To bring it back to the OP, and the pros and cons of surgery... I feel like this is quite similar to the knee issues. There are tendons involved, and bone, and the traditional surgery, which is open surgery, has so many possibilities for complications, while the newer, minimally invasive surgical option is controversial and has fewer skilled/experienced practitioners... I don't know if there are longitudinal studies (like 10 years post-op) of this surgery (I have looked before and will do so again) but I wouldn't be surprised if the findings turn out to be similar to the knee surgery findings. Tendons heal very slowly. But the standard medical guidance is surgery if conservative measures don't show results after 6 months. If tendons heal so slowly, why wouldn't it take longer than 6 months? Right now, I can walk. If I have the surgery, I won't be able to walk for probably 6 months. So why hurry? So my current approach is to change the angle of my heel (with footwear and heel raises) to move the bone and enthesophyte away from the achilles tendon, while also doing specific kinds of PT, and see if I can get better without the surgery. (oh and by the way, this is why footwear is so important to me!) My last MRI was in May, so I'm going to ask for another MRI in next spring.

I’ve never thought about the one hand thing. I don’t think I do anything special except keep my wallet and phone in my front pockets when I’m in cities with pickpocket issues. I have occasionally left things in hotels, usually a sweater or piece of clothing. But to prevent my OCD from making me check a hotel several times before I leave, I’ve developed the habit of making sure I have my wallet, passport, phone, and computer on the theory that anything else I could replace easily enough.

Carlson

Congratulations! Have been an Aeropress user for 20 years or more when making a cup just for myself; we use an old Melitta electric drip machine to make four cups in the morning for the two of us. On the rare occasion that I do make another cup in the afternoon for just me, I use the Aeropress. A much superior cup to electric drip.

Thanks, @steve-miller ! I didn't watch the whole freezer video yet, just the beginning....but....we have an upright freezer that's in the basement. A very undemanding environment. Had a chest freezer years ago and gave it away to a friend. I know chest freezers are much more efficient and run like tanks, but not having to unload twenty things to get to the bottom where the one you want is located is the huge advantage for us and why we switched to uprights. We had a manual defrost upright and got tired of the whole defrosting thing so replaced our old upright with a frost free. Have been really happy with it in terms of function. Reliability, not so much. The one that died is 4 1/2 years old. Abt does extended warranties. A five year costs $175. If the thing craps out again, it's cost me that much to get a new one. Oh, and the warranty lets you claim $200 of lost food. I hate the concept of throwaway appliances but try to make up for it in other ways. We drive our cars for 20 years! Thanks for the info on the dryers. Between you and Claude, you've convinced me it's worth having it looked at before buying new. We do indeed have a local guy, George's Appliance CPR. Turns out he started out at Abt. My neighbor has used him and said he's great and reasonably priced. I got his number and texted him. We'll see what he says! Thanks much. Will keep you posted!

Shinola = jerk?

That’s really pretty veneer! Is it the same on the top? If it is you may be able to use a piece from the top to patch the sides. If not, and you elect to replace a panel, you might be able to use a piece from one side to patch the other. Have you ever messed with grain matching using special paintbrushes and markers and such? That grain pattern will be tough to blend but it’s kind of fun to do and veneer is pretty cheap.

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@jon-nyc Welcome to Pinellas County! I'm glad the weather was good for you! Need I say awesome work and poster of you!

@jon-nyc said: Facebook served me this ad which made me think of you. [image: IMG_4777.jpeg] Ha! This is great!! We have a little plinth with figures in our typical player colours that we change out to show who won the last game.

Clowns are supposed to be funny. The country is in a sad state.

@mark I was never a dancer either. Just wasn't. I don't know why. Dance was the foundation of Madonna's work in music videos and concerts (and I guess still is but she's got a lot of injuries). She went to Martha Graham's school. Martha Graham named her Madame X. Hence, Madame X, her last great album. I wish I could sing! Not pop music. Classical music and church music.

Thank you jon! We would have liked to have one this year and I am not completely 100% sure we won't, but it will more likely be some time next year.

Dave is always good. I remember a column he wrote on dating. Sent a copy to a friend - and the next thing I knew it was being faxed all around the country.

That may be what is called a "shirt-sleeve" relative. Marjoe Gortner reminded me of the creepy guy who insisted upon showing me a gospel music technique that used chords. I was too busy looking for an exit to learn anything.

Not to sound morbid. No, nothing morbid here.

Waves are measured from the water level up, not from down in the trough. 15 feet is big. Was in 8 foot waves in a 36 sailboat in the Gulf of ah, you know, that Gulf down there. Thought I might die. Didn't.