u/Round_Discussion9592

So the weather in Central VA has been crazy w spring freeze and now severe drought. We just did an inspection and there is a lot of honey in the top two boxes but none in the bottom box. We don't use a queen excluder and almost all of the brood is in the bottom.

I read on another post that no nectar around the brood = time to feed. Usually July and August are dearthy here and we do feed them. Other forums report late tree blooms in VA but I question the flow here because they are also washboarding. It's going to be in the 100s end of this week so probably everything will crash and burn in the nectar department.

That said, we have already taken a few frames this year and there are a few about 80-85% capped. Will feeding sugar water at this point really make that big of an impact on these frames assuming they will eventually get capped out by fall?

Is there a place I can obtain hiking poles for my short stay? I travel only with carryon so not allowed to take them on the plane. Will only be there a week so don't want to sink a ton into them. Is there a used sporting goods store around or something like that?

Spouse retires next year and we plan on being nomads for a while. I was reading about Compass Rose which offers travel insurance and medicare reimbursement but reviews are mixed. Is there a better option out there? Thx.

I am 67 and on my spouse's Federal Employee Health Benefits. We have a somewhat high deductible and it costs me $380/ month. I declined Medicare Part 2 for the time being when I turned 65.

She is retiring in about a year and a half and if our plans go thru, we are leaving the US for at least a few years, or maybe indefinitely. We will return to the US a few times a year and probably have some of the routine annual dr vsits while visiting family.

Clearly, we will need travel insurance, and we will keep paying FEHB premiums. I am questioning whether I want to go on Medicare if her insurance is good. It seems like more $$$ when we won't be around much. And there is a chance I have to pay IRRMA, also. Anyone else just doing FEHB with no Medicare?

Hired painter to do deck. The previous owner hired this company and they did a stellar job on the house. Guy said they fixed woodpecker holes, you'd never know. So we've been living in the best endorsement. Plus they have only 5 star reviews.

Previous owner used paint on deck vs stain. Boo. Painter put down Sherwin Williams Porch and Patio enamel in 95 degree heat and wrinkles everywhere. After seeing that, they said it dried too fast. Duh. They sanded it down and said in some places, the wood is wet because of lack of air circulation under the deck and had a moisture reader to show me this. Ok. They were going to put primer down but their paint rep said no, let it breathe. So, after sanding the deck, they painted it again in 85 degree weather and we have wrinkles AGAIN. However, some are on 2nd level where there is a lot of circulation as well as handrails.

Is the deck the problem or do the painters not know what they're doing? He says he's never seen this happen before and is bringing the SW rep over tomorrow. I am so over this. I have read that paint is tricky in small claims court. I told my spouse, lets just be done with it, demand a decrease in price, and pay someone else when it chips all over to sand and repaint.

What is the best path forward?

I am in the Virginia drought currently happening. I read some people are already feeding their bees, hoping for better luck w fall harvest. I have several frames that are like 80% capped so figure they have reserves but if there isn't and hasn't been any nectar is it better to just start feeding now vs next month when the dearth usually starts? How do you know when to feed them?

I'm doing great after about 50% removal due to a bucket handle tear at end of March. Yesterday, however, is the first time I've hiked up a steep grade and that seems to be the remaining pain point for me. Needley pain that stopped when I got to the top, no swelling or pain later. Still doing lots of PT and strength work at the gym. Just need more time? Big adventures coming at end of August and hoping it's done by then but have tentative cortisone shot appt w doc before I go.

Just joined Tello. I saw a lot of nomads use it because they can keep their US# for 2FA.

I am heading to Denmark/Faro/Italy/Czech Republic and Germany this summer and am wondering if it's better to get Pay As You Go or just another eSim for Europe since my phone has space for 2 eSims? Still figuring the PAYG option and not sure how to manage dual eSIMs....thx.

I am not a painter. I am not an expert on this stuff. Today, a painting contractor painted my deck in 95+ degree heat and it has bubbled all over. I haven't talked to the rep yet and I haven't put down any $$. I am trying to control my emotions but obviously they should have waited until a cooler day. Now, I have a mess. I want to tell them to sand it and repaint it. Am I missing something? I know I can contact BBB or their insurance company but figured I would give them a chance to fix it. What is the best path forward? I have already taken a ton of photos.

Neighbor is unfriendly and doesn't talk. He uses the "set it and forget it" approach to beekeeping. He uses a FlowHive and I wonder if he even owns a beesuit. He has one hive and the colony died over winter, he got another and it died. He skipped last summer and I see he has the deep out again. At least he doesn't have the super on but it's early. I'm sure he'll wait for the dearth. Inner cover only on top, the outer cover must have busted. Entrance feeder which I'm sure my girls think is a lovely new restaurant. Now I will probably need to do mite treatment on regular rotation until these die, too. If he had an ounce of friendliness about him, I would offer to help. It's like watching people work out at the gym with bad form. All you can do is watch.

Apologies, this is a little long.

After reading all of the experiences here, I messaged the original doc who suspected LS. She wanted to do a punch biopsy and confirmed on her message that she does *not* use a numbing agent before the shot. Honestly, I wasn't impressed by her demeanor and wanted to get a second opinion anyway.

I scanned the internet for both dermatologists and OB/GYNs who have a good knowledge of the disease and the earliest I could get in was August to someone I didn't know and had not researched!! So, I kept looking and looking and found a clinic with a page on their site dedicated to LS and got in a week later. Whew! The Nurse Practitioner is super sweet, compassionate and worth the almost 90 minute drive.

I have read SO many negative posts here about the punch biopsy, and I don't doubt that they were bad. BUT I was so overwhelmed with anxiety on the drive today that I started to cry and almost had a panic attack based on what I've read.

Fast forward: per my request, she used a numbing gel. Yes, there were times I could feel the needle and it did sting a couple of times, but she was kind and carefully administered it while constantly checking in w me.

I did not feel the shot was anything like a few difficult dental injections I've had. I did not feel the biospy, did not have excessive bleeding and am probably going to go on a walk later. There is slight awareness that I have a wound, but it is an annoyance at this point. It doesn't hurt when I urinate.

Please, do not got down the rabbit hole of reading everyone's painful biopsies like I did. I was freaked out for no reason. Understandably, some may be worse based on location on the vulva, etc. And advocate for yourself and insist on a numbing agent before the shot. I am happy that I got that suggestion from this forum!

I am truly grateful for what I have. I have run into some health issues in the past 6 months and am currently dealing with a health scare. I am in a happy marriage though my spouse still works for about 18 more months.

I have 2 issues:

1. I am an early riser. Not because I want to be, I just snap awake around 5 and am awake. Then I sit around til 9 or 10 til I decide I should do something. I have a ton of hobbies but lack structure. I'm 67 and have been retired since 55. I guess it isn't a bad thing, is it? I just don't feel like I need to get up and get going because what I don't do today, I can do tomorrow. So part of me feels like I am wasting a ton of time.

2. Since retiring, we have moved to 2 different states. We have been in our current place for about 4 years and it seems bloody impossible to make friends. It feels like everyone already has friends and don't really need more. We have a few couples we go out with, one probably weekly. Thank goodness for them.

However, for the life of me, I cannot suceed at making good, close friends. I am an avid outdoors person, highly educated, world traveler, and an award winning artist. I was also taught to be humble so I don't talk up my skills and accomplishments. But I have volunteered, joined meet up groups, and taken classes. It gets me out of the house but I'm not connecting in the way that I need. I know building friendships take time and energy. I do get frustrated when I invite people to do things several times, we have a good time, and they never reciprocate. I went kayaking with a woman about 10x, but she would never call me, it was always me calling her, and then she was sad when I moved. There have been a couple of other false starts where I went hiking and kayaking a handful of times with two different women, we had a good time, and no call back. One of these women recently liked about 10 of my Instagram posts though I haven't heard from her in over 6 months. She has no idea the physical crap I've been going through, can't really consider her a friend. Even if you're busy, how hard is it to drop a text once in a while to check in? So I am pretty much in f*k it mode, recovering from knee surgery and spending most of my time alone. Boo.

...are running on the inner cover. I saw them last year, too, tho they weren't around long. What are these ugly things? Google blames them on hive hygeine but everything looks great to me.

6 weeks ago I had a 50% meniscectomy because I had a bucket handle tear that caused my knee to lock. I also completely tore my ACL which I opted to not repair. I was misdiagnosed by the first doc and it took about 5 months to get surgery. Im sure I lost alot of conditioning during that time.

I can walk really well and do yard work, but my entire life, I have been an avid hiker. I am trying to start some walks and add distance. I do warm up exercises, stretch, bike for 10 minutes before heading out. I don't know how to describe it, but it seems ĺike my leg is still weak and I become conscious of my hamstring and everything just feels wonky. I am 67 which is why I opted to not repair my ACL. My doc told me yesterday he expects me to get 95% of my function back. I have been seeing a PT and doing my exercises daily. I still have really strong legs and am working to keep them that way. Maybe 6 weeks isn't that long. I just am maxxed out at 2 miles at this point and it takes a mile to feel warmed up and the wierdness to abate. My PT doc is always encouraging and optimistic. Any other struggling trekkers have advice?

I have a medium and a deep and just put the varroxsan in the deep. I don't use a queen excluder and there is a lot of brood in the medium. Should I put more strips in the medium, too?