adorbs indeed. *smooch*

Good morning, Richard! Even if I had no interest in you (most unlikely!), I'd come back for that puppy! I've favorited him, in fact.

I LOVE and ADORE coffee, but I drink one decaf cup of hot Lipton floor sweepings every afternoon with a lot of lemon and a little honey. Go figure.
Speaking of coffee, Ish is a coffee maven of first order.

I was just hearing a sleep expert on People's Pharmacy saying that activity is the awake brain's mode. If you're awake in the night, it's not going to turn off. She echoed Karen's advice and added that worrying about not getting to sleep or how much time you have before you have to get up is a prime deterrent to getting back to sleep.

I drink both tea and coffee - at all times of day. I love the astringency of tea and am not sure what I like about coffee. Maybe the heat? I don't like soft drinks. Pepsi - uck! Coke - equally yuck! I do like some of the fizzy mineral waters, but the soft drinks are just too sweet and clingy. Tea and coffee at least leave your mouth feeling free of sugar coating.

'Morning, RDear! Happy Wednesday to you.

*blinks*

(((hugs)))

*blinks*

That's all I got except for a

*smooch*

Hi Richard, It's been quiet in here of late. I hope "progress is progressing" and that your sleeping patterns have not become too disrupted by all that's happening.

Sent you a PM with some info that might be useful. Then again, maybe you've resolved things to your deep delight. Y'all take care now 😊

>114 benitastrnad: I've never liked sweet drinks too much, either, Benita. They appealed more when I was a kid but even then I drank water if I was thirsty. Tea just always left me a little queasy. something about that much tannin...? I'm also one of those people who likes bitter/sour tastes more than sweet ones...I used to drink bitters and soda at bars in place of high-alcohol drinks because I needed/wanted to stay sober. Sweetness ends up, in excess, tasting metallic to me. It's why I refuse anything with fake sweeteeners. Why not just sniff freshly machined aluminum in a rainstorm? Same effect.

>115 karenmarie: Humpday orisons, Horrible dear!

It's surgery day, isn't it? I'll come check on you soon.

>116 SandyAMcPherson: *smooch*

I love having weapory the opposition doesn't expect you to possess...confounds the nay-sayers!

>119 richardderus: Weapony! Yeah, I guess that's what it is, in an intellectual way. Kind of a 'pen being mightier than the sword'?

>120 SandyAMcPherson: "Knowledge is power" after all...what's more powerful than having the facts in hand before anyone tries to announce them to you? *smooch*

>117 richardderus: If you like bitter drinks, you've obviously never had tea the way I make it (which is why I don't - I have to get my husband to brew it for me).

>67 richardderus: re the dog ears



Jasper sheds like crazy. I can send you some of his fur, if that helps - complete with dog scent ;0) There must be some use in Nature for all this stuff. Maybe I can sell some to the olive-backed sunbirds?...

Happy Thursday, Richard dear!

>117 richardderus: I used to love everything sweet. I could eat any amount of candy in short time, and preferred alcoholic beverages like fruit beers, sweet cocktails, and liqueurs.
Now my taste has completely changed, after ditching all sugar from my diet back in 2009. I still can enjoy a sweet once in a while, but I certainly don't crave for it anymore. I also enjoy bitter tastes now, that I could not stand before. I also experienced the odd taste after having sugar and/or sweeteners.

>122 humouress: someone else had a similar thought and created the book Knitting with dog hair ;)

Happy Thursday morning, Richard! Hope the day treats you kindly. *Smooch*

>122 humouress: Bitter tea *shudder* sounds even more hideous than regular tea.

Re: Jasper:

>123 FAMeulstee: Happy Thursday, Anita! I'm pretty sure the less sugar one eats the less it takes to "overdose" on its chemistry. I think the craving's more psychological than physiological, but both play their role, I'm sure. I've always preferred fatty foods to sweet ones, so I guess I've got an umami tooth not a sweet one.

>124 bell7: I posted the cover! Heh.

I'm in my last time to be here so I'm getting myself psyched to go back to Long Beach. Quite an adjustment upcoming...I'm ready for it!

>127 richardderus: I'm delighted for you, Richard!

(I'd love to have knit (knitted?) a sweater from Cubbie hair.)

*smooch*

>128 LizzieD: A week to go, Peggy...just a week...

You're getting sprung in a week?!?! That's great news!

>130 katiekrug: ^^^ What Katie said ~ Indeed ❣️

>130 katiekrug: I'm thrilled and a little annoyed. Having a private room and bath has been a joy...being required to be inside 24/7 is a thing I won't miss a bit.

>131 SandyAMcPherson: Thank you , Sandy, and another round of thanks for he valuable information you gave me!

Yes! Yes! Yes!!! You have been a stellar patient.

>132 richardderus: I hadn't dared mention the private room. Wish you were going back to one, but you are going back!

Meanwhile, see Karen's thread for the update. The surgery went very well. She's in recovery, will stay the night, and walk 100 steps sometime today!

>134 LizzieD: Oh WONDERFUL!! Thank you for pointing me to it, Peggy.

>129 richardderus: That is great news, Richard dear!

>136 FAMeulstee: Thanks, Anita!

Good afternoon, you medical marvel, you. Even if the only good thing about being an anomaly is that the doctors are interested in you, that is worth it, I think. Any extra attention from the good people that are your medicine angels can only be good!

(ignoring the dog-hair knitting....really, really ignoring it)

Coming soon to a Richard near (and dear) to us!!

I'm so glad to hear you'll be back on familiar (if shared) ground soon, Richard. You've made a remarkable recovery!

Happy Friday, Richard. Are you back at your place? Fingers crossed. You have done a miraculous job, my friend.

>138 LovingLit: I think my best luck has been in my startlingly resilient recovery getting me some extra attention from the providers...they respond well to someone who does what they say.

(Except Seth who keeps saying "slow down!" and "look where your feet are!" and will probably be glad to see the back of me.)

I've been snickering about Knitting with Dog Hair since the 1990s.

>140 lauralkeet: Thanks most awfully, Laura. I'm still astonished at the speed of my faculties returning and the way I've had the luck to heal. Such a huge way to benefit from my genetics and lifelong non-smoking life.

Lucky, lucky me!

Glad your liberation is soon RD.

>141 msf59: A week from today, Mark, and my whole world reorients itself!

Cheers, Richard! I'm cheering Richard!! You go, man!!!

*smooch*

Good to see that you will soon be sprung, Richard, even if you so wax inappropriately eloquent about tea and tea drinkers.

Happy Weekend RD, glad to see you're getting to go home. Its seems you've made such good progress.

And I've got to say, I'm not sure how we are friends, your distain for tea is only rivaled by your hatred for all things feline. Two things that I adore.

It must be our differences that binds. Wouldn't have it any other way. ;)

>144 Caroline_McElwee: Thanks, Caro. I'm pleased to be allowed out of the building on my own...even though I', not yet. I can feel it coming.

>146 LizzieD: Thanks, Peggy! I'm already feeling happier thinking about it!

>147 Familyhistorian: "Tea Drinkers" aren't in my sights for being anything except misguided, Meg. Oh, and smugly arrogant in their erroneous presumption that their taste for boiled yard trash makes them Right.

Poor sods.

Ahem, darling. You missed me up there. Don't worry. I'll still post again. ; ) Smooch.

>148 mahsdad: You can't help it, Jeff...you grew up outside New York...overcoming such a hurdle to good taste and good sense developing early in life requires grit, determination, and an avoidance of all things Californian. I mean, talk about the deck being stacked against you!

:-P

>152 Berly: ...wait...I DID type a response! I'm not ready for the Pearly Gates just yet! Quit pushing!

>125 richardderus: You're the one who likes it bitter *shrugs*

>124 bell7: >125 richardderus: Now, if only I could actually knit ...

Nice to know you're on the way home. Same room, same partner?

>151 richardderus: We can afford to be smug. And arrogant.

Because we're right :0)

>155 humouress: Bahahaha! Should you ever want to learn, I have a copy of said book that I could lend you :D

Happy Saturday, Richard, and glad to hear the countdown begins to going home - last Saturday, etc. I sent you one more card that should be arriving before you leave and will have a more substantial package to send along once you're home.

>154 richardderus: Pearly Gates? LOL. Too dramatic, I guess. : ) I just meant they're springing you soon. xoxo

>155 humouress: Common (term used advisedly) opinions are seldom right, just common.

I'll be back to my old haunts and companions...oh well. I like the idea of being Home if not the company.

"Bitter" doesn't disguise "vile" and tea starts out vile, so vile + bitter = nastified.

I hope the self-evident nature of this proof will enable you to see past Imperial Chinese disinformation at last.

>156 bell7: It's a rainy, icky day here, and my long-delayed but anticipated reaction to all the exercise I've been doing...a gout flare-up...has hit. I'm spending today in bed, not even walking the corridors, because *owww*

I'll look forward to both! *smooch*

>157 Berly: Oh. Okay. ::side-eye:: Not like you're trying to get me off the dole or something then....

>159 richardderus: So sorry to hear that the gout has flared up again.

>161 Kristelh: Thanks, Kristel. Honestly I expected this to happen sooner, so I'm calling it good...if painful.

Pout on the gout. : ( Smooches.

>159 richardderus: Sorry the rehab triggered the gout, Richard dear.
I hope this day in bed helped.

>163 Berly: Yeah, exactly! "Pout on the gout" will henceforth be my motto. Might even have it tattooed across my forehead. Perfectly concisely said.

>164 FAMeulstee: I wish something would soon, Anita, really I do.

Morning, Richard. Sorry to hear about the resurgence of the dreaded gout. Praying it is short-lived. How are you feeling otherwise?

>167 msf59: Hi Birddude! I'm in fine, other than the expected...nothing new is wrong, at least. Working out in the gym daily is having benefits that I am glad to see but can't keep up back home because there's no gym equipment there, and I'll miss it. Walking will have to replace my routine.

Glad to see you online and doing so well! I bet you must be getting excited to go home!

>169 ChelleBearss: Hi Chelle! I'm glad to see you here!

I am excited to get home, and just in time for peak beach days to happen. I'm so ready to see the North Atlantic again.

THOUGHT FOR TODAY
Don't ask me who's influenced me. A lion is made up of the lambs he's digested, and I've been reading all my life. -Giorgos Seferis, writer, diplomat, Nobel laureate (13 Mar 1900-1971)

Best to you, Richard for the rest of your day. I'm sorry that the gout is its remorseless self. I sincerely hope that this is not a major event.

Catching up here.
Glad you've got an escape date, sorry the gout has raised its evil head again.
Shame about the lack of gym type facilities back at your place - hope you can keep up with some exercise routine.

>151 richardderus: I feel much the same way about coffee drinkers, Richard, but I put up with them anyway.

Fingers crossed that your present bout with gout will be a short one.

>172 LizzieD: It's reminded me to be grateful I'm as well-medicated as I am, Peggy, and to keep my inner strength exercised...I couldn't power through the pain on Friday and, after resting on Sunday, could today. Note to self: Slow. Down. (I just lookrd over my shoulder I could hear Seth so clearly.)

>173 Helenliz: Gout's a wretched beast. Always waiting and lurking for an incautious moment.

Thanks for stopping by!

>174 Familyhistorian: Thanks, Meg.

You tea-drinking Philistine. :-P

Tea is just coffee without any superpowers, the DAR of social bevies. Although I am addicted to a Instagrim account of that guy who gives etiquette lessons in the Dowager Duchess Ursulawhositz drag.

Morning, Richard! I'm all caught up with you and very sorry to read about the return of the gout. Oof! But hooray for getting to go home soon. Remembering the need to slow down is a very good thing, so carry on with that.

Hoping today is kind to you, dear one. *smooch*

>178 SomeGuyInVirginia: LOL "the DAR" abso-blinkin'-lutely, Larry. I'm not on Insta but I know the lady of whom you speak. I can imagine it being (almost) worth dealing with Meta's multibillionaire owner's hideous craptastic eville miasma to experience. I always loved the Grand Duchess Tatyana Nevahoydova the best, though.

>179 Crazymamie: Hi Mamie, I'm getting back to normal gout levels today...it's such a relief! Prednisone is helping a lot. *smooch*

I wrote a thank-you note to the good people ofSouth Shore Rehab on my blog: https://expendablemudge.blogspot.com/2023/03/returning-to-some-semblance-of-norm...

>182 richardderus: - Huge congrats for successfully climbing that huge mountain you faced. Onward, forward etc. Way to go, my friend! And a lovely tribute to those who helped make it happen.

>182 richardderus: That's lovely. Congratulations on your successful rehab and good luck with returning home and settling in.

>183 jessibud2: Thank you, Shelley. It's been, and will keep on being, a big, hard climb, but I'm as prepared as I'm going to be and ready to get the next part going. *smooch*

>184 lauralkeet: Thank you, Laura! I'm very glad that the staff have been reading the post and thanking me...thanking me!...for being polite enough to express gratitude! I guess no one has any manners around this facility.

I was very pleased that Seth got a little choked up with my use of his "nose over toes" mantra. He's been a steady solid hand guiding my strengthening process.

>182 richardderus: It is wonderful of you to publicly acknowledge the professionals who helped you along that tough uphill path, Richard. Many years ago I became the legal proxy and advocate for an uncle who had suffered a traumatic brain injury from which he initially was not expected to recover at all. Amazingly, he did return to almost full function, and the therapists who worked with him in the first few months became his family, since he was far from home with only one godson living anywhere reasonably near, and could not be transferred closer to me for a long time. One of those women continued to write to him for the rest of his life. And he never forgot that intensive care or the people who rendered it. I've seen similar remarkable results from PT for my MIL in less dire circumstances. There are angels out there.

Happy Wednesday, Richard. Glad to hear you are going home tomorrow. You worked hard, my friend and you deserve it. Are you feeling like you are fully recovered?

FYI- I mailed out the book today.

What a nice note you posted on your blog. I am so glad you had such supportive people on your recovery journey and that you have made such amazing strides to wellness! You are amazing!

Nice blog, RD. Hope the release goes to plan.

>182 richardderus: Nice tribute, Richard, but I bet the best thing for them was the amazing recovery they had a hand in. Good to see that you have are ready to move out.

>187 laytonwoman3rd: Thank you, Linda3rd...it seems only right to express gratitude to the people who used their expertise to lift me up so I could climb over the hurdles. I guess it's not that common a thing from the responses I'm getting. One of the upper-floor nursing supervisors made a point to come say his goodbyes after reading the post. Quite moving, really...I'd like to take most all of these good people home with me. Angels indeed.

>188 msf59: Happy Wednesday, Mark! I feel I've done the healing I can do from working hard. Now I need to keep it going and build back the skills that time will heal.

I'll let you know when it gets here. Thank you again!

>189 Berly: I'm amazed for sure, Berly-boo, and have amazed the medical folk, so "amazing" just about perfectly fits!

My note was deeply heart-felt. I didn't want to make others' names public since I only knew them by their surnames and that's a non-starter in today's weird online world. Too easy to get them into stalker trouble like I've had the last decade-plus.

>190 Helenliz: Thank you, Helen...I'm absolutely delighted to be on my way home. No troubles showed up on the bloodwork done on Monday, so there's no medical reason for things not to go to plan.

>182 richardderus: That's a beautiful note. Congratulations on the amazing recovery, and on getting to go home at last.

>196 ArlieS: Thank you, Arlie, I'm so pleased that I conveyed my gratitude well enough to raise emotional responses in others as well as myself.

My. Own. Bed. Again! I'm so eager!

>182 richardderus: Working with you and patients like you is the reason those professionals keep on. Receiving a commendation like yours is the cake and icing!

I'm thrilled that you get home --- TODAY!!!!

(Keep Seth's voice in your inner ear!)

*SMOOCH*

Happy release day! Fingers crossed it all goes to plan.

Very happy Thursday, Richard dear!

>182 richardderus: How nice you wrote this for the people who helped you.

Happy homecoming day! Hope all the discharge stuff goes smoothly as possible and you sleep well in your own bed tonight.

Happy happy Thursday! So glad you are able to go home!! I am mighty proud of the dedication and determination you put in to get you to this point. :)

I hope everything goes smoothly today!

Adding my well wishes for your return back to home base. *smooch*

>198 LizzieD: Seth himself came to fetch me this morning for a last workout...some time on the QuickStep, some leg-lifts, and now it's just sitting here until the last paperwork is signed. But that voice telling me to slow down will be loud and clear as I start navigating my world again for certain.

I've had several more visitors coming to say their goodbyes, too, so I think I'm not unpopular among the folks who did so much to help me regain my life. That's a good outcome...see someone at their lowest and come away with a good opinion of him? Go Me!

*smooch*

>199 Helenliz: Thank you, Helen...so far, so smooth...of course there's no magic carpet outside yet, but it happens when it happens.

>200 FAMeulstee: I felt it was really only polite, as well as a way to catch all the people who I hadn't had the chance to say goodbye to in person. I'm so eager to sleep in my own bed tonight.

Thanks for coming by for our Thursday chat!

>201 bell7: Thanks, Mary, I'm pleased with the efficiency of everything so far...*crossing fingers*

*smooch* with an added *Snoopy dance*

>202 figsfromthistle: Thank you, Anita, I'm pretty thrilled to be as well as I am after what happened. Work ethic met good luck.

>203 katiekrug: Thanks, Katie, so far so good.

>204 MickyFine: Hi Micky, I'm gettin' the antsy feeling now like "okay, it's been fun but home please." Patience ≠ me!

>173 Helenliz: Like.

>182 richardderus: A fine piece RD, and I know it will be appreciated.

Checking in to welcome you home when you get there and then here. HAPPY DAY!!!!!

>212 Caroline_McElwee: Hi there Caro! Thank you for the kind words...I got lots of really touched and pleased responses before I left, so I know it landed the right way! Thanks for stopping by!

>213 LizzieD: I am ensconced in **MY**OWN**BED** as I type this, Peggy! First things first...I walked in and made myself a pot of caffeinated coffee. I've finished it now so for the first time in two months, I feel human again.

It's so lovely to be home at last. *smooch*

So happy for you, dear Richard! Your own bed and real coffee! Yay!

Karen O

I came by to ask a variation of the age-old *are we there yet*, but I see you ARE! Woohoo!

>215 richardderus: Happy making.

Welcome home!

Huzzah! Welcome home, Richard. I didn't realize you'd been deprived of coffee all this time, and am very glad you rectified that situation tout de suite!

>216 klobrien2: Thanks, Karen O. I'm so grateful I'm able to walk, talk, think, and eat for myself. Considering the docs thought I was likely to need nursing help for good....

Lucky lucky me!

Glad to see your good news, Richard, and adding my welcome home good wishes!

>217 jessibud2: And, Shelley, I'm ready to resume normal reviewing activity! Next week I've got a few reposts for the Aunt Bessie series I've been hooked on by wicked book-witch Kath, then a few new ones to go. Life is going on at last.

>218 Helenliz: Thanks...it really, really is!

>219 katiekrug: Thank you, Katie, it's really good to be here.

>220 lauralkeet: Imagine two months without decent coffee, Laura. Brown sadness water (aka decaf) just won't cut it. I feel so much less like a poorly drawn cartoon version of myself! (Still working on some left-side weakness, not to pretend I'm 100% yet.)

>222 Copperskye: Thank you, Joanne! I'm so glad I can rejoin the festivities.

Richard, next thing you know, you will be....wordling! ;-)

Good to see you getting to go home, Richard, and a wonderful tribute to all the people who helped you to get there.

Well done Richard!

JOY! JOY!! JOY!!!!

Sleep well! *smooch*

>228 jessibud2: ...still a bit more advanced than I feel...but the goal is there, Shelley.

>229 Familyhistorian: Thank you, Meg. I got so much help! I've been unfathomably lucky.

>230 mdoris: Thanks, Mary, I am really proud of how hard I got to work at the recovery process. It kept me engaged and interested. That might be as important to someone like me, who lives in his head, as the physical part.

>231 LizzieD: Thank you, my dear friend. *smooch*

>215 richardderus: Welcome Home!!!!

Delighted that you are home and in your own bed , and properly caffeinated. None of that dreadful tea . ((((Hugs))))

I'm sure you are glad to be home!

Hooray for your return home, and hope you had a wonderful night's sleep in your own bed! Almost-weekend *smooches*

Happy Friday, Richard. I hope you are settled in comfortably at home. I am sure it feels great. How is your reading coming along? Back to normal?

BTW- I lied. I will mail out the book today. I had it in the truck to mail it out on Wed and got side-tracked.

Hiya, Rdear. Welcome home.

You’ve worked hard and deserve every accolade imaginable.

I’m going to skip the 125 messages since I last posted the day before my knee replacement surgery. I did scroll up from the bottom and saw this: Brown sadness water (aka decaf) and had to shudder with you. I’m glad you’re going to get back to Real Coffee.

I was very surprised that my morning-after-surgery coffee at Rex Hospital was actually good – the only sadness was that it was a cup only, not the carafe they had brought the previous afternoon. Good coffee in a hospital? I know…

*smooch* from your own Horrible

>236 Berly: I am so thrilled to be here! *smooch*

>237 vancouverdeb: Thanks, Deb! A properly caffeinated me is a happy me. And, to be absolutely clear, there is no social pressure powerful enough to compel me to drink tea. I'd have to be dehydrated to the point of unconsciousness before that happened.

>238 thornton37814: "Thrilled witless" is more like it, Lori!

>239 bell7: I'm so thrilled to be comfortable at last, Mary...it was blissful.

>240 msf59: I'm quite pleased to be back, as you can imagine, but I'm just now getting myself really organized so reading won't really resume until tomorrow or Sunday...and new reads are always welcome, it doesn't matter when they get here.

>241 karenmarie: Horrible my dear, I'm over the moon you're already up to visiting! I'm gobsmacked and not a little jealous that you had good coffee in a hospital. I was convinced that was a unicorn. After surgery they do not want you to caffeinate because of the giant increase in bleeding problems too much (ie more than a few milligrams) of caffeine often leads to. Hence my confinement to brown sadness water just after the strokes. Those days are done!

Thank you for the accolades. I felt like luck like I had shouldn't be wasted, so I worked like my life depended on it...which it did...I wanted my old life back and mostly got it. The rest will take time. I've got that and that's the way I want to spend it...building back better, to use Biden's formulation.

Joining the gladsters. Glad you are sufficiently rehabbed to get home and make your own way. You and Joe and Ellen: stroke surviving triumvirate. Take it easy, but do take it. I'll be rootin' for ya.

>248 weird_O: Thank you very kindly, Weird One! Support means everything right now because there is so much at stake. I am really lucky to have a cheering section to keep me motivated, and thank you for joining it!

Your own bed and decent coffee, on top of an almost complete recovery after a lot of hard determined rehab work. What could be a happier outcome? So happy for you! And for all the medical personnel who helped you get here. They must be ecstatic too! Looking forward to your getting back to reviewing books soon. Happy weekend!

>250 Storeetllr: Thanks, Mary! I'm pleased to say that my last few days were full of people coming to tell me goodbye and good luck who, to a person, told me how amazed they were that I'd done so much in so little time. It felt very encouraging to me when I was reminded of how many times people just don't do the work I did (or have the extremely good luck I had, to be fair).

>247 richardderus: I'm so glad that no one hit me with the "no caffeine" thing after the very few, fairly minor surgeries I've had. No smoking/tobacco/nicotine is easy - I don't use the stuff. No alcohol isn't much harder, though it occurs to me I accidentally broke that rule 2 days ago (9 days after a tooth extraction, I put a cup of wine in a pot of stew I was making; maybe there was still some alcohol left in the stew after cooking...) But no caffeine? Cold turkey?! The resulting headache would be competing with the surgical damage for largest source of pain.

OTOH, the medical reasons make sense. I've just been lucky enough not to have any surgery or injuries severe enough for that to matter - yet, anyway.

>252 ArlieS: I'm in the opposite camp. I can't tolerate caffeine. A strong cup of coffee tastes great, but 30 minutes later I feel sick, I start to shake and have heart palpitations. I still love proper coffee, but it no longer loves me.

Glad you're getting organised. Looking forward to reading your reviews again.

I am sure that I couldn't do without a cup of good Joe in the morning along with my newspaper and a book. Right now I have added hot tea to the mix (I know, but there's a point ...). I am trying to get my mother to eat more, so everyday I am taking her a slice of some kind of cake or sweet bread and making her a cup of hot tea to go with it. I like green tea, she doesn't. But we both like cake, so we will both stumble along and hope that she starts gaining some weight - or at least not losing any.

>252 ArlieS: No one tells you not to drink coffee before your surgery anymore, or does more than the day right after, either...caffeine doesn't linger in your system all that long (half of what you take in is gone in 6 hours) and a cup of coffee doesn't have a great deal (about 100mg) of it. It's about limiting the possibilities for extra tipping-point stuff.

May you remain big-surgery free for life!

>253 Helenliz: Glad you're getting organised. Looking forward to reading your reviews again.
Thanks, Helen.

Your caffeine sensitivity is a good reason to avoid it!

>254 benitastrnad: The sacrifices you make for your mother's health are admirable, Benita...the cake part doesn't sound terrible, though.

Welcome home, Richard!!! I am so happy that you are back in your own bed and surrounded by your own things. And I loved the message you left on your blog for your caregivers - it was full of fabulous. *smooch and a bear hug*

>258 Crazymamie: Thanks, Mamie! I'm glad people are really resonating to my heart-felt thank you to the people who helped me so generously.

*smooch*

Welcome home, Richard!

(But you've been able to get back to us a while ago.)

It is so late that I should be asleep already. However, I can't resist a quick good night/good morning to you, Richard. Sleep well and enjoy your Saturday!
*smooch*

Welcome home! Glad you were able to get some coffee brewing and enjoy the sweet taste. Have fun with the organizing- just don't forget to take it easy!

*smooch*

>260 humouress: Home and "home" are the poles of this magnet, now I've got them both, Nina!

>261 LizzieD: I was snoring away when you posted that, Peggy, but thank you for sending me the happy dreams I had last night. The morning's cloudy but perfectly lovely in temperature, just in time for my necessary walk to the CVS later.

*smooch*

>262 figsfromthistle: Thanks, Anita. I've just finished up my pot for today and now have my ~500mg of caffeine on board so I can think clearly, stay awake and articulate my joy at winning $100 on Fairleigh Dickinson's March Madness win. Taking Old Stuff's money felt SOOOO GOOOD.

*smooch*

Glad you ate now ensconced back at home RD. Bet the coffee tadts even better.

Btw I love all kinds of teas, as well as coffee.

Wow! Wow! Wow! You bet on FD!!!???!!! Gloat on your prescience and the $$!

>266 Caroline_McElwee: Caro my dear lady, words are inadequate to express my sadness at your admission of the moral failing of tea-drinking...still less the disheartening failure of discernment of "enjoying" the resultant tannic bog-water. I remain ever hopeful for your full recovery from this...ailment of the senses...and stand ready to support your camellia-less future in any way I am able to.

yours in caffeination: RMD

>267 LizzieD: It was a message from Beyond: Claudia's father John used to call FD "Fairly Ridiculous" University which always made me laugh, and when Old Stuff was carrying on about Purdue smashing 'em, I bet him $100 that Purdue would lose because I could "hear" John calling them "Fairly Ridiculous" and it got my back up...now I'm $100 richer and he had to get drunk on cheap beer.

>265 richardderus:, >269 richardderus: - I, of course, know nothing about March Madness but it sounds like you had a *stroke* of luck there, Richard! Or maybe it was just the luck of your stroke (recovery) that you are riding the wave of. Whatever. Win win sounds great! ;-)

>270 jessibud2: I admit, Punny Gal, that my pleasure wasn't really in the gamble...I don't like gambling, it's like wadding up money and throwing it away...it was in depriving the old drunk of his booze. I am not a nice man, it seems. Beer drunks are apparently not as good as vodka ones.*huge happy smile*

Oh shoot, I'm a hopeless slowpoke these days. 271 comments later . . . I don't like gambling either. Happy Saturday, Richard!

Congrats on being home.

>272 jnwelch: I'm not surprised you don't gamble, Counselor. There is no part of legal practice that makes gambling seem like any kind or sort of a good idea.

Happy Saturday!

>273 Kristelh: Thanks, Kristel!

Read what ChatGPt has to say about the practice of book banning. I was quite startled, if still uneasy about the damnèd thing.
***

An eight-dollar pint of ice cream that I did not regret eating or resent having spent so absurdly much on. "It's like the best blondie you've ever tasted," the website says and I concur.

Cream cheese ice cream layered with crumbles of vanilla cake and a swirl of caramel-butterscotch sauce.

ETA https://jenis.com/ to check out their flavors

>276 richardderus: Huh. I’m surprised to find myself agreeing with ChatGPt.

Central York (Pennsylvania) quietly pulled another book from their shelves. This time it was Push by Sapphire. This is an amazing, eye-opening book. I’m sorry it’s been pulled from what I assume is the public library.

Edited to clarify.

>277 Storeetllr: I'm fairly surely sure it was the Central York High School that pulled the book. The York County Public Library System has a copy of Push in its catalog, and it's circulating.

>277 Storeetllr: what >278 laytonwoman3rd: said...mostly it's schools that are pulling this BS.

Welcome home, Richard, and congrats on stiffing Old Stuff! I know you are enjoying your own bed, but I could just see you in this top one (the others don't really do that much for me).



I do hope you used a certain red cup for your first taste of coffee at home.

*smooch*

>280 ronincats: WANTWANTWANT!!

I'm sad to report, Roni, that a certain red mug was a stroke casualty, slipping from my hand and having its handle bashed off. I'd've kept it were it not for the giant crack that ran from lip to handle base making it leak.
In loving memory

So glad you’re back in your own space!

Happy Sunday to all! I hope y'all's weather is as beautifully seasonal as mine is today, wherever you are and whatever it should look like.

I started today with a call from the receptionist telling me I had a package: No note inside or on the label, so to whomever it was who sent me Blanche on the Lam and Blanche Among the Talented Tenth, Thank you!

I'm so glad to see another smaller press spring up to publish or reissue so many good books. https://brash-books.com/ has joined the fray...look for them to do good things.

Richard, just saying hi and a belated WELCOME HOME!!!

>284 EBT1002: Thank you, Ellen! Being home is good, all things considered...it was not at all sure immediately after the strokes that I would recover well enough for me to come home at all! Of course, there are the minor irritations of life to readjust to...so, this entire weekend, I'm ordering in my favorite bad-for-me meals: fried dumplings and orange chicken today! Tomorrow, their food...::sad trombone:: It cushions the blow a bit.

>282 drneutron: Thank you, Jim, there really is no place like home.

THE INTROVERT'S CATCH-22:

“Solitude is fine but you need someone to tell that solitude is fine.”

–HONORÉ DE BALZAC

>287 richardderus: - Actually, I don't think I do. But then, I have always been a contrary sort... ;-)

"fried dumplings and orange chicken today": --- you know, with my stroke history, I try (half-heartedly, let's be honest) to be "good," but life is also for enjoyment. It's an interesting line to walk.

*smooch* to you, my friend.

Richard dear, that is too too bad about the mug, but I would rather have you around than it. I will never be able to replicate the glaze, but I can replicate mugs.

>281 richardderus: That is both a good photo as well as a sad story.

>276 richardderus: Read with interest RD. I think the issue of sexually explicit content in school libraries is an issue which requires careful management and perhaps some age group qualifiers. I don't believe that it is appropriate for six year old girls to be taught the virtues of fellatio but the content available to older grade children should be progressively (in age terms) less restricted. As you probably can guess I am not in favour of the banning or removal or censorship of any books (within the realms of sane discourse anyway) in adult public libraries.

It is great to see you safely back in situ. How are the feet nowadays?

Good to see you back home and winning a bet with Old Stuff, Richard. Too bad your red mug was a causality of your stroke - you look so proud displaying it in the photo!

Happy Spring, Richard. I hope you had a good weekend. How are you feeling? Sorry to hear about the mug tragedy. Bummer! Back to normal temps this week. Looking forward to it.

>289 EBT1002: Being THAT good is just loading stress on yourself, Ellen.

No one can tell me why, with the blood-pressure meds and statins I've been taking prophylactically for years, with the normal blood chemistry I've had all the way through this process, I actually had these strokes. No high cholesterol or A1C or more-than-slightly-elevated triglycerides; I don't eat salty foods every day or in restaurants (pace this weekend) or weigh more than I should (in fact I need to gain 5 more lbs), don't and have never smoked, don't drink at all (fentanyl patch makes that a poor survival strategy)...so why did this happen?

No one has answers. It's deeply unnerving. I'm still questioning, of course.

>290 ronincats: Oh please do! Its handle was a wee bit thin towards the middle and that is what failed when I had a full mug (of cold water, thank goodness!). Please let me know how much to send you and how for another perfect fat-bellied wide-fingered mug!

>288 jessibud2: It works to one's advantage, of course, to be that independent...most of the time.

HAPPY SPRING again, Richard!

I'm off to stand and wait; you can't rush 101....you can't rush 78 very much.

>291 PaulCranswick: Wounds healing well, thanks, PC...no more infection. I'm glad that I'm back in place, as well. Now to finish fixing up what needs fixing.

>292 Familyhistorian: I loved it, Meg, handmade by Roni and glazed that perfect red...but things are replaceable even if not perfectly replicable and it was an accident that could've been worse, so it's all good in the end.

>293 msf59: Hi Mark, it's been perfectly seasonable here, so no complaints. I'm glad of the sunshine! I'm glad to say I've got PT for my left side arranged here, starting Friday so I'll get even better and keep my gains. Much, much yay!

New thread is here: https://www.librarything.com/topic/349525

>268 richardderus: ROFLMAO.