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KayC

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KayC,

I am still hoping for the best for you. I am still concerned for Panther also. Hopefully things will change for the better as far as the weather and conditions. Take care, John

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Kay,

Keeping you and your neighbors in my prayers.  Hopefully your homes will be spared. 

Do your best to protect your lungs from the smoke. All these stressors, heat, evacuation, uncertainty, poor air quality combine to take a toll on our bodies. Wearing a mask if you can smell smoke will help keep particulates out of your lungs. 

Hoping you can go home soon.

Gail

 

 

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Kay, 

That's wonderful news!

I'll still be keeping you and your neighbors in my prayers.  Hopefully this trend will continue and your homes will be spared. 

Hoping you can go home soon.

Gail

 

 

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KayC,

I am still hoping for an end to this stressful situation for you. It is a bit of good news about the freezer and I am glad that you and Kodie are able to be back home, even if it is a dicey situation. I hope that Panther recovers quickly. Also hoping that the Fed's can offer some sort of help to get things under control. I hope that your stress is less, at least as much as it will be until this are done (soon) You are in my thoughts, as well as Kodie and Panther. Everyone else who is going through it as well, but I only "know" you. Take care and keep us posted when you can, John

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KayC,

You are in my thoughts, I hope that all goes well and that the situation resolves faster than they think. I am glad that Panther is allowing you to help him, hope that if/when you have to leave he will be okay. Keep us posted. John

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@KayC well it's good that you and Kodie are safe.  I'm sorry about the food in the refrigerator.   Glad Panther is letting you take care of him.  We had a very bad freeze in 2021, there was ice on the ground for a week.  I thought I had lost all my cats.  But somehow one survived.  I'm praying constantly for you and Kodie. 

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Kay, 

I saw High Prairie was reduced to a level 1 "Be Ready" status.  I hope that means things are slightly improving in your area.  I know winds can shift and such, but I hope that for a bit your anxiety level can go down a little.  It is hard to live in high stress day after day.

You stay in my thoughts and prayers!

Gail

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We got moved to a level 1 yesterday!  Got to go to Bible Study yesterday...we talked 1 1/2 hours, we all seemed to need that, and prayed.  The last week has seemed at LEAST a month!  I'm sure I've gotten more grey hairs, IDK, I didn't look.  I don't much care what I look like anymore, only makeup I wear anymore is my eyebrow liner.

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Kay,

So glad you were able to go to bible study.  It means a lot to have a little bit of "normal" when life has been so terribly out of control.

I hope the fire dwindles and you remain out of danger.

Gail

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Panther wouldn't let me clean/tend his ears last night.  Hoping I can this morning, they look so much better already, I just don't want to see a resurgence and since it's not totally gone...

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On 9/16/2022 at 7:20 AM, KayC said:

We got moved to a level 1 yesterday!  Got to go to Bible Study yesterday...we talked 1 1/2 hours, we all seemed to need that, and prayed.  The last week has seemed at LEAST a month!  I'm sure I've gotten more grey hairs, IDK, I didn't look.  I don't much care what I look like anymore, only makeup I wear anymore is my eyebrow liner.

KayC,

I understand the comment about time. I have said that the 35 years my loving wife and I were together went by so fast, but the 79 weeks have seemed like years. I hope that the fire gets contained and the risk is "gone" soon. I also hope that Panther allows you to continue to treat him, so as you say it doesn't come back or get worse. Take care, John

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Oh Kay, I am so sorry they increased your evacuation level. It is nerve wracking to be under all this stress and uncertainty. 

In accord with the old motto "prepare for the worst and hope for the best" you might go around your house and take pictures of your stuff.  It helps with insurance claims afterwards, if you need to make a claim.  Your Edenpure heater and your A/C unit would be 2 things I'd photograph.   After the fire danger passes, you can just delete the photos from your phone if you don't have any damage. 

I am sure Panther is benefitting tremendously from your care.  He is a lucky kitty to have your help.

I'll keep praying for the fire to not come your way. 

Gail

 

 

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3 hours ago, KayC said:

I managed to get some oil in his ear yesterday morning...wishing he'd cooperate more so I could do a thorough job of cleaning first...

In danger of going back to level 2 evac again...I hate having this hang over my head.  I am tired...

Got A/C stored yesterday and Edenpure heater running...it dropped 40 degrees in 1 week!  No time to acclimate.

KayC,

I am glad you are able to do some treatment for Panther. I am sorry that you may have to evacuate again. I sadly understand how you feel about having things hanging over you and I am sure that the added stress is doing nothing to help your health either. I also understand about the weather, it seems as if it has been many years since we actually had 4 seasons here in Michigan. I would agree with Gail 8588, if you can take as many pictures as possible it should help if you ever need to verify contents. I know that technically everyone should do that and I haven't done it for years. I hope that the cooler temperatures actually help in the control of the fires, but you would know better than I do in that regards. Take care, John

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21 hours ago, Gail 8588 said:

I am so sorry they increased your evacuation level.

They haven't done so, the mayor just talked about it 3 days ago to the news.  Air quality 508 in Oakridge this morning...way worse up here where they don't measure.   That's way hazardous.  Needless to say, I masked up for our walks yesterday.

While it's been 50s-60s, and I took my A/C out a couple of days ago, now they predict 80 this Sunday.  I hope the fire doesn't spread.  Or maybe 80 won't materialize...

 

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Got three huge trees trimmed all the way up, he still has some of the cleanup to do, worked past dinner!  He's coming back to finish cleanup, blow off the roof and grate/gutter in from of carport.  I need to buy some rope when I go to town so he can replace the one in the wood stove.  He has a tree earmarked for firewood for me for upcoming years.  One he's taking down for a neighbor.

Yesterday I unpacked!  It felt so good to get it all put away!  Cindy sent me a link to a video/post on the fire saying the part they just contained is the part protecting High Prairie area, so great and such a huge relief!  Even though the fire itself is only 13% contained and beyond huge!

Panther hung around all day/evening, so good to have him back!  Still fighting ear mites but it looks way better than a week ago.  His poor ears!

Air quality is still beyond hazardous in spite of a bit of rain.  The way I understand, it's the clouds trapping the smoke here.

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Panther disappeared yesterday during our noon walk....never returned.  I guess he's decided he doesn't want his ears treated.  I guess I'll pack the stuff away.  I put his food up last night before bedtime and will put it out again this morning.  I feel bad I can't finish his ear treatment but cats tell us what they want whereas a dog will acquiesce.  

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KayC,

I am happy to hear that you there is no imminent danger at the moment, that must relieve some of the stresses you have been under. I am sorry that Panther is being a cat😾BUT that is why people who have and enjoy cats like/love them. They are definitely independent creatures in their own way. My loving wife and I had many, but luckily they were all indoor cats so treating any medical issues was a little easier. But that didn't mean that they liked it either. I do hope Panther figures out that what you were doing was for his own good and comes back soon, because otherwise he might end up looking like a "fighter" with cauliflower ears, due to cartilage damage. Take care, John

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He showed up this morning in time to eat!  I put away the stuff for his ears so he wouldn't be scared off and hope that a week's treatment was enough.  They still have black gunk but hoping it's dead/residual stuff.  Tried to get some out of his ear with my fingers then came in and washed my hands real well as I don't want it just in case!

He was leery when I first fed him but I went out later and brought him some canned food and he purred and let me love on him and ate. ;)

Air Quality is really bad up here.  I found a neighbor has a sensor and up here the air quality is doubled what LRAPA says for "Oakridge."  As I thought.  Anyway, I have that site now so dumped LRAPA.

Right now it's at 367, more than hazardous, off the charts!  Still masking up for our walks and time outside.

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22 hours ago, KayC said:

Right now it's at 367, more than hazardous, off the charts!  Still masking up for our walks and time outside.

KatC,

It always seems to be something, doesn't it. maybe the weather will change and blow some fresher air to clear it somewhat. Not really sure how it works, makes sense in my broken brain. I am glad Panther was there and you managed to treat his ears again, hopefully every little bit will help. But I also know how quickly things can get out of hand. But as my loving wife was beginning to say before she died, what will be will be. All you can do is what you can do, as it is also for the rest of us. Take care, John

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We don't want wind, that blows the fire either east or west....we are west of it but others are east of it although a lot more room in between.  
Nope, done treating Panther's ears, if he ever lets me, I'll clean them, one is looking better, the other...no.  The hard part is in caring about him as if he's a domestic cat but not being able to take care of him like I would one.  I have to accept that whatever I offer him is better than nothing. 

When I first encountered him, he would meow at me incessantly.  Now, five months later and all he does is squeak.  I don't know if he has throat cancer or what, I only know he can no longer meow.  He drools.  He is obviously not in great shape but oh man has he gained weight!  He's gotten fat!  I'm cutting his food back some.  He is starting to eat a bit less.  Something else got his food night before last and got his bowl filthy!  Maybe a raccoon?  I know they are filthy creatures.  Forgot to put it up again last night so may come out to more of the same.

21 hours ago, John9 said:

All you can do is what you can do, as it is also for the rest of us.

Yes.

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KayC,

I hope that Panther is alright, but I do understand what you have said.

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Kay, 

I realize you are not out of danger, but I am glad you have had a few days with less anxiety that your home will burn. The air quality issue seems less overtly frightening, but is just as dangerous.   I know you will continue to do all you can to protect yourself from the smoke and the fire.

Your extended period of peril here really resonates with me, particularly the difficulty of being all alone. 

I am beginning a high anxiety period here in Florida.  Tropical Storm Ian, soon to be Hurricane Ian, may be coming to Tallahassee.  I have lived through many hurricanes, but most of them were with my husband by my side.  It is so very different facing these threats alone.

Together, we would be preparing for a storm, but now it's all on me.  Limbs touching the house should be trimmed back, gutters cleared again, lawn furniture moved into the shed, storm supplies purchased, car gassed up, prescriptions filled. The list goes on and on.  When we were 2, it seemed manageable. Now it's all on me.  It's exhausting. 

This is one of the most difficult adjustments, for so many of us, everything is on our shoulders alone. 

Nothing to be done about it. It is what it is.  I do still look back longingly at how different life was with my sweetheart by my side.

Gail

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Gail 8588,

I am sorry that you or anyone else is in this terrible "two now one" situation. I completely understand however what you mean, how everything is much more difficult on your own. If for nothing else but the comfort and support when things get to be too much. I hope that all goes well for you with the upcoming storm/hurricane. Take care, John

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6 hours ago, Gail 8588 said:

It is so very different facing these threats alone.

Oh my gosh, yes!  I will never ever forget the Apocalypse we had 2/24/2019, it lasted nearly nine days we were without power or water and the food went bad.  I was afraid to put food out in the snow for fear of it attracting wild animals.  We had 4'5" of snow overnight!  All night, each night, Arlie and I could hear the trees crashing down around us, I didn't know when would be the moment one would crash in on us.  I remember having to go to the bathroom so bad I went out in the snow between the house and garage, anyone could see me from the street but no one was driving anywhere...no road crews, no garbageman, no mail, nothing.  We were cut off from the world.  Letting Arlie out in the yard to do his business I was terrified he step on a stob or branch, trees were down, across the fence, the driveways, everywhere.  I worked solid for a month clearing my yard when it was over!  We made national news and I never heard it.  The pastor came on day 8 and took me down the mountain to church.  He stopped at the church and got out, handed me his keys and told me to go to his house and take a shower, there were towels set out.  He said when I got back to the church they'd have breakfast ready for me.  They'd been housing teenagers stuck in town from a skiing trip, like 90 of them or so, he'd been in touch with Red Cross, Dairy Queen donated food, someone brought their BBQ to the church and they BBQ'd food for them, they got cots and blankets for the kids.  They worked hard all week!  He came up and shoveled on my driveway in front of my car.  My son showed up Wed., he had to spend the night Tues. night in Pleasant Hill as no one could get through the Hwy...we really were cut off from the world!  He set up a generator to my freezer, it quit after a day but it was enough to save the food in the freezer.  It was the middle day.  He had to leave the next day on a convoy out of town as he had to be back to work on Friday....he'd only worked on Monday.
I cooked for Arlie for his acute chronic colitis...he was a big boy at 140 lbs, took a lot of food to feed him.  Somehow God stretched that food as I couldn't cook for him.

We survived.  Amazingly.  You are so right, it was terrifying.  Gail, I pray for your safety!

 

5 hours ago, April Ballou said:

Now with him gone not so much

I am so sorry, April.  Another loss... :(

 

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I am trying to share the National Hurricane Center depiction of where Hurricane Ian is headed.  

https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/refresh/graphics_at4+shtml/025428.shtml?tswind120#contents

I hope this works. 

If it didn't, I'll delete it. 

Anyway, it shows the  storm coming to Tallahassee.

It is still early, and the course can change.  But it is always worrisome when one is headed right for you.

Gail

 

It seems to have worked.  Tallahassee is in the skinny part of the Florida panhandle between Georgia and the Gulf of Mexico.

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It looks to be mostly off the coast on the highest winds, maybe up to 50 mph there?  Have you prepared yet?  When is this to hit?  Be safe, my friend..

Here is an old thread I've recently updated....in total shock!
Here I Go Again

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Hi Kay, 

It is beautiful here in Tallahassee now.  Ian won't arrive until next Thursday.  

They are predicting Ian will strengthen to a category 4 hurricane, out of a possible 5. A cat 4 has wind speed above 130 mph and below 156.  So that will be pretty bad for Tallahassee which has a lot of tree canopy.  My old 1930s wood frame house will be shaking. 

Now it might be that the storm will weaken before it gets to Tallahassee, as the Gulf of Mexico is shallow in the northeast portion. So even though the Gulf waters will be very warm, which would strengthen a storm, they are not very deep, which will not supply the storm with as much energy as deep water would. 

Lots of variables can effect the storm.  Right now is the time to prepare for the worst and hope for the best. 

 Missing my husband a lot this week. 

Gail

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20 hours ago, April Ballou said:

Times like this make me miss my dear sweet husband.   I found out one of his uncles may be dying.  I'm so confused.   I mean we were married 38 years and his family accepted me.  Now with him gone not so much.  All I have left are my 2 grown children and 5 grandchildren. 

April,

I am sorry but it just seems that is the way mo "families" are. My loving wife and I were together for 35 years and I have known her Aunts and such for more then half of their lives and they have all basically disappeared. Only one of my loving wife's Cousins still calls me and I have known here for almost all of her life. She is sadly going through a similar grieving process because her off and on boyfriend of 14 years died about 6 months before my loving wife did. None of her family is understanding what she is going through and none are supporting her. So how could I expect them to support an "outsider" when they won't even support a blood relative. I have received more support online then I have from people who actually know me and have been involved with me for years. But that is why I am here, for support and to try to support others. Take care, John

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Gail I will be praying for you as this transpires!  

I started out to drive the 3 hours to my granddaughter's baptism this morning, got 45 min (freeway) away and my tire pressure gauge came on...lst time that happened was a two day emergency/nightmare!  Nothing open, no help...turned around and prayed my way back to town, had a friend pick me up at Oakridge Tire Center and left the keys and a note in their slot..  

Got home and called my son as I hadn't received a reply to my text.  He said, "THIS is your emergency?!  Did you even get out and check the tires?!"  (Of course I did).  When my friend picked me up she told me the gauge goes not only to my four tires but also the donut under the trunk.  I only know I didn't want to drive several hours on it and take a chance, and I felt very uncared about that my son would expect me to take a chance like that!  No credit for having tried...

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@KayC I'm sorry to hear about the way your on treated you.  That's just wrong.  @John9 yes it's sad that the people you thought were family aren't just because our spouse is gone.  This is a messed up world.  God be with you John9.  God help you KayC.

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1 hour ago, KayC said:

When my friend picked me up she told me the gauge goes not only to my four tires but also the donut under the trunk. 

KayC,

Sorry that you had another issue and no support, at least not any understanding of your concerns.. I am not or was not aware that the sensors included the "spares" because I have had many vehicles in the household and none ever did. But I suppose that there are some out there that do. I don't understand why things like this only seem to happen when the facilities are closed like weekends or holidays. I hope that aside from the inconvenience there is no major issue. Although sometimes the inconvenience is more than we can handle. Take care, John

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16 hours ago, KayC said:

Thank you, both of you.  Feeling pretty down about now...hard to see pictures of my DIL's entire family and my little sister & husband there...but not me.  

KayC,

Sending you a virtual hug and good thoughts. I guess that is what we are down to now, no real hugs for me anymore since my loving wife's Aunt moved on. Take care, John

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Thank you, John.

So I got a call from Oakridge Tire Center....definitely a learning experience.  I found out the sensor's battery can be low, it works on the donut under the trunk as well as the four driving tires, and also this time of year when it turns colder (as it was early am) the tire's pressure can lower...in this instance it went 2 lbs below recommendation in one tire!  So I could have driven on it, I just didn't know.  Something to keep in mind next year!
Will catch a ride with Iris after the mail comes this afternoon to pick up my car.  They said no charge.  
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KayC,

I knew about the temperature change and how it can affect the pressure. My loving wife had a vehicle that was always low whenever it got cold. New tires, new sensors and it still had an issue in one tire. I finally got to where I would check whenever the morning low was under 50. It would have said something yesterday but you already dropped it off at the service center. It is nice that they aren't charging you though.

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On 9/25/2022 at 11:00 AM, KayC said:

Got home and called my son as I hadn't received a reply to my text.  He said, "THIS is your emergency?!  Did you even get out and check the tires?!"  (Of course I did).  When my friend picked me up she told me the gauge goes not only to my four tires but also the donut under the trunk.  I only know I didn't want to drive several hours on it and take a chance, and I felt very uncared about that my son would expect me to take a chance like that!  No credit for having tried...

Oh for pity's sake!  That is just so callous and unkind.  First of all, you're not stupid, of course you checked.  Second, I'm sorry to say that it sounds as if your son is being influenced by your DIL.  My heart is breaking and I'm angry that you not only had to deal with the tire issue, but also that you were treated with such disdain.

As much as I do love technology and modern features, they can mess us up too.  The morning temperature, one tire's pressure reading, and suddenly, you get into a situation like you did.  It's always better to be safe than sorry  when we're unsure, but sheesh, such a small thing caused such a big problem!

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