COLD DARK ROOM

[Warren]

Good morning/afternoon all, it's just getting dark here again and we've had a slightly warmer day but not enough to defrost the ice that's still about. Lots of rain on the way tomorrow
I've just taken Lola out of a very long warm soak which he's had to try to encourage him to poop. He's not had one in over three weeks!! That can be pretty normal for him at this time of year with eating less and definitely moving less but I do start to get worried once we're in to week 3. His urates are looking normal though. I haven't been able to get any opuntia recently - that usually works a treat.
I had to use the fake tortoise to lure him out of his hide which he hasn't moved from for 3 days - otherwise he would have stayed in again, but thinking he has competition spurred him on to investigate. I've also blocked off his door so that he can't get back in and has to have some exercise before he settles down again. Now it's getting warmer we'll be having a little car trip if he doesn't produce something soon.
I hope you're all having a good Saturday!

Hope the soaking works for Lola, having the same problem with Sammy. He has been sleeping 4 day now. I'm planning on giving him a soaking today, Sammy don't like my red 2 gal. vacuum. All I had to do is turn it on and he comes charging out if his hide.

 

[zolasmum]

Good morning/afternoon all, it's just getting dark here again and we've had a slightly warmer day but not enough to defrost the ice that's still about. Lots of rain on the way tomorrow
I've just taken Lola out of a very long warm soak which he's had to try to encourage him to poop. He's not had one in over three weeks!! That can be pretty normal for him at this time of year with eating less and definitely moving less but I do start to get worried once we're in to week 3. His urates are looking normal though. I haven't been able to get any opuntia recently - that usually works a treat.
I had to use the fake tortoise to lure him out of his hide which he hasn't moved from for 3 days - otherwise he would have stayed in again, but thinking he has competition spurred him on to investigate. I've also blocked off his door so that he can't get back in and has to have some exercise before he settles down again. Now it's getting warmer we'll be having a little car trip if he doesn't produce something soon.
I hope you're all having a good Saturday!

I have been looking for opuntia to give Zola for Christmas, but haven't found anywhere at all that sells it. Please tell me where you get it from usually. Is it tinned or fresh? I really don't know where to look.
Angie

 

[Ray--Opo]

Yes, you’re right about the rates. I started to closely look at some dates in March. Plugged the week in March that i was interested in & the “calculated” rate was about $ 900.00. So, i think, well that's not bad……..UNTIL i realized the $900 was the NIGHTLY rate. 😩

They said the slow season was October.
They say the millionaires are moving out of the Keys and the billionaires are moving in.
You can spend 270.00 for a hotel in Marathon. So I figured 330.00 wasn't bad, but definitely a one time a year event for me.

 

[Maro2Bear]

Ive been even more busy cranking out & selling Bluebird Nestboxes. Who knew they would be so popular? 🤷‍♂️

 

[Cathie G]

I have been looking for opuntia to give Zola for Christmas, but haven't found anywhere at all that sells it. Please tell me where you get it from usually. Is it tinned or fresh? I really don't know where to look.
Angie

Maybe Hispanic online fresh veggies would sell it for shipping.

 

[Cathie G]

Today it really poured snow sideways. The first snow I've really gotten to watch this year and it was beautiful. But all we got was a sprinkling. It made everything look like we got iceing.

 

[Cathie G]

Ive been even more busy cranking out & selling Bluebird Nestboxes. Who knew they would be so popular? 🤷‍♂️

View attachment 352579

Who wouldn't want bluebirds in their yard?????!!! That's why. They're so beautiful and interesting.🐦 very nice.

 

[Ray--Opo]

Here are some pics of the resort.

 

[jeff kushner]

I've also blocked off his door so that he can't get back in and has to have some exercise before he settles down again

Kerry will do this to me one day....



Nice Ray.....what a special treat!! I'm happy that you and your wife were able to go enjoy that with the little ones....very cool!


I finally got my ph level high enough to bring my Iron filter online yesterday but not without some self-caused "drama". The 1st thing you do with one of these after plugging it in is to send it into a backwash cycle to let the chems settle and the water run clear, then you can open the valves to use it.

I had connected but not hose-clamped the soft-tubing backwash line. This was a mistake.....it didn't blow off and send black water shooting up like Ole Faithful, splashing off the floor above, the electrical panel and the two outlets when I was standing next to it.....nope, it waited till I was 30' away as I was watching the other end of the pipe sending the black water leaving the house...THEN it blew off! OMG...what a mess....trying to force the pipe back over it, while it's under 75PSI, reaching to close any valve I can reach, get it back on and pray it stays put as I run to grab a hose clamp....grabbed 5 bath towels to sop it all up. The washing machine and dryer covered it black splashes, the walls, floor....no damage but lots of "mess"! Talk about a Keystone-cop moment.....

I got it secured of course and all is well now.....but that was a hoot....I laughed pretty hard at my mistake....a rookie error that Super-plumber hate to admit but always good for the soul to do so. I have a carpet washer that puts down solution then sucks it up so I'll take down to clean the floor today....

---enjoy the day guys!

 

[Maggie3fan]

Ive been even more busy cranking out & selling Bluebird Nestboxes. Who knew they would be so popular? 🤷‍♂️

View attachment 352579

I knew...we have Scrub Jays here. I have one who nests close to me then, she brings her 2 or 3 fledglings into my yard to play and oh my are they terrors! My neighbors hate them, but those birds are smart and seriously funny to me.
One summer when Bob was still alive I was playing with him in his pen, and the mama blue jay was screeching and cawing and raising a fuss every time I gave Bob a strawberry as a training reward. So I stood in the pen looking like the Statue of Liberty only I was holding a strawberry instead of a torch...and it didn't take her a whole minute to fly down and snatch it out of my hand...what a thrill! She's gone now but her babies are adults now and come into the yard, but they are not like she was...I'm thinking her and Bob left about the same time.

 

[Ray--Opo]

Kerry will do this to me one day....



Nice Ray.....what a special treat!! I'm happy that you and your wife were able to go enjoy that with the little ones....very cool!


I finally got my ph level high enough to bring my Iron filter online yesterday but not without some self-caused "drama". The 1st thing you do with one of these after plugging it in is to send it into a backwash cycle to let the chems settle and the water run clear, then you can open the valves to use it.

I had connected but not hose-clamped the soft-tubing backwash line. This was a mistake.....it didn't blow off and send black water shooting up like Ole Faithful, splashing off the floor above, the electrical panel and the two outlets when I was standing next to it.....nope, it waited till I was 30' away as I was watching the other end of the pipe sending the black water leaving the house...THEN it blew off! OMG...what a mess....trying to force the pipe back over it, while it's under 75PSI, reaching to close any valve I can reach, get it back on and pray it stays put as I run to grab a hose clamp....grabbed 5 bath towels to sop it all up. The washing machine and dryer covered it black splashes, the walls, floor....no damage but lots of "mess"! Talk about a Keystone-cop moment.....

I got it secured of course and all is well now.....but that was a hoot....I laughed pretty hard at my mistake....a rookie error that Super-plumber hate to admit but always good for the soul to do so. I have a carpet washer that puts down solution then sucks it up so I'll take down to clean the floor today....

---enjoy the day guys!

I would love to see video of that!

 

[Ray--Opo]

I knew...we have Scrub Jays here. I have one who nests close to me then, she brings her 2 or 3 fledglings into my yard to play and oh my are they terrors! My neighbors hate them, but those birds are smart and seriously funny to me.
One summer when Bob was still alive I was playing with him in his pen, and the mama blue jay was screeching and cawing and raising a fuss every time I gave Bob a strawberry as a training reward. So I stood in the pen looking like the Statue of Liberty only I was holding a strawberry instead of a torch...and it didn't take her a whole minute to fly down and snatch it out of my hand...what a thrill! She's gone now but her babies are adults now and come into the yard, but they are not like she was...I'm thinking her and Bob left about the same time.

When I was about 8 yrs old. I watched 2 Bluejays attack a nest of baby birds. The parents were flying around and screeching but were helpless. I am throwing rocks at the Bluejays and yelling at them. My dad comes out to see what was going on. After I explained it to him, he said in a grouchy voice. That is the cycle of life, now quit yelling I am trying to take a nap. I never have liked Bluejays ever since. 😕

 

[Cathie G]

Kerry will do this to me one day....



Nice Ray.....what a special treat!! I'm happy that you and your wife were able to go enjoy that with the little ones....very cool!


I finally got my ph level high enough to bring my Iron filter online yesterday but not without some self-caused "drama". The 1st thing you do with one of these after plugging it in is to send it into a backwash cycle to let the chems settle and the water run clear, then you can open the valves to use it.

I had connected but not hose-clamped the soft-tubing backwash line. This was a mistake.....it didn't blow off and send black water shooting up like Ole Faithful, splashing off the floor above, the electrical panel and the two outlets when I was standing next to it.....nope, it waited till I was 30' away as I was watching the other end of the pipe sending the black water leaving the house...THEN it blew off! OMG...what a mess....trying to force the pipe back over it, while it's under 75PSI, reaching to close any valve I can reach, get it back on and pray it stays put as I run to grab a hose clamp....grabbed 5 bath towels to sop it all up. The washing machine and dryer covered it black splashes, the walls, floor....no damage but lots of "mess"! Talk about a Keystone-cop moment.....

I got it secured of course and all is well now.....but that was a hoot....I laughed pretty hard at my mistake....a rookie error that Super-plumber hate to admit but always good for the soul to do so. I have a carpet washer that puts down solution then sucks it up so I'll take down to clean the floor today....

---enjoy the day guys!

Nonono!!! I'm so glad my been there done that episodes don't have to do with a black hose 🙂🙏phewr.... sorry

 

[Cathie G]

Blue birds aren't the same as Blue Jays. They're tiny like Gold Finch or Chickadees.

 

[LJL1982]

Here are some pics of the resort.
View attachment 352597
View attachment 352598
View attachment 352599
View attachment 352600

It looks awful! That sand is awfully clean... and it looks like it's a bit sunny. Hope it's not too bad and you are managing 🤣

 

[jeff kushner]

Blue-jays are the "gangbangers" of the forest....that's what we always called them.....The loud, obnoxious group....they swoop in as a gang, terrorize the local wildlife while screaming and carrying on, then they move on.

Blue birds are cool....on the other hand......lol just my take.


What A GREAT NIGHT! I went to bed at 6pm after washing my floor downstairs and wiping clean my appliances<LOL>..., woke for a sec at 11 then up at 3:45AM!!!!! THAT was by far the best night sleep of the year!

Sweet! & Thur is my last day this week..... vacation!!

What a great way to wake....!

OK, "Wild Fork Food" Steak review/Conclusion: (pics attached in case it bothers you)

Kerry brought over a pack of USDA Choice and one USDA Prime NY Strip steak over Saturday so I could try them out.

Last night, I took half's of each grade of steak and cooked them on the grill. As you look at this pic, Prime is the one on the bottom and each weighs just over 1lb. I only used salt/pepper as I really wanted to see the flavor and textures of each. I have to tell you, their Choice while not cheap at $11.99lb or $13 ea, is WORLDS better than you will find in a grocery store....every bit as good or better than a local butcher would carry and gave their Prime a run for the money-taste wise! The Prime grade was of course, amazing and every bit as good as Vincents or Kansas steaks @ < half their cost!

Note: Kerry took home the other Choice steak and she cooked hers yesterday too...because she called me raving about it! She was amazed and she's a "chicken girl"!

Conclusion:
I'm very happy that I was able to find a reasonable alternative to grocery store meat. 2 day free delivery, good value, great taste! The Choice grade steaks were so good at Wild Fork, they will prob be my go-to's with the Prime grade being for special occasions.

We will also try their other stuff over time but I have to tell you, we are both real happy.

 

[Yvonne G]

It's VERY cold here today. Normally I make a fire in the woodstove and don't add wood to it, and that heats the house for the rest of the day, but I've already had to add more logs to the fire to keep it going. VERY cold in here:

40°F
Precipitation: 1%
Humidity: 92%
Wind: 5 mph

The sky is heavily overcast with absolutely NO sun shining through. I've had to leave all the tortoise shed doors closed to keep them inside. Br-r-r-r!

 

[Yvonne G]

Blue-jays are the "gangbangers" of the forest....that's what we always called them.....The loud, obnoxious group....they swoop in as a gang, terrorize the local wildlife while screaming and carrying on, then they move on.

Blue birds are cool....on the other hand......lol just my take.


What A GREAT NIGHT! I went to bed at 6pm after washing my floor downstairs and wiping clean my appliances<LOL>..., woke for a sec at 11 then up at 3:45AM!!!!! THAT was by far the best night sleep of the year!

Sweet! & Thur is my last day this week..... vacation!!

What a great way to wake....!

OK, "Wild Fork Food" Steak review/Conclusion: (pics attached in case it bothers you)

Kerry brought over a pack of USDA Choice and one USDA Prime NY Strip steak over Saturday so I could try them out.

Last night, I took half's of each grade of steak and cooked them on the grill. As you look at this pic, Prime is the one on the bottom and each weighs just over 1lb. I only used salt/pepper as I really wanted to see the flavor and textures of each. I have to tell you, their Choice while not cheap at $11.99lb or $13 ea, is WORLDS better than you will find in a grocery store....every bit as good or better than a local butcher would carry and gave their Prime a run for the money-taste wise! The Prime grade was of course, amazing and every bit as good as Vincents or Kansas steaks @ < half their cost!

Note: Kerry took home the other Choice steak and she cooked hers yesterday too...because she called me raving about it! She was amazed and she's a "chicken girl"!

Conclusion:
I'm very happy that I was able to find a reasonable alternative to grocery store meat. 2 day free delivery, good value, great taste! The Choice grade steaks were so good at Wild Fork, they will prob be my go-to's with the Prime grade being for special occasions.

We will also try their other stuff over time but I have to tell you, we are both real happy.


View attachment 352641

I've been tempted to place an order with Omaha Steaks just because the food in their commercial looks SO GOOD! A couple years ago, before the prices went up so high due to Covid, I bought each of my family members Omaha Steaks for Christmas. They all said the meat was VERY good and quite tender. So I'm really tempted.

 

[Lyn W]

I have been looking for opuntia to give Zola for Christmas, but haven't found anywhere at all that sells it. Please tell me where you get it from usually. Is it tinned or fresh? I really don't know where to look.
Angie

www.bioactiveherps.co.uk have different weights in stock but they have a notice about posting orders over Xmas period. The first one I bought came from them and it was a lovely big 1kg pad which I could slice slithers across with my veg peeler. Cost about £20 with postage. Great for calcium and nutrients but does have quite a laxative effect though so needs to be rationed.

I've not seen it in tins but I would be worried about any preservatives in with it.

 

[Lyn W]

They said the slow season was October.
They say the millionaires are moving out of the Keys and the billionaires are moving in.
You can spend 270.00 for a hotel in Marathon. So I figured 330.00 wasn't bad, but definitely a one time a year event for me.

It's good to treat yourself once in a while!