Month: November 2021

The other day I wrote about how the Hubsy and I use our cellular company exclusively as an isp. It works well for us. However, I got to thinking. What do we do with our devices?

Well, almost all of our content is streamed on either our cell phones or our tablets. We both do just fine without televisions, and since we never watch anything together this works well for us.

We use Amazon Prime, which means that I can also order things for 2nd day shipping most times. I also have kindle unlimited for reading, and audible. I also have a Britbox subscription added in on our service, so I can get my Poirot and Marple fix in.

Then again there are the two powerhouses, Netflix and Hulu. I used to shut them down every summer, but it’s much more worth it to me to have the Hubsy entertained than to keep shutting them down every year.

YouTube Premium. I loathe commercials. With a passion. They are the bane of my sanity, and youtube’s penchant for a 20 minute commercial for a ten minute video is galling. I’d rather have my teeth removed via my ear canal. So, as they include youtube music with the premium, it’s a steal for me.

KXRB – The radio station I grew up with, has old country music streaming live via their own bespoken app. I can listen, get the news from back home, and relax while knitting. Thanks to the topography of Southwestern Minnesota, it’s the only way I can listen in town.

Curioustity Stream- For a special of 15 perr year, I was able to get good content for cheaper than anyone else. Who am I to judge?

Lastly, podcasts… Here we have a crap shoot. I use mostly google podcasts, and occasionally spotify. Once in awhile a good one will show up on audible, but it’s not bloody likely.

So, in a nutshell, we aren’t starved for entertainment. Half the time I sit here writing, I’m listening to a podcast or something on my phone while I write on the tablet.

The laptop does get some love too. She runs the big stuff in the background, and helps me to do the meat and potatoes of most account work around here.

That’s about all, the best part. Since we watch exclusively on devices, when I go camping or am waiting for the hubs at the Dr’s offices, I can catch up on my favorite shows while I am doing other things.

Huge hugs, take care. -L

I have one of those little round ohuhu camping stoves. She tries, I swear she does. However, she just doesn’t do much more than roast marshmallows and boils water.

I don’t regret the cost, because I do get a tiny campfire out of her, but I wish she kicked out more btu’s. Sighs.

Yet, on a warmer night, I can dress in my jammies, grab a couple of marshmallows and have some cocoa or tea on the patio. She works great for that. I then stick her inside a coffee can, and put a bit of a metal lid on the can. It puts her out and conserves fuel.

It works.

I don’t have grand dreams of 5 course meals from her, she does the best job I’ve ever seen on ramen. Yet someday, I want a grilled burger on her. It will happen, someday, right?

Anyways, going to be heading out to the patio in a bit, I have a wind screen rigged up, and I want to get some cocoa in the silence of the trees. Take care, stay warm. -L

Here in Southern Minnesota, its a crapshoot on what I use for simple remedies. I was raised on the fizzy aspirin pills in water.. plop plop fizz fizz and the pink bismuth liquid for almost everythinng.

Since then, of course I’ve upped my arsenal. We use bandaids, allergy medicine, and cough suppresants. We have hot tea with honey, and I often have a cuppa before bed.

Other weird remedies are horse liniment, mentholatum, and even common sense.

Common sense on a remedy? Heck yeah. If I burn myself, I grab some ice or at least run it under cold water. I don’t use some of the ‘older’ remedies because that would introduce both salt and milk solids to the wound, and thus cause bacteria to form.

Other common sense things, if I am bleeding, stop the bleeding, and if it severe enough, go to the ER. If I break a bone, see someone to get it set.

For toothache, whoops, that’s an iffy. You see I don’t have dental insurance, so medical help depends. If it gets infected, I see a Dr. They can prescribe antibiotics. Folks have died from mouth infections. Hatshepsut surely did, according to archaeologists.

Yet, when it comes to home remedies, one thing I don’t do. I don’t follow a celebreties advice, or a blogger’s advice when it comes to keeping my body alive for the next 24 hours let alone.

For example, the only times I have swallowed charcoal, was to counteract the poisons I had taken. This was in an emergency department. They were trying to save the life I was trying to leave.

The only times I have taken other ‘miracle cures’ where when I took them for other reasons. There was the great grape fruit diets of my youth. I love grape fruit. I REALLY love grapefruit. But I’m not going to have more than the occasional, simply because I’m not that stupid.

The all dairy diets… Quick way to get bound up, badly. The other fads… Just, why?

However, you have to choose what works for you. I am assuming that you are a responsible adult. Any decisions you make on this blog post are your own. Also note that you need to do your own research.

Take care, be safe, make decisions based on Data, please. I think his cat Spot would like it. 😉 -L

A few months back I ended up calling my now former isp. As a result of that phone call, we cut the cord with all non cellular internet providers.

I know, shucks huh. Going unlimited has changed our world, in mostly good ways. Except in one.

The hubs has a really old iPhone 6 plus. He keeps it around for whatever reasons. It threatened to die on him today. It seems that apple pushed through a minor update, and he has forgotten how to set up his phone as a hotspot to do it.

So, I’m sitting in front of my tablet, writing to you, venting my frustration over my beloved Shuggie who can’t figure out how to do a hotspot. Something he has done a thousand times…

Bless him, it’s okay. He does the laundry.

-L

Morning all, it’s black Friday again, and as is traditional, we don’t leave the house. In fact, the only one who goes out, Duke, only does so to go potty.

Many years ago, I worked a Black Friday sale at a mega store. I had pneumonia. That sucked. The whole lips are blue, couldn’t breathe, mandatory had to work or get fired… Yep. I am sure I spread my cold to each and every person who went through my line that day.

Never again have I darkened a store on black Friday. Watching people lose their “Minnesota Nice” over crap that would be in a landfill in 2 years just made me shudder.

We will be okay, without the possibility of getting trampled or worse. We will save our nickles, and wait. Besides, Christmas at our house is really really laid back. We do the tree, lights, and the like. However, we don’t go all out. We do the keep it simple version.

Anyways, if you all are out there, trying to buy stuff. Please be careful. Will check in with you again tomorrow. -L