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9/15/24 post: We researched and located a product for our garden home bathtub to make it convertible into a shower when needed. This was approved by TVAB Facilities. Installation was included and travel time from Kernersville was included. It’s a Clean Cut convertible Tub. I have the prices and I can put info in your cubby. If you mention my name when purchasing it, that helps. Dale and Cary have approved the Kernersville installer and they have been by our garden home to see it. I’m happy to show it to anyone interested. Before and after photos are below. Contact me for details. Linda G (garden home dweller)

2/17/24 post: Remember the song "We are the World"? It was recorded in one long night. The documentary of that night is wonderful! I watched it on Hulu. Joan M. (Editor's Note: It's also available on Netflix.) 2/11/24 post: Did you know the Marathon gas station less than a mile away has a huge selection of nice red wines, and ALL of their white wines are chilled? Pam B. 11/30/23 post: Just a reminder that many businesses are charging a "service charge" if you use your credit or debit card to pay for their product or service. Many charge the permitted 4%. If you want to save money by paying with cash or check, don't forget to take your checkbook. I had a significant bill at Cox Toyota recently, and they would have added 4% to my bill had I used my credit card. I wasn't aware of this before my visit, so I was glad I had my checkbook with me. Jennifer Y. 9/26/23 post: Recommend you apply bug spray to your ankles if walking in grassy areas or dog park. Have had two extremely itchy fire ant bites in past two weeks. Report any fire ant dirt mounds to facilities. Pam B. 9/5/23 post: We have had ants constantly over the years in our cottage – particularly in our bathrooms. Terminix has visited quite frequently. I recently came across Diatomaceous Earth (food grade), a powder that kills and prevents beetles, ants, caterpillars, etc. I placed a line of dust along the outside bathroom walls and window sills. NO ANTS!! I may be premature in my celebration, but it appears to be a simple way to control those pests. And it’s safe for people and pets! Wonderful in the garden. Simply follow package directions. A little goes a long way. I prefer not to use it inside, but for the garden and the house exterior it has proven to be quite effective to keep the ants and beetles out. A line of dust around our tree in front has prevented ants from climbing into our bird house. I recently stopped an ant conga line that emanated from the lawn and was marching toward the garage! Lots of info on the net. Copy/paste this URL and go to: https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=Diatomaceous+Earth+Uses&&view=detail&mid=2F95A6811969C51EDDFB2F95A6811969C51EDDFB&&FORM=VRDGAR . Worth a try. Good luck. D. Mozgala
8/29/23 post: In case you notice grapefruit in fruit salads, here is a link to helpful information about interaction with some medications. Copy/paste this url address: https://www.fda.gov/consumers/consumer-updates/grapefruit-juice-and-some-drugs-dont-mix#:~:text=Some%20statin%20drugs%20to%20lower,oral%20solution%20(both%20cyclosporine). Pam F. 8/27/23 post: Suggestion that videos of meetings , performances, etc. that are placed on the loop, also be shown on line, perhaps on the blog, if there's a way to do that. Barry C. Response from blog: This blog was created by amateurs without a whole lot of technical sophistication. Obtaining recorded programs from Life Enrichment A/V in order to directly feed videos into this site is above our paygrade. I have heard that L.E. has placed recorded programs on YouTube, so you might request that service of paid staff. If the trend of CCaH or CCWOL (Continued Care at Home or Continued Care Without Lodging) really takes off in the senior care industry, off-campus residents wanting to check information and register for outings and events will want a reliable and informative Portal and quite possibly the YouTube capability as well. Or, maybe the Portal can have a video section, just like TVAB's website. Jennifer Y. 8/19/23 post: Tiny little Italian deli, limited indoor and outdoor seating. Fabulous homemade pasta and prosciutto paninis. Il Centro Alimentari, 3290 S Church in Stan Plaza. On far right with red sign. Tell Chef Darren you live at TVAB, his mother-in-law is on the waitlist here. Pam B. 8/15/23 post: There's a senior customer discount of 15% offered by done4Ulaundry for all wash & fold laundry and dry cleaning orders dropped off on Fridays. This business is located in the shopping strip that has Mikonos Greek Restaurant. Right now it's a limited-time trial. I'd advise taking a copy of the notice of this discount with you, or putting it in the bag with you clothing (per the clerk). If you need a master copy to do this, please let me know and I'll place one in your cubby. Jennifer Y. 8/3/23 post: Visit Gibsonville! It is only four miles away and has lots of small town charm. Park on W. Main St and walk to shops and restaurants within two blocks in any direction. Restaurants include Reno's Italian, La Casa Dorada Mexican, Pete's Grill (a comfort food buffet), and Kimber's Steakhouse. Or pop into Ines' Argentine Bakery for a couple of empanadas or a slice of flan. Shops include Smidgeon for spices, several gift shops, an ice cream parlor, coffee shop, lamp shop, Wade's Jewelers, Gibsonville antiques, ABC store, post office and Dollar Tree. Rest on a bench beneath the trees in the town square. Saturday mornings, the miniature train is running in front of the post office. Pam B. 8/3/23 post: I would like to recommend, if it’s possible, to add an emergency pull cord in the second bathroom in the garden cottages. My husband and I each use our “own” bathroom however the emergency cord is only in the master bath. For safety sake a second cord would be nice to have as the second bathroom is also used daily. Thank you for your consideration. Linda G. Response: This recommendation came to the blog on June 28, and the blog monitor asked Facilities about the feasibility and cost. After research, they determined that a 2nd pull cord device (without a daily check-in button needing to be pushed) could be made available for $200, which includes installation. If interested, contact Lisa in Facilities. J.Y. 7/7/23 post: Wayne's Watch World was first mentioned as a response to a 2/7/22 inquiry about a good place to get watch batteries changed. Wayne moved, and his new address was provided in a 5/7/22 post. To new TVABers, Wayne is downtown at 239 E. Front Street, across from Occasions Restaurant and diagonally across from Bella's consignment store. Jennifer Y. 7/6/23 post: Is there a possibility of a walkway from the main road to the garden / dog park area? The gardens are looking fabulous and it is fun to see the success and variety of each of the gardens.The dog park sees a lot of playtime too. There already is a cut in the sidewalk ready to go. I have seen residents drive over and park on street and walk and the staff use that access in their golf carts to get on to the grass. I’m sure TVAB does not want to encourage street parking there but there are many gardeners who walk to their garden. The ground is extremely uneven and the grass is fairly deep so the potential for a fall is a possibility. This access would make it easier to walk to the pickleball ball courts too. I don’t think it would affect the “golf chipping” area. Maybe in the budget planning for 2024 this could be taken in to consideration. Linda G. ( and a few others) 6/15/23 post: If you keep receiving SPAM emails, here's a way to help screen them out: When you see an email you don't recognize or are concerned it might be damaging, 1) Select it but DON'T open it; 2) Select the Move To folder, select the Spam folder, and send the email there; 3) Then locate the Report Spam instruction. That procedure disposes of that particular email. Some email providers (for example, Google for gmail.com) will then receive a copy of the email and may analyze it to help protect users from spam and abuse. The email provider may try to prevent that email address from getting through to you again. Jennifer Y, with thanks to and assistance from Dave K. 5/4/23 post: The newest Covid vaccine, recommended especially for seniors, is now available in local pharmacies. Some TVABers have already gotten their shots. 3/17/23 post: This is the phone system we bought that screens calls and allows callers in the directory you set up or your allow list. The corded base handset will still function as a phone in power failure. You can buy extra handsets. Below description is my Amazon review. There is also a model with a cordless handset base: AT&T CL84307 Dect 6.0 Expandable Corded/Cordless Phone with Smart Call Blocker, Silver/Black with 3 HandsetsExtra handset: AT&T CL80107 Accessory Handset.Review: "This phone system has exceeded my expectations. I admit I was a bit intimidated by the instructions, but once I sat down and got going, it went smoothly. I have ordered a small UPS back up power supply as I read that the phone loses its settings when the power blinks. Good news is I haven't had to use the Call Block button as the phone blocks 20-30 spammers or robocallers a day. We have a new phone number and we're pulling out hair! The house is so quiet now!!!" Pam B. 2/3/23 post: Pam B. noticed this ad on Facebook, in case someone might be interested: "Hi everyone, my name is Nick and I’m a senior at Elon University. I am a part time student and am looking for dog walking/dog sitting jobs. I have no class on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. In addition, I am available Tuesday and Thursday mornings up until 12:00pm. I have a German Shepherd back home in Connecticut and have a lot of experience caring for a variety of dog breeds. Feel free to text me at 203-273-6948 if you’re looking for any help." Pam B. 2/3/23 post: This accounting firm is across from the arboretum, about a mile from TVAB. Contact Cyril NeSmith, Dual Vision Inc., 1052 S. Church St, cyril@dualvisioninc.com, phone 336-229-5545. Pam B. met with him and his rates are very reasonable. He knows a lot about the tax benefits of CCRC life, too! Pam B. 1/25/23 post: Nose stuffy? Sneezing? Skin dry? Crown molding, wooden furniture and musical instruments cracking? You need a humidifier! I got estimates for whole house humidifiers from TVAB approved vendors and they were $3,000! So I spent $175 on an Aircare pedestal evaporative humidifier which uses tap water. Amazon, Home Depot and Lowe's have it at same price, we saved 10% with military discount at Lowe's and it was delivered for free. Also bought some humidifier treatment as city water is a little hard. Here is my Amazon review: "The hardest part of setting up was removing the tape that secured the float tube inside the unit. Then, when I turned it on, nothing happened because the lid didn't close properly with the float. I lifted the lid and reseated it and it came on. I placed it the distance recommended from sofa and wall. This works great as an end table. I put a larger real tile on top of the plastic one. The only issue I have with location by sofa is the cool air that blows on me when I sit on sofa, but a pillow laid on sofa arm by unit solves that! I adjust the fan to 1 while watching TV and turn it up to about 6 while sleeping or if we leave the house. It's a nice white noise, doesn't bother us at all. I was tired of hauling distilled water home for the ultrasonic model we had (to prevent the white dust). It took about three days (and a lot of water refills) for the humidity to level out at 40, our desired humidity. I may decide to buy smaller units for the bedrooms, due to doors being closed, but my bedroom was 38 this morning with door partially open. The attachment for the front works fine when refilling, I use an empty gallon jug and pour in slowly. I keep a folded kitchen towel at the front for drips. Pam B. 12/22/22 post: This was posted on Duke Energy Progress for NC website: "Widespread power outages are expected Friday as a strong cold front moves across the service area, bringing high sustained winds and frequent gusts exceeding 50 mph in many areas. Temperatures will fall rapidly and remain bitterly cold through the weekend. Crews are at the ready and prepared to begin outage restoration as winds subside. Hopefully this does not occur, but please have ways to stay warm in case you lose power." Pam B. 12/19/22 post: To quickly deal with frost or ice on car windows instead of using a scraper, add 1/3 tap water to 2/3 rubbing alcohol. Pour the mixture into a spray bottle and spray away the frost or ice. Works immediately. Store the bottle in you trunk; it won’t freeze. Sue W. 11/9/22 post: We got our flu shots from the pharmacist while sitting in our car at Total Care Pharmacy. Pam B. 7/5/22 post: Currently there is a high error rate when ordering meals. That is, frequently the meal picked up is in error. That needs to be corrected. Bob & Holt B. 6/30/22 post: I had my van detailed the other day and am very pleased with the quality of the work. If you’re looking for a really good car detailer, this is a strong recommendation from me. No, I don’t get any “kick back” for the recommendation. Just thought I’d share the information.Proper Shine website (photos of my van at the bottom); https://propershinedetailingnc.com/Their Facebook page (with my van featured): https://www.facebook.com/search/top?q=proper%20shine%20detailing. Paul C. 5/7/22 post: Wayne's Watch Works, mentioned here in an early February post, has moved. New address is 293 East Front Street, across from Occasions Restaurant. Jennifer Y. 5/7/22 post: Do you have a local income tax return preparer you can recommend? Mine from out-of-state retired. Thanks. Jennifer Y. 5/19/22 post: I recommend Dave Dillard CPA in Graham. Janet M. 3/27/22 post: Attention Landing dwellers: if you have more than one vehicle in the parking lot yet only one driver in your household, please park just one of your vehicles in the lower lot. Parking your second vehicle in the "upper" lot would be helpful, especially when there is a scarcity of spaces and/or when there is inclement weather. Thank you. 3/25/22 post: A recommendation for those interested in helping Ukrainians: Ukraine Relief Collection items are being collected in the cloak room for Ukraine refugees during this horrible time. We are coordinating with The Ukrainian Association in NC who will get the collected materials to their overseas destinations. The following items are suggested: warm clothing of all kinds and sizes, basic toiletries, flashlights, batteries, baby diapers, suitcases, pet food, etc. No money is being collected at this time. Collection ends March 31. Lori G. and Helen M. are our resident contacts. Thank you for all donations. Mary M. of Care and Concern Committee 2/26/22 post: This is a recommendation to use "word of mouth" to let TVAB employees know of this blog so that they can read the public accolades and/or thank you's for their work; or, see something for sale they might need; or, advertise something in For Sale; etc. I made a request for mention of this blog to appear in the TVAB employee newsletter. That request was declined, and I acknowledge that management has the right to that decision. However, with that decline notification came this statement: "If they* decide to use it on their own terms, that's up to them." (Note: they* (my asterisk inserted) refers to the antecedent "staff" in the email I received.) So, word of mouth it will need to be. This would include former employees, since the blog is open to all. Jennifer Y. 2/19/22 post: A recommendation regarding the North Carolina Zoo and his experience there by John F.

My Visit to The North Carolina Zoo On November 30th, I was fortunate, along with five other TVAB residents, to visit our fantastic North Carolina Zoo. The next time that Life Enrichment/Resident Services offers this experience, do it. Here’s why: I heard from Dave K. that this Zoo is outstanding, and having visited the San Diego Zoo, I thought that it would have to be really good to even be close. My conclusion: it’s better. First, when it was started in 1967, they located it on 2,700 wooded acres. Currently, 500 of those acres are developed, with more underway. Now it’s known as the world’s largest natural habitat zoo. Each venue is designed so that the animals are viewed in a natural setting. One feels like you’re right there with the animals. Since our visit was on a Monday, in late November, and the weather was cold, there were very few other visitors. This was a good thing; I was able to be alone with the animals in an almost intimate way. As expected, although the venues were outstanding, with lots of rock and wooded settings, most animals (giraffes, bears, elephants, wolves, buffalo/bison, elk, oryx etc.) were, to say the least, quiescent….. just standing there, looking good…..abut just the same, just standing is…. just standing. Fortunately, there were three exceptions: 1. Six gorillas, housed in a large enclosure, provided lots of viewing pleasure. I noticed that their arms were very long, much longer than their legs, and that they really do walk on their knuckles. Further, their legs are much like their arms, i.e., with finger-like toes. Noteworthy, their finger-like “thumbs” stick out at a 90 degree angle. Two of them, in order to keep warm, were sunning themselves, by leaning back against the glass partition. As I watched, directly over one’s shoulder, he dug into a large plastic tube, grabbed some food and ate it in a very human-like way. As I studied his hands, I noticed that they were bigger than ours, and hairy, except for the knuckles, where the hair was worn off. Their thumbs are very small compared with their fingers (and about 1/2 half the size of ours). 2. When I came upon the lion enclosure, I noticed that a female lion was sleeping on the top of a rocky outcropping. Another boring exhibit, I thought. But as I moved to another viewing location, I spotted a male lion walking up to be with the female. He proceeded to paw her, and she responded in kind. Then to my amazement, and for no reason that I could ascertain, they both stood, side-by-side, (facing a stone escarpment that was located on the right side of the enclosure) and began to ROAR. At first, it was one at a time, but then they began to roar in unison….and loudly. I was about a 100 feet from them and the noise, to me, was deafening….and it lasted for about three minutes! Then both just flopped down and went back to sleeping, as if nothing had just happened. Back to quiescence. 3. When I came upon the chimpanzee enclosure, I was again fortunate to be all alone. Like the gorillas, two chimps were warming themselves, by leaning back against the glass partition. After kneeling awhile behind one who was sleeping, I decided to tap on the glass. She turned around and looked directly into my eyes. As we looked at each other (six to eight inches apart), she brushed her head; so I decided to imitate her (thinking I’ll try “monkey see, monkey do” in reverse). I performed similar imitation behaviors a number of times. Then she opened her mouth to show an excellent set of clean, well-formed teeth. I opened my mouth too, to show a mouth filled with cavities and implants. Then she even yawned, so I did too (“monkey see” again). While looking into her face (we stared at each other for over 10 minutes), I observed how neat her tiny lips were, how flat and small her nose was, and how her black fingernails were so much like ours. And they were so well maintained that it seemed like she had recently visited a manicurist. Her hands were a a little bigger than mine. Only a little hair had been rubbed off, unlike on the gorillas’s knuckles. So, it appears that chimps don’t walk on their knuckles very much. But most impressive were her eyes. Her black pupils kept searching my face, in a penetrating way, like she wanted to connect with me, maybe “aping” me as I, in turn, was examining her face. She seemed to be looking me over, to know more about me. I was delighted to be the source of her attention and a seemingly intelligent, inquisitive search…..and for such a long time. Finally, she got bored with me, turned around, and went back to snoozing. No, I did not “ape” her.I’d recently been reading about evolution, e.g., The Ancestor’s Tale: The Dawn of Evolution (by Richard Dawkins and Yan Wong), and how about seven million years ago the divergence of chimp and human genes led to us, but a sharing of about 98 percent of the same DNA. So this knowledge contributed to a much more special interaction with this close “relative”. Quite a day at the NC Zoo. For those interested in visiting the NC Zoo: It’s open from 9:00am until 4:00pm, November thru March. From April to October it’s open from 9:00am until 5:00pm. The entrance fee for Seniors (62+) is $13; for adults (13-61) $15; for children (2-11) $11; and for those under two, it’s free. The website is: www. nczoo.org. There are five miles of tree-lined trails which immerse visitors in a “sometimes challenging terrain”. The Zoo is best experienced by using the trails. In general, to view the animals, one needs to walk a ways, as the venues are spaced quite a bit apart. Also, be prepared to walk up and down on grades similar to those when walking on the sidewalk west of our pond. In-Park Tram and Bus Service: This service runs inside the Park. Note that animals are not visible from the buses. There are three tram stops inside the Park: North America, Africa, and Junction Plaza. Junction Plaza tram stop lets guests travel in either direction. Note: There is no tram service in the Africa section of the park at this time due to construction. The wait time for a tram or bus averages 30 minutes. In-Park transportation service operates from 9:00am until 30 minutes after closing. Trams and buses do accommodate strollers and wheelchairs. Strollers must be folded for storage before boarding. Parking Lot Shuttle Service: The service runs outside the Park between the North America and Africa parking. The shuttle stops are located a short distance outside the ticket booths at both the North America and Africa entrances. Use this service if you finish your visit at the opposite entrance from where you parked your car. It is faster to use the parking lot shuttle, in-Park tram, or bus. Parking lot shuttle service operates from 11:00am until 30 minutes after closing. Trams and buses do accommodate strollers and wheelchairs. Strollers must be and folded for storage before boarding. There are also Parking Lot shuttle stops located a short distance outside the ticket booths at both entrances. Accessibility Needs: The Zoo provides a Connector Trail (open April-October, 9:00am to 5:30pm) that allows guests to walk between both parking lots. This is a gravel trail through deep woods that is approximately 1.4 miles long. Walking time varies from 15 to 40 minutes between Africa ticket booths and North America ticket booths. Personal Mobility Devices: Personal Mobility devices are permitted inside the Zoo, but must be manually or electrically powered and operated at a walking pace, no more than 6 MPH. Devices must be single rider and not exceed 36 inches in width and 52 inches in length. Personal mobility devices with less than three wheels are not permitted. Also not permitted are devices that cannot maintain stability and balance when stopped, unpowered or unoccupied without the use of a kickstand. Training wheels or similar modifications are not permitted. Wheelchair and ECV Rentals: A limited number of manual wheelchairs and ECVs (Electric Conveyance Vehicles) are available for rent at the gift shops at the entrances. These are available on a first come first, served basis; they do not take reservations. Medical, Allergy and Dietary Needs: Small coolers with food or beverages used for medical purposes or required due to special dietary needs can be checked at the entrance, tagged and brought inside the Zoo. Park rangers patrol the Zoo and can help with medical emergencies.

2/7/22 post: In the Resource Room are two computers for resident use. Couldn't one of those be set to the blog for folks who don't choose to have an internet access device at home? They could drop by to see what's new just like they drop into the library or club room for books or dvds. I also wonder if people know that they can connect their smart phones to the TVAB/Spectrum internet wifi in our residences. Pat and I always have our phone on the wifi when we are home. They could access the internet and the blog that way, too. Rena M. 2/7/22 post: In reply to Rena's post above: I will ask Ashley D. to include "how-to" use of Resource Room computers in her technical presentations. I believe Ashley's had to postpone those sessions for various reasons. I think that most residents without internet access at home don't just lack the hardware/software --- they'd need the basics of what to do if they sit down to a Resource Room computer that's turned off, or has a screen saver going, or has been set to a different website by a previous visitor. Where does the resident go for help? We don't want to increase interruptions for Michelle B. for a resident-(not management-)created website. Also, the vendor selected by management for creating the Resident Portal may suggest designating one of those computers to always be set for the Portal. Doing that may still create interruptions for Michelle, but those would be for the Portal --- a management product. Let's keep this creative thinking going. Thanks, Rena. Jennifer Y.
2/7/22 post: I have been going to Batteries Plus where I find the employees most accommodating. Where is your source? Monie P. 2/7/22 post: I go to Wayne's Watch Works at 401 Alamance Road. (Note: Wayne's Watch Works has moved to 239 E. Front Street --- see 5/7/22 post above.) He's a sole proprietor and, I think, reasonably priced. Tell him "Jennifer sent me" -- I've taken lots of watches to him. Jennifer Y.