From ‘Preppie’ to ‘Prepper’

Way back in the early nineties, before office employees dreamed of working from home, I dressed like an absolute yuppie. Preppy better fits this post but it’s a bit of a joke. My cousin’s hand-me-downs were nothing popular students wore in the 1980’s. ~sigh~ Anyway, times sure have changed.

Because of inflation and possible food shortages beyond ongoing supply chain issues, fashion is the least of my concerns. I have added and/or changed numerous habits.

Dried coffee grounds & tea leaves will
benefit our vegetable garden.

An unused ice bucket holds what
I have thus far reaped...

Preserving tough meat in the
form of jerky is not new
but sure is tasty...

I will break this down into smaller
packages and vacuum seal each
with a moisture absorber.

Below is a tip unrelated to these uncertain times. I prefer my improvisation over the cheap plastic fruit juicing tools our grocer sells.

Are you stocking up on anything? And on a lighter note, do you miss fashions from any particular era?

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Tenacious Terra – 6

During an early warm spell, I took Terra out back. All I have to do is display her harness, ask if she wants to go outside, and she races toward our walk-out basement door. I don’t know if the word means anything or just the actions, but it’s adorable all the same.

Did you know that we Ohio animal lovers should not only pre-treat against fleas and ticks but also beware of coyotes? Can you believe neighbors have seen coyotes walking down the middle of our predawn streets like fearless gangsters?

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Responses & A Big ‘Huh?’

I appreciate the kind words regarding my handling a centipede. I’m not certain that will ever reoccur. Heh… Meanwhile, Andrew kindly expressed concern for my garden. I am pleased to report that these carnivorous creatures eat many harmful insect species (including those that can transfer dangerous bacteria). And I often use the trick Liz A. described, covering spiders with a glass and sliding a stiff envelope between it and the floor or wall. It’s much easier than what dear Strayer endures trapping to help feral cats. Believe it or not, though, I actually let this little bug free inside.

On a very different and befuddling topic, my husband’s primary care physician is taking much deserved retirement this summer. It had been over thirty years (!), starting just after my husband’s honorable discharge from the United States Air Force and continuing when Dr. T. moved to a teaching clinic. When our health insurance provider forced me to switch yet again in 2019, one of Dr. T.’s residents actually took on my care.

He has since joined a practice much closer to our home. Having him take on my husband’s care seemed ideal, and both physicians agreed. Dr. T. went so far as to say this was a good choice.

However, things didn’t turn out as planned.

This health network, we were told, no longer accepts new patients insured by Molina Healthcare. Huh? I’m very glad my established patient status exempts me from exclusion yet upset for my husband’s sake. Both clinics are under the Kettering Health Network umbrella. So what’s the difference between which one he chooses?

Have you heard of a patient denied care for having the wrong insurance? Should I worry this is a warning sign Molina Healthcare was a bad choice?

Regarding Jezebel, I want to thank sweet Cleo and our lovely Eastside Cat friends for their research. To ease your concerns, I am happy to report her vet check-up last month was great, her head pressing activity is both gentle and rare, and she actually gained lost weight running around. Terra and Polly keep her on her toes. ~grin~ 

Back to silly stuff, those squeamish about bugs will want to skip this final note about centipedes.

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Back in her feline youth, dear old Jezebel would sometimes catch centipedes in her mouth, tossing them in the air and actually disarticulating the unfortunates. It was quite a sight, and also disgusting as removed legs kept twitching. ~shudder~ So far, Terra and Polly stick to chasing ladybugs.

“I did what, you say?”
“You remember, Jezzy… Right?”

“Bleh! You have me mistaken for another cat.”

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