Trail cam pics...that's cool!

I ran/walked 8 miles, forgot to wear my Fitbit. I had "another" $10 off $10 for JCP(had extra coupons I handed out to other shoppers/made them smile). I drove across town to shop a different JCP. Drove by a few rentals to see what the lawns looked like. Spent $2.50, saved $47.50! Yay! Picked up a brake assembly DH ordered yesterday @ the parts store. Went to the grocery store, cinnamon rolls w/ cream cheese frosting sounded good. Got my usual checker, he's been there 32 years. He had a wild/stupid conspiracy theory. DH came home early to start working on his brakes. I've got more errands to run.

Everyone have a great day...and I hope we get more rain...clouds are rolling in....

Met with the lawyer to settle my mother's estate, signed more paper work, received checks to deliver to various heirs, feeling good that it is all over and I can finally get back to normal....somewhat. Thank you, Mom.

I want a trail cam even though I have a smallish lot. We have all sorts of wildlife here and it would be interesting to see.

I've been cleaning windows and doors today. I'm currently taking a cool off break and waiting for my second wind. It's 86 and sunny here.

I have to go out and find a venue for a Halloween themed lunch for around 30 people. Maybe 30? Maybe only 20? It's hard to find restaurants for large groups in the area I have to hold the event. Some want large deposits and also minimum dollars spent. People say they will come and then there are no shows. I am feeling disgruntled. Been doing this for years. I'm going to tell them this is my last year. No longer fun.

I'm going to try to find a place that can seat us and that will just let people order off the menu. That way the most I will out for the no shows will be dessert.

I always held it at a Mexican restaurant for the past several years. Everybody knows this. So some member is holding a luncheon at a Mexican restaurant a week before my event! Thoughtless idiots.

Sorry for the rant. Just tired of thoughtlessness, rudeness and lack of general etiquette.

That is thoughtless. Can you turn your Mexican meal into a theme along with Halloween- chocolate favors, and maybe arrange with the restaurant to have a special on mole? That might be different enough so those who order 'ordinary' Mexican food the week before will still find the meal interesting? (I could alternate Mexican and Italian (pizza, nature's most perfect food) every other day for a long time and still be happy).

Besides my usual routine, I have been digging up and moving perennials to make room for new ones. Many will be potted up and sunk in the veggie garden, ready to donate for plant sales in the spring, while others will be shared with friends that expressed an interest in particular plants. Just had some supper and a break and already it is getting too dark to do much outside. Sigh!

Good ideas Lucille. But I am done. I am going to find someplace where I don't have to collect money in advance. There is a nice diner I know of that may be able to accommodate us. I will supply the prizes, the dessert and then gracefully bow out of doing this again. Just burned out. Time to move on. October has always been busy for me. I love the Autumn/Halloween season. I can take the time saved to do things with friends that appreciate my efforts. But this group is floundering and I am not the captain of the ship. Not my circus, not my monkeys. :-)

Today was the day of stuff I planned to do but didn't. I didn't go to the riverhouse with DH because I had to cook and get ready for a trip north to my brother's for our yearly reunion with our cousins this weekend. I didn't prepare the garden tomatoes for the freezer; I didn't make the pot roast, didn't make the marinade for the chicken, didn't bake the cookies. I didn't get dressed until 1:30. I did manage to go to the tile store to look at tile for the planned bathroom remodel and backsplash for the kitchen, but didn't see anything that caught my eye. I am not even sleeping in my own house tonight. Some solicitors rang the doorbell after dark, then did not approach my neighbors. I got freaked out, so here I am in my grandson's bed at my daughter's home 5 minutes away.

Tomorrow will present another chance to do better.

Happy I can understand why you wouldn't want to stay home alone. Too many freaky people.

I stayed in bed trying to get over the darn flu. I just can't believe how much sleeping I've been doing and it doesn't ferl like I've even slept.

Stay safe and healthy everyone.

Ah, watchmelol, that was an inconsiderate move from one of the members. Fingers crossed that you can find a facility that won't charge you for no-shows.

happy2be, I have days like that too. I think it happens to me when I have just too many things on my plate and seems overwhelming. It's hard to forgive myself, but my husband always says that I must have needed that extra rest.

I'm sorry that the solicitors scared you. I am happy to have really big dogs and we are armed in the house.

Edited to say to MP, I hope you get on the uphill side of pneumonia and influenza soon. I hope that you are staying hydrated and eating something.

I worked today and then went and bought me some clothes for the gym. Came home and watched a bit of the baseball game with my dh and ds. Went to the gym and did a one hour step class. Came home sweaty!!!

nicole, I would be so ticked not to have my 8 miles recorded. I need my gold stars to keep going on fitness goals.

raven, I am so glad some of the pieces are coming together.

I've spent the day with frustrating paperwork. I didn't get anything satisfying done. I read an article in the New Yorker about how older people can become wards of the state for no good reason at all and have all their money and autonomy taken by a stranger. In case anybody wants to read the horrifying story, https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2017/10/09/how-the-elderly-lose-their-rights. Mamapinky, this is not an article you should read if you have a fever!

It seems I should add that I spent a lot of time on GW looking for ways not to finish my paperwork. I enjoyed chatting with fellow KTers on the guns thread. That was the best part of my day.

Rita, I can't imagine that's such a common occurrence. Does California law allow the involuntary appointment of an unrelated guardian when an older person has family members available for the task?

There are too many people in our communities who prey on others, in more ways than I can count. I spoke today with a not too financially astute family friend who's realized he's been swindled out of more money than he can afford to lose, though a bogus investment recommended by a "financial adviser" he'd met.

Elmer, California was not cited in the article. Nevada and Florida, two states that court older residents, were. I believe the article said 10 percent of adults are under guardianship. Read the piece, Elmer. It is a shocking and disturbing tale.

I found it a bit too long and tedious to stick with, I gave up. That's why I asked. (I'm not a NYer fan, I often find its pieces in need of serious editing and chopping)

When one considers how sadly prevalent the various types of mental incapacity are these days among oldsters, I'm not sure that a stand-alone stat (the 10% number) sheds any light on what may or may not be a widespread abusive practice. Do you? Am I missing something?

Worked. Got off two hours early, since we had too many staff and not enough phone calls. Got to take the garbage down to the road in a little bit. First eating my dinner.

Elmer, Rhizo posted this coda to the New Yorker piece on the thread about the article in Decorating Conversations board https://aaapg.net/nevada-grand-jury-indicts-nevada-guardian-on-more-than-200-charges-arrests-of-attorney-and-guardians-follow-indictment/ . I am tired. I'll be happy to post a summary of the New Yorker piece in the morning. The article from Rhizo details indictments and arrests in Nevada where the reporting took place. In short, there were people who took guardianship of elders who were not mentally impaired and had capable relatives ready to assist in any way needed.

No, that's okay, thanks. I'm sure your days aren't lacking for things to do. I went back to the NYer piece to scan a bit more. This strikes me as a case seen too often, when a journalist has accumulated and reported lots of details but perhaps missed the story.

Which seems to be - there are some limited instances here and there where people assumed to be providing needed assistance are abusing existing laws to get into a position from which they can fleece oldsters. That's a shame and shouldn't happen. Was anything said in the piece to put the magnitude or prevalence of these abuses into context? Is it common? Does it happen everywhere?

Does California law allow the involuntary appointment of an unrelated guardian when an older person has family members available for the task?

I have personal experience relating to a half brother that says this occurs. The court appointed non related guardian ended up making beaucoup $ and it was apparent to the rest of the family that my half brother's best interests were not served.

I am happy. Went and talked to the owner of a little mom and pop cafe I go to. He gets a lot of regular trade on weekends. I explained my dilemma, Said I didn't want to ruffle feathers but wanted to keep it simple and not have to plan a menu etc. We compromised on the time so things would be a bit slower. Everyone can order whatever they want from the full menu. I offered to figure in the money each person would owe at the end of the meal but he said they could easily split the check with the system they have in place. Yay! I am limiting the number of attendees to what they can handle. The number is just a few people under the maximum we normally get anyway. I stated it clearly on the announcement so now we will see what happens. Came home, typed up the details and sent it out. Done.