They have a delicious havarti-dill. It disappears quickly whenever I buy it.

I went through that during peri-menopause. I fell asleep easily but often woke up (unlike you it was at different times). Once I woke up I couldn't get back to sleep. I did a lot of reading during those times. At first I'd get on the computer, but then I realized that was making it worse. If it's any consolation, it stopped once I was fully post-menopausal. Keep some good books handy.

We're not beer drinkers but I've tried both their reds and whites. I haven't loved every one I tried but I haven't been disappointed either. Most have been pretty good.

Awkward and a bit weird - yes. Affair - no.

So far it's been easy, but I also need to start using the the weird things - the odd bits and small amounts of stuff. Dinner is going to get harder next week when ds' night math class begins. It's a mini-mester (mini semester) class so it didn't start in January with the others. Mondays and Thursdays used to be the only nights we were able to eat together. Now Mondays will be out. -Sunday - Dh is usually sleeping at dinner time because he goes to work at midnight. He eats whenever he wakes up. Ds has dungeons and dragons every other Sunday night. -Monday - We used to eat together, but now ds will have a class on Monday nights. I'll fix something for all 3 of us but ds will have to eat it early. -Tuesday - Dh works 4 to midnight and just fixes himself a big late lunch (around 2-2:30). I cook for just ds and me. Occasionally ds cooks. -Wednesday - Dh works 4 to midnight and does the lunch thing like on Tues., and now starting next week ds will be in class. I'll fix something for ds and me but he'll need to eat early. -Thursday - We're all here and awake at dinner time! Woo-hoo! Once a month dh and I have a date night on Thursdays and eat out. -Friday - Dh is sleeping, goes to work at midnight. Eats when he wakes up. Ds has a weekly game night and they all chip in for take-out or pizza. I cook for just dh and me but we don't eat together. -Saturday - Dh is sleeping, goes to work at midnight, eats when he wakes up. On dh' midnight shift nights I make something I can keep warm or that easily heats up, a cold dinner (sandwiches, salads, etc.). Dh has been on this schedule for over a year. Ds' schedule changes each semester. Sometimes he has a night class, sometimes he doesn't. I should be used to both of their schedules by now but mealtimes are the only thing that still throws me off. I never know what to make that fits the need for keeping warm, reheating easily, or is no-cook. Freezer cooking and pantry cooking are both tricky enough for people who eat together. Add in our currently weird life and it's even harder.

In my 1960s Catholic school upbringing, patent leather shoes were banned. Yes, it's a hilarious play, but it's based on reality. Do Patent Leather Shoes Really Reflect Up?

OP, it's going to depend on your Aldi. Every time the subject comes up here, people either love or hate the place. It seems some stores are better-kept than others. Mine is great! The produce wasn't good when they first opened, but it's much better now - fresher and lasts longer. I still only buy what I'm going to use within a day or two. Don't be turned off by what you see when you enter the store. Every Aldi I've been in (admittedly not many) has chips, cereal, and other junk food at the entrance. That makes some people think they sell mostly processed food, which isn't true. Also, even the junk food is decent. I buy sweet potato chips there and the ingredients are: sweet potatoes, sea salt. palm oil. That's it. Give it another try. Look with a new attitude. And keep in mind that most generic or private label brands are made by the same companies that make national brands. I haven't seen wine mentioned. They have wonderful wines! And it's displayed right near the chocolate. :) Not really. They're brothers but split into two different companies years ago. http://www.slate.com/blogs/browbeat/2013/12/02/aldi_grocery_store_best_in_america_related_to_trader_joe_s.html

This. ^^^ It sounds like you came here because you have an inaccurate idea of what homeschoolers are like.

I hadn't thought about it but now that you bring it up, I see it. It's interesting. Nah it's not just you, I agree. Feasts are plentiful these days. Most of us could benefit from a bit of fasting (literally and figuratively).

I hit the jackpot last night and managed to do both pantry and freezer cooking for dinner. I tend to go overboard when my grocery store has my favorite dried pasta brand buy one get one free. I have a lot of pasta. I also had a can of chick peas. In the freezer I found just over a pound of ground pork plus a package of chopped spinach. Dinner was penne with sausage and spinach. I mixed Penzey's Italian sausage seasoning into the pork. Normally in a dish like that I'd use either cannellini or great northern beans, but the chick peas worked well. It was a big hit.

We never called it anything or did anything. Very Americanized Irish-Italian here, raised Catholic in the sixties as Vatican II changes were slowly taking place. Our parish kept Latin mass until they had to change. We called it New Mass. There was Ash Wednesday and then Lent. We heard that some people made a big deal out of Tuesday but in our mini-culture we didn't.

I don't know if they still do, but at one time the schools here banned flip flops. We wear open toed shoes year round. Flip flops and other backless shoes/sandals were considered a safety hazard. So yes, safety. And all sandals/open shoes weren't banned, just ones that have open backs.

I would agree if not for the sentence about a swim suit being too revealing. And yes Moxie, I think a leggings ban is sexist.

A couple of book related links. Because the world needs a Walden video game. http://waldengame.com/ Jake Gyllenhaal and Joaquin Phoenix will be The Sisters Brothers. http://www.avclub.com/article/jake-gyllenhaal-and-joaquin-phoenix-are-sisters-br-250147?utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=feeds

I've never been one to watch any of the awards shows on a regular basis, though I've tuned in to the Grammys on and off over the years. Still, I usually check the next day to find out what happened. I feel bad for both the Moonlight people and the La La Land people. I don't know yet if I feel bad for Beatty, Dunaway, or Kimmel. Since I've only read about it and saw short clips online, I'm not sure if I'm seeing it all in context. No doubt there will be a lot of analyzing over the next few days about how it happened (even though those involved already said how it happened). I'm almost sorry I didn't watch only because I would have liked to see Katherine Johnson honored. It's rare for me to have seen nominated movies until long after the Oscars are over but this year I've actually seen three: -La La Land - I loved it up until the moment I hated it -Hidden Figures - I liked it better than the book, but the movie was riddled with historical inaccuracies -Arrival - I thought it was just okay As for them being self-congratulatory, all awards ceremonies are self-congratulatory. The Oscars. Emmys, Grammys, Tonys, Golden Globes, etc. are public because their profession is public. Some people like to watch other people get awards. Some people like to see celebrities get dressed up for their big night out. Aside from that, celebrity awards shows are no different than the Annual Widget Makers National Award Ceremony. Widget makers congratulate each other on who made the best widget last year. Actors and filmmakers congratulate each other on who made the best movie (or acted best) last year. *I have no idea if such a group or awards ceremony exists. :D

Also- Best wishes Wishing you a speedy recovery Wishing you a very Happy Birthday None of the above are passive-aggressive.

I don't care much for science fiction novels. I'm not a fan of short stories. And yet... I'm loving Stories of Your Life and Others

I don't care much for science fiction novels. I'm not a fan of short stories. And yet... I'm loving Stories of Your Life and Others

Even during the time period you're talking about those don't sound natural or American. The third one would probably come closest if he's trying to sound formal and doesn't really know how.

I had trouble getting into the print version of Brother Cadfael but I've been enjoying the audio books. Have you seen the series? The narrator Patrick Tull sounds a bit like Derek Jacoby, the actor who played Brother Cadfael in the series. That makes them easy to to listen to. There are different narrators, so I make sure I get the ones read by Tull. I felt the same way about A Quiet Life in the Country. It wasn't bad, a nice little historical cozy but nothing special. It was a free Prime loan, and I don't think I'd spend money on the others in the series. If my library has them or if Amazon offers them free or as loans, I'll read them. If not I won't feel like I'm missing anything.

I'm afraid this is going to happen to me. I'm next in line for two of my holds and not far down the line for at least one more.

Thank you for that guest post, Robyn. I don't really like fairy tales (even as a kid I didn't like them) yet I find their history pretty interesting. Yesterday I finished the audio book, St. Peter's Fair, the 4th Brother Cadfael mystery. I'm thinking I'll listen to Naugty in Nice next, a Her Royal Spyness mystery. However, Faithr's post reminded me that I have Infidel to finish (I own it from Audible). I put it aside when an Overdrive audio book came in, and didn't get back to it. I also have 5 Audible credits and can't decide how to use them. One possibility is to get more of the Brother Cadfael and Her Royal Sypness books, but I might look into one or two from my TR list. I need to use at least one before my March credit becomes available because 5 is the maximum I can roll over. I've been bouncing around trying to decide what I want to read. I've been reading a lot of samples on my Kindle and have liked all of them, but if I move them up on the priority list I'll mess up my self-imposed schedule. Currently reading: Parable of the Sower, Octavia Butler - This is for book club. We meet on March 7th, and I'll finish well ahead of time. I didn't like it at first not because I wasn't liking the story, but because the writing seemed choppy. Either it got better or I got used to the style. While I can't say I'm loving it (dystopia isn't a favorite genre), I'm finding interesting enough to keep going and to find out how it ends. A Burial at Sea, Charles Finch. This is #5 in an historical mystery series. I plan to count it for Seaworthy on the bingo card. Alexander Hamilton, Ron Chernow. My long term read. I've made quite a bit of progress in the last week. I'm starting to make my plans for March. I have The Draining Lake (Inspector Erlendur) on hold and am next in the queue. I plan to read it for Mystery March/Nordic Authors. Other than that I'm not sure what I'll read next.

I had no idea who she is. Had to look her up.

Again, a joke. One that's been around for a long time. He had even been known to say himself that's what he's best known for.

It's been a long running, ongoing joke that people get the two confused. Both Pullman and Paxton have been good sports about the whole thing.