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This morning resting comfortably. We were blessed to have him as Patriarch of the family. He was 85 and fought advanced Pulmonary Fibrosis for 4 years. Heading back to my mother’s tomorrow.

Alan told Teal to pose with me.

I love you guys. All of you. Yes, I'm doing okay, this isn't some sort of "signing off" note. I just realized in all of the flurry and rush of things, I never truly expressed my thankfulness. All of you helped me pay off the medical bills. The amount that came in from the shirts was staggering; I got it close to the end of December and I was literally shocked. I get a lump in my throat thinking about how beautiful all of you are. Thank you.

Based on what he saw, he was not overly alarmed. Wants me to take Alleve for the muscle pains. If the head is not more clear tomorrow, he will schedule a CT scan for neck and head as a precaution. There was one disc in the neck that was sensitive. He did not believe it was fractured.

For old time sake, just couldn’t resist. You never see it on the shelves...and there it was.

A lot of people were doing it for her. Which was good. She was still here, after all, when the effort started, and this was something we thought we could fight. And she was very loved. I'm thankful to them. But I'm thankful to you all -because you were doing it for me.

I'm doing okay. Admittedly, my own mind probably shields me some (not as avoidance, probably just out of sympathetic protection) from those seven weeks. I have a great job with supportive people. One of my colleagues has become a friend beyond work; I sometimes have game night with him and his fiance' and another friend. We will probably have our bar trivia team again too once this Covid mess is over. I've also had them over for movie night. I had my first annual performance review in November, and I got a reasonable raise. The cats are good company. Yoshi makes sure to love me, the Jack needs love (emotionally needy, which does me good sometimes), and Luna, aka JudgyCat, is comic relief. They usually sleep around me at night, so we all keep each other warm. I'm also glad the winter here has been really mild for Michigan; we've had little snow, and the temperature has often stayed several degrees above freezing. I really haven't needed my snow tires (though they've been on since late November). My church started a meal train for me this past week, which was really nice of them. It's not a need, but they wanted to do something and it is a comfort. It also ensures I don't eat bad food all of the time. Myself, a colleague, and our boss also decided to try a prepared meal subscription by Freshly at work; it's not super expensive, and it's healthier food. I'll update when I've had some of it, it's supposed to start this week. I'm back on the treadmill, this is my third week. I'm trying to get in three times a week, usually around 3.5-3.75 miles at the moment, but I'm ramping up; I did four miles this past Friday. Getting my heart and lungs back in shape. I'm a bit of an introvert, so I don't mind being alone as much as some; it helps me recharge. In fact, it's often peaceful, which I'm thankful for.

Hmmm.... not sure if a spoiler alert applies to a 1967 movie. What we have here is a failure to communicate.

Sorry for your loss. It is tough to lose a parent - at any age - but 85 is a nice run at life, and you hopefully got to say your goodbyes. Grieving is a surprisingly up-and-down process. Good days, bad days, lightning bolts of memories out of the blue, forgetting the loss, missing chance to just "call and check in", etc.. I'm still sometimes thinking of things I should mention/discuss/ask to my dad and he died over a year ago Give yourself time.

I'm shakin' it boss, I'm shakin' it

Petite, thank you for being you.

This will work with more than just wine.

It does not help when there are people out there with three or four bikes who go out and buy another bike just because it has a narrower Q factor and does not make their knees hurt. People need to suck it up and just ride what they have and leave some bikes for everyone else to ride.

Where is he going to hang his clothes?

And another thing those people should know - DON"T stand in line in front of me taking 5 minutes at the cash register fiddling with your tickets and counting your change and trying to do small talk with the cashier. Math challenged people buying lottery tickets wasting my time in a checkout line ANNOY THE CRAP OUT OF ME. OK it's just me and I'll get over it.

It looks like he got over a dozen of them! And he got them to stand still for the picture, too!

So..I told you guys about the lady who was having some lung issues...worried she might have Covid...ends up stage 4 lung cancer that has also gone to her brain...She came back on the weekend..and is in hospice... Just a few door down is Clint...he was trying for a taxi last Thursday or Friday..his doc wanted him to go directly to the ER..because he would be seen quicker than if he made an appointment..ended up one of the other residents took him down...He had some other things to tell the doc..but he was also...yellow. He returned today..said the news isn't good...What he said to the "guys" that hang by the lobby fireplace..."I'm a dead man walking" His nephew helped move him in about 3 or 4 years ago..and then about a year later...the nephew died...I am not sure how much other family he has.... Only plus for the day...Fred was thrilled with his cookies...and my co-worker Norma asked "Why is he Teacher's Pet" I laughed and told her to give him a bad time.... Fred loves it when I pick on him!! We do a little of that back and forth....

WoLW was so jaundiced from liver failure at the end, that if more than the base lights were on at the room in hospice, I'd have been shocked. I was, when they were turned on after she passed. If it's pancreatic cancer, primary cause of death is hepatic (liver) failure, which is the primary cause of the jaundice. There's no way around saying it sucks. The best thing is for meds for the pain (and for calm/anti-anxiety, which can be caused by the liver not filtering toxins adequately), and companionship so someone doesn't feel alone.

The drive to Singapore is a bitch

We just got back home. My Dad is still clinging to life. My brother is able to stay until the ‘time’ comes. Then I’ll spell him so he can get back home before the funeral. If my Dad still makes it to Friday, I’ll head up again for the weekend. Thanks for your thoughts and prayers. We read him his favorite Irish story today, the picture is from last St Patrick’s day.

I know this is a favorite subject of @Parr8hed's

Boones Farm has a sentimental reminder. When dating my wife, we would consume some at the drive-in. (Hey, she was a cheap date on my college budget). Next weekend wend down to my parent's house, and since mine was the last car in the driveway, I'm driving the family to church. Out from under the seat roll the empty bottles of Boones Farm. OOPS!

Sir, I am already fat. Good Day.

Why aren't you selecting the numbers, 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 - 6? It is just as likely a combination as any other combination.

Lake Street Dive, the Bottletops, Lara Hope and the Arktones come to mind.

I won't live 30 more years. Would probably take AAO option. Pay off everything for my family. There are only a few of us, so probably less than a million to get everyone debt free, including houses. one brother, my parents, one aunt, two cousins on my side of the family. A few cousins on Martha's side. Would sell our house and buy new in our hood, or rent and do a TOTAL redo on our house. Trusts for both boys Modest new vehicles for wife and boys Work with a financial advisor to invest and use interest to live, make donations, etc. Once the boys are out of high school talk to the BSA and find a Scout camp to be a camp ranger at.

I'm just playing around with it but the idea is slowly circling the drain.

Nope..me too..buy the damn thing and leave

because if you let them randomly generate your numbers it isn't necessary to fill out that paper form.

Or cycling downhill on a curvy mountain road with no traffic.

During the summer I ride with a guy at work who is about ten years younger than me. When we get to the hills I give him advice to go on up ahead without me.

Either that or it's damned cold there.

The leftie-loosie rule can go terribly wrong.

I'd like to start a restaurant. I'd let oldest son cook, Womaxx bake. I just had a breakfast for dinner and oldest son turned out the best scrambled eggs I've had in a while. Green onions, garlic, chopped bacon, various spices (remember he cooks with what he sees that catches his attention.) Followed that with Meyer's lemon bars from the mix of the same name.

I am still not home, but got this pic today. Wof Z says it is really cute! Thanks @Digital_photog

OK, I know this thread is gonna be about me New stereo for the GTI, I wanted to retain the steering wheel controls. I found a developer (Enfig) who makes programmable controllers. A one man outfit. About a week after the product arrived, I got an email about not just plugging it straight in, had to swap the +12 and +12 switched wires, how was the install going. Yeah, would have been nice to know that but I hadn't done any installation yet so I fixed it. So I get it all hooked up, Everything works, so I dressed all the wiring and finished the install, and now the steering wheel controls don't work! So I sent an email, and trying to be non-accusatory, I did say I would make sure it wasn't the car before blaming him for a bad product. I just went out with a meter to check, and found that some moron forgot to reconnect ALL of the connectors.

One in my garage.

That’s what I figured.

I sagged in with a woman on the Erie Canal ride because she was tired and a little scared. It isn't a race, I didn't care if we were last. When i got in, Einstein had found our bags and put the tent up.

I stay in hotels for work a lot..., in fact am in a hotel right now, so.... thanks for this

Yes. On contract jobs you have little choice so you might as well learn to like it. My favorite was not quite a hotel but was a Residence Inn during the job in Orlando. I have stayed in hotels however that were so good you never had to go out. Good food, good gym, good rooms etc. My favorite hands down (I only got to stay one night) was the Marina Bay Sands in Singapore. I could have stayed there for years. I couldn't even afford one night there like we had but it was all comped. Damn, there are times I wish I was filthy rich.

Holding it that long would piss me off.

There was music after 1999?

Captain of what? Exxon Valdez?