Thursday is my Field Trip day, so today I put some stuff in a box for my dd (who is having hip surgery next week) and actually went to the post office and mailed it, then I drove up to Bucc-ee's, which is about an hour away, chatting with the dd while I drove; and on my way home got the car washed. #MomFieldTrips

We didn't go anywhere. My daughters threw a lovely party for us, including a display board with wedding photos and of our lives over the 25 years, and found a mannequin to display my wedding dress on. And Mr. Ellie bought me a diamond engagement ring which he picked out on his very own that was perfect in every way. ❤️ Our 50th anniversary is this coming November. We'll probably go to Disneyland, even though we've been there elebenty hundred times already 🙂 but we'll stay at the Disneyland Hotel, and maybe do the VIP tour of the park. And we've talked about Disneyland Paris. Or Hawai'i. We'll see what actually happens. 🙂

Planning ahead, mentally, often does help when The Event actually happens. So sorry that your mother is such a pill. 😞

My question is still the same, though. I know the last thing to be true, which does not excuse people who purposely refuse to RSVP.

Never, ever has that happened to me.

MIss Manners would tell you that it's not your job/the bride's job/the groom's job/anyone's job to tell people what to wear to a wedding. There shouldn't even be a line item that says "dress code" on the invitation or anywhere else. People should decide what to wear based on when and where the wedding is. If they don't know, they can ask MIss Manners. I fail to understand why people get bent out of shape because guests, who are not in any of the official, formal photographs, were not taught proper etiquette and accidentally wear the "wrong thing" The happy couple should be glad that people took the time to show up. Unless it's a night-time wedding in a church, and the wearer is in the wedding party, a tuxedo is way over-dressed. But again, not your job. Let it go. Also, it is terribly rude to attend an event without an RSVP. I don't know how you could address that. It's tacky to the extreme. I would not allow them anything: no place settings (if that's going to happen), not part of the oounct for food, if it's a plated dinner, they have to wait at the door until everyone who RSVPd is fed, and they get any left-overs. That's just a fact; why should people who did what they were supposed to do suffer in any way because of people who didn't bother?

No. Because it's always on Tuesday.

I have recently been missing my Day Runner/Franklin Planner. 🙂 I'm at a stage of life where I don't have to worry about anyone except dh and me. I was thrilled when cell phones became "smart," so I could keep all my contact information in the phone, and put stuff on a calendar, instead of carrying around my Franklin. But lately....I feel like I need to see a whole 8 1/2 x 5 1/2" calendar instead of the little bitty thing on my phone. And sometimes my phone frustrates me because of the way it stores contacts...so, we'll see what happens down the road...

All of my adult life, I have done the three-step routine, which modern make-up gurus say is not necessary, but it works for me: cleanser, toner, moisturizer. I have used several different brands, and as long as I stick with those three steps, I seem to be fine. I rarely do any make-up except for eyelashes and eyebrows (autoimmune disease = loss of eyebrows)., but if I'm going for more, I use Bare Minerals. I would not use a tinted sunscreen; that just doesn't seem right at all. o_0 "Foundation " should match your basic skin tone as closely as possible; color comes from the blush, which works better applied to skin that has been foundation-ed. 🙂 When I'm going all out in the sun, such as several days at Disneyland, I use Neutrogena sunscreen, the kind that is *dry.* I cannot bear for my face to fell oily at all. My regular/daily moisturizer has some sun screen, and seems to work ok for everyday use. Also, I have rosacea; I don't get the spider veins, I get the all-over pink. The prescription I have from my dermatologist takes care of that pretty well; sometimes I use some powder on my cheeks and nose to even the color out.

Yeah, I couldn't get here at all yesterday afternoon/evening.

Come on over!

Hula class today. That is all.

Sequential Spelling for, well, spelling. 🙂 Being able to write paragraphs is not the important thing. Being able to write is. It is why I like Writing Strands (the original by Dave Marks), because it teaches children first how to write. Putting things into paragraphs comes later. Zaner Bloser for penmanship. If he hasn't done much grammar, then doing it once would be a good idea, because then it makes it easier to have conversations about his writing: "Ds, you used the subjective pronoun here and it should be the objective." "This very is transitive; it needs a direct object." See? 🙂 My favorite grammar-only product is Easy Grammar Plus. Easy Writing is a decent supplement for writing.

I'm impressed that you were able to figure out what to do.

4 days a week at home, including 4 days of Notgrass, plus STEM, if you must. If you do a field trip on one of those four days, it is what it is; you'll do three days of school work that week. Personally, I eouldn't do the podcasts or audiobooks on the way hom from wherever. Let them rest. No schoolwork after y'all get home. I count field trips as educational as any math or grammar lessons or textbook assignments.

I want to see what time things happen, and what kinds of things there are: Sunday school? MIdweek Bible study? Choir? Small groups? Children's ministries/activities? Ideally there's more than just a "worship service," because there needs to be continuing instruction and study. If it's a nondenominational church, I want to know that, and I want to know what its doctrinal statements/beliefs are. If it's a denominational church, I want to know that, too, and I don't want to have to dig around to find it. If the people who planted/started the church felt strongly enough about a specifric denomination to join it, then they should believe strongly enough to put that information right out there where it can be seen. I want clear names of things, not jargon. My church puts its bulletins online under "Communications." And then you have to poke around to find it, becuase there isn't something called "Bulletins." Wut?

The only down side would be the distance from the water source to the coffee maker. It could be a whole lot of walking back and forth and back and forth, with water....

I don't think they are, because in reality, they never work well.

All horizontal surfaces act as a vacuum....

What color is he? Some color/coats are easier to do than others, black/chocolate being the easiest.

::heavy sigh::

Mr. Ellie and I have conversations like that sometimes. 🙂 I am especially bugged when I ask a yes-or-no questions and Mr. Ellie gives me a dissertation on the subject. Really. Just yes or no. Please.

No, actually, it is not incorrect. While no longer a sin not to abstain, it is still encouraged. Here's a statement from the USCCB (United States Council of Catholic Bishops); Friday stff starts at #18: https://www.usccb.org/prayer-and-worship/liturgical-year-and-calendar/lent/us-bishops-pastoral-statement-on-penance-and-abstinence

And this is why there are 66 books in the Bible (or, if you're Catholic, 73): God knew we wouldn't get it if He told us just once. 🙂

In the U.S., we are asked to abstain from meat. Many Catholics will eat fish, but I am not a fan, especially not for a guest for dinner. I"ll look at my fish recipes, though, just in case.