Susan's Place Transgender Resources

So, here we are. Chapter 2 of the Story of Lori.

In the first part, I talked about my early years, my career, a little about my gold prospecting, and my rockhounding. I discussed my transition while living in the very Red State of South Dakota.

Now that I have moved to Colorado, it is appropriate that Chapter 2 begins here. In about ten days, I will celebrate my 68th birthday as I begin the next chapter of my chronological life. In South Dakota, there is very limited gender-affirming healthcare available. So, here in Colorado, I will begin the next chapter of my transition, too.

I have called Colorado my home for a very long time. I grew up in the California desert, but after my parents divorced, my dad moved here. After bouncing around the country with my mother, I eventually moved back in with my dad. I went to high school in Arvada for a few minutes, then we moved to Loveland. I still have a lot of family members in northern Colorado.

I want to thank all of my readers for your input, advice, and support through all of Chapter 1. I look forward to sharing with all of you this new beginning of Chapter 2.

Hugs!

Onward Sister! 💕😀👍

Quote from: Lori Dee on August 24, 2025, 09:53:36 PMSo, here we are. Chapter 2 of the Story of Lori.

In the first part, I talked about my early years, my career, a little about my gold prospecting, and my rockhounding. I discussed my transition while living in the very Red State of South Dakota.

Now that I have moved to Colorado, it is appropriate that Chapter 2 begins here. In about ten days, I will celebrate my 68th birthday as I begin the next chapter of my chronological life. In South Dakota, there is very limited gender-affirming healthcare available. So, here in Colorado, I will begin the next chapter of my transition, too.

I have called Colorado my home for a very long time. I grew up in the California desert, but after my parents divorced, my dad moved here. After bouncing around the country with my mother, I eventually moved back in with my dad. I went to high school in Arvada for a few minutes, then we moved to Loveland. I still have a lot of family members in northern Colorado.

I want to thank all of my readers for your input, advice, and support through all of Chapter 1. I look forward to sharing with all of you this new beginning of Chapter 2.

Hugs!

Your high school schedule had a short day, many kids would have liked that too.

Chrissy

Quote from: ChrissyRyan on August 25, 2025, 03:06:31 AMYour high school schedule had a short day, many kids would have liked that too.

Chrissy

I moved there halfway through my sophomore year, so I was only there for one semester. Then I did my junior year in Loveland. I had enough credits to graduate early, so I ran off with some friends to Florida. I did one semester of my senior year in Florida and got into an argument (several actually) with the Assistant Principal about early graduation. He wasn't going to allow it, so I just quit going. A few months later, I got my GED. I was told that there are college students who would be happy to have my scores. I had been talking to a recruiter about joining the Army and decided to sign up after my 18th birthday.

Looking forward to Chapter Two!!!

I left off in the last chapter with some pics of my workroom. I did get a chance to finish rebuilding the Chicago Electric (Harbor Freight) rock tumbler. The problem (this time  ;D ) was when the drive and idler shafts were rotating in a plastic bushing, dust and abrasive collected, and began wearing down the shaft. So I replaced the plastic bushings with roller bearings.

(https://i.imgur.com/l3MP0es.jpeg)

The small groove is where the snap ring attaches to keep the shaft from sliding out while it is spinning.

Then I noticed that on the drive shaft, the worn part is nowhere near the snap ring groove. The groove just wasn't deep enough in the first place. Yet another design flaw.

(https://i.imgur.com/TCOVyXb.jpeg)

In the back, you can see the gray plastic bearing mounts that were rubbing on the spinning barrels. I took a Dremel cutting wheel and lopped off part of the plastic mount. The next step was to drill a hole in the shaft at the groove and replace the snap ring with a cotter pin.

(https://i.imgur.com/dc9G6fK.jpeg)

On the left is the idler shaft with a cotter pin, and on the right is the snap ring that is next to be replaced.

(https://i.imgur.com/cxC79rC.jpeg)

I got it reassembled, lubed the bearings, and fired it up. MUAHAHAHAHA! It's ALIVE!

(https://i.imgur.com/IjTOLuW.jpeg)

The next big project before I load up the tumblers is to sort out about 40 lbs of rocks that are in various stages of polishing.

(https://i.imgur.com/TZbsXMG.jpeg)
(https://i.imgur.com/1dquykG.jpeg)

The goal is turn turn those into these:

(https://i.imgur.com/htSzj44.jpeg)

One last pic. I promised Danielle I would post a pic of my bedroom dresser when I got it put together. I finally finished it about 11:30 last night.

(https://i.imgur.com/CNXxLGl.jpeg)

@Northern Star Girl

You know, if people would stop asking you to store stuff at your place, you'd have a lot more room for rocks!

The dresser looks really nice.

Love always -- Jessica Rose

Quote from: Jessica_Rose on August 25, 2025, 07:05:26 PMYou know, if people would stop asking you to store stuff at your place, you'd have a lot more room for rocks!

The dresser looks really nice.

Love always -- Jessica Rose

Thanks, Jess!

It's not "storage", it's "collateral".  :laugh:

That dresser looks great, Lori. Good work.

This is what dresser heaven must look like! 💕🤗💕

I like that dresser ,now I have dresser envy! Nice repair on the tumbler, sort of thing I would do.

Nice work Lori!

Chrissy

The pendants are beautiful, Lori! And that is one classic dresser. I look forward to following Chapter 2 of your journey.

Thank you all for the wonderful comments.

Today, I have a rug that needs to be unpacked and laid down. It takes a few days for it to "fluff up" after being vacuum-sealed in plastic. I bought an 8' x 10' rug for my living room and decided to get two. These laminate floors stay cold, so the rugs will be a good thing. However, I forgot to measure the bedroom, so I'm now unsure if that rug will fit. I might need to lay it out and, where it is too big, tuck it under furniture. I don't want it under the makeup vanity in case of spills, so this might take some finagling to make it work.  ;D

It has been raining since late last night, so today will be a good day to stay indoors, put stuff away in the dresser, and maybe sort some rocks so I can get the tumblers rolling again.

I have been going through my Documents folder and printing out those that I will need for my upcoming DMV appointments. I came across some notebooks that I had written while researching various stories of lost treasure.

Many of these stories are published in books and on websites, but it is clear that the authors are merely repeating what they heard. They did not spend any time researching to verify any of the facts.

Well, I did. And I have located the areas where I believe these lost treasures may be found. In some cases, I have been out searching, but the areas are so large, it will take a long time to cover all of them.

I am considering posting my notes over in the Hobbies Forum, and maybe including some helpful information about metal detectors, for anyone who might be interested. I know we have some armchair sleuths here on the forum, so who knows?
 🙂

Quote from: Lori Dee on August 26, 2025, 09:54:01 AMI am considering posting my notes over in the Hobbies Forum, and maybe including some helpful information about metal detectors, for anyone who might be interested. I know we have some armchair sleuths here on the forum, so who knows?
 🙂

Do it!

The only thing I know about metal detectors is when someone finds a dead body on a beach in the UK lol.

Chapter 2... we've done the character development and the world building. This is where we get the first pivotal moment in the life of the main character... to let the reader see how the protagonist deals with adversity and change. Got high hopes for you, Lori! 😉 <3

One of @Susan_Rose's babies that I am plant-sitting while they get moved is a Desert Rose. It had a blossom bud when it got here, but we weren't certain if it would open before the time for it to go to its forever home.

When I got up this morning, it was just starting to open up. I picked up @Jessica_Rose at her new place and drove her to the airport in Colorado Springs. When I got back, I had a beautiful surprise!

(https://i.imgur.com/cQBnuGE.jpeg)

It is so beautiful! and PINK!  🙂

This will look so nice in their new home.

Wow! That is spectacular!

So amazing!  Welcome to your new home!!!

Gorgeous!!! 🌺🤗🌺

I am taking advantage of the cooler weather. We have been having mornings around 55F and highs in the afternoons around 85F. So this morning, I'll spray the cracks in my driveway and walkway to put down the weeds and keep them down until next year.

Tomorrow I have a DMV appointment to get my new Colorado driver's license. Once I have that, I can register my Jeep and get my new plates ordered. Then, in the evening, I have been invited by the Rocky Mountain Region Rosicrucians to participate in a Zoom seminar for our Order.

On Wednesday, the 3rd, the repairman is coming to repair my new furniture. In the evening, I will treat myself to a birthday dinner at Village Inn. I enjoy "breakfast for dinner," and it's been a while.

Thursday, I may take a trip out to Pueblo Lake State Park and do some rockhounding. There is anecdotal evidence that Citrine, Amethyst, and geodes can be found in the area. Since it is a State Park, it may have been picked over pretty well, but I won't know until I check it out.

An exciting week planned, now I need to don my PPE and get after those pesky weeds.  ;D

@Lori Dee
Dear Lori:

Enjoy your cooler weather...  I sent it down to you from where I live.
Did your get the light SNOW that I also sent your way? ???

You have outlined a very BUSY week for yourself....

Today, MONDAY, repairing your driveway,

TUESDAY ...Going to the DMV and getting your Colorado Drivers LICENSE and new Colorado plate for your Jeep.
          Your zoom with the Rocky Mountain Region Rosicrucians

WEDNESDAY... Monitoring the furniture repair person at your home fixing the
            damaged new furniture.

On Wednesday evening, September 3rd... your BIRTHDAY "breakfast for dinner" celebration at Village Inn.
                                                      (https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQzzTYMljVBvrDBZ0Ed1X4ntHgWr_engVpwRA&s)   
          (will this be a "solo" event or will you be with friends that you know?)
          NOTE:  I will be very certain that you will get my appropriate and coveted FORUM Birthday Greetings
                      later tomorrow afternoon... be looking for it.  :icon_birthday:


THURSDAY ... Rockhounding at Pueblo Lake State Park

FRIDAY... getting into your PPE to protect yourself while dealing with those "pesky weeds."


I will be eagerly looking for your updates as you have time to share and post.

MANY HUGS, Danielle [Northern Star Girl]

Thanks, Danielle!

The weeding is now done. PPE is washed, and clothes are in the washer. I wanted to get it done before it gets warm, and in case a surprise rain shower comes in.

That also opens up Friday, in case Thursday's trip to the lake gets postponed.  🙂

Quote from: Sephirah on August 30, 2025, 04:42:44 PM

QuoteI am considering posting my notes over in the Hobbies Forum, and maybe including some helpful information about metal detectors, for anyone who might be interested. I know we have some armchair sleuths here on the forum, so who knows?
 :)

Do it!

I am in the process of compiling my notes into text. Many of them are copies of pages from various sources in image format. I have scribbled notes all over with illustrative messages like "LIE" or "What?". I am starting with a lost treasure story to kick things off.

Work In Progress.  🙂

Quote from: Lori Dee on September 01, 2025, 05:27:09 PMDo it!
 
I am in the process of compiling my notes into text. Many of them are copies of pages from various sources in image format. I have scribbled notes all over with illustrative messages like "LIE" or "What?". I am starting with a lost treasure story to kick things off.

Work In Progress.  🙂

Umm, yeah. I run three hard drives on my PC. It turns out that my notes were spread across three folders (Documents, Maps, and Photos), and that's not counting the books stored on my phone.

I started getting everything moved into one handy folder and realized that I could write a book about this one lost treasure. That would be too big for a post on a forum, so it will wait. I have notes on three or four others that I suspect may be connected.

Maybe this winter, when I am hibernating indoors with nothing to do, I'll get it written. I can then have it available for download on my website for any members who want a copy. I don't do sign-ups, subscriptions, or even track visitors. There are no ads either. The only stats I get are how many visitors, but no IPs or any other info about who they are (because I don't care). If you are interested, fine. If not, that's fine too.

Instead, I'll start with some basic information about how metal detectors work, which ones I use, and how I use them for coin shooting, relic hunting (treasure!), and gold prospecting. It could end up being another prospecting article to add to my other prospecting articles on my site. But you will get to see it first, my lovely little guinea pigs.  ;D

Dear Lori Dee

Your special day is arriving TOMORROW, Wednesday, September 3rd .

I hope that you are staying healthy and safe... and that you are
getting settled in your new home and getting all of your "move in" chores accomplished.

I am wishing YOU a very HAPPY BIRTHDAY
                                        :icon_flower:  :icon_flower:    :icon_birthday:    :icon_birthday:    :icon_flower:  :icon_flower:
                 
                            (https://www.susans.org/Themes/default/images/cake.png)                (https://www.susans.org/Themes/default/images/cake.png)                (https://www.susans.org/Themes/default/images/cake.png)                (https://www.susans.org/Themes/default/images/cake.png)

Have a wonderful day of Birthday Celebrations on your "special day" today.

HUGS, and my best wishes,
Danielle [Northern Star Girl]
The Forum Administrator

Note: Before you eat the chocolate cake
          be certain to enjoy your BIRTHDAY Breakfast Dinner at the Village Inn
                                                      (https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQzzTYMljVBvrDBZ0Ed1X4ntHgWr_engVpwRA&s)

Chocolate Cake, Lori Dee, especially for you since I have a feeling that is your favorite.

                                (https://i.imgur.com/97U3FVyl.jpg)

Chocolate is! Thank you!  🙂

Breakfast for Dinner comes first thought.

Wonderful! Happy Birthday Eve, Lori!

Happy Birthday young lady!

Love always -- Jessica Rose

Thank you and thank you!

Happy Birthday Lori! 🎂🎁🎈



~ Lilis 🌷

Happy Birthday my dear, fry up and choccy cake mmmmmmmmmmmmmm!

Thank you, Lilis and Davina. You are very much appreciated.

Happy birthday, Lori. I hope you'll do something special to celebrate it. Know that you are loved.

Thanks, Pema!

Thanks, Emma!

Thanks to all of you for the birthday wishes.

The repairman arrived and replaced the recline mechanism in my new loveseat and sofa. Just as he was leaving, I started getting phone calls from family and friends with birthday wishes and a chance to catch up a bit.

I went to dinner and had an excellent ham & cheese omelette, three strips of bacon, perfectly toasted white bread, and a glass of orange juice. I had just finished eating, and there on the wall was a huge picture of a warm fudge brownie with a scoop of ice cream. I couldn't resist.  🙂

So now I'm back at home feeling fat and lazy.

The plan was to go out to Pueblo Lake State Park and do some rockhounding tomorrow. The forecast calls for sunny and 93, so no. Friday is much better at 77 and cloudy.

Since I got my temporary driver's license yesterday, tomorrow I will head over to the county revenue office and get my Jeep registered and new license plates. I can chill out in the AC, then go to the lake on Friday.

@Northern Star Girl mentioned in your blog that early snow indicates a long winter. I was chatting with my uncle today, and he agrees. He does small engine repairs out of his garage, and an early Colorado winter means good business for him, repairing snow blowers and snowmobiles. In summer, his business is lawnmowers and dirt bikes. He also said that not only is it expected to be an early and long winter, but also a brutal one. < sigh > I left the Midwest and moved to the desert (not far from New Mexico) to avoid the brutal winters.

It is almost time for me to crash and burn, but before I go to bed, I need to see if the Powerball drawing gave me a birthday present.

(https://i.imgur.com/jQxNPqB.jpeg)

:)

I got sidetracked last night and forgot to check my lottery tickets. There was a million-dollar winner in Colorado. But it wasn't me.

Out of ten tickets, I did not match a single number.
Not. Even. One.  🙁

Time to get ready and go to the County Office to see about getting new plates for the Jeep.

Mission Accomplished!

I went to the County Recorder's Office (Vehicle Registration) and registered my Jeep. They transferred the vehicle title from South Dakota to Colorado, issued a new vehicle registration, and gave me a temporary tag until my plates arrive in the mail. Colorado offers a State Parks Annual Pass for $29 if you get it during registration or renewal. The woman helping me had to go out to the Jeep and verify the VIN since it is an out-of-state transfer.

Total costs:

Disabled Woman Veteran Plates - FREE
Vehicle Registration - Included (FREE)
Vehicle Tax - Included (Free)
Annual State Parks Pass - Included (FREE)
Title Transfer - $7.63
Convenience Fee (Debit Card Penalty) - $1
VIN Verification Fee - $25

Total cost: $33.63

Compare that to South Dakota, where it costs me $73 a year to buy a sticker to put on the license plates that I bought many years ago.

Colorado knows how to take care of disabled veterans.
  :eusa_clap:  :eusa_dance:  :icon_biggrin:

I planned to spend the day exploring Pueblo Lake State Park today. I made it out there, but it rained off and on the whole time. Of course, the rain stopped when I got home.  >:(

Technically, Pueblo Lake is not a lake, but a reservoir. They built a huge dam across the river and flooded the valley. The valley is bordered by cliffs, so it works well.

This is a small cove and a popular fishing area. This isn't the main part of the lake. In the distance (top-right) is the dam.
(https://i.imgur.com/pMjsOF6.jpeg)

Another view of the cove.
(https://i.imgur.com/i4uNuog.jpeg)

While in the parking area, I heard some noise coming from across the road. It was three prairie dogs barking at me. I don't speak prairie dog, but I think they wanted their picture taken before the rain started again. They are so cute!
(https://i.imgur.com/IMarDSh.jpeg)

There were quite a few Prickly Pear Cacti in the area, all of them bearing fruit, called "apples". All of this cactus is edible. I have tried them and they aren't bad. Just have to remove a LOT of thorns. The leaves don't have much flavor, but are full of moisture if you are stranded in the desert. The apples are tasty and eaten by deer and coyotes. I knew a woman in California who used the apples to make a very tasty jam.
(https://i.imgur.com/wPNHqp8.jpeg)

The rain started coming down pretty hard, so I stopped at the Visitors Center to use the facilities before heading home. They had a small gift shop with the usual t-shirts, hats, and coffee mugs. They had quite a selection of field guidebooks on everything from hiking and survival to astronomy and botany. I picked up a couple of interesting reference books.

(https://i.imgur.com/UzDHKLw.jpeg)      (https://i.imgur.com/MbQSUHi.jpeg)

Now, I am back home sharing my day with you.  ;D

A very belated happy birthday, Lori.

I should have known you were a Virgo.

Loyal, analytical, kind, hardworking, practical... someone who likes books, nature, the outdoors... dislikes asking for help... yep, sounds about right! ;D

https://www.zodiacsign.com/zodiac-signs/virgo/

<3

Quote from: Sephirah on September 05, 2025, 06:06:40 PMA very belated happy birthday, Lori.

I should have known you were a Virgo.

Loyal, analytical, kind, hardworking, practical... someone who likes books, nature, the outdoors... dislikes asking for help... yep, sounds about right! ;D

https://www.zodiacsign.com/zodiac-signs/virgo/

<3

Thanks, Lauren!

That is a pretty close summation of me.  :laugh:

It says compatibility is Pisces and Capricorn. Every book I read said it was Taurus. My first wife was born on May 10th. My second wife was born on May 9th. When wife #3 and I were dating, I asked her if she was born in May, because that's a deal breaker. She was born mid-July, so I let her stick around for a few years before I kicked her to the curb.  :laugh:

It was shortly after that when I figured out what was going on with me: Asexual, introvert, transgender... yeah, no wonder it couldn't work out.

To all my exes, "It wasn't you, it was me ... except for the crap you pulled, that's on you."  ;D

Well I am Aries, when I lose it stay away! Head down and butt my way through life.

I'm a Libra. Not sure that matches.  I'm supposed to be indecisive but I am the complete opposite of that.

Lori I hope you had a great birthday and I love this quote!

Quote from: Emma1017 on September 06, 2025, 08:15:19 AMI'm a Libra. Not sure that matches.  I'm supposed to be indecisive but I am the complete opposite of that.

Lori I hope you had a great birthday and I love this quote!

"To all my exes, "It wasn't you, it was me ... except for the crap you pulled, that's on you."

To be fair, Emma, I think you need your scales to be in balance. You do what's best for everyone but you. To not make a decision is to let other people make those decisions and go along with it. As long as, on balance, it's something you can live with. You are very much a Libra. You need harmony, and that is the most important thing.

QuoteIntelligent, kind, and always willing to put others before themselves, Libras value harmony in all forms. Ruled by Venus, the planet of beauty, Libra adores a life that looks good. As the master of compromise and diplomacy, Libra is adept at seeing all points of view, and excels at crafting compromises and effecting mediation between others.

Totally you. 🙂

Lauren, much more flattering than true but I do love the association with Venus.  That woman knew how to dress!

Lori, I am so glad your birthday was a success.  Maybe the prairie dogs (that are so cute) were singing Happy Birthday to you!

Eye of the beholder. Message to all of you 😛 We are all wired to see the worst. Trust someone who has no vested interest in it to tell you that you are gorgeous. And then don't believe them. :P

Omg prairie dogs...

this never fails to crack me up...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SNfQda8ceGs

https://everythingbackyard.net/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/polished-pebbles-1576521_960_720.jpg

I saw some pretty rocks for sale at a gift shop.  Polished.  You picked what you wanted, put them in a small bag for $3.99 or a larger bag for $6.99.  They were are different shapes and colors and lines, but all were smooth and polished.  Some were speckled.

Some nice jewelry could have been made from some of them.  The picture above is from the Internet and is just an example of some of the same sizes and types of rocks.  Sometimes the rocks are very pretty in the shops.

I have seen similar displays of rocks for sale.  I wonder how much time and money it costs to make maybe a dozen of these rocks ready for sale that you might be able to cram into a small bag.

Quote from: Emma1017 on September 06, 2025, 04:06:39 PMMaybe the prairie dogs (that are so cute) were singing Happy Birthday to you!

I hadn't considered that! Thanks!

Quote from: Sephirah on September 06, 2025, 04:14:25 PMEye of the beholder. Message to all of you 😛 We are all wired to see the worst. Trust someone who has no vested interest in it to tell you that you are gorgeous. And then don't believe them. :P

Omg prairie dogs...

this never fails to crack me up...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SNfQda8ceGs

OMG that is hilarious!

Quote from: ChrissyRyan on September 06, 2025, 06:33:08 PMI have seen similar displays of rocks for sale.  I wonder how much time and money it costs to make maybe a dozen of these rocks ready for sale that you might be able to cram into a small bag.

The rocks need to be quite a bit larger because polishing them rounds the edges and wears down the surface. They need to be sorted by hardness, too. Hard rocks, like the quartz varieties (chalcedony, jasper, agates, citrine, rose quartz, and amethyst), take longer to shape. Softer stones like Sodalite or Sunstone can skip the shaping stage and move straight into the smoothing stage.

I run all of the rocks through five stages, each lasting about one week. The first stage can take from one week to a couple of months for hard stones. I now use a more aggressive grit for the first stage to knock that down to a week or three.

I run each stage simultaneously, so all my machines are running at the same time. Then I move the rocks to the next stage, empty the final polish stage, and refill the first. I haven't calculated the cost of grit and polish, but it is not expensive. Even with the added cost of jewelry wire, the cost is less than $3 per piece. A small bag like that would be a good way to get rid of the rejects that are not very nice for jewelry due to flaws.

@Sephirah

At first, I thought your video was this one:  :laugh:

Quote from: Lori Dee on September 06, 2025, 07:43:20 PMThe rocks need to be quite a bit larger because polishing them rounds the edges and wears down the surface. They need to be sorted by hardness, too. Hard rocks, like the quartz varieties (chalcedony, jasper, agates, citrine, rose quartz, and amethyst), take longer to shape. Softer stones like Sodalite or Sunstone can skip the shaping stage and move straight into the smoothing stage.

I run all of the rocks through five stages, each lasting about one week. The first stage can take from one week to a couple of months for hard stones. I now use a more aggressive grit for the first stage to know that down to a week or three.

I run each stage simultaneously, so all my machines are running at the same time. Then I move the rocks to the next stage, empty the final polish stage, and refill the first. I haven't calculated the cost of grit and polish, but it is not expensive. Even with the added cost of jewelry wire, the cost is less than $3 per piece. A small bag like that would be a good way to get rid of the rejects that are not very nice for jewelry due to flaws.

The rocks I saw seemed flawless but I am not a jeweler.  I should have bought some.  A pink one caught my eye as beautiful. 

Chrissy

Have a wonderful week Lori!

I rode in a Rubicon style Wrangler.  Cool.


Chrissy

I have been busy doing lots of work.  Hope to get another day off besides yesterday but some things just have a true time deadline. 

Quote from: ChrissyRyan on September 08, 2025, 11:22:11 AMHave a wonderful week Lori!

I rode in a Rubicon style Wrangler.  Cool.


Chrissy

Thanks, Chrissy. You too!

I have been eyeing the Rubicon Wrangler as possibly my next vehicle. My Patriot has now clicked over 101,000 miles, which is not unusual. However, I really want a 4x4 vehicle with high ground clearance for my prospecting adventures.

I am still wrestling (wrangling?) ;D  with whether or not I am ready for the increased cost. My Patriot is paid off, so a new vehicle would mean car payments and an increase in insurance rates. I can afford it with no problem; I just have other things I am budgeting for that have priority right now.

So I will hang on to the Patriot for now. But if a great deal comes along, I'll be ready to jump on it. The end-of-year sales will be kicking off soon, and maybe the tariff fiasco will encourage American auto dealerships to cut prices. I am in no hurry.

Jeeps are just so much fun to drive. And they get me places where I want to go.

I have been on the phone with our local Furniture Row store. The repairman came out and replaced the recliner mechanisms in both the sofa and the loveseat. When I asked about the broken drawer, he said the store never called him, so he didn't have the replacement.

It has now been a few weeks, and no one has called me to deliver or even tell me the status of the replacement drawer. The gal who answered the phone was pleasant, except for calling me "sir" in every sentence. She said the manager was able to push through the order for the replacement drawer, but it has not arrived yet.

It only took two weeks to get the whole set ordered and delivered, so my patience is wearing thin. After she "sir"ed me one more time while assuring me that someone would call when it comes in, I decided to take advantage of her perception. I told her that if no one calls me in one week to tell me what is going on, I will be standing in the manager's office to get some answers.

"Yes, sir. Have a great day!"

ARRRRRGGHHH!  :eusa_wall:  >:(

Quote from: Lori Dee on September 06, 2025, 07:58:27 PM@Sephirah

At first, I thought your video was this one:  :laugh:

Omg! That is awesome. ;D

Here's the one I first saw the prairie dog one in. Try not to laugh, lol.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3aAtFrWft2k

Quote from: Sephirah on September 11, 2025, 05:26:51 PMOmg! That is awesome. ;D

Here's the one I first saw the prairie dog one in. Try not to laugh, lol.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3aAtFrWft2k

I have tears rolling down my face. OMG that is too funny.

A smile is a precious thing. <3

It must be Monday.

I started a load of laundry. Loaded up the dishwasher... why isn't this thing running? What's wrong with the washing machine?

I received a text message from the Property Manager. There has been a water main break, and they had to shut off the water to the entire property.

Yup. It's Monday.

Quote from: Lori Dee on September 15, 2025, 03:17:59 PMIt must be Monday.

I started a load of laundry. Loaded up the dishwasher... why isn't this thing running? What's wrong with the washing machine?

I received a text message from the Property Manager. There has been a water main break, and they had to shut off the water to the entire property.

Yup. It's Monday.

It's hard to think of a bright side when the water is cut unexpectedly.  But I can think of one thing - at least you weren't in the shower with a head full of shampoo when the water went out 😁

Quote from: Liz K on September 15, 2025, 03:35:57 PMIt's hard to think of a bright side when the water is cut unexpectedly.  But I can think of one thing - at least you weren't in the shower with a head full of shampoo when the water went out 😁

Well, as much as I hate doing laundry...

"Oh darn, there's no water. I guess I'll have to do anything else!" 😂

But now, the water is back on and the laundry is done. Yay!

I did two loads myself today.  And it was too windy to hang clothes on the clothesline.  Gale force winds with 60+ mph gusts until Thursday.  Had to hang them inside.  At least I won't lose anything.

Quote from: Liz K on September 15, 2025, 05:52:50 PMI did two loads myself today.  And it was too windy to hang clothes on the clothesline.  Gale force winds with 60+ mph gusts until Thursday.  Had to hang them inside.  At least I won't lose anything.

I had to check your country code to see if you lived in Wyoming. 60+ mph wind there is their daily "breeze".

The Wyoming license plates show a picture of a cowboy on a horse. People think the horse is bucking. Not true. The wind is blowing them over!

https://www.dot.state.wy.us/files/live/sites/wydot/files/shared/Motor%20Vehicle%20Services/2025%20Plate%20images/2025-4-DIGIT-TRK.jpg

I washed three loads today.  Lights, darks, and my bras. 
I hang dry the bras but I do wash them in the clothes washer.

I had plenty of water!


Chrissy

Quote from: ChrissyRyan on September 15, 2025, 09:36:02 PMI washed three loads today.  Lights, darks, and my bras. 
I hang dry the bras but I do wash them in the clothes washer.

I had plenty of water!


Chrissy

You were more ambitious than I, but you just returned from your business trip, so that is understandable.

I learned as a kid to air-dry bras because the heat from the dryer is bad for the elastic. My mom told me that. Which made me wonder why her bras were different from my "tighty whitey" underwear. Boys' underwear had these wide elastic bands around the waist, but women's underwear had just thin elastic bands. So shouldn't I be air-drying the tighty whities?

She just gave me the "Mom look," so I left the room. 😀

Quote from: Lori Dee on September 15, 2025, 09:57:42 PMYou were more ambitious than I, but you just returned from your business trip, so that is understandable.

I learned as a kid to air-dry bras because the heat from the dryer is bad for the elastic. My mom told me that. Which made me wonder why her bras were different from my "tighty whitey" underwear. Boys' underwear had these wide elastic bands around the waist, but women's underwear had just thin elastic bands. So shouldn't I be air-drying the tighty whities?

She just gave me the "Mom look," so I left the room. 😀

Well those tight whites likely cost a lot less each than any of our bras.  So while they might last a little longer air drying them, the bras will for sure and will prolong their lives.

On a few clothes hangers I can seem to hook on a lot of bras to dry.

During the pandemic I saw pictures of people who made "face masks" out of bras.

I laughed and said those must have been old or wrong sized bras as using good bras you can wear to make face masks would be quite expensive.


Chrissy

I have a drying rack that folds up. I used it while camping and at times when I was between housing. I put two coat hooks on the side of my camper, and the drying rack would hang from them. It was handy to hang towels or wet clothes from.

I still have it, and it will hold about ten bras. I usually do laundry often enough that I don't need the rack. Any doorknob will work. 😂

I did 2 loads after the weekend away, my new machine doesn't have a wash/dry program like the old one so had to do a dry after the second load. 2 1/2 hrs!!!!! still most of it was okay to put away after, I would have put it on the clothes dryer but ran out of room. There is a clothes line in communal garden but as Liz said it was blowing a gale and I have no pegs!

I have heard of events being postponed due to rain.
It appears that today the rain has been postponed due to a lack of interest.
I'll be making a scouting run out to a popular rockhounding site... if I don't get rained out.

With all of the budget cuts and layoffs at the National Weather Service, who knows anymore?

I found it totally amazing that Taylor Swift had concerts in the pouring rain.
3-1/2 hour concert at Foxboro or Gillette stadium, home of the New England Patriots.

She did at least six rain shows in the Eras tour.  That is a lot of money made by not refunding sold out shows!

It was hard for me to do 15 minutes of gardening to plant a rose in the rain after a day of golfing.
The clothes immediately went into the wash as I took a warm shower!

The weather doesn't prevent me from prospecting in most cases. I have been out in the rain, snow, and even blizzards. I am more careful in new areas because I don't know how reliable the Forest Service roads are. We have had quite a bit of flash flooding in the past few months, and I don't want to get stranded.

I don't do much rock hounding in the winter because the rocks get frozen into the ground. Gold panning is different. If the river is flowing and I have enough water running through my sluice, it's all good. I dig the gravel from the river bottom instead of the shore.

I made it "out west" and did a little bit of hiking in the San Isabel National Forest. I'll have to check to see what the elevation is there, because it was quite a bit cooler than down in Canon City.

I have some pics I will upload in a bit.

Instead of following the hiking trail, I hiked along a dirt bike trail. The hiking trail is used by a lot of people walking on it, so anything of interest has been picked up long ago. People who use the dirt bike trail are not walking slowly, and not looking at the ground. As dirt bikes climb hills, the rear tires knock dirt loose, which then gets washed downhill into gullies and small "traps". This trail showed these traps full of black sand. So I scooped up enough to fill a one-gallon zip-loc freezer bag to bring home and test.

It will be a slow process. First, I will screen everything down to #50 mesh. That is where the mesh has 50 holes per inch, so each hole in the mesh is 1/50th of an inch (approx.) After checking the screen, I will carefully remove the black sand with a low-powered magnet. If you use a strong magnet, it will pull the sand up in clumps, which could trap gold. So slow and steady. Then the final step will be to pan off any light dust and look for visible gold. If none, then I dry it and look at it under the stereoscope at 40x magnification.

I will be surprised to find any gold in there. But there is a possibility that some micro gold is mixed in with the black sand.

OK, enough yammering... pics coming.

Did you think I forgot? 🤪

This is in the San Isabel National Forest, south of Canon City, on Oak Creek Road, looking east-ish. Blue skies. Fresh air. 74 degrees. What could be better than that?

(https://i.imgur.com/AwdjNhA.jpeg)

Google Earth tells me the elevation was 6,942 feet above sea level.

(https://i.imgur.com/vWRMn03.jpeg)

(https://i.imgur.com/VAHMbk0.jpeg)

It started to rain, so I headed back down. I got back to Pueblo and decided to have my favorite meal.

Breakfast for Lunch at the Village Inn.

(https://i.imgur.com/3emLtnc.jpeg)

I'll post an update when I know how my sample turned out. I don't have much hope of finding anything in it. I am considering running it through the Gold Cube instead of panning it.

Mike Pung, the inventor of the Gold Cube, told me that he designed it specifically to deal with black sand. He would frequently prospect the shores of Lake Michigan, which is notorious for black sand, and he tried to figure out ways to beat it. After many years and many prototypes, he came up with the Gold Cube design.

Black sand is the bane of every gold prospector because it is iron and heavy. It sticks to the bottom of the gold pan, making it difficult to separate the sand from the gold. I have developed a technique with my panning that does a good job, but the Gold Cube does it while I have a sandwich. 😁

I will have to make a run to the home improvement store to get the tubs I need to set up a recirculating system. I used it in my garage, and when it was brutally cold out, I set it up in my bathtub.

In my garage, I had a kiddie pool, and inside that a mixing tub (concrete or compost), and inside that a plastic washtub.

(https://i.imgur.com/mPsIjnC.jpeg)

The water is pumped from the kiddie pool up through the Gold Cube. The sand and light stuff gets flushed out the bottom into the washtub. The heaviest material will settle there. The water overflows into the mixing tub, carrying lighter sediments with it. Since the water moves more slowly here, those sediments will settle here. That tub overflows into the kiddie pool. The water gets muddy colored due to dissolved solids, but it is still efficient.

(https://i.imgur.com/lo4dVhd.jpeg)

Now, where did I put that sandwich? 😁

@Lori Dee

Dear Lori:
I really like the pictures that you shared and posted....
      ...you live in a beautiful area of the  country for sure.

.... and because it is now approaching dinner time here and I skipped
lunch because of a very busy schedule today, I also
really like the picture of your Breakfast for Lunch at the Village Inn.

HUGS, Danielle [Northern Star Girl]

Hi Everyone

Laundry washing or another colloquial term "washer women", is just another task that I don't mind doing.  So in my case it is two separate loads.  Whites and colours are separated.  So the question you must be asking is, what about my bras?

The majority of mine are white and cotton, with no wire and placed in a bra bag.  So they will go in with the whites.  Any special bras for those special occasions are hand washed as they are only worn for a couple of hours.

After buying new bras I will wash them separately to ensure that no colour will run.  If they have any color like beige, they will be washed separately.

Best Wishes Always
Sarah B
Global Moderator

I received a text message from my furniture repairman. He said that he received a text message from the manager at the Furniture Row store that my repair parts are in, and he offered to bring them out and install them.

All I am waiting for is the drawer to the loveseat that was broken during shipping. I told him that I will take the broken drawer to the store and exchange it today.

I am rather disappointed with this store's Customer Service. They have never called me for any reason. It has always been me calling them to find out the status of the repairs on my new furniture. Yes, they have a contractor that is handling the repairs, but would it kill them to pick up the phone?

Secondhand text messages are not customer service. The repairman has been wonderful and takes good care of his customers, but he is not a store employee. He owns his own furniture repair service and does contract work for many stores all over Colorado. He gets it. He understands the value of communication with customers.

I have some furniture that I was considering buying, but I won't be buying from that store. Honestly, I have had better luck buying off Amazon. I just don't want them shipping a large dresser mirror. I can pick one up at the home improvement stores like Lowe's (which is a couple of blocks from my place and offers a Veteran discount). I just haven't decided what I want exactly.

I have started screening the dirt sample from yesterday's outing. After a closer look at it, I decided to screen it through a #8, #12, and #20 mesh screens. They stack on top of a five-gallon bucket, so it all happens with one pour.

The #8 mesh removed the larger rocks, leaves, grass, and sticks. There are a few larger stones that I will examine under the scope. The stuff that fell through the #8 into the #12 mesh screen does not appear to contain anything of interest. I will set that aside to be run through the Gold Cube or panned later.

The dirt that fell through the #12 mesh into the #20 mesh screen contains a lot of the black sand, mica, and other sparklies (quartz), so it will need a closer examination later. Everything that fell through the #20 mesh screen is at the bottom of the bucket, so I haven't looked at it yet.

I have been busy playing with dirt.

I was pondering if I needed to classify (screen) the sample through the #50 and #100 mesh screens. Normally, for a sample, I do because that tells me what size gold is in that area, if any.

It turns out that a great deal of this material is #50 mesh size. By classifying it further, anything smaller will drop through into the #100 mesh, and anything smaller than #100 will fall through into the bucket. That helps make each classification size smaller and easier to work with.

To give you a visual, the minus #100 stuff in the bucket will be finer than flour and closer to vacuum cleaner dust. So very tiny. I don't classify beyond #100 because I can't see it. #200 mesh is nearly invisible to the naked eye.

So, I gave in and grabbed my #50 and #100 mesh screens. I ensure they are clean to prevent cross-contamination of the sample. I noticed something stuck in the #50 screen. I had to put on my reading glasses, but yes, it is gold!

I found South Dakota gold in Colorado. 😀

(https://i.imgur.com/Hg41v8z.jpeg)

It was stuck in the #50 screen and somehow stayed there through all the packing, moving, and unpacking.

No complaints here. Gold is gold.

Lori,


Where would you sell the gold or do you just keep it?


Chrissy

You can sell it at Pawn shops. It is best to shop around to get the best price.

In Rapid City, Presidential Pawn is a favorite of local prospectors. They have many large nuggets on display that miners have brought in. That is where I sold mine.

I wish I hadn't sold it, but I needed the money to pay for my move to CO. Since then, the price has gone up $1,500 per ounce. I got a good deal, but it would be much more valuable today. The gold that I dug back in 2015 has tripled in value.

I guess I will just have to go dig up more. 😁

@Lori Dee
Dear Lori:
TWO of my "most" favorite soloists are John Denver and  Karen Carpenter ... 
...I frequently play a lot of their music.

    I was thinking of you when I recently listened to this John Denver song.
     
    Please forgive the pronouns used in the song... I can't change the title of the
    song or the Lyrics....  but this is the song that makes me think of you and
    your recent relocation.

HUGS, Danielle [Northern Star Girl]

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=43Aup7mSSN0

Quote from: Northern Star Girl on September 19, 2025, 04:26:05 PMI was thinking of you when I recently listened to this John Denver song.
     
    Please forgive the pronouns used in the song... I can't change the title of the
    song or the Lyrics....  but this is the song that makes me think of you and
    your recent relocation.

Yes, she would! 😁

I remember some great times here when I was in high school. A few years later, the Army gave me a chance to come back and be stationed at Fort Carson (Colorado Springs). It is a strange feeling. You know you are home, but everything is so different.

I remember sitting on top of my tank looking at the mountains and thinking, "Why am I sitting here? I should be up there!"

That was in 1980. Although I have visited family here many times, this is the first time I have lived here since then. And it is the same feeling. I know I am home, but everything is different.

Welcome home.



Chrissy

Quote from: ChrissyRyan on September 19, 2025, 09:12:07 PMWelcome home.



Chrissy

Thanks, Chrissy!

Lori,


Do you find silver the same way you find gold?


Chrissy

Quote from: ChrissyRyan on September 19, 2025, 09:15:30 PMLori,


Do you find silver the same way you find gold?


Chrissy

Sort of. They often travel together. In hard rock, the easiest way to find a vein is with a metal detector. In stream gravels, it is more difficult. Gold is 19.3 times heavier than water. Very few metals are heavier than gold. Silver is only 10.5 times heavier than water. Since gold panning and sluicing use gravity to separate the gold from the sand, it is much easier to find gold because it sticks to the bottom of the pan or in the riffles of the sluice.

Lead is 11.35 times heavier than water, so a little heavier than silver. I do find lead in my gold pan and in my sluice box, but so far no silver. I don't know if it was too light and got washed out, or if there just wasn't any there to begin with.

Of the metals that are heavier than gold: tungsten, platinum, and iridium, I have found platinum. It was two tiny nuggets, smaller than the diameter of a #2 pencil lead. One was just barely big enough to test to verify it was platinum. I kept going back to that same spot, but never found any more. 😢

You rock Lori.


Chrissy

On Monday, I met my new therapist. She is awesome. Her son is transmasculine, so she understands our struggle for gender-affirming care.

Yesterday, Tuesday, I had an appointment with the Endocrinology Clinic at the Rocky Mountain Regional VA Center in Aurora. It is a very nice campus; very modern, with other medical centers next door, such as the University of Colorado Children's Hospital. The VA Staff were friendly, but I am not impressed with the care so far.

My appointment was for 11:00 am, and I arrived early enough to wander around and find where I needed to go because the place is HUGE. I checked in at 10:50, and within minutes was called back by the nurse to get my vitals. Then I was returned to the waiting room to wait for my provider.

I waited, and waited, and waited. At 11:40, I spoke with the receptionist to ensure they had not forgotten me. He assured me that the doctors were running late due to many morning appointments where the patients arrived late due to the pouring rain.

At 11:45 am, my provider called me in. He said that he could not access my medical records yet, so he wanted to review my current meds and medical history. When we finished, he excused himself to consult with his attending physician (the woman I was scheduled to see in the first place). After a bit, both of them returned, and she announced that my progesterone dosage was too high.

Excuse me?

You don't know me. You don't know the number of experts that I have consulted over the years, the published studies I have read, or even the reason my doctors in South Dakota prescribed that dose. And you want to arbitrarily change that? Um, no. You have not even looked at my records, nor have you ordered any lab tests to support that decision. No. No. No.

I tried to educate this woman by explaining what I know, how I know it, and how she can verify it for her own knowledge. She said that "high" progesterone levels are "believed" to cause breast cancer. I told her that I am aware of those outdated studies, and they do not apply to me. I told her to go to Wikipedia and search for "pharmacokinetics of progesterone," go to the footnotes, and read the study that explains the reason progesterone should be given three times a day and not once per day. She dismissed that and said she would consult with her superior, who is up on all the latest studies, and get back to me. Then she ordered lab tests to actually see where my hormone levels are currently.

I told her to think logically about this. If "high progesterone" causes cancer, then that would mean that women would be getting cancer every time they get pregnant, because progesterone and estrogen levels soar very high during pregnancy. She said that pregnant women do get breast cancer often and they believe the cause is high progesterone levels.

What she is referring to is PABC (Pregnancy Associated Breast Cancer), which is the most common cancer in pregnant women.

However, the risk factor is 1 out of 3,000 pregnancies, and is considered "rare". There is no conclusive proof that it is caused by high progesterone levels yet, but there are ongoing studies that may suggest it.

The problem is that there is great difficulty isolating a single cause from all of the various other things that could be the cause: high estrogen levels, increased IGF-1, Human Growth Hormone, medical history of breast cancers, obesity, and other risk factors.

So, what is she calling "high" progesterone levels?

Progesterone levels rise rapidly after conception, reaching 11-44 ng/mL.
In the second trimester, levels continue to increase, reaching 17-146 ng/mL.
In the third trimester, levels reach their peak, ranging from 49-300 ng/mL.

Since I am not pregnant, let's assume that a "high" progesterone level for me would be at the upper end of the first trimester range: 11-44 ng/mL. For safety's sake, let's say that anything over 40 would be considered "high". If my ovaries were producing that much progesterone, I would agree that this is something we need to check.

Oh, wait.

I don't have ovaries, so they are obviously not dumping huge amounts of progesterone into my bloodstream. I am not taking any synthetic progestins (like are found in birth control pills). I am taking bioidentical progesterone pills. That means that what I am taking is chemically identical to what is produced by human ovaries.

Now we get to the question of her concern that my "dose is too high". We have established what we will assume is "too high," so now the question is, how many pills do I need to take to reach those levels in my blood?

The thing about oral medications is that they first get processed through the liver, which is known as "first pass". The medication is mostly removed from the system before it gets into the bloodstream, which means that higher doses are necessary to achieve higher levels.

So, how much progesterone is eliminated during the first pass?

"... a study using LC–MS found that the bioavailability of oral progesterone was only 2.4% relative to vaginal progesterone gel...The very low bioavailability of oral progesterone is due to the fact that it is poorly absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract and undergoes massive metabolism, resulting in almost complete inactivation during the first pass through the liver."

The article also has a chart that shows the various routes, their effects on serum levels, and duration:

Capsule    200 mg    4.3 – 11.7ng/mL    2 – 2.5 hours

In order to maintain the 11.7ng/mL level, you would need to take 200mg six times a day for 24-hour coverage because the duration is only 2 - 2.5 hours.

In order to hit our "high dose" level of over 40ng/mL, we would need to take 800mg (4 x 200mg dose), and take that much six times per day.

I take 100mg three times per day. She thinks that is too high, and I think that is too low. I would need to take 8 capsules six times per day to reach a risky level. And once I reach that level and stay there for months, my risk is almost 1 out of 3,000 (rare).

The problem is further compounded because I can't write my own prescriptions, so I have to go through healthcare providers who do not even understand basic human reproduction biology. It also appears they are not interested in reading something as commonplace as a Wikipedia article that quotes established studies and provides links to them as references. 🤡

So now, I am waiting for them to get my lab results and consult their "experts". I expected this, so I made arrangements to keep my gynecologist as a provider, and she can renew my prescriptions through TeleHealth appointments. We will see if I need to play that ace.

Tomorrow, I get to meet my new Primary Care physician. I have heard she is a wonderful person, and my new therapist's mother is one of her patients. Can't get a better review than that. I am looking forward to meeting a helpful and sane person. 😀

I met my new Primary Care Physician today. She. Is. Awesome.

Completely opposite of what I experienced at The Regional VA on Tuesday.

In the post above, I explained that experience. Basically, their attitude was, "I am the expert. You are the patient. You don't know anything."

My new Primary told me up front that she is new to the VA and she knows very little about transgender medicine. So we talked, and talked. My one-hour appointment stretched to two hours. She said that she had a patient who was stealth and became very offended when asked about her last Pap exam. She accused the doctor of trying to say she wasn't a Real Woman™. Well, dumbass, if you are not being open and honest with your doctor, expect to be asked those kinds of questions. Maybe instead of being offended, say you don't have a uterus. Not all women do. Jeez.

So my new Primary is setting me up with a local endocrinologist in the community (non-VA), an optometrist (non-VA), a dermatologist, and an audiologist here at the Pueblo VA. Doesn't look like I need to go to Denver anymore. Suits me just fine.

Next up will be to find a dentist. I have time. I won't be due for cleaning and an exam for several months.

Today was a good day, so tomorrow I'll get back to panning some gold. Oh, yeah, my doctor is also curious about gold prospecting, so I gave her the URL to my website. Susan's members can just click the globe icon under my avatar picture.

Hi Lori!

I hoped life would be better after yesterday's experience for you.  I see that it indeed is better.

Yay!


Chrissy

Quote from: ChrissyRyan on September 25, 2025, 09:55:42 PMI hoped life would be better after yesterday's experience for you.  I see that it indeed is better.

Yay!

Thank you, Chrissy! Your wish for me came true. 🥰

My lab results from last Tuesday are in. Cholesterol levels are perfect.

Testosterone = <12. Since I have stopped the Eligard (leuprolide) injections (my last one was a 90-day back on March 2025, it appears that my estradiol levels are keeping testosterone suppressed. This indicates that I may be able to stop taking Casodex (bicalutamide) as well, as it is unnecessary.

Estradiol = 290. This puts me in the "Ovulation" range, which is exactly where I should be. The concern here is that I was at that range seven days after my last injection. That indicates that immediately after injection, my levels would be much higher. There is no inherent danger in that, but it is a waste of medicine if I can achieve the desired levels at a lower dose.

My Primary has ordered new labs to be done on Monday, and that will be three days post-injection, so I will be curious to see how high my estradiol levels are at that point. She will also be looking at other non-hormonal stuff, like PSA, thyroid, liver and kidney function, A1C, and blood cell counts.

I warned her that since COVID (I never had it), my white blood cell counts have been a very little bit high. Not enough to indicate an infection, but higher than in other people. I tell people that I have a very robust immune system with the latest detection technology and military-grade weapons systems. It is just on high alert because I go to Walmart occasionally, and some people are just nasty.

My previous healthcare team was concerned that this could indicate certain types of cancers. All of my blood tests for the past six years were reviewed by a team of hematologists and oncologists at the Regional Hospital's Cancer Care clinic, and they report that there is no indication of cancer.

So, I reiterate my explanation: "I have a very robust immune system with the latest detection technology and military-grade weapons systems. It is just on high alert." I am actually considering adding two Apache Attack Helicopters, just in case. With the rise in outbreaks of Measles, West Nile, and other viruses, one can't be too careful. 😁

So your immune system is basically the CIWS Phalanx. Got it.

(https://i.makeagif.com/media/4-24-2014/j7_V4b.gif)

Quote from: Sephirah on September 27, 2025, 04:38:47 PMSo your immune system is basically the CIWS Phalanx. Got it.

(https://i.makeagif.com/media/4-24-2014/j7_V4b.gif)

Yes!

It might not be as high-tech as I implied. Maybe more like the Monty Python Black Knight.

This is highly heretical, but I am like the 1% of Brits who never got into Monty Python.

That video reminded me of this... ;D

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zIV4poUZAQo

If your medical team says there is nothing wrong, they are most likely correct.

I am glad that you seem to been doing well. 

How is the new city working out for your everyday living? 


Chrissy

Quote from: ChrissyRyan on September 27, 2025, 08:23:29 PMHow is the new city working out for your everyday living? 

Thanks, Chrissy!

It is working out very well. The people here are very accepting and supportive. I was able to attend my first-ever Pride celebration. I was amazed to see hundreds of happy people singing, dancing, shopping, talking, and having a great time. There were no protests and no police presence.

My next-door neighbor and I have become friends. He is bi and very supportive of the transgender community.

I have only been misgendered twice since I arrived, and both times it was by crackhead panhandlers. One corrected himself when he actually looked at me. The other one was too busy swatting imaginary flies to look at me directly.

I think the only downside is that I am too far east. It took me almost two hours to get into the mountains for prospecting. It is not a great distance, just slower speed limits. The places I want to prospect are even further west, so I may have to save that for weekend camping trips to make the drive worthwhile.

I had to run some errands this afternoon.

I had an appointment at the local VA to draw blood, because the vampires were thirsty. Well, they SAID that it was for an upcoming appointment with a local endocrinology clinic. OK, 😉 whatever works.

Then, since I was in the area, I stopped and picked up a few groceries. The checkout clerk was very flirty, but seemed like a nice guy. I thought he was that way with all the women customers, but not so with the woman who was behind me. Add one point to the daily gender-affirmation log.

I was going to stop and get gas, but the gas stations on the north end of the city wanted $2.99 - $3.17 per gallon. The Jeep was thirsty, so I headed back to the south of town, just a few blocks from my place, and filled up for $2.79 a gallon.

I saw on the news that Trump is now imposing a 100% tariff (effective 1 October) on all movies not made in the USA, as well as name-brand pharmaceuticals and furniture.

Fortunately, I get my drugs for free through the VA, and I just ordered my last piece of furniture (for now) on Amazon. It will be here on Wednesday. It is a PINK tall office chair. Some call it a drafting chair because in a strong wind... no, that's not right... because it is counter-height, so it fits a drafting table or a standing desk. I am hoping it will work for my workbenches.

The store didn't have much selection of boneless, skinless chicken thighs, but their gizzards were on sale. I picked up a couple of packages and some deviled egg potato salad for dinner.

Just another day in the life of Lori Dee. 😀

@Lori Dee
Dear Lori:
I enjoyed reading your latest update, "Just another day in the life of Lori Dee."

Regarding blood draws....  when I was down in Anchorage a couple weeks ago for my comprehensive
medical appointment...  the vampires took 5 Viles of blood and then during my visit with my doctor,
some early results came through and my doctor ordered 2 more Viles. 
My left arm looked like hamburger for several days.

When it arrives please be certain to post a picture of you PINK tall drafting chair. 
I love sitting in tall chairs in places that I can use them.
At doctor waiting rooms I always head for the tall chairs.
I find them more comfortable and easier getting out of the chair.

YES indeed, as you also like, I love getting my own daily gender-affirmation log updated frequently...
... it feels real nice!!!

you stated:
The store didn't have much selection of boneless, skinless chicken thighs, but their gizzards were on sale.
I picked up a couple of packages and some deviled egg potato salad for dinner.
So tell me, what did you have for dinner the boneless, skinless chicken thighs, or the gizzards.??? 
                       NOTE:  I will take the chicken thighs please.

Please keep your updates and updates coming!!!
HUGS, Danielle [Northern Star Girl]

Quote from: Lori Dee on September 29, 2025, 05:09:03 PMI had to run some errands this afternoon.

I had an appointment at the local VA to draw blood, because the vampires were thirsty. Well, they SAID that it was for an upcoming appointment with a local endocrinology clinic. OK, 😉 whatever works.

Then, since I was in the area, I stopped and picked up a few groceries. The checkout clerk was very flirty, but seemed like a nice guy. I thought he was that way with all the women customers, but not so with the woman who was behind me. Add one point to the daily gender-affirmation log.

I was going to stop and get gas, but the gas stations on the north end of the city wanted $2.99 - $3.17 per gallon. The Jeep was thirsty, so I headed back to the south of town, just a few blocks from my place, and filled up for $2.79 a gallon.

I saw on the news that Trump is now imposing a 100% tariff (effective 1 October) on all movies not made in the USA, as well as name-brand pharmaceuticals and furniture.

Fortunately, I get my drugs for free through the VA, and I just ordered my last piece of furniture (for now) on Amazon. It will be here on Wednesday. It is a PINK tall office chair. Some call it a drafting chair because in a strong wind... no, that's not right... because it is counter-height, so it fits a drafting table or a standing desk. I am hoping it will work for my workbenches.

The store didn't have much selection of boneless, skinless chicken thighs, but their gizzards were on sale. I picked up a couple of packages and some deviled egg potato salad for dinner.

Just another day in the life of Lori Dee. 😀

Quote from: Northern Star Girl on September 29, 2025, 07:27:23 PMSo tell me, what did you have for dinner the boneless, skinless chicken thighs, or the gizzards.???   I will take the chicken thighs please.

Sorry, maybe next time. There were no thighs. So I pigged out on fried gizzards and potato salad. 😁

Quote from: Northern Star Girl on September 29, 2025, 07:27:23 PMthe vampires took 5 Viles of blood and then during my visit with my doctor,
some early results came through and my doctor ordered 2 more Viles. 
My left arm looked like hamburger for several days.

We have some pretty good vampires at the VA (Vampires Anonymous?).

I try to schedule labs for my Primary and Endo at the same time to get them done all at once. Today was 12 vials. I joke with them and tell them to bring a bucket, and we can open a vein.

My last labs were conducted back in May, so this is an opportunity to bring my new doctors up to speed on where everything stands. Blood cell counts, sugar, A1C, immune system functions, kidney, liver, thyroid, PSA, and hormones.

Did you get your results back yet?

It seems that my PINK tall chair has been delayed. Delivery is now showing as Oct 2 - 7th. I also noticed that they have adjusted the prices. When I ordered the chair, all colors were the same price. Now, if you order any other color except pink, they are $30 cheaper. Is this discrimination, or price gouging?

This is the chair:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BJ6DPZY5?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_fed_asin_title&th=1

There is a video showing the functions. I don't know why the person in the video is wearing that goofy mask, but ok. The video also raises another question:

Since the chair is tall (bar height) and it is on wheels like an office chair, how does he rock it back and forth as shown in the video without the base moving? Why doesn't he tip over backward? If I do that, I can guarantee I will end up on my back.

I guess I'll find out later this week.
😮🙃🤕

Hi Lori

Quote from: Lori Dee on September 29, 2025, 07:36:11 PMSorry, maybe next time. There were no thighs. So I pigged out on fried gizzards and potato salad. 😁

Give me the skin any time (cooked of course)!  😁

Hugs
Sarah B
@Lori Dee

Quote from: Sarah B on September 30, 2025, 07:34:30 PMHi Lori

Give me the skin any time (cooked of course)!  😁

Hugs
Sarah B
@Lori Dee

I like the skin too if it is fried crispy. Usually, I bake the thighs, so no skin and no bones.

Now I am craving some KFC crispy chicken skin!

Air fryer crispy chicken skin, salt pepper and paprika.

Football season and buffalo wings!!!  Throw in sliced carrots, ranch dressing...and a really cute pink bar stool.

Lori, I love the chair you chose, and Danielle, I agree bar height is perfect.  I love dangling my legs!

Quote from: davina61 on October 01, 2025, 03:28:30 AMAir fryer crispy chicken skin, salt pepper and paprika.

I need to get an air fryer. I keep thinking about it, then forget, then remember.
I'm adding it to the shopping list right now before I forget again!

Hi Lori

I will soon be buying a "the Smart Oven™ Air Fryer from Breville a good household brand name.  It does everything except wash the dishes!!

(https://assets.breville.com/cdn-cgi/image/width=1300,format=auto/BOV860/BOV860BSS4JAN1_PDP.png?pdp)

It does not come in PINK!!  Thank the heavens for that!!
🤣😂

Hugs
Sarah B
@Lori Dee

Quote from: Sarah B on October 01, 2025, 08:34:40 PMIt does not come in PINK!! 

WHAT?!! Sacrilege! Heresy! 😄

Yesterday, while my internet was out due to a "network upgrade" in my area, I decided to head west and do some prospecting. I intended to visit Texas Creek and the Cache Creek gold panning areas.

These are public lands set aside by the Bureau of Land Management specifically for gold panning. I have been wanting to get out there and scout the sites. These are popular areas that attract visitors from all over the U.S. That is both good and bad.

Good: They are popular because gold is still being found there.
BAD: They are popular, so often busy with a lot of people, some even camping there.
Good: Many of these people are amateur miners, so they make big mistakes and lose gold, thus leaving it behind for me to collect.
Bad: I prefer that people not know my exact location where I am mining, for safety reasons, and because I don't want to share.

Google Maps told me that the trip to Cache Creek is a three-hour drive. I didn't feel like doing that yesterday. I may rent a motel room for a weekend and scout the area to make the round-trip drive worth it.

So, instead, yesterday I went in search of agates. North of Canon City is the Garden Park Fossil Area. It is a National Landmark where dinosaur fossils were discovered back in the 1800s. As a protected area, prospecting and collecting are strictly prohibited. My goal is to see if the geology is the same as another dinosaur place that I know well, the South Dakota Badlands.

The geology of these areas is mostly limestone and tuff (a volcanic ash), and in these types of areas, agates, dinosaur bones, and other fossils are commonly found. The goal is not to collect in protected areas, but to identify areas nearby with similar geology. In South Dakota, I travelled through the Jewel Cave National Monument to Teepee Canyon to the west. Teepee Canyon is public land and open to rockhounding, whereas National Parks and Monuments are not.

There is a Dispersed Camping area up the hill, so I went up there to survey the landscape. The area I was most interested in is inaccessible in my Jeep. I need four-wheel drive and high ground clearance, so I will be back.

Lots of blue sky and sunshine.

My apologies to our UK friends. I am looking for another image host solution so you can see the photos too.

(https://i.imgur.com/6I7YMhT.jpeg)

(https://i.imgur.com/VGHcaft.jpeg%5D)

(https://i.imgur.com/zElHDfQ.jpeg)

(https://i.imgur.com/va2Fp7d.jpeg)

Is this a dinosaur fossil? No. Something got eaten (a deer). This is also a sign to remind us that there are mountain lions in this area.

(https://i.imgur.com/d45zO4T.jpeg)

I like this picture the best. This is Four-Mile Creek. Notice the cliff above it, how the limestone and tuff are in layers.

(https://i.imgur.com/8jl0FJ7.jpeg%5D)

This is Marsh Quarry, where Allosaurus, Ceratosaurus, Diplodocus, and Stegosaurus were first found in the late 1800s by local fossil hero Marshall Felch. In the 1950s, the Cleveland Museum of Natural History excavated "Happy the Haplocanthosaur" from the Cleveland Quarry nearby. Happy is still on display there today. Fascinating fact: No one has ever found a Haplocanthosaur skull!

(https://i.imgur.com/hX3uHqy.jpeg)

My next outing will be in a week or so, perhaps. My next-door neighbor has some land that needs some metal detecting. He has used his detector and claims he gets readings of silver coins, but has been unable to find them. We are making plans to tag-team the property with dueling detectors.

Wait. Is that banjo music I hear? 😬

@Lori Dee
Dear Lori:

I am so happy that you got your internet back...  partially, if not fully yet.

Great pictures that you posted from your trip to Texas Creek and the Cache Creek gold panning areas.
Now I am looking for your picture of the full pan of gold and/or the BIG Gold nuggets that you found.

Keep sharing and posting as you continue to explore and get acquainted with the area.

When I did my time at the Air Force Academy, I lived in Colorado Springs and had the opportunity to
explore the state and surrounding states in my time off. 
I know that you will find that Colorado has a lot of variety in scenery, climate, and fun things
that you can get involved in all around the state and surrounding states.

HUGS, Danielle [Northern Star Girl]

I now have a Flickr Pro account for sharing images without ads.

Now I am figuring out the BBC code sharing and other stuff.

Using the BBC code share from Flickr doesn't work, but now, suddenly, I can attach a photo directly from my computer without using the Flickr URL. I never could before. So now, I can link from a Flickr album or directly attach an image.

Magic!

Test image: (This is Spring Creek, Oct 7, 2017) I had been digging gold out of this creek all summer. It was cold this morning, and as the sun came over the mountains, I saw this.

(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/54828456500_0cddf11b22_b.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2rx1aVw)1007170932_HDR (https://flic.kr/p/2rx1aVw) by Lori Dee (https://www.flickr.com/photos/203623445@N04/), on Flickr

I heard that if you tie a thick blanket across a creek and let water rush through it, that this captures gold.  Maybe it is very thick fabric or some other material but whatever it is a way to set a trap for floating or rushing gold flecks that you can come back to harvest later.

Would you try this Lori?  Could this work? 


Chrissy

Quote from: ChrissyRyan on October 02, 2025, 09:54:01 PMWould you try this Lori?  Could this work? 

It is not likely to work. Gold is very heavy, so it gets pushed along the bottom of the river. To give you an idea of how heavy it is, it is 19.4 times heavier than water. A one-gallon jug of milk weighs about eight pounds. Fill that same jug full of gold, and it will weigh 160 pounds.

I have seen prospectors build wooden sluice boxes in the bottom of a creek in the Fall when water levels run low. It is basically a wooden chute anchored to the bottom with iron rods. The chute has wooden bars that run across the width of the chute to form riffles. They leave it there over the winter. When the Spring runoff raises the water level, gold, sand, and gravel get pushed downstream, right through their sluice box. Later in the summer, when the currents calm down, they retrieve the sluice and clean out the gold.

It is an interesting idea that I had considered as a way to sample many locations at once. I could ignore any site that had no gold and focus on the ones that do. The problem is that building and anchoring the box is laborious, and if on public land, anyone could take it.

Also, such a sluice box design is very inefficient. The old-time miners used sluices and rocker boxes like that. It works well to catch the big nuggets but misses the fine gold. The old-timers worked the areas very well, so most of the big stuff has already been taken, and all that is left is the small stuff.

I spent years studying sluice box designs until I understood them well enough to build my own. It has never let me down, and I can even go to an area where someone else has used a sluice and collect all the stuff that their sluice missed. For anyone interested, I wrote an article about sluice box design and have it posted on my website (Lori-Dee.com)

Lori, I love your photos and sharing your prospecting experience.  That all looks amazing, and finding gold, totally cool.

I get jealous when I see the mountains and the stunning landscapes. 

Another exciting day in the life of Lori Dee.

I was here online this morning when my internet dropped out. A few minutes later, I received a text message that my pink chair had been delivered.

I looked outside, and there was a large box on my porch and an Xfinity work truck next door. I checked the Xfinity Mobile App, and it said my internet was out due to "unexpected necessary repairs".

My neighbor looked confused when I told him to stop messing with my internet. 😁

I unpacked the chair parts and prepared for assembly. Inside the package with the instructions was a pair of white gloves so my filthy hands would not dirty the fabric during assembly. How thoughtful!

Except:


IMG_0141.JPG

Fortunately, I had washed my hands twice this month, so I didn't need the gloves.

The chair turned out to be the perfect height for my jewelry-making workbench. The wheels roll, but the center of gravity is perfect to prevent tipping. The back tilt feature has a strong spring, so leaning back does not result in tipping over. The color is closer to a peach than a pink, but the chair is very comfy!

IMG_0142.jpg

Now, I am waiting for the property maintenance people to come fix my plumbing. Wait. Not my plumbing, the plumbing for the property. The drains have been running slowly lately. Not enough to back up and overflow, but enough that stuff takes over an hour to drain. The maintenance man said that since my unit sat over the winter, there was a chance that "stuff" had become packed in the main sewer line.

Every three units have drain lines tied together, so it may not even be my unit. I submitted a Maintenance request yesterday, and they said they would get back to me in 24 hours... which ended an hour ago.😐�

Hi Lori

You said:

Quote from: Lori Dee on October 03, 2025, 02:55:27 PMThe color is closer to a peach than a pink, but the chair is very comfy!

My eyes, my poor eyes, they will never be the same again.  I'm girly but not that girly!

😝

Oh no I just became blind!

Best Wishes Always
Sarah B
Global Moderator

Quote from: Sarah B on October 03, 2025, 04:10:59 PMHi Lori

You said:

My eyes, my poor eyes, they will never be the same again.  I'm girly but not that girly!

😝

Oh no I just became blind!

Best Wishes Always
Sarah B
Global Moderator

Sadly, I can't see the color when I am sitting in it. 😪

Those gloves should have been delivered to "Miss Snow White, C/O Dopey." What's with the finger length?

Hi Lori

I would suggest you look up "roller blade wheels for office chairs", you will find them a lot better than the standard ones that are on office chairs.


And No they are not pink, although you get led light ones!


Best Wishes Always
Sarah B
Global Moderator
@Lori Dee

Hi Lauren

Quote from: Sephirah on October 03, 2025, 04:15:26 PMThose gloves should have been delivered to "Miss Snow White, C/O Dopey." What's with the finger length?

The longer the finger length the better one can demonstrate "giving them the flip"

Best Wishes Always
Sarah B
Global Moderator
@Sephirah

Lol, that is a clear example of "One size fits Peter Dinklage". 😛

Quote from: Sarah B on October 03, 2025, 04:27:56 PMI would suggest you look up "roller blade wheels for office chairs", you will find them a lot better than the standard ones that are on office chairs.

I saw those! Thought about it, but I don't want the chair skating around my workroom. 😀

Put caterpillar tracks on it, Lori. You know you want to. :P

Quote from: Sephirah on October 03, 2025, 04:47:57 PMPut caterpillar tracks on it, Lori. You know you want to. :P

It took a few minutes to modify, but I got it.

There you go! That is rather awesome, haha. If your office ever moves to a jungle... you're set.

Quote from: Sephirah on October 03, 2025, 05:02:41 PMThere you go! That is rather awesome, haha. If your office ever moves to a jungle... you're set.

I need to attach a backhoe so I can dig with it, too.

Looks like something I would build!!!!

Quote from: davina61 on October 04, 2025, 03:12:05 AMLooks like something I would build!!!!

😄

Is Robbie the Robot still around, or did he find a new home?

Have a lovely weekend Lori!


I have been helping a friend paint this morning.  Showered now after just getting back from lunch. 


Chrissy

Thanks, Chrissy!

You too. You deserve a lovely weekend.

Hi Lori

Quote from: Lori Dee on October 03, 2025, 04:41:53 PMI saw those! Thought about it, but I don't want the chair skating around my workroom. 😀

I just brought a new set for my office chair.  I used to have another office chair with those wheels and when I moved two years ago I accidently threw out that office chair with those wheels on, the office chair was dying.

If you have those wheels on your office chair just one feather touch push and you will be flying out the window or through the wall!!

Seriously they are unreal.

Best Wishes Always
Sarah B
Global Moderator
@Lori Dee

Hi Lori

Dear Lori

As per our conversation, I'm pleased to inform you that following model is in stock.  Let us know when and where you want it delivered:
Yours Sincerely
Hawk Chair Industries

Best Wishes Always
Sarah B
Global Moderator
@Lori Dee

Quote from: Lori Dee on October 04, 2025, 03:28:47 PMThanks, Chrissy!

You too. You deserve a lovely weekend.

Thank you Lori.

Chrissy

Quote from: Sarah B on October 04, 2025, 07:35:02 PMHi Lori

Dear Lori

As per our conversation, I'm pleased to inform you that following model is in stock.  Let us know when and where you want it delivered:

(https://videos.openai.com/vg-assets/assets%2Ftask_01k6rw5ezcfyvtqbr3wqczvnn7%2F1759624037_img_1.webp?st=2025-10-04T23%3A20%3A05Z&se=2025-10-11T00%3A20%3A05Z&sks=b&skt=2025-10-04T23%3A20%3A05Z&ske=2025-10-11T00%3A20%3A05Z&sktid=a48cca56-e6da-484e-a814-9c849652bcb3&skoid=2905dc6d-d44b-4668-b712-e8787ddb94c0&skv=2019-02-02&sv=2018-11-09&sr=b&sp=r&spr=https%2Chttp&sig=of4W%2FCOc3nXffL9f9jyCnuqLrKmpgq4zfZP6xf8s%2FLM%3D&az=oaivgprodscus)

Yours Sincerely
Hawk Chair Industries

Best Wishes Always
Sarah B
Global Moderator
@Lori Dee

Delivery? I can't wait that long. I need it NOW. I'm going to go pick it up!

😄

Hi Lori

Dear Lori

I admire your euphemism, however the earliest that you can pick up your personalized Hawk Chair is the 25th of December 2025.  We apologize for any inconvenience that this will cause you.  We will keep it safe for you in the mean time.

The address that you need is:

Santa Claus
42 Cnr of Elf and Reindeer Road
North Pole, 4242

Yours Sincerely
Hawk Chair Industries

Best Wishes Always
Sarah B
Global Moderator
@Lori Dee

Quote from: Sarah B on October 03, 2025, 04:10:59 PMYou said:

My eyes, my poor eyes, they will never be the same again.  I'm girly but not that girly!

I've been wearing florescent pink golf pants, the girliest color in my wardrobe.
I also have a sleeveless top and skirt in the exact same color!

Marion

Quote from: Sarah B on October 04, 2025, 09:46:51 PMThe address that you need is:

Santa Claus
42 Cnr of Elf and Reindeer Road
North Pole, 4242

Brrr.

Wait. I think that is just up the road from Danielle's place. 😄

Hi Lori

You said:

Quote from: Lori Dee on October 04, 2025, 10:02:00 PMWait. I think that is just up the road from Danielle's place.

I'm sure Danielle will not mind you dropping in while you drive your Hawk Chair back home.  I'm also sure she will put you and the "chair" to good use by clearing her driveway which has a lot of snow piled upon it.
 
Best Wishes Always
Sarah B
Global Moderator
@Lori Dee

Hi Marion

You said:

Quote from: Maid Marion on October 04, 2025, 09:53:43 PMI've been wearing florescent pink golf pants, the girliest color in my wardrobe.
I also have a sleeveless top and skirt in the exact same color!

Now my brain has been assaulted, now the imagery of that description will never go away.  The pain, Oh the pain!!

😄

Best Wishes Always
Sarah B
Global Moderator
@Maid Marion

Quote from: Sarah B on October 04, 2025, 10:10:51 PMHi Lori

You said:

I'm sure Danielle will not mind you dropping in while you drive your Hawk Chair back home.  I'm also sure she will put you and the "chair" to good use by clearing her driveway which has a lot of snow piled up on it.
 
Best Wishes Always
Sarah B
Global Moderator
@Lori Dee

Anything to help a friend.

But it will take a while to drive it across Canada to get to Southern Colorado!
Fortunately, I have my passport and heavy winter gear.

I might need a long extension cord to charge the battery.

Hi Lori

Quote from: Lori Dee on October 04, 2025, 10:18:05 PMI might need a long extension cord to charge the battery.

You should have got the petrol or diesel version.

Best Wishes Always
Sarah B
Global Moderator
@Lori Dee

Quote from: Sarah B on October 04, 2025, 10:23:39 PMHi Lori

You should have got the petrol or diesel version.

Best Wishes Always
Sarah B
Global Moderator
@Lori Dee

I could only afford the pedal version. The battery is for the lights.

Now that has brought a smile to my face this morning !!

Quote from: Maid Marion on October 04, 2025, 09:53:43 PMI've been wearing florescent pink golf pants, the girliest color in my wardrobe.
I also have a sleeveless top and skirt in the exact same color!

Marion

Marion,



That sounds nice.


Chrissy

Tomorrow may be a major shopping day.

The local dealership has the Jeep that I want, but their dealer financing interest rate is outrageous.

I have contacted my bank (USAA) to see what they can offer. The benefits are that they offer a discount for automatic payments. That isn't an issue since my checking account and auto insurance are through them with autopay.

Since my FICO score is at 756 (it took me a while to get it there), I should be getting a decent offer.

We will see.

Meanwhile, the property manager still hasn't fixed my plumbing. Grrrrr.

Still waiting to hear back from agents about my low water pressure, was "fun" tonight having a shower dodging the water as it went from burning hot to freezing cold as the pressure went up and down.

Quote from: davina61 on October 06, 2025, 02:51:33 PMStill waiting to hear back from agents about my low water pressure, was "fun" tonight having a shower dodging the water as it went from burning hot to freezing cold as the pressure went up and down.

I like your name for it: Lucky Dip Shower.

Come one, come all, test your luck with the Lucky Dip Shower! 😄

Quote from: Lori Dee on October 06, 2025, 02:27:34 PMTomorrow may be a major shopping day.

The local dealership has the Jeep that I want, but their dealer financing interest rate is outrageous.

I have contacted my bank (USAA) to see what they can offer. The benefits are that they offer a discount for automatic payments. That isn't an issue since my checking account and auto insurance are through them with autopay.

Since my FICO score is at 756 (it took me a while to get it there), I should be getting a decent offer.

We will see.

Meanwhile, the property manager still hasn't fixed my plumbing. Grrrrr.

You may wish to check out a credit union's loan rate.  Also, maybe join the navy federal credit union, open to all who have served I believe. 

Well, I planned to do some shopping today.

I got an email that a plumber would be out today. Within minutes, I got a knock on my door, and they were here to fix the issue.

To demonstrate the issue, I had to run water in both showers, and soon the plumber was able to see it for himself. Now, my drains are backed up again, which means I won't be able to shower until they get it fixed. Fortunately, I took my shower this month. 😁

While running the water, the plumber commented on how rusty my water is. Yep, been that way since I moved in. I don't drink it, so it is an annoyance more than anything. Maybe they can fix that, too?

My best friend went to see her mom in the nursing home yesterday. She and her sister had to drive a couple of hours to get there. She just sent me a text that her mom passed away at 3:00 a.m. this morning. She and her sister were able to spend some time with her before she passed. We will talk later.

I think my shopping is going to be postponed.

Drains are now flowing freely. Yay!

The tap water is still rusty. I spoke with our maintenance man, and he said the main water line from the city source is a galvanized pipe. That causes rust in the system. Plus, any time they do maintenance on the water lines, it stirs up the rust, too. The only remedy is to run the faucets for hours to flush out the rust.

The plumber told me the same thing. Since water is included in my rent, and there is no water meter on my lot, I have been running the faucets wide open for hours. I hate being wasteful like that, but I don't have any options.

I also received an email from my bank, USAA. They have approved my auto loan up to almost double what I asked for. Depending on which monthly payment option I select, I can have my interest rate from 4.75% - 6.47% depending on the term of the loan.

I am doing a Happy Dance. 😀🤸🏼

Momma is getting a new Jeep. And, I don't have to pick from anything in inventory. I can order exactly what I want... except that pink is not an available color option. 😭

Get the car of your dreams Lori!


Chrissy

Quote from: ChrissyRyan on October 07, 2025, 10:17:37 PMGet the car of your dreams Lori!


Chrissy

I would, but they don't offer pink. But I discovered that for late 2025, they brought back the '41 color. It is Olive Drab as a salute to the 1941 Willys Jeeps from World War 2.

I already know that I will be adding aftermarket equipment to it. Things like a cargo rack, zombie lights, and maybe a winch. I just have to make sure my checkbook can keep up with my imagination. 😁

  @Lori Dee

Dear Lori:

You can always get a custom PINK paint job after you buy the vehicle..... 

HUGS, Danielle

Quote from: Northern Star Girl on October 07, 2025, 10:38:40 PM  @Lori Dee

Dear Lori:

You can always get a custom PINK paint job after you buy the vehicle..... 

HUGS, Danielle

I have thought of that too.

A friend of a friend has a silver car with pink butterflies all down the sides. She said that it is a decal that her husband and son put on the car one Saturday. That would be a cheaper way to do it. But I expect the sides to get scraped by rocks, tree branches, sagebrush, and cactus. I'm not sure how durable a vinyl decal will be under those circumstances.

I am also preparing for worst-case scenarios. As a survivalist, the '41 color will hide in the forest a lot easier. I may repaint it in five years or so, if the country survives.

You can get a wrap, cheaper than paint.

Signed, sealed, and waiting for delivery.

I fully expected to drop off my order at the Jeep dealership, have some questions answered, and wait for a call to confirm that my new Jeep is in. Well, that didn't happen.

I was told that it takes two to three months for them to build the Jeep in Toledo and get it shipped to Colorado. (It's that Denver traffic that jams up everything! 😄 ).

After a quick search, my salesman found 9 Jeeps in Colorado that match my specifications. One of them was a perfect match. They called the dealership to see if it was still available. It wasn't. Call after call, and they were all sold but one. The only difference between what I asked for and this one is that it has the 33" tires instead of the 35". Everything else was a match. And it was a couple of thousand dollars cheaper.

While the dealership checked out my Patriot to discern a trade-in value, the salesman was doing paperwork, and I was on my phone finalizing the loan paperwork from my bank.

They undervalued my Jeep due to all the hail damage, which surprised me.

How can you own a Jeep that does NOT have hail damage, rock chips, and scratches? That stuff comes as "standard equipment" unless you are a "wannabe Jeeper". I see them driving around in their 4x4 trucks with pristine paint jobs and not a speck of dust. Really? Why have it if you don't USE it?

The salespeople knew it was undervalued, so they did some checking and found that I qualify for about $3,500 in discounts. That put it smack into my price range.

They said it should be in by Friday!

I need to start hauling all my mining gear and crap out of the Patriot. That could take all day. WORTH IT! 😀

Quote from: Lori Dee on October 08, 2025, 05:33:31 PMHow can you own a Jeep that does NOT have hail damage, rock chips, and scratches? That stuff comes as "standard equipment" unless you are a "wannabe Jeeper". I see them driving around in their 4x4 trucks with pristine paint jobs and not a speck of dust.

Really? Why have it if you don't USE it?

I'm guilty of that when I owned a Cherokee, 😁

QuoteThey said it should be in by Friday!

Nice, congrats 🎉


~ Lilis 🌷🦇

Quote from: Lilis on October 08, 2025, 07:39:44 PMI'm guilty of that when I owned a Cherokee, 😁

Some Jeeps are made for the highway, like my Patriot, Compass, Wagoneer, and Cherokee. They are great for that purpose.

But a stereotypical off-road 4x4 (especially with big tires and a lift kit) should have some sign that it has been... I dunno... off-road?

Just throw some dirt on it for appearances. 🤪

Quote from: Lori Dee on October 08, 2025, 07:51:13 PMSome Jeeps are made for the highway, like my Patriot, Compass, Wagoneer, and Cherokee. They are great for that purpose.

But a stereotypical off-road 4x4 (especially with big tires and a lift kit) should have some sign that it has been... I dunno... off-road?

Just throw some dirt on it for appearances. 🤪

I love this! Hehehehe 💋

Around here there are a lot of Range Rovers, you meet one on a single track road and they wont give way or move over in case they get their tyres muddy!!!! My Skoda Yeti is a workhorse ,skip runs, car parts what ever gets thrown in and it gets washed once a year whether it needs it or not!!

Congratulations Lori! I hope your new chariot arrives as promised. I know it won't take long for you to break it in properly.

Love always -- Jess

I have already ordered some "personalization" flair. 😁
Things like decals and window stickers.

The onboard AI computer systems are way more advanced than what I am used to, so that will take some learning. I downloaded the Owner's Manual, and the first 100 pages are just explaining the 3,000 warning symbols and how to unlock the doors.

One of the indicators is a "Traffic Sign Recognition Error". What?
This thing can "recognize" traffic signs? Isn't that the driver's job?

Yeah. I have some learning to do... like how to disable annoying "features".
😄

Watch out for the lane tracking system/deviation that can be fooled and most folks think as dangerous ,also if it has proximity braking that can smash the brakes on if it thinks you are going to run into something. TBH most of the newer "driver aides" have to be turned off so you have control.

Quote from: davina61 on Yesterday at 09:22:40 AMWatch out for the lane tracking system/deviation that can be fooled and most folks think as dangerous ,also if it has proximity braking that can smash the brakes on if it thinks you are going to run into something. TBH most of the newer "driver aides" have to be turned off so you have control.

Thanks, Davina. I read that it has a "forward Collision Avoidance" but I am still investigating if it brakes, slows down, disengages the cruise control, or just sets off a bunch of alarms.

I'm a control freak. Although I don't mind if a system warns me of something, the final decision on what action to take is mine alone. I do not want a machine acting on my behalf when I am ultimately responsible for any decisions and actions taken.

Which is one of my pet peeves with Windows. It continously does things that I specifically told it not to do.

This is how the machines will take over the world. Many people will allow them to act without any supervision, and those of us who oppose it will be driven insane, constantly turning off and disabling "features" that get turned back on "for our own protection". 🤪