Now I really did it :((

[junebug17]

Hi everyone!

Missy, sorry to hear about the key issue, that is stressful! I did something similar years ago, and just recently my brother did the same thing in Shop Rite, so tell Greg he's not alone lol. As in your situation, people were very helpful to the both of us, and it is so nice to experience people going out of their way to help others.

So sorry about all the aggravation with UPS. So frustrating!

Sounds like Greg is on the mend a bit, but unfortunately colds can linger. I understand your dilemma about meeting your friends, it's hard to decide what to do in these kinds of situations, isn't it? I'm thinking I would probably email your friend and let her decide lol. I have a feeling Greg isn't even contagious anymore and I'm sure your friend would be fine, but some people do get upset about being around a person with a cold.

As for me, I guess my family and I will take a ride to my mother's on Sunday and just visit for a while. I cooked for both Thanksgiving and Christmas and decided to give myself a break this time around, so we'll do some kind of take-out. This is going to sound awful, but I'd just as soon skip it and just go up on Monday like I usually do. If we go on Sunday, we'll take separate cars and I'll stay over Sunday night and come home Monday. I just got home Friday night and am so tired of that Turnpike. But then I'll readjust my schedule and be home more during the week. Holidays don't really have much meaning to my mother, but my brother mentioned she'll probably get a kick out of seeing the kids, so of course I got a case of the guilts and decided to just go up on Sunday. I feel kind of guilty making dh spend one of his days off doing this, he's been traveling a lot and working really hard, and he could really use some time at home. He's being good about it but I still feel bad. Sorry, I know I sound like a big crank and I'll snap out of it, just feeling a little out of sorts right now.

Sharon, your dinner sounds wonderful! Especially the champagne part lol!

Ovi, you are beautiful! I am jealous of your gorgeous complexion! I hope the weather improves for you soon. I'm glad you had such a good conversation with your friend, sounds like she was really helpful to you. Sounds like you made the right call about telling her about her ex.
So glad you and your mother are getting to spend time together!

Marcy, your new sapphire is gorgeous!!! Wow, I love the color and the size, and it looks great in the setting.
Sorry you're dealing with so much stress at work, that truly stinks and I hope you can relax a little this weekend, and get a break from it all.

Jimmianne, I'm glad Sam is feeling better, he is such a handsome fellow! Have a great time on Sunday, it sounds like fun. Love that bunny pic

Kristie, I'm a little behind, but you bought a new ring, right? Pics please!

Ok, I've put off exercising long enough, I'll be back later! Have a good afternoon everyone

eta - Just saw your post Kristie, we were posting at the same time lol - LOVE the ring, very cool design!!! Looks great on you!

 

[Calliecake]

Hi Missy, I'm sorry Greg still is not feeling well. I can understand you wanting him to rest and get well. If you decide to go on the walk do you think it would be a big concern for your friend? I would think with the fresh air the chances of her getting sick would be slim. Are you still planning on going to your parents home today?

I try not to use UPS because years ago they made a wrong delivery to the neighbor that lived next door to us (the bad neighbors) that was supposed to be delivered to another neighbor. She was involved in selling Southern Living items. There was a large costly delivery made to the bad neighbors home in error. They signed for it. Well the neighbors kept all the items and never gave them to the person they were meant for. She claimed she threw them all out. UPS didn't do much to help her so from that point on I have used FedEX if possible. I can imagine how frustrated you were yesterday. I would have been livid especially after your dealings with them regarding your parents delivery. I know FEdEx isn't perfect but at least they have always been responsive and tried to do the right thing in my dealings with them.

How sweet of those people to leave their number for the car keys. I have lost my purse twice over the years and have been so surprised that both times nothing had been taken. The second time it happened I left it in a shopping cart and the man who found it kept apologizing because he had to go thru it to find my name to find me. It always nice to know there are other decent people out there.

Sharon, That cake sounds wonderful, anything chocolate always sounds wonderful! I hope you enjoy you time with your mom tomorrow.
My husband has been after me to go to Hawaii for years. I wish I could get past my fear of flying over the ocean for a long period of time. My friends think I'm crazy becuase I could have made multiple trips to London over the years with him and have chosen to stay home.

Kristie, I will check my email. I had problems with getting texts yesterday and I'm hoping the problem also wasn't with my emails. I know it was working well yesterday morning but I haven't checked it since. I'll check in a moment. I hope all is well with you and Bob. I'll send you an email.

Jimmianne, Sam is adorable. You and Missy made me laugh with your comments about the Kitty's acting like dogs. We swear our dog is part cat. She does this thing wear she sneaks up on you and she moves exactly like a cat!

 

[Calliecake]

Kristie, Very COOL ring. I've seen this style a lot lately and love it

 

[missy]

Girls! Just a minute because we are leaving for my parents early today. Sweet Greg is going to do a few things around the house for them and put together the bike too. He is the best dh and son in law seriously.

OK, Kristie, that ring is lovely! It looks great on you too. Great purchase!
I am glad you get how I am feeling re UPS and them and the company shipping the veggies to me making it my problem. Pisses me off big time.
Ugh gotta shake it off so we can enjoy the weekend.

Callie, I sent you a reply. Please read it. I need you to know I think the WORLD of you seriously. You are the kindest most wonderful generous person and I am honored to call you my friend. (((HUGS))).

Yes I will be using Fed Ex whenever I have a choice. Unfortunately with these 2 deliveries I was not the one to choose the delivery service but the vendor was in charge. Let them be in charge of fixing the problems now.

That's amazing you had your purse returned to you twice and intact. I could almost bet that wouldn't happen here but I hope never to find out anyway.

Sharon, Hawaii is somewhere I really want to go and like Callie need to get over my fear of flying (not just over the water so I am worse in that fear than Callie). If we had enough funds I think I would love to retire there. Do they have a Costco on Oahu I wonder...

And thank you for your very kind and lovely invite and I insist on bringing something. I think Greg's cheesecake would go very well with your mom's delicious blackout cake. Chocolate and cheese yummmm!
Did you mention the time we should arrive?

Junebug, I think takeout tomorrow sounds perfect. We used to do a big Easter dinner with friends and it got too exhausting. So now we meet our good friends who never celebrate Easter in the traditional sense though they do celebrate with us and we do the Easter walk. Fun and easy because we end up at the restaurant no muss no fuss. Greg says he feels better (but he keeps coughing and sneezing poor sweetie) but I have to let our friend know because as you say she should make the final decision. She is a bit hyper with health so I have to be solicitous of her feelings with regards to that. Is that the right word? My mind is so cluttered these days so hope I am using it the right way. Super careful and sensitive of her feelings. That's how I need to be.

Have a fun Easter no matter how you celebrate Junebug and enjoy your families and friends!

 

[MarionC]

I just wanted to say hi to everyone. I've been lurking here on & off all day, reaping the benefits of the social interactions without contributing!

That yawning bunny was a photo I found on the internet. Gosh, I could hardly stand to have something that cute in the house : )

Missy, I love that one of the words you use to describe your style is "flirty". I want to be flirty too : ) Something to work on LOL.
Are you still enjoying your new earrings? Have you been wearing them to work? Inquiring minds want to know.

So here is one spring picture - the redbuds are red-budding this week!

 

[Calliecake]

Jimmianne, I live the red bud picture. They are one of my favorite tree but can difficult to grow here. I think they need to be protected from the cold and wind. Although I wonder if this is really true because I see them all the time here. I just remember a landscaper telling me that was why I shouldn't plant one.

I think you style is flirty. Your tunic picture defintely looks flirty to me. When I think flirty dressing I always think FUN!

Missy, I hope you are enjoying the day with your mom and dad. I can't wait to hear how they like the bike. Thank you so much for your kind words. They mean a lot to me.

Jimmianne, I can certainly understand you wanting to order take out. I always felt like you do when my husband was traveling a lot. I hated to plan things because I knew he really just wanted to stay home. Does your husband still travel for work often?

 

[marcy]

Hi NIRDIs!

Kristie, I will have to look up those lyrics. Too funny.

Jimmianne, I am glad to add some color to our Easter weekend. That is great to hear your bird sanctuary GTG is on again. Don’t you love dealing with government red tape? Like you said; just try telling them you don’t exist so that’s why you didn’t pay your taxes. I hope they get that figured out. Your art group sounds like fun. Cute little bunny. Your secret agent man cat Sam is adorable. Glad he recovered quickly from his cat fight; I am sure the other guy looked worse.

Ovi, thanks for your expert review of my sapphire. I always second-guess myself but I like it so far. I am glad you and your mom are enjoying spending time together.

Missy, I really want to get a Roomba for the under furniture cleaning now. Glad it’s working out so well. Thank you for the kind words about my sapphire ring. I am sure I’ll be wearing this ring every day for a while then I’ll work it in to my rotation. Now the rest of my sapphires are going to look smaller. Rats. Funny you mention about UPS going downhill I’ve kind of thought the same thing. We are getting smaller packages that were shipped UPS delivered by the post office. That doesn’t bode well for a business to pass off their business to someone else. How awful your veggies got delayed; I hope they get refused on Monday so you don’t have to mess with it any more. I hate to hear Greg is coughing his head off; that is so miserable. Hopefully he’ll be doing a lot better tomorrow so you can enjoy the day with your friends. I am so glad that nice couple found your keys and went out of their way to get them back to you. I like you gave them some big hugs. What kind of cheesecake does Greg make? I have a mini chocolate chip recipe that I use. I hope you have fun with our parents today and yes Greg is a wonderful husband and son-in-law! I hope your parents like their new bike.

Sharon, midnight cake sounds good. I chucked when you mentioned making pie isn’t easy; I always thought that as well. As much as I’ve baked in my life I can count on one hand how many times I’ve made a homemade pie. Hawaii sounds like a great vacation. I’ll be looking forward to champagne.

Kristie, your Easter dinner sounds delicious. More champagne on the menu at your place? I’m going to be smashed after “dropping by” to see you and Sharon. Your opal ring looks wonderful. Very pretty ring and it looks fabulous on your pinky. I was getting that error message too; I was guessing it meant my file was too big but I wasn’t sure. Marty didn’t play golf today; he ended up taking my BIL down to his family farm (about 40 miles away) to check on things.

Junebug, I am sure your mom will enjoy seeing your family tomorrow. Good plan to do some take-out food tomorrow. I am leaning towards Olive Garden take out; I got a 20% off take out email today so that peaked my interest right away. Thank you for the kind words about my ring. We’ll be pretty busy at work for a few more weeks but hopefully things will settle down soon. I am having a relaxing weekend.

Callie, those people certainly deserve the name bad neighbors. What a horrible thing to do steal something that was delivered to you by mistake. That is wonderful your purse was returned twice without anything being taken. I think there are far more good people out there than bad; it’s just the news reports the bad stories. I am with you on flying over the ocean. The first time Marty flew to Hong Kong I was a basket case when he was over the ocean.

Jimmianne, the red bud picture is so beautiful. We don’t have much blooming around here yet; I have seen a few daffodils already but that’s about it.

We got up at 5:55 am and watched the lunar eclipse. It was nice. Then we went out for breakfast and stopped at Lowes to look around. My sister and BIL got here about 10:30 and my sister and I went shopping and Marty and my BIL went down to my BIL’s family farm. We all met up again about 3:30 then went to visit someone who recently moved to assisted living. She’s doing pretty well for someone well in to her 90’s. Then we all went out for supper. I enjoyed relaxing and just visiting today.

I hope all of you have a fabulous Easter tomorrow.

Marcy

 

[missy]

Happy Easter Sunday NIRDIs!

Marcy, I would be wearing your new Sapphire ring every day too. It's over the moon gorgeous! Speaking of moons, glad you enjoyed the lunar eclipse.

Greg makes New York style cheesecake. Cream cheese and ricotta goes into his deliciously yummy cheesecake. OMG once again I am now craving a food that is totally inappropriate for early morning because of sweet Marcy lol. Fortunately we do not have any cheesecake by Greg in the house this morning or I believe it would be consumed by me right now.

I am glad you had a lovely relaxing day yesterday with your sister and BIL and how nice you visited your friend who is in assisted living in addition to everything else you did yesterday. I am sure she appreciated it. Did you get anything shopping with your SIL?

Enjoy the rest of your relaxing weekend!


Callie, yesterday went very well and Greg accomplished all he set out to do for my parents which was no small task lol. He was coughing a lot yesterday and no one kissed him hello (babies ) but my parents fed him very well and sent us home with lots of leftovers. Including matzoh ball soup and my mom's famous turkey meatballs and roasted chicken.
We had a good time yesterday.

OMG when we got there yesterday my dad answered the door and had a black eye and bruising down his face and forehead and his knuckles were ugh bloody looking and bruised. Those are just the body parts we could see. He had fallen Friday night in the garage and my parents said nothing so of course it was quite the shock seeing him. I was/am so upset because first of all he is almost 81 and we all know how one fall can be it at that age and second of all he hurt his knee but he thinks it is just bruised and that he didn't break anything. I certainly hope so and am very worried of course. He said his balance isn't good and that is why he fell. Very worried because that is a serious issue! We cannot convince him to get that checked by the doctor and I don't know what to do about the balance issue. I think he needs PT for better balance right? He is 6'4" so tall which makes him less stable to begin with and the older he gets the worse his balance is. Thank goodness he didn't hurt himself worse but I am very concerned because he can fall again with the balance issue.

I emailed my friends when we got home last night and told them Greg was getting over a bad cold and they emailed back right away the walk is still on and just no kissing. So yay Easter walk is on though now the weather doesn't look like it may totally cooperate as rain is predicted this afternoon. I sure hope it holds off but we will have fun anyway. Greg is feeling much better though still coughing and very hoarse. But woohoo for finally feeling significantly better!

Callie, have a wonderful Easter!

Jimmianne, I love that photograph. So pretty. The pink is so vibrant and makes me think of all the colors finally awakening because spring has arrived. YAY. And I agree with Callie. Your style is flirty too.
I am still enjoying my new earrings. It is hard deciding which earrings to wear every day as I have more earrings than I probably should and yet I still want more. LOL it's a sickness I guess.
Enjoy the artist roundtable this morning and the brunch that accompanies it.


Everyone enjoy your Easter Sunday and all the delicious food and have fun with your loved ones.

 

[missy]

ETA: forgot to say that Greg has been working on something for me so we could cycle in the colder temps. I have a heated shirt (back heated only)with a battery pack but it isn't warm enough for temps in the 50's only 60's really and then only if it is not too breezy. Well, finally after a few weeks of thought and trial and error he came up with a wonderful solution. He retrofitted a battery pack powered heated down vest for me that heats the back and the front so I get it all around my body and wow is it warm. It was his down vest but he sewed it to fit my body perfectly. I LOVE it! I will take pics another time. Very cool. Cannot wait now for a decent weather weekend so we can cycle down the shore. Next weekend looks like rain. but hoping the meteorologists got that wrong. C'mon sunny weekends. Please get here. I can cycle now even in the cooler temps WOOHOO! Thank you sweet and smart Greg!!!

 

[MarionC]

Happy Easter, everyone!

What fun is a walk without kissing?! Sounds like a koan
Missy, I am worried about your Dad too. He is still "young" and it would be a shame to have him fall again. My Dad went downhill after a fall, then that lack of exercise made him start falling more and eventually that. was. it.
I know that yoga is very good for balance, but he might not want to start something new. Wish he would. Is there senior yoga near him?
Anything we can think of to help him get better balance would make his quality of life better.
If he is anything like my parents, he won't listen to anything you say : )
many good sites on balance...
http://www.wikihow.com/Improve-Balance suggests something simple that I do a lot - standing on one foot.


Joy should be ready - set - go! on Tuesday afternoon or Wed. The Stuller setting has squared off prongs that look a bit clunky to me so Tony, my bench person, is going to make them more delicate.

I hope everyone has a beautiful day. The world is coming back to life & light & things feel hopeful!

 

[missy]

Jimmianne, thank you for those links. I will share them with my dad but yes both my parents are incredibly stubborn. My dad makes like this is not a big deal. I am very worried. My dad means so much to me and the whole family. I cannot bear the thought of a world without him.

Ok back to happy thoughts. Sharing a pic from around 1970. My grandparents were alive and my family still young. Happy memories but sad also since my grandparents are gone.

Look how handsome Apache is. I miss him so much too.

Can you guess which one I am? I look angelic there. Ha appearances are deceiving in this case.



So excited for you about Joy!!!!!

 

[Sunstorm]

Great photo Missy, I recognize you. You look flirty here too. You still are angelic BTW.

Happy Easter all of you Girls! I wrote a group email this morning actually, if I have the time I will try to catch up here too.

Thank you everyone for all your kind words, Junebug and Sharon too, I wish I could meet some of you in Europe.

Marcy, yes of course this is a gorgeous stone, I am sure you know it. Your eyes cannot cheat you. You only like her? I hope she is giving you much happiness.

Soon, I will be on a stone hunt too again... just really indecisive at this point. As I said right now I am likely redesigning and resetting my former ER stone into a Liberty 2. That was what I decided for the moment.

I hope we will get to talk later, enjoy spring, here it is still not nice but quite cold. The last year weather has been awful here, after a mild winter and beautiful spring we had a terrible summer, fall and winter and now spring sucks too, they are also saying that the only summer we will get will be in May and June, that does not sound too encouraging. Kristie, I think I want to move back to living close to you.

 

[Calliecake]

Good Morning Girls, I hope everyone is having a great day.

Missy, I'm so glad you were able to spend time with your parents and am so sorry to hear about your dad having a fall. I wish I had some words to help you regarding your parents. If there is anything the last few years with my parents have shown me is the older they get the more stubborn they become. All of their common sense also goes out the window. I can hear in your words how much your dad's fall scared you and I also know how you feel about the thought of losing them. I'm trying to learn to just keep my mouth shut and not get upset because to be honest nothing I say to them is wanted or appreciated. I end up being upset and it never changes any decision they have made. There are times my husband and I will get in the car leaving their home and the first words out of husbands mouth are if he ever gets like them for me to please shoot him. I'm begining to realize most kids go thru this with their elderly parents and if they don't they really need to thank their lucky stars. I'm sorry you are going this. I can tell it hurts your heart.

You do look like a little angel in the photo. Is your grandmother Bea in this photo?

I hope your have a wonderful time with your friends today and the weather cooperates. How cool that Greg came up with a solution to keep you warm on your rides. Are you sure your husband isn't an engineer? He reminds me so much of some of the men I used to work with. They also could come up with a solution for just about everything. Sounds like Greg doesn't it?

Jimmianne, Your comments about parents being really stubborn and not listening helped me today more than you could possible know. Hopefully I will remember your words when I see them today. I hope you had a good time with your group today. It sure sounds like a good time! Have you known this group of people a long time? How is your daughter feeling? I found out this week relatives of mine are divorcing after 25+ years of marriage. I love them both and find it heartbreaking, OMG I forgot to mention of how excited I am about seeing Joy in her new setting. I love the temp setting. Thank goodness we don't have to wait long!

OV, I'm sad you are losing Liberty but am sure you will make something equally fabulous to wear in her place.

Kristie, Marcy, Junebug and Sharon, I hope you are all enjoying your today.

Sharon, Can I please stop by for some champagne before meeting my parents?

 

[marcy]

Happy Easter NIRDIs!

Missy, cheesecake does sounds quite good right now. Is Greg feeling better today? I woke up with a coughing attack about 6 am today. I think it’s allergies but it’s hard to say. We didn’t really do any shopping yesterday but it was a nice day. I am glad to hear you had a nice time with your parents. I am so sorry to hear your dad fell and hurt himself. That is so scary. My parents got more and more stubborn too; they would not listen to reason. I hope you had a nice walk with your friends today. Your heated vest will be wonderful to keep you toasty warm. What a very clever idea! I like your family picture, you have a nice looking family.

Jimmianne, I can’t wait to see Joy all mounted and ready to wear. I bet you are very excited. I am excited spring is here.

Ovi, I tend to go by what looks good to me in gemstones and color of course. How exciting to be searching for a new stone soon. Sorry you’ve had such a cold year there; it sounds like our weather moved there.

Callie, Marty and I have had that same conversation about please shot me if I start acting like either of our parents. I know it’s like hitting your head against a brick wall trying to reason with them or get them to change their mind about something. I hope you have a good time visiting your parents today. I am sorry to hear about your family members getting a divorce after 25 years. There was a couple in our astronomy club we hung out with a lot who split up right after their 25th anniversary stunning everyone including their son. I guess we never know how things turn out.

We rented a few movies this weekend; both of which were good. The Imitation Game and Interstellar.

I think my allergies are kicking up or I caught Greg’s cold and cough. Ugh. I plan on being lazy today – laundry, TV, dishes and reading. Not much else.

Take care.
Marcy

 

[Sunstorm]

Marcy, feel better please, I have had the same thing and cannot decide whether it is allergies or something else, my throat hurts too so guessing there is something going around but not making me very sick. Movies sound great! Especially good movies.

I am getting used to the idea of spending time at home though I must admit that I am also ready for some action by now, that is ok as it will happen too. I am definitely considering going to Prague to visit my cousin on the 18th. Maybe only for two days but hey that sounds like a lot of fun.

I should also have Pink Sapphie by then, well, anyhow let's hope, yeepee that sounds really exciting! Some pink for spring. I am not usually a pink person but I love strong pink like fuchsia. I also just got a beautiful dress from my mom that has these colors, a darker purplish reddish with pink combined, so that will go well with Pink Sapphie. I hope we can stay on schedule with her and she will be ready the week after this coming week. I also look forward to transforming my E-ring into Liberty 2.

Congrats Marcy on your beautiful Kentucky Sapphie and ring too!

Kristie also congrats on your cool ring and cannot wait to see Bubbles, hope you are spending a great weekend with Bob.

Jimmianne I always love the pix you share and hearing from you and about you. I am sorry your baby was sick and hope he is out of the woods by now, love him, I have a soft spot for orange boys. I cannot wait to see Joy!

It was nice to have the chance to talk to you all if for a short time today. Today was relatively stress free and even though ex wrote some ridiculous demands, I am not letting it upset me much and ignoring everything from him like he does not exist, he does not exist to me anymore anyhow. Trying to open my wings a bit and live a bit if I can. Hey, some good days are definitely great.

Enjoy the rest of the holiday my NIRDIs. Sharon hope you come back to visit us sometime. Junebug I look forward to hearing about you more too. Callie, I always really love your posts and emails, you are a great person as well.

 

[MarionC]

Callie, I don't know if I already said this, so please forgive if so. The redbuds grow wild in the woods - so that makes sense with what you said - in the woods they are protected, a bit shaded and have the the soil ph created by pines. My yard redbuds are OK, but don't do as well in "civilization". They are like a weed - fast growing and short-lived & drop branches [brittle] , but in the spring,totally worth it : )

I hope everyone had a nice time yesterday. I did; art brunch, visits to several friends including my DD, then more mowing LOL
It was a glorious day here warm and sunny.
This morning, a chocolate hangover from Easter candy with sugar in it. I can't eat what I like and get away with it!

The movie we watched at the brunch was by artist David Dunlop who travels to the places where famous artists painted and then he paints in their style to "feel the energy".
Even if you don't paint it's wonderful to see him painting in Monet's garden and other beautiful settings! He has great enthusiasm and is funny. Maybe you have seen him on PBS... Our in-house killer rabbit painter might enjoy the series.

Missy, I had one more thought about your Dad. Could he have ear issues that cause loss of balance?

Thank you for sharing a photo of your family. You can see/feel the loving connections there. I'm certain your grandparents are still with you : )

 

[missy]

Good morning girls!

Ovi, how was the rest of your weekend? I hope your weather improves soon.
You will create an even better and more beautiful Liberty when the time is right. Of that I am certain. And in the meantime you did a lovely thing for your friend though I do hope she doesn't marry an abusive man.

I hope you are enjoying a lovely visit with your mom. How long is her visit with you and what are your plans for this week?

I am glad you are going to Prague on the 18th. I think it will do you a world of good to go and enjoy a change of scenery and a change of pace. And I cannot wait for you to get your pink sapphire soon...woohoo that will brighten things up quite a bit and I cannot wait to see how she goes with your new dress your mother bought for you.

Callie, Thank you and I know you understand what I am dealing with regarding my parents and how stubborn they both are. And I laughed out loud when you wrote what Jeff said to you after a visit with yours. Greg and I have often said the same thing lol. Shoot me before I become as difficult and stubborn as they are. However with my dad I have never said that. Just my mom. My dad is almost perfect (except that he is so stubborn) and it is just my mom who can really push my proverbial buttons. I think it is because we are too alike in many ways.

That is my grandmother Beatrice. She had the same hairstyle her whole adult life despite my mother and I trying to get her to go to our hairdresser for a more modern look. Haha I remember that beehive hairdo and how crazy it was yet she insisted on continuing with her hairdresser and that do. LOL. My grandmother (mom's mom), my dad and Greg. My 3 most favorite people in the whole world. Always will be no matter how much time passes.

I agree with you. Greg has an engineer's mind. His brother is a mechanical engineer and one of the original XM radio creators. His whole family have very analytical minds actually. I am happy to benefit from his creativity and expertise. I will let you know how the heated cycling vest works out. The only issue is with the way Greg taped it up with the wires it might seem to some that I am a suicide bomber and I know I should not joke about that but I also know you guys will understand I am not making light of that but just saying that is sort of how I will look.

You know how sorry I am about those family members who are divorcing after a quarter of a century together. It's always so sad when a union started with love and hope and potential just dies. I am so sorry for their daughter as well.

I hope you enjoyed a wonderful Easter.


Marcy, Greg is much much better today. Thank you for asking. I hope you are feeling better today and that you don't have a cold. Hope you enjoyed a relaxing Easter!

I have not heard of those movies and will check them out. We saw Veronika Decides to Die and Take Care. We really enjoyed both of them. I loved Take Care. The subject matter was something I identified very well with being it was about a girl who broke her leg and arm and how she managed to survive with those injuries. It was a very good movie, funny and touching and I recommend it highly. Kristie, I think you will appreciate it having dealt with injuries similar to hers though different. Anyone who has ever dealt with a major injury would get this movie and enjoy it IMO. And even if you have not but have been a caretaker for someone. I think it is worth watching.

Jimmianne, I am so happy you had a wonderful and fun brunch with your friends. And that the weather was beautiful. YAY!
The movie you watched by David Dunlop sounds so interesting and beautiful. I don't remember if I ever shared the fact that my mom is an artist. She used to paint (oil and watercolors too) and draw and went to Pratt. I have some paintings by her in our home.

Thank you for the additional suggestions to help my dad. He assures me he lost balance not for any insidious reason but because he was carrying garbage bags and just tripped. Thank you so much for sharing those possibilities though and also for those yoga for senior links. I told him about them but he said he doesn't want to or need to (yes he does) and also will not do any balance exercises. He said he will just be more mindful and careful. Sigh. I am very worried but he is super stubborn and truly I cannot convince him otherwise. I hope and pray he will be OK and not fall again. We all know that one fall at this age could be it and that is what is so upsetting. Even my argument about how selfish he is being because doesn't he want the grankids to grow up with their grandpa is met with stubbornness and NO's so what else can I do.

Only 1 more day till JOY arrives!!!! OOoooh I know you cannot wait and we are very excited for you!!!


Kristie, I am very glad you and a great time yesterday with Bob and Maggie and Finn and thank you so much again for all your suggestions and advice. I appreciate them! Any updates re Bubbles? The suspense is killing me lol. I want the NIRDI bling to come in already. Marcy check so we are still waiting for you, and Jimmianne and Ovi. Anyone else expecting some bling?
And I am ready to buy that beach compound near Malibu. How many NIRDIs are in with us?
Though the latest water cuts to that state is worrisome to say the least...

Junebug, how was your Easter? I hope you had an enjoyable day with your family and that you are not too tired. If you are traveling back today have a safe trip and hope to see you later.

Sharon, I hope you and your family enjoyed a wonderful Easter. Sorry we didn't get to drop by yesterday but I know we are all happy if we can take a raincheck on that invite.


We had a fun time with our friends yesterday and it was a bit windy but it never rained a drop so yay! We walked about 7.5 miles and I was in a bit of discomfort starting around mile 4 but I was able to persevere. This is my longest walk since my recovery and I hope I keep getting stronger. The toe tendonitis gave me the biggest problem yesterday and I need to be better about working on that as I let the toe PT exercises go due to my laziness and I paid the price. So last night I started those toe exercises up again and I hope they alleviate the pain. But we had a blast and it was great seeing our friends and then we enjoyed a delicious meal. They are leaving for Ecuador and the Galapagos next weekend for 2 weeks (they have a great life always traveling because they are both retired) but we are seeing them Memorial Day weekend at the annual party they host.


Thank you all for the kind compliments re my family photo. I had a wonderful childhood filled with unconditional love and support and I realize how fortunate we all were to have that. It was a simpler more innocent time and it is bittersweet how fast time goes. It seemed we had many lifetimes since then yet when I look back it all seems such a very short while ago everyone was alive and happy and we were all young.

 

[missy]

So since I am a bit sentimental these days I have been going through old photos and when Greg and I were in Italy we took exactly 1 photo. Yes, that's right. One photo LOL. We both weren't too much interested in photos and now of course (as my parents so wisely told me) I regret it because it is comforting to look back on these photos and enjoy the memories of times past. But what is done is done and there is no going back so moving forward I wanted to share the one pic we did take during our Italy trip. From Lake Como Nov 2004. Remember when oversized was in style lol. I wince when I see the oversized clothing I wore haha. Though I will add that coat I was wearing is from my mom from 1972. Greg had our shoemaker reline it several times (that was before Greg took up sewing himself) so it was in good shape to make the Italy trip.

Anyway I think some of the NIRDIs will enjoy me sharing this pic. Even though it was over a decade ago I remember it was very cold in Lake Como in November. But oh so beautiful. It was a great trip. I still hated flying and I almost had a nervous breakdown waiting for the flights to go back home due to weather delay issues. The small plane we were taking to get to the larger plane that would take us home was delayed due to poor visibility. I was afraid we would never get home (in Italy for 21 days already at that time and I was ready to get back home to the kitties who I missed terribly by that point) but I was also afraid to get on the plane once it was deemed safe to travel because I was afraid we would crash. Thankfully I can laugh about that now. It didn't hurt that we were flying first class (being pampered while you were terrified was slightly comforting but still) but I knew that if the plane went down it really didn't matter where you were located if you kwim.

 

[momhappy]

What a lovely pic - at least the one you got was a good one!

 

[azstonie]

Bubbles Report: Nada. Zip. Bupkus.

I was just thinking about Bubbles yesterday evening and if I haven't heard from Andrew/Arshad by Friday I will call Andrew and see how things are going. Arshad is going to want money somewhere along the line!!!

Great pic, Missy, and I love that red coat! It looks like a good fit on you, btw. Smart, relining it.

Bob and I did the same thing regarding pics, we just didn't take many. When we eloped to Victoria, BC, we bought a tripod so we could set it up and get our own pics. Funny thing, though, as we were out and about on the beach and in the city just married, people came out of the woodwork to ask if they could take the pics for us. It was Valentine's Day and we had clearly just gotten married.

So you and Greg, back to Italy and this time with all the technology for pics and vid

 

[MarionC]

Missy, you two are just too cute together. By the time we meet in the Fall I will feel as though I already know you : )
Will we see Greg? or will he hide as most husbands do when there is a gaggle of women?
edit: he should go blinging with us ...

yes JOY tomorrow!! unless there's a snag and it's Wednesday : (
On Wednesday I have my teeth "polished" - a nice term for edges sanded . igg. blah. umph. I've been dreading the procedure and have cancelled TWICE. Out of excuses now if I want to see progress.
I've had the Invisalign trays for about a year [I think] and it's time to remove that 0.2mm so the teeth can continue to move. 6 months to go!
I am taking my little vodka "anti-anxiety" flask with me. A teaspoon does wonders LOL.

Az - I hate that Bubbles is not here yet : (
Please report any updates!

 

[Calliecake]

Hi Girls, I hope everyone's enjoying their day.

Missy, I'm sorry your dad is being so stubborn. I wish we could give them a pill for their stubborness that would make it just go away. It sounds like you had a nice time with them. Are they happy with the bike? Things went well yesterday. My parents didn't bring up their health which was good. The problems always start when the subject of their health comes up and they begin talking completely crazy. As you know my mom also feels it's not dangerous for an 80 year old man to shovel snow and ice. I swear every ounce of common sense they once had is gone. I loved seeing the picture of you and Greg. You are such a great looking couple. We also have almost no pictures. I wish we had done that different because there is no way I will ever see 30 again!

Jimmianne, Your art group sounds like so much fun. I'm glad you also were able to see your daughter yesterday. I was thinking of you when I had my steak yesterday. You would have enjoyed it. I guess the landscaper was correct about the red buds. They would never survive at my home as the wind and cold would not be a good combination. Your home and land sounds so beautiful! I can't wait to see JOY.

Kristie, hopefully you will get news on Bubbles this week. I'm sure they are just taking there time and doing everything correctly. I can't wait to hear that she has arrived back home. If that stone could talk the stories she would tell. I hope Finns appointment goes well today.

OV, I'm so glad you are going on a trip. I'm sure it will help so much just to have a change of scenery. Tell us about your new dress. Did your parents go back home or are they still staying with you?

Junebug, How was your holiday. Did your family make the trip to yours brothers house? Are you doing anything fun this week?

Sharon, How was your dinner with your mom? How was the champagne?

 

[junebug17]

Hi everyone!

Missy, so sorry to hear about your father's fall! I guess people just get really scared at the thought they are growing older and are at risk of losing their independence and so they go into denial. Very worrisome for the loved ones but it is so hard for a person to acknowledge they are aging, especially for someone like your father who is still functioning very well overall. Addressing the issue is admitting there might be a problem! Hopefully your dad will see this as a bit of a wake-up call and be more careful in his movements. Sounds like you have done all you can at this point, such as talking to him about it etc. I was going to suggest you play the guilt card, but I see you already tried that! If it's any sort of comfort, you're certainly not alone in dealing with aging parents, a lot of us in our age bracket are in the same boat, and I am here for you to offer you all the support and comfort I can give!

I think exercises geared to improve balance can help. The exercise dvds I do focus on improving balance and mine is definitely better than it used to be. So yeah, I think it does help but a person has to be willing to do it!

Love the pics your posted! The pic of your family is just wonderful. And I love the pic of you and Greg! You both look great, and I love your coat.

The heated vest Greg came up with is pure genius! I could have used one of those when I used to walk our dog in freezing temperatures. Maybe he should get a patent for it lol.

Glad to hear Greg is feeling better. And I'm glad the outing with your friend worked out, I could tell you were really looking forward to it!

Jimmianne, what a pretty pic Love that pop of color, makes me yearn for warm weather and flowers! Can't wait to see Joy set and on your finger.

Good luck at the dentist - I've been putting off going myself, I know, shame on me. I didn't know you have invisalign braces. My teeth have become crooked over the years and I'm upset about it and have been thinking about invisalign, but not sure if it will help me because I think my misalignment is due to never having my wisdom teeth removed. The appearance of my teeth really bothers me though, I should look into it.

Marcy, sorry to hear you're under the weather and hope you feel better soon. Sounds like you had a very relaxing Easter! It's nice you got to spend time with your sister and BIL.

Ovi, glad to hear you are enjoying some relatively stress-free days. Good for you for just ignoring your ex. I can't wait to see your pink sapphire!!! I really want a pink stone ring, but haven't ruled out a yellow diamond either. I'm having a hard time deciding - maybe I'll just get both!

Calliecake, sorry to hear about your family member's divorce, that's tough. Divorce is such a sad and upsetting thing for everyone.

Everything worked out ok on Sunday - my family and I ended up going and my mother enjoyed seeing everyone and seemed to have a nice time. I stayed over and will head home later today.

Not much planned for this week, hopefully get a few things done around the house, and I'm going to try to paint a little bit. I'm getting into cooking, so maybe I'll try a new recipe. How about you? Anything special going on this week for you?

Glad you had a nice time with your parents - and that they avoided talking about their health! Sounds like that helped you relax and enjoy the time spent with them.

Sharon, hope you had a good visit with your mother! I'll bet she really enjoyed herself, and that wonderful meal. Yum.

Kristie, hope all is well with Bubbles, and hope you get an update soon.

Have a good Monday everyone!

 

[azstonie]

Jimmianne, have you tried Dan Akyroyd's Crystal Head Vodka? Its DELICIOUS and for us blingie babes, its filtered several times through Herkimer Diamonds (cyrstals). It has no nasty additives. I super DUPER recommend it to you!!!

We gave a Costco gift pack of Crystal Head to Finn/Maggie's vet and he loved it so much on the next visit he HUGGED me, LOL. We usually give him a bottle of Scotch in the $150 range, he always said "Thank you very much" but never hug hahaha.

BTW, the skulls are made by Murano and sell for a nice penny on Ebay!! We filled empties with peridot, ant garnet, and 4 Peaks amethyst.

 

[marcy]

Hi NIRDIs!

Ovi, I hope you are feeling better today. I don’t feel bad so it must be allergies making me cough and sneeze. That’s great you have a dress that will go well with your pink sapphire pendant. You’ll be set! Glad you had a good weekend.

Jimmianne, that’s interesting about redbuds. They are so pretty. You had a fun and busy day yesterday. I am sure Marty would enjoy that movie with David Dunlap. Thanks for the recommendation. I can’t wait to see Joy. Good luck tomorrow. Marty finally got his braces out about 3 weeks ago. He was excited.

Missy, I am glad to hear Greg is doing better. I didn’t get any worse so I am pretty sure my attack was allergies. I will have to look for the movie Take Care. It sounds interesting. That is awesome you walked 7.5 miles yesterday. Sorry your toe flared up but how awesome you were able to walk that far. Sweet. I am glad you had a good childhood; I am fortunate to say I did too. Like you said it seems so long ago but then just like yesterday. The photo of you and Greg in Italy is fabulous.

Kristie, probably because you thought about Bubbles you’ll be hearing from Andrew soon. Marty and I don’t have many pictures of us. We both kind of shy away from the camera. I am glad you got some pictures on your honeymoon. Your crystal heads full of gems are very cool.

Callie, I read an article people over 40 shouldn’t shovel snow. I hate to hear your dad is still shoveling. I did nod my head that every ounce of common sense your parents once had is gone; I remember making a similar comment to Marty about my parents not that long ago.

Junebug, I agree with old people going in to denial and just continue living their lives. I am glad you and your family enjoyed the day with our mom. Did you try a new recipe? How did it turn out? Enjoy painting and doing things around the house.

I met Marty for lunch today. It was a nice break to get out of the office. We had leftovers for supper. Marty was going to go play a few rounds of golf after supper but decided it was too windy and chilly.

I stayed a little late at work so I sent Marty a text that said “STOP! Don’t throw out the Bears; I am just late but I ‘m still coming home”.

Have a great evening and Tuesday!

Marcy

 

[Calliecake]

Marcy, Its so nice that you get to meet Marty lunch. I know work has been rough for you lately so what a perfect way to brighten your day. Your text to Marty about the bears had me laughing out loud. My husband calls me on his way home work often and tells me he is on his way to the airport to catch a flight. The destination changes weekly! So far he has come home instead!

Jimmianne, Please post pictures of Joy as soon as she arrives! I'm not too excited to see her, am I?

 

[MarionC]

Az, I never heard of that vodka before. Wild! My Mom used to rock hunt for Herkimer diamonds in NY so I am sure she would want me to buy this vodka

Marcy, I'll bet Marty is relieved to have his braces off! That explains those rabbits with such sharp teeth...but if they stop biting so much beware... they are up to something; some new bunny weaponry.

Missy, I can't believe you walked 7.5 miles! That is a hike and a half.
Your heated vest reminds me that I have a weighted vest for osteopenia. It comes with a set of little bar weights that can add up to 10# and looks like a corset.
I hope everyone is up-to-date on their bone scans??

Junebug, if you ever want info on invisalign I'm happy to share my experience. It has had it's ups and downs but I am glad that I am doing it.

Callie, I love that your husband calls with his flight information. All you guys have so much fun with your husbands - maybe I should get one. If only I knew where they keep the good ones! : )

OV, I missed that you are going on a trip. Good good good.

Hi Sharon. Good morning!

 

[MarionC]

Callie, it was really fun to drop Joy off to be set. One of the jewelers came over and said OMG! Where did you get that?! ...and then, how much did you pay for that? While she was talking she took it away from me and started louping it. If they weren't like family I would have been a little irritated, but her enthusiasm for diamonds was wonderful.

Now the part I hate - no privacy when getting her back. I absolutely LOVE opening a box from FedEx. Sitting down with a glass of wine, taking pictures [even of the FedEx box!] then sitting in a sunny window soaking up new-diamond-vibes.
But I do know that after I pick her up and everyone has helped me look at her ~LOL, I'll go next door to Whole Foods and check her out under veggie lighting, meat lighting, bakery lighting and deli lighting. In truth she hates jewelry store lighting and the lighting at my local grocer, but Whole Foods may provide many photo ops. And I can't wait to go out to dinner with friends in a dimly lit restaurant. Just for the steak of course!
Excited? Moi?

 

[missy]

Good morning girls!

Jimmianne, I feel as if I know you guys too and am very much looking forward to meeting in person. I think we know each other better than many people who are "in person" friends because we share so much of ourselves here. Our inner thoughts and hopes and fears and dreams. Not to mention our love of bling. It's as if we are all soul sisters.

Today is JOY day! We are all so excited for you and I am doing a happy today is Joy day dance for you and her.

I get what you mean when you write you wish you could just open her in private and instead all eyes will be upon you. That's OK you will be able to admire her at Whole Foods afterwards (and perhaps pick up some yummy groceries as well) and then you get her all to yourself. That is of course after you have shared pictures of her with us I hope. Just one pretty please? Then you can admire her and gaze upon her beauty all day and night long. She is a terrific model though and remember she loves the camera so shoot away.

Interesting what you wrote about the bone density test. My internist doesn't want me to get them (last one I got was in my early thirties and I won't go into why at this time suffice it to say that was the last one I got) because he said there is no good treatment and the best thing we can do is lift weights and make sure we eat well and enough because thin women who are caucasian are at greatest risk for osteoporosis. But he does not like the meds available due to risks associated with them so no bone density tests in my future. My internist however is very against tests where he sees no good purpose/outcome. I am not sure how I feel about that because I like to know but I guess if I know and I cannot do anything to make it better perhaps he is right. Not sure.


Marcy, I am very glad it is "just" allergies. Though allergies can and often are miserable I am glad you are not feeling sick. It is so nice you can get away in the middle of the work day and meet Marty. What a lovely way to break up the monotony of work. I hope all is going more smoothly for you at work than last week and I am happy you were not paged by the office this weekend!

Haha on that text you sent to Marty. I love your and Marty's sense of humor. Haha too funny!
I am very happy you also had a charmed childhood. I often think what I am dealing with now is the price I paid for that and also having Greg in my life. Probably not the most constructive way to think but sometimes it helps get me through if you kwim.


Callie, I like what Marcy said about people over 40 not shoveling snow. That means we are all exempt (except Ovi that is, sorry Ovi!) lol. As I told you my dad was shoveling snow this winter. That's right. Not because my parents would not happily pay for a young person to do it but because there usually is no one around who does it in their neighborhood though towards the end of the winter they did find a young man who they were able to hire to shovel for them. But for a good part of the snow this winter my dad did it himself. And gave me an almost heart attack each time! We are lucky that where we live our building staff gets rid of the snow and to that end our building bought a snow plow in 2014 to handle the snow. It turned out to be a great purchase that's for sure. If only we didn't live so far from my parents we could have had the super drive the snow plow over to them and take care of all their snow too!

I hope you have a good week ahead. Any special plans? I seem to remember you were meeting a friend for shopping and lunch. Anything on the agenda?

Also I am continuing to think good thoughts for your brother's biopsy results. I hope everything turns out well!

Junebug, thanks for your empathy, comfort and support and I know you have been through much more than we have at this point. Not sure how we are going to handle issues when my dad can no longer drive for example. Right now he is doing everything he ever did and driving quite a bit to watch the grandkids with my mom. My mom doesn't drive so that is going to be a challenge when he cannot drive any longer. Not looking forward to that at all. LOL yes I played the guilt card but he appears to be immune from it haha.

I need to do balance exercises too and I am glad you are doing them. In PT Victor was trying to get me to do more balance exercises because truthfully my balance is very poor. I guess like father like daughter. I look like him and I have his poor balance as well. Sigh. I don't know about you but those balance exercises are frustrating for me. I am using this as a reminder though to start them again. Thanks for the gentle reminder Junebug!

I am so glad you had a good Easter weekend and I am guessing you are back home safe and sound right now. I hope your trip back went smoothly with no traffic. Please keep us posted on any new recipes you come up with this week. You know the NIRDIs love food.
And good luck with the painting too!

Thanks everyone for the compliments on the Lake Como pic and thank you too momhappy for joining in to comment on the pic. I am certainly glad the only pic we took that whole trip came out OK. We didn't even get a backup lol. Kristie, I love that you and Bob set up your own tripod. We didn't even want to carry a camera let alone a tripod. Haha. Love it. And that's a no to video lol. We hate video and didn't even have a video of our wedding. In fact we didn't hire a photographer and our friend who is an artist did the photography for our wedding. Very non intrusive and perfect for us. Very few posed pics at all.

Kristie, I remember you recommending that vodka to me before and now I am going to try remembering when we go to Costco again to see if it is in the Brooklyn Costco liquor store. It's in a very cool bottle that's for sure. We don't drink vodka but my aunt and uncle love vodka and as I told you they are such vodka snobs and right now only drink Grey Goose so it should be an interesting test to see what they think of this one. If they have it at Costco I am getting it and giving it to them and getting a bottle for us to have on hand for guests. Greg prefers gin martinis but I bet he would be happy to try this one out. Take one for the team.

Any Bubbles updates yet? As Marcy wrote now that we are talking about it I bet he will contact you...We want our Bubbles back!

About those blood tests you and Bob got we never did that but now you have piqued my interest now and I will be emailing you for more details. Definitely interested as Greg has Alzheimer's disease in his family (his dad died of Alzheimers it's a horrible disease) and I asked him if he would be OK with knowing and he said yes so I think I want us to know. Scary though. And I am glad your and Bob's results turned out well!

I love that you and Bob eloped to Victoria BC...we love it there. I once thought I could retire there with Greg you know, "the land of the flower beds, the newlyweds and the nearly deads" haha. Now of course I think it would be too cold to retire there but I love BC. So beautiful there.

Ovi, hope the week is going well. Hugs to you and your mom too. Hope you are enjoying her company and that you are getting much accomplished. We are thinking of you!

 

[Calliecake]

Callie, it was really fun to drop Joy off to be set. One of the jewelers came over and said OMG! Where did you get that?! ...and then, how much did you pay for that? While she was talking she took it away from me and started louping it. If they weren't like family I would have been a little irritated, but her enthusiasm for diamonds was wonderful.

Now the part I hate - no privacy when getting her back. I absolutely LOVE opening a box from FedEx. Sitting down with a glass of wine, taking pictures [even of the FedEx box!] then sitting in a sunny window soaking up new-diamond-vibes.
But I do know that after I pick her up and everyone has helped me look at her ~LOL, I'll go next door to Whole Foods and check her out under veggie lighting, meat lighting, bakery lighting and deli lighting. In truth she hates jewelry store lighting and the lighting at my local grocer, but Whole Foods may provide many photo ops. And I can't wait to go out to dinner with friends in a dimly lit restaurant. Just for the steak of course!
Excited? Moi?

Jimmieanne, Your ritual of opening the FedEx box with a glass of wine and examining your new baby sound absolutely wonderful! Please remind me of this if I am ever lucky enough to get another diamond. I want that experience once in my lifetime too! I understand you being a little disappointed that you won't get this experience when Joy returns. When you go home, pour your glass of wine and just pretend your seeing her for the first time in her setting.

If I lived closer to you I would love to take you out for a steak dinner and feast my eyes on your new beauty! What a fun evening that would be. There would also be wine involved in this dinner!!!

I can't wait to hear all about Joy later today. Have a wonderful afternoon with Joy!!!