I keep trying. Forever I keep trying. Tonight I couldn’t even do a simple spell correct without a total disconnect/mess.
The Give and Take isn’t there. I hate it…Too much else that is unbearable in my life going on right now. I’ll keep checking in, but in terms of any kind of real time give and take that saw me through the death of my mother----etc. Can’t see it happening. I mourn this…But, as always, I wish you all the best that the Universe has to offer…Sigh…
Good to have us to vent at. (((((Hugs))))) Maureen
This is the place for it, Judith. Venting R Us. If you can’t do it here, you can’t do it anywhere. 
Listening quietly…
Beaming good thoughts to you @Judith_in_Portland. The Internet is not a substitute for real presence, but when you’re suffering from absence, we can at least be present for you here.
Love you all. Thank you. Venting helps…On top of all the other “C%*p”, I have a second basal cell cancer on my dominant hand. The first one took 6 weeks for the pain to abate, and this one is on the big knuckle of my right thumb…Damn and Phooey and Phooey again.
I’m leaving in a week to meet my new grandson in CA and the packing to move for the first time in 27 years cannot stop. So when the heck do I get the damn surgery done…Sigh and Phooey…
Last year, my daughter and her wife and my 12-year-old grandson went through training to be foster parents for the infants of drug-addicted moms. This beautiful little boy, napping with my first grandson is hopefully for keeps as the adoption proceeds…
As I say, Onward is all we can do. Again, thank you so much. Ultimately this is my Online Home and even when frustrated, I don’t ever forget that…
That is such a beautiful photo. What treasure.
Judith, best of luck with all of these problems. As an aside, did you know that way back when in dog training, the word “phooey” was used like the word “no”.
I’ve always been curious about that word (“phooey”). I don’t know its etymology. Always wondered whether it was an acronym, like FUBAR or SNAFU or QANTAS.
Nero Wolfe says “Pfui”…Trudy’s note is fascinating…
And how about the Swedish Oofdah that I grew up with? Hehe…
Yah, sure, you betcha
The history of words/languages has always fascinated me—including the way these things evolve. We used to own the humongous Oxford English Dictionary, word histories included, magnifying glass included, and we would have dinnertime games with word histories. Had to sell it during a bad time. But maybe again someday!..
I have the “Shorter OED”, which is condensed into two volumes without the magnifying glass and much of the etymological background data, but it’s still highly rewarding. Sounds as though we both love language.
Since I’m in speech recognition, I join both of you. But now we have a speech enabled pocket sized device that carries all of that and translation into 100+ languages, and more! 
LOL. I hope it’s some niche product you’re referring to and not my smartphone, because it makes TONS of mistakes.
Count me in! I got my micro-OED back in the 80s when it was a premium for signing up for the Book of the Month Club (yes youngsters, that was a thing). I cancelled after I got mine–not a big fan of anything-of-the-month clubs–but the premium was too good to miss. Turned out to be quite handy when I went on to get a Ph.D., since my field was Old and Middle English.
Have you read The Professor and the Madman?
OMG. The Book of the Month Club gave the OED for signing up? WTH was I??? I’ve collected a premium or two over the years but never one as precious as that. 
I’m glad I went for it when it turned up. Still stands next to my bedside table.
I worked in an airline electronics repair shop for 25 years. We had a well-worn large dictionary (not OED) that we used every day. It solved many an argument over the meaning of things. English is fascinating as it doesn’t seem to mind constant changes to usage and meaning that some languages do.
