They are very much stay at home people. They only go out to eat for special occasions, don't go to shows, and their only outside activity doesn't require anything other than their attendance. They won't allow any outside help with house or yard work. I don't think they want to admit they could use it. I don't really have anything to make a photo book or calendar with. I do usually buy my father his favorite old fashion candy but I'll look to see if their isn't something more for a taste of his childhood. My dad likes to putter but he has just about every tool he could need. My mother likes to read and I'd love to buy her a Kindle but she won't get an Amazon account. They never, ever enter any kind of information, personal or not, onto the internet. They honestly don't need anything, and even if they did they would just buy it themselves, but I can't just not get them anything.

Maybe when you advertise to sell your old machines, you could say your are willing to trade for stackables.

No ideas whatsoever for gifts for my parents. This year has been especially hard and I don't know why. It's like the creative part of my brain is clogged. Is there a Drano for brain clogs?

To me, walking distance means the majority of the people living in that area also consider it walking distance. If all the other moms are walking to the park or library with their kids, then I probably would too. But there is a Walmart approximately 1.5 miles (it's probably a little less) from us and I don't know a soul who would walk that far to go shopping. I see a couple of people using that distance to walk for exercise but never for shopping, so I don't consider it walking distance. Other than a convenience store that I even considered walking distance for our children on their own, there isn't a single place I would walk to around our area.

My son once worked at ACMoore and would often come home covered in glitter. Now that he has his own home, glitter is banned from entering. He calls it the herpes of the crafting world.

I've had that happen too. DH speculates that they are on such a tight schedule that sometimes they fudge their deliveries so they can get back in time. Usually, the package will come the next day, but I did have one stay missing and needed to report it so I could get a refund.

Out of curiosity, can your own dashcam footage be used against you? I've always wondered.

My parents never took me to a funeral at any age. And as I got older and a couple of relatives and family friends died, I didn't attend those either (and I really should have) because by then I had a fear of them. It took a good friend's father's funeral that she specifically asked me to attend before I finally went. I was already a mother by then. So for my own kids, they went to all the funerals related to our family and family friends. As adults, they have no qualms about going so I think this was a much better approach.

I bought one of those spiral notebooks that already has a table of contents at the front and it's where I keep my brain. It does contain my favorite quotes. It's also my address book, a list of books I've checked out from the library and their return dates, health notes, ideas for various projects, books I want to read as well as TV shows and audiobooks, and it's also where I keep my lists for Christmas. I'm sure I'm forgetting a thing or two but that's why I have this notebook. LOL

I have 3 sons and I text more often with their SO's than with them. LOL My guys aren't really the chatty text type. It's just to pass along information or to ask questions. The girls, on the other hand, will text for no reason, such as passing along something they thought was funny, stupid, or unbelievable. They send pictures and links to things they think I will like. I think this has helped me get to know them better and, surprisingly, it was all 3 of them that started the chatty texts with me. I'm more of a pass along information or ask questions texter like my sons, but, for the girls, I've became a chatty texter in return.

"Listening to someone, truly listening, is the greatest way we can show our love." -Jeff Wheeler from his book, The Hunted.

Thank you, we did have a really lovely day. This year my eldest son and his wife hosted and I think this was the most laid back, relaxing and enjoyable Thanksgiving we have ever had. The weather played it's part and gave us a nice, clear day with comfortable temperatures so we could eat out on the porch. Truly, a lovely day.

Thank you! I appreciate that so much but I think I might want to wait until things aren't quite so busy. I'm afraid I'd kill it with forgetfulness. 🤦‍♀️

Her mother and aunt had taken her to Disney for her birthday and invited us to spend some time with them while they were there. So my mother and I made the 2.5 hour very rainy drive to Disney, had a very lovely lunch, some quality hang out time before we had to make the rainy drive back home. As we were telling her we needed to leave, she started begging us to take her home with us. This 5 year old would rather go home with her grandmother and great grandmother than stay at Disney. I think my heart grew 3 sizes that day. Grandkids are the best!

The duck light has me giggling. Just so funny!

Now you guys are making me want one. These are so beautiful.

Is banana pudding traditional? Honestly, I don't know because we have it for every Thanksgiving, every other holiday and any important days such as my father's birthday. It's a thing my family loves and I do mean loves.

Honestly, I keep a planner. Without it, a lot of things would slip through the cracks or it would feel as if I didn't have the mental bandwidth to start or even work on a project. For some reason when I write it down in a planner, I do it. It feels as if I have to do it just because it is in a planner. LOL I think you need to find what makes you *have* to do something. I do schedule the housecleaning and errands, as well, so these things don't fall between the cracks either. I feel balanced and satisfied with my day this way. I also have a quitting time. For me, it's 3:30. That allows me to unwind, listen to a book and cross stitch before dinner time.

Since we became members years ago, my observations have been that we save so much on gas with 4 drivers that everything else Costco has is just gravy. The gas savings alone pay for our membership. I buy a lot of clothes, produce, and paper products. I often buy other food products, especially coffee, but not every time I go. I'm not sure about the savings on personal hygiene products but it's really nice to have a stash of deodorant and not worry about running out. To be fair, Costco is five minutes from my house, so running there for gas or a quick run into the store is no hardship. We don't feel like we need to stock up every time we go.

I went the Mirena route and couldn't have been happier with the results. Taking it out was unpleasant but, thankfully, by then my cycles were over. Yay!

I am just so incredibly sorry! And the fact that he waited until you were safe might be the sweetest thing I have ever heard. I'm glad you have that to hold in your heart.

Power tools. They have been on my wish list for years but I suspect no one takes me seriously since I have never received any. As I've been working on remodeling parts of the house, I've needed various tools to get it done and would have just bought what I wanted except my father would say, "You can just borrow my (insert the non-power tool version of what I needed)." Ugh, my arms still hurt just thinking about all the sawing I have done.

I call random children sweetheart and buddy. I don't even realize I'm doing it until I hear it come out of my mouth. It is a very hard habit to break.

How did the aristocrats themselves get to Italy?

I find more things for myself in this thread than gifts for anyone else. LOL