Now I really did it :((

[missy]

Good morning girls! It's Friday woohoo!

Will be back later, but wanted to pop in to say that I love that light fixture Missy! I think it will look great with the rest of the kitchen. A nice combination of both a vintage feel and a modern vibe, very cool!

Thanks Junie! It felt both vintagey and industrial and current to me too. But I'm actually hoping we don't have to go with pendants. More below.

Hope you are staying dry today Junie. Supposed to be a soaker.

Hello lovelies

Wow, looks like they’re cracking on with the kitchen @missy and I think the pendants will be a good match with the stainless appliances. I’ve just removed the pendant in favour of the ‘wavy’ light in the kitchen. We have the recesses ceiling lights too, and what I’ve noticed is that the kitchen looks much bigger without the lights hanging down (chopping up the sight line) and the light is much brighter. I know you need the extra lighting over the island, but I thought I’d mention it.

Bagged up all Colin’s clothes today, a lot less than mine but he will get things laundered on board and I won’t. Is it just me, but I don’t want strangers touching my underwear? and my linen clothes need ironing whilst wet, which they won’t do,

Can’t believe the cruise is only just over a week away, just got to hope we don’t get bad weather affecting the flight

TGIF tomorrow, hair appointments for us both, and all the usual fun things to do around the house NOT

Austina you are so right! Maybe I mentioned this before or you just read my mind LOL but I didn't want pendants originally and it was only because of the brick wall over the island that the electrician felt we need them due to shadows that might be cast with just recessed lighting. However after I went through all the pendant choices I wasn't thrilled with adding pendants (however beautiful) to our smallish kitchen and Greg and I discussed it and he is going to have another chat with the electrician. We might still have to go with pendants as functionality is more important than aesthetics but I am hoping we can do without any pendants. Thanks for your input!

Wow to bagging up all of Colin's clothes and haha that he has a lot less than you. I think that is usual with men vs women so don't feel badly. It is the normal order of things. Here's hoping the weather is calm and good for your travels and I cannot believe it is just a week away. That went fast! How long will you be away on this trip?

I love soup and how smart of you to cook ahead and freeze. Makes life easier and more delicious too. Your soup sounds yummy.

Enjoy your hair appointments today @Austina and @CJ2008!

Marcy I love freezing food for later too just like you and Austina. It helps save Greg from cooking every day. Love the freezer. Gorgeous sunrise! Wow your new camera is taking such sharp vivid photos but I know you have a lot to do with it being the wonderful photographer that you are. Yes you have a lot on your shoulders at work and I am sorry about your staff being so unreliable and somewhat lazy and I sure hope they ship up soon or ship out and you get more conscientious employees transferred to your department.

Hope your weather behaves Marcy and that you don't get too much if any snow. It is getting colder here by tomorrow but today might hit 60 degrees. Crazy right? No matter because Woohoo it's Friday!

PierreBear hope you are feeling 100% better today and that your voice is back to normal. When I am under the weather I too sound like I am a chain smoker lol. Have a good day and hope you are feeling well.


It's a rainy Friday here girls and planning a laid back day. Seeing my girlfriend later and then looking forward to spending a long weekend (MLK Jr day on Monday) with my dh. Hope many of you have long weekends coming up too. Enjoy this lovely Friday.

 

[PierreBear]

Happy Friday! Oh man, I’m still not feeling well but that means this weekend I won’t feel guilty about finishing up Black Mirror on Netflix and reading a book. I also need to figure out the instapot that was gifted to me over Christmas time. Hope ya’ll have a great weekend!

@missy – Ooohh the brushed nickle is such a pretty look. I have some pots and though most are stainless steel, I have one that is brushed nickle and I always think how lovely it looks when I pull it out to use it. I’m also really excited about your kitchen island. Very large and plenty of space for Greg to make some more of those delicious pies. Right?!! : )

@Austina – Hello soup twin. Oh goodness, it’s on my list to try and make French onion soup. My Aunt gifted me an instapot and I wasn’t quite sure what to do with it since I already have a slow cooker, rice cooker, etc etc…. but I thought I would try French onion soup in it one day.

Thanks for your kind thoughts about work but I’m not anxious about it. The entity I work for is quasi-governmental so it’s really out of anyone’s control and it’s really whether the state wants us functioning or not. We live very conservatively, off of one salary, and I know I can find easily find a job. The question though… finding the right one. : )

Oh man I missed that your cruise is coming up. How very exciting!!!! Hope that weather will be great and that you will make wonderful memories. PS – Did you get your WF bangle yet?

@junebug17 – Just wanted to say hello!

@marcy – I forgot to mention the other day that DH was doing a ridiculously long road race… 100K trail run and it was in the hill country. The stars were beautiful and made me think of you!

 

[PierreBear]

@missy – We were posting at the same time. It’s funny that you mention the voice. It’s one of the strongest symptoms. I feel like I sound like an old man. : )

@marcy – Oh we were posting at the same time too! Gorgeous sunrise but OMG 110 mph??? I think the fastest I’ve gone is 85? I’ll admit I’m a bad drive with slow reflexes though. I’m ready for driverless cars. Haha!

 

[junebug17]

Hi girls!

Wow Missy, the kitchen reno is really getting underway! I hope you can figure out a way to avoid having the pendants if you'd really prefer not to have them. I would think a few recessed lights would do the trick but maybe not. Stay as dry as you can in this rainy weather and have a good time meeting your friend today. And yay to a long weekend with Greg!

Marcy, ugh to the return of the cold weather. We’re having a mild but rainy and windy day here but the temps will drop soon. Just checked my phone and tomorrow is going to start out in the 60’s but drop to low 30’s by noon. What?? Mini pizzas sound really good to me right now. Love the pic of the sunrise, gorgeous colors. I'm sorry about the issues at work and I do hope things start going more smoothly.

CJ, good for you for hanging in there with eating healthy. I eat plain Greek yogurt with a little artifical sweetener thrown in - I know, probably not ideal and I’m trying to warm up to the taste of Truvia.

Jimmianne, ditto Austina, you can go into settings and turn everything off. Go to settings, then general, then keyboard and there are a bunch of things you can shut off, including predictive. Should make things better for you.

PB, sorry you are still under the weather and even though you feel well enough to get through the day, make sure you get some rest too! Glad work isn't crazy busy for you right now and I hope that continues. Very exciting that your ring will be done soon! Can't wait to see it! Yes, now that the house is sold I do have extra time to get my own house in order, it's been kind of neglected for a long time - unfortunately I'm having trouble getting motivated lol. Congrats on being offered a part-time job, sounds like it might be a good idea if you are unsure of the future of your current job. And I hope your car is fixed quickly and back on the road soon.

Looks like we were posting at the same time - yes, definitely take advantage of this weekend and rest up and don't feel guilty about it!

Austina, wow, very exciting that your cruise is coming up! Sounds like you are in good shape with regard to preparations. I hear you on doing things around the house I'm so lazy these days, ugh.

Well, on that note maybe I should get up off my you -know -what and get something done around here lol. I did commit to running a 10k race (6.2 miles) with dh and ds in April - I have been excerising regularly for the past few years but I am SO not a runner, but am following a program for beginners so maybe I can get myself in good enough condition to be able to do this. I dunno, we'll see how this goes lol.

Have a good day all!

 

[Austina]

Hello lovelies

I don’t recall you saying you didn’t really want pendant lights @missy - must be on the same psychic wavelength I must admit, I did like the pendant because I didn’t have an island before, but now with ‘wavy’, I do prefer the clean sight lines. I hope you can find a solution that you’re truly happy with.

We usually go on 10 day cruises, but this will be 14, and we fly to Miami the day before, and have an overnight flight home, so will be away 16 days in total. Dottie will be away 17 days, as we have to take her to Anne next Sunday. Anne has 3 Spins of her own, and one of hers particularly likes Dottie, but she’s indifferent :roll Sweet Priya wanted to kiss Dottie and play with her last time she saw her, but Dottie wasn’t interested.

Sorry you’re still not feeling 100% @PierreBear but your weekend plans sound exactly what you need. I don’t know if the Instapot will be good for French onion, as you need to sauté the onions to get the colour, or the soup can look a bit aneamic, but it’s worth a try.

Funny you mentioning the bangle, we were just talking about it. Colin asked if I’d mind waiting till September because the CC we will use, will start the new year of benefits then, and the purchase will get us off to a flying start. Literally!! We get free flights with the card, so it makes sense to wait till then, as we will have reached our spends in the current year for our flights. In return for this ‘sacrifice’ on my part, I get to upgrade to a bigger carat weight, so hey, what’s a few more months ? I think we will visit WF to collect it, then I can see the ACA’s for myself as I’m hoping for a future purchase At least I’ll get to try on some sparklies, even if we don’t buy


You’re being brave @junebug17 signing up for the 10K, I did the 5K Race for Life when I was 50, and I really didn’t enjoy it, I loathe running, but good for you for giving it a go. I spent 6 months training, 3 times a week for it, as it was shortly after my knee surgery.

Glorious photo @marcy, what a view. Yay to having a clear enough road to hit 110MPH, but please be careful in case there’s black ice around. I miss my speedy convertible, but even our trusty workhorse gets a run at 100 sometimes - just takes a bit longer

Yay it’s Friday

Big wave out to all the NIRDIs

 

[missy]

Good morning girls! Happy Caturday Saturday!

Junie wow super impressive!!! Training to run a 10K is amazing and you know we have our resident runner here LLJsmom who I know would be happy to advise you in any way. I am really excited for you and I know you can do it and good for you!

PierreBear I am sorry your cold is still hanging on and hoping this AM brings you full recovery and energy. And yay it's the weekend at least! (Haha I mentioned the voice because of our convo that day ).

Austina that sounds like a lovely trip and a perfect duration. While I know you will miss Dottie and she will miss you she will be in good hands so you can rest assured and enjoy the cruise! And ooh to future upgrade! And yes we must be on the same mental telepathy wavelength or something lol.

Thanks to offline advice from a dear NIRDI about this pendant situation. We are still working it out. The electrician had an emergency yesterday so Greg didn't get to chat with him but he is going next week to meet with him in person and hopefully find a good solution. We might end up going with pendants for the best functional light but I guess I really prefer not going with them if at all possible. The space is awkward as it is but we will do the best we can and the most important factor is having an efficient and practical kitchen where ease and comfort and good lighting is present even if that means we must get 2 pendants.

I shared this photo already but it is the best one to illustrate my point. The brick wall will be over the island asymmetrically so when we hang pendants it won't be centered if you kwim because that brick wall cuts the island asymmetrically. That was one of my concerns as well as breaking up the line of vision with the pendants taking away the clean open look.

Another concern is the ceiling slopes and in the first part of the kitchen before the brick wall nearer the cabinets and dining room we are dropping the ceiling (to clean the ceiling up visually due to beams etc we couldn't remove in that part of the kitchen) so it will also be different ceiling heights where the 2 pendants will be hanging. Greg says we won't even notice that as the brick wall will block the view of where each pendant originates when you are on the other side and all you will see is that they end up at the same endpoint hanging evenly. I am not sure I did a great job describing it but just in case you read this thanks for getting through it lol.



And here is the before photo. We are changing the orientation of the island 90 degrees in order to increase the size we have to do this and that is the issue where the brick wall will now hang over it asymmetrically and we have to put one pendant in front of and one pendant behind the brick wall so while the pendants will be centered over the island they will be not evenly spaced from the brick wall. Does that make sense? The island will be perpendicular to the brick wall instead of parallel as it was before. OK it might be too early to attempt explaining the dilemma as I feel I am being a fuzzy explainer and again thanks for the input.



My niece turned 12 yesterday and in December my sister and BIL bought a mobile phone for her (her first) and we were texting for the first time yesterday. I love it! She's like a young adult and it is adorable. OF course my sister and BIL are very conscientious and she isn't allowed to take it to school or text or speak to anyone that isn't in her already approved contact list.

Enjoy a wonderful Saturday. Temps are dropping again to single digits soon but hey the warmth was welcome while it was here. Hope everyone stays comfy cozy and enjoys.

 

[CJ2008]

Good morning NIRDIs and happy Saturday!

Hi @missy! For sure, easier to let the hair just grow in. And believe me, I'm tempted. But my hair is such a mousey (Mousey!) light brown, it lacks depth, and luster, it really does nothing for me. I ended up finally dying it, but I am not liking it too much. More on that below.

But yes, grapeseed is one of those high heat oils. It had been recommended to me (along with other recommendations) when I did a full blown super in-depth blood test a few years back. She also had me take the mercury out of my teeth, etc. She was also the reason I stopped drinking bottled plastic water. I changed a lot of things because of that one test.

Yeah the yogurts I eat are just boring and have zero sugar. But honestly when I'm eating well I think of food more as fuel rather than as something that needs to taste great. At least Monday through Thursday. Walnuts and almonds are my go to nut snacks.

You said in another post that beans are supposed to be inflammatory. I had read something like that before, but I had forgotten. Dairy is considered to be inflammatory too right? And what does inflammation cause? (I know that's a huge question and I will do some research on my own, but if you would be wiling to share what you think it causes for you it may help me recognize whether it may be doing some of those things to me without me even realizing it.)

I think I actually get what you're saying about the island and the pendants! I'm surprised by this not because I think you did a poor job explaining but I'm such a poor visualizer I usually can't "get" things like unless you draw them for me. I don't really have any advice or opinion other than function is important. It's what will add pleasure and convenience when using that space every day. So that should weigh heavily I think and secondary to the "look". Hopefully whatever you choose you'll end up with something you like a lot that is also super functional.

hi @PierreBear! I looked up the soup in the NY Times. Is it this one? https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1016062-red-lentil-soup-with-lemon If not can you share it?

I've been doing really good all week diet wise. Just like that I'm back to good habits, which is a relief. Although I did sneak in some panettone bites yesterday when I served DH some with his coffee. And yes, I add yummy things sometimes to my yogurts too. I try different fruits, nuts, etc.

My DH loved the watch. We have to go get it sized before he can wear it though.

@austina so true that our taste buds adjust. When I gave up sugar, I did it cold turkey. Took me maybe about two days to enjoy my coffee completely black. The only time I'll ever add sugar to my coffee is like a super strong espresso which I drink maybe once or twice a year. I just had to get back to my old habits of eating healthily. I can't eat poorly for too long, I fluff up and start feeling heavy and slow and I just don't like it.

@marcy I had missed when you had said about me spitting out the fermented veggies that is a good attitude to have for life in general. Sounds like you're not a worrier at all.

@junebug17 I used to put a sprinkle of artificial sweetener on apple slices. It's actually really yummy. Sometimes you have to little things to get yourself to eat more of what you know is good for you. I am super impressed on your race commitment! Go Juney!

OK girls hope I didn't miss anything too big.

ETA: Oh, forgot to tell you guys. I dyed my hair. I don't like how it came out for the first time ever. I mixed in red like I did last time but last time I had put in like maybe half a tube of the red so you couldn't see it. I felt like it may have given it a subtle undertone but that's it. This time I used a full tube of the red and you can see it. And I don't like it. Plus I did a horrible job of covering the underneath of my hair by the neck. So when I put it up you can see the different tone. I don't know what happened. Well, I kinda do. Partly it was being a little lazy and wanting to just get it over with. Partly it's that by my neck in the back sometimes I can get somewhat of a rash so I was too careful this time. As far as the red I just didn't write down what I did last time, and I should have. It's only a demi permanent color, so I'm not super worried. I'll wash it today and see how it looks. If I can still see too much of the red I'll have to redye it (my punishment for putting off doing it now I have to do it TWICE arrgggggghhh). I might need to redye it just to get that neck part done. Arrggghhhhh

Sending you all hugs and a super cozy, fun, Saturday!

 

[marcy]

Hi NIRDIs!

Missy, your kitchen is going to look awesome. I like those nights when you can just pull something out of the freezer and cook it. I might make a pot of soup soon so I can freeze up some cups of soup for lunch. Wouldn’t that be great if they transferred some motivated employees to me. I might inherit 2 of them from another one of my boss’s teams. One can hope. Yeah fo ra nice long weekend. Maybe they could do the set up and wiring for the pendant lights in the ceiling but cover them; that way if you find the ceiling lights aren’t enough it would be easy to add them. I am checking out our pendant lights over our island and we have the exact same issues. Until you mentioned different ceiling heights I honestly never paid attention to it because as Greg pointed out you won’t notice because they hang evenly at the bottom. Now I see the difference in chain length. For the man cave Marty got bar lights with really bright little lights; they hang down a little but nothing like pendant lights. I don’t mind our pendant lights but now that your mention it would look cleaner without them. I think the extra light they put out helps over the island. That’s great your can text with your niece now.

PierreBear, I hope you get plenty of rest this weekend and feel better. Let me know what you think of the InstaPot. It’s sure being advertised as the greatest thing since sliced bread. I have a friend who has one and she loves it. It’s nice you guys live off one salary. We technically do too but it would mean a major life style change to go to one income. Although I do keep thinking about it. Thanks for enjoying the view of a starry sky and thinking of me. I was driving over Vail Pass in Colorado one time about 2 am and I’d get to a spot where the road was straight and not a car was in sight and I’d stick my head out the window for a few seconds and dim my lights. Wow what a view! I was happy when someone in our caravan had to stop for a pit stop; I was out of the car enjoying the stars immediately.

Junebug, that is quite a temperature drop for you. We’ll do that when a snow storm moves in and during the summer a rain storm really drops the temps for about an hour. I have been making the mini pizza because I don’t like cold pizza much anymore. I used to but maybe since I’m cold all the time I prefer hot food. It didn’t make sense to make a pizza, eat 2 pieces and waste the rest of it. Marty mixes fresh berries in his Greek yogurt. I tried it and wasn’t a fan. Good luck and have fun with the 10K this spring.

Austina, that’s great you like your wavy light better than a hanging light. I just looked at our island and dining room and it would look so much better without our pendant lights. Marty could adjust them higher but they’d still be there. That will be some cruise. My in-laws go on one or two cruises a year and loves them. I bet you are excited. I’d wait a few months t get a larger carat bangle from WF. I really want to visit there sometime. I know that would be a costly trip. I enjoyed my 110 mph burst. My sister told me not to tell Marty and my response was “why? He’ll be proud of me.” I told my boss that and he said, no Marty will say “challenge accepted”. Glad your trusty workhorse will get up there too.

CJ, yeah for healthy eating. I am glad your DH likes his watch; darn that he can’t wear it yet. I am not a coffee drinker. Marty loves espresso; he suckered me in to trying it one time and I can still remember how bitter it tasted. Spitting our bitter things is a great attitude to have for life. I actually am a worrier but I really work about not letting things get to me. I know it doesn’t help so why stress myself out? Darn that you don’t like your new dye job; I hope after a few washes it will grow on you.

I got frustrated at work yesterday with those 5 people that work for me and was sure thinking maybe I should retire. Same faces and same stories as before; I just don’t get how people can have such a poor work ethic and no motivation. It gives me a bit of job security because I don’t think one of them can replace me.

My sister and BIL came to town today. We all went out for lunch and visited quite a bit. It was fun. She took my Yogo ore home and I told her i expected her to find 3 gem quality stones in there because I have my ring planned already. Ha!

Marty is headed to the bar shortly but I’m staying home. We were invited to a 30th birthday party at a millennial type bar with a very unique food and bar menu. I looked it over, thought it was very pricey and there wasn’t anything I would like. The party is for a friend of ours husband, I don’t really care for him and I like his friends less. I’d be bored so I am staying home to work on laundry. I know, I’m unsociable but last year I went as the DD and didn’t enjoy myself at all. Marty said he wasn’t staying long or drinking much so I don’t have to pick him up. Works for me.

Take care.
Marcy

 

[marcy]

Missy, see what Marty thinks pendant lights are good for? Poor teddy.

 

[marcy]

Here are our lights. I took this with kitchen and dining room lights off to reduce glare.

 

[missy]

Good morning girls!

CJ thanks for reading my whole description about the kitchen and getting it! I'm sorry your hair didn't turn out to be the color you wanted (lol to Mousey see Mousey can rock haha) and as you already wrote it will soften as you wash it not being permanent so please don't worry. I hate it when that happens though but it will become much nicer as you wash it. I am letting my hair turn gray again and seeing what happens. It has been 3 plus months or so since I did my first highlight and he didn't really cover the gray roots at that time so that has been growing for many months and it isn't too bad. It sort of blends OK because my hair is no longer the super dark brunette color it was when I was younger so the contrast is not too terrible. And even though it is noticeable at this point I am OK with it but I reserve my right to change my mind at any time haha.

So to try answering your question there is no black and white answer though I sure wish there was. We know yes dairy is a highly inflammatory food for most people. Not for all however. And this is an interesting research article that highlights some of that and shows that the right (i.e. some forms of) dairy is anti inflammatory in those not allergic or dealing with other health issues associated with not digesting the dairy properly. It's confusing but interesting. I know for me it causes inflammation and breakouts on my face so I stay away from dairy generally (except for cheat days in the summer enjoying ice cream during a long bike ride and those days seem ages away now sigh).

http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/10408398.2014.967385

Beans I am still not completely sure about. They are listed as powerhouse foods on many lists yet it seems they often can cause problems based on some complex issues and the way they are broken down in our bodies.

Here is a link when you have time maybe read it and see what your thoughts are? This is my thinking as of now. I think if you are susceptible (i.e. autoimmune issues) then it could be a problem but if you are A OK then I think it is good to eat beans, legumes, etc. So for someone like me beans can cause inflammation despite being a healthy food for many people. They can also be a very unhealthy food for some. As with many issues the answer is in shades of gray.

https://www.amymyersmd.com/2017/06/the-problem-with-grains-and-legumes/

and this is an interesting link too worth reading.

https://thepaleodiet.com/beans-and-legumes-are-they-paleo/

So glad your dh loves the watch and once it is sized he can wear and enjoy it. What a great gift CJ!


Marcy wow thanks for the photo and for reading my long explanation and description of the kitchen issues. That is a great illustration for me and I really appreciate you sharing it. What your kitchen has going for you is that the island pendants are centered over the island perfectly. Ours will be centered over the island but that brick wall will be causing an asymmetry as well as the ceiling height being different. But your photo is very helpful and if we have to go with pendants it wouldn't be the worst thing. Thank your teddies and bunnies for helping in the photo taking as well. They are super photogenic that is for sure. Big kisses and hugs to them and you!

Glad you enjoyed a lovely day with your sister and BIL and I think it is great how close you are with your families. You and Marty and both your families get together often and I think that is wonderful!

Sorry your work employees are so unmotivated and inefficient and uncaring. It makes your job so much harder. I really hope you get some excellent motivated employees transferred to your department soon. AT this point I think the killer bunnies could do a better job than some of your team now. Oy.

Glad you stayed home and didn't attend the party at the bar for the person you didn't care for...I am with you. Call us unsociable or call us smart because if you don't care for the person and wouldn't enjoy yourself at the venue and your dh doesn't mind if you don't go it's the smart thing to do. And the teddies always enjoy your company so win win. And anyway during the cold weather staying inside always seems like a good choice and I know you kwim. It is subfreezing temps here again. Cmon warmer weather.


We ventured out yesterday and visited one of the animal rescues.

And yay a few of them got adopted woohoo! It was cold out yesterday but not frigid. Today is colder but hoping to visit the other animal rescue today who wasn't there last Sunday. They let me know they are going to be there today. So if I can get my act together and wash my hair so it dries before the afternoon I will venture out with Greg again just to visit the kitties.

Enjoy a lovely Sunday girls!

 

[marcy]

Hi NIRDIs!

Missy, you are welcome for the picture. I think you’ll kitchen will look awesome no matter how the lights turn out. If you want me to get a picture from the other direction I sure can (where the frig and other cabinets show. I think your brick wall will be fine even being asymmetrical with your island. When I look at our kitchen I don’t look up so everything looks even to me. The bears and bunnies aren’t camera shy. LOL to the killer rabbits doing a better job; I have no doubt about that. Both of us were content with my decision to stay home last night. Marty had fun and he said he thought I would have enjoyed it but he seems fine with it. Yeah for some of the recuse pets being adopted. Did you venture back out today?

You can definitely change your mind about your hair; I keep thinking of getting mine highlighted but then there is that time when you either let it grown out or keep doing something to it.

t was chilly in here this morning (even to Marty) so I checked our thermostat and sadly the inside was in the 60's rather than the set 72. Marty went down to check the furnace and it kicks on but shuts off right away. We called in a repairman (love those instafees for emergencies) and our ignitor is broke in half. Naturally of the ones he had with him; none of them fit. You'd think that would be standard. Hopefully he'll be back with the right part. The same thing happened in our old house 10 years after we bought the place, we've been here 5 years which again shows how they don't make things to last anymore. Tomorrow is going to be cold and snowy so I hope he can find the part today.

Marty had fun at the birthday party last night. There were a lot of arcade games in that place so that is what they did most of the night.

I have a roast baking (should help warm up the house) and we've got the fireplace going.

Marty is heading to DIA at about 3; he is headed back to El Segundo. Fun.

Have a great day!
Marcy

 

[missy]

Marcy! I am so sorry about the furnace and hope it gets fixed today! Safe trip to Marty and thanks for all your kitchen (and everything) help. You're a doll and sending you lots of warm vibes and big hugs.

We are leaving to visit the animal rescues in a little bit. Just waiting for my hair to finish drying. Me and my one eyebrow. LOL. It wouldn't be so bad if the skin wasn't so swollen red and painful yanno? But such is life at the moment and I am doing the best I can. It really helps knowing some of you are here on my side rooting for me as I am you and thank you so much Marcy. You are a dear to me.

OK good luck today and keep me posted re the furnace. I have a good feeling it will be fixed today because they cannot let it go so your pipes don't freeze. They are on it and it will be fixed!!!

 

[marcy]

Thanks Missy. The repairman just left and we have heat again. $302.65 but hey those weekend fees are always high and I get it.
I am sorry your skin is swollen and painful. I am always rooting for you!
My hair takes a long time to dry too but I bet your long hair takes a super long time to dry; especially if you have high humidity. I remember when we were at the beach in SC it took most of the day for my hair to dry.
Laundry is done. The roast beef is roasting. The house is warm. Marty just set up those wireless earbuds for me on my devices. He bought them and really liked them but they don't fit his ears. Score one for me.

Have a fabulous day.
Marcy has heat

 

[junebug17]

Hi everyone!

Missy, I get what you're saying about the pendant issue, you explained it very well! I think Greg is right, you won't even really see where the pendants originate from. And I'm thinking the pendants would look ok not being evenly spaced with the wall, I wonder if it would even really be that noticable. And as CJ said, maybe it's better to go with what works functionally and not worry as much about the appearance. But I know you'd prefer not to have pendants so I hope Greg and the contractor can come up with an alternative.

Aw such a sweet pic of one of the kitties up for adoption! I'm so glad a few of them were adopted. I always feel a little ache in my heart when I stop by the adoption area in Pet Smart, I wish I could take them all home with me. Thanks for your support about the run! I'm not feeling that confident at this point but I'll follow the training plan and see how I do.

CJ, sorry your hair didn't turn out as well as you wanted and hopefully washing it will help a little. I can see where you wouldn't want to redye it! Good for you for sticking to your healthy eating plan. Thanks for the encouragement about the run, hopefully I'll be able to pull it off lol.

Marcy, ugh, so sorry you're having such a frustrating time with people at work. I hope next week goes more smoothly. I love your house, it's beautiful! Glad you had a nice visit with your sister and her husband. Oh no, that poor bear! Good for you for passing on a party you would absolutely not enjoy, I would have done the same and I think we're at the point in our lives where it's ok to say no to some things.

PB, oh my goodness, your husband's 100k makes my 10k look like a walk around the block lol! I hope you're taking it easy this weekend and getting some rest.

Austina, I'd say a larger carat weight bangle is a good trade-off for waiting until September! The WF bangle is just gorgeous, love it. It's impressive you did a 3k run, and especially after knee surgery. I'm not sure what I've gotten myself into but I'll give it a try!

Not too much going on here - I do have to brave the cold because today is the last day to return some jeans I bought at Old Navy. I used to have good luck with their jeans but they don't seem to be as comfortable or fit as well as they used to.

Hope everyone is enjoying their Sunday!

 

[Austina]

Hello lovelies

I think you’ve explained things well @missy, and I think it’s going to be one of those suck it and see situations. You won’t know what it’ll look like until you can see exactly where the lights end up being positioned. Don’t forget that other people won’t notice if something’s not perfectly symmetrical. Hopefully when Greg meets the contractor, they can find a solution you’re happy with.

Sorry that your eyebrow/skin is still being problematic, are you using the meds that didn’t work last time ?

What a beautiful little puss, looks like the Burmese Blues my friend had, such pretty cats.

If I let my hair dry naturally, I’d look like Medusa

Why do things always go wrong at the weekend @marcy? Glad you managed to get someone out to fix it, but ouch to the big bill.

We’re roast beef twins today, we had cauliflower, broccoli, carrots, roast potatoes and parsnips, and Yorkshire puddings with ours, and of course lots of gravy.

Highlights are less high maintenance than an all over colour, and if done well, won’t look too noticeable if you decide not to get them redone. I have them put in at the front, just to break up the colour and only get them redone every 4-5 months because they’ve grown out. The rest I get coloured every 5 weeks, or I’d look like a badger. I just don’t see a time when I won’t colour my hair, unless it turned all grey overnight

Sorry your hair didn’t turnnout the way you hoped @CJ2008, I used to colour my own hair and found that I got good results by sectioning it like they do at the hairdressers.

I’m sure if you prepare well, you’ll do it @junebug17 it took me about 40 minutes to run 5K, I was pleased with the time and raised about $1200 for Cancer Research. Now I just donate

I’m happy to wait till September for a bigger carat weight bangle, I’ve waited this long

If any of you ever want to visit Whiteflash in the future, you’ll be very welcome to stay with us when we’re living in Austin, because I’ll always be up for the drive there and live vicariously through your search

We went out for dinner to a friend’s house last night, I checked on Dottie with the app on my phone and Dottiecam, and we could hear her snoring It’s reassuring that she’s so relaxed when we’re out.

Busy week coming up, this is the bit I don’t like about going away!

 

[junebug17]

Hmm, I managed to miss a few posts...

So sorry your eyebrow is still giving you trouble Missy, I was hoping the ointment would kick in for you. Sending lots of healing vibes to you.

Oh no to the furnace and expense Marcy! At least someone was available on the weekend to fix it. Enjoy your wireless ear buds.

Austina, your dinner sounds deliciousl!

 

[missy]

Good morning girls and Happy Martin Luther King Jr Day!
He was such a great man and it was and is such a profound loss his senseless murder.

Junie Not only do I know you can do the 10K I know you will do it well and I know you will put in the time and energy to be prepared. I am very impressed Junie because you are not a runner (and either am I) and it is amazing you are even undertaking this adventure. You go girl! We are all on your side cheering you on!!!

I hope the jean return went well yesterday and that your venturing out yesterday proved to be enjoyable. We went out and visited the rescues again (Sunday is a different rescue group than Saturday) and our Bianca is still looking for a home. I say our Bianca because I was considering adopting her for a fifth. And it is breaking my heart she still is waiting for her forever home but I just don't think we can do a fifth kitty right now as much as I would love to take her into our home. She is such a sweet cat. 10 months old and sweet as sugar. Hug your sweet Zoe from me please Junie. And thanks for your comfort and support. (((Hugs))).



Marcy woohoo! So glad you have heat and so quickly too and that price doesn't sound too bad at all. Heat is critical and yay to having it again! I know you are missing Marty and I hope he will be home soon. Haha to scoring Marty's wireless earbuds. Yes to fitting you and oh well better luck next time Mr Marty haha. Thank you for always rooting for me and right back at ya girlfriend. XOXO.

Austina your dinner sounds yummy. Haha well if the humidity is high I would look a bit like Medusa with my hair drying naturally if I didn't put humidity gel in it. But in winter it dries pretty quickly (a few hours) and is more wavy than anything. So I am pretty ignorant re hair color treatments. One has to dye the roots to keep coloring the gray that I get but can highlighting be done at the same visit or is that not a smart idea?

And yes to waiting till you can get the biggest baddest bangle you can afford Austina! And time flies anyway so you won't be waiting too long. Sounds gorgeous. Have a lovely Monday and Hugs.

CJ hey there hope your weekend went well. Hugs to your fur babies and you.

Hi Sharon how is the weather by you? Hope all is going smoothly. Hugs.

PierreBear hope your cold is all gone and that you had a fun weekend.

Hi Rainwood hope all is good by you and that everything is in A plus working condition.

I think I figured out what I have re the eyebrow issue and it is not good. I think it is frontal fibrosing alopecia. David had mentioned something about the possibility of scarring alopecia and I finally did some reading last night)-way to relax before bed right lol. And well this sort of fits what I am going through but I will wait to receive the blood results from last week. I don't think it is diagnosed that way but I think David wants to rule other conditions out before he tells me the bad news. I am maintaining a positive attitude however. There is no treatment but alopecia does run in my family (my mom had it in 1992) and there is nothing I can do at this time but wait. The eyebrow skin is red and hurts and is swollen. And very itchy. Losing my hair is the least of the problem at this moment as the discomfort is constant.

We enjoyed a lovely albeit cold day out yesterday but it felt great to be out despite the weather and visit the kitties and just enjoy the sun which was plentiful. Hope everyone had a great weekend and is having a lovely Monday.

Leaving you with one of my favorite MLK Jr quotes though I have many favorites and it is hard to choose.

In the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends.

 

[PierreBear]

Hello NIRDI friends! I’ve still been hacking a lung up over here but we had a restful weekend. I did try the instapot for the first time. Just did the first step, which was make steam and then made sweet potatoes. I’ll be honest, it hasn’t won me over. The sweet potatoes were a lot softer than doing in the microwave but after 18 minutes of high pressure cooking, part of the center was still a bit hard. I know it will take some time to figure out the timing of everything but we are talking 20 minutes versus the less than 5 minutes in the microwave. I won’t give up yet since I don’t like things in the house that just sit there. My next step is to boil eggs and make that French onion soup since @Austina inspired me!

We were rug/runner shopping and the CB2 one shipped this weekend. However, we tried it out and decided to return it. It was a bit too thin and didn’t cover up the entrance to the French doors well and blended into the floors a bit too much. Too bad though as the rug is really beautiful.

https://www.cb2.com/equinox-grey-ombre-runner-2.5x8/s487508

Went bold and got the West Elm one below. Hopefully it will work out. I’m afraid it looks a bit too New Mexico/Native American feel given the geometric shapes and won’t work with the other modern features in the house. However, the color is fun. Hey, worth a try!

https://www.westelm.com/products/multi-pixel-woven-rug-t1384/?pkey=crugs-flooring

Other than that, we tried a brunch place that we haven’t been to over the weekend. What a blessing that we were able to get in without a reservation and at first was worried they only had outdoor seating and it was 50 degrees outside. There was several alcoves on the side of the restaurant but they had this wonderful outdoor heater attached to the ceiling. It was so warm and the sun was shining. Ambience was great and it made us feel like we were back in Europe. @Jimmianne – you know what that is like I’m sure.

Hope ya’ll have a great rest of the week. Supposed to sleet/snow tomorrow and no one knows how to drive so we already talked about whether work would be viable tomorrow. If there is no work, I’ve got some books calling my name!

@junebug17 – Hello friend! Great job on signing up for a 10K. What a fun idea to do it with DH and DS. Will you be running together the whole time? I know you can do it! I have a swimming background and never thought in a million years that I would run many miles. Let me know if you have any questions or if I can help in any way.

Jeans shopping is the worst! I think I dislike shopping for pants as much as I dislike shopping for shoes.

@Austina – Thanks for the warning on the anemic looking soup. The instapot has a function to sautee so I guess I would at least try it to avoid dirtying up another pot.

OOhhh congrats on going up in carat weight for the bangle and doing it by just the timing of CC. So savvy with your funds! What are your thoughts on the ACA for the future purchase? Very excited for you!

Hilarious that you can hear Dottie snoring on the phone ap.

I’ll join in on the WF adventures too when anyone comes down south! For living so close, we’ve only been there once. It’s only opened on the weekday so you still need to do some planning.

@missy – Good idea on changing the orientation of the island to get more space. I bet it will feel a bit strange at first since you are used to it one way and then it will be like the back of your hand!

Happy birthday to your niece. Oh mmyyyy…. Texting on a smart phone. Did she figure out aps yet? Hehehe

I hope health wise you are doing well! Dust dust dust to your eyebrow. You are still beautiful though, don’t forget!

@CJ2008 – Yes you found the recipe!!! Let me know what you think when you make it. Thought it had simple ingredients and was quick to make. DH and I both loved it.

Glad to hear your husband loved the watch!!

Sorry that the dye job didn’t turn out exactly how you liked it. Hopefully the wash and sun overtime will blend it in and look more like last time?!

@marcy – Glad you had fun with your sister and BIL. What is a Yogo ore? Type of colored stone?

Sorry to hear about the work frustrations but yes, you are irreplaceable! Haha… cute Christmas teddy and the killer rabbit!

Ohhh no to your furnace not working well but glad you got it resolved so quickly!

 

[Austina]

Hello lovelies


Awwww @missy, Bianca is such a little beauty, what a shame she’s not been rehomed yet. It must be so hard seeing them, I would be the same and want to take them all home.

I have my roots done, and foils at the same time (in the front). I’m fortunate that I have thick hair (that so far, isn’t thinning due to age), and can pretty much do anything to it without any detrimental results.

I’m sorry it sounds like alopecia, and is causing you so much stress and discomfort You’re coping really well with all the issues you’re dealing with, big hugs.

Poor you @PierreBear I hope your cough subsides soon, it’s miserable when it lingers.

Adam has an instant pot and uses it quite a lot. I think he regularly makes Tinga (?) in it. You must let me know how your French onion soup turns out

Soup du jour is Celeriac, (looks like the Borg Queens head in Star Trek ) taste a little aniseedy, I add a couple of carrots to sweeten it, and a potato to give it more body.



My thoughts on a future purchase at WF aren’t necessary the same as Colin’s, but hey, I’ve got lots of birthdays and big anniversaries in the future, so we’ll see. Either way, I want to look at their ACAs as I’m staggered when I see people posting J/K’s looking so white. I would love a 3ct ish, but we’ll have to see how things are when we move, as it’ll be an expensive exercise, and anything bought before then will carry a 20% VAT charge bringing it here.

We’ll have to organise a NIRDI road trip to WF in the future

Hope you returned your jeans with no problem @junebug17 I have trouble finding ones that fit my odd shape, and I won’t pay a lot for them as I mostly only wear them for dog walking and grocery shopping.

Hope your keeping warm and safe @marcy, and have had a good day at work.

Big wave out to all the NIRDIs

 

[canuk-gal]

HI:

NIRDIs hello! Shout out to all who read, post, and yanno.

PB--keep your lungs in situ, they are useful!

Missy--your skin and autoimmune issues make me sad cuz I wish I could help. My dear sister has skin, gut and autoimmune issues (and neuralgia) so I relate to your posts. In solidarity! And that white kitty is a sweetheart--thanks for sharing.

No instapot for me....I have enough pots that constantly need filling and cleaning that I don't need one more. Could I have an INSTA HELPER (cooks, cleans, and makes great martinis??) instead? NOW that would be priceless!

Silly weather--at least it isn't -30C here. I hope to get outside for a decent walk tomorrow---I'll be wearing my OLANG. Imminently useful. https://olangcanada.com/en/technologie-olang-2017/

Marcy--work is work is work is work. I get it for sure.

Austina hope your cruise is all that you hope. Having an app. for relaying snoring dog sounds really is the best.

Thanks for reading...such as it is!

cheers--Sharon

 

[CJ2008]

Sorry guys for being MIA for a bit...distracted with a few things.

Will be back soon.

Hope you're all doing good.

Hugs.

 

[missy]

Good morning girls! It's Tuesday but feels like Monday right?

Thank you Junie, Marcy, Sharon, Austina, PierreBear and CJ! I am feeling OK despite it all. If I left anyone out I am sorry I didn't mean to...just wanted all of you who care about me to know I really appreciate it and care so much about you too.(((Hugs))).

Sharon I am so sorry your sister has auto immune and gut issues with skin manifestations as well. Sending her lots of good thoughts and healing vibes and (((HUGS))) and big (((HUGS))) to you too. Yes we are not just bling sisters and have much in common and I know you understand what I am going through.

Those Olang boots are TDF!!!! I searched just now for Olang and I LOVE the Glamour red Boot of theirs but alas it is no where in the USA in my shoe size. I am so sad because those boots ROCK! And are just my style. Bad ass but functional yeah! LOVE. Thank you for sharing them and I now have them on my wish list. Stay warm and safe and cozy!

Austina thanks for the info re hair color. That soup looks awesome. And yes please buy the bling when you are living here and avoid the VAT charge. So much bling to look forward from some of the NIRDIs and I cannot wait. Of course first you have a wonderful cruise to enjoy and enjoy I know you will!

PierreBear hope today you are almost all better and sorry the InstaPot didn't turn out the way you had hoped. Practice will make perfect I bet and please do share some more of your cooking adventures here. I live vicariously through you ladies since I cannot cook at all and enjoy seeing what's for dinner. Haha. Hope work is going well.

Marcy hope your long weekend went well and that you have a good workweek this week. How's your weather this week?

CJ hello there and hope whatever is happening is going smoothly. Thinking of you.

Junie hope you're having a good week. I think we are getting some snow this week...stay safe and warm.

Also just want to add a shout out to @Sunstorm. Thanks for thinking of me and sending you warm hugs and love. Miss you here but more importantly we are here for you offline always.

Have a lovely day girls!

 

[junebug17]

Hi nirdis!

Missy, I'm sorry it's looking like you might have alopecia and that it' so uncomfortable, sending lots of hugs, support, and healing vibes. Wish there was more I could do for you. Such a frustrating and stressful issue and I'm glad you're managing to stay positive, I know it's not easy. (((Hugs)))

Glad you enjoyed getting out - nice to be out in the sunshine even though it's cold. Bianca is just the sweetest thing, such a beautiful kitty I'm hoping and praying she finds a forever home soon. DS ended up going with me to return the jeans and he bought few pairs for himself. Always nice to have company while running a boring errand! Yes, sounds like we might get some snow, but I don't think it's supposed to be too much? I hope not anyway.

PB, too bad the instapot didn't work as well as you would have liked and I hope you have better results with other foods. Love the rug you picked out and I hope it works for you! Your brunch sounds like it was lovely, and it's great the heater worked so well. Hopefully the weather isn't as bad as predicted, but if it is stay safe. Thanks for your encouragement and thank you for offering to help me, I will probably take you up on that at some point! All 3 of us are going to stay together, even though dh can run faster than ds and me. This is just something for us to do together. Thanks for commiserating with me on finding pants that fit decently - I feel like I've won the lottery when I find a pair that fits.

Sounds like you're still dealing with that pesky cold, I hope it clears up completely for you soon. Colds can linger for so long, that's the worst thing about them imo!

Austina, your soup looks and sounds yummy! Oh my goodness, a 3 carat ACA would be beyond awesome! It does make sense to hold off until you move here but what a great thing to look forward to. Of course in the meantime you have your gorgeous marquise ring to enjoy! Love that ring. Are you planning on taking it with you on your cruise? Thanks for sympathizing with me on the jeans - I have an odd shape and honestly it's very frustrating trying to find pants that look and feel good on me. I don't like paying a lot for jeans either but I might try a more expensive pair to see if there's a difference in the cut and fit. You made good time on your run! Lol to donating from now on, I hear you.

Sharon, love those boots, they look great! Glad to hear it's not bitterly cold and I hope you can get out for that walk. Lol to needing an insta helper lol! I need one of those too!

CJ, good luck with everything and I hope things are ok.

Not much going on - dh was home yesterday and we had a nice day. Heading over to Costco today for a few things and doing a little cleaning, and that's about it.

Have a great day everyone! xox

 

[Austina]

Hello lovelies

I had a look in my jeans and they are Lee brand @junebug17 they’re the only ones that fit me (hallelujah for Lycra ) Most are too low rise, or stick out at the back, but they do so many different shapes, that you may have luck finding a good fit. I get mine in Vanity Fair at the Outlet in San Marcos, less that $20 usually, which is as much as I want to spend on jeans.

Oh yes, I’m definitely wearing my Marquise ring on the cruise, and will take my rainbow sapphire necklace and bracelet. I also having matching earrings and a full eternity, but unfortunately, it no longer fits

Wow, those boots are great @canuk-gal just perfect for your weather. Thanks for the good wishes, I’m sure we’ll have fun. Hopefully, a lovely Canadian couple we’ve met a few times before will be on board, and we can get a quiz team together.

Hi @CJ2008 hope all is well with you and Mousey.

Hope you’re safe and well @marcy.

Hi @missy hope you’ve been having a good day today and keeping snuggly and warm. It’s sooooo cold here today.

I went to Pilates today, couldn’t make it last week because of my dental appt, and I can feel my muscles have been worked.

Got a hair appt tomorrow for my cut and colour, and boy do I need a haircut! It’s been 7 weeks and I never go this long, just stretched it out because of the holiday.

 

[marcy]

Hi NIRDI’s!

Junebug, I have definitely reached a point where I am not going to go to things I won’t enjoy. I just don’t like hanging out in bars all night anymore. Has it warmed up there yet? I do like the wireless earbuds. I took them to work yesterday but decided I’d just use them at home. I hate to lose them. Did you buy out Costco?

Austina, things do definitely always break at the most inconvenient time. Your roast beef dinner sounds delicious. That’s good to know highlights don’t require as much maintenance. I just to use that frost and tip kit a long time ago and liked it. Proposal accepted on NIRDI’s visiting Whiteflash. Sounds fun. Glad to hear Dottie is resting peacefully. Ooh to a 3 carat ACA. That would be gorgeous. I’m a colorless diamond snob but I so agree J/K ACA do look white. With a 20% VAT added there I’d wait until you move too. Your soup looks great.

Missy, Bianca is a cutie; hopefully she finds a happy home soon. Sorry you can’t take her home with you. The earbuds are nice; they sound better than the cheap ones I’ve always bought. Marty got some more of the Bose noise cancelling earbuds that he used before. I was happy to pay $300 to get my heat working again. I read up on frontal fibrosing alopecia; it sounds like so many of the symptoms fit. Sorry it is so painful. I hope it gets better NOW.

PierreBear, I hope you feel better soon. Coughing is so irritating and makes you feel miserable. I am not convinced to buy an instapot yet. Keep us posted. We had some food cooked in it at a friends house and it wasn’t impressive at all. Darn that your rug didn’t work out. It’s hard to find something you really like. Did you get the snow / sleet? I hope you stayed home.

Sharon, I agree an Insta Helper would be awesome. That is cold. It was -3 last night; I have no idea what the wind chill was though. Work is definitely work and a 4 letter word.

Hi CJ. Good luck with your distraction.

OMG to the stuff coming out at work - blah blah blah. I’m in a manager’s essential class for 2 days and I swear tomorrow I need to take in some grape Kool-aid. It’s obvious our company going back to our original company means we are the unwanted step children. Based on what I heard today no one is going to be happy with their appraisals and very few people will get a raise. I have to revise most of mine again tomorrow before going back to class. They also have your break up in to groups and do role playing. I am not a fan of that. I also am getting the vibe the instructor drew the short straw to come teach the class. He sure got an ear full today about how upset we all are at getting information now we should have had 2 months ago. I should take a bear and rabbit to class tomorrow so I can entertain myself.

I went in early and came home late. I won’t make that mistake tomorrow. It was cold here today but no snow. Of course compared to Sharon we had banana belt weather here today. Looks like snow is in the forecast for the weekend. Marty flies home Saturday morning so hopefully the snow won’t delay his flight. I have a hair appointment Saturday morning then I think I’ll make some homemade soup that day.

Take care.
Marcy

 

[missy]

Good morning girls! All this talk of homemade soup is making me hungry haha.

Junie hope yesterday was relaxing and that Costco wasn't crowded. The Costco in Brooklyn is always crowded no matter the day or time. So if at all possible we go at the beach Costco and if not possible Greg goes without me to the Brooklyn Costco. Haha yes I avoid it at all costs if possible.

Junie have you ever tried Gap or Banana Republic jeans? I don't know what they are like these days but I own a number of pairs from both and they have or at least had a variety of sizes and in the 90s they were good quality if my memory serves me correctly. I really need to sort through all the jeans I own and don't wear. I am such a fan of leggings though. They always fit and can always (IMO) be dressed up to look good when accessorized properly. That is find a good weight that will fit smoothly and cover thy bum. Hahaha at least that is the way I do it. I wear them basically as I would tights and they are much more comfy than tights/stockings. I love leggings with boots and a dress. But I digress.

Austina yes to wearing your beautiful marquise on the cruise and also taking your rainbow sapphire necklace and bracelet. Sounds lovely. I am sorry your eternity doesn't fit. How long does your Pilates class last? When I have been unable to do Pilates for a while I am also sore when I start doing it again. I guess that means it is working a bunch of muscles we don't work without Pilates so woohoo to that. On the cruise ship I bet they have a gym and classes and you might be able to continue your Pilates and workout routine on board.

In the 1970's I used to wear Lee jeans. In the 90s I was a Banana Republic jean fan as they had lots of different lengths and sizes. I don't know about current jeans though as I don't wear them but I have dozens of pairs I should really sort through and give away or get rid of since I don't wear jeans generally.

I am staying snuggly warm here thanks Austina and hope it is warming up by you this week. Supposed to get into the 50s here by Sunday. Cuckoo weather aka whiplash weather. But I will take those 50s!

Marcy what is banana belt weather? As I am eating a banana right now. I love when they are perfectly ripe...yellow with a hint of brown speckles so sweet but not too soft. It's hard to get that perfect banana.

Boo to work stress continuing and for being the unwanted step children. I am sorry no one will be happy with their evals but I hope you will be happy with yours because I know you deserve a great one (unlike most of your employees) no question. And I hope you get a raise though hardly anyone else is going to. It's amazing they lasted this long not doing their jobs properly. I am sorry you guys are getting all this info so late and that your instructor doesn't seem enthusiastic about being there and though I have never participated in any role playing it doesn't sound like any fun. Hope the class is less painful today (yes bring a few bears and rabbits for more personable company) and remember Friday is less than 2 days away so hold on and hang in there.

Hope the weather behaves by you and that Marty's flight on Saturday is not delayed. Are you doing anything special re your hair? New hairstyle or anything different than your usual? How are your wireless earbuds working out? I love wireless technology when it works. It's like magic. Like the internet.

Hope you are feeling all better PierreBear!


Have a good Wednesday girls!

 

[PierreBear]

Good morning beautiful ladies! We had an ice day yesterday. I tried looking outside my windows (north facing) to see whether there were cars on the highway and it was all iced over. First time that has ever happened… so was glad to see that an email went out that we should all stay home for the day. I’m still coughing up a storm but asked a DR friend and described the situation and confirmed that it is viral. Nothing to do but to wait and take a cough suppressant. Not bad news but I really dread the trying to fall asleep at night part…. I’m hanging in there though and still had a great solo day by myself since DH is out of town. Watched some Netflix, folded laundry, finished a book, tried an instapot soup recipe (didn’t love it and could have done it just as quickly over the stove), and I finally polished up/moisturized/weather proofed my leather shoes/handbags. I need to switch out some of my purses more often as some were anniversary gifts. Still warms my heart…. Anyhow, I’ll stop being sappy as I think it’s because I’m eagerly waiting for DH to make it home safely today. Well hope everyone has a good day! Stay safe and warm!

@Austina – Yes ma’am. Many more birthdays and happy anniversaries to come for ya’ll. Last time I went to WF I didn’t catch the ACA bug. I honestly didn’t even ask to compare ACA to their other stones. It would be interesting to do that exercise to see if I could visually see a difference and can’t wait to get your expert thoughts too. Regardless, fun to look at beautiful diamonds even if not to buy like you said. Very exciting about a potentially 3 CT ACA but good idea on waiting until after the move.

Way to go on improving your soup after tasting it a bit. Sometimes I taste something and I’m scratching my head.. hmm it needs something but not sure what and I just default only to salt and pepper. To make that soup it looks like you used an immersion blender to get it smoothed out? I have yet to get that gadget though.

Oh no to your eternity band no longer fitting. What are you going to do with it? I’ve heard that DK can perform miracles and rehab bands really nicely?

@CJ2008 – Hello and hope you are doing well. How is the hair coloring now?

@missy – I don’t think you want to live through my instapot adventures. Tried to make a soup today. Not the French onion one but just a vegetable minestrone type soup. I wouldn’t say it turned out bad but it took the same amount of time over the stove top as it would in the instapot. Perhaps instapot is primarily helpful when trying to cook meat quickly but since we don’t eat meat often, I’m still trying to justify what this gadget will be used for. I won’t give up yet!

@junbug17 – Awesome that ya’ll are all staying together. I described my ironman race being very unfulfilling and not very fun. I think if DH stayed with me (you aren’t really allowed on the bike to do that), I would have had a different experience. Good luck on your training!

@marcy – Ohhh man… not sure if I would recommend an instapot. I mentioned some comments above to Missy if you would like to hear about it.

Sorry to hear about the work issues. Hope there are some donuts or something at the work get together. What type of homemade soup are you making?

 

[MarionC]

Gotta catch up. We are getting snowed in today, again !

 

[missy]

Hi PB glad you’re home today. More Healing dust your way.

Jimmianne it’s snowing here too but it’s not sticking and it’s pretty. Stay warm and comfy cozy.


Greg is at beach house and just sent some photos of our new windows. They’re not done with putting in the new windows but progress is being made. Plumbing inspection passed and electrical scheduled for Friday.











Can you tell it’s snowing at the beach too. But it’s not bad and not sticking and it is a pretty snow.

Ok that’s my exciting update.