Now I really did it :((

[marcy]

Here is my newest Teddy. His name is Graham.

 

[Daisys and Diamonds]

Here is my newest Teddy. His name is Graham.

What a lovelly ted you are Graham

 

[Daisys and Diamonds]

Just quickly popping in, im doing xmas baking after a day in the garden (and watching Netflex )

I hope everyone is having a safe and happy weekend lovelly NIRDI ladies

Now i need to catch up on all your news

I hope all you northern ladies, its warm and cosy in your homes

 

[missy]

GM lovely ladies! Happy big and small dog Sunday.

@Tekate you are a love, thank you. So glad you saw Autie and Mike and John and your best friend and her dh too. I always love brunch and when enjoying it with loved ones it is even sweeter. I hope you had a fun time at the party yesterday and woohoo to feeling all better Kate the great! XOXO

@junebug17 how is your brother doing? And how is your DD doing? Hope your weekend is going well and that you are enjoying it. (((Hugs)))

@Slick1 so glad things are going OK and hoping that continues re Chase and that you get good news soon re your insurance. It is going to be a hassle for me next year as I mentioned previously our insurance company decided they will no longer cover one of the meds I have been taking since 2006. So I am ready for battle. But nonetheless you are going to come through this very well and strong and it is all going to work out no matter what. I just want them to cover the dental work for you and then you and I can go shopping for a 3 carat diamond. Deal? (((Hugs))).

Good morning @Daisys and Diamonds I am glad you enjoyed a day in the garden sounds lovely. What are you baking? I loved baked goods. So yummy and warming. Thank you for the lovely wishes and I hope you are staying comfy and cozy too. How are Gary and Melanie doing Nicky?

@Scandinavian sending you lots of hugs and good wishes and hoping all is going smoothly.

@canuk-gal hope you are having a lovely weekend. And staying cozy and warm. Yesterday was raining but it was in the high 50s F so a very mild day. Wore my light jean jacket all day long. So funny how I am alternating with the winter jackets and spring jackets. Schizophrenic weather. Everywhere.

@marcy yay for lifting all that weight. I am impressed. Glad you finished a good book. So satisfying reading a good book. What kind of cookies are you baking today? I want to live vicariously through you and I think I can almost smell them from here. Good luck getting all your laundry done. Oh I am so sorry your knee is hurting Marcy and I hope it is feeling better this morning. Thank you for enjoying my moon photos and other photos. XOXO.

Aww marcy, I love your new teddy bear Graham. That name is making me hungry haha. What a sweet face he has. And the best part about that is he will always be with you and will never die. Death is most definitely the worst part of having furbabies.

Speaking of death, yesterday was difficult because when we went to Brooklyn all I saw were Francesca's things all around and it made me cry. Her pillows, her toys, her cat hair on everything. Evidence of her all around. It was hard. Took me a bit of time to stop crying and start cleaning. Poor Greg. It has hit him hard too but he is more stoic than I am and while I was crying he was just going about the tasks needed.

We dusted, vacuumed, mopped, disinfected and generally cleaned the whole apartment and also washed the linens and comforter and picked up the mail too (thank you sweet LLJSmom for my kitty gift love it). We accomplished a lot and then we came back to the beach house dropped everything off and went out to Costco, Trader Joe's and I got more driving experience. I am feeling pretty confident with driving right now (though my most difficult task while driving is paying attention as I tend to get distracted which I know is dangerous) but parking is another matter.

It was good to get the Brooklyn cleaning over with but it really hit me hard going there with no Francesca there. The pain makes me feel gutted and the pain is still so strong. I miss her so much. She was my daughter and I don't care what anyone thinks about that statement. I am not equating her to a human child but she was my child nonetheless. And she was with me all the time when I was in the house and I am a homebody so she was with me almost all the time every single day and all night. There is a huge hole in my heart. When we go back to Brooklyn for the winter it is going to be difficult for me because in Brooklyn with Greg at work she was my constant companion. Always sitting on me purring or sleeping. She was my cat soulmate. I was lucky to have more than one heart kitty and soulmate as Billy was also my cat soulmate but somehow this feels like it is hitting me harder and I think it is because Billy was almost 16 when he died but Francesca was so much younger. I think that is why it hurts so much more. I wish she could have had more years. And I apologize to anyone who is reading this and hurting remembering their loved ones who are now gone. @junebug17 and @Austina you girls are in my thoughts every day. And my heart continues to go out to you.

After our exhausting day we finally came home and I had some deliveries waiting for me woohoo. My newest SW blue suede boots. Love them. @bling_dream19 I got them on super sale and they are so pretty. Blue suede and very much OTK. I think they are 23" in length. And I also got some more leggings delivered and they are nice too. Blue jean leggings and while I am not a jean person these are good. They have a pattern on the leg too that made me decide to get them.

First up the blue suede boots (hard to see the color from the photo but they are very blue). I happened to be wearing navy blue leggings yesterday so it all went together but I didn't plan it that way lol.



Newest jean leggings..if you zoom in you can make out the pattern on the leg





I was wearing my sloth t shirt to clean Brooklyn yesterday so excuse my slothy appearance please.
Lastly the leggings I am returning as they fit too low in the crotch. Too bad because I love the pattern (similar pattern to the jean leggings) and the color. But the fit is just not right.



Today is a very windy day but we are hoping we can go cycling. Next week is not a week that looks like we can go cycling as we are too busy that week with so many obligations. So today it is. Winds of 20 plus mph but out of the west so more of a cross wind which is better than a head wind.

Have a lovely Sunday girls and sending you hugs.

 

[Austina]

Hello lovelies

We’re back in Austin, I haven’t had a chance to catch up yet, but I will. We’re off to visit Shirley tomorrow for a couple of days.

Hope all is well in NIRDIland

 

[bling_dream19]

You have been missed @Tekate ! Glad you are back here but sorry to hear you are sick. Flu season is going strong here too. It can get overwhelming picking out everything when building a new house but It’s so much fun watching it all come together.

@Austina , I hope you are having a wonderful time on the cruise. Is the problem with the credit card resolved? My guess is they noticed the card being used in different cities and countries in a very short time.

@marcy, Do you have a goal of how many pounds you want to be able to press? I’m surprised your whole body isn’t talking to you some mornings. If I lifted a fraction of what you lift, a lot more than my arms would be talking to me. I hope you aren’t getting snowed in. Everything will be fine with my brothers on Christmas. Sometimes I think they aren’t happy unless they are complaining about something. They both have grump old man syndrome.

@junebug, I’m sorry you missed out on going to NY but it’s also really nice to get holiday things done early and not rush at the last minute. I’m think I’m almost done with shopping and then I find more fun things to buy for the little ones. We spent this afternoon finishing up Christmas shopping.

@Mamabean, I hope everything works out well with your family for the holidays. Have fun making everything special for Jackson. If only we could keep them little for a few extra years. I’m hoping Chris continues to do well and at some point things improve with your sons relationship. It’s complicated and easy to see how hard this is for everyone involved.

@bling_dream19 , Are you feeling less anxious about getting married? Many people get nervous before getting married. I worried one night before the wedding that our life would change once we got married. We lived together for a few months before we got married and I loved our life together. I felt happy and safe and it was so wonderful to feel that way. I wanted everything to stay exactly like it was. He promised me our life wouldn’t change in the ways that scared me. I also made him promise that he wouldn’t expect me to cook very often.

@av, Please remember to sleep, eat and play occasionally. Were you this busy last year at this time?

Great news Missy.

Hi @Scandinavian , @Slick1 , @Daisys and Diamonds, @canuk-gal and @Jimmianne , I hope everyone is doing well and surviving the rush to get everything done for the holiday.

Thank you Callie I still feel nerves though less than a few days ago. I think what scares me is the commitment and what if

You have been missed @Tekate ! Glad you are back here but sorry to hear you are sick. Flu season is going strong here too. It can get overwhelming picking out everything when building a new house but It’s so much fun watching it all come together.

@Austina , I hope you are having a wonderful time on the cruise. Is the problem with the credit card resolved? My guess is they noticed the card being used in different cities and countries in a very short time.

@marcy, Do you have a goal of how many pounds you want to be able to press? I’m surprised your whole body isn’t talking to you some mornings. If I lifted a fraction of what you lift, a lot more than my arms would be talking to me. I hope you aren’t getting snowed in. Everything will be fine with my brothers on Christmas. Sometimes I think they aren’t happy unless they are complaining about something. They both have grump old man syndrome.

@junebug, I’m sorry you missed out on going to NY but it’s also really nice to get holiday things done early and not rush at the last minute. I’m think I’m almost done with shopping and then I find more fun things to buy for the little ones. We spent this afternoon finishing up Christmas shopping.

@Mamabean, I hope everything works out well with your family for the holidays. Have fun making everything special for Jackson. If only we could keep them little for a few extra years. I’m hoping Chris continues to do well and at some point things improve with your sons relationship. It’s complicated and easy to see how hard this is for everyone involved.

@bling_dream19 , Are you feeling less anxious about getting married? Many people get nervous before getting married. I worried one night before the wedding that our life would change once we got married. We lived together for a few months before we got married and I loved our life together. I felt happy and safe and it was so wonderful to feel that way. I wanted everything to stay exactly like it was. He promised me our life wouldn’t change in the ways that scared me. I also made him promise that he wouldn’t expect me to cook very often.

@av, Please remember to sleep, eat and play occasionally. Were you this busy last year at this time?

Great news Missy.

Hi @Scandinavian , @Slick1 , @Daisys and Diamonds, @canuk-gal and @Jimmianne , I hope everyone is doing well and surviving the rush to get everything done for the holiday.

Hi Callie @Calliecake you're so sweet and your words comforted me yesterday. I still feel nerves but a little less. I think I'm scared if he will hurt me or disappoint me in some way and then I will feel stuck. We both have to put in a lot of hard work. He doesn't show much emotion and I need a lot of reassurance and I take everything seriously and want things perfect pretty much all of the time. I've got issues too lol! We are both aware of our issues and I've got wisdom in my 40s that I didn't have in my 20s. He has given me reassurance that I need to be ok so that is good. How has married life been for you? It seems like you are very happy and I love that for you. Hugs! Thanks for thinking about me and your insight.

 

[bling_dream19]

GM lovely ladies! Happy big and small dog Sunday.

@Tekate you are a love, thank you. So glad you saw Autie and Mike and John and your best friend and her dh too. I always love brunch and when enjoying it with loved ones it is even sweeter. I hope you had a fun time at the party yesterday and woohoo to feeling all better Kate the great! XOXO

@junebug17 how is your brother doing? And how is your DD doing? Hope your weekend is going well and that you are enjoying it. (((Hugs)))

@Slick1 so glad things are going OK and hoping that continues re Chase and that you get good news soon re your insurance. It is going to be a hassle for me next year as I mentioned previously our insurance company decided they will no longer cover one of the meds I have been taking since 2006. So I am ready for battle. But nonetheless you are going to come through this very well and strong and it is all going to work out no matter what. I just want them to cover the dental work for you and then you and I can go shopping for a 3 carat diamond. Deal? (((Hugs))).

Good morning @Daisys and Diamonds I am glad you enjoyed a day in the garden sounds lovely. What are you baking? I loved baked goods. So yummy and warming. Thank you for the lovely wishes and I hope you are staying comfy and cozy too. How are Gary and Melanie doing Nicky?

@Scandinavian sending you lots of hugs and good wishes and hoping all is going smoothly.

@canuk-gal hope you are having a lovely weekend. And staying cozy and warm. Yesterday was raining but it was in the high 50s F so a very mild day. Wore my light jean jacket all day long. So funny how I am alternating with the winter jackets and spring jackets. Schizophrenic weather. Everywhere.

@marcy yay for lifting all that weight. I am impressed. Glad you finished a good book. So satisfying reading a good book. What kind of cookies are you baking today? I want to live vicariously through you and I think I can almost smell them from here. Good luck getting all your laundry done. Oh I am so sorry your knee is hurting Marcy and I hope it is feeling better this morning. Thank you for enjoying my moon photos and other photos. XOXO.

Aww marcy, I love your new teddy bear Graham. That name is making me hungry haha. What a sweet face he has. And the best part about that is he will always be with you and will never die. Death is most definitely the worst part of having furbabies.

Speaking of death, yesterday was difficult because when we went to Brooklyn all I saw were Francesca's things all around and it made me cry. Her pillows, her toys, her cat hair on everything. Evidence of her all around. It was hard. Took me a bit of time to stop crying and start cleaning. Poor Greg. It has hit him hard too but he is more stoic than I am and while I was crying he was just going about the tasks needed.

We dusted, vacuumed, mopped, disinfected and generally cleaned the whole apartment and also washed the linens and comforter and picked up the mail too (thank you sweet LLJSmom for my kitty gift love it). We accomplished a lot and then we came back to the beach house dropped everything off and went out to Costco, Trader Joe's and I got more driving experience. I am feeling pretty confident with driving right now (though my most difficult task while driving is paying attention as I tend to get distracted which I know is dangerous) but parking is another matter.

It was good to get the Brooklyn cleaning over with but it really hit me hard going there with no Francesca there. The pain makes me feel gutted and the pain is still so strong. I miss her so much. She was my daughter and I don't care what anyone thinks about that statement. I am not equating her to a human child but she was my child nonetheless. And she was with me all the time when I was in the house and I am a homebody so she was with me almost all the time every single day and all night. There is a huge hole in my heart. When we go back to Brooklyn for the winter it is going to be difficult for me because in Brooklyn with Greg at work she was my constant companion. Always sitting on me purring or sleeping. She was my cat soulmate. I was lucky to have more than one heart kitty and soulmate as Billy was also my cat soulmate but somehow this feels like it is hitting me harder and I think it is because Billy was almost 16 when he died but Francesca was so much younger. I think that is why it hurts so much more. I wish she could have had more years. And I apologize to anyone who is reading this and hurting remembering their loved ones who are now gone. @junebug17 and @Austina you girls are in my thoughts every day. And my heart continues to go out to you.

After our exhausting day we finally came home and I had some deliveries waiting for me woohoo. My newest SW blue suede boots. Love them. @bling_dream19 I got them on super sale and they are so pretty. Blue suede and very much OTK. I think they are 23" in length. And I also got some more leggings delivered and they are nice too. Blue jean leggings and while I am not a jean person these are good. They have a pattern on the leg too that made me decide to get them.

First up the blue suede boots (hard to see the color from the photo but they are very blue). I happened to be wearing navy blue leggings yesterday so it all went together but I didn't plan it that way lol.



Newest jean leggings..if you zoom in you can make out the pattern on the leg





I was wearing my sloth t shirt to clean Brooklyn yesterday so excuse my slothy appearance please.
Lastly the leggings I am returning as they fit too low in the crotch. Too bad because I love the pattern (similar pattern to the jean leggings) and the color. But the fit is just not right.



Today is a very windy day but we are hoping we can go cycling. Next week is not a week that looks like we can go cycling as we are too busy that week with so many obligations. So today it is. Winds of 20 plus mph but out of the west so more of a cross wind which is better than a head wind.

Have a lovely Sunday girls and sending you hugs.

I love your uni leggings yesterday Missy and LOVE your blue suede boots. They are fabulous!!! And jeggings are the bomb! I'm soo happy for you RW gate is over. I'm sure you and Greg will enjoy the extra time you'll have not having to be Cinderella. And I love sloths! Enjoy your Sunday funday Missy. And thank you for all the wedding thoughts. I keep your words in my head. I want to be cool and calm on wedding day like you were. Hugs! Lots of packing to do today along with deciding which vows and finalizing ceremony.

 

[bling_dream19]

Here is my newest Teddy. His name is Graham.

Graham is really cute! Looks like a snuggler

 

[bling_dream19]

Good morning everyone.

Kate I have been thinking about you so much lately. I hope you feel better and better.

Bling dream. Wedding ARE crazy and stressful, and beautiful . It helps (maybe a little?!) to remember that it’s about love and making memories instead of an exercise in perfection.
You will have a wonderful time.

Missy, same weather here...we went from warm spring weather two days ago to the 20’s this morning. Hard to keep up.

Sharon, no spiky boots here YET. We leave that to the experts. : ) undoubtedly, with your weather you ARE an expert. I hope it makes you feel better that we are having arctic temps this week??? Sisters in slipping, or, rather NOT slipping, hopefully. lol

Oh thank you @Jimmianne Those are great words to remember. Yes love and making memories are most important. I appreciate you.

 

[Austina]

Right, I’ve read up so hopefully will remember everything.

If it’s any consolation @bling_dream19, Colin and I married after a very short time, didn’t even get engaged, and well, in 9 days, we’ll have been married for 41 years! If you’ve got this far, then I feel you must be sure that you’re doing the right thing. Did I have any last minute doubts, of course I did, we hadn’t known each other more than a couple of months when we decided to get married, but deep down, I knew he was the one for me, and we’ve enjoyed the ups and downs that life has thrown at us and are still going strong.

Awwww Graham is lovely @marcy what a great addition to the family. That Marty is a live wire scaring you half to death, but it keeps life interesting and spontaneous.

@missy, don’t ever worry that we don’t understand how you feel, it’s been 10 weeks since Dottie died, and I miss her every day. I find tears in my eyes at odd times and I know that we’ll never have another like her again. I desperately want another, but common sense tells me we should wait to save her the stress of getting her here. I’ve already picked out a name, a lovely old fashioned one that suits their beautiful sad faces, I’m going to call our next one Maude! I’m glad you’re getting back to driving, it’s always good to feel confident enough to drive again. Good news that your Mum and Dad are doing well, and I hope they continue to enjoy better health.
I’m feeling cautiously optimistic that RWGate will soon be over, and you can return to the city, after what’s been a truly awful year.

How sad that one of DH’s colleague had a bereavement, @junebug17 , I know there’s no ’good’ time, but somehow, it always seems worse when it’s during a holiday season when everyone is hoping to enjoy spending time together. How lovely that you’ll all be together at Christmas.

I hope you’re continuing to feel better every day @Tekate, and I’ll email you when we get back from Shirley’s and hopefully we can get together. Choosing everything for the house would be a dream for me, but I understand not everyone is so OCD about home interiors, good job John is happy about making the selections.

Would goodies are you baking @Daisys and Diamonds, I’m sure they’ll all be delicious?

Come on @canuk-gal you can‘t tell us the Tiffany fairy visited and not show us what she left

Are you having a good weekend @AV_?

Have you finished all your gift shopping @Calliecake, it’s fun looking for things for little ones as they are always so pleased with whatever they get. Adam had more fun playing with wrapping paper and empty boxes when he was little, more so than the actual gift sometimes

Well, we finally got hold of Amex, and much as we thought, there was another charge on the card, this time for a much larger amount. Thankfully they know both charges were fraudulent, and we’re not liable, but I hate the thought of someone trying to rip us off. Colin always contacts them in advance and tells them when we‘re away, but we’re sure that it happened at Heathrow. We bought something for Adam, and had to pay using a wireless terminal, and someone obviously cloned our card there. Perfect spot when people know you’re flying off somewhere and won’t check your account, or even have access to your emails. The card has been cancelled and we’ve told them not to send a new one till we get back.

I hope I haven’t missed anyone, the weather here is going to be in the 70’s today, bit of a change from the cruise. We enjoyed it, and met lots of lovely people, but the weather wasn’t great. Best day was Friday when we were in Santa Barbara, which is such a nice place. By the time we were going back to the ship, it was shrouded in such a layer of fog, the tender pilot couldn’t find it! The fog horn was blasting out every minute, and we were getting instructions from the ship, but it took us twice as long to get back as it’d taken us to get to SB.

We’re going out soon, I need to practice driving our hire car before the journey to Shirley’s tomorrow. I just hope she’s in good spirits otherwise it could be a difficult visit.

Enjoy the rest of the weekend lovely NIRDIs

 

[missy]

Just got back from cycling and taking a nice hot bath. Ahhhh...

@Austina I love the name Maude for your next Spinone. It's perfect. And I know you get it. Anyone who has loved a furbaby and lost a fur baby gets it sadly. I am glad your weather is now cooperating and good luck with the visit to Shirley. I hope she is in good spirits and that your time together goes well. Glad the AmEx issue got resolved. It is safe nowhere and about once a year we need to replace our card too. Thank goodness AmEx is pretty on top of these things. (((Hugs))).

@bling_dream19 you are always so upbeat and a joy. You will be the most beautiful bride and radiate joy and love from within and it shows. Good luck packing today and your ceremony finalizing plans as well as the vow choice. (((Hugs))).

 

[Tekate]

@missy Oh I do so understand about what our loved ones leave behind, it's so hard to move the stuff away from sight because it feels so cold and final, my mom died 1/8/00 and I still have 2 of her dresses in my closet, I can't get rid of them, just can't. There are no good words to make you feel better about Frankie's stuff, but know this Missy: she was loved and loved and you and Greg made her life the BEST life.. Being the best of mom's is all a person can ask for.. you know we all care and we are here, tell us stories! It's been very hard for you and @junebug17 and @Austina, you girls have had a hurtful year.. I care girls we all do.. sending you Kate hug and Kate LOVE. MIssy you look beautiful! always do.. my heart to yours. xoxoxo

@Austina jeez someone got your card (or someones).. just sucks. This is why we always carry two cards when we travel because of crap like this.. Happy Christmas! your bank/card company was great to notify you quickly. Hope we get to see each other soon! xoxoxo and Maude is beautiful, love it..

@bling_dream19 So EXCITING!!!! can't wait to hear and see hopefully all about it. xoxoxo

@marcy Graham!!! gorgeous... xxoxoxoxo

@canuk-gal TIFANY! girl share.. xoxoxox

@Jimmianne Hope today was special for you! sending love your way girl. xoxoxoxo

gonna go make some cookies!

sending all the NIRDIs love.

 

[bling_dream19]

Just got back from cycling and taking a nice hot bath. Ahhhh...

@Austina I love the name Maude for your next Spinone. It's perfect. And I know you get it. Anyone who has loved a furbaby and lost a fur baby gets it sadly. I am glad your weather is now cooperating and good luck with the visit to Shirley. I hope she is in good spirits and that your time together goes well. Glad the AmEx issue got resolved. It is safe nowhere and about once a year we need to replace our card too. Thank goodness AmEx is pretty on top of these things. (((Hugs))).

@bling_dream19 you are always so upbeat and a joy. You will be the most beautiful bride and radiate joy and love from within and it shows. Good luck packing today and your ceremony finalizing plans as well as the vow choice. (((Hugs))).

Thank you dear Missy. You are so kind!

 

[junebug17]

@missy, such great news about the negative result - Hopefully as time passes you'll be able to relax and have more confidence in the findings. I'm sorry your return to Brooklyn brought back reminders and memories of Francesca. Very understandable and I know how much a loss can really hurt sometimes. Nice that you're driving while you're at the beach. DD is still dealing with a couple of things but she's in a better frame of mind. And my brother is still struggling a lot right now unfortunately; thank you for asking.

@canuk-gal, thank you for the good wishes about my brother. I hope the next few weeks at work go well for you.

@marcy, you sound like my dh; he wakes up during the night a lot too. Sometimes he watches the golf channel with no sound to knock himself out LOL. Glad work has been going more smoothly for you. I'll have to check out the Michael Connelly book; been looking for something good to read. Sorry about all the snow, take care and stay warm. Hope your knee feels better soon. Love your new bear, so cute.

@Calliecake, shopping for little ones is the best; so many cute things to buy and it makes the holidays so special to see their excitement. Have fun!

@Austina, sorry the weather wasn't great but it sounds like it was still a nice getaway. That's scary about the cc and thank goodness it was caught early. I hope your visit with Shirley goes smoothly and I'm hoping seeing you and Colin will bring her a little happiness.

@bling_dream19, sending you support and comfort... Getting married is a big step so it's understandable you'd be feeling nervous. Just remind yourself of all the reasons you said yes to your fiance when he proposed! There's obviously a lot of love between you and I hope thinking of that love helps calm your nerves.

@Tekate, hope you had a good time at the party. So glad you hear that you're feeling up to going out. And yum to cookies!

Had a nice weekend - yesterday dh and I ordered pizza and watched golf and The Irishman on netflix. Today we just did some things around the house and watched football. Quiet weekend but I'm not complaining!

Take care everyone!

 

[missy]

GM ladies! How can it be Monday morning already? Where is the time going? Scary fast. Isn't it funny how I don't love Mondays despite not working for 2 years? I still hate Mondays. And in fact when I was working I was generally off Mondays. Yet I still don't like Mondays. What's that song? Oh yeah this is it.

@missy, such great news about the negative result - Hopefully as time passes you'll be able to relax and have more confidence in the findings. I'm sorry your return to Brooklyn brought back reminders and memories of Francesca. Very understandable and I know how much a loss can really hurt sometimes. Nice that you're driving while you're at the beach. DD is still dealing with a couple of things but she's in a better frame of mind. And my brother is still struggling a lot right now unfortunately; thank you for asking.

@junebug17 I am so sorry your brother isn't doing well and I hope he starts sleeping better. I wish I could offer some help to him. I know this probably won't help but on the slim chance it will I am going to share this with you. I have been taking Holy Basil at night (thanks @rainwood) for the past almost 2 years and it does help me fall asleep I think. Maybe something he can safely try? Maybe have him check with his doctor first but just a thought. I am glad your DD is managing well despite still dealing with some things. A good frame of mind is important and sometimes that can be hard to get to so I am glad she has that. Sending good thoughts and hugs to your whole family and all my best wishes as always. Glad you enjoyed a peaceful weekend and pizza with dh sounds perfect. I am going to check your rec of the irishman out on Netflix. We just finished watching the newest season of Mrs Maisel. It was excellent and if you haven't checked it out you might want to. Very entertaining. Thank you for your kind wishes Junie. I truly appreciate that and I appreciate you and our friendship. (((Hugs))).

@missy Oh I do so understand about what our loved ones leave behind, it's so hard to move the stuff away from sight because it feels so cold and final, my mom died 1/8/00 and I still have 2 of her dresses in my closet, I can't get rid of them, just can't. There are no good words to make you feel better about Frankie's stuff, but know this Missy: she was loved and loved and you and Greg made her life the BEST life.. Being the best of mom's is all a person can ask for.. you know we all care and we are here, tell us stories! It's been very hard for you and @junebug17 and @Austina, you girls have had a hurtful year.. I care girls we all do.. sending you Kate hug and Kate LOVE. MIssy you look beautiful! always do.. my heart to yours. xoxoxo

Dear @Tekate Kate the very great and wise and loving, thank you for your always kind and generous comments. It brings happy tears to my eyes and warmth to my heart. I am so sorry about your mom and how much you miss her. I know that missing someone so very much means we loved them so very much and you are right. We have to focus on the positive and what we brought to their lives and the unconditional love we shared. I know you care and I care so much about you and the girls here too. You have made my life better and sweeter during what was and is a terribly challenging and traumatic time. Yes I had one disappointing experience with a friend but you know life has lessons for us and if we are wise we listen and are better for it. So for that I am grateful. A little bit of hurt made me a lot wiser. And nothing can touch the hurt of missing our dear Francesca but I am taking your wise words to heart and we did love her as much as anyone could love anyone and we did give her a great life. We showered her with attention and love and care and comfort and I will try holding onto that. Francesca brought so much more to our lives than we could have ever imagined and I just hope (I think she did) she knew how much we loved and adored and yes cherished her. We told her every day multiple times how much we loved her. She will always be in my heart and will always be with me that way. And one day I hope and pray we can all be reunited with her and my grandmother and all my beloved ones that are now gone. And I pray that for you too. For all of us. Sending you hugs and love and all my good wishes. You are truly a great person dear Kate and I love you. Please hug Autie from me and Uncle Greg too. Tell her when we meet her she will have a lovely surprise waiting for her. XOXO.

I love your uni leggings yesterday Missy and LOVE your blue suede boots. They are fabulous!!! And jeggings are the bomb! I'm soo happy for you RW gate is over. I'm sure you and Greg will enjoy the extra time you'll have not having to be Cinderella. And I love sloths! Enjoy your Sunday funday Missy. And thank you for all the wedding thoughts. I keep your words in my head. I want to be cool and calm on wedding day like you were. Hugs! Lots of packing to do today along with deciding which vows and finalizing ceremony.

Thank you for your too kind compliments. I love irreverent clothing and fun things. It makes life more upbeat and so do you. You always bring a happy smile to my face and I am so glad you are here with us in NIRDI and I am also looking forward to seeing you again next year. Meet you at Days. Haha. And you will be married to the love of your life and we will celebrate. Ice cream on us! Hope the packing and vow finalizing went very well yesterday and that today is a happy Monday. XOXO.

@Slick1 hope your Monday goes smoothly. I am thinking of you and keeping good thoughts. (((Hugs))).

@Scandinavian healing dust across the miles to your dear mom. Hoping things are going well. XOXO.

@Austina good luck with your visit with Shirley today. Hoping she is in a good mood and that you enjoy your time with her.

@marcy hope you enjoyed the rest of your weekend and that your Monday goes well and please hug Graham for me. He is a snuggly bear for sure.

@Jimmianne sending you love and warm hugs.

@AV_ sending you hugs and hope you had a good weekend.

@canuk-gal hope your weekend was enjoyable and your week off to a good start. XOXO.

We had a great ride yesterday despite wind gusts of 45 mph. That is right. You heard/read correctly. LOL. But it was mainly a cross wind so manageable but it was challenging at times. We stopped for ice cream at Jimmy's of course. He is so lovely. We always have the best chats with him despite it delaying our day as we are there way too long most of the time just talking with him. But it is always enjoyable and he is such a nice person. I am very fond of him as is Greg.


I found out he has wooden ice cream sticks and I love those so I opted to have my ice cream with that. Much better than plastic spoons. And it takes longer to eat the ice cream so it feels more decadent in a way haha.

And it was a gorgeous day despite the coldness and the wind. And the fact that the sun made only a very brief appearance.

@bling_dream19 this is waiting for you when you return.



@Daisys and Diamonds here you go. A Jersey Shore photo for you from our ride yesterday. Hope you are doing well and hope your loved ones are doing well too.


Today we are getting snow in a few hours. Will it stick? IDK we shall see. Hope everyone has a lovely day and sending you all warm hugs and much love.

 

[MarionC]

hugs and love to you, madame Ice Cream Queen Bee

 

[missy]

hugs and love to you, madame Ice Cream Queen Bee

Thank you dear Jimmianne....did I show you my ice cream dress that I got this summer? It's a big hit. Speaking of fun clothing.



Not me of course as I am all sure you are sick of seeing photos of me in clothing lol. This is a great dress and I have not yet worn it to Dave's or Jimmy's as we are always cycling when we see them but maybe next year.

 

[bling_dream19]

Thank you dear Jimmianne....did I show you my ice cream dress that I got this summer? It's a big hit. Speaking of fun clothing.



Not me of course as I am all sure you are sick of seeing photos of me in clothing lol. This is a great dress and I have not yet worn it to Dave's or Jimmy's as we are always cycling when we see them but maybe next year.

I LOVE that dress Missy!!!

 

[Calliecake]

@Bling_dream , Please try to remember nothing in life is perfect. Human beings are not perfect. People hurt each other at times with no intention of doing so. If you expect perfection, you are going to be disappointed.

On your wedding day, please take the time to stop for a few moments through out the day and soak it all in. This was the best advice that was given to me before my wedding. It is a magical day, You are surrounded by love, but it can also fly by in a breeze. It’s been 28 years and I still remember exactly how I felt during those moments at our wedding. I’m hoping your wedding day is the happiest day of your life @bling_dream.

 

[canuk-gal]

@Bling_dream , Please try to remember nothing in life is perfect. Human beings are not perfect. People hurt each other at times with no intention of doing so. If you expect perfection, you are going to be disappointed.

On your wedding day, please take the time to stop for a few moments through out the day and soak it all in. This was the best advice that was given to me before my wedding. It is a magical day, You are surrounded by love, but it can also fly by in a breeze. It’s been 28 years and I still remember exactly how I felt during those moments at our wedding. I’m hoping your wedding day is the happiest day of your life @bling_dream.

+1. As wonderful as weddings are...."major event" planning is VERY stressful. Cut yourself//partner/family some slack. Push that weight off your shoulders, as it doesn't belong there; but your wedding dress and hugs from your loved ones, does.

cheers--Sharon

 

[bling_dream19]

@Bling_dream , Please try to remember nothing in life is perfect. Human beings are not perfect. People hurt each other at times with no intention of doing so. If you expect perfection, you are going to be disappointed.

On your wedding day, please take the time to stop for a few moments through out the day and soak it all in. This was the best advice that was given to me before my wedding. It is a magical day, You are surrounded by love, but it can also fly by in a breeze. It’s been 28 years and I still remember exactly how I felt during those moments at our wedding. I’m hoping your wedding day is the happiest day of your life @bling_dream.

Oh you made me cry Callie. You are so sweet and a dear person to the core. I am keeping your words in my heart. Congratulations on 28 years of wedded bliss. You are right people hurt each other without the intention of doing so. I struggle with that immensely. He is a good person, not perfect but his soul is pure and he loves me. I have lots to learn and I need to let go of expectations. I too hope my wedding is the happiest day of my life. Hugs to you friend.

 

[bling_dream19]

GM ladies! How can it be Monday morning already? Where is the time going? Scary fast. Isn't it funny how I don't love Mondays despite not working for 2 years? I still hate Mondays. And in fact when I was working I was generally off Mondays. Yet I still don't like Mondays. What's that song? Oh yeah this is it.

@junebug17 I am so sorry your brother isn't doing well and I hope he starts sleeping better. I wish I could offer some help to him. I know this probably won't help but on the slim chance it will I am going to share this with you. I have been taking Holy Basil at night (thanks @rainwood) for the past almost 2 years and it does help me fall asleep I think. Maybe something he can safely try? Maybe have him check with his doctor first but just a thought. I am glad your DD is managing well despite still dealing with some things. A good frame of mind is important and sometimes that can be hard to get to so I am glad she has that. Sending good thoughts and hugs to your whole family and all my best wishes as always. Glad you enjoyed a peaceful weekend and pizza with dh sounds perfect. I am going to check your rec of the irishman out on Netflix. We just finished watching the newest season of Mrs Maisel. It was excellent and if you haven't checked it out you might want to. Very entertaining. Thank you for your kind wishes Junie. I truly appreciate that and I appreciate you and our friendship. (((Hugs))).



Dear @Tekate Kate the very great and wise and loving, thank you for your always kind and generous comments. It brings happy tears to my eyes and warmth to my heart. I am so sorry about your mom and how much you miss her. I know that missing someone so very much means we loved them so very much and you are right. We have to focus on the positive and what we brought to their lives and the unconditional love we shared. I know you care and I care so much about you and the girls here too. You have made my life better and sweeter during what was and is a terribly challenging and traumatic time. Yes I had one disappointing experience with a friend but you know life has lessons for us and if we are wise we listen and are better for it. So for that I am grateful. A little bit of hurt made me a lot wiser. And nothing can touch the hurt of missing our dear Francesca but I am taking your wise words to heart and we did love her as much as anyone could love anyone and we did give her a great life. We showered her with attention and love and care and comfort and I will try holding onto that. Francesca brought so much more to our lives than we could have ever imagined and I just hope (I think she did) she knew how much we loved and adored and yes cherished her. We told her every day multiple times how much we loved her. She will always be in my heart and will always be with me that way. And one day I hope and pray we can all be reunited with her and my grandmother and all my beloved ones that are now gone. And I pray that for you too. For all of us. Sending you hugs and love and all my good wishes. You are truly a great person dear Kate and I love you. Please hug Autie from me and Uncle Greg too. Tell her when we meet her she will have a lovely surprise waiting for her. XOXO.



Thank you for your too kind compliments. I love irreverent clothing and fun things. It makes life more upbeat and so do you. You always bring a happy smile to my face and I am so glad you are here with us in NIRDI and I am also looking forward to seeing you again next year. Meet you at Days. Haha. And you will be married to the love of your life and we will celebrate. Ice cream on us! Hope the packing and vow finalizing went very well yesterday and that today is a happy Monday. XOXO.

@Slick1 hope your Monday goes smoothly. I am thinking of you and keeping good thoughts. (((Hugs))).

@Scandinavian healing dust across the miles to your dear mom. Hoping things are going well. XOXO.

@Austina good luck with your visit with Shirley today. Hoping she is in a good mood and that you enjoy your time with her.

@marcy hope you enjoyed the rest of your weekend and that your Monday goes well and please hug Graham for me. He is a snuggly bear for sure.

@Jimmianne sending you love and warm hugs.

@AV_ sending you hugs and hope you had a good weekend.

@canuk-gal hope your weekend was enjoyable and your week off to a good start. XOXO.

We had a great ride yesterday despite wind gusts of 45 mph. That is right. You heard/read correctly. LOL. But it was mainly a cross wind so manageable but it was challenging at times. We stopped for ice cream at Jimmy's of course. He is so lovely. We always have the best chats with him despite it delaying our day as we are there way too long most of the time just talking with him. But it is always enjoyable and he is such a nice person. I am very fond of him as is Greg.


I found out he has wooden ice cream sticks and I love those so I opted to have my ice cream with that. Much better than plastic spoons. And it takes longer to eat the ice cream so it feels more decadent in a way haha.

And it was a gorgeous day despite the coldness and the wind. And the fact that the sun made only a very brief appearance.

@bling_dream19 this is waiting for you when you return.



@Daisys and Diamonds here you go. A Jersey Shore photo for you from our ride yesterday. Hope you are doing well and hope your loved ones are doing well too.


Today we are getting snow in a few hours. Will it stick? IDK we shall see. Hope everyone has a lovely day and sending you all warm hugs and much love.

Oh sweet Missy thank you for your kind words that I kept in my mind and heart all day. And yes we gotta meet up my friend, we both love icecream! I love quirky and fun clothes too. I have some Christmas sweatshirts and a mermaid skirt and a sealife mermaid dress, my fiance calls it my Asbury Park dress! Will take pics one of these days lol! My mom is bringing her candy cane leggings and lots of cute Christmasey things for my little niece flower girls. They will be dropping red rose petals while walking down the aisle to Lo How a Rose er Blooming, sung and played by the harpist. Soo excited about that. Also excited to walk with my dad. And very happy to marry the man I love and create a beautiful loving marriage together. I probably have some things to work on in therapy as to the root of my nerves and fears. You are such a friend and a kind heart to all. Hugs to you darling.

 

[bling_dream19]

+1. As wonderful as weddings are...."major event" planning is VERY stressful. Cut yourself//partner/family some slack. Push that weight off your shoulders, as it doesn't belong there; but your wedding dress and hugs from your loved ones, does.

cheers--Sharon

Thank you sweet Sharon. I totally underestimated the stress in planning. And you are right, my dress and hugs are what belong on my shoulders...along with a glamorous faux fur wrap, and vintage diamond platinum blingy heart pendant lol!!! We are getting close to being able to enjoy it all.

 

[marcy]

Hi NIRDI’s!

Thank you for liking Graham. He makes me smile.

@Daisys and Diamonds I had to chuckle at you spending the day in the garden and then baking for Christmas. Like Missy asked - what are you baking? It barely got in the 20’s here today but at least it was sunny. Our house is warm and cozy. Thanks.

@missy we made candy cane cookies. They are a butter cookie with almond flavoring. I think we are done with Christmas cookies for the year. My knee is not hurting right now but I did use aspercreme on it and took Extra strength Excedrin this morning and Advil this afternoon. We’ll see how it is doing tomorrow. Losing someone you love whether it’s people or furbabies is awful. I am so sorry going to your place in Brooklyn was so hard for you bringing back so many memories of sweet Francesca. As I just told the mom of Marty’s best friend who was killed in a plane crash 14 years ago - it’s okay to shed those tears they are just good memories leaking from your eyes. I am glad your place is all fresh and cleaned. Sweet you are practicing driving. Love your new boots and leggings. Nice to come home to packages. Funny you mentioned Mrs Maisel being entertaining someone just told me that earlier tonight. That’s awesome you got some more miles on your bike yesterday and Jimmy sounds like a sweetheart. I am glad he takes good care of you and Greg. Gorgeous pictures of the sky and shore. I hope you didn’t get slick roads from the snow. Great ice cream dress.

@Austina I hope you have a nice time with Shirley, I hope she is in good spirits. You and Colin did have a whirlwind romance. Marty and I got engaged within 3 months of starting to date and we got married 9 months later. So far it’s worked well, we both frequently say we are used to either other’s crap by now. Yes, Marty thinks he is funny scaring me all the time. I was going to scare him last night but decided better of it - I didn’t want to start that game because he’d see to it that I’d lose. He is way more competitive than I am. I am glad they cancelled that card for you. Maude is a great name for your next sweet furbaby.

@bling_dream19 I think everyone has those what if thoughts before they get married. Marty and I are different in many ways but I find just being open and honest with each other helps avoid hurt feelings. As for having a perfect wedding; those things that maybe don’t go quite right make for some good memories or laughs down the road. Callie and Sharon offered you some great words of wisdom; take the time to enjoy the moment and soak things in. I spent too much time worrying that everyone was having a good time the day is pretty much a blur to me.

@Tekate I totally get keeping your mom’s dresses. I have a few things of my parents and I completely treasure them. How are the house plans coming? I enjoyed pictures on IG of cute Autie.

@junebug17 that’s great DD is in a better frame of mind. Life can be so hard sometimes. Sorry to hear DH wakes up a lot too. I’ll watch some Minions clips on YouTube to try and relax and hopefully fall back asleep. I have read the entire Michael Connelly series; I really like them. I look forward to the next book; seems like a new one comes out every fall. My knee feels pretty good right now, thanks. Marty was happy that Tiger and company came back and won the President’s cup. Ii watched some of it with him.

@Jimmianne I you are staying warm and have a good week. Did you find someone to make a new ring for your pretty diamond?

@Calliecake and @canuk-gal I hope you are having a great week.

I had the day off and LOVED every moment of it. I slept in. Marty forgot a few things so I ran them down to the gym; there is an awful glacier in front of his gym so he came out to the car to get them from me. What a nice guy. Then I went to the grocery store, wandered around Hallmark followed by a stop at a jewelry store. I came home and wrapped a few presents then met Marty for lunch. After lunch I went to the mall and did a bit of shopping, came home and finished my astronomy article for the paper, did a batch of laundry and wrote some Christmas cards for my employees. Marty got home about 4 and we went to a cocktails and appetizers party by our credit union. I had wine and chicken fingers for supper. Nice! My only calamity today was hitting myself on the nose with my door - that hurt. I hope it doesn’t leave a mark. It was really icy where. I parked at lunch so Marty walked me back to my car and I was talking to him and watching where I was stepping on the ice and WHACK!!! My poor head takes a beating way too often. I am such a klutz.

Take care.
Marcy

 

[marcy]

Oh the best part of grocery shopping today is I had about 8 bags of groceries and I carried them all in with one hand. Sweet.

 

[missy]

GM lovely ladies! It's Terrific (I hope) Tuesday!

Oh sweet Missy thank you for your kind words that I kept in my mind and heart all day. And yes we gotta meet up my friend, we both love icecream! I love quirky and fun clothes too. I have some Christmas sweatshirts and a mermaid skirt and a sealife mermaid dress, my fiance calls it my Asbury Park dress! Will take pics one of these days lol! My mom is bringing her candy cane leggings and lots of cute Christmasey things for my little niece flower girls. They will be dropping red rose petals while walking down the aisle to Lo How a Rose er Blooming, sung and played by the harpist. Soo excited about that. Also excited to walk with my dad. And very happy to marry the man I love and create a beautiful loving marriage together. I probably have some things to work on in therapy as to the root of my nerves and fears. You are such a friend and a kind heart to all. Hugs to you darling.

Aww thank you dear @bling_dream19. I am always here for you offline and on-know that. We will meet up again of that I am sure. We have lots in common and not just diamonds and ice cream haha. Yes please do share photos when you have time and energy. No rush and no stress. How beautiful having a harpist play as you walk down the aisle and that your nieces will be dropping rose petals. So romantic. I LOVE that. It is all coming together and you deserve all the happiness and joy and love in the world. Biggest hugs to you dear girl.

I had the day off and LOVED every moment of it. I slept in. Marty forgot a few things so I ran them down to the gym; there is an awful glacier in front of his gym so he came out to the car to get them from me. What a nice guy. Then I went to the grocery store, wandered around Hallmark followed by a stop at a jewelry store. I came home and wrapped a few presents then met Marty for lunch. After lunch I went to the mall and did a bit of shopping, came home and finished my astronomy article for the paper, did a batch of laundry and wrote some Christmas cards for my employees. Marty got home about 4 and we went to a cocktails and appetizers party by our credit union. I had wine and chicken fingers for supper. Nice! My only calamity today was hitting myself on the nose with my door - that hurt. I hope it doesn’t leave a mark. It was really icy where. I parked at lunch so Marty walked me back to my car and I was talking to him and watching where I was stepping on the ice and WHACK!!! My poor head takes a beating way too often. I am such a klutz.

Yay for having the day off yesterday @marcy and so glad you enjoyed every single minute of the day. Any day that involves stopping and admiring bling is a good day haha. And shopping is always fun though I was SMH yesterday as we went to Nordstrom in the middle of the day and it was mobbed. Isn't anyone working anymore? Sweet that you finished your astronomy article and did some laundry and then enjoyed early cocktails and appetizers with Marty. What a lovely way to spend a Monday. But ugh to hitting your nose with the door and you know I feel your pain. I am sorry and you and I are klutzes no two ways about it but I am sending you lots of healing dust and hoping it heals fast and that you aren't in any pain today. OMG to carrying 8 bags of groceries in one hand. IMPRESSIVE. Glad your knee wasn't hurting yesterday and yassss to candy cane cookies. Please send some my way. Hope today is a good day for you dear Marcy. XOXO.

@Scandinavian how are your mom and grandmother doing? Keeping good thoughts for all of you. Hugs.

@Slick1 hope you had a great bath yesterday after your long day at work and the doctor appointment and that you enjoyed a good night's sleep and that today will be a nice day for you. Sending you hugs and healing vibes.

@Austina hope your visit with Shirley went well and that you and Colin are having a lovely trip. XOXO.

@Mamabean any updates? Thank you for all your support in the RW thread. It means a lot to me that you take the time to read and post. You are a very empathetic person and it helps having people I care about care about me too.(((Hugs))).

@canuk-gal hope you are having a wonderful week speaking about caring individuals. Sending you big hugs and much love and hope your pre holiday season is going smoothly. XOXO.

@Jimmianne you always make me smile. I hope you have a terrific visit with your daughter and her dh and I am looking forward to nicer weather, sweeter times and seeing my loving friends. XOXO.

@Tekate your friendship means the world to me and the others here. Sending you so much love and good wishes and hoping all is good by you. You are the great and wise Kate and we love you girlie. XOXOXOXO.

Yesterday we had the exterminator come because though we haven't had another gnat incident I see them on the windows outside. He came and said yes those are gnats and he doesn't know why they are here but perhaps the water attracts them and he sprayed the outside of the windows and terraces because I don't allow any indoor pesticide spraying and in fact don't care for outdoor spraying either but OMG those little black gnats are very numerous and I don't want them coming inside again. Hopefully that will take care of that issue though I would have thought that the frost with our first snow would have taken care of them. It didn't lol.

Then we went to Nordstrom where I made a return and marveled at how crowded it was. I mean it was a Monday early afternoon. Why isn't anyone at work lol? We aren't making any headway with Oliver as he is attacking Tommy mercilessly. And Tommy for some reason isn't or cannot defend himself properly. So we have a conundrum and quandary on our hands here.

Today not sure what we are going to do in between work calls etc but it is very stormy outside today. I do hope to get out for a bit despite the weather however schedule permitting. Hope everyone enjoys a lovely Tuesday. (((Hugs))).

Fred is purring hello to everyone.

 

[AV_]

@av, Were you this busy last year at this time?

Your asking reminded me what a tough time that was ,( I was new to NIRDI back then & it fealt like a miracle; in fact, so much of life fealt that way. Yet, this EOY is all good. I am used to random bursts of heavy work load, and just finished the last of 2019, fingers crossed.

rant over

@AV_ glad you don't mind having a hectic month. ...So come what may

Indeed!

I can almost bring myself to think of January already [who'd have thought!]

I am all sure you are sick of seeing photos of me in clothing lol.

... NO. [I might be laughing writing this 'NO' & of course I am in a public space!]

-

I owe you, NIRDI!

 

[AV_]

.
@marcy You sure do make lifting tempting.

@AV_ still in Catalonia?

Not. I have spent a few months up there the other summer, but have since moved back to Granada & will stay put. Same country & not the same at all. My life is simple enough compared to your whirlwind!


@Austina Making Sundays into proper holidays got me through this year in one piece, so I'm keeping the habit. I am happy to hear of 'Maude' To Be, the name is so right!


catching up, as ever

 

[AV_]

I need to let go of expectations.

Nevermind those, they are always wrong & life can well be beyond dreams. That much, I know!

 

[bling_dream19]

Hi NIRDI’s!

Thank you for liking Graham. He makes me smile.

@Daisys and Diamonds I had to chuckle at you spending the day in the garden and then baking for Christmas. Like Missy asked - what are you baking? It barely got in the 20’s here today but at least it was sunny. Our house is warm and cozy. Thanks.

@missy we made candy cane cookies. They are a butter cookie with almond flavoring. I think we are done with Christmas cookies for the year. My knee is not hurting right now but I did use aspercreme on it and took Extra strength Excedrin this morning and Advil this afternoon. We’ll see how it is doing tomorrow. Losing someone you love whether it’s people or furbabies is awful. I am so sorry going to your place in Brooklyn was so hard for you bringing back so many memories of sweet Francesca. As I just told the mom of Marty’s best friend who was killed in a plane crash 14 years ago - it’s okay to shed those tears they are just good memories leaking from your eyes. I am glad your place is all fresh and cleaned. Sweet you are practicing driving. Love your new boots and leggings. Nice to come home to packages. Funny you mentioned Mrs Maisel being entertaining someone just told me that earlier tonight. That’s awesome you got some more miles on your bike yesterday and Jimmy sounds like a sweetheart. I am glad he takes good care of you and Greg. Gorgeous pictures of the sky and shore. I hope you didn’t get slick roads from the snow. Great ice cream dress.

@Austina I hope you have a nice time with Shirley, I hope she is in good spirits. You and Colin did have a whirlwind romance. Marty and I got engaged within 3 months of starting to date and we got married 9 months later. So far it’s worked well, we both frequently say we are used to either other’s crap by now. Yes, Marty thinks he is funny scaring me all the time. I was going to scare him last night but decided better of it - I didn’t want to start that game because he’d see to it that I’d lose. He is way more competitive than I am. I am glad they cancelled that card for you. Maude is a great name for your next sweet furbaby.

@bling_dream19 I think everyone has those what if thoughts before they get married. Marty and I are different in many ways but I find just being open and honest with each other helps avoid hurt feelings. As for having a perfect wedding; those things that maybe don’t go quite right make for some good memories or laughs down the road. Callie and Sharon offered you some great words of wisdom; take the time to enjoy the moment and soak things in. I spent too much time worrying that everyone was having a good time the day is pretty much a blur to me.

@Tekate I totally get keeping your mom’s dresses. I have a few things of my parents and I completely treasure them. How are the house plans coming? I enjoyed pictures on IG of cute Autie.

@junebug17 that’s great DD is in a better frame of mind. Life can be so hard sometimes. Sorry to hear DH wakes up a lot too. I’ll watch some Minions clips on YouTube to try and relax and hopefully fall back asleep. I have read the entire Michael Connelly series; I really like them. I look forward to the next book; seems like a new one comes out every fall. My knee feels pretty good right now, thanks. Marty was happy that Tiger and company came back and won the President’s cup. Ii watched some of it with him.

@Jimmianne I you are staying warm and have a good week. Did you find someone to make a new ring for your pretty diamond?

@Calliecake and @canuk-gal I hope you are having a great week.

I had the day off and LOVED every moment of it. I slept in. Marty forgot a few things so I ran them down to the gym; there is an awful glacier in front of his gym so he came out to the car to get them from me. What a nice guy. Then I went to the grocery store, wandered around Hallmark followed by a stop at a jewelry store. I came home and wrapped a few presents then met Marty for lunch. After lunch I went to the mall and did a bit of shopping, came home and finished my astronomy article for the paper, did a batch of laundry and wrote some Christmas cards for my employees. Marty got home about 4 and we went to a cocktails and appetizers party by our credit union. I had wine and chicken fingers for supper. Nice! My only calamity today was hitting myself on the nose with my door - that hurt. I hope it doesn’t leave a mark. It was really icy where. I parked at lunch so Marty walked me back to my car and I was talking to him and watching where I was stepping on the ice and WHACK!!! My poor head takes a beating way too often. I am such a klutz.

Take care.
Marcy

Thank you for your kind and wise words sweet Marcy. I'm going to enjoy tomorrow and go with the flow. And you're right being open and honest and kind and loving is the way to go. Hugs to you and hope your head is ok!