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Thursday, Apr. 25, 2024

1:03pm EDT

Members: 962

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PORCH PONDERINGS

by QueenNormaJeanGreeneggs&vegham

Rated: 13+ · Book · Biographical · #2198921

Norma's Wanderings around a small section of Montana

Well, hey there!
Welcome to Roundup, Montana! If it's a nice day, we'll sit a spell on my porch and talk awhile.

"All the resources we need are in the mind.” Theodore Roosevelt, our 26th President of the United States of America.

Another quote I find interesting: "Creativity is intelligence having fun." Albert Einstein

What's on your mind today?

Signature for use by anyone nominated for a Quill Award in 2020

Signature for nominees of the 2019 Quill Awards

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Show Recent Comments

10 Most Recent Blog Comments:

QPdoll

about 7 hours ago
In response to "Oscar and Tony and Grammy winner !!!"

QueenNormaJeanGreeneggs&vegham

and Kåre Enga in Udon Thani

I hope you both can find transportation on Monday! Good luck to you!

Norma, it's good you have your surgery scheduled. I think you'll feel so much better with pain relief. My husband had carpal tunnel surgery and he is happy that his fingers don't go numb anymore.

Safe travels to you both!

Kåre Enga in Udon Thani

about 10 hours ago
In response to "Oscar and Tony and Grammy winner !!!"

I don't have to explain my trip back to Montana as you get the picture.

I've been stressed for so long...

I can relax at the hostel and in Seoul airport.

Need to arrange a ride home though...

I assume you'll not be available.

QueenNormaJeanGreeneggs&vegham

about 11 hours ago
In response to "Drama"

Elycia Lee ☮

Try cutting back your plants. Then try dusting them gently. They breathe through the surface of the leaves.
I found this on Google about rubber plants:
Water when the soil is almost completely dry. ...
Spray with a mister every few days, they like to keep their leaves moist.
Place in a bright room, but keep away from super sunny windows to avoid sunburn Between 15°C to 25°C is their optimum temperature.

Kåre Enga in Udon Thani

Apr 20, 2024 at 11:50am
In response to "Drama"

I should be in Missoula May 1st. Chance of 20° or 70° ... sun, rain, snow, tornadoes, earthquake, Yellowstone blowing up?

Elycia Lee ☮

Apr 20, 2024 at 11:02am
In response to "Drama"

I never overwater them, but I think I'm underwatering them. The leaves are curling. When I put them out, their leaves burn. When I wipe them, lines appear on them... I really wanna start over, but I don't know how to... My rubber plants bottom stem leaves have dropped. Only the top is growing. For one of them, their baby leaf hasn't been growing for over 6 months now... Sounds like you've got quite the green finger there.

QueenNormaJeanGreeneggs&vegham

Apr 20, 2024 at 11:00am
In response to "Drama"

QPdoll

It was good to be out and work in the garden. We were both tired after, but that's okay. Digging in dirt always helps. There is always dirt in our lives. We have to dig up through it to get to the shining world on the other side.

1 Like

QueenNormaJeanGreeneggs&vegham

Apr 20, 2024 at 10:57am
In response to "Drama"

Elycia Lee ☮

Well, if your rubber plants aren't doing well, try dusting them. Prune them. Don't overwater. I always am cutting back things. Makes people nuts. But sometimes you have to cut back the dead to to get to the living. A metaphor for lots of things in our lives.

1 Like

QPdoll

Apr 20, 2024 at 10:47am
In response to "Drama"

Drama, indeed! Glad you were able to take some stress relief time.

Elycia Lee ☮

Apr 20, 2024 at 10:44am
In response to "Drama"

I'm actually jealous that your fallback plan to stress-relief is gardening.

Can you infect some to me? Currently, all I have is an iron plant and two rubber plants. My rubber plants are not doing well. Your job does sound interesting.

1 Like

Elycia Lee ☮

Apr 11, 2024 at 5:36am
In response to "Test Results"

EMG sounds horrible. Get well soon. Hope this phase in life would pass and that you would have that quiet period that you yearn for.

1 Like

November 23, 2023 at 5:48pm

#1060006

Blogging for Andre in November

Here it is Thanksgiving - and I have all my blogging this month over at Andre's Banana Bar. Check out my posting on my Banana Bar Blog.

Last entry is here: "Number 22"

NaNoWriMo is having a hard time right now. Anyone keeping up with their mess? I was at first, but quickly got bogged down with minutiae. I'll check the blogging again after today. They were to reinstate the forums again tomorrow I believe.

2 Like • Comment

November 5, 2023 at 10:44am

#1058940

OctoPrep - a wrap!

The OctoPrep Challenge is now a wrap. About 42 - I think I counted correctly - writers finished within the time limits to complete the challenge. I pray they all now are working hard on their novels for NaNoWriMo.

Currently I'm blogging daily for Andre and friends.

BOOK

Chapter 7 of Norma's Homemade Banana Bar

(ASR)
A repository for all things Banana Bar related
#2307550 by QueenNormaJeanGreeneggs&vegham

is where you can find those daily posts for that group's November challenge. Check it out!

1 Like • Comment • View 2 comments

October 29, 2023 at 11:04am

#1058241

Post-Op News

Someone asked for an update on my surgery. Well, it's been a bit busy here with OctoPrep and all. But I am still here.

Surgery on my knee took less than 1/2 hour. The surgeon said he was amazed that I didn't complain more about pain. Seems the meniscus was in worse shape than expected. But the repair was done, and I recovered just fine in the recovery area. A nurse stood by me the entire time as I was given Fentanyl for pain. She watched my blood pressure and heart rate. I always run low in those two metrics, and Fentanyl is a dangerous but effective pain killer. Once everyone was satisfied with my post-op stats, they released me. I walked out on my own, well, that is with the arm of a nurse.

We stayed overnight in Billings, as hubby had an early AM appointment. The night was uneventful, no real horrible pain. In fact, there has never been any really bad pain. It hurts less than before. A good sign!

I've already done physical therapy and am scheduled for many more times there. I have restarted my walking around town. So far, about 1/2 mile with no pain. That's good, since walking really adds to my mental health. I've missed being able to walk without pain.

There has been drama about an event in our town, the Christmas Stroll. Vendors can purchase spaces to hawk their wares. There are only 5 places that will take vendors. I am the treasurer for the Chamber of Commerce, which sponsors the event. A lady who was to coordinate the vendors suddenly backed out when I wouldn't budge on slipping her vendor forms in ahead of others. She'd been holding on to them for 2 weeks then suddenly wants me to insert them in the queue. I refused, telling her she'd have to get the entire Chamber to okay that decision. Then I would abide by whatever they chose. She chose to quit that responsibility. Ah, drama.

I've also been helping with OctoPrep. I'm the head cheerleader. We're down one person in that 'department', so things are a bit busier than last year. But writers are getting into position to finish soon.

Like • Comment • View 3 comments

October 12, 2023 at 12:46pm

#1057240

Write On!

I woke to a cloudy wet day here in Roundup. The weather has definitely changed to late fall. Snow will be right around the corner. It is already snowing in the mountains west of us.

Today in the OctoPrep discussion forum Gift Points are flying around! I decided to give a little incentive to those who post on that forum, and give others a reason to pop in and add their 'two cents' to discussions. Too many have dropped out so far due to not paying attention to the time limits.

I did get a definite call from the surgery center about my surgery next week. The tentative time to check in at the outpatient center is noon. Egads. That means we probably won't get back home until 9 PM or so. Long day. And I have to be NPO from midnight before. Okay, NPO means 'nil per os" - Latin term. (Translated: Nil=nothing per=through os=orifice - in this case, mouth)

How many were lucky enough to have Latin in high school or college? You do know the Romance languages, Spanish, French, Portuguese, Romanian, Italian have their bases in Latin? The language of Rome. Medical terms are often in Latin.

I took had two years of Latin in high school. Declensions, ick. But it served me well when I took my medical assisting course.

Knowledge is a beautiful thing. Never stop learning. As a writer, you never know where that knowledge will take you. Where it will pop up in your work.

Here's a fun link: https://writingcenter.unc.edu/tips-and-tools/latin-terms-and-abbreviations

4 Like • Comment • View 2 comments

October 8, 2023 at 3:37pm

#1056998

October is Busy!

Mercy sakes - people are just dropping out of OctoPrep this year. So far 10 writers have missed that 72 hour deadline. Well darn. I hate to see that.

Life seems busy here in Roundup. The museum had 2 assessors visit the other day. They were checking our structures and our exhibits. So now we need to put their recommendations into practice. Umm, well, when you have a treasurer who has had her position for 45 years. Yes, you read that correctly, it's a bit difficult at times.

Also my church is having nightly seminars about the book of Daniel from the Bible. Interesting, although for most of us it is a refresher course. I love the story of Daniel and his friends. I cannot imagine getting plucked from your country, your family and friends, and deposited in another country. Then being told you have to learn the culture, the language and become advisors to the King.

Babylon at that time in history was a world power. Yes, I know China was also powerful as well. But Babylon was over the top in power and wealth. You can still see part of the Ishtar Gate in Berlin.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Babylon

Now I am off to a museum meeting to hear about the final report from the assessors. Should be interesting.

1 Like • Comment • View 1 comment

October 3, 2023 at 9:47am

#1056652

Aggravation Abounds

Ever get so frustrated you could just scream? And cry. And curl up into that fetal position and wish you were dead. Yesterday I searched and searched for a piece of mail. And not just any little junk mail envelope. This was a check to an organization where I am treasurer. It wasn't a large amount. But still, it wasn't money that was mine.

We don't live in a big house. I searched every inch. Every horizontal surface was cleared and searched. Under and over everything. Nothing. Oh boy. Beside myself, I began to think of how I would tell the issuer of the check that I, the treasurer, had lost this. Incompetence, lack of focus, too much going on. You name it. Stupidity was in there as well.

I pleaded with God. I prayed for the check to be found. Then I got some peace. I gave up. I went to church, we did our radio show. I told the other participants my dilemma, without the entire details. I just told them it was a check I had lost. More prayer and supplication. We did our little radio show. Which is on Facebook. (Email me if you want the details.)

So when I came home, I thought of one more place I had not looked. And sure enough, there it was. Mixed in with another batch of paperwork I had processed for another group I manage. Thank you Lord.

Lesson learned, check is on the counter with the deposit slip attached. It will go to the bank today, first thing. No more fiddling with it.

We get so distracted. I know I do. OctoPrep, household duties. Church. Volunteering. I have a surgery coming up. I don't feel like doing anything else.

Hang in there, everyone. We're all in this battle together.
I'm cheering for you!

Queen NormaJean, Cheerleader for OctoPrep

need help?

4 Like • Comment • View 1 comment

September 27, 2023 at 9:44am

#1056288

OctoPrep is Coming

It looks like I am finally going to get this knee of mine repaired. Thank goodness. October 19th is the day of the surgery. It will be outpatient. Then I am expecting a recuperation of a few weeks. It's not a knee replacement, just an internal repair.

But the strange thing about this - it is the 7th incident of a knee problem in our church. I told everyone we should lobby for a group rate.

OctoPrep is right around the corner. I note on that group page that quite a few have signed up already. Hurrah! The cheerleaders are getting their pom-poms dusted off, rehearsing their routines, and getting ready to throw some GiftPoints and Merit Badges your way.

I'll be able to keep track of everyone from my couch and chair. No walking around for a time it seems.

We have a museum fundraiser this Saturday - our last day open. For the first time, we're having an end-of-season ice cream social. Another lady and I are new members of the board of directors. We're sort of the rebels with new ideas and all. The 'old guard' shudders when we ask for approval of our items. But we're doing this. And of course, it's supposed to rain. So wish us luck. We want this be a yearly event.

Enjoy the last gasps of September before OctoPrep everyone!

Like • Comment

September 23, 2023 at 10:22am

#1056107

Equinox

The change of season is in full swing here. We're having the Equinox storms right now. Every year about this time our motel owner in Gardiner would mention this. Spring and Fall when the Equinox happens, there would be storms around the time of the Vernal and Autumnal Equinoxes.

Sure enough, storms happened usually around those dates. Right now we're getting rain. Unusual for us. We don't get much rain here. It's welcome, as you can imagine.

On another note, it's almost time for OctoPrep. Time to start thinking of your project. I thought of doing one, but too much on my plate this year. Knee surgery, doings at church, a retreat for SE Montana coming up, my charity fundraiser starting. Again, I have to 'just' be the cheerleader. Help people over the hump. Give them the incentive to finish the marathon.

Enjoy fall. Soon we'll have snow. It snowed in the mountains already. Beartooth Pass is closed. But it's at 10,000 feet, so...

1 Like • Comment • View 1 comment

September 18, 2023 at 9:26pm

#1055928

OctoPrep is coming!

Well hello there!! Have you signed up for OctoPrep yet? If not, and you are considering doing NaNoWriMo, perhaps you might want to give the October prepping fun a go.

You did know that WDC.com does a whole month of prepping for the Novel Writing Month contest in November, right? Well, if you didn't, we do! Lots of challenges to get your novel headed in the right direction.

I am the head cheerleader. With my team of Phyllis, Robert and Kim, we will try to keep you motivated. We'll try to keep everyone within that 72 hour window. Because there are rules. Of course there are. Total chaos would ensue and we would all be flung off into space if no rules were in place.

Hmm, sounds like a plot for a novel....

Check it out here:

FORUM

October Novel Prep Challenge

(13+)
2023 Sign-ups are CLOSED. A month-long novel-planning challenge with prizes galore.
#1474311 by Brandiwyn🎶

We hope to read you soon!

Queen NormaJean - cheering you on!

1 Like • Comment • View 2 comments

September 12, 2023 at 8:29pm

#1055655

Knee Surgery

I got the official word yesterday on my knee. I injured my meniscus. I tore the lateral and medial menisci of my left knee. The outside edge and inner edge. I know how to do it right.

So, in case you aren't aware, the meniscus acts as a shock absorber for the two bones of your legs - tibia and femur - that meet under your knee cap. It is a donut-shaped fibrocartilaginous structure. It cannot be repaired as in sewn-back-together. My options were to use injections - may work. Leave alone - continued pain. Or surgery to clean up the space and trim the torn edges. Plus physical therapy.

Outpatient surgery is what my husband had done some months ago for this same problem. So I know the drill. I chose surgery and PT. I have ongoing pain. It's worse at night when I try to sleep. I can walk, but then I limp, which puts pressure on that hip, which causes the hip to also hurt. Arggh. I just pray they don't drag the scheduling process along for weeks and weeks.

The summer was just one crisis after another. Mercy sakes.

I am so ready for a breather. So It seems that for OctoPrep I will be laid up. I also have a charity fund-raiser starting in October. Again, somethings I can do with no problem when sitting or lying about.

It has been nice here. The people behind me have cleaned up a bit. They have until the 15th of September to clean up their act. The dogs around me still bark, but I've been staying inside, so I don't hear them as much. It'll snow soon. Then they really won't be out much, I pray.

I just would like to be back to walking again. Walking all around town. Not just limping about for a few minutes or so.

Like • Comment • View 3 comments

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