Random 5 for August 14, 2022 – Dads, cautions, foxes, friends, Gracie

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On of the very few pictures I have of my Dad.

Happy birthday Dad! – Tomorrow is my dad’s birthday. He’d be well over a hundred years old. I still miss him even though I was a child when he died. You have made a mark in life if you are still missed 60 years after your death.

I never noticed that! – Do you read the cups you get when you buy a drink? Me neither. This week, I was rinsing out my Starbucks cardboard cup to recycle and I noticed “do not microwave.” Why? It’s cardboard. I microwave my drink at least twice every day. Maybe it’s best not to know.

You win – This week as I was walking to my happy spot by the creek, there was a fox sitting in the path. He watched as I was coming closer. I waved my hands, and he didn’t move. I’m not afraid of foxes but at this spot, I would have to walk within two feet of him to pass. I’m not about to do that. Most likely he would have run off before I got there but I changed my plans and did a 180! Don’t fool with mother nature.

High maintenance friends – Everyone has one. Maybe more. I’ve been trying to schedule lunch with a friend for a while. We don’t live close to each other but not too far either. Sometimes it’s my schedule and sometimes it’s her schedule but there’s always something. Over the years, there has been weird stuff. Email or phone changes without notification. Eventually I hear from her. You would be surprised at how often this happens with friends. I have another friend who changes her cell phone number frequently. I always date the number when I put it in my address book. My email address and cell phone number have been the same for twenty years. Maybe there is a category of friend with a “loose” connection. Someone you are glad to see but it’s hard to get there. Always something else that needs to be done. Like washing your hair!

Sweet, sweet Gracie – Gracie, my cat with the ear infection, is doing better. It’s taken all week to get the lava chunks out of her ear, but we made progress. This morning there were no sizable boulders. She is a dear but fierce warrior princess. Eight pounds of sheer hell. We are both glad this is coming to an end. A few more days of meds and cleaning and we should be good.

So how was your week?

58 thoughts on “Random 5 for August 14, 2022 – Dads, cautions, foxes, friends, Gracie”

  1. Happy birthday for your dad! This wish came from a newcomer in this blogging world, so I’m a bit excited and a bit …confused about all comments and community … so please be patience with me :
    A very, very hot week for me, but I was on the beach for 3 days. Sea, sunrise, beach …for 3 days was like in Heaven. Now I’m back on every day routine!

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  2. Foxes are so beautiful! I always feel lucky when I see them. Like you though, I wouldn’t get too close to one if I didn’t have to. Glad Gracie is feeling a bit better 🙂 Happy birthday to your Dad – he sounds like he was a great guy!

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  3. By now, Ms. Gracie should be okay and no more ear distress hopefully.

    Yes, sometimes it is better not to know – who knew you can’t microwave paper products? I remember when we got our microwave. I sung the praises of getting a microwave to my mom after we got one at work. So I gave the directions a quick look and left the booklet on the table. My mom, perusing it much more carefully than me, kept calling out “I hope you know you can’t do this” etc. etc. and “maybe we should take it back?!” I assured her that life would be easier with a microwave. She quipped “less dishes for you to help with, is your reasoning.” We had a neighbor, who was a bachelor, who moved into his grandparents’ home after they both died. He had lived in an apartment for years and parents were friends of the family. His mom called my mom on the phone one day all hysterical: “Jimmy bought a microwave and put something in it and blew the door off!” He had used a non-microwavable dish with a decorative band made of a metallic gold. My mom: “remember what Jimmy Tock did Linda, I dunno about this!” All I did to mess up in the darn thing was we had an egg cooker. You put four raw eggs in the shell and filled it with hot water. Maybe 15 minutes later you had hard-boiled eggs which we used for salads, egg salad and our canary. I didn’t have the lid on securely and it flew off – egg bits everywhere and a big mess. Microwave was in the basement and I was multi-tasking.

    In all my nature hikes, I have never seen a fox, but would love to see one. Like you, any animal that is normally skittish, sends radar that something might be wrong with it, injured, rabid … you were smart to turn around.

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      • I was getting ready for work and making eggs downstairs; multitasking doesn’t always work. 🙂 I agree with you that Jimmy Tock likely didn’t read the directions. I still hope to see a fox one day, especially taking its time to smell the roses on a Summer day.

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  6. I’m guessing the Starbucks legal department is being proactive about litigious customers. I mean when someone can sue for spilling a hot beverage on one’s lap, they probably don’t want to get into a off-gassing class action. Glad to hear Gracie is making improvements. Here’s hoping the end of the ear gunk is near.

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  7. Much love on your dad’s birthday. Must’ve been so difficult to get through that as a child. Happy Birthday to Kate’s dad. Glad to hear Gracie is improving. I don’t envy that cleanout job.

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    • Cleanout was a bit easier this morning. Tomorrow is the last and we move to weekly (hopefully) cleanouts. Meds will be done today. I was ten when my dad died and I missed him. I was the youngest and only girl (and also twenty years after my bros were born) so I was special to him.

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  8. The very best news to read this morning that Gracie and you have made great progress at reducing/eliminating the lava chunks in her ear. Your Dad looks like a happy guy. I bet he had a great sense of funny… Happy Birthday to him. I think it’s a very good thing that we can choose our friends and choose how much we want them to impact our life. I would have done a 180 at the sight of that fox and let him have the path all to himself!

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  10. Your dad was very good looking. Happy birthday to him.

    I hadn’t seen that message from Starbucks, but I guess it makes sense.

    We don’t have many foxes around here. I can only remember seeing one or two. They’re very cute, but that fox’s behavior didn’t seem normal. You made a good choice.

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    • This time of year, when it’s hot and food is a bit more scarce, the new kits are out and about trying to find their place so it’s not unusual. It was a young one and not as savvy as an older one would be.

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  11. So glad that Gracie is doing better.
    I used to microwave my Starbucks as well, until I saw this warning: Starbucks cups are coated with plastic and wax to make it waterproof. Microwaving may leak toxic contaminants into the hot beverage. The glue that holds the cup together can melt in the microwave, and your cup may start leak from the bottom and sides.

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  15. My dad would be 92 on the 15th. Their anniversary was last week. It would have been 65 years.

    There were a bunch of reports a few months ago that take out coffee cups, like Starbucks, are shedding microscopic particles of plastic. We’re drinking those particles and they are then ending up in waterways and oceans. And our bloodstream. I think that’s why they aren’t recommended to be microwaved. And why it may be better to use non-disposable cups.

    I love wildlife encounters. Mostly. Your fox probably would have run off as you got closer. On the other hand, if he seemed unafraid of you he might have been a dangerous fox. I think you made a good choice.

    I’m so glad that Gracie is getting better. Have you ever tried warming the cleaning drops or pads? Cold liquid in the ear is extremely painful, at least in humans. Try it yourself, it’s fun! 😉

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    • Interesting on the coffee cups. I’ll have to look into putting it in a regular cup! Gracie hates the room temperature ear cleaner. Screams and yells and claws. She doesn’t seem to mind the cold from the refrigerator medicated drops. I thought maybe there was a pain reducer in there because the difference is dramatic. Sadly, the vet wants me to do a clean out maintenance once a week. At least today I remembered to put a long sleeved shirt on.

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      • I read, while I was being sure I was being accurate in my memories of the microplastics, that Starbucks is now giving a discount and some kind of reward points if you bring a re-useable cup. They’re going to phase out the disposable cups, or at least these paper/plastic cups.

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  16. Your dad sort of resembles Robert Mitchum — a good look! I’ve long thought about writing a post about friends but have held off. But yes, I’ve had to downgrade a few because they’ve somehow become higher maintenance than they ever were. I suspect things are happening in their life, but I’m not certain. – Marty

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    • There are some that always have drama in their life. I suppose if I put a spin on things, I could drum up drama in my life. It’s all in the view. Stuff happens and we have to move on. I thought my dad was handsome. He was laid back and easy going. I lost him far too early.

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  19. Your dad had such a mischievous grin! 😀
    I might ask your barista why the cups say “do not microwave.”
    I don’t “play chicken” with foxes either . . . I’m too chicken. 😀
    Glad Gracie is on the mend.

    I don’t make much of an effort to stay in touch with friends who don’t stay in touch with me . . . especially when they don’t live close enough for impromptu happy hours.

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    • Your friend practice is pretty close to mine. I don’t have the long term friendships that many people have. No one from my school days. A precious few from my working days. I’m lucky to call some of my family friends.

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  20. Glad Gracie’s ears are less “chunk-filled”……excellent! I have a very high maintenance friend and sometimes it’s quite exhausting isn’t it. Especially if it’s a neighbor. EEK. Your Dad was a most handsome guy – Happy Heavenly Birthday to him. AND Happy Sunday to YOU!

    Hugs, Pam

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  22. I’ve reheated coffee in cardboard cups in the microwave seemingly endless times without a problem. None of the convenience stores print that on their cups, nor does Dunkin’ Donuts! I wonder if Starbucks just wants its customers to throw out their coffees when they are no longer enjoyably hot and buy another? Or maybe, they are just covering their butts because who knows what people will try. They aren’t saying don’t microwave the coffee, just not the cups, after all!

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  23. One of the few things I like about FB is the ability to downgrade someone from “Friend” to “Acquaintance.” You no longer see their posts, but you haven’t pointedly unfriended them, either. It’s very useful.

    Good job, Gracie! (Actually, it’s really, “Good job, Kate, can you finally put away the Neosporin?”)

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  24. Funny about the Starbucks cup. I, too, have reheated mine in the microwave since it is not plastic lined – who knew? I have a friend that I have had to just put up on a little shelf for a while because I am the one who was initiating all of the communication. It is just the way she is and has always been, but it gets a little tiring.

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  25. I have some “high maintenance friends” who over these pandemic years I’ve downgraded to “casual acquaintances.” If as my friend you find it difficult to keep me up-to-date about your email and phone numbers, then I’m going to find it impossible to think of you as a friend. Just saying

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    • I’ve learned to drift away. Some only contact me when they need a shoulder for troubles. I don’t mind being supportive but not if that’s the only time I’m contacted! Too old for drama! Over the years I’ve made new friends and lost others as interests change.

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    • This morning was the first time she ran when I pulled out the towel (for the burrito which doesn’t work with her). I was worried as there was a chunk yesterday but none today. One more day of meds and two more cleanings. I hope that does it although the vet wants me to do weekly cleanings for a while.

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