Healthy Living Thread

[marcy]

Hi Kids!

Deegee, sorry your diamond was damaged. Makes me wonder if my studs are okay. My earrings have hit the floor a few times. I did get a quote today. It’ll be $1070 difference. Not bad for a 1.4 ctw pair of studs in platinum. She did tell me to go read their new upgrade policy. I glanced it over, you have to up your purchase price for an upgrade by 50%. We have cold and snow moving in. I don’t know when I can get out to get FedEx boxes to pack them up and then return to FedEx to mail them. I’ll probably go through with it. It’s in my inbox now. I could also just have my current studs moved to platinum at a local jeweler for probably less. Hum. Decisions, decisions.

That’s great your insurance will cover your diamond. I get it thinking about upgrading though. Woo hoo your sapphire ring looks fabulous. Pictures, please. Good deal that Ruby is so fun.

We have some of that white stuff falling outside. I guess we can get up to 9” this week. And subzero temperatures. I had some groceries delivered this morning before it gets bad.

Marty’s Nespresso machine showed up today. He made several cups of coffee already. I should have moved the out of order sign to it.

I ended up working to 5 so skipped lifting today. I hesitated for another reason. I ordered a bag of cinnamon jelly hearts in I my grocery order. I darn near ate half of the bag over the day so had too much sugar. I threw the rest of the bag away so I wouldn’t finish them tomorrow. I love those things. My mom and I used to split a bag every Valentine’s Day. Now I HAVE to - ha ha - eat them all myself.

Laters,
Curby

 

[Dee*Jay]

Happy Tuesday kids!

DeeGee, stay strong -- get the upgrade! Curby and I support you! I'm not surprised the shelter was wrong about the age. When we got The Demon they told us he was four to five years old and when we took him to the vet she said he was barely out of puppyhood; probably one, but not even two yet.

Curby, cinnamon jelly hearts sound delicious! My kryptonite, with my great grandmother, were butterscotch hard candies. We ate those things like they were going out of style! To this day I can't pass one up. It's a miracle all my teeth didn't fall right out of my head by the time I was ten LOL.

Checking in from the land of cold vacation! Currently -12 here. Yesterday I did have a zoom call with one of the organizations I'm doing the accounting for, and now I've got some follow up stuff to do before our next call on Thursday, so that will give me a little something to occupy me. My one friend, who hurt his ribs slipping on the ice while carrying a bed headboard right before the trip, and I went over to where his wife and my friend were skiing yesterday for lunch. It's a brand new resort with an allegedly fabulous restaurant. I say "allegedly" because we didn't actually get to eat there ourselves. A lady told my friend about it on the lift the other day, but apparently it's only open Wednesday through Saturday so when we showed up yesterday it was empty. Literally not one single person there. The doors were unlocked and we walked all around, and frankly could have made ourselves drinks at the bar and cooked lunch in the kitchen, but there was not another soul there. So we came back and went to lunch at one of the restaurants in this resort. We're going to try again on Thursday for my friend's birthday lunch. Fingers crossed.

Not much else to report. I'm just selling glass I can't ship and eating and drinking too much. Someone's going to have to roll me onto that plane on Friday!

 

[marcy]

Hi Kids!

Dee Jay, sounds like you’re enjoying ski resort number three. You should have totally taken advantage of free drinks and lunch at the deserted restaurant. When we were in Bozeman last we ate at some steak house where everyone had their own room. I think it was for gambling or something like that. I don’t remember for sure.

Those cinnamon jelly hearts are like cinnamon bears with sugar coating. You know, to add more sugar. I am not sorry I threw some of them out. That’s exactly why my mom and I used to split the bag every year. Those butterscotch disks are delicious.

You’ll be packing a lot of glass when you get home.

I keep sleeping in after a round of insomnia in the middle of the night. Glad I don’t have set hours. I did get my Monday lifting done today. I worked on videos and a lunar eclipse article.

We rarely get each other Valentine gifts but I decided to order Marty a pichana since it’s one of his favorite cuts of beef. Hopefully it shows up by Valentine’s Day. Not five minutes after I ordered it, I get a link to a little telescope that takes pictures of the moon, sun and deep-sky objects that he was toying with buying me but decided to ask first. We can set it up outside or in the observatory and I can run it from my phone or iPad. Ideal for me since I am always cold.

We’re frigid and snowy here too. It’s 5 now and feels like -3.

I decided to not upgrade my studs with WF. After what Deegee went through I decided it wasn’t worth the hassle. Plus since I bought those diamonds with money from my parent’s estate, I don’t want to trade them.

Laters,
Curby

 

[deegee]

dee*jay-dang, that’s cold! I hope you get to enjoy the fabulous restaurant. Several people have said they think the shelter overestimates ages. They told us Ruby was 3-4, but our vet said more like 2 if that old. She was sick and under weight. They nursed her back to health but she was depressed. Now she’s a happy girl, full of zest for life!

marcy-I kind of don’t blame you on the earrings. The whole thing has left me quite irritated. I have a theory, but I’ll keep that to myself for now. Matt and I don’t usually buy each other Valentines’s gifts. I didn’t really date until later in college and I always hated the holiday! I think he feels the same way. But you know…my dad always bought my sisters and me a little candy heart another small gift. It’s wonderful memory!

Nothing to report today. We had a snow storm and I worked from home. I’m still trying to decide if I want to replace my stone through WF or just keep it. I plan to head to the office tomorrow, but my morning self will talk me right out of it. Have a great day!

 

[Dee*Jay]

Happy Wednesday kids!

Curby, I totally understand not wanting to change out the diamonds you got with the $ from your parents. If you're looking for a little more size what about a thin bezel? Or maybe a slightly thicker one with some engraving? Earring jackets? I got some jackets at a gem show ages ago that I absolutely love but my current studs are too big to use them so I had a cheapie set of pearls I would put in there and they looked great!

DeeGee, how much snow did you get? We're also supposed to be in for it. Liam got the snow blower out of the shed yesterday and put it in the garage so he'll be ready. Has Ruby seen snow yet? It's always so much fun to me to watch dogs romp around in it! The Demon absolutely loved it. He'd put his nose down and run fast, "plowing" up a big pile in front of him. Poor skinny no-fat Oscar wasn't such a fan though.

LOL to both of you on the V-Day gifts. I got Liam some chocolates at Aldi right before I left and hid them somewhere... Not sure exactly where right now, ha ha.

Last night we went to a BBQ place and it was AMAZING. I've got a big slice of brisket with sauce sitting in the fridge calling my name for breakfast. #2 is layering on the clothes in anticipation of the day's adventure. My big plan is to take a shower and do some accounting that I didn't get to yesterday, especially since I have another call with the guy tomorrow morning. A deadline is always a good motivator for me.

One more thing, and I wonder if you all have any ideas. For about a month now Liam has been having a weird, and progressively more and more severe, "reaction" to something. He wakes up in the middle of every night itching like crazy and has to take Benedryl. The reaction is getting worse and worse, and now it's even happening in the day. He's also getting bumps and some swelling in his hands and feet. And the first thing, although we didn't connect it at the time, was one of his eyes being super red and irritated. He actually went to urgent care last Friday but they didn't really do anything other than say it's probably either a virus or an allergic reaction. No sh!t. We've been using the same laundry detergent for years, but I'm thinking they could have changed the formula... ? We've also bathed the dogs and they don't have fleas (yikes!), and last night he used all new blankets and pillows and still had a reaction. Do you have any other ideas of what it might be or what we can try?

 

[deegee]

dee*Jay- we only got a few inches of snow and then it warmed up to just above freezing, and has been raining ever since. We had close to 2ft of snow in January and Ruby loved it, until the ice came. She didn’t like not being able to stand up! For the reaction thing…I have skin allergies to any kind of scented products. Lotion, detergent, dryer sheets. I had a severe reaction to oil of olay body wash for sensitive skin and had to have a shot and antibiotics. I also tried a lotion that ate my face and had to have a shot and antibiotics. My mom is having a reaction to something all of a sudden. The dermatologist ran all kinds of tests and the only thing they found was an allergy to blue dye. Who knows. The soap I have used since I was a kid has been discontinued-Tone soap. I found something similar and so far so good. Fingers crossed.

I didn’t go to the office today. I didn’t work at all. I hit my head pretty hard last night and I have had a whopping headache today. I’m probably slightly concussed. I did reach out to WF today, and they will reach out to the insurance company to see how to go about the next steps. Honestly, I’m on the fence about the whole thing. I may just keep wearing my sapphire as an e-ring. I’d be okay with that.

Hi marcy!

 

[deegee]

marcy-here’s my sapphire. I took this picture at the cabin we rented for winterfest in Tennessee. My blue suv is in the background. I just had this ring appraised by a GIA appraiser while it was being repaired. The sapphire is a 4.56 ct Ceylon sapphire and the side stones are antique old mine cuts. I love this ring. Can you guess my favorite color?

 

[Dee*Jay]

Happy Thursday kids!

DeeGee, I luuuuuuuurve that ring!!! What about continuing to use that as an e-ring and have the "damaged" diamond put into a pendant? I definitely want video of Ruby romping around in the next big snow! All this allergy stuff is so scary. Liam slept with sheets that came out of the linen closet from a long-ago wash and his reaction was much better last night. There's a really good chance those sheets were washed in detergent other than the current version. Honestly though, I'm going to do a big wash of his stuff in a totally different soap and only let him wear that for several days to see what happens. Fingers crossed.

Well I'm home! Kind of... Looking at the weather yesterday, getting back to the midwest on Friday was kind of iffy at best so #2 and I switched our flights (she's going into Kansas City) and flew back today. Liam has a board meeting that couldn't be rescheduled so he's doing that right now and then he'll pick me up at O'Hare. Not problem -- I've got cheese and crackers, chocolate cookies, a fully charged laptop with free wifi and 75% of a surprisingly good book to keep me company. I could hang out here all night!

Alright ladies, I've got a question. My LinkedIn page now says "retired" from my last Chief Compliance Office role. Should I put my store's banner at the top and list the site under current info? Or is that kind of hokey? I realize most people wouldn't look at it as "real job"... but it is what I do now... What do you think?! Otherwise I feel like just saying "retired" with nothing current makes it sound like I've moved down to Boca and joined a clique of Ladies Who Lunch and play bridge on Tuesday and Thursday LOL. Not that there's anything wrong with that BTW!!!

 

[Dee*Jay]

Happy Sunday kids!

I've been a busy little bee -- or should I say Dee!

Thursday night I packed about half my orders and finally went to bed after midnight. It took me until mid-afternoon to finish the other half on Friday. Yesterday Liam and I picked up YF. Right after saying how proud I was for getting through my inventory... I bought four dozen more glasses. Now that YF is all about thrifting, on the hunt for football jerseys, we are spending "family time" in Goodwill and Salvation Army's. I'm never going to be caught up... Ugh.

Today I've been taking pictures and enjoying a good audio book. Liam is a little alarmed because every time he comes into the kitchen a particularly violent part is playing. I'm pretty sure he's going to avoid all food and drink until this particular book is over LOL.

Alright, off to empty the dishwasher and wash more of Liam's clothes with the new detergent in an effort to see if that's the thing causing his issues. I really hope that turns out to be the problem because it's the easiest to fix. Otherwise, based on his symptoms, he's either got Lyme disease, chlamydia or gout. Perhaps all three.

 

[deegee]

dee*jay-I’m not on LinkedIn so I’ve got no opinions there, but running your ETSY store is certainly impressive!! I wish we had decent thrifting places around here. Then again, I have never actually set foot in a goodwill. I’ve sure dropped a lot off though. Poor Liam! That’s miserable. He’s probably hoping Dr. Dee is wrong about Lyme disease, chlamydia and gout. I have had sensitive skin since I was a baby. Mom had to buy special detergent to wash my clothes and diapers. I always have to buy perfume and scent free everything. I remember one time in my teens, dad tried to sneak in a detergent that was on sale. Big mistake there.

I feel the most normal today than I have in the almost week since I hit my head. My headache is mostly gone and the fog is lifting. I’m off tomorrow, so I’m taking Ruby to the vet for some booster shots and one of my cats, Milo, for his yearly shots too. We’ve had 2 days of warmish weather but flooding rains. The temp dropped today to below freezing and now it’s snowing. Dee*jay- I think I’d be fine retiring to Boca and joining a group of ladies for lunch! I’m tired of this cold.

 

[marcy]

Hi Kids!

Deegee, your ring is fabulous. Love the color. It does match your car. I did that same thing with my blue Macan. Took a picture of my sapphire ring over the hood of the car. It’s fun that they match. Oh no to hitting your head. Are you okay? That’s awesome Ruby found her happy home. I’m with you on being a bit irritated with WF. I was really put off how difficult it was to upgrade my dangles. Then the quote to move my studs … I don’t know why I was thinking of doing it again. I am very sensitive to scents and soaps. Marty buys this dang stuff for Dr. Squatch and we’ve exchanged many words about it. They are really strong. He recently got some stupid “fresh scent” deodorant that if he puts it on after a shower before he goes to bed, I had to cover my face to fall asleep. Glad you are feeling almost normal.

Dee Jay, sounds like Demon loved snow. How is Liam doing? It is so hard to find what trigger the reactions. I have a lot of food allergies and combos of some of them are really bad. A change in detergent or soaps can be awful. I hope you guys can figure it out. I liked Cheer Free better than All Free, but there isn’t much variety in hypoallergenic detergent. While I do have a Linked Inn page, I haven’t devoted much time to it. I don’t see what’s wrong with sticking your ETSY store there.

I think I’ll enjoy the little astrophoto telescope Marty got me but of course it’s been cloudy and snowy and frigid here. That’s the curse of a new telescope.

It cleared up enough today that.I didn’t feel bad getting some groceries delivered. It was only cloudy and cold. We are right by the interstate and I couldn’t see the highway for most of the day. I could see out to the observatory. We did have a big batch of bunny tracks yesterday. And not the ice cream bunny tracks, but I do like it.

Laters,
Curby

 

[deegee]

dee*jay- we had a snowstorm today, but I think Ruby is over the snow and cold. She does her biz and runs straight back in. No running and playing at all. She was picked up by the humane officer as a stray, so she’s thoroughly enjoying being inside by the fire.

Marcy- Do you remember way back when you tried to enter a department store at the mall and the perfume counters were always at an entry? Those always really messed me up, all the smells and fumes. And Ulta Beauty. I’ve never made it all the way in one of those stores because my eyes immediately start watering. So what’s bunny tracks that’s not ice cream? I wanna know!

I went to the office on Tuesday for a meeting and the main person in the meeting was out with Covid. We had the meeting remotely, and I could have done that from home. Since that person is who I had meetings with today, I worked from home and we did the meetings remotely. I decided to go ahead with an upgrade with Whiteflash. Insurance is paying slightly more than my trade was going to be, so tomorrow I need to go to the bank to do a wire and to fedex to send back my stone. I ordered the legato sleek line solitaire. I decided I don’t want anything fussy with any small side diamonds or halos. Just more things for me to break or knock loose.

 

[marcy]

Hi Kids!

Deegee, I’m with Ruby. I have no intention in venturing outside. I think we got about 6” of snow here. I do recall all those perfume counters. Almost anything that smells triggers me. I prefer to breathe. Spray Lysol really gets me. I used to lose my voice when both of us used aerosol deodorant. Marty always teases me he’s going to secretly use them again so I can’t talk.

We have huge jack rabbits out here - they are bigger than small dogs. So we see bunny tracks in the snow.

Sweet to go ahead with your upgrade. I’ll be excited to see your new ring. I agree with going with a solitaire. I have always picked low maintenance pieces with them since I can’t just show up at their store if I have a problem. I’ll go look up that mount. I think I know what it is, but not sure. What carat size are you getting again?

Marty was sad the HOA sent a snow plow around so he didn’t get to plow our little cul-de-sac out. He did blow our driveway and shoveled the sidewalk. All the bolts have broke off his blade. He had another one to at least get the plowing done today.

Laters,
Curby

 

[Dee*Jay]

Happy Wednesday kids!

DeeGee, big hairy Blue is still loving this cold snowy weather, but Sunny is Out! Business! Back In! I can't wait to see your new ring, and I fully understand not getting any melee or other stuff that can be more trouble than it's worth. Remote meetings are the best (if you have to have a meeting at all, that is!). At the last place I worked we would have zoom meeting with people who were literally in the next office. At first I was like... uh... do you want me to just come to you... ? But then I realized it was their culture so I just went with it.

Curby, this is probably a stupid question, but aren't the rabbits pretty much out of food at this point? I can only imagine they're digging under all that snow for a few more blades of grass to tide them over 'til spring... but what do I know?! If Marty is inclined, he's always welcome to come over and blow our driveway when it snows! Liam did it while I was gone and he apparently didn't move his truck,, which was parked right in front of the garage door, so now the rest of the driveway is clear but there are snowy tracks to get into the garage. Insert eye roll here LOL.

I feel like I live in the land of never ending laundry. I'm working my way through Liam's stuff, using the new detergent. The challenge is keeping the stuff that's been newly washed separated from the older washed stuff. Ugh. Who knows how long this is all going to take. And when I ask him how he's doing to see if this is really working he's always got some new mystery symptom that may or may not be related to this original problem at all. I give up!

After taking packages to the post office today I ran to Meijer and picked up a few things, including pork chops for dinner. After we ate and I cleaned up the kitchen I washed up some vintage snack sets that have been sitting in the dining room since last summer. At the moment I'm tempted to go dig out a box of pink depression glass cups and saucers and wash those up for photos tomorrow too... but my motivation is dwindling pretty fast... I think I might go to bed early and read a book!