Snow Again...

There was a small chance for some limited snow flurries yesterday.  Weatherman missed that 1.  We got snow, but it was way more than flurries.  There's at least an inch or more out there.  

We're expecting some more wintry weather for the next few days.  I'm not sure how bad it'll get or if it'll even hit.  The weather has been all over the place the last month.  We won't hit above freezing today, but we're supposed to be up the 60's on Tuesday & then freezing again.  Thanks again weather, my hands love you.

My chilblains are acting up quite a bit.  Typing is a problematic right now.  At least this snow was fairly dry.  If it doesn't rain, then this should melt off fairly easily.   

Stay safe.

Cya....

Another Cold Morning...

I woke this morning & it was in the lower 20's F.  It isn't expected to get out of the 20's today.  I hate this cold weather.  It won't stay long enough to do any good.  It comes on in strong bursts that kill my  hands, feet, skin & sinuses.

I wish it'd just settle down & be cold for a while.  I could adjust to that.  But, that is apparently asking just way too much.

It's quiet here today.  The roomie is out & the cats are curled up in various warmish places trying not to freeze.   During this time of the year 1 of the older cats decides her sister is the perfect thing to sleep on.  The sister is none to thrilled at this.  Still it happens.

Stay comfortable & safe.

Cya...

Cold Morning Shopping...

It was a fairly cold outing this morning.  My hands are still chilly.  Its supposed to drop down quite a bit this morning.  It may hit as low as 13 F.   I hope not.  

My roomie has an early morning tomorrow.  Here's hoping for no foul weather.  She's taking the van in for a look at the tires.  It'll probably need an oil change.  With any luck, we won't have to replace any tires right now.

My hands are cold enough to make typing a pain.  This is going to be brief.  I'm blog more tomorrow.

Cya...  

Melt Off...

We got a bit more than a dusting.  There was easily 6+ inches of snow on the van.  Luckily it wasn't ice.  The temps are slowly rising & the snow is melting.  The roads weren't pleasant, but no horrible. 

Maybe, that killed off some of the pests.  But, I can still see green grass poking up though the snow.  I hate you grass, really I do.

My allergies have calmed down a bit.  That's the trade-off, be warm & have allergies.  Or, be cold but able to breathe.  

Hope things are treating you all well.

Cya...

Irritated At Blogger...

Blogger announced today they were introducing new restrictions on their site blocking adult content.   This doesn't directly affect this blog.  My content isn't "Adult".  Still, the restriction ridiculous.  

These blogs were labeled & easily avoidable.   Apparently every effort has to be made to help the family friendly crowd protect their precious damn morals.  I seriously hate moralists.  They're more often then not total hypocrites.

These sites will have to leave or close up shop.  They won't be able to attract more followers or add content.  Google & Blogger are being asses on this matter.  

It's simple, if you don't want to see adult content, don't look.  Don't give the crap about about the kiddies, your children aren't my responsibility.   This is censorship, plain & simple. Something Google didn't use to do, but apparently now it's all the rage.  How long before they decide the next thing they don't want posted on Blogger?   What will it be, something political, something religious...?  Once they start they don't tend to stop.  After all, it was so easy the 1st time.

Cya...

Interesting...

This article discusses a means which could drastically cut the transmission of HIV in the U.S..  It  comes down to testing & treatment.    According to this, over 90% of all new transmissions  of the virus can be tracked back to people who don't know they're + or aren't receiving treatment.

The article goes on to talk about care regimens & getting people into them on a permanent basis.  It tells of more statistics on the matter.  In the end, its simple, people who get tested & diagnosed are less likely to transmit the disease.  They can't even receive treatment if they aren't tested.

More directly, get tested & stop transmitting the virus.

Cya....

No Snow Yet...

The weather channel says we could get some wintry weather tonight & tomorrow.  Right now, all I see outside my window is some redbirds, sparrows & a couple of doves searching the grass for food.  Its definitely deary & the snow could fall.

This up & down weather has done a number on us.  Its hit the cats & my roomie a little harder than me for once.  I seem to normally get hit harder with this Winter feel like crap stuff.

Whatever weather happens, I just hope its nothing too serious.  I don't need a foot of snow or an ice storm.  Let a little white stuff fall & then move on.

Have a good day.

Cya...

A Dusting...

Apparently we're in for a slight snow on Sunday & Monday.  Nothing much & I'll believe it when I see it.  We've barely had any Winter precipitation this season.  Nothing much since November.  It's been cold & some rain has frozen, but no real snow.

I'm not up to much today. I cooked some beans & greens earlier.  They'll be dinner.  Right now, I'm just watching some red birds flitting about outside my window.  They seem to be warring with some sparrows, jays & mockingbirds.   Still, it's neat to watch.

Cya...

Dreary Again...

It's not all that cold right now, but its damp & dreary.  This is no weather for me.  I don't like damp, cold or dreary. 

It looks like we could be in for another round of freezing rain & wintry mix over the weekend.  I know we need the rain, but we don't need the freezing rain.  Hopefully, we'll just get the rain.

I woke up not feeling well.  All the time with the heaters & weird weather has done me in.  So this is all I can muster up for now. 

Cya...

New idea...

These articles A & B, are among many the last few days talking about a new approach to fighting HIV.   I've been avoiding them for a bit, until some a little less science-y  came along.  Some jargon laden pieces can sound very compelling when actually stating very little.

The point is that a novel approach to fighting HIV is being researched after a new "desinger" protein was developed.  This protein blocks the virus' ability to infiltrate cells & replicate.  Without this the virus will not be able to flourish.  

They're calling this an alternative to a vaccine. The particulars are still vague.  This is still newish.  Albeit, it sounds promising, it isn't a sure thing yet.  This could still be years away or eventually fail altogether.  Not meaning to be a downer, but realism is the best option here.  Even if this doesn't work, it could be the thing that opens the door to whatever will.

Cya...

Basic, But Necessary...

This article describes some of the varied signs you may have HIV.  For many, this isn't new information, but for some it may be.  It goes to show why HIV can be so hard to diagnose.  

These 16 signs run the gamut from allergic reactions, exhaustion to GI disorders.   Any 1 of them, or even several together, could be easily written off as something else entirely.  Most likely something benign like a cold or allergies.

This makes the point of why we should be aware of our health & what our personal health stories are.  How do react to stress, allergies  or rashes?  Is this thing normal?  Isn't it odd I've been dealing with this cough for months?

Diagnosing HIV from a visit to the doctor may be difficult, but getting tested isn't.  Get tested for HIV.  Know your status.  Stop playing the guessing game with your health.

Cya...

Cold Morning...

OK, we had another morning in the low temps.  We probably dipped down into the upper teens last night.  Our high is supposed to be mid 40's F.   

My hands aren't happy at all.  I think I've gotten a couple more chilblains on them.  Damn.  These things are a pain in the ass.  Their swelling makes it difficult to type.

Maybe this round of cold will at least drive back the bugs.  I hope it kills some of the grass as well.  We have another round of cold weather in the  forecast for the weekend.  

I can't say any of us our feeling that well today.  This weather hasn't been easy.  Still, its Winter, so what do we expect?

Cya...

Glazed...

We had some freezing rain last night & this morning, but not much.  The roads are fairly clear, but most everything else has a thin sheen of ice over it.   As long as we don't get anything else, we'll be fine.  The temps are likely to stay below freezing today.   

I can certainly feel the damp cold creeping into the house.  I don't like cold at all.   Sometimes blankets & heaters just aren't enough to drive off the wet, chills of Winter.  

Most of the upcoming week will be a bit warmer.  We have another chance of freezing rain on Friday.  With any luck, it won't happen.  

Stay warm & safe.

Cya...

Day After Candy...

Its done, the day after Valentine's candy has been raided at the store.  We have a decent amount of sweets for a bit.  Being patient, let me get the candy for 25% of yesterday's price.  

We're heading for another cool down.  Its possible we cold have a some freezing rain tonight.  I really, really hope not.  

If it does, at least we went shopping today & there's no mail running tomorrow thanks to Presidents' Day.  We need the cold, but the freezing rain isn't really necessary.  Maybe, it'll pass us by.

Cya...

Valentine's Day

Another February 14th is upon us.  Not that this holiday ever really mattered to me as anything other than a candy day.  Tomorrow, I'll see how the day after candy sales at Walmart go.  

I tried a some more with the little, black cat on the porch.  The LBC is having nothing to do with me.  Right now, I'm hoping its not pregnant.  I can't get a hold of it to tell.  If it is, I'll know soon enough.  Then there will be kittens to deal with.  I hope not.

Not much else going on around here, besides trying to catch up on some TV.  More tomorrow.

Cya...

Super Virus...

This article details a new variant form of HIV in Cuba.  When a person becomes infected with multiple strains of HIV, the viruses can sometimes become recombinant or a combination of those base viruses.  

It wouldn't always make the bug more virulent, but in this case it does.   This strain can lead a person going from initial infection to AIDS in as little as 3 years.  This can happen so quickly, these people may not even realize anything wrong with them.  So, they probably won't get tested & will continue to spread the more potent strain.

There has always been a school of thought among some + people, "At least now I can sleep with other + people & not be at risk."  This has never been a safe approach for many reasons & this recombinant virus is 1 of those reasons.

There is no excuse for voluntary, unsafe sex.

Cya... 

Transplant...

I blogged a while back about the possibility of HIV+ people receiving transplants from other + people.   This article goes into more detail on this matter.  It deals with kidney transplants & found  the resulting survival rates were on at least par with the transplants of non HIV organs.  

This has significant impact for anyone needing a transplant regardless of their HIV status.  This opens the door for more donors.  While the + people can receive the + organs, the others can be more focused on the HIV- patients.     This doesn't limit + people to + donors, but it does allow them to be used.

All of this was done while still controlling the patients HIV levels.  I'm reasonably sure, there are  HIV- people who would opt for a + organ if no others were available.  For most people, being +, beats being dead.  I'll keep an eye out for more on this.

Cya....

Midweek...

We took out the trash.  The air's a little brisk, but not nearly cold enough for the season.  Some of the flowering bushes are budding.  Too early.

My roomie's new routine will start again tomorrow.  It's the 2nd run at it.   The last time went fairly smooth,  I think this time will probably go even more so.   Its a change & right now just about any change seems sorta big.  Even when its not.

My dental cleaning went well yesterday.  We got something to eat & ran an errand.  I needed a new outdoor, trash can.  The last 1 cracked & it was letting in water.  All I need is flooded garbage.

I seem to be getting better again.  At least for now.  I felt pretty good all day yesterday.  The weather shift hasn't been nice on my allergies, but still I'm holding up.

Here's hoping for more coeld weather to kill of the grass & the bugs.

Cya....

Afternoon Appointment...

I've got a dentist appointment this afternoon.  Its only a cleaning, but I have to leave soon.  That doesn't leave me much time for blogging.  

This morning has been about trying to de-stink the washing machine.  I don't use a lot of hot water to wash with & we live in a humid environment.  Therefore, we have a smelly washing machine.  

Starts off with a tub of hot as you can get it wash water.  Add a quart of bleach & agitate for a minute.  Then let it set for an hour.  Afterwards, run for the longest wash setting.  Repeat the process, but replace the bleach with white vinegar.  After all that, leave the lid open until the basin is dry. Repeat as needed.

That's my day.  A smelly washer & a dentist appointment. Isn't my life exciting...

Cya...

Yet Another Monday...

It's Monday again & that meant we went shopping this morning.  It was a pretty easy trip.  The store was fairly empty.  Great for me.

I'm doing somewhat better than yesterday so far.  My stomach is still acting up, but not as bad.  I hope this done by this evening,  I have an appointment for dental cleaning tomorrow.

Not much going on here right now.  I hope everyone is staying warm & healthy.

Cya...

Warm Again...

Here I am griping about the weather again.  It's 70 F again in February.  My allergies & sinuses are killing me.  The sinus drainage has destroyed my stomach.  The last several nights I've been nauseous from this mess. 

The problem with being HIV + & having other ailments, is figuring what's actually getting to you.   I know my meds occasionally trash my stomach.  I know that my allergies & sinuses do as well.  So which 1 is it now?  Does it matter?

Having HIV or any other chronic illness I suppose is like having a sensitivity setting on your life that's adds to everything.  Oh my allergies used to make me feel like sinuses were turned up to 5, with HIV they're definitely a 9 & can reach 11.  HIV aggravates everything.

If I'm lucky, maybe I'll get through tonight without feeling like crap.

Cya...

Yuck...

That's how I feel right now, yucky.  We've gone from cold to almost 70 F.  The pollen is rising thanks to all the trees blooming.  Here in Oklahoma there is no such thing as allergy season.  Every day is allergy day, its like a bad cover a Ministry song.

I cooked up some beans this morning.  I'll make some cornbread to go with it.  My stomach needs something plain today.  

Besides doing some laundry & catching up on some TV, I'm done.  I feel too off to concentrate on much.  Hopefully, we'll get back to seasonal weather soon.  Oh & too add to the mess, Daylight Saving Time starts in less than a month.  Just Yippie!

Cya...

1st Feb Friday....

Today is the 1st Friday of the month.  We've mostly gotten our bills underway.  There was a shopping trip this morning.  I'm glad we're back home now.  

The weather is doing all sorts of unseasonably warms days turning into frigid night times.  It's playing havoc on how I feel.  I've been borderline ill for the past couple of days.  Nothing serious, but it's really leaving me tired.

Its been so warm here, some of the trees are trying to bloom.  I hope they don't get too damaged when the temps drop again.  All we need is a lot of dead trees in the neighborhood.

Stay warm & healthy.

Cya...

Weird Netting Yesterday...

Apparently, whatever happened to my net activities yesterday had nothing to do with the actual internet.  I couldn't get anything to load without waiting several minutes.  Then only half of it would load.  I checked my network card, my cables, my browser.  I ran several diagnostics & nothing turned up out of order.   

I finally decided to check Windows internet settings.  I dabbled around with several of those & nothing worked.  I decided I'd hit the default settings & see if it would help.  Then I noticed a something on the security part of the Windows Internet settings panel.   It was a box that read enable protection mode or something similar.  I unchecked it & viola, my net was working again.  

In the end, it wasn't my IP, it wasn't my computer, It wasn't my browser, it was Windows.  That was probably something changed during an update.  Most likely something added to help secure Internet Explorer, which just happened to fry Chrome.  Dealing with net issues is always a trip.  there are just so many things that can affect your internet performance.  Nailing it down, could be frustrating.

Cya...

Internet Issues...

I don't know what's up with my net, but I can barely get it to do anything.  I'll blog more tomorrow.

Cya...

Changes...

Life is about change.   You can resist it, use it or go with the flow.  Mostly we've been resisting it as much as possible.   Or at least trying to diminish it's impact.    Sometimes, last year being a prime example for me & mine, you can't do any of those things.  You can only endure it.   That sucks.

 That doesn't mean good can't come out of it, but no one likes being shoved into a new unknown or unwanted.   My roomie has decided to be brave & is trying to embrace the changes & possibilities in her life.  Before, she like most of us, would do her best to avoid them.  For people like us, change is often a bad word.  Change has been something always dumped on us.  Usually by people who had no right to dump anything on anyone.  Still, dump they did & we had to deal with the fallout.

My roomie is in the process of meeting a new challenge.  This is her 2nd go at it.  The 1st round went well enough, but there were alterations that could make the situation better.  So, she made them.

Instead of refusing the opportunity outright as would have been the case last year.  She accepted it.  Then when it didn't quite work for her, she altered the conditions instead of dropping the challenge outright.  I think this will be something very beneficial for her.

What does this have with HIV?   This virus is 1 of the biggest changes a person will ever endure.  And, like it or not, with the exception of a few possibilities, you probably had at least some part of your contraction of the virus.  The majority or us  have contracted HIV via unsafe sex practices, drug use or other risky behaviors.  Don't think I'm trying to blame anyone who was truly victimized.  

Bam, you're +.  Happy HIV Day, isn't it a joy.  You have choices now.  You can ignore it, you can resent your new life or you can embrace it.  Ignoring it will kill you & mostly contribute to the transmission of the virus to others.  Resenting HIV is ridiculous.  Its a virus & doesn't care what you think. It has a single drive, to survive & propagate, you're just a host.  That leaves embracing your new life.

This won't lead to sunshine & lollipops, but it most likely  will lead to a life.  For those of us that are +, there's no changing that.  There is no cure.  Even if they find a cure, it won't undo the damage already done to our health, or social lives, our finances, etc...  

If a cure comes, great, but it probably won't help me.  I can only try to move forward.  I often don't know how to do that.  But, I do my regimen & I go to my appointments.   I try to take joy in those things around me.  I try to embrace those possibilities that emerge in my life.  Do you?

Cya...

Drop Brrrr...

The temperature dropped into the mid teens F last night.   That was no fun going out into this morning.   We had to go shopping & it was beyond brisk when we left.

I will never be a fan of cold weather.  It just isn't going to happen.  I can already feel my body revolting against the cold.  

I'm inside for as much as possible.  I will say hello to my hot tea.  I am well armed with my Burt's bees, cough drops & Kleenex.  

I hope your weather is being pleasant.  Have a great week.

Cya...

Hello Febuary...

The 1st month of 2015 has left the building.  Thank you January for not sucking like you did last year.  For that, we are very grateful.

There isn't much going with me today.  Its been drizzling all night & the damp is making it chilly.   The weather here has been a roller coaster & its really playing havoc on my head.

I don't have a lot scheduled for this month, just a dental cleaning.  So, February, what say you just follow January's lead & not suck.   I'm not asking for a lot of bells & whistles, just don't be hellish.  OK?  Thanks in advance.

Cya...