Jump to content

Menu

Nan in Mass

Members
  • Posts

    9,906
  • Joined

  • Last visited

  • Days Won

    5

Everything posted by Nan in Mass

  1. I finished listening to Wicked while reading Mercedes Lackey's Beauty Sleeping (might not be quite the title), and then listened to Hope Was Here (or something like that) (food and Quaker politics) while reading gritty space opera. The extreme contrast of the second two made up for the first two being the same story. Except they weren't. The ML version is very funny and twisted, Wicked picks up where the yraditional Sleeping Beauty leaves off. All this while impatiently waiting for a replacement copy of my nephew's Honor Harrington 5 to show up. The original is buried in boxes of youngest son's school stuff, which he can't bear to deal with yet. Of course, he should have unpacked it right away, but he was working ten hour days seven days a week on top of a killer commute within a day of graduation so that wasn't practical. Nan
  2. Jenn, how is your son doing with Talim? Mine is through the worst of it now and all ok. Nan
  3. I agree with skipping Concord and Plimoth. It is fun to see the Mayflower and the plantation but expensive and a ways in the wrong direction. You will see Bunker Hill from the high way when you drive north. And theOld North Church steeple. And the spars of the USS Constitution. If you aren't history buffs, I think there are better things to do. Like poke your way leisurely up the coast. Agree about that Mt Washington Rd being scary if the weather is bad or you don't luke heights. The summit is often in clouds. The Kangamangus is lovely but will be a long drive in the car. We think it worth it but I don't know if others would. I know nothing about Old Orchard Beach except that it looks very different from the water than most Maine beaches. Much more built up. In Maine, you could hit the candy store in York or Ogunquit for salt water taffy (if they are still open). Eat clams, mussels, and lobster stew at one of the many lobster shacks. Go on a whale watch. Take a sail on a schooner. Get blueberry muffins for breakfast. Visit lighthouses. Buy a canvas bag at LLBeans (I have lived a large chunk of my life out of these useful items). Skip rocks and look for lucky stones on one of the many pebble beaches. Watch the surf swoosh around the boulders on the rocky bits of coast. All good stuff. : ) Nan
  4. My mil was really mad that she wasn't allowed to eat those lobster rolls when she was there for c. diff. Lol
  5. Adding strong buildings to my thoughts today. Holding everyone in Talim's path in the light... Nan
  6. When I was growing up, way back when we used paper tape with holes punched in it to save our computer programs, the one computer in the lab was out most of the semester. The teacher gave all but 2 students F's for the first term. The two students had done their work someplace else. They got A's. We were all honour students. There was a huge kerfluffle with a lot of angry parents. The teacher held firm. Second term, the parents who were engineers for the big tech company in town brought home terminals at night so their children could do their homework and we got A's so our average for the semester long Basic 1 course was a C. The few students in class who didn't have parents to rescue them flunked and were kicked out the honour society. That is not a good lesson for a public school to teach, in my opinion. I hope something can be worked out, Regentrude. Nan
  7. And this is why they still teach young mariners how to use a sextant and make them buy really expensive hardback textbooks that actually have trig tables in the back. Ug. I would be furious, too. Nan
  8. I know everyone is probably sick of thinking about hurricanes, but if anyone wanted to send good thoughts towards cyclone Talim in the Pacific, I would be grateful. I have a kid on a ship trying to out run the storm with its winds of 160 some odd. They are running full throttle and should be OK as long as they can keep doing that. They need smooth seas and no engine failures. They will be in the thick of it tomorrow night, their time. Nan
  9. I alwsys assumed midges and blackflies were the same thing, but now you all have me wondering. Laura, at Christmas, what time does the sun set where you are? Nan
  10. Lady Florida - Phew!! Kareni - I couldn't get the link for epic fantasies to work. I appreciate the bookish links you provide. Thank you. I finished Patrick O'Brian's HMS Surprise and Wicked and am now reading I am Princess X. All while awaiting the arrival of the 5th book on the space opera I am absorbed in. And I am reading that space opera because I got deeply sucked into book one another one while I was packing to go sailing for 6 weeks, managed to obtain a combined volume of books 1-3 to bring with me (yeah!!!), and then lost it when we met up with our middle son between ships. He was about to get on a bus to St. John's to take a ferry to Nova Scotia to meet a schooner for a school trip lasting several weeks and asked if I had a book he could bring. The only book he had packed was a volume of Bowditch's Practical Navigator, a 3 or 4" thick hardback that is trig tables for dead reconning and the tables he needs for celestial navigation. We left him at the dock discussing seaboots and how much room they take up in one's duffle bag. Jenn, I thought of your "young gentlemen" - hence the Surprise. Nan Eta Suddenly wondering if I posted all that before...
  11. I wondered how you guys had all fared, especially when I heard about the storm surge in Charleston. Thanks for the update. Nan
  12. Jane, I have had my eye on Jose for a few weeks now. Not liking current trend. For awhile there, they were predicting an early death in the Atlantic. What happened to that plan? That was a good one! Seriously, though, watching earth.nullschool.net makes it obvious how Irma and Jose influence each other. And now Africa has spawned another X... Nan
  13. Any guesses as to whether Venice has power? Nan
  14. Stacia, I meant to add that even if Irma goes over you, I still think moving the kitties was the right thing to do, Atlanta being more inland than your sister. It could have been pretty awful. I know you know that but wanted you to know others do, too. Sorry about the lack of handsome, unselfish, catloving men. : ) Nan
  15. Stacia - How's it going? I'm glad to hear about Kathy, Robin. Jane, sorry to have missed you. I am glad your trip was undventful. I hope all the other Floridians are ok and those in the path and their trees are ok. We are assuming, since Irma was downgraded to cat 1 and passed inland, that my mil's place in Venice is ok, although I may be dealing with mold when I return her to Florida. We will hopefully hear soon. Hugs to all Nan
  16. Hugs, Barb. I hope all your family make through safely. Nan
  17. I think that sounds like a good plan. I would probably let my athlete eat the yoghurts. We flavour water by adding one half to an inch of orange juice. We also flavour it by adding a pinch of Christmas flavored tea (a sort of clove/orange) to a liter bottle. Nan
  18. I noticed long ago that sugar with no protein made us cry. I taught my children to drink a glass of milk when they eat anything sweet. We were all fine as long as we did that. My children range from 30 to 23 now and even now, at clan birthday parties, when the cake is served, one of mine will stand up and announce that they need a glass of milk, does anyone else want one, and his brothers will say yes please. I don't think I have ever seen them eat a candybar without a glass of milk, either. All that to say that once your children notice what a blood sugar spike feels like, they might well want to avoid them. Cheese with pie is pretty traditional. I wouldn't give up blackberry pie and applesauce. I would just not add any sugar to the applesauce and eat a handful of nuts or some cheese or milk with any fruit. Or whatever other protein your family eats. From watching other healthy-eating family members who struggle with their weight, I have come to be suspicious of high-anything foods. High protein home made granola bars come to mind. Yes, they are dense with nutrients, but they also have a large number of calories per bar. That is just what you need if you are backpacking and struggling to carry enough calories on your back to sustain that sort of exertion, or you are a teenage athlete who spends 5 hours a day working out, but not so appropriate for my ordinary day, even though I am not particularly sedentary. It is way too easy for me to eat too much of dense foods. I try to eat non-dense, simple food most of the time, and mix the occasional sweet treat with protein. Some of that I grew up with, and some of it I really gradually converted to. Nan
  19. Holding everyone in the path of Irma and Jose in the light. The devastation already is staggering. My mother-in-law's condo is in Venice, right in the current path, although mil herself is in Maine for the summer. If the worst happens (wooden structure), we might have to settle her up here for the winter, maybe permanently. I will probably go sit with her on Monday, when it hits, just for company. I have a cousin in Orlando. I bet her mother is worried. I haven't wanted to burden her with inquiries but I will be glad to hear she is safe. For once, I am glad our oldest son is in the waters off Korea and the Phillipines. Usually, between dictators and pirates and cyclones, I would prefer the Atlantic. Hopefully the shipping companies are being cautious after El Faro. Stay safe everyone. Heal up quick everyone. Nan
  20. Being someone who wilts when not within arms reach of warm animate fur, I am relieved to hear that there are shots available if I ever develop allergies; however, I think I like the soaked grandmothers better in this instance. Having the grandmothers available provides two additional advantages. They can reunite the couple after the de riguar (no idea how to spell that - it amazing how many common words I have never written before) split after their lovely motel stay. And the grandmothers provide another advantage. I can't help thinking, having just spent five weeks on a small sailboat with a dog and a cat and no doors, that Stacia's lovely motel stay might go more smoothly if the grandmothers were to beg the honor of having the six cats to stay in their room. Nan
  21. Don't forget that there is usually counseling available, too, ghe mental health sort. My husband and I used them when we were in college and were worried about how well oldest was going to make the adjustment to college. At orientation, we actually approached the counselor at one of those parents-meet-the-staff sessions. He was glad to talk to us, got oyr son's name so he could look out for him, and gave us his number so if we got an upset phone call we could pass it along. He couldn't approach a student - the student had to contact him, but he told us how to direct our son to find him if need be. He suggested tbat we bring our son back to be introduced. Our son thought that was a great idea and we did. And oldest contacted hom when he hit a rough patch. Middle one was at the same college and also availed himself of his services. You can be sure that for youngest, who is even more high strung, we got the counselor's phone number into both his and our phones when we dropped him off. I never actually had to give any of my children the phone number of the counselor. I did get distraught phone calls and suggest visiting the counselor, but my children were in good enough shape to get the phone number themselves, thank goodness. All three used their counselors on a number of occasions. Mostly, the counselors were good at soothing them. My children mostly knew what they needed to do. The funny part is that we aren't a counselor-y family. My husband and I haven't seen one since college. The transition to adulthood is really hard. Nan Eta sorry anout all the typos. I have a terrible time typing in my phone and correcting is even worse. I got the smart phone because oldest wanted to be anle to send me photos and I am still struggling with it months later. Loving the photos, though!
  22. Well that all sounds like a good start. You feel pretty exposed while you are getting your food, standing while most people are sitting, and possibly making the people behind you wait for you. She's probably feeling a bit rushed. That will probably get better with time and then she might be more willing to take the time to figure out the dressings. It sounds like the staff is on the lookout for the people who need help. That is promising! Nan
  23. I hope the nutritionist at your daughter's school is as nice and helpful as the one at my youngest's! It is hard to watch as tbey lose weight figuring these things out, isn't it? Nan
×
×
  • Create New...