Monday, July 26, 2021

Teeny (the tiniest Monarch caterpillar, just hatching!)

 


 

22 comments:

  1. Notes on previous thread, including that N95 masks should help with the smoke.

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    1. Thanks. We’re at 131 now.

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    2. Yikes! We've made it up to 154 ~ the RED category!

      Good thing the humidity has dropped off to 59%.

      https://www.airnow.gov/?city=Jericho&state=VT&country=USA

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  2. Egad! AQI = 30 here, which is very low for us. Sky almost completely covered with clouds, which should lower the temperature a bit, but will probably increase the humidity. No rain in the forecast, either here or in San Diego--odd. I have a visual migraine going on as I type this--a real nuisance while typing, but it will pass shortly.

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    1. Not a breath of wind here at the moment (8AM).

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    2. Thanks for the reminder about N95 masks being good for smoky days. I have switched from my usual silk masks to KN95 for now. I hope KN95 is sufficient, as the N95s were hard to come by when I got a box of these.

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    3. Probably KN 95's are OK; but being made in China, there are some counterfeits. The government has a place to check the quality of each type (there should a model/manufacturer ID stamped on each mask). If you wear it for a while, then take it off and smell smoke, it's working. I found Kimberly-Clark N95's (non-liquid resistant) on Amazon delivered overnight for about a dollar a pop. They are more comfortable than the medical grade ones that are liquid-proof; easier to breathe through, so one doesn't rebreathe as much carbon dioxide. Looking them up now. . .looking. . .looking... search Amazon for this string:

      Kimberly-Clark N95 Pouch Respirator (53358), NIOSH-Approved, Made in U.S.A., Regular Size, 50 Respirators/Bag, White

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    4. The masks we bought have KN95 stamped on the side of each mask. Is that what you mean?

      We got a box of 30, individually wrapped, and they seem to work very well. On the box there is a gold "quality seal" if that means anything. Manufacturer is Huheta in China. I went outside with one already on today and only removed it while in my car, to take a sip of water. Immediately I smelled the smoke when I took it off. Even breathing deeply, with the mask on, I could smell no smoke at all.

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    5. Just checked and the mask I used today, just to go to the local grocer and back, does indeed smell like smoke. Wow. I wouldn't have thought to check for that.

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  3. I went outside this morning to do some sketching, and the tremor in both my hands was acting up; damned irritating. It comes and goes; not bad, but sure doesn't help when trying to sketch. I am going to try light work-outs with dumbbells (the small hand-held weights, not the people who refuse to be vaccinated). After one session it seems better; will repeat several times per day.

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    1. After three sessions definitely seems better. This might be the last sign of the repetitive stress injuries I worked with for about thirty years.

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    2. I have not dumbbells but hand weights, one pound each if memory serves. Might they be helpful for Dad with his tremor? It's not based in a repetitive stress injury, but is hereditary, essential tremor, I think it's called. It's been getting worse lately; So much so that he finds it quite a nuisance. anything that might help would be welcome.

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    3. The dumbbells we have are three-pounders. Online a while ago I found an account of weight training helping people with essential tremor; will find it and post the link here. I have wondered if my case was essential tremor, but I am reasonably sure it isn't.

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    4. I combined both motions described into one (before reading the article). I was surprised by the weights they described in the article, but after all, it IS weight training. I wish your dad good luck.

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    5. I love this exchange! This little blog is a true community.

      Very glad to hear, Alan, that it's working.

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  4. Covid cases in US may have been undercounted by 60%, study shows [Click]
    Translation: They think that maybe 40% of the cases were detected, but that is a guess. I shouldn’t be at all surprised if they detected considerably fewer than that.

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  5. It's so sad that Covid is resurging, and all because too many people are self focused.

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    1. I don't think their principal problem is selfishness; enlightened self interest would move them to protect themselves AND others upon whom they depend. Their problem is they don't have the brains God gave a goose; or to put it another way, they're chowderheads.

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  6. Agree, Alan. We have such a hard time just saying stupid. Am reminded that as many people are below 100 as are above it on Standard IQ test. . . .

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