Finally got my garden sorted out took a long time this year because I had to clean up two old falling apart arbors for the tomatoes, make this new arbor and clean up a massive mess of weeds as last summer my garden went wild do to a injury that stopped me from being able to weed it.
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Dan, very nice. What a view! Pepe
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That is Moat Mountain. This is such a small valley I have mountains in all 4 directions. I don’t know anywhere else with as nice views in all directions.
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OK, So I am feeling some better. Everyday I take fewer drugs and feel more normal. I am also beginning to feel reality. I still have some foot pain and tingling in my toes and some leg cramping pain that I had before the surgery. I guess there is some nerve damage/irritation that might clear up more in time. Also, having a good bit of cramping and pain from lying around all the time. So I did get out in the shop last evening from 8PM to 10:30PM and Jake and I built the pedal power head part of a spinning wheel. But then I was whooped.
So I am catching up on office work and research…or trying to.
I got a letter from my Chase credit card company informing me that they have merged with JPMorgan. No problem, those companies merge all the time. Except this time they send me one of those papers that looks like standard junk mail advertisements. Since I have time to read it this week, I do so. And inside the fine print it seems they are informing me that if I do not challenge the plan by sending them a note saying I reject their “new deal”, then my contract with them will be replaced by a new one without my signature. Basically, they want to void my legal contract with them that I signed when I opened the account, but they want me to authorize them doing so simply by my doing nothing. Which I am sure is what tens of millions of customers are going to do.
In the new contract, customers lose almost all of their rights to trial by judge and jury. All disputes are to be settled by outside arbitration by some company whose job it is to make such decision. It’s a complete circumvention of the US legal system. Also, it frees the company from any joint efforts, like class action lawsuits.
Also, while they are in the process of changing everyone’s legal contracts behind their backs, I guess they decided to go all the way. There are several other changes to everyone’s contract. Previously fixed interest rates equations become “at our discretion”.
Minimum payments , originally fixed with “never-change” status have gone up.
A set of online features that was a part of my original contract for free have now been lumped together to form something called “My CHase Plan” with an associated fee of 1.72% of all charges involved. I don’t use those services, but for those who do, they will start being charged this fee without knowledge unless they spend the 3 hours I have digging into this complex form of legalise.
There is much more, but my point is this guys. Be careful that companies like this don’t slip things by you without you noticing. Find a credit card company that does not require binding arbitration agreements. And then, like this one, be careful they don’t try to slide it by while you’re not looking.
The right to the legal system and trial by jury etc. are some of the most precious rights we have. Don’t sign them away just because some giant corporation wants to avoid getting taken to court. Reject their “new deal”, if you want to use binding arbitration to settle a problem later on, then you can decide to do that when you need to. It makes no sense for anyone to sign away their rights ahead of time. And that is why they don’t really want anyone to understand what is going on…They just hope everyone will throw it in the trash and not notice what has happened.
On a similar note concerning credit cards. I have to put my encouragement in here for people to use them properly. We have all seen many people destroyed by debt. Personally I think of credit cards as a convenient way to use money that I already have. We pay them off every month without exception. And now with rewards point programs, it makes more sense to use them for more purchases, etc. As long as you’re ok with big brother knowing what you’re buying. We don’t use them as credit…except until the end of the month.
I know everyone has the right to do as he pleases, and I’m not trying to preach to everyone on the subject. But we also have more young people on here as time passes…Some of them might need to hear a voice of reason on the subject.
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“If in debt you are not free”
Göran Persson, former Swedish prime minister.
I wonder what part of the globe would be considered be the free world by that definition.
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I would guess non if you look at national debt. Well maybe China but I don’t even think their trade makes the country debt free.
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Wish everyone a great 4th of July ( independence day ) .
We will enjoy ours by being somewhat more independent than most . 
.
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Happy 4th to everyone.
My Yukon gold potatoes are just starting to blossom. That is about a full month early for potatoes around here looks like I might have found some nice summer potatoes!!!
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Happy fourth, Dan, and wishing all many more. Pepe
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May We The People Of This Land Of The United States Of America, always stand against any tyranny of any government of people from with in or with out this land that would try to change or take away what our forefathers set forth. Thank You to our forefathers and the women for The Declaration Of Independence that they fought for and died for all these years. That was declared on the 2nd of July and was signed on The 4th of July. May God Bless This Country We Live In And The Peoples of this Land Who Hold Fast To The Truth that the Declaration speaks of.
Bob
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I have decided to stop taking pills today and see just how bad the pain is. I am taking my cbd oil and some tylenol, but I can not function to get anything done using these narcotics and I have to know if it is the drugs or left over anesthesia or what… So, since 4th of July is all about being a rebel and doing things our own way, I have decided to rebel against the doctors ans do it my way. We’ll see how it goes, maybe i’ll be squirming by noon and begging for my pill bottle.
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But remember the pain is there for our good so we do not over do it. You need to Heal. The narcotics keep you for over doing it, it drugs you down. This is why they are call downers.
The prayers are still coming your way brother.
Have a great 4th of July with your Wonderful Family.
Bob
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I hear you Bob, but I’m not trying to do any kind of lifting or physical work at all. I just need to write lesson plans, and video scripts, and make calls, and do office work. But I don’t have the energy at all. Not sure what’s the deal. So far, the lack of drugs hasn’t helped either.
Also, not sure if this is totally true. As I have scaled down the drugs the last 2 days, I am experiencing more and more pain in my leg and foot like before. I suppose it was always there, just masked by drugs. It is the same kind of sensation as before the surgery, not as strong. Doctor said it might happen. Maybe irritated/damaged nerves that take time to heal…
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Billy you are healing. I pray that the Lord Will Strengthen You and help you think Clearly with your mind. In Yeshua Name. Amen and Amen.
Bob
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I bet after being loaded up on the opiates it takes some time for them to flush out of your body, thus the little immediate effect. And then there are addiction mechanisms, your body is probably unhappy about not having the latest fix.
I’d focus on the pain aspect. As long as it remains bearable you are meeting the main objective, your head should eventually clear.
You probably have a point about after effects of anaesthetic, that’s heavy duty stuff, and not everyone is affected the same.
On with the rebellion… 
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Apparently I’m not nearly the rebel I used to be. There was provbably a time when my pride would have held me to it, But I ended up taking a pill. The pain is not voluntarily bearable. But I am still taking the CBD. I have decided to agree with the docs on the anti inflamatories. Apparently they slow back disk healing significantly. I want this gone asap, so I will lay off of them. I was just really not expecting this. I figured the surgery would have cleared up most of the problem.For many people it does, Not sure what to do exactly. Suffer through I guess.
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Sorry to hear, but it’s very early days. Any surgery I’ve had has been a bigger injury than the original issue, only difference is it gets better. Time heals.
Sure is humbling how little we have without our good health…
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I would probably try to cut the opioids in half a few times to allow your body to adjust to their absence. They are really nasty things as far as addiction and side effects from withdrawal.
But then again I say that but am the type who will try to stop things cold and live with the few days of hell myself and often regret it later.
But don’t let the recovery get you too far down in the dumps it sounds like a pretty nasty surgery to me in a week or two you will be feeling alot better I would guess.
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Thanks. I am not usually one to get down, but I will admit to having a pretty hard few days here. They prescribed 12 pills a day. I cut that to 10 on day 2, then 7 the next day, down to 5 then yesterday just 2. I set out today to cut them off and see if I could handle it, but not happening. I am up to 3 so far today…and still hurting…but the day is almost over.
I keep trying to believe it’s going to get better. Fact is, I have a whole bunch of stuff to do. We are supposed to go to Africa in 8 weeks. I had hoped to cancel it, but it is really hard to do that. The people there are really working hard, and I hate to keep them waiting another whole year because of this. We’ll see how it goes. God has to be left in control.Sometimes that’s the hard part.
I was planning to be able to do office work and lighter stuff by now, but ya’ll are correct. It is still very early and I need to be more patient. I think I’ll take another pill and listen to a Guns-N-Roses song now while I remember how human I am…
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If it where me I would go 2 days at each step down on the pills. It takes a little time to adjust.
On the travels I would say don’t let it stress you out right now. If it is right for you to go you will be ready if not you have to protect your health it is the one thing we all need to realize we are not superman about. Today I got 150 bales baled the accumulator isn’t working well and I had some help because of that I pushed myself too long in the sun and am suffering headaches from overheating myself. Took a cold shower and have to accept that the hay will sit there till morning lucky for me it is good weather no rain in sight till Saturday. But my point is that it is hard for us not to push too hard when others are involved.
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