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Brrrr, 23° this morning!! Going to clean my building after daybreak. We will finish the log splitter today, hopefully all goes well! Have a good list as always, but the splitter is the focus!
brrrr here too!! It's 15
But supposed to warm up and the wind stopped so animals will be going out most likely

I wished it was Monday ( lol never thought I would say that one) , we need to go get stuff and everything is closed to day : pick up our taxes they are ready to sign, get feed at the farm store , pick up flea and tick stuff for dogs at the vet, well and go shopping for us, which I hate doing that on the weekend and don't want to make an extra trip

So not much today, animal chores, cooking, and moving a few more photos on my USB to take to get printed
 
I was up at 3:30 reading the forum @Pearl Where were you?

I was up because I woke up and was a little chilly. #*%^@+& heat was out. I suspect that when we had 300+ gallons of oil delivered on Friday, the driver had the flow rate set to "get me the heck out of here" and it stirred up that sediment and crap that is always at the bottom of the tank and it sucked into the filtration system. Of course it's 21* degrees outside.
 
I was up at 3:30 reading the forum @Pearl Where were you?

I was up because I woke up and was a little chilly. #*%^@+& heat was out. I suspect that when we had 300+ gallons of oil delivered on Friday, the driver had the flow rate set to "get me the heck out of here" and it stirred up that sediment and crap that is always at the bottom of the tank and it sucked into the filtration system. Of course it's 21* degrees outside.
I didn't get up until 4am! That was 5 your time!! 23° here!
 
Okay, now that I have spammed you guys with other replies —

Bacpacker, have you talked with your doc about those meds? That sounds like a bad reaction to me, not that I’m any kind of medical professional. Maybe there’s something different you
Yep, dr and I talk about it every visit. Just a well known side effect...for some people. Aint I the lucky one. I slept better but still feel rough.

24 on my way in this morning. Maybe 45 by afternoon.
 
Early to bed and early rise, with folklore verse touting its benefits, certainly has me struggling to catch up on this thread. This thread keeps me so busy, I don't have time to get on threads that smack of internet fad cultism ruled by doomsday prophets and profits. Those later rising roosters, with impressive struts to those that are new to the country state of mind, have me using fowl language.

Cold here today and snowing. That red dawn sky yesterday, did fulfill the old sailors verse about a red sky at morning is a sailors warning. Gloomy cold day that required ski thermals to get my walk in.

@jishinsjourney I had very bad allergies all my life and was allergic to just about everything, especially junipers, cedars, and sagebrush. I was sick a lot with colds, flu, and fever blisters from fall to late spring. Needless to say, I didn't have boys lined up, waiting for a kiss. My upper lip looked frightful.

To make a long story short, the chickenpox (varicella) virus that stays in your body for ever, can attack (as the Zoster virus) silently damaging brain and facial nerves without ever manifesting in blisters known as the Shingles.

After much balance and facial nerve damage and loss, I was put on daily for life, anti viral treatment. Within a year, I had no more allergies, no colds or flu, no fever blisters, and even many years later around Covid infected people, I had no illness.

My neuro-otologist and neurologist as well as the rhumatologist I visited, explained it. The antiviral keeps the varicella zoster virus blocked from replicating so the immune system doesn't have to deal with it. The immune system is left to deal with allergies and such and a healthy immune system can keep down allergies and stop flu, etc.

I might suggest asking your doctor about going on a daily maintenance dose of acyclovir or valacyclovir at least for 2 years and see if it helps. With the anti viral, you need to make sure you take fairly heavy doses of vitamin D, E, and C.

Be aware that your doctor will probably not won't to give antivirals. I don't understand why since side effects are almost non existent and mild at best. I have been on this therapy for over 20 years and allergy free. My face used to run like a stream in the fall and spring. Just the mention of juniper or black locust make me very ill. My diagnosis of MS was even overruled after several years on antiviral therapy. My nerve damage will never improve, but at least it was stopped by a simple therapy.

Ok, enough of the gloom and doom and I hesitate to even mention it, but because my story has helped a few others, I still share it. The problem is most PCPs don't want to prescribe it unless shingles blisters are seen. I lost much of my hearing, my teeth, some eyesight, and independence due to vestibular nerve loss, due to doctors that just went by what they could see and denied that such a virus could do damage without manifesting itself as blisters. 90% of people have the zoster virus laying dormant just waiting for an immune system weakness.

I may post some old photos from my mountain living days. Sadly I lost most of them when they were stored in a friends basement that flooded, while I was in the process of moving. A relative that had copies of some of them, lost all her photos in a fire. I feel lucky to have any of my "homesteading" days.

Sorry about all the rambling. It reminds me of one of my grandparents that said while I was helping them prune their orchard, "Faez, if we could hook that pruning saw to your jaws, we would have been finished here hours ago."
 
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@Faez that sounds so bad!
I was up, couldn’t fall back to sleep for awhile. So I popped in here for a bit. I might have fallen back to sleep by 5.
Remember that tomorrow is a federal holiday, Presidents Day. A lot of places you need to use might be closed, @sonya123

One of my kids had a mild case of chickenpox as a newborn and a couple of years later had shingles. Has gotten shingles again in the spring when exposed to the virus. With the other health concerns he has we haven’t sought medical treatment for it. My dad didn’t recall having chickenpox as a child and when he was in his 40s he came down with a serious case of shingles, was sick and in pain for months.
It’s Sunday and the beginning of my 3 day weekend. Lots of planning to do and decisions to make. Will watch church on the telly instead of driving back down there this morning.
 
@jishinsjourney I had very bad allergies all my life and was allergic to just about everything, especially junipers, cedars, and sagebrush. I was sick a lot with colds, flu, and fever blisters from fall to late spring. Needless to say, I didn't have boys lined up, waiting for a kiss. My upper lip looked frightful.

To make a long story short, the chickenpox (varicella) virus that stays in your body for ever, can attack (as the Zoster virus) silently damaging brain and facial nerves without ever manifesting in blisters known as the Shingles.

After much balance and facial nerve damage and loss, I was put on daily for life, anti viral treatment. Within a year, I had no more allergies, no colds or flu, no fever blisters, and even many years later around Covid infected people, I had no illness.

My neuro-otologist and neurologist as well as the rhumatologist I visited, explained it. The antiviral keeps the varicella zoster virus blocked from replicating so the immune system doesn't have to deal with it. The immune system is left to deal with allergies and such and a healthy immune system can keep down allergies and stop flu, etc.

I might suggest asking your doctor about going on a daily maintenance dose of acyclovir or valacyclovir at least for 2 years and see if it helps. With the anti viral, you need to make sure you take fairly heavy doses of vitamin D, E, and C.

Be aware that your doctor will probably not won't to give antivirals. I don't understand why since side effects are almost non existent and mild at best. I have been on this therapy for over 20 years and allergy free. My face used to run like a stream in the fall and spring. Just the mention of juniper or black locust make me very ill. My diagnosis of MS was even overruled after several years on antiviral therapy. My nerve damage will never improve, but at least it was stopped by a simple therapy.

Ok, enough of the gloom and doom and I hesitate to even mention it, but because my story has helped a few others, I still share it. The problem is most PCPs don't want to prescribe it unless shingles blisters are seen. I lost much of my hearing, my teeth, some eyesight, and independence due to vestibular nerve loss, due to doctors that just went by what they could see and denied that such a virus could do damage without manifesting itself as blisters. 90% of people have the zoster virus laying dormant just waiting for an immune system weakness.
Thanks for the heads-up! And no worries about the rambling — the details are useful. I only manifest inflammation in my sinuses and neck, plus the suite of cold-like symptoms. My doc thought I had a food allergy, although I’ve never had one. It sounds like you had things much worse, and I’m very glad you found a solution.

I’ll save this post and if things don’t improve after a bit longer on the shots, I’ll bring it to her attention. But the shots have helped a lot, it’s just a lengthy treatment.
 
Thanks for the heads-up! And no worries about the rambling — the details are useful. I only manifest inflammation in my sinuses and neck, plus the suite of cold-like symptoms. My doc thought I had a food allergy, although I’ve never had one. It sounds like you had things much worse, and I’m very glad you found a solution.

I’ll save this post and if things don’t improve after a bit longer on the shots, I’ll bring it to her attention. But the shots have helped a lot, it’s just a lengthy treatment.
I went thru the shots for 2 years with some result and also took oral allergy meds. My eye doc thinks the years of heavy oral allergy meds is what caused my glaucoma. I did help my black locust allergy, slightly, by eating raw pollen laced honey comb from a dead BL tree and letting the bees sting me. I tried inhaling sage brush smoke once and that was halted after the first inhale. Nasty stuff!
 
@Faez that sounds so bad!
I was up, couldn’t fall back to sleep for awhile. So I popped in here for a bit. I might have fallen back to sleep by 5.
Remember that tomorrow is a federal holiday, Presidents Day. A lot of places you need to use might be closed, @sonya123
thanks!! I would not have know that, and will call to make sure everything we need is open. The feed store probably is but not sure

I have known people that had shingles and they said it was a terrible experience but some of them got vaccinated against it and still got it
 
@Faez @jishinsjourney The past couple years I’ve been made acutely aware that some people and animals suffer from chronic infections. I’ve learned I am one of them. I do a lot of reading in the Pubmed data base of medical research at the national institute of health. These infections can be bacterial or viral but most often have a viral source. Long story short… these infections reside in our bodies our whole life and cause a wide range of secondary issues. For me it’s migraines and mild flu like symptoms. Generally feeling run down.

I keep them under control with antivirals, poke sallet, monarda, usnea, elderberry, yellowroot, sida, verbena and a few others. They are excellent, several are antibiotic and antiviral in nature, a 2fer! I take a maintenance dose twice a week, mix several tinctures together. They cut down on the severity and number of my headaches and flu/cold symptoms. They keep everything under control and don’t have the side effects of pharmaceuticals. Just a suggestion in case you haven’t tried them.

----------------------

No plans today but rest… might play a little music and watch some tv.
 
Went to church, our pastor just got back from Israel so it was a pretty emotional service. The actual message for the day was , ”But godliness with contentment is great gain.“ 1 Timothy‬ ‭6‬:‭6‬. It lined up with what we were talking about with the boys before church this morning.

My folks were successful in an accepted offer on the little house a half mile away to move Grandma into. We were talking about how much better my dad must be feeling now that he is making headway on getting his mom closer to family and she loves the little old home. I will literally be able to stop by every day on my lunch walk and say hi.

We stopped at Costco on the way home, it was a zoo. Boys had hot dogs and a whole pizza and it was entertaining to watch the youngster eat without braces. He was talking about how nice it was not having food in them all the way home. It is still spitting snow so we are watching expedition unknown on the discovery channel. Killer Sasquatch episode. I need to get a couple loaves of bread started, but not really much else planned for the day!
 
Levi the neighbor boy and little granddaughter starting digging a grave for old Chookie dog. He probably won't last but another day. Doesn't seem to be in pain, but can't get up anymore. I'll miss him, he's been with our family forever.
Little granddaughter and I got to work on the big old turkey run takedown. It was on the side of the barn, and had too much water runoff, so just a bad location. The turkeys are in a newer run in a better location now. Didn't expect to get it done today, but did. Now we're both tired.
 
Stupid day. Was overtired with my brain not letting me sleep so gave in and took an OTC sleep aid last night. Finally got some rest, but wonder if it's worth it, been sleepy and useless all day. Showered, sat down for breakfast, and woke up in my chair when my mom called me hours later. Slept right through church and was too groggy to go see mom. Tried to clean up the kitchen and gave up when I realized I was reloading the clean things into the dishwasher. I have tomorrow off so hopefully can get myself functional in time for work on Tues.

In a long ago job I was in emergency preparedness with a health department. We were supplied stocks of doxycyline and ciproflaxacin that were intended for first responders in case of a terrorist attach. At the time I was assigned the job, the drugs in our stockpile were already old. The feds simply sent us a printout every year to extend the best by date on the meds. By the time I left that job the drugs were all at least ten years beyond their original best by date. So, do the drugs really last that long and retain their efficacy, or was the government just intending them as a placebo all along? Makes one wonder.

Youtube can be a big help with answering questions. I have excellent internet speed, but sometimes it would slow down and buffer for no discernable reason. Poked around on youtube and found a vid that explained the modem was getting too hot with the constant use. Ordered the recommended cooling fan, and the vid was even thorough enough to explain that with an adaptor the fan could be plugged right into the modem. The items came in last week, and it's worked really well! The fan is very quiet, not even noticable when watching tv, and I haven't had any more slowdowns. I'll call that a win.
 
Still trying to learn to wood carve.
 

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Cold, damp, west wind, temps 30/20F today, but sunny and bright... Same predicted through next Tuesday, then mid 40s/30sF....

Never got out of the building today.. Stomach felt like it could be an ..issue.. at any moment pretty much all day... Took it easy with tea, toast, baked potato, sugar free Jello, and other mild to bland things... Maybe the mediocre fish fry dinner last night caught up to me.. ?? Did have a treat today as peanut butter sandwich Girl Scout cookies are available now... I'm ...bush grandpa... to 7 little ..bush hoppers.. that will bust into the house announcing ...grandpa, mom says you will buy cookies... My answer is always ..yes ladies I will, how many you got ??...
Did they use canola oil at the fish fry? Indigestible by roughly 50% of people but happens to be cheapest oil 🙄
 
brrrr here too!! It's 15
But supposed to warm up and the wind stopped so animals will be going out most likely

I wished it was Monday ( lol never thought I would say that one) , we need to go get stuff and everything is closed to day : pick up our taxes they are ready to sign, get feed at the farm store , pick up flea and tick stuff for dogs at the vet, well and go shopping for us, which I hate doing that on the weekend and don't want to make an extra trip

So not much today, animal chores, cooking, and moving a few more photos on my USB to take to get printed
Tomorrow is president’s day so lot closed.
 
It got down to at least 32 last night and then warmed up to maybe 58 in the daytime. I got Walmart curbside order (I couldn't find some of the stuff in the store physically so I curbside ordered). I did have to run in for some stuff I don't trust them to pick out and then back home. Had to cook for Mom and then had to drive my brother to work. Dropped him off and came back home. Had to cook for Mom again. I used some sort of meal deal thing from the McDonalds app and got myself fries and a burger that I ate when I got home. Fippy was parked right in front of me while I ate. I coughed and something flew out of my mouth. He was looking for to eat it and then I realized it was mucus and it was hanging off of his fur. I wiped it off and gave him a little bit of burger meat.

Tested the phone box outside my house to see if I could hear any dialtone from it. Nada. At least now I know where to look. Took me a minute to find it as I couldn't see the writing from the angle I was at.

Waiting for my brother to finish work so I can pick him up.
 

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