Shelley's Take Two - Reading off my own shelves - 2023 - page 6

Home from a week in Montreal and I figured I better start a new thread now because next week I will be back there again. Let's just say, not fun times...

I call this first one *Bliss*. Theo was on my lap and we were having an under-the-chin-scritching session. Then I moved my hand, and he moved the angle of his head and suddenly, his *King of the Jungle* DNA just appeared! All that's missing is the big mane!





And equal time to Owen. Only 2 and a half years in the making.



Owen to Theo: I'm sitting here, buddy. You can't have this spot. Go away.

Complete with tail swishing and a low growl I could hear from my own spot on the couch.

Theo went away.

(used to be Theo would do this stare and Owen would jump down and run away. Not any more!)

As per usual, everyone reminds me to be good to myself when I am in Montreal, being stressed. The only thing I can really do *for myself* when I am there is to go for a walk. And all walks lead to Bonder Books. Here's the haul:



The author Gregor Craigie was (maybe still is, who knows) a radio journalist. I remember him from CBC radio. So this book intrigued me. The others just appealed for different reasons.

The Tiffany Girls
No Cure For Being Human
Radio Jet Lag
Remembrance Sunday

And when I got home, I went to the bookstore at the mall. Of course I did:



Zelensky
The Last Doctor
Terry & Me - Bill Vigars (no touchstone for this one)
Recipe for a Good Life

The bottom three books are by Canadian authors.

Now, all I have to do is read them. My reading has been dismal. I just can't turn off the brain enough to focus on reading. I did manage to finish 2 books and am currently reading, and really enjoying, Lessons in Chemistry.

I will do a short review of the 2 I completed later because I wanted to add a few quotes but the books are not next to me now at the computer.

Scenes from a train window. Almost autumn, colours just beginning though this week, the temps are warmer than it's been all of August:

This is actually a photo that was framed behind glass in one of the offices we were waiting in at the hospital last week. I have seen this building in person in downtown Montreal and it is impressive. Imagine living in that building! There is a slight glare of sun across the top right and across his hands, from the sun on the glass. This is a mural that was done a few years after Leonard Cohen died and he liked this photo because it was one his daughter had taken of him years ago.



Ok, I am done now...

Happy new one!

>5 jessibud2: - Thanks, Jim! You are first!

>3 jessibud2: Very interesting acquisitions there, Shelley. I hope you can get some reading mojo back soon... when the mind is stressed, it hesitates to concentrate.

>5 jessibud2: Great images, Shelley. This is thread 6, yes??

I hope you will find some mind space for losing yourself in reading a blissful story.

I am so glad to see your photos. Properly sized, I think. You've got a good grasp of the coding, I'd say. Good for you.

>5 jessibud2: How on earth does the artist control all the shading and color blending working on a 20-or-so-story "canvas"?

Hi! Can anyone tell me where to review books from here? I got a books to review yet I dont know where to go. Can anyone help me? It is much appreciated.

Happy New Thread, Shelley! Great pictures of Owen and Theo! And a fabulous book haul too. Happy October.

Happy new thread!

>4 jessibud2: Lovely photos. Fall is quite magnificent.

>3 jessibud2: Glad you were able to indulge in a bit of retail book therapy. I went to the bookstore yesterday and discovered a few new releases that I did not realize were out yet.

Thanks, Linda, Sandy, Bill, Deb, Anita.

>8 laytonwoman3rd: - It's true, Linda. I wish I could just *escape* into the books but when I read, especially at night, my eyes start to droop from fatigue and when I turn out the lights to sleep, the brain switches into high gear and I can't shut it off. A lot going on with my mum's rapid decline and I am simply juggling too many balls at the moment. Lessons in Chemistry is probably exactly the right book right now as it is engaging, funny (in parts) and keeping me reading. There are parts that are a tad far-fetched and one glaring *mistake* that jumped out at me One of the characters mentioned finding out from DNA testing that his daughter isn't biologically his. I had to google to find out when DNA testing began and learned it was in the 80s that it became commonplace. This story takes place in the early 1960s. I was shocked and disappointed that the author didn't catch that. It is, otherwise, a very good read. I hope to finish it by the end of the week.

>9 SandyAMcPherson: - Hmm, You are right, Sandy. I will try to fix that later. I am not firing on all cylinders these days...

>10 weird_O: - Thank you, Bill. But, in truth, you are quite wrong. Not only do I *NOT* have any grasp of coding, but I wouldn't know what to do with it if it fell into my lap. Here's all I know: I snap a pic on my phone. I email it to myself, then drag the photo from my email to my desktop. I *add a pic to my gallery* on LT. Period. That's it. The only code I know is the one I learned to get the photo from my gallery and into my thread. Meg (familyhistorian) taught me that one. I do know how to put something behind a spoiler alert. Yay me. As for sizing a photo, I know numbers are involved. It's all a foreign language to me. As the beloved robot from the old tv show Lost in Space used to say: it does not compute. At least, not to my brain.
And as for painting large murals on buildings, totally magical and mysterious. There must be a code for that...;-)

>11 bibliosaurus27: - Hello. If you start your own thread, you can add your reviews there. If you add your books to the LT system, you can add your reviews on that main book page. Apologies, but that's the best I can do. I am truly not the right person to ask about technical stuff.

>12 vancouverdeb: - Hi Deb, thanks. The boys are keeping me sane, that's all I can say. There were actually 2 other books I wanted but I will wait for them to come out in paper. The newest ones by Pip Williams (The Bookbinder) and AJ Pearce (Mrs. Porter Calling).

>13 figsfromthistle: - Hi Anita. Actually, I am only seeing the smallest glimmers of fall so far. Summer has returned in full force. It's going to be 28C today, with a humidex of 33C!! It's October, for crying out loud! I did hear that Mother Nature will get the memo by the end of the week, though, thank goodness.

Wordle 836 4/6 meaty, pious, glide, while

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Connections
Puzzle #114
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Happy New Thread, Shelley. Love the Theo topper. Enjoy your week at home. Get in lots of comfort reading.

>16 msf59: - Thanks, Mark. I'm trying....

Happy new one, Shelley!

>5 jessibud2: Dear old Leonard.

Love the regal kitty shots and the autumnal views. x

>18 PaulCranswick: - Hi, Paul. Thanks.

Happy New thread, Shelley.

>14 jessibud2: I’m so sorry you’re going through this. I’ve found I have a hard time reading when I’m stressed too. Keeping you in my thoughts.

>14 jessibud2: Huh...I hate when a mistake like that throws me out of a story I was otherwise enjoying. An editor could have fixed that so easily, too. Blood type testing was available in the 1960s, and it could at least rule out someone as a father, so a quick substitution of a couple words, and BINGO! No more anachronism.)

>2 jessibud2: Love the pictures of your boys!

>3 jessibud2: Nice haul, Shelley!

Happy new thread!

>21 laytonwoman3rd: Sharp thinking, Linda. And Shelley, too... I would have glossed over the DNA fact.

great photos of the cats! I'm sorry that you are going through much stress now.

Deleted.....duh, already answered by Linda in her >21 laytonwoman3rd: spoiler.

I would just add that this type of testing was generally known as "paternity" testing, not DNA testing.

Wow, you have some warm weather , Shelley! It has been about 16 or17 C - which is actually fairly warm once I am out walking the dog for a couple of miles.

>2 jessibud2: Such great photos of your furry friends Shelley.

>3 jessibud2: I don't think I'm familiar with any of those, I shall look forward to your thoughts.

>4 jessibud2: Beautiful. I love the Cohen portrait too. Must get to the biography I have of him.

>20 Storeetllr:, >22 alcottacre:, >24 torontoc: - Hi Mary, Stasia, Cyrel. Thank you for your kind words.

>21 laytonwoman3rd:, >23 SandyAMcPherson:, >25 kac522: - Linda, Sandy, Kathy. Ok, it was bothering me sufficiently and your comments made me decide to go back and find the passage. And guess what? I was wrong. Linda, in fact, what you said is actually what happened. Here is what the passages actually said:
"...It wasn't like your situation. Mine didn't have anything to do with love. Amanda isn't even technically mine in the DNA sense of things," he blurted without meaning to. In fact, he'd only just found out three weeks ago. His ex-wife had long insinuated that he wasn't Amanda's biological father, but he'd figured she'd only said it to hurt him....But his ex-wife's cruel insistence ate at him, and when paternity testing finally became available, he produced a blood sample. Five days later, he knew the truth. He and Amanda were total strangers."

(of course, there is no mention of getting a blood sample from his daughter but I guess that's assumed). Still, in re-reading this now, I see that I completely misread it in my initial reading and in my mind, *DNA* and *paternity testing* just converged so my brain understood *DNA testing* in the sense we know it today.. As quirky and sometimes far-fetched as the story sometimes is, it is too well-written to have made such a sloppy error and the mistake was in fact, mine.

>26 vancouverdeb: - It's 9:30 now and already over 20C here, Deb, and 26C tomorrow, then things drop back to normal and rain for the entire weekend, which I'm sure will bum out people on a holiday weekend but we really need the rain. I don't think we have had any at all in a month!

>27 Caroline_McElwee: - Thank you, Caroline. I have to decide in the next few days which books will come with me next week. Which bio do you have? I haven't read it yet but I heard the one by Sylvie Simmons was the best of the ones written. I did hear her talk about the book, her access to him, etc, in an extended interview a few years ago.

Wordle 837 3/6 meaty, pious, spurt

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Connections
Puzzle #115
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>28 jessibud2: A perfect example of what makes this community such a swell place to hang out! I've had very similar things happen to me after reading a response to one of my own posts..."wait, what? Did I get that wrong? I have to look it up!" Just happened the other day.

>31 laytonwoman3rd: - Exactly. I am not a fast reader at the best of times and recently, there haven't been *best of times*. I guess I am just not paying close enough attention but since I am still reading the book (hope and expect to finish today or tomorrow), it was easy enough to go back and find that passage. I often google things while reading anything but my brain just isn't taking it all in, I guess. Also, I just read that this book, Lessons in Chemistry is about to become an 8-part series on Apple TV+, starting on Oct. 13. Of course, I don't get that or any streaming service so I will miss it. I wish it was on somewhere else that I could watch it. It would be so fun to see. Academy winner Brie Larson is going to play Elizabeth but in the interview, author Bonnie Garmus said the most difficult (and important!) role to cast, was the dog, whose name is Six-Thirty. :-)

Six-Thirty should meet my daughter's dog, Thursday!

Maybe Thursday should have gone to the casting call!

>33 laytonwoman3rd:, >34 jessibud2: too funny!

>29 jessibud2: Yes, that's the one I have Shelley.

Wordle 838 4/6 meaty, pious, churl, bunch

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Connections imperial units, division, baseball team member, insect homophones
Puzzle #116
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>37 jessibud2: Excellent puzzling! I love the way you list the Connections categories! I might steal the idea from you and start doing that, too.

Karen O

>38 klobrien2: - In truth, Karen, I only just thought of it this morning. I don't think I'll list all the words but the categories seemed like a good idea! Steal away!

You are doing well with Connections and Wordle, Shelley. I find Connections can be quite challenging.

Thanks, Deb.

I will definitely finish Lessons in Chemistry today. I thought I'd finish it yesterday but there was more drama at the mother house and it put me somewhat over the edge, stress-wise. I wrote a letter (third one so far) to the 2 heads of the place, and there were 2 phone calls, as well. I have turned into someone I hate, and being so aggressive (assertive? same thing, to me) is so far out of my comfort zone, I can scarcely recognize myself. I finally got a commitment last night, over the phone, that they will meet with me in person next Wed, when I am there. I pushed for that but to be honest, I dread it. I am much better with words when they are in writing and I can revise and edit what I say so it comes out just right. I know I will be visibly nervous and probably emotional right at the moment I shouldn't be. But I have also passed the point of no return and have run out of patience. I will become THEIR worst nightmare if they don't step up and do better. I have already told them in my last letter that this place is becoming MY worst nightmare. I can only hope that they recognize that this is not the PR they will want...

Wordle 839 3/6 meaty, prime, chime

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Connections Peter Pan characters, art movements, Lady____, laughter, in a text. I never heard of *dead* as a text for laughter, by the way and would never have got this if it wasn't part of the final 4 left to me. Weird

Puzzle #117
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Less easy (and probably wouldn't get it at all without google):

🐊 Animal #67 🐇
I figured it out in 9 guesses!
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🔥 1 | Avg. Guesses: 7.7

https://metazooa.com
#metazooa

At least we can do decent postage stamps here in the US of A:

https://www.npr.org/2023/10/02/1202984793/rbg-postage-stamp-usps-sale

>43 kac522: - I read about this! My friend said she'd send me one but I think she forgot. She did send me one Pete Seeger, awhile back but this one is a beauty!

Read and finished awhile ago:

Sophie and the Rising Sun

From Library Journal:
It's 1941, and small-town spinster Sophie has fallen in love with a completely inappropriate fellow. Mr. Oto, a Japanese American gardener, years older, has captured her heart. The growth of their relationship is a gradual, tentative, even poetic event. However, the bombing of Pearl Harbor soon complicates this friendship. The townspeople of Sophie's Georgia burg are suspicious of outsiders and of any unconventional behavior. After the bombing, Mr. Oto must go into hiding while his landlady, Miss Anne, and Sophie both bravely conspire to hide and feed him. The end of the story brings the sudden disappearance of both Sophie and Mr. Oto, and it's up to readers to decide what this means for the protagonists.

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I found this story to be rather quite sad. Its presentation, in various voices, was interesting and there was an edge of tension throughout; it probably says more about my own current state of mind than the book itself but I wish the ending had been different, more clear. But I suspect that feeling of being *left hanging* was intentional on the part of the author.

I'm late...sorry!

Happy Thanksgiving, Canadian friends.

>42 jessibud2: Exactly nine guesses for me as well, Shelley. I’m using Wikipedia. Would be much too difficult without.

Happy Thanksgiving? 🦃 with or without turkey? Sorry, thanksgiving is not a thing here.

>42 jessibud2: >47 EllaTim: Oh, my gosh! I got it in 9 today too! What’s that old saying about great minds…?

Hi Shelley. I love the pictures of Theo and Owen!

>46 richardderus:, >47 EllaTim: - Thanks, Richard and Ella. I don't really celebrate Thanksgiving, we never did in my family. It certainly isn't as big a holiday here as it is in the States. More commercial here, I think. It would probably do me some good to try to find something to be thankful for. These days and especially, these last weeks and months, the mounting stress regarding my mother's care leaves me with, basically, a feeling very opposite to thankful. Sorry to be such a grump but that's what I am these days.

>48 Storeetllr: - Pure luck for me, Mary. There have been days recently when I have not even opened or attempted to play it. I just don't have the patience.

>49 EBT1002: - Thanks, Ellen. They are the only things keeping me sane. That's the truth.

Wordle 840 3/6 meaty, pizza, viola

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Initially looked tricky but it came together fairly easily:

Connections
Puzzle #118

🟩🟩🟩🟩 green - natural feature
🟪🟪🟪🟪 purple - palindromes
🟨🟨🟨🟨 yellow - rhymes
🟦🟦🟦🟦 blue - irregular verbs

Happy new thread, Shelley!

Love the Theo and Owen pictures at the top.
And you always please me with Leonard Cohen! I wish I could live across the road there :-)

>52 FAMeulstee: - Hi Anita. Yes, living across the street and waking up to see that mural every day would be better than living inside it. But the building is on a major downtown street and I can't remember if there are even any apartment buildings facing that mural. You can see in the photo that there are some behind it but those narrow buildings in the foreground are all shops. Still, it's lovely.

I will revise my awful grumpiness in >50 jessibud2:. There are a few people I truly am grateful for: Tracy, the private caregiver I hired for my mum. She is with her 5 and a half hours a day Monday to Friday. She is my eyes and ears there and I truly don't know what I'd do without her. Also, Jacqueline, my petsitter. I hate leaving my boys so frequently but she is the one who not only knows them so well, but they know her and love her and my heart and mind are completely at rest leaving them in her care. She comes in twice a day to feed and play with them. And I have a few friends to whom I can vent and unload whenever the stress of Montreal gets too much for me. Which seems to be more and more in recent weeks. Sometimes I feel buried under the weight of it all. I don't want to unload here on my thread so it's good to have them. There! That feels better already, being thankful. I felt embarrassed and unworthy, being so angry all the time and unable to even see the good for the bad (like being unable to see the forest for the trees).

Happy Sunday, Shelley. Sorry that you are dealing with so much stress. Hoping you get a break at some point. Thankfully you have Tracy and Jacqueline helping out.

I think you mistakenly posted your Wordle on my thread. 😁

You are lucky to have such good helpers in Tracy and Jacqueline. I hope that issues in Montreal can be resolved to your satisfaction soon.

Wordle 841 4/6 meaty, price, belie, binge

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>54 msf59:, >55 torontoc: - Thanks, Mark and Cyrel. Mark, I removed my wordle from your thread and put it where it belongs. Sheesh

>53 jessibud2: Good for you for taking the time to "count your blessings" (one of my mom's favorite phrases in her last difficult years)...sometimes it is so hard to rise out of the stress and obligations to breathe and see what's good about your life, but it does help.

For Connections today, I have 2 categories

yellow - celebratory occasions
purple - __opera (though I don't get *met* opera)

and though one other category of 4 words makes sense to me, it is not one of the correct guesses so I am abandoning the game because I can see absolutely no logical connection between the remaining 8 words and I really have other things to do today

>53 jessibud2: No matter how you got there, it's good for your mood and elevation to be there, Shelley. I'm sorry I don't live closer so I could offer practical support but emotional support and permission to vent away whenever you like, however you need to, is yours. *smooch*

Happy new thread, Shelley. I LOVE your photos.

Thank you, Linda, Richard, Beth. I just feel so close to the edge these days. I might add, I am very grateful for this community.

And if I might have one more rant before I go clean my house and prepare for my travel tomorrow.

Israel.

In my gut, I truly believe that the dictator, power-hungry Netanyahu is somehow responsible. I believe in my heart that he withheld information so he could justify a huge revenge attack. There is not a chance in hell that the Israeli army was so unaware and so unprepared for a so-called *surprise* attack on the exact date of the 50th anniversary of the Yom Kippur war. Not a chance.

Did I ever mention that I was in Israel when the Yom Kippur war began, the first week of my 6 and a half years living there. I was 19 and it was the first Saturday of my 6-month language course and we were on the kibbutz that Saturday afternoon, sitting around the swimming pool when the first air raid sirens went off. We spent a good deal of time in bomb shelters in the following weeks. The Israeli army is a million times smarter than Netanyahu could ever hope to be in 10 lifetimes and there is no way they could not know this was not only a possibility but a probability unless they were somehow duped and who better than Netanyahu, who, like trump, thinks only of himself and his agenda and cares not a whit about others. Those 2 are cut out of the same cloth. I am not a politician but I am also not a complete idiot. And even if I had never lived there, I have eyes and I can read and see the writing on the wall. I should probably not be posting this here, in the mood I am in, but so be it. I'm done now.

I don't have a lot of hope in humanity these days, on any front.

And with that, I am off to dust, vacuum, clean the litter box and pack. I just started a book about Zelensky (see the second picture in >3 jessibud2:). Maybe I should pick something that gets me out of and away from reality. There is far too much reality these days. I guess I am a sucker for punishment.

Maybe I will also have a nap. That ought to do it.

>62 jessibud2: I am so distraught about Israel that I can’t even begin to tell you. I appreciate your rant because I feel the same way in my heart. I see Israel being torn apart from all directions, and you know I love that country as much as you do and despise Netanyahu as much as you do. Hamas scored a direct hit on my cousin’s kibbutz. She is safe (for now). That’s all I’d like to say about this at this time.

Safe travels up north. Wish we could be together for a while. Barbara said she’d visit me next weekend so we can de-stress together. Is that even possible these days?

Hugs, my friend.

"There is not a chance in hell that the Israeli army was so unaware and so unprepared for a so-called *surprise* attack on the exact date of the 50th anniversary of the Yom Kippur war. Not a chance." I agree. My first thought upon hearing about the attack was "No way Israeli intelligence didn't see that coming". Sadly, there's plenty of historical precedent for leadership letting their own citizens take a hit for "reasons"...and not just in Israel.

Good luck on Wednesday Shelley.

>62 jessibud2: Agreeing.

Hi Shelley my dear, Happy New Thread dear friend. I am slowly catching up with all the threads i have starred, not coming on here for a few days seems to leave me so far behind. Sending love and hugs.

I hope that you have had a wonderful Thanksgiving weekend, thus far, Shelley. x

>62 jessibud2: & >64 SqueakyChu: It is indeed heartbreaking. The US should also be more careful in enabling Iran to re-arm and and also in the providing of funds to Hamas.
I think most of us feel as if we are a little bit Israeli today. I'm not sure about Netanyahu's prior knowledge or otherwise but I don't particularly think his leadership has been helpful - having said that those that hate and oppose the mere existence of Israel were always going to attack at the first opportunity they sensed the possibility.

>64 SqueakyChu: - So far, I have heard back from one friend, and one cousin. Still waiting to hear anything from another friend and another cousin. I am avoiding tv news.

>65 laytonwoman3rd: - So right, Linda.

>66 Caroline_McElwee:, >67 johnsimpson:, >68 PaulCranswick: - Thank you, Caroline, John, Paul

Wordle 842 4/6 meaty, pinto, worth, truth

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I will be out of the house in half an hour, I may try connections from the train. Or not. I have books, and I hope to also sleep.

>70 jessibud2: Sleep is the best medicine. It is hard to stay heartened these days. And, I agree very much so with your sentiments at #62.

Howdy do, Shelley..Hoping all's well chez vous.

I hope you have a terrific Tuesday, Shelley, despite your recent stresses.

I am home. It was a hellish week and it will take me awhile to recover. You have no idea how out of my comfort zone it is for me to be aggressive (assertive? Feels the same). More confrontations in one week than in ages/ever. The medical system in that province is beyond ridiculous. I honestly don't have the energy to go into details but let's just say communication is not good, not at the hospital where the appointments were, not in my mother's residence, and while I never used any swear words in my *discussions*, I no longer have the filters and let them know I was not pleased. I also had a lot of questions and suggestions for improvement and I feel I have turned into someone I don't like: *that* person who makes trouble. I said I never wanted to be that person, never wanted to be their worst nightmare but that this whole experience was becoming MY worst nightmare. In advocating for my mother, though, I felt I had no choice. If no one says or does anything to improve bad situations, then nothing will ever change. I came close but never did say it out loud, to uttering a threat of legal action. In truth, I have no desire whatsoever to go that route. It would probably be a lot less expensive and possibly a lot more effective if I could just find a good investigative journalist who could make all this public. Not the PR they want but, if I don't see improvements soon, it will be the PR they get.

I did install a security camera in my mother's room so I can monitor when I am not there because this travelling back and forth is really starting to get to me.

Hardly read at all, all week, despite having several books with me. Also did not sleep much and had to deal with migraines for the first 3 days. I am VERY happy to be back in my own bed.

Wordle 847 2/6 meaty, agent

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>74 jessibud2: (((((Hugs)))) I've had moments like that--becoming a person I didn't like at all--with one of my mother's doctors. It left me feeling very shaken, and yet like I had done something absolutely necessary. As it turned out, I was not the first person to raise serious concerns about that particular doctor, and he soon left the area, although under what exact circumstances I do not know. Still, upon reflection, I have no regrets about my actions. I hope you don't, either.

>76 laytonwoman3rd: - The current *new* doctor at my mother's residence is only ONE of the issues I was dealing with. When I met with the powers that be on Thursday morning, I told them flat out, 3 strikes and he's out. I have had 3 pretty unpleasant issues with this man since July, when he began there, and I asked them to please continue to look for someone else. I told them I have zero trust in him - and that is not good because my mother has complicated medical issues. More than once - including this week - I had to go to the pharmacy and have them check her files to clarify something I knew to be true but that the doctor couldn't be bothered to check. Like you, I am not sorry I am being so aggressive. But my mother was of that generation where doctors were revered as gods; you didn't question their *expertise*. That's the value system I was raised to believe but thankfully, I don't buy that baloney. I question EVERYTHING. I only wish I didn't have to. It feels wrong and disrespectful even though, intellectually, I know it is anything but. And yes, shaken is a good description of how it left me feeling. Shaken and angry.

Thanks for the hugs. I have errands to run now then I plan to veg for the rest of the weekend.

Ugh, what an unpleasant (to say the least) experience. I’m so so SO glad your mom has you to advocate for her. As an older person, I can attest how difficult it is to advocate for oneself. {{{hugs to you and your mom}}}

Sorry for you (and your mother!) with that horrific experience. Hopefully something good will come out of your advocacy. Hope you have a relaxing weekend---you deserve it.

>78 Storeetllr: - Thanks, Mary. Since I don't have anyone at all to advocate for me, I plan to stay as healthy as I can for as long as I can and the minute I feel that I am on the downslide to no return, well, I am getting things in order now, let's just leave it at that. I will NEVER allow myself to be in a care home because unless someone you trust is able to oversee and monitor, well... just no. This experience with my mum has changed everything for me. My mind, my thoughts, my plans.

Connections
Puzzle #125
🟪🟪🟪🟪 plunder
🟦🟦🟦🟦 slang for home
🟩🟩🟩🟩 rotary phone parts
🟨🟨🟨🟨 butt

>81 jessibud2: We mirror each other’s scores today. Today’s puzzle seems made for us older folks.

ETA When I said “us,” I meant the royal “we.” 😆

>75 jessibud2: Nice jump, Shelley!

I am so sorry you have to deal with this Shelley. When you have to be as assertive as that, you just need to do it. But it isn’t what anyone wants, of course. I worry about "later" as well. I have a friend who had a stroke and is now in a nursing home. It’s tough.

I am very sorry you have had such a rough week, Shelley. I'm glad you were able to be assertive and also glad that you installed security cameras for your mom and for your peace of mind.((( Hugs)))) I hope you are having a relaxing weekend.

This should have been easier, given that I had 3 correct letters in the correct spots right from the get-go.

Wordle 848 4/6 meaty, ready, beany, leaky

⬜🟩🟩⬜🟩
⬜🟩🟩⬜🟩
⬜🟩🟩⬜🟩
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩

Bombed in Connections. Too many overlap options and I chose all the wrong ones. Oh well.

>83 EBT1002: - Thanks, Ellen.

>84 EllaTim: - Thank you, Ella. I try to focus on just the next step. I just have to outlive my mother first and then, after that, I will refocus.

>85 vancouverdeb: - Thanks, Deb. I'm trying.

Sorry about the state of affairs for your mother in Montreal. She is lucky that you are advocating for her!

>88 torontoc: - Thanks, Cyrel

Wordle 849 4/6 meaty, braid, prawn, graph

⬜⬜🟩⬜⬜
⬜🟩🟩⬜⬜
🟨🟩🟩⬜⬜
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩

I got 2 of the 4 categories in Connections but see nothing in common in the remaining 8 words. 5 of them could be a category but that's not helpful. So, I bombed.

Edited to add, I just got lucky here, figuring to use up my last guess and it worked. Still, the last one was only correct because it was all that was left, not because I figured it out myself. Sheesh.

Connections
Puzzle #127
🟩🟩🟩🟦
🟩🟩🟩🟦
🟦🟦🟩🟦
🟦🟦🟦🟦 Addams Family characters
🟩🟩🟩🟩 go bad
🟨🟨🟨🟨 days of the week
🟪🟪🟪🟪 fat____

Shelley, I feel so sad for you and for your Mum, too.
These care facilities are so scary in Canada. Very few are reliable, as far as I can tell. Family living in Quebec have since relocated because the health system there is so broken.
And I just think it's a sinful way eldercare is managed in Canada. I wish you could have her closer to your home but I suppose that is not a possibility. Sending healing thoughts to you and maybe there are some ideas you can find about a health advocate to support you in this whole situation.

>90 SandyAMcPherson: - Thank you, Sandy. Since installing a security camera in my mum's room last week, I witnessed over the weekend behaviour that I consider not only *less than acceptable* but bordering on egregious. I wrote yet another very long letter to the powers that be yesterday and have yet to receive a reply. I asked about how the caregivers are trained, or even *if* they are trained, to deal with and interact with dementia residents. I then explained than rather than just complaining about what I see as a big problem, I wanted to be part of the solution. I literally gave them a script on how to talk to someone with dementia, and reminded them that kindness and patience are essential and if they are unable to display those qualities, they have no business working on that floor. I even suggested that perhaps if they were paid more, they might feel that their work is valuable and take more pride in doing it well. So far, not a word in response. After my frustrations of last week, and now, this past weekend, I finally put on paper what I had been thinking in my head: I asked them outright what they thought my next step should be: Better Business Bureau (as a private care home, they ARE a for-profit business), a lawyer, an investigative journalist to expose all this. I said my number one preference is that they address this internally but that if my back was against a wall and I was left left with no choice, I would act. Yep, it's a threat but what else could I do?

As for my other main source of stress this past week, it's the situation in Israel. It is heartbreaking and terrifying and it makes me angry and sad. I truly believe in my gut that there can never be peace in that region of the world, as long as there are barbarians and political psychos in charge - and I'm not just talking about the 2 sides currently engaged. Perhaps the one and only *good* thing that can be said at all is that it's Biden and not trump, speaking for the States. Can you just imagine if trump was president now? If he would be the one going to Israel tomorrow? He would make the trip all about himself. He would probably say that Hamas are *good people*...

So far, I have managed to hear from my close friends and my family there and at this point, all are still safe and accounted for. But, as everyone knows, this could all change at any moment. My best friend in Israel is an American married to an Israeli. Back in 1976, they were among the people on the airplane that was hijacked to Entebbe, Uganda and held hostage in the airport terminal for 8 days. There was a (mostly) successful rescue of them by the Israeli Defense Force. The big irony here is that the commander of that rescue (who died in the mission) was none other than Yonathan Netanyahu, the older brother of the current prime minister. He was, by all accounts that I have read, an amazing human being, and a real *mensch*. The total and complete opposite of what his brother turned out to be. I can only imagine the PTSD my friends are currently experiencing. I am in touch with her almost daily and she isn't voicing it; she is a very strong lady but I know her well enough to know it's lurking.

Wordle 850 4/6 meaty, plait, audit, adult

⬜⬜🟨🟨⬜
⬜🟨🟨⬜🟩
🟩🟨🟨⬜🟩
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩

>91 jessibud2:. I think you are 100% correct in how you are handling your mum’s situation although I know it’s taking quite a toll on you.

As for Israel, I’m dealing with all those same issues with my Israeli family and friends. I wake up each day with a heavy feeling in the pit of my stomach before I check the Israeli news.

>91 jessibud2: What thoroughly angers me is the lack of Federal-Provincial funding for long-term care places and nursing homes. It so *shouldn't* be for profit. IMHO, that invites cutting corners and underpaying staff.

I saw on the CBC news yesterday that at least a billion dollars from Provincial and Federal funds (read taxpayer money) are being used to help fund a private EV battery plant east of Montreal.

I think this is an egregious use of public funds and used for an environmentally harmful product.

I found this info online,
China, which dominates the world's EV battery supply chain, gets almost 60 percent of its electricity from coal—a greenhouse gas-intensive fuel. According to the Wall Street Journal, lithium-ion battery mining and production are worse for the climate than the production of fossil fuel vehicle batteries.

What is so dreadful about public moneys supporting this is that so much more appropriate use is crying out for hellp:
Just think of the improvements that would accrue should the funds be applied to healthcare!

I wish the electorate was smart enough to be very proactive in pushing their candidates at nomination meetings to realize we're already in a trillion dollar public debt and it is so inappropriate to use it for vehicles few of us have an interest in buying.

>91 jessibud2:, >93 SqueakyChu: My heart goes out to all the people at risk in this latest conflict in Israel, and to all friends here who have friends there...I have no individual connections in that part of the world, and therefore can take a news break once in a while when it gets too much. (I do it with matters here in the US that trouble me deeply at times as well---mental health requires it.) If you have dear ones in harm's way, that's never an option is it? I agree with Shelley that there is not much hope on the horizon, but as good times can turn bad without warning, sometimes bad situations take an unexpected good turn as well. Keep the thought.

Thank you, Madeline, Sandy, Linda. I am doing my best - though it doesn't seem to be working - to try to stay positive. Maybe if the migraines would subside, that might help though I am convinced that they are all connected to stress. Anyhow, one day at a time....

Just adding to the {{{{{hugs}}}}} Shelley. You ate certainly between a rock and a hard place.

Thank you, Caroline. Appreciated.

I just realized I had forgotten to do Connections this morning:

Connections
Puzzle #128
🟨🟨🟨🟨 taunts
🟩🟩🟩🟩 failure
🟦🟦🟦🟦 rudely break off contact
🟪🟪🟪🟪 rock____

Wordle 851 3/6 meaty, meshy, mercy

🟩🟩⬜⬜🟩
🟩🟩⬜⬜🟩
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩

Connections
Puzzle #129
🟩🟩🟩🟩 bit of wind
🟪🟨🟨🟨
🟦🟦🟦🟦 piquancy
🟨🟨🟨🟨 something tiresome
🟪🟪🟪🟪 singular of things seen in pairs

Not a chance I would have guessed the last one if it hadn't been all that was left.

I'm hoping someone sees the issues confronting you soon, Shelley.

Nice job on today's wordle. I needed five guesses to get it. On my fourth guess, I was pretty sure it was going to be mercy, but I just couldn't resist trying nerdy. I had _er_y to work from.

>91 jessibud2: Oh Shelley, I can feel your stress and sadness as I read this post. I am heartbroken and terrified by what is happening in Gaza but I don't have close friends or family who are there. I wholly agree with gratitude that it's Biden representing the U.S. rather than trump, but even with Joe's excellent diplomatic skills, I fear the situation is near hopeless. Between that and Ukraine, I feel like we're approaching the point of no return. And ultimately we're all in it together. Regarding your mum, I agree with others that you are handling it the best you can. My SIL has dementia and I try to support my sister, acknowledging how challenging it can be to work with and support and care for someone with dementia. But they deserve no less than kindness, patience, and compassion. The disease is what makes them difficult. Ugh. I hope you see some change in the oversight of the carers where your mum is.