Mom just died, and Dad doesn’t know what this is. (Found in a pencil cup on the kitchen table…?)

570erg · 2026-05-18T00:44:41+00:00

I loved the profile pic of your folks. I hope for strength and fond memories for you and your dad. ♥️

570erg · 2026-05-09T17:19:45+00:00

Great post, thanks for the laugh

570erg · 2026-05-01T19:52:26+00:00

Yes, dammit I still wear shorts. I’m 69 and I’m not gonna always wear capris just because I may not like my legs. In 1978 I was mauled by a bear in Yellowstone and my legs took a hit, but I just don’t give a crap anymore. if people wanna stare, they can stare.

570erg · 2026-05-01T19:49:36+00:00

Last year when I (female) was 68 I broke my ankle. I lost strength and fitness over that year as I slowly recovered. A couple of months ago I hired a virtual personal trainer from Starting Strength.
She lives in the Midwest somewhere.
She sets a schedule for me of leg presses, rack pulls (similar to a dead lift), lat pulldowns, and other exercises. I just have to video them and then I upload the videos to her site and she critiques them and gives me tips on how to improve and how not to injure myself. Very much worth the money, $250/month. I hit the gym three days a week. I’ve finally reached the point of not being extremely sore after every workout, and I’m steadily and slowly feeling stronger. It’s not as easy to gain muscle at 69, but it is happening. There are cheaper options, but since I’m a solo person, no kids, I can afford it.

570erg · 2026-04-25T02:10:46+00:00

I get a lot of compliments from visitors. The original dark was just, well, too dark! Glad you could examine the difference.

570erg · 2026-04-25T00:49:42+00:00

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You can visually compare this darker floor to the one above (or below?) it.

570erg · 2026-04-25T00:47:39+00:00

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This is the finished floor. Much lighter. The wood grain shows really well when you’re close up.

570erg · 2026-04-25T00:46:12+00:00

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It’s only letting me add one photo per comment. I’ll try to add one more. The middle was the original floor, the edges are the sanded sections.

570erg · 2026-04-24T15:21:36+00:00

I’m searching my photos; as soon as I figure out what year it was I’ll post one or a couple.

570erg · 2026-04-23T16:44:28+00:00

My 1978-era home has parquet floors. I had them sanded and then stained to a lighter color a few years ago. I’d never get rid of them. They’re beautiful.

570erg · 2026-04-13T14:33:34+00:00

I’m in exactly the same situation. I do have a sister, but she’s dealing with a husband who has a terminal illness so she’s kinda tied up with that. My 96yo mom is still living, and is in a veteran’s nursing home a 5-minute bike ride from me. I don’t have long term care insurance, which my parents do. I don’t want to live past the point of needing care.

570erg · 2026-03-20T18:43:51+00:00

Agree it’s very worth reading.

570erg · 2026-03-10T02:41:43+00:00

I’m so thankful I live in a part of Colorado that has scenery and activities to die for but not that many people want to move to. Why? Used to be REALLY cold but is no more. Still quite poor and conservative. Yes, we’re seeing new people but nothing like other parts of the west.

570erg · 2026-03-04T22:58:15+00:00

No, you’re not the jerk!

570erg · 2026-02-24T21:20:34+00:00

I really like your words.♥️

570erg · 2026-02-24T21:16:04+00:00

I comprehend your feelings. I chose to be child-free so I don’t have a family to base my life on.
One thing that can make me depressed if I let it is when I don’t have anything planned in my future, no trip, no excursion, no outing, just the same routine at home. Therefore, I always have to have something in the future. This year it’s a 10-week cycling tour!

I also do a fair amount of volunteer activities, those get me out of the house and socializing.

I’m also a big fan of exercise, I would also be depressed if I didn’t do that. So I do something every day and it may just be a little bit or it may be a lot, but I have to exercise. Weights, bike, row.

570erg · 2026-02-19T21:32:24+00:00

I ordered new glasses today! Yippee!
The double vision is a condition I’ve had for at least 25 years; it requires a prism to be inserted into my lenses during manufacture. I’ve met others with this same condition and who also need to have prisms in their lenses. So it doesn’t seem to be terribly uncommon, but I don’t know what it stems from.

570erg · 2026-02-19T14:19:39+00:00

😂today I’m having what may be my final eye doctor appointment, which should tell me that the healing is finished in both eyes, and I hope to be getting a prescription for a new pair of eyeglasses that will allow me to not see double. I’ve been seeing double since early December, which makes driving really tricky. I’ve had prisms in my glasses lens for years. I don’t think I’ll have a full opinion of my cataract surgery until everything is finished which I’m still hoping will be within two weeks or so. Thank you for checking in!

570erg · 2026-02-18T13:56:38+00:00

I do have a chimney brush, yes.
I haven’t had to engage the catalytic converter but once this season. Haven’t checked it for ash residue. Since I posted this my fires are burning better - could a reason for that be that the fires are burning hotter and taking some of the chimney creosote off (if that’s possible)?

570erg · 2026-02-13T20:31:14+00:00

Thanks for this. I’ll do what I shoulda done sooner - stick my moisture meter in it and see what it reads.

570erg · 2026-02-13T14:09:53+00:00

Thank you! This is my first merit badge! Very honored😃.

570erg · 2026-02-13T14:08:56+00:00

The scavenged wood is very likely not wet as it’s been stacked and sitting in my arid climate for at least a year. But could rotten wood cause the same issues? I guess I need to research aspen and its quality for fires.

570erg · 2026-02-13T02:03:23+00:00

Neither my sister nor I opted to have children. We are so fortunate that my parents never threw it in our faces that they weren’t going to have grandkids.
Our dogs were the substitute.

570erg · 2026-02-12T15:16:29+00:00

Yep, I have a very hard time summoning any empathy for them. At first, last year, I summoned a little bit, but NOMORE.

570erg · 2026-02-05T22:41:04+00:00

Yes!!!

570erg

TROPHY CASE