Michigan Thread - all are welcome!

[Trefoil]

This was what a rooster from several years ago looked like at the end of winter. I had applied vasoline to his comb and wattles almost every other day for the entire freezing season yet he still got frost bitten. Everything that was black atrophied and withered away so that by summer he looked like a dubbed English game cock.

After much searching I was finally able to find Granny's friend and sadly her family has placed her in a care facility. While Granny is glad to know her friend still lives, she will no longer be able to converse with her and that is a sad conclusion of a 65 year friendship.

Opa why should being in a care facility make her incommunicado? That's dangerous. It means that an abused person would have no way of escape. If that is truly the case, there is something wrong. Even in the hospital you can call a patient and talk with them.

 

[naglady]

Sam did you call the care facility to see if they have visiting hrs. or can patients receive phone calls.,

Glad to hear it was just dirt and not frostbite

 

[Trefoil]

I am sorry, I've just got to rant, so be warned and skip if you want.
I have the misfortune to have charter for my internet service. I have charter because they are the only cable internet company in my area, and my searches for a different company has so far been unsuccessful. They got a wild hare last year and decided it was a good idea to charge me $90/month for basic TV and internet. I don't watch TV so I dropped it and went to just internet for which I pay $48/month. At that time they also dropped me to basic internet. For the last year I have been getting calls from them "trying to lower my bill" until now they are down to only $70/month for basic TV and internet 2x as fast as I now have, because that is now their standard or "basic" speed. And for another $29/month they will "give" me phone service as well. Every time they call I get the standard "this call is being recorded" and every time they call I ask them not to call me again unless they are offering me a deal that is less than I am now paying. Which they evidently forget the next week. Is there any way to stop the calls? Why would anyone pay $20 a month, much less $29/month for telephone service through them when for about that a YEAR, you can get the same service through magic jack? I'm showing my age here, but why should I pay for TV service that has at least as many commercials as regular TV? I have no problem with companies making a profit, but this is BS. They have a monopoly and are using it to gouge people. I can't even get satellite because I live surrounded by trees. GRRR. Okay, I'm done.

 

[snowflake]

thank you. my thoughts exactly we pay through the nose for comcast, those I live with HAVE to have TV, it is the only internet we can get out here other then dial up witch is so slow.

 

[snowflake]

Opa, glad granny's friend has been found, hope Granny can get a ## so she can call her, hearing at that age is also a problem, which makes phone calls hard,

 

[Opa]

Granny's friend's granddaughter told me that her Grandmother has gotten terribly confused and talking with her is almost impossible. Sadly about the same time Granny moved in with us, her friend moved to Florida to be closer to her family. So with the distance making a visit impossible, and conversation unlikelyl, a long friendship has entered a sad phase.

 

[ladyrsanti]

I am sorry, I've just got to rant, so be warned and skip if you want.
I have the misfortune to have charter for my internet service. I have charter because they are the only cable internet company in my area, and my searches for a different company has so far been unsuccessful. They got a wild hare last year and decided it was a good idea to charge me $90/month for basic TV and internet. I don't watch TV so I dropped it and went to just internet for which I pay $48/month. At that time they also dropped me to basic internet. For the last year I have been getting calls from them "trying to lower my bill" until now they are down to only $70/month for basic TV and internet 2x as fast as I now have, because that is now their standard or "basic" speed. And for another $29/month they will "give" me phone service as well. Every time they call I get the standard "this call is being recorded" and every time they call I ask them not to call me again unless they are offering me a deal that is less than I am now paying. Which they evidently forget the next week. Is there any way to stop the calls? Why would anyone pay $20 a month, much less $29/month for telephone service through them when for about that a YEAR, you can get the same service through magic jack? I'm showing my age here, but why should I pay for TV service that has at least as many commercials as regular TV? I have no problem with companies making a profit, but this is BS. They have a monopoly and are using it to gouge people. I can't even get satellite because I live surrounded by trees. GRRR. Okay, I'm done.

Don't give them a reason to call. Tell them to take you off their call list. If they don't, threaten to report them to the BBB and the FCC AND THEN DO IT. You can also put your number on the national do-not-call list but they may be immune to it if you are already their customer. They should be required to honor your request to delete your number from their marketing list though. I don't tolerate phone calls from marketers of any kind, even if it's a service I've already purchased. I shudder every time my phone rings these days. It's either my mother-in-law or someone looking for money.

OPA, my 92 year old grandmother has dementia and doesn't recognize her own family, not any of us. She is 3 hrs. away in a nursing home and calling her is pointless. I have taken to sending her cards and things that the staff hang on her memory board. It's comforting to those of us who miss her.

 

[1muttsfan]

Trefoil, tell them that you are recording the call, and will file a complete with the FCC if they don't comply with your request to stop calling with sales offers. If you say that you wouldn't mind them calling with a better offer you're basically giving them permission to continue to call you.

 

[taprock]

I had to unexpectedly work today. My co-workers car didn't like the -20 degree weather. It was a slow day at work but added to my stress as my to do list didn't get any attention. The birds only got the basic attention, no fussing over them today. But they were out and about at -6 this morning before I left.

As cold as it did get last night it was beautiful out. I check the back field every night before bed, you never know when a coyote will show up. Nothing there but it looked like a fairyland. Sparkling stars, full moon and the ground looked covered with glittery fairy dust. I wish a picture could capture it. If the clouds stay away it might look the same tonight.

 

[preciouskitty]

When I first moved to "the country" I thought my only option for Internet was Satellite (I.e., HughesNet). Anyone w/satellite TV knows, when weather is bad, too cloudy, etc., you can lose it. While I don't get too upset if my TV goes out, I DO get upset when I lose internet. Then I found FreedomNet. They have a fairly small coverage area in Michigan, but I must say, I have had less issues with interruption than when I had Comcast at my old house; and it's only $44.95/mo. At times we have 3 iPads, 2 iPhones & 2 laptops hooked in &'pretty much no degradation. And, I have never had a phone call from them! They only do internet (I don't have the option of any of the companies that do bundles).

Here's the link to their coverage area. (AND, if anyone does find them interesting & signs up, PM me....get a free month if you refer someone )

http://freedomnet.com/internet-solutions/coverage/


Onto chicken stuff. Birds seem ok with the cold; snow, not so much. They cracked me up yesterday when I got home from work. Usually when DH is home & they have the opportunity to free range, they run to meet me at my car. Yesterday, they all were crammed at the open door, teetering on the edge WANTING to meet me, but looking at the white stuff like it was some sort of pariah!

Can't sleep...but at least I get to work from home today; love this teleworking 1 day/week! I am on leave starting XMAS eve until 6 Jan...but, I discovered yesterday that I may have goofed on how much use/lose vacation time I have. Appears I still have 14 hours I have to use by 13 Jan. So, do I just make this Thursday my last day, or take 6 & 7 Jan off? Ah, such decisions.....(we are allowed to carry over up to 240 hours vaca time; unlimited sick; anything over the 240 at the end of the year we lose, last year I lost 16 hours; NOT letting THAT happen again )