GOOGLE GURU

I love Google!  I think I’m going to try to learn one new thing about Google every week.  This search engine has so much capability.  Maybe someday I will be a Google Guru.

(Birthday boy with his Mom)

Sorry this post is so late in the day.  We all went to the Oregon Coastal town of Seaside for two nights and what fun we had.  Mr. B turned 12 on Friday so it was anything he wanted to do!  We left about 3pm Friday afternoon as Friday night is pizza and movie night … and he got to pick the movie, of course.  MAJOR traffic accident on the only straight way home and we were diverted into a rest area just 35 miles from home.

It was a trailer truck and a pick up truck and oil had spilled all over the highway.  It would be 4 - 6 HOURS before traffic could move again.  Luckily Kate uses the Waze app and she asked for directions home without using any highways.  It was a meandering beautiful fall drive with just a bit of fog.  

Every once in a while there was a home, or 2-3 to make a neighborhood and I always wonder where they work!  A heck of a drive even to a suburb of Portland.

We went through the tiny town of Vernonia and stopped to get water and a power bar but they had jacked the gasoline rate to almost $6/gallon so we made it home on fumes.  Picked up an already baked pizza (ordered an hour ahead of time!) And finally got home after 8pm.

While the boys played on devices in the car some of the time, we had GREAT conversations about any topic someone brought up and all of us chimed in.  Just delightful.  Yet exhausting.  Deacon and I shared a room but mostly we were in the bigger room (with a view of the ocean) (and a fireplace).  He loves to have his privacy and he is always building "tents" or "clubhouses" or "nests."

(D is under the table and B is on D's bed in my room)

Now .... I’m going to continue to sip my cold brew while I do a little more Google research for my NEXT blog!  Hopefully I'll write it before Saturday so it posts on time.  Such a slacker ....

TIS THE SEASON

 

Two spiders this year!

Black vampire flamingos 

Welcome!

The wicked witch within

QR CODES ARE TAKING OVER!

 Bar Codes vs QR codes  

Believe it or not, bar codes were invented in the early 1950’s and patented in the US and are kinda based on the Morse code.  However, it took over twenty years before this invention became commercially successful.  

Now we see them everywhere! Groceries are probably the first and most successful use of barcodes. (Which are now referred to as automatic identification and data capture - AIDC).  In fact, the first barcode was used on a pack of Wrigley’s chewing gum in 1974.

With the widespread use of smart phones, AIDC has now turned into QR codes ... short for Quick Response).  Invented in 1994 by engineer Masahiro Hara, the original purpose of the QR code was to track vehicles and parts moving through the assembly line.  When QR codes first morphed into more than that, we had to download an app to read them.  I first used one in the 80’s at a state park to guide you through and see special sites.  It was incredible in my mind.  Like magic!

In 2017, Apple integrated a QR code reader in their camera app.  There are two kinds of WR codes used in 2022 … static and dynamic.  A static QR code contains information that cannot be modified once it's live. This means any typo or misstep will require you to create a brand new one. The good news is that static codes don't expire — so once the content is set, your work is done.

Static QR codes are ideal for storing fixed or sensitive info — think Wi-Fi passwords, employee ID numbers, or access codes. But they're not so helpful if you need to update your data regularly.

Dynamic QR codes allow you to change your info as many times as you want. This is because the information isn't ingrained into the code itself. Instead, it redirects users to a specific URL that can be changed at any time. For example, a restaurant can redirect users to a menu on their website.  Our local Olive Garden uses a dynamic QR which instantly opens their Current menu on your phone or pad.  We could also pay our bill using a QR code.

The Food Pantry will be using bar codes or QR codes soon to identify clients.  Because in the next month we will have to limit shopping to every other week.  I stopped in to Hunger Fighters on Friday to pick up a project and was shocked to see how bare the shelves are.  Both in the shopping area and in the storage area.  We are again offering Thanksgiving Boxes and all clients were mailed or emailed information on contents and how to order.  Unfortunately for us, some clients photocopied the flyer for their friends and neighbors and now we have double the number of recipients over last year.

It reminds me how privileged my life is.

IT'S COMING TO AN END

My town in Oregon has had the best, sunniest Summer and Fall ever.  We are still enjoying 55 at night and 80 during the day.  And the 80 seems so much cooler (tilt of the earth?).

My kidults are squeezing every bit out of summer.

All four of them enjoy fishing and since Kate has three days off during the week, the two of them go almost every day.

They are pro at catch and release, even though this is an edible size it won't feed all five of us!  It's a bass.

My sister's son had his first grandson at the beginning of September.  In Hong Kong (where she is from and where her parents live most of the time) which was an interesting journey with specific Covid testing 48 hours or sooner before boarding.  They had a snafu with their documentation and had to have Covid testing at the NYC airport (to the tune of $600).  When they planned their trip, Hong Kong was requiring 7 days of quarantine but when they arrived, they learned it had shortened to just three days.

Chinese tradition is a big celebration at the baby's one month birthday.  Red and gold, red envelopes with money, festive foods.  This is my brother-in-law holding his first little one.

I made this larger so you could see those booties!  He looks like a future King!  His full name is Solomon Zhao-Zhe (晁喆) Hadas!!  I looked up each of the Chinese words (and the symbols) and the symbols have so so many meanings, the best I got was morning and sage/wise.  The grandparents got to stay for ten days and just landed in NYC on Friday night.

Last but not least, my newest summer hat!

(I really should wear make up!)

TECHNOLOGY OR NOT

I like using email or texts to remind me what I've said or asked (so as not to nag).

It comes in handy a LOT (explanation near the end of this short post).  My kidults get way too many texts so most everything I send them is smothered by "word of the day", Facebook group alerts, etc.  They rarely check their email although with two kids in school we get email every day so they are getting a little better.

But I have found that handwritten notes work better at this home.  All supplies and extras of things are stored in part of the gigantic closet in the master suite.  Jesse has his photographic memory so he can find a bottle of hydrogen peroxide or a box of Qtips or matching pillowcases in an instance.

Now I use a bold marker, the back of an envelope (or a post it) and put it on the stove.  As if by magic, the request returns and sits atop the note.  Many items are stored above my reach or in awkward places where I can't lean over, lift paper towels to reach the toilet paper.  He doesn't use our bathroom (my and two boys, one who now enjoys LONG periods of time in the bathroom) so now paper notes work well.

Yesterday my WLLO Village held an event in our large Riverside Room and the patio.  Perfect weather so we had people outside most of the time.  (There is a door from Riverside room to the patio).  Our event was in celebration of International Older Persons Day and was from 2pm til 4pm.  About 2:30 an angry bald man (who doesn't live here) came into the party and said the Board (Mary Beth) told just told him HE could have the patio for a birthday party.  Turns out he is brother to one of our renters and it was a spur of the moment swim party for Rob's niece. (My son-in-law had blown the patio clean and washed all the tables and chairs and the set up committee decorated the tables).

I had sent Mary Beth a text on September 15 to ask if we could leave the furniture out for our party.  She agreed if we would put everything into winter positions, stacked against the back wall.  WLLO was paying Jesse for his time so I agreed.

Bald Boy was angry but being the nice little old ladies we are, the party committee said they could use one of the big tables.  They were noisy, lots of kids and adults, lots of commotion, so we all went inside.

I was rather cranky because we had filled in the reservation sheet at the beginning of September and included patio use, AND I had double checked about outdoor furniture as it is usually put away at the end of the month.

I've calmed down overnight but am preparing a solution ... a new sign up sheet that includes each clubhouse room AND the patio all in one place.  So the Queen can simply direct newer people to the sign up sheet.  We used to have one for each location but apparently that is too much work for people to check all three.

It will be a legal size sheet now so people have enough room to write in the boxes!  I added "be sure to add set up time and clean up time" to the column for TIME.  Also a box to remind people to post their alcohol insurance rider in the kitchen.

I've been suggesting using a Google calendar online but not everyone is computer savvy.

And that's the rest of the story!

IT'S ONLY GETTING WORSE

Hunger Fighters Oregon has done too great at their job.

In August, we served 891 people facing food insecurity.  HFO is a nonprofit all volunteer local organization ... we hired our first salaried person last July.  Supposedly for just 20 hours per week but really, it is more like 20 hours per day!

Two key people have stepped down from their long held posts (I think because the job hours kept increasing until it was more than full time) and our Executive Director and our past President have kept this place running in these extreme conditions.

Inflation is sending us more clients.  We offer 180 different food products as well as personal hygiene and cleaning products.  Clients can shop in person (we are open for two hours three times per week) or I lead a group of callers who contact 3-5 homebound clients and take their orders on the phone and input as we chat.  We deliver every Monday to about 25 homebound clients, some of whom are good with a computer and order their own 30 items.

Inflation, as you probably know, have made a huge impact on the cost of food.  We get food donations at three locations, we get fresh food from local farms, we glean food from many locations and yet it is hard to keep up.  Some items are in such high demand we can only offer them once a month.  One problem we are facing is we opened our service area to a 10 mile radius.  We are so well run and have such a variety clients come from everywhere.

Hopefully we will get more food drives, more corporate partners and entice more volunteers.

Support YOUR local food pantry.  With food or with money to buy food.  We can make a difference!

NORC

We bought this condo almost 13 years ago.  There are fourteen buildings, each with eight units. Some buildings have all 2 bedroom units and other buildings have all 3 bedroom units (although many have removed a wall between the smallest bedroom and made a large room.  It never looks like one room to me, as two columns have to remain for structural integrity.  Most people usually decorate like two living rooms.  Very odd to me.

Our community is mostly over 65 although we do have a few young families (who usually move when the kids need their own backyard). These have been condos for 25 years and the original 50-somethings are aging.  (NORC means naturally occurring retirement community).  

An ambulance or fire engine drive in at least twice a week.  My friend drove himself to the ER while having a heart attack because he didn't want neighbors to gossip about who the ambulance was for.

We have several deaths every year which leaves a lot of single 80+ year old ladies on their own.  Many of these are slowly becoming more demented.  A few of these have fallen for scams from potential "husbands" and have lost thousands of dollars.  One neighbor even reserved the Clubhouse for her "wedding" to a rich man who lives in a mansion in Hollywood, CA.  She had to send him money several times because his is tied up in big investments.  So sad.

Due to their dementia, (or maybe bad childhoods) these ladies are mostly estranged from their children.  It leaves our Village trying to help these singles.  One neighbor finally relinquished her keys and had her neighbor sell her car.  Another neighbor had to sell her car to afford necessities.  She can't sell her condo (now going for $350,000) because early on they got a reverse mortgage.

But it's not ALL bad/sad news.  With a community of 112 owners, every one recognizes almost everyone.  There a several groups of close knit neighbors who help people so much.  Whether setting up a meal delivery after surgery or doing a surprise birthday party, most everyone gets along.  Many of the folks love seeing our boys outside playing.  They are polite and chat with them, accept cookies or candy, then continue being army guys.  They get Christmas gifts, Halloween bags of candy and other treats so it's like having 5 grandmothers.  The boys write notes back and the ladies are delighted.

Covid threw a big wrench into our community.  We have some die hard anti-vaxers so they were excluded from small outdoor gatherings.  I stayed home and out of sight for so long, several thought I passed away. Things are getting back in swing!  One neighbor just turned 95 and a parade was organized around her building.  Banging pots and pans, birthday kazoos, balloons, silly hats and many happy birthday signs.  Ending with someone providing her with her own individual cake.

I'm lucky to have my family living with me so when I retire from driving I'll still be able to get around.  The grandsons are still a hoot and I love their curiosity.  That's for another blog!