u/emmapeel218

My husband left today from the US for a 10-day brass band tour in the Netherlands & Belgium. We didn't find out until we got to the airport (despite having asked) that because his horn & flight case weigh more than 75lb, it couldn't go on the flight.

His tour manager is looking for alternatives (there will be 2 others in the same boat who leave tomorrow), but I've been doing some searching and the best I can come up with is that Adams Music in Ittervoort might rent him a CC?

Does anyone have any ideas? They meet in Amsterdam Monday, leave for Bruges on Tuesday.

Thanks from the non-musician spouse on the ground...

Organizers are leaving Bayfront and Duluth for another, yet to be named location in the state.

The article notes that FinnFest, Art in Bayfront, and All Pints North are three major annual events that have announced they will no longer be held in Duluth.

Quick question: Does anyone have any recommendations of TeleCalm or Community Phone? Husband is finally ready to fix his mom's phone bc of her 'scam call' concern (yay!).

What happens when Kirk comes back from the IL? Does Heineman stay up, bc of the CBA? Valenzuela has been playing pretty well, and Heineman seems to have emerged from his slump somewhat, but keeping 3 catchers seems like wasted space,
no?

We live about 2000mi away from my MIL(89), who is rapidly declining. She doesn't have a formal diagnosis bc she refuses to see anyone but her cardiologist, but it's clear that she's suffering from dementia of some kind. Because of the distance and my husband's job, we are usually only able to visit once a year for a week in the summer, and that time is coming up in June.

I've posted about her before, but she is unable to manage her own money so we do it online from here. She insists that she's paying her bills, but no checks have cleared for a bill in the 2 years that I've been paying them for her. She is actively defiant and only wants to argue (over...and over...and over) with my husband about finances that she doesn't understand. And nothing is ever her fault. She is incredibly rude to customer service people both on the phone and in person. Example: about six months ago I got a phone call from a pharmacy tech in tears because of an interaction with her over insurance that she had let lapse unbeknownst to us.

Anyway, to the visit: she has hoaded years' worth of paperwork all over her house, which she sifts through constantly and invents issues with because she doesn't know what they mean. She calls my husband irate about phone bills from 2023, because she stumbles upon them in her hoard.

This part is concerning, but I'm also worried about that much paper in the house. She and the local family that sees her regularly insist that she doesn't use the stovetop, but I know that she uses her wall oven. Her house has fallen into mild disrepair (it's about 60 years old) and I don't trust either the wiring or her ability to turn something off if she does turn it on, even once.

She's also still driving. She lives in a rural area 5-10 minutes from the nearest towns, where she can get groceries and the like, but there are delivery services available. We tried having Factor meals sent to her but after a month she refused to accept them anymore. I'm scared to death that she's either going to hit someone and hurt them, or get lost in the country out there.

The local relatives are wonderful about taking her out for dinner and activities when they can (2+ times a week), but bc they see her more often they also have some myopia when it comes to her condition--sort of like when you live with someone losing weight, you don't notice it as much as when you haven't seen them for 6 months. They feel that she can still drive and be alone in her home, but we aren't at all convinced that either situation is safe.

So when we get there, what do we do? Do we clean out the papers? Do we disable the car or take her keys? Unplug the stove & oven? I don't want to leave a crapstorm behind for the locals to deal with, but at the same time, I think they have hopeful blinders on.

Thanks for reading, I know this is long. :(

Just read the DNT article about their coach being non-renewed and the contingent at the school board meeting. Did something happen, or is this just a “time for a change” thing?

Last year I remember seeing signs for a yard cleaning service that would do spring dog poop. Does anyone know if that’s still around?

It’s great that we have so many bikes in Duluth, and I know the majority abide traffic laws and observe etiquette on the Lakewalk, etc.

But to the woman in the gold helmet on the e-bike who blew through the stop sign at Woodland & Calvary yesterday about 3pm, and those like her: follow the damn law. If I hadn’t looked at just the right time, I’d have flattened you.

Happy spring, everybody. Keep your head on a swivel.