Hey all,

I will be in town soon with my brother. I am plant based for the most part (can't have dairy or eggs...for health reasons) and I was wondering if there are some nice options in town. We will be staying at the Stricklin and are hoping to walk around a bit. My brother wanted to visit Odette but I'm not sure if they will have vegan options. We could always sit at the bar.

Is Esther's Eatery still around? And does anyone else have any recs beyond the Thai place nearby? Yumm I think.

:D Thank you so much. I am so excited to visit the beautiful Florence and explore the area. Have a great day.

Is there a gas station in the shoals area that will pump your gas for you?

Who do you recommend for small dogs? Do they charge a fee for sick walk-in visits for established patients?

TLDR: RENOVATION HELP NEEDED to get family with major health issues into house (near NAMC in Florence Alabama). We have the supplies, just need hands. Current lease ends October 21st. Can you lend a hand in any area? (Details of what work is needing to be done is listed under house emojis)

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I’m overwhelmed.

I’m lost.

I’m tired.

I’m desperate.

But I’m still trying.

Some days I feel like I should write a book with everything life has thrown at me…

I worked all through high school — juggling a job, band, and college classes. I paused college to get married, got pregnant right away after being told I’d need fertility help… then was robbed by five men while 8 months pregnant. (Yes, I chased them out the back door while they ran off with the store phone and brand‑new PS4 consoles.)

Then I was widowed due to leukemia complications. I lost an incredible husband and became a single mom to two babies — ages 3 and 14 months.

Fast‑forward a decade to fighting my way out of an abusive relationship… carrying three girls through a pandemic as a single mom… and eventually finding an incredible man who has stood by us and brought stability, love, and strength back into our lives..

And then life hit again.

My now‑19‑year‑old had a giant cell tumor removed from her tibia. And my youngest has endured more than any child should — she lost her father as well, and not long after, suffered a ruptured AVM of the brain and spine at age 7.

I switched doctors after years of being ignored, and UAB finally started uncovering what’s been going on with my own health. NF1. Osteoarthritis throughout my entire body. A synovial cyst pressing on my sciatic nerve root — causing YEARS of pain — removed only after it deteriorated the bone at L4‑L5. Now the vertebra is collapsing, worsening my scoliosis. Facet ablation is next. Spinal fusion is on the horizon.

Then a hysterectomy. Then my right ovary removed because of PCOS and growths. Then a panniculectomy after losing 300 lbs.

All of this — for me and my girls — happened between May and August of 2026.

Now imagine all of that…

All the out‑of‑town appointments, PT, follow‑ups, recovery, pain, trying to function, trying to stay afloat…

All while taking your final two courses to FINALLY finish your bachelor’s degree..

And then, because my home looked “cluttered” — not dirty, not unsafe, not late on rent (not once in 14 years) — our landlord decided not to renew our lease. No extensions. No consideration. “If we do it for one, we have to do it for all.”

The housing market is outrageous.

Income‑based housing is 6 months to 3 years out.

We have until October 21st.

We’re in a serious financial strain right now — the kind that makes every day feel like a balancing act. We’re doing everything we can, but it’s still not enough on our own.

But we’re still trying.

I have to finish my LAST class.

We have to keep our girls healthy.

We have to keep a roof over their heads.

We have to keep our relationship strong — because this man is everything I EVER hoped for.

We just want to make it through this in one piece and come out stronger on the other side.

If you feel like you can help us get there — whether it's lending a hand with repairs, a lead on an RV, a short‑term rental, or anything that could help us stay afloat — please reach out. We’re absolutely desperate, but we’re not giving up.

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🏡🏚️🏡🏚️🏡🏚️🏡🏚️🏡🏚️🏡🏚️🏡🏚️

For anyone asking what we’re facing with the house we're renovating, here’s the reality:

▫️ The home hasn’t been lived in for 12 years.

▫️ Roof leaks have run down the walls and into the floors.

▫️ The roof and gutters need repair or replacement.

▫️ About 60% of the floors and subfloor have been removed due to rot — you can see the crawlspace in some areas.

▫️ There are open pipes that need to be closed and repaired.

▫️ We need to replace a small shower with a tub for my 7‑year‑old’s medical needs.

▫️ We need to convert the carport into a 3rd bedroom.

▫️ The floors need bracing and leveling with jacks and posts.

▫️ We have to rebuild part of the kitchen wall and create a safe entry to the laundry room.

We have materials — we just desperately need help with the labor.

If you can help, or know someone who can, please reach out.

If you can’t help personally, sharing this post means more than you know.

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Donation Info (for those who asked how they can help us bridge this gap):

GoFundMe: https://gofund.me/3adeb92b3

CashApp: https://cash.app/$JJJenniferrrrrrr

PayPal: https://www.paypal.me/jjjenniferrrrrrr

Zelle: Jennifer Dorton — Ohyayanotherbill@gmail.com

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Thank you for your time, your thoughts and ideas, your consideration, your effort, and any help you can provide. 🫂💕💖

The hairstylist that I’ve been going to for over a decade ghosted me, so now I’m looking for a new one.

If it matters, all I get done is a trim, curtain bangs, & all-over black dye.

Hi,

Recently, I have been mapping out what public transit could look like in cities around our state. My map of a Florence transport system is attached, and if you have any suggestions for route adjustments, new routes, or route deletions/modifications, I would love to hear suggestions.

Routes out of the picture:

Orange: to Town Creek, Decatur, Huntsville, Scottsboro, Chattanooga

Pink: to Russellville

Here is a link to the map, where you can also fork it to make modifications or a map of your own: Transit Map

Which one has the best evening/nighttime vibe?

I came home early from my doctors appt to find a creepy blue truck parked in my driveway. Needless to say, I was spooked. Im not ashamed to admit I raised alittle HELL. The ugly feller in the truck said he was a plumber and I said I didnt order one, and, buddy, he burnt rubber leaving. Since then I have heard of similar happening to at least two other people in Lauderdale county. Who are these ppl?Thieves? Human trafficking?

I’m looking for recommendations for a psychiatrist or doctor in the Florence, AL area who is willing to work with patients dealing with severe anxiety, panic attacks, and depersonalization/derealization.
I’ve tried numerous SSRIs and other medications over the years, but unfortunately I haven’t found anything that works well for me during severe panic attacks. The medications I’ve found most helpful in getting through an acute panic attack have been Klonopin or Xanax, and I’m hoping to find a doctor who is willing to discuss whether an as-needed benzodiazepine prescription would be appropriate for me.
I’m not looking to misuse anything or take medication unnecessarily. I just want to find a doctor who will actually listen to me, consider my history and the medications I’ve already tried, and help me find something that gives me some relief when my panic becomes overwhelming.
If you personally know of a psychiatrist or doctor in the Florence/Muscle Shoals/Tuscumbia area who is open-minded and compassionate when it comes to anxiety and panic disorders, I would really appreciate a recommendation. ❤️

Hi there, does anyone sell fresh mozzarella? Thinking of making some bak3d pasta.

Im a a 20 year old woman and I have been wanting to get my first tattoo. However I would feel more comfortable around a woman tattoo artist. Anyone have any recommendations for some great tattoo artists, price doesnt matter, i really want quality. ❤️

hi so for background i've lived here my entire life, im 18, graduated hs in may, i decided to not go to college and im just having serious fomo. i still have a few friends from school + coworkers but i feel like there's never anything to do and i just feel so lonely and bored and just wanna know what yall do for fun or how to make friends :) i smoke & vape and literally down for anything anytime always i just feel so lonely

the car market in florence is SO bad its insane, go on fb marketplace and its people selling 20 yr old broke down cars for like a million dollars!!! why does no one realize that a 2005 car is 21 years old?? is there anywhere to buy a daily use car for 5k or less??

Title says it all. Are you like the high school girls of my misspent youth? All tease and no action? Run out of money? Government red tape?

Been “Coming Soon” for a while.

For sale: 2 Sunday ShoalsFest tix. $40 each.

Trying to remember which music store we had in the mall in the late 90s. Seems like it was down towards the Sears end of the mall. It would've been on the right side of you were walking towards Sears. Past GameStop for sure.

looking for a not too expensive, female, trauma therapist/psychologist for my (adult) sister, any recommendations?

This could be a huge ask for our community, but I wanted to put some feelers out anyways. I'm a queer, non binary 30-something in the Shoals area looking for LGBTIA+/queer affirming primary care doctors and psychiatrists/behavioral health clinics. I currently go to Medical Associates for my PCP and Evolve for psych, but my schedule doesn't always allow me to get the care I need when I need it in a timely fashion.

Anybody got any suggestions?

Just recently moved back into the north Al area. Just curious if anyone would like to hit the water sometime. I'm working as a bartender so I keep weird hours and off days

Shore and kayak.

I don't have a boat would be willing to share gas costs.

Tight lines my friends.

In my 30s

Hello...How is the new home market in Florence Al? Average sq ft $?

hey me and my friends wanna go ghost hunting at night some day since we all love phasmphobia and just need help finding some places thanks

Which local gun shop/pawn shop is the best place to get the best value for a pistol I'm trying to sell? Cleaning out the safe of guns I don't shoot as much, and none of my friends are currently in need of one, so I guess I'm going to a business to sell it, and would like a fair value for it.

Which store is the best for this?

We’ve more projects than we’ve got hands at the moment. Looking for a smart, strong, motivated individual with an interest in learning the full range of construction and renovation. Having your own tools is a bonus but not necessary. Dependability is key.

We are a small family business so we are very flexible with hours and schedule. Ideally we would need 10-20 hours/wk. Competitive pay depending on skill and a friendly work environment.

We just moved here so we’re still getting to know people. My husband grew up in Florence but we’ve lived in the Asheville area our whole adult lives.

If you are someone or know someone interested please reach out or comment!

Our Asheville website- www.mountainmoonllc.com