Book Board Chat

Hi Kathy, yes I've decided to sell them per set, even though each sheet is individually packaged. Unfortunately it doesn't give the depth of the fitted sheet and I don't want to open the sealed packages to measure them. Will probably put in some blurp about older mattresses not being as deep as the overstuffed ones are now. Thanks for responding 🙂

War Horse ~ mother and I saw it yesterday on the advice of my daughter and grand daughter, both horse fanatics who loved it. Told us to bring "lots of tissues".

Some scenes really made me cringe and one just made me ill, I had to remind myself that this took place during WWI, long before animal rights activists...

I neither hated it nor loved it. For me, there was something missing, just can't put my finger on what exactly it was. I think I needed more of the bond between the boy and his horse in the beginning, but it is already a 2 1/2 hour movie...there are some tear-jerker moments though...

Happy New Year everyone!

would like your opinion on something. I picked up 3 different patterns of 70's era Percale sheet sets at an estate sale, each one still in original package. Each set consists of King size flat, fitted and 2 pillow cases, packaged individually. Would you list them as a 3 piece complete set, or individually? I worry that if I list them individually, I might get stuck with the fitted sheets since they don't have the deep pockets the newer mattresses require.

Joanne, it's mysteryhorse who has the stamps, but after doing quite a bit of reading, I agree with you that these are from WW1 era. Some form of Notgeld (emergency currency that was issued mostly locally, although some of it was issued by state, lots of info on it if you google it), however, none are shown perforated like stamps. Also, most of the currencies after WW1 are in the MILLIONS, like 200 million mark notes or other ridiculous amounts, while these are more inline of "normal" amounts. Very interesting, please keep us updated on what you find out.

Just looked at 28 pages of images on google and none look like yours. Now as I stated, some of those are directed at children, others I have no clue. I did find a website that has a LOT of old German currency and they answer questions, you might want to give them a try here http://www.snyderstreasures.com/index.htm

mysteryhorse...I'm still looking around but found this little tidbit online
"How bad was the inflation in Germany in the 1920s?

On October 11, 1924 the monetary unit of Germany was
changed from the Mark to the Reichsmark,
where 1 Reichsmark = 1,000,000,000,000 Mark.
USA's Federal Reserve quotations switched from the Mark to the
Reichsmark on October 29, 1924."

So far I have only found regular bills with straight edges, but I'm intriqued, so will keep looking for a bit

In June 1948 the monetary unit was changed to the Deutsche Mark,
where 1 Deutsche Mark = 10 Reichsmark.

sorry mysteryhorse, she is getting confused..she remembers small notes for money but not that they had ridges like stamps..# 5 again is something for kids to cash in if they behaved themselves and learned in school..then one says Reichsbanknote but in the form of a stamp...hopefully some WWII expert will come forward and help

ok mom is looking at the first two and she says when high inflation hit around WWII (she can't remember exactly, she was a small child) says around the time the Americans came) and money was pretty much worthless, they had money in small stamps like this, so that might be what you have,
The christmas stamps she's never seen, but there are so many different regions throughout Germany and they do things differently. For example we always called the man bringing gifts St Nikolaus, but in Bavaria he could well be known as Der Weinachtsmann..maybe someone from a different region can help you better. They appear to be gift stamps, maybe from a local candy shop (since they are redeemable for cash or sweets)?
Sorry I couldn't be of more help

can't give you a date for certain but they ARE older. When mom wakes up from her nap I'll have her take a look to see if she remembers something like them from her childhood in Germany. I think they are from before my "time". If you can get me some close ups of the first two pics, I'll have her take a look at those too. send them to memoriesofyesterdays@cox.net or repost here

That is for the 3rd image, I can't really make out the first two pics enough, I see one for 20 Marks, but without seeing it closer, I don't know if those are old German paper money or something else.

oh the translation is 50 Pfenning in cash or sweets I am gifting to you when you are good (behave), from the Weinachtsman (Santa)

crawling out from under the rock I've been hiding under (is Christmas over yet?)

Hi Mysteryhorse 🙂 Those are cool! They are gift stamps from the "Christmas Man" (Santa) and can be exchanged for cash or sweets in the denomination stated (50 Pfenning is one) . I am assuming they would have to be given to the parent or whomever gave the stamps.

I'm popping in and out too, very quiet in here today.

I cashed in some "agony points" yesterday, stopped at a DAV I hadn't visited in a long time and found some gorgeous vintage lingerie. Been washing, steaming and taking pictures so hopefully I can get them listed tomorrow, and am checking in here on and off.

Hi everyone.

We had one trick or treater here last night, and a whole bunch of candy left 🙁

Wanted to show you what a difference a year makes.

After my daughter had to put her beloved Casey down last year due to pancreatic cancer, she was absolutely heart-broken. He had been her constant companion for 12 years, from the time he was 6 weeks old. But as many of you know, a house that used to have a furry family member, feels awfully empty once they are gone, and after about 4 months, Kris started to visit the local animal shelter in Albuquerque..."just to look around".

Then one day she called me all excited and said "Mom, I found him!!!"

She paid the adoption fee but was told she had to wait a week to get him because he had to be neutered first. She was to finally bring him home on a Friday afternoon.

She planned on leaving work early that day and called the shelter to let them know she was coming to pick up Jasper. Imagine her heart-break when the shelter worker told her there was a problem..Jasper tested positive for heartworms! (why they don't test before putting an animal up for adoption beats me)

Kris was in tears, telling me that after everything she just went through with Casey (and the over $3000 vet bills he incured), she didn't think she could go through it again so soon, and with a heavy heart, decided to pass on Jasper and get her fees back.

The shelter worker then told her that he didn't stand a chance of being adopted by someone else and they would have to put him down the next day. Kris called a local rescue telling them about Jasper, but they couldn't come and get him in time.

She went home, but couldn't forget those golden eyes looking at her, pleading Please take me home

So she did take him home. He was about 20 pounds underweight for his size I need some food and lots of love

Jasper is a very friendly dog, with lots of love and incredible gentleness towards my little grand daughter, and they have become best buddies.

Jasper has gone through the heart worm treatment, has been pronounced to be inperfect health, and last night he accompanied Kris and Alena on their Trick or Treating in costume, of course

Kris tells me she isn't sure of who rescued whom, she certainly saved Jasper's life, but he has already repaid that in tons of love and loyalty 🙂

Dan...shhhh, so far she is more fascinated with the horses 😉

One more pic, just received it. canter

It's a gorgeous day here today, blue skies, but VERY cold! 36 this morning 🙁

LOL mysteryhorse. That's why I thought it was ok to post the pics here, thinking there would be several ladies who could totally identify with Dakotah 😉

Thank you 🙂 Yes, she works hard on it, except she doesn't consider it "work". That girl would sleep in a stall if we would let her LOL

When she was 4 years old, her mom took her to see the movie Dreamer with Kurt Russel and Dakota Fanning. She decided right then and there she wanted to learn to ride horses and has been at it ever since. (She's 11 1/2 now) Saturdays are spent at the barn with lessons, summer school vacations at riding camps...and her piggy bank is quite fat, with almost every dollar she receives for birthdays, christmas etc, going towards her own horse some day.

Her room, of course, is overun with anything horse related. I'm hoping that as long as she is so fanatical about horses, she won't take notice of boys for some time yet LOL

Hi everyone 🙂

I hope you all don't mind a proud grandma showing off here. My grand daughter Dakotah had a fantastic morning 🙂
I hope I did this right...

Getting ready
Practice
Entering the ring
Way to go!

ohhh Sam, Max and Moritz were creepy 🙁

I was in German school when mom met dad, and was taught the proper Oxford English. I constantly argued with the teacher because Dad didn't sound like that and I much prefered his English. I adored him, and wanted to be able to have conversations with him, he always insisted that I try to speak English to him, even though he understood German, because I would some day end up in the US and needed to know the language. Now my German is so rusty I'd be embarrassed trying to have a conversation in German.

Of course when mother was "out of it" during her recent surgery, she reverted to speaking German 95% of the time (something she hadn't done in 40 years). I could still understand it though 🙂

Hi all,

you all mentioning the Brothers Grimm fairy tales, made me a bit homesick. I was born in Hanau, Germany, birthplace of the Brothers Grimm, and I grew up on their fairy tales. Yes, by today's standards I guess they are scarey, but I loved them as a child.

I also loved seeing the statue of them in the town center where a farmer's market was held twice a week. Grandma used to tell me that at the stroke of midnight, the brothers would switch places (one is sitting, one is standing).

Here is a great website with pics if you'd like to take a virtual tour of my hometown. It brought back so many happy memories.

http://www.germany-insider-facts.com/hanau-germany.html

If you scroll down a bit or check out the embedded video, you will see the statue several times. The beautiful castle pictured there was a big part of my life as a child. One of the wings was converted into apartments and my uncle rented one of them, top floor, overlooking the beautiful park that is in the back. There also was a yearly festival held in t he park, a roller skating rink for us kids, and just enough small hills to have a blast with our sleds in wintertime.

My step-dad was stationed there in the late 60's and met my mom there. We came to the US in 76 and I haven't been back since, there is no more family left to visit there. Still, seeing so many familiar places makes me wish that I can go back at least one more time, and with much more appreciation of it all, than I had as a child and teenager growing up there 🙂

As to scarey fairy tales, these are the ones that used to scare the heck out of me as a child, called Struwwelpeter http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Struwwelpeter

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Struwwelpeter

It's amazing how several folks can look at the same thing and come away with a completely different view about what they saw. Ginny - I got it. The trust between horse and rider was amazing. Maybe I'm off base, but what also came to my mind is that both horse and rider come from Australia, where there are lots of brush fires etc. I would rather the horse trusted it's rider to lead him safely, then to panic and die in the fire.

The girl also was amazing, but I held my breath every time she had that horse stop like that. Horses' legs are fragile and I winced each time she did that. And that's my opinion 🙂

Dorothy, thank you for your response, I followed your directions and turned the feedback reminder off.

Sam, I noticed you mentioned looking forward to "Once upon a time". I did too and watched it. Won't say anything about it since you are on CA time and I'm Eastern and not sure if it has already aired your way. Let me know what you thought....

I have actually found a couple of new shows this season that I really like, BUT every time I do that, they get cancelled..keeping fingers crossed this time my favorite won't be on the chopping block.

Hi all! So I decided to start listing again under this ID and am noticing a few changes. Seems ebay now sends out emails automatically and one of them is a feedback reminder after 1 month if none was left. I HATE feedback reminders and don't want this to go out. Is there any way to turn it off? I don't see that option. Also noticed when I sent up a test listing that it now says "Add to shopping cart". When did that happen and is it working as it should?

Thanks in advance, Rose

Patsy, read below that your GS's laptop was stolen today, and just minutes ago found this link on my local news onhow to track your stolen laptop.

Here you go, hope it helps http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/44937566/ns/local_news-portsmouth_va/

I had used my bookmark and was taken to the threaded board but can click on Maureen's link and get there. Although, there really is no reason to go back --- the lights are on, but no one's home

Hi Irene, thank you for asking. I took her to her primary doc today (the one who wouldn't return my calls). He changed her back to her normal meds, which other docs in the hospital and rehab facility had changed. For some reason, at the rehab they put her on a second BP medicine, in addition to her regular one.

Mentally she appears fine, but her legs which weren't good to begin with, don't seem to want to hold her up for more than a couple of steps. We have a physical therapy nurse coming 2 or 3 more times to work with her, but mom and I decided it's time to look around for a wheel chair for her for times when she can't use her motorized scooter, or even in the house when her legs give out. I can't lift her and she literrally had to crawl on all fours to the couch last week (luckily we have an open window type area in one wall in the kitchen and she was holding on to the sill as she was going down slowly) and then between leaning on the coffee table and the couch, and with me grabbing under her arms from behind, finally got her on the couch. I'm hoping she will get at least some of her strength back in her legs - but her brain is "working" again 🙂

I just tried and was taken to the Booksellers board, guess it's gone - history. I'm sad since I checked into that board on an almost daily basis since 1999, even if I didn't post much. Yet I am also glad it is gone because of what it had become.

Hi all, just an update. Mother is coming home tomorrow, she sounds fine for the most part. What is missing is her crankiness, her constant demands and her negativity. Do you think that might have been "erased" in her memory lapses? nahhh 🙂 I'm sure that'll come back too and after what I've been through, I think I'll take it.

Something good did come out of this experience though. She was always terrified of ending up "in a place like that". She found the nurses and aides to be very nice as well some of the residents. I think she might have actually enjoyed a couple of the activities over the last two days.

She'll need some help physically and a home health aide will be by to see what she needs. Also found out through a friend who put us in touch with someone else that mother qualifies for some additional funds through the VA she had not been collecting and got the forms to fill out for that.

I need a vacation but I don't think that's in the cards anytime soon. It is amazing how your life can change in a matter of hours. She has an appointment monday to get the staples out, will definately have some questions for the surgeon and will go from there. I want answers!

Casinokat - I'm very sorry to hear you lost a furry friend.

Jim, you are correct of course and we played along, we learned to do that with my dad who saw weird things just before he died. There was no sense in upsetting her more than she already was. Although she said the "monster" was ugly, she didn't seem to be afraid of it. I did, however, draw the line at trying to kill hundreds of big spiders she saw crawling all over the walls. I told her I would call an exterminator and that seemed to be ok with her. In her normal mental state, one spider has her yelling for me to kill it NOW

Joanne, YES, Haldol. I'm no expert on drugs but I did question that one because I thought it was used for phychiatric purposes and was assured it was to calm her down only. Thanks for confirming this is what it is used for and will definately question it.

by the way, someone asked me about my profile pic in a message, that is my great-grandma at the age of 93 and me, age approx 18 months.

Hi Paula, she was given morphine from Friday night in ER through Saturday because they couldn't operate right away because she was on Plavix, so post-poned the surgery until Sunday morning. She was in a LOT of pain before the surgery and they also found that her potassium levels were dangerously low, most likely due to the infected gall bladder. She got a bit of morphine after the surgery on Sunday but when I asked her Monday if she had any pain, she said it was minimal compared to before. Monday there was slight confusion, she couldn't remember what day it was even though I had told her 3 times in a little over an hour. That night, after I left, they gave her a shot of delaudate (sp?) which I am told is a very storng pain killer (which she didn't need). The next morning, Tuesday, she told me about the monster in the cabinet and other things supposedly going on outside her window. I went and told the nurse and they then gave her a shot of Atavan, which made her very irritable and restless. She was trying to peel her sheet into layers, looking for stamps I supposedly collect (I don't) between the sheets cause they had just been there etc. Since she didn't calm down and go to sleep, they then followed that up with the Haldol and from there is was 100% dillusional. Yes, they gave her a LOT of meds and I will find out why. No one at the hospital told me that elderly people can have a reaction like this from the anesthesia or meds, and with all those drugs, she never went to sleep. We had a heck of a time keeping her in bed or in a wheelchair with a tray on so she couldn't get up. When my daughter and I slipped out for about 45 minutes to get something to eat, she became so agitated they wheeled her up to the nurses station, where she proceeded to scream the place down, so they had to put her back to bed. Only after my daughter and I came back did she calm down a little, although still seeing things.

I felt like I was totally alone in this and had no idea what was happening to her, someone told me they had seen something like this with a relative and the anesthesia set off full blown alzheimers/dementia in that person. I was truly terrified when I posted here last night, but she does seem to be coming around today and I'm hoping tomorrow will be even better as far as her personality/memory. The physical rehab is nothing compared to thinking she had totally lost her mind.

Sorry to take up so much of a "book" board about my mother, but I knew others here had experience with elderly parents and their health problems, I just knew someone here would be able to shed some light for me, and I appreciate it more than I can say!

Now back to your regular scheduled program 🙂

Hi all, I'm home for the night. Visit went well, she really perked up when I told her I brought Tasha. The facility has a really nice patio with flowers and umbrella's at the table so I got her in a wheelchair and took her outside for the visit. She wanted a cigarette so gave her one and she was happy. She is not her old self, but at least she is not seeing monsters or other imaginary things today. She wants to come home but seemed to understand that she needs to stay a little while longer. I brought her several small bottles of water and told her I expect her to drink 3 a day, that she needs to flush all that awful medicine out of her system. Right now she is only getting her regular medication from before the surgery and they gave her 2 shots of an anti-clotting medicine, most likely because of just laying around and also that huge bruise on her side from falling into the shower while in the hospital.

I did speak to the surgeon every day while she was at the hospital but he never adressed my concern about her mental state. I will request her records though to find out exactly who ordered all that strong medicine she didn't even need. Like I said, she wasn't even in pain when I left for the night.

Diane - I DID raise hell when the discharge nurse came in yesterday, admitted to not having met her before or knowing anything about her, then told her the doc wanted her to go to rehab for a little while. Mom said "absolutely NOT", she then asked well what do you want to do and mother said "go home". The nurse then looked at me and said she has the right to make her own decissions and we can't force her into rehab, that's considered kidnapping. NEVER once looked at her chart or tried to really talk to her to assess her mental conditon when mother had been completely dillusional for @36 hours.

I am very disappointed in her primary physician, that he didn't even have the curtesy to return a phone call.

Anyway, I am MUCH more hopeful today than I was yesterday, I knew I could count on you all to give me insights and advice. THANK YOU!!!

oops, "she" tried to kick my daughter, not me LOL

Hi all. Tahnk you so much for all of the responses. I've already been there this morning and brought her coffee and some roses I cut from our bushes. She seems more coherent, but very slow. Still that appears to be a major improvement from yesterday.

I completely agree with Sam that "someone" should let family know what to expect, or at least explain it when it happens. All I've gotten is the brush-off...she no longer needs hospitalization, where do you want her...that's it. She was ok Monday night and had been off the morphine for pain, then after I left they gave her something very strong...delaudid (sp?). I don't know WHY they gave her that. Then the next day when she was seeing monsters, they gave her atavan, which made her extremely agitated. They followed that up with haldol...she never went to sleep, just more and more agitated and then aggressive. I tried to kick my daughter when we wouldn't take the tray off her wheelchair so she could get up.

She thought the nurses were her new house cleaners and she gave them hell for not cleaning the way she likes it to be done..

My biggest disappointment is that I have called her primary physician, whom she has had for over 30 years, twice..and all I get is a return call on the answering machine saying, 'talk to the doctor in charge" both at the hospital and at the rehab facility.

I'm going back there shortly to bring her her own blanket, some bottled water and a towel, there are none at the facility for the patients, they want them to use the rough paper in the dispenser. But most importantly, I am bringing her DOG to see her. She keeps petting the corner of the bed, saying "yes you are a good girl". I'm hoping that seeing Tasha will really help.

thank you again for your help, I truly appreciate it!!!!

Hi Sam, thank you so much for responding. I am really trying to keep my hopes up that she will recover from this, but to see such a drastic change in a parent in such a short time is very frightening. She kept demanding to know why my dad wasn't there with her and would not let me evade the issue. It tore me up to have to tell her that he died 3 years ago, she looked really sad, then perked up and said that wasn't possible because she had seen him this morning having ice cream with his grandkids.

I plan on going over early in the morning to bring her some coffee, she is very particular about her coffee and I know she won't like theirs over there. I hope you are right and that I'll see some kind of improvement, it is just heartbreaking to see her like this.

I didn't ask to have her put into the rehab facility because she is confused mentally, but she keeps trying to get up and go to the bathroom or wherever, and she can't stand up. She didn't ring for the nurse in the hospital, tried to go to the BR on her own, tripped over her own foot and fell into the shower, bruising her whole right side, and so lucky she didn't break anything. I can't watch her 24 hours a day and am afraid she would get hurt worse if I turn my back for just a minute taking the dogs out or getting the mail.

Sorry to ask here but I know several folks here have experience dealing with elderly parents with problems.

I meant to say that all the activity she "sees" outside her window, wasn't there, no construction, no one moving in, everything she saw out there was only in her mind

Hi all. I haven't been around much, but I really need to reach out to some of the folks from the BB for some ideas and/or helpful advice. Don't have many other places to turn.

As I've mentioned before, I live with my mother, moved in with her when Dad died and had promised him I'd take care of her. She has some serious mobility problems but her mind, until recently had been as sharp as can be. There's been a few instances that have concerned me, having to repeat myself several times, or her forgetting a conversation we had just hours earlier and insisting I had never mentioned the subject to her before. But for the most part, she was functioning, balancing her checkbook (slowly) but getting it right, etc.

Last Friday evening I had to take her to the ER with some very serious stomach pains. Finally, around 1:30 am they diagnosed her with a large gallstone stuck in the duct and she needed surgery, so they admitted her. She had to wait until Sunday morning for the surgery because of blood thinners in her system, but they did the surgery and she came out of it just fine.

Monday she seemed ok except she repeatedly asked me what day it was. I thought it was just confusion over being in the hospital for several days and she was supposed to be discharged Tuesday morning.

When I brought her her coffee Tuesday morning, she seemed fine until about 5 minutes later she was seeing a big, ugly monster in the cabinet in her room. Shortly after that she was discussing activity outside her window (construction, families moving in, thinking it was her townhouse building etc). Then she started talking in German, something she hasn't really done in close to 40 years, and she was not making any sense. By the end of the day she was totally delusional, garbled speech that wasn't close to English or German, but appeared to be a language all her own.

She thought I was her mother, she was looking for my dad (who died 3 years ago), she is seeing bugs crawling on the walls, she is totally and completely out of it and appears as someone who is in advanced stages of Alzheimers.

The hospital wanted to discharge her home in this condition, and I had to insist that they transfer her over to a rehab facility which is very close to the house. We took her there today. She only has maybe 5 minutes of being aware, during which time she cusses at me for "dumping her in a home and forgetting about her", before her mind slips away again.

I took a 74 yo woman with minor memory problems to the hospital on Friday for gallbladder surgery and today she is pretty much a a mental vegetable.

Some are telling me she could have had a reaction to all the meds and anesthesia they pumped into her and she "may" come out of it, other know of older relatives who went into full blown alz because of anesthesia...any advice for me? I am a wreck!

Hi all, I'm checking in 🙂 Mom, both dogs and I are fine. Had some larger tree limbs come down after dark and power on and off several times during the night, but was working when we got up. Cox cable was out so no internet, tv or telephone until just a little bit ago. Called Cox and apparently a big tree was down in the neighborhood somewhere damaging the lines, but all working now.

Talked to girlfriend this morning, some guys were driving by with chainsaws and got the tree off the house, cut it up and hauled it off to the tune of $300. They'll have to get estimates for the damages to the house but she would prefer not to do an insurance claim because their insurance charges 10% of the value of the house as a deductible. I had never heard of that, but that's what she has. They just got power back but there is something wrong with the well pump. Her husband has been trying to fix/figure out what is going on. Apparently something more than the pump loosing it's prime, but all are safe and that's what matters.

Glad to hear others have checked in. Oh, I wanted to chime in about the reporters -- when we lost power for 4 hours yesterday and I discovered mom had thrown the battery radio away because "we never use it", I sure was missing the up to the minute reports on where the eye was and how long before the strongest winds would get here, as well as the damage reports all around us in the Tidewater and Hampton Roads area as well as Richmond where my daughter and two grandkids live.

Hi patsy, yes I know but they relied on their generator which has seen them through several storms. She has a house full of people too. She said the tree hit the corner of her house damaging the living room and upstairs bedroom. I've been watching our tall trees all day, they are the scariest part. I'm sure you've heard by now that an 11 year old boy was killed in Newport News when a tree split and crashed into their apartment. His mother and a baby got out but they had to dig him out from underneath the rubble and he was dead. So sad...

Hi all, thought I'd check in. We lost power for some time but back on now, although still flickers occassionally. We've been getting pounded all day and are now entering in the final hours of the storm. It should let up after midnight.

So far we are ok. Since power went out so early I wasn't prepared, but as soon as it came back on I made TWO pots of coffee, heated something to eat and just was able to let the dogs out real quick. They hadn't been out since 9 am, poor things. Mother's dog who is usually a bundle of nerves in a storm has been doing really well, probably because we've had no lightening or thunder.

Just had a phone call from my best friend in Chesapeake. She has a tree in her house, no power all day and some sort of problem with their generator so no water for flushing since she is on a Septic System.

For those still waiting for the storm, make your coffee early 🙂 and stay safe!

Good morning. Thought I'd check in before we lose power here. Rain and wind gusts started around 7:30 this morning, already a few branches down.

Had to call the owners of the unit next to us to come and clean up what their tennants didn't do before they left town. Left bicycles out, about 25 various flower pots, a folded up dog crate etc. Since we have propane tanks outside, mother was very worried of flying metal objects smacking into them. Owner of the unit was not happy I guess since we saw he threw the bicycles into the woods..oh well.

Norfolk Fire and rescue was called this morning to rescue two people and a cat who where at anchor 400 ft from shore in a SAIL boat. The winds and surf was to rough that they couldn't use helicopter or motor boats to reach them, so did it the "old fashioned" was with a rope cannon. The boat is laying on shore now, and I certainly hope these idiots will be charged the full cost of the rescue.

We are expecting the worst of the storm here between 6pm and midnight, although it looks like there is a slight shift to the east which will get us a bit farther away from the highest winds which are now predicted to be around 75 mph for our location.

Lots of People about 20 miles south of us have already lost power, but since we are on the same power grid as the local hospital here, we are hoping we won't be without for too long.

The one thing I have found that we do NOT have is a battery powered radio. I know we had one, but apparently mother threw it in the trash a while back because "we never used it". Too late now to try and find one now.

HI all. Mom and I are in the path also, have done all the prep I can think of (thank you Patsy for all of your valuable tips). Just came back from town, filling up the gas tank, getting cash, picked up mother's meds. Not too bad out there. Seems the busiest store in town was the liquor store LOL. My daughter has invited us to come to her house in Richmond, but just talked to a neighbor via cellphone who is headed that way. A normail 45 minute drive, she's been stuck in traffic on I 64 for 2 1/2 hours and isn't even half way there. I think we'll stay put, especially since mom has a 80 pound nervous wreck of a dog and mom can't walk, so trying to get them there from here won't be a picnic either.

I do hope that all who are in the path of this storm will be safe and check in as soon as you can to let everyone know you are alright. Even though I don't post often, I do read daily and would like to know you are safe.

Kathleen, I am 50 miles south of Richmond and our whole house shook, crystal clunking together and rattling, the dogs terrified. They are saying it was felt as far as Wash DC and Ohio, and to expect aftershocks which could be stronger than the original. Plus I guess Irene will be heading our way too, and I'm scheduled to fly out to Albuquerque on Tuesday, with my mother (whom I am taking care of) being terrrified now that "the whole world is going to end" before I get back LOL

Hi Diane - yes 🙂 Kathleen welcomed me with bells ringing LOL

Hi everyone! Finally decided to check out the new place and really like it.