REVIEW ITEM: Go-Bags

/in

This item is posted for community review and development.  Comment forms follow the text; more extensive materials can be sent to rpgrvm@gmail.com

To download a pdf of this document, Click Here

Go-bags basic, expanded, car and pet                                                               

Go-bags basic    Everyone should have a basic go-bag where you can conveniently grab it on the way out the door.  If you are able to handle a large bag, you can include the small bag into it as you go.

With contents, it should be something the owner can lift and carry reasonably easily.  Even with handicaps, everyone can probably handle 1-2 pounds, which is enough to include a surprising number of important things.

Use what you have, but if you can choose, It should attach to your body so as to leave both hands free.  A shoe-bag (or similar) with a strap or cord long enough for a cross-chest carry is good.  Back-packs or belt-packs are OK if you are able to get them on and off easily and they don’t throw you off balance.  If you opt for a roll-aboard, you need to be able to lift it well enough to get it up/down a flight of stairs, onto a bus, or into a car trunk.

There should be one for every individual (not per couple), with some of the contents redundant – if one person’s is lost or stolen, or a couple is separated, you don’t want anybody to lose everything.

Some of the go-bag items should be duplicated in your car-go supplies – disasters can happen while you are out on a shopping trip.

Light-weight primary go-bag contents:

Information  (if a couple, for both people — and any pets)

  1. Identification – copies of passport, driver’s license, ID card
  2. List of contacts, complete: names, relationships, addresses, land-line and cell phones, emails, other. If appropriate, include key people such as attorneys, trustees, etc.
  3. List of medications – prescriptions and important over-the-counter. Include dose, pharmacy and prescriber.
  4. Insurance information –copies of cards (incl. Medicare) or policy front pages; list of agencies/agents
  5. Record of medical conditions (especially if serious) with name/location of appropriate practitioner.
  6. Make sure that one of your contacts has access to other important but not urgent information—bank accounts, financial advisors, legal document repositories.

[Printed 2-sided w/narrow margins and modest fonts, the above items should require only a modest number of pages — PUT THEM IN A ZIPLOC BAG OR SIMILAR COMPACT, WATERPROOF CONTAINER.]

Supplies  (The following assumes that you will take your wallet or billfold and cell phone separately—but might not be able to.)

Cell phone charger

Money: cash in small/medium bills; credit card (remember that without electricity, card-readers, ATMS,  and vending machines won’t work)

Medications:  Remember things like hearing aid batteries and spare eyeglasses.  Include analgesics (aspirin, or…) and diarrhea medication/laxatives.

Prescription items:  If possible, 2 weeks worth. Keep your supplies together, in one place, and as close to the go-bag as convenient so you can put them in quickly when needed.

Personal items: toothbrush, paste (travel size), small soap and/or sanitizer wipes, comb, other needs.  A few large bandaids.

“Survival” needs:

Flashlight – headlamp or w/wrist lanyard, to keep both hands free.

At least 2 packs of tissues

Sani-wipes

Whistle

Survival/space blanket; and/or compact plastic poncho

Multi-purpose (e.g. “Swiss Army”) knife, if your hands and fingernails are able to use one

With careful selection, the above + bag should weigh less than 2-3 lbs. 

In the car: the same or equivalent (if possible) in the car; include a 12v phone, and add a change of (warm sturdy) clothes, blanket(s) or sleeping bag,  handcrank weather radio,  2-3 gallons of water, and 6000 calories of ready-to-eat food.

 

Moderate-weight go-bags

If you have strength to carry more, consider:

A pair of warm non-cotton socks

Seasonal headgear

Have both the survival blanket and the poncho

Face mask(s) (N95 or KN95 if possible)

Gloves (both surgical and work)

Additional first-aid supplies

A Lifestraw (or similar) small ultrafiltration unit for water purification

Waterproof matches or lighter

A bottle of water and some energy/granola bars (Water builds up the weight very quickly)

 

Think about anything else specific to your needs or preferences.

Review and modify your practices – store the things you will want in an emergency where you can find them quickly and easily, and can pick them up easily (not a large number of loose items).

REVIEW OUR ILLUSTRATED SECTION ON GO-BAG ASSEMBLY — CLICK HERE

For your car  You will not be able to duplicate everything in your Go-Bag, such as prescription medicines, but you can add useful items that you can’t carry– warm clothing (or blankets, sleeping bags), a pillow,  a tarp, a fire extinguisher — and of course automotive emergency supplies like a tow strap, chains, a small shovel, , flat repair and a 12v pump.

 

And your pet  This is a difficult topic, and we look forward to adding more as we get input.  If you are going to travel by car, our animal friends can add a vast amount of cargo to the load.  If you are on foot, and especially if you have strength or mobility limitations, it can be a real problem

The basics:  Make sure your pet is chipped, and has a collar with ID tags.  Include copies of essential papers with yours (vet records of innoculations, ownership documents if valuable).  After that, the basic minimum is effective restraint — leash plus harness or collar, and if possible a carrier (ut you stillneed a leash).

DOG-GO               CAT-GO

This item is posted for community review and development.  Comment forms follow the text; more extensive materials can be sent to rpgrvm@gmail.com

 

BACK TO TOP

Instacart- Better than Sliced Bread? Part A

/in ,

By Joni Johnson  

A few of us gathered around the Socrates Café talking about what brought us joy.  Joanne Hafner was not there.  But if she had been, she would have mentioned Instacart.com.  She started using it early in the pandemic because she didn’t want to go to the stores.  At that time, there was a question of mask use and a reluctance to go shopping “out there”. She discovered Instacart.com and was an immediate convert.

Instacart works with a large number of stores including Safeway, Albertsons, Costco, Fred Meyers, Bed, Bath and Beyond, Staples, Target, Best Buy, the Wine Shop, Big Lots, Rite Aid, Natural Grocers, Petcoand the Vitamin Shoppe.

According to Joanne, you get two weeks free and then it’s a $99 yearly fee.  When I used Instacart, I discovered there was  also a small service fee – less than $3—for each order.  On the Instacart website, you fill out a shopping list and decide on a tip.  You have to spend $35 at a particular store to avoid a delivery fee.  They offer you time windows that are available for your delivery, and then drop off the items at your door, ring your bell and then off they go.

If they don’t have a specific item, they have can substitute something with your permission.  If they know they are out of a particular item when you order, they will tell you at the time of your order.  Joanne ordered produce and has only been disappointed once with a too soft tomato.

Joanne says that she loves Instacart and feels that it is well worth the money.  She definitely plans on continuing to use it even after Covid goes away.  She feels that it saves her all sorts of time and energy so she is willing to put up with the cost and an occasional mistake.  Other residents who use Instacart were all were happy with their decisions.

I decided that I needed to try this out myself.  Joanne uses a computer, but I have an IPhone and Instacart provides a downloadable app, which I imagine would work just as well on any modern cell phone that provides for message texts.  There is also an 800 number where people over 60 can get help with ordering, but I really think it is much easier if you have a computer.  So I set up my account and downloaded the app.  (They sent me the link so it was very easy).

I decided to order from Freddie’s. I ordered using my computer but during the shopping phase, the texting occurred using my phone and app.  I ordered later in the day.  I could have had it delivered within 5 hours but I preferred to wait until the following morning.  I had loads of two-hour windows to choose from then, so I chose 11am-1pm.  Later that evening, I decided to add 4 more things to the cart.  It was very easy to do.   In my order, they found 2 items that might require substitutions and asked me if I would accept particular substituted items just in case. During the shopping phase, I was texted with another substitution choice which I was able to work out with texts and pictures.

Before Joanne called me up and suggested this article, I had never thought about ordering on-line even though I really don’t like shopping.  I kept thinking the produce or the meat wouldn’t be as good. After writing this article, I am beginning to convert.  It certainly saved me time and I like to shop by computer- especially in the winter. But I realize there are other delivery options out there, so I’m going to do some more looking around before I settle on which one I want to use.

Thank you Joanne.  It certainly could be better than sliced bread!

STAY TUNED NEXT MONTH FOR Part B:  JONI’S GROCERY DELIVERY RESEARCH AND SELECTION ADVENTURES.  This will include more input from residents as well as information about the differences between pick-up and delivery and the differences in delivery directly from Fred Meyers, Albertsons, Costco and Safeway versus delivery using Instacart.com. It will also include how the Manor provides delivery service from Fred Meyers to any of its Residents.

 

 

 

Inaugural Poem

/in ,
Read more

FSpreps

/in

Facilities Services Helps You Prepare

See below for information on furniture fastening and garage door opening

Work order:  x7231, on MyRVM, or Front Desk

From:  Rogue Valley Manor • hillTOPICS • December 2020 – January 2021 • page 2

Don ’t Neglect Earthquake Preps

Do you have heavy items in your home such as tall bookcases, mirrors, artwork, or pictures hanging over your bed? All can be dangerous and cause injuries during an earthquake if not properly secured. Here are some tips from Drew Gilliland, Director of Facility Services.

Bookcases should be secured. Facility Services can do that using strapping that is screwed into the wall. Large items or those higher than four feet above the ground should be prioritized.  Facility Services will cover these costs.

However, other personal items such as antiques may require special straps and additional care so as not to damage the item.

Filling out a work order to Facility Services is your first step. Complete a work order form available at the Manor front desk, go to MyRVM.org to complete the form online, or call Facility Services at Ext. 7231. When the Facility Services technician arrives, be specific about what you want secured.

By Binny Blechman

Meeting Minutes – 11-04-2020 Facilities Advisory Committee Meeting
Bil Meers, Chair

New Business:  4. Garage Doors: During the recent evacuation numerous residents were unable to open their garage doors when the power failed. A work order can be submitted to adjust garage door springs so that doors open quickly when power is out. A longer release rope can also be installed. Drew favors metal doors with battery backup. Doors will be replaced as-needed, depending on the budget. Manor garages: staff must go around and open them for residents in the event of a power failure.

Nit Wit Newz

/in ,

(Nit Wit Newz is an unauthorized, often unreliable, on-line news source designed to keep Manor residents abreast of the inconsequential, trifling and superficial events that dramatically shape and inform our everyday lives here at Rogue Valley Manor.                                                                                                                                    

 Ed Note:  our roving correspondent has returned to campus, but we continue to receive bulletins from our far-flung news services.  We may have to fling this one a little farther next time.

 

PLAZA REVAMP PLAN STIRS RIFTS

           Defending Design Decisions

Residents, dining committee, interior designer at loggerheads on Plaza re-do. Sticking points abound. Should room centerpiece be movable orchid planter, or tasteful sarcophagus?  Should restaurant model be “The French Laundry,” or a K-12 cafeteria?  For walls and ceilings, some favor muted earth tones, others lean toward a monochromatic fifty-shades-of-gray.

Many fear proposed demise of banquettes and Friendship tables. Claim proponents have bias against comfortable seating and good fellowship. Outraged proponents deny charge. Disagreements spread to rotunda and restrooms as well.

Meanwhile, as disputes fester, thirty-seven sub-committees have rapidly formed to hammer out disagreements.

First sub-committee report disappointing:  Table Linen panel deadlocked on napkin fabric. Group may be sequestered until concurrence reached.

Some early progress reported.  Leak from Beverage Container Committee meeting claims proposed replacement of stem ware with Tippy Sippy Cups has been nixed.

Dining Services Committee urging rapid resolution of all sub-committee disputes.  Seek to avoid threatened large-scale food fights among increasingly militant factions.

Stay tuned.

 

—A. Looney

 

 

 

RV Country Club featured in their support of RVM during Evacuation of Almeda Fire

/in

Rogue Valley Country Club was recently featured in BoardRoom Magazine, a major industry publication that reaches thousands of clubs worldwide, regarding their community efforts during the Almeda fire crisis.  Here is a link to from their magazine about their efforts in supporting RVM residents during the evacuation.

https://pub.lucidpress.com/BoardRoomMagazine/#_0

Residents Council Meeting Zoom Discussion

/in ,

 

by Bob Buddemeier and Joni Johnson

On January 19, Residents Council President Gary Crites and Vice President Gini Armstrong introduced an innovation: a Zoom discussion group as a follow-up to the Residents Council meeting on the 18th.  A dozen residents talked for an hour about RVM and residents Council issues of mutual interest, ending with a consensus that it had been very worthwhile, plus a commitment from the officers to make it a monthly event.

The first topic to come up was the Plaza dining area renovations. An issue that attracted general agreement involved management of walkers and wheelchairs – there were concerns about the use of “walker garages” with servers as valet parking attendants.  Would there be enough servers to avoid delays in either food service or walker parking?  Would there be enough pedestrian space to avoid congestion as diners, servers, and walkers moved about?  How would wheelchairs and scooters fit into the mix?  The consensus was that these questions needed to be addressed from actual experience, by getting enough residents and servers to actually simulate the process and look for possible problems.  Gini and Gary will talk to Stan about the wheelchairs, and those participants at the meeting with walker issues agreed to inform Stan, Eric, and the DSAC of this need, and to participate in tests to identify potential problems.

Discussion then moved on to issues regarding institutional support of resident needs.  The opinion was expressed that, although we are fortunate to have some very caring and supportive staff members and executives, this seems to be a matter of good fortune rather than policy or organizational structure on the part of RVM or PRS.  There was general agreement that there needed to be more reliable ways to meet resident needs such as in cases of illness, or death of a partner.  Some central and reliably available source of sympathetic information and assistance is needed to make sure that RVM is a consistently caring community. It was agreed that Gini and Gary would help form a small committee to look into existing policies and organization at other communities and to suggest how we might implement a more meaningful approach here.

Participants also brought up the need for supportive assistance in terms of integration of new residents.  Currently, newcomers are somewhat on their own and fairly isolated, not having the chance to meet people on campus as typical in pre-Covid days.  The Ambassador program seems to have temporarily died during Covid, although it is being considered again. A new online Newcomers group has been formed to help RVM newcomers meet one another during the Pandemic.  This new group, started by one of our own newly arrived residents, has already had one Zoom meeting and a second one is planned for February.  If you are interested, please contact Asifa Kanji at asifakanji@gmail.com.

What’s New for December?

/in

6-word novels (see examples), inspired and edited by Eleanor Lippman,
are scattered throughout this issue (read everything to find them all)

 

NEWS & VIEWS

Talking about Religion…, by Joni Johnson and 12 other RVM residents

Craft Fair Review, by Connie Kent

A COVID-19 Xmas, by Asifa Kanji

in Comments, Letters, and Notices

The Complement’s compliments

in Big, Borrowed, or Both

3550:  the Portland Mirabella quarterly magazine (most recent issue)

Mirabella Monthly, Newsletter of the Seattle Mirabella (most recent issue)

in In the Community

From the Foundation!

What Do You Know About Your Neighbors Part 2, by Claudia Macmillan

 

ARTS & INFO

Adventures of Ralph, by Tom Conger  

Three Poems, by Faye Isaak, Richard Finch, and Anita Sumariwalla

Three More Poems, by Ray Teplitz, Jackie Parrish, and John Reimer

Holiday Poem 2020 by Joni Johnson

in Events & Opportunities

RVM Dec-Jan Entertainment Schedule

 

PREPARE

Progress in Preparedness, by Bob Buddemeier (with Bob Walden)

in Tips, Tricks, Hacks, Hints

Black (Tape) Magic

The supposed history of the six-word novel is that Ernest Hemingway was challenged to compose something as he was sitting at a bar with friends. On a napkin, he scribbled: “For sale, baby shoes, never worn.”  –E. L.

 

I have found my calling: hermit.                          (Wes Freeman)

Justice at last!  Introversion is rewarded!            (Bob Buddemeier)

Alone finally appreciating being an introvert      (Lynda Hansen)

Multiple months inert. Possible to revert?          (Don Vermeer)

Back to Top

Delft Blue Houses

/in ,

A Collection

by Grant Koch

In the year 1952, KLM or Royal Dutch Airlines began a tradition of giving their first class,  and later, business class passengers, Delft blue ceramic replicas of famous houses from cities around the Netherlands.  As the collection grew, KLM added one house for every year the airline has been in business (plus some additional specials) and there are currrently 101 different  miniature houses.   Some of these contain Dutch gin Jenever (Genever), however certain countries don’t allow alcoholic beverages, hence the empty ones.  The pictured houses were collected by resident Yoka Koch during her many visits to the Netherlands to visit family and friends.

(interested in more information?  Check https://www.klmhouses.com/)

 

House #1 unidentified house in Amsterdam

===============================================================================

 

                    Houses # 2,#3,#4

  #2, Restaurant D’Vijff Vlieghen, Amsterdam, #3 Unidentified House Amsterdam, #4 Keizersgracht 127, Amsterdam

====================================================================================================

House  #48 was Rembrandt’s house Amsterdam built in 1606

====================================================================================================

 

            House # 75 was the KLM former headquarters in The Hague built in 1914.

 

=======================================================================

 

Group of houses from left to right:
#29  Leiden built in 1612  /  #28  Rotterdam  /  #35  Delft  built in 1631  / #26  the Hague  built in the 18th century  /   #32  Delft built in 1536

Word Play — The Sequel

/in ,

by Tom Conger

            Tom Conger

Moving on in the world of words, we offer more amusing contrivances which may or may not be in the common lexicon. For this installment we are indebted to Weird And Wonderful Words edited by Erin McKean (illustrations by the estimable Roz Chast), Oxford University Press 2003.

You may want to designate this writer as a nihilarian – a person who deals with things of no importance . . .
batie-bummil – a useless bungler (obsolete Scottish word) – (see: this writer…)

bromatology – a treatise on food, the kind of cookbook with recipes for food that is good for you, instead of food you actually want to eat. (bromo, btw, is Greek root for food)

cockagrice – “an unappetizing dish (to modern palates) made of an old cock and a pig boiled and roasted together.” Grice = old word for pig. (not sure if the recipe could be found in your kitchen bromatology…)

longicorn – “a kind of beetle with very long antennae, The word comes from Latin words meaning ‘long’ and ‘horn,’ and it is a good example of a word with a perfectly serviceable etymology that still sounds made-up.”

nippitate – obscure word meaning “good strong ale,” sometimes found with faux Latin endings such as nippitatum and nippitati—but rarely found in modern discourse (nor saloons) . . .

pishachi – “a female devil or ghost, especially one that dislikes travelers and pregnant women.” These rarely beset RVM residents, but we suspect possible connection of the latter propensity to current shelter-in-place strictures . . .

snollygoster – “a dishonest politician [possibly redundant], especially a shrewd or calculating one.* A connection has been proposed between this word and snallygaster, a mythical monster in Maryland invented to frighten freed slaves. However, the first evidence for snallygaster follows snollygoster by about a hundred years…” but thought you oughta know.
*(see exauctorate – “to depose or oust from office, to deprive of authority”—from the Latin)

woofits – “an unwell feeling, especially a headache; a moody depression; a hangover. In one citation this is called ‘that dread disease that comes from overeating and underdrinking”… possible connections with the year 2020 have not been ruled out . . .

Readers are encouraged to submit to The Complement their own weird/wonderful selections, including any which they may have made up themselves