Facebook account suspended and now "BNamericas" is billing me?

On the morning of Monday, July 25, 2022, I awoke to learn that my Facebook account had been suspended  - for 30 days!  

My daughters both asked, "Mom, what have you done, now?" The grandkids laughed at their 81 year old Granny who was now in Facebook Jail. 

Of course, I asked for a Review. I had researched and learned that it normally takes about 24 hours, but after two weeks nothing was happening.

And then, on July 28th, I began to receive email messages to the email address that I use (which isn't checked) for Facebook from the "Facebook Ads Team."

The subject line stated:

"Your payment for Meta ads was declined."

And the email read, further:  The payment for ad account Sarah Walker Gorrell (ID: xxxxxxxx) was declined and your ads have been paused. To start running ads again, please pay the amount due.

I had previously (not sure when) received Messenger messages from "Ron@bnamericas" ..... suggesting that I call him so that we could "work out a payment plan."  Bnamericas meant nothing to me. I figured that it was either someone with the wrong info or a telemarketer.  

I have learned, today, that BNamericas is the Latin American arm of Meta which is the parent company of Facebook and also owns Messenger, Instagram, WhatsApp, and so many other Social Media companies.

It is my belief that someone, somewhere (in Latin America?) was Advertising and using my Facebook account, and thankfully, the email address tied to that account had no access to an account that paid the bills!

I have emailed the Facebook advertising group as well as a "partners" group, but support@fb.com is returned as "access denied." 

As a friend of mine often says, "this just doesn't meet the smell test!"

 

Have you ever heard of this?????

We're a small town - back in 2019, we had almost 2100 people. Some have come, some have gone, but we're probably still about that many.

We're the type of little Southern town where everyone knows everyone and knows what's happening with them (whether it really IS happening, or not!) It's the type of town where neighbors are neighbors and friends are friends and everyone knows everyone (almost). Even if they don't "know you" .... they "know you" on Facebook!!

Blakeney is a familiar family name, in our town. Recently, one of our little Blakeney guys was diagnosed with Legg-Calve-Perthes Disease. It was a disease of which I had never heard. It was actually discovered, in 1897, by an Austrian doctor but wasn't given the name Legg-Calve-Perthes until around 1910 by the 3 doctors who recognized it, published it as a disease unrelated to tuberculosis, and prescribed a treatment. 

LCP is caused by the interruption of the blood supply to the femoral artery. Symptoms are noticeable limping of the affected leg, and pain in the groin, thigh, and leg which increases, with time. It mainly affects boys ages 4 - 10, however, girls can also be affected but are much worse than boys. It usually affects just one hip, but can also affect both.

Landon Blakeney is 7 years old and is just the neatest, most active little boy. When he first began to limp, his mother thought he had just "played too rough and too hard."  However, when the limp increased and was accompanied by pain, her mother's heart knew that something wasn't right.

A pediatrician in the small town of nearby Ellisville immediately diagnosed it as Legg-Calve-Perthes Disease and the journey began.

After appointments in Jackson with UMMC and Ochsner's, in New Orleans, Landon underwent surgery this past week to have both his legs encased in full-length leg casts - connected by a rod for from 6 - 8 weeks. Once the casts are removed he will undergo more surgery because the MRI displayed that he has no blood flow to his right hip. And then, there will be therapy to help him learn to walk, again.

I call him our "littlest warrior" and am amazed by his strength and his spirit, and his smile. I can't imagine a more uncomfortable way to have to live - legs, in a cast, spread wide open ..... for weeks.

Please remember Landon, in your prayers!!

 

The "Donut Hole" and the Deductible, both are expensive!!

Back in 2013, when my honey was in his "next-to-last" year of living with cancer, I was diagnosed with AFib. AFib can be caused by stress, and caring for a loved one, with cancer is certainly stressful.

My AFib has been mild and I am able to "manage" it.....however, stressful situations can also trigger AFib episodes. Thankfully, I've only had a few since 2013. AFib has ensured that I will always have to take a blood thinner, to prevent a stroke or heart attack. My Cardiologist prescribed Eliquis, several years ago, and it works .....but it's expensive because it isn't Generic.

I'm surprised that today (when I picked up my 90-day Eliquis refill) I didn't have an "episode."

It's absolutely ridiculous that 90 tablets (I take 2, each day) with Medicare and my Supplement cost me an additional $623.00! Of course, it's the first of the year, and I have a deductible to meet.  And then, there was last year, when I was in the "Donut hole."

The "Donut hole" (also known as the Coverage gap) is that time of year when you've reached the limit of what your insurance drug plan will pay. In 2021, it was $4,130. This year (2022) the amount is $4,430. When that period occurs, all prescription drugs become more expensive.  

I recall, in December 2021 going to pick up my 30 day supply of Restasis (Prescription eye drops to treat chronic dry eyes) and the cost was over $160!! I was in the "Donut Hole."

Eliquis won't be eligible to become Generic (and less expensive) until after 2026 and possibly 2031. Until that time, it will remain a very expensive ....though much needed ....drug.

Donut Hole or Deductible .....the end of the year or the beginning of the year....even with insurance......are costly times. (If one doesn't have insurance, there are programs to assist with the cost.)  

Today isn't just "Groundhog Day"..............

 Did you know that today is also known as Candlemas, in Christian countries? It signifies the end of the 40 days of the Christmas - Epiphany season. Some churches remove Christmas decorations after Christmas, some after "Little Christmas" (Jan. 6th), and some remove them after Candlemas.

Many church members (Anglican, Methodists, Lutheran, Eastern Orthodox Christians, and Roman Catholics) bring their candles to their local church to be blessed. They serve as a symbol of Jesus Christ, Light of the World,

Many churches remove their Nativity Scenes after Christmas, but some leave them until after the Baptism of Jesus. However, in some countries, it is a tradition that the Nativity Scene is removed after Candlemas - the end of the Christmas season.

Candlemas got its name from the lighted candles.

Who saves the "Operator's Manual"???

Years ago (no, I don't recall how many years!) when we bought our Panasonic Inverter 1250 Watt Microwave, we plugged it in and used it.

I had no idea what "Inverter" meant (and still didn't until said microwave just died). Nor did I read the manual. It was a Microwave .... I needed it to do what Microwaves do ..... heat or reheat.                                                                                                                                                                           

My microwave has been my morning cup of coffee "mainstay."  I need that one cup with cream and sweetener, but I'm not much of a coffee drinker. I heat and reheat that one cup until I may, or may not, finish it! When the microwave died, the coffee drinking was almost over. I make it to about one-half cup before it gets cold.  Well, one morning (haven't had time, yet, to get to town to replace my "coffee heater,") I did heat my coffee, in a saucepan, on my stovetop! That took me back to my Granny and her coffee pot, on the stove.

Anyway, the day the microwave died, it quit.....with a message that said, "refer to Panasonic Operator's Manual."  Where in the world would that be and why?  Well, I did search in a few places, but I was sure I had probably thrown that away, years ago. (Now, once I've replaced the dead microwave, I'm sure I'll find the manual!)

I went online and searched for Panasonic Microwave Manual.  I read down to the part where I was instructed to "unplug from electricity" (I was already beyond that), but when I got to the part about removing the front panel and removing the Inverter grid ..... I stopped. 

Granddaughter, Olivia, was over here the day the Panasonic died (she was about to heat up a snack), and said, "something else for Sawyer to fix." (Sawyer gets called on to fix lots of things at "Granny's house!") I'm sure they'll both be happy to know that I didn't have the "Operator's Manual!"  (And Amazon delivers .....to the country!!)

How Bella came to live with us (Miss Sally and Mr. Bob)

 She's just a sweet, little, black Pomeranian - with an attitude!

The ebook, which can be downloaded to your tablet, Kindle, phone, or even the free Kindle app, on your computer is for little kids, ages 3 - 5.

This little book is a true story about how Bella (when she was just 4 weeks old) came to live in our house. 

She's often called "Bella, the Beast" because she often likes to "rule the roost" - and Precious, who is just 6 months older, won't tackle her (and tattles when Bella steals her bone.)

To order just click the link and enjoy. Hopefully, there will be more Bella and Precious books!

See Little Bella's New Home

Was it just another Thursday?.....

It was a cold, wintery Thursday evening in January 1941 ....just a few months before the beginning of WWII when I was born to Horace and Ella Mae Hester Walker who had waited for 11 years for their 1st child.

I was the 5th grandchild of "Cazzy" and Annie Catherine Gibson Walker. (And I was given her middle name as my middle name. I loved her like no child ever loved their "Granny.")

No, I didn't know that I was born on a Thursday night ....I don't remember being (if ever) told those details, but I did look it up!

I was born, on a kitchen table (I've been told) in a small rental house just down Hwy 37, south of Taylorsville,  MS.  Dr. Kennedy and my friend, Mary Lou Gregg Cheatham Cooke's mother, Myrtle Hathorn Gregg, was the midwife who helped to deliver me, on that table. (I never asked if they ever ate, on that table, again!)

I wished, years later, that I had taken a photo of that little house. I do remember seeing it. I wish that I had asked to go inside ...and see where I had been "me."

I know that Hwy 37 must have been gravel, back in those days.  I wonder how Doctor Kennedy was contacted. I wonder how they traveled. I was told that it wasn't an easy birth. I'm not surprised, at that. I've never been "easy!" 

Thank you, God, for allowing me to see another year. Thank you for Thursday, January 16th, 1941. Thank you for Horace and Ella Mae Hester Walker and for all these years that I've been given.

On this Sunday, January 16, 2022 ......thank you to everyone, in my life. Thank you, to all of you who have loved me, liked me, endured me,

 But most of all.....thank you, to my family....I have loved you....and you have loved me.  I have two beautiful daughters, a great son-in-law, (even a couple of great "ex"sons-in-law), four absolutely wonderful grandchildren with a wonderful grandson-in-law and some pretty great "significant other" grandsons-in-law," and then there's the absolutely "could not live without" those great-grandkids. How blessed I am!!!

And, of course, the "two girls," in my life.....my two little rescue Pomeranians ..... Bella and Precious. How, how, how could I live without you (and your barking?)

And thank you to my "significant other" .... the man who has been there after God took my honey home. Thank you, Mike, for being there when I've needed a shoulder to lean on, and when I've needed support. Thank you for loving me when I couldn't even like myself!  

Another year ..... thank you, God.  I've always wondered why "Thursday" was "my day."  Yes, it's Garbage Day, but for some reason I've always thought every day was THURSDAY. Now, I know why.  Thursday is just "my" day!!

Christmas Day and another Cemetery!!

It was a beautiful sunny, but cold, Christmas morning as I was driving up  Hwy 35 toward Mize. I was in no rush to get home to an empty house, except for the two furbabies that would be happy to see me and jumping for joy over the treats they knew that I would give them. 

This really didn't seem like Christmas except for the tree and all the gifts that Santa had brought, at granddaughter Olivia's. I remembered Christmases past with the smell of cooking coming from the kitchen in both my house and many years before, at Granny's house. Trees and gifts and laughter flooded my mind and made me miss Christmases gone by, even more.

I wasn't paying much attention as I drove along, with my memories.  I suddenly caught sight of what appeared to be a cemetery off to the side of the highway.  I drove on down the highway and found another cemetery in which to turn around. I just had to investigate!

I got back to the old cemetery, now covered with dead vines. I safely parked, off the highway. I got out with my cell phone/camera in hand and

walked through the tall dead grass toward the old burial ground. An impressive, ornate old stone was visible above the vines.

The small graveyard with only three graves was surrounded by an old chain link fence. There were two entrances. Above each entrance, the name of one of the people in the cemetery was in the metal above the gate.

Over the side gate was the name Joseph Walter Sullivan. His was the grave with the ornate tombstone. I did some research after returning home and learned that Joseph was just 25 years of age when he died in the US Naval Hospital in New Orleans on October 14, 1918. Joseph Walter had enlisted in WWI in 1917. His Death Certificate states that he died of Physical Disabilities and Gallbladder.

On August 10, 1918, he had married Grace Elvira Craft, age 16, one of the ten children of Jason Lucifer Luther Craft and Lela Elizabeth Chisholm Craft.  After Joseph Walter's death, Grace married Thomas Marvin Mayfield. Grace was near the age of 90 when she died in North Carolina.

The gate on the side (which was probably intended to be the front) had the name "Thomas F. Sullivan's Cemetery" above the gate.  Thomas and his wife, Mary Margaret Sullivan Sullivan (a Sullivan who married a Sullivan) were the other two graves in this small cemetery.

The Joseph Walter Sullivan gate was closed but the gate with Thomas F. Sullivan's name hadn't been closed in many years, the ground had grown up around it. I entered through that gate. I was surprised to suddenly be off the ground and walking on concrete, which covered the ground in the entire small cemetery.  

The three graves were covered by slabs of concrete laid on top of the concrete flooring. I chuckled at the inscription on the top of Joseph Wayne Sullivan's grave, "Gone but not forgotten."  And here he lay, in a small cemetery at the edge of the woods, covered over by dead vines.

Mary Margaret Sullivan (June 1, 1854 - July 3, 1938) was buried next to her son Joseph Walter (called "Walter").  MM was one of the ten children of Joseph A. and Harriet Wilson Sullivan. Mary Margaret Sullivan was a first cousin to her husband, Thomas Franklin "Money Frank" Sullivan.  Their fathers, were brothers. She and Money Frank were the great-grandchildren of Tom "Pappy Tom" Sullivan, the founder of Sullivan's Hollow.

                                                                            Even though Joseph Walter was the 7th of the ten children born to Thomas and Mary Margaret, he was the only one buried in the cemetery with them.

Thomas Franklin "Money Frank" Sullivan (June 5, 1857 - August 8, 1937) apparently owned the land where the cemetery is located. Frank was one of the ten children of Mark A. and Catherine Byrd Sullivan. 

He was called "Money Frank" for the large amounts of gold that he had amassed.  At one point, one of his brothers built a chimney in which he kept his gold. 

His death certificate indicated that he died of bronchitis and pneumonia.

This photo, from WikiTree, shows "Money Frank" and wife Mary Margaret by the new tombstone of their son, Walter.

 

Turn Right For Mize!!

Mike loves to go for afternoon rides and see the "country." I've been having to stay "in the area," just in case Evie Kate decides to make her appearance. I'm on the "going into labor" call in the event Sawyer and GiGi aren't "in the area."

Y'all know that us "old ladies" love to be needed. (I think I was put "on the list" because I have a heavy foot.) If Olivia needed to get to Laurel in a hurry, I'm her girl!! Anyway, we decided that we'd go (for the hundredth time) to see the old Tom Sullivan house ......or is it the Wild Bill Sullivan house? (It's just the Sullivan house and it's in Sullivan's Hollow!!) If you want to read some "make your eyes go wide southern stuff" about years ago, just Google "Sullivan's Hollow in Mississippi". The first time I ever saw the old house, I was driving Douglas and Hilda Bynum back from a doctor's appointment, in Hattiesburg. We were coming through Collins, and Doug asked, "have you ever seen the old Sullivan house?" I hadn't .....so with Doug's directions.....off we went to find it!

Doug was a lot like my daddy ..... he seemed to know what roads to take to get wherever one wanted to go. And my lil' brother inherited that trait, too! (GPS was designed because of people like me!) On that day, with Doug and Hilda, as Doug directed, I drove and we wandered through the country roads of Covington County and then Smith County ....and there it was !! The Sullivan House!! I was thrilled ....that first time....and every time I have seen it since. There's just so much history attached to that old house and the people who lived there or even dared to walk nearby! I might add that Mary Cooke and I used the description of the old house in our "Travelers" book. Yesterday afternoon Mike and I left my house, and I began driving "through the country roads of the piney woods of Smith County." Ever so often, Mike would ask....."do you know where you're going?" The answer was always, "NO!" Just because I had an idea of where it was didn't mean I knew how to get to it! Had someone asked me "where's the Sullivan house?" my response would have had to be the customary southern expression (while pointing) "over yonder, somewhere." I drove and drove and turned and turned, and finally, there was a road that looked familiar. All the roads seemed to be the same. In places, the branches of the old oaks formed a canopy, over the road. We passed houses that looked familiar, and we passed a church that looked familiar. I'm not sure why, but I suddenly turned left, up a narrow country road. (There's a story about how I ALWAYS turn right ..... no matter, what!!) That is, unless I'm coming back to my OWN house, from a different direction! That country road dead-ended into another road, and there, in front of us, sat the old Sullivan house. We had accidentally found it!! First, Mike asked, "do you know where you are?" (I just gave him one of my best "deer in the headlights" glare.) Next, he said, "do you know how to get from here to Mize?" I replied, "I don't even know how to get back home, from here!!" He said, "We're about 5 miles from your house and we're lost?" Yes, we were!! So, he took another picture of the old house (to add to all those others, in the phone camera) and I started driving. Could I have turned around and tried to retrace our trip? Probably not!! I had turned down too many little country roads! Could we have used our GPS on our phones .....well of course, but that would have been too easy!! I reverted back to my old standard of "always turning right" when I came to an intersection. And it worked!! I got Mike to Mize, not that he necessarily wanted to go, but he HAD asked how to get there!! It's always an adventure ....... especially when all the roads look alike!!

 This is a story about the "Honey Wagon."

(And there's an explanation, which you'll learn at the end of the story about how it came to be called a "honey" wagon when it has absolutely nothing to do with Bees!!)

You know, Mike and I have seen more interesting things while sitting at this table. Some are, "OMGosh, did you see that!" or "OMGosh, look at that ...no, Mike, not that way....look over here, NO, over this way!" (That's usually how it goes!)

RVing is camping, at its best. We're like a rolling house on wheels. Heat and A/C, Cooking facilities (stove, Microwave Convection Oven, Fridge with Freezer, sink to wash dishes (no, Mike doesn't have "dishpan hands!"), lavatory to wash one's face or brush one's teeth, shower to cleanse the body and a potty for "you know what" .....those private moments.

There's a tank that holds freshwater, a tank that holds gray water (from the dishes and shower), and a tank that holds the yucky black water (from the potty.)

Many RV parks have full hook-ups - water, electric, and sewer. Then, there are those parks where one has to fill one's water tank on the way in and at some point, make a trip to dump the Gray and Black water tanks.

This story began the day we were waiting in line to dump our tanks and fill the freshwater tank.

In front of us was a pickup truck towing a small "Honey Wagon" ...... that apparently needed dumping. Rather than moving their entire rig, this couple had chosen to use a "Honey Wagon" for their "overflow."

The couple got out of the pickup - the man on the driver's side and the woman on the passenger side. The man really just stood and watched while the woman (wife?) began the dirty duty of emptying said "Honey Wagon." She opened the valve, moved the wagon to the sewer, opened the sewer cap at the dump site, and she proceeded to empty said contents. The man stood and watched.

The "coup de gras" was when the deed was done, the woman bent down and picked up the heavy Honey Wagon (he did let the tailgate down, on the pickup) and she put it into the back of the pickup!!

Now, nobody had on gloves and this was a nasty, nasty task that had just been completed. Apparently, she got something on her hands because she walked to the side of the pickup ..... slinging her hands as if to rid her fingers of whatever was there! Yes, there's water - yes, she could have washed her hands.

Mike and I both looked at each other and said, "did you see that!!!"

(BTW, as promised, it's called a Honey Wagon because of the "honey-colored water" that comes out of it. Now, you'll never eat honey, again!)

And, if some of you RVers have a Honey Wagon, I mean no disrespect .....but I don't see one in our future!!

Uber Not Available!!

With Margaret (Mike's GPS voice) and the "Iowa Guide to Haunted Locations" directing us, we headed northeast out of Readlyn (that's what Mike said but it seemed, for some reason, like we were going south!) to Strawberry Point, Iowa.

Y'all know, I like Cemeteries.....and Cemeteries have dead people .....and often, living people claim that they see "dead people walking" (Ghosts) in Cemeteries.......Whooooo.

We had read, in our Guide Book, about Mossy Glen where people had died strange deaths, jumped off cliffs, had their heads chopped off.....and they are supposed to still be there.....walking around. In fact, if you call out "Lucinda" three times - she will appear......but....if she drops a rose at your feet, you'll die.....the next day! (I had stuff to do, the next day, so I decided against trying to see Lucinda.) There was supposed to be a man, walking around, holding his head. So much to see, so little time!

I was game....I'm "sort of a believer" (Yes, I've seen ghostly figures). Mike, not so much, and I was actually thinking that taking him along (you know, a "non-believer") might not be such a good idea. Would ghosts appear to non-believers? Was I up for going by myself? I'm pretty brave....well, I guess not THAT brave!

The rock road Margaret had taken us down had come to a dead-end, in the middle of a farmyard. To our left was the entrance to a cornfield that covered a rolling hillside and to our right was the entrance to a barn. In front of us, a rope tied across what had once been a road, blocked our way with a sign, "don't block the road." And about that time Margaret informed us that she wasn't going any further .....we'd have to get out and walk!

The old road was covered over with vines and a canopy of tree limbs and it looked ....well, it looked "uninviting!" I had on sandals (was that by design?) and it had begun to sprinkle rain. And then, the two farmyard guard dogs began to bark. (I must confess, they were old, fat beagles .....but they had a ferocious bark!)

We decided to try and find another entrance. Keep in mind, we were on rock roads in the absolute middle of nowhere. The hills were extremely steep. We saw a road sign that indicated a truck on a steep downgrade, and I was very thankful that it was summer. I couldn't even begin to imagine having to go down these hills in an Iowa winter with snow and ice! Whew!

We were surrounded by absolutely beautiful rolling hills full of corn. On one side of the road, there would be steep banks with layers of stone that looked like slabs of granite and on the other side a field, with the tall corn bending in the wind, on the roller coaster-like hills. I had to force the image out of my mind of a tractor trying to stay upright on those steep, hilly rows!

Mike had entered Mossy Glen Hollow into the GPS and after many stops and turns, Margaret informed us that we were at our destination. To our right was an overgrown ditch and a swamp and no road, and no way in!

Here we were, again in the middle of nowhere. We stopped at a crossroads that reminded me of my crazy little four-way stop, back home. Mike was trying to put a destination, any destination, in his GPS, and he kept getting the message, "GPS signal lost."

Suddenly a message popped up on Mike's phone, "Uber is not available!"

When a FedEx truck went flying around us, we decided to follow him. The road was paved, to a bridge, and then the rock began again with a sign ....." this road is not maintained, enter at your own risk!" If it was good enough for FedEx, it was good enough for us!! We followed and suddenly, at the top of the long hill, the "enter at your own risk road" dead-ended at a Paved Road!! And on our left, sitting atop the hill was a Cemetery!! (This trip might be worthwhile, after all!) The cemetery was shaded and guarded by several huge, old Cedar trees that had been there for many years.

Many of the ornate tombstones had Ireland inscribed as the place of birth. We viewed so many of the old stones that had begun to be covered by moss with engraving that was no longer legible. My mind raced back to my "own" cemetery in Mississippi and Stanley Jones, the young man who gives so much time to cleaning the old stones. This cemetery and these stones could use a Stanley Jones!

A young woman who was mowing the vast cemetery stopped and visited with us and pointed out the grave of Daniel Shine. We had learned about Dan in the "Hillbilly Homicide" in our Haunted Locations book.

Dan was a 58-year-old farmer and confirmed bachelor who lived in an old house on his 80-acre farm, in the area. His 70-year-old bachelor brother, Timothy Shine, lived with him. Pearl Hines, a young (33 years old) "Hillbilly girl" lived with relatives, in the area. The story goes that Pearl worked, for a few months, as a housekeeper for "old Dan Shine." The relatives with whom she lived, a 26-year-old uncle, Jim Hines, and his 51-year-old common-law wife, Minnie, were poor. They lived in a log cabin with 18 of Minnie's children - with no electricity and no running water. A plot was hatched for Pearl to marry Dan Hines, murder him and get his farm, so she could help her uncle and his wife.  Pearl married old Dan and 5 days later, he was dead! 

We hadn't gotten to Mossy Glen, but we'd seen beautiful countryside and we'd ended our trip in a Cemetery.........without waking any of the Ghosts!!

 

It's RFD .......

Some people (and unfortunately I am one of them) never know what might come out of their mouth ..... until it does!!

Such was the case, recently.

I had driven Mike to the doctor. Since he has Shingles, in his right eye, he's unable to drive until ..... well, until he can see!  So, whether he likes to ride with me, or not ............

He can still watch television or check his phone or Facebook. You know, all those important things in one's life!

Anyway, we left the doctor's office and headed to the Pharmacy in the HyVee Grocery Store. I was pleased to see that the store was following the guidelines set out by the CDC or Prez Trump or somebody!

The Pharmacy had the floor marked off, with blue tape, to indicate 6-foot spaces between customers. Store employees were "masked up," although shoppers (other than me) wearing masks were few and far between - even though the store is in Waterloo, Iowa; a "hot spot" for the Covid-19 Virus.

While waiting for Mike's prescription, I went to pick up some Tylenol and the shelves were bare, other than Tylenol PM. It has been said that  Tylenol is more effective for pain control than Ibuprofen against Covid-19 symptoms. That's okay, 'cause I can't take NSAIDS, anyway (but I have no symptoms ...so no panicking!)

I went to the Pharmacist and asked, "do you not have any Tylenol?"  He came from behind the counter to search and advised that "Tylenol has really been in short supply, since the Virus."

Then he asked, "What do you take Tylenol for?"

And I answered, "RFD." (What?  Where did that come from?)

That poor Pharmacist had one of those "deer in the headlights" look, but he didn't say a word nor did he ask a question. He just looked really puzzled and confused.

It would have probably helped his feelings if he had known that I was feeling puzzled and confused, too!!

He fumbled around and suggested a bottle of the HyVee "they're just like Tylenol" brand, and I took them and made a quick escape before he could decide to ask questions about this "RFD disease!"

The answer should have been "RLS" (as in Restless Leg Syndrome) but nowhere in my brain was that acronym going to be found, at that moment.  Why I didn't just say "headaches??"

I'm sure, with my southern drawl, he probably thought it was some kind of new southern diagnosis......like maybe "Redneck Foreign Disease."

It's just a fact, I never know what I might say.....until I hear me talking!!

Little Bella's New Home is finally ready!!

This little girl was just 4 weeks old when she came to live with us, back in 2012.

I often call her "Bella the Beast" because even though she's smaller she holds her ground.

Bellas is forever taking her sister, Precious, bones. Precious won't try to get them back......she comes

 barking to me!! Just like many "human" sisters they get into skirmishes.  I stay out of the way and let them have their "battle."

Precious was three months old when she came to us.  She always loved hiding under tables and things, and she still does.  When I miss her, I just have to look under the Buffet, in the Dining Room, and there she is!!







These two little noisy girls have brought much joy to this house, and I decided it was time to begin sharing their stories with others.

Yesterday, "Little Bella's New Home" became available (on Amazon) as a Kindle download. It will soon be in Paperback.  I plan to follow Bella's story with a book about Precious.

Bella's Book can be found by clicking this link!!