I love IKEA and Wayfair.

Agreed. We need to be okay with people as they are and not judge.

OMG, that's exactly what my DH says. I say, you gotta try to at least talk a little. He says, why should I have to adjust to the world... why shouldn't the world have to adjust to ME? I think trying on both sides could be a good compromise. He tries to chat a bit, and we accept a bit of chatting and then don't get on his case when he's sitting there doing his crossword puzzle. (Which is what usually happens, and we're totally fine with it.)

If you try to engage him in conversation, what happens? Like if you ask him about his life? My DH is kind of... awkward around my mother. He's not afraid of her, or trying to be rude, but he hardly talks at all. They don't have too much in common other than both being nice people. It's extremely hard for him to make "small talk," and in fact he hates small talk, and thinks that the existence of small talk is ridiculous. He always says, I'll talk when I have something to say, and if not, I just won't talk. With certain people, he won't STOP talking... and sometimes won't notice that the other person is ready for him to stop. My opinion is that he actually thinks small talk is difficult, but he doesn't say that, he just says that it's stupid. Maybe he has some social thinking deficits, who knows, but it's definitely apparent that he talks less to her than the average person would. However. He wouldn't ever say something under his breath around my mom. When she talks to him directly, he responds normally and politely. If she happens to say something about politics, all of a sudden he has a lot to say! The fact that he doesn't do small talk kind of bugs me... I think it's rude to some degree, and that he should exert himself more to practice... but I would be upset if he did the under-the-breath thing. Like @Scarlettsaid, either say it or don't, don't whisper it. I wonder if your daughter thinks it was off, too.

This is why, if I ever moved out of this neighborhood, I think I'd want to live in a house where I can't see or hear the neighbors. Just in case.

Perhaps a bit better here today. Still having diarrhea, bit not quite as bad. Possibly because he's not eaten much for the past day and night. Still hydrating, eating bland things. Might try plain yogurt. I appreciate you all more than I can express! 🌻

Ah.... Thanks for clearing that up. He says he has some slight chills. Normal temp. Finally fell asleep on the couch though. Poor guy.

Yes. Definitely!

I agree with everyone. Out of curiosity, how much time do you think would be appropriate for a kindergartner to spend on Zoom each day? Would 10 min of letters, 10 min numbers/ counting, and a read aloud be enough? From what I see of K students, 20-30 min is about all they can do, focus wise, especially on a Zoom lesson. Sometimes I find Zoom meetings almost unreal.... I know the people are real, but it doesn't feel very real. I wonder what a 5 year old thinks...

I agree with you about the doctor... But I know he won't go during Covid 😕 He realized that he had pizza sauce on Monday and yesterday night, that I didn't have. I kept the leftovers in the can in the fridge... Maybe I food poisoned him?? Interesting about your tomato allergy. DH gets hives and a constricted throat from white potatoes, another nightshade. I've wondered if he should avoid all nightshades. He doesn't love tomatoes unless they're sauce or ketchup. Ugh! Maybe it's eggs, tomatoes, or I food poisoned him by not storing the sauce correctly 😭

Thanks, I changed it. It's the opposite of good! So far nothing but gut stuff. Ugh. Everyone talks about being "intolerant" to different foods... But I agree this is concerning. Every other time has been just an annoyance....

Oh wow.... I didn't know gut stuff could be an allergy... Rats!

Is it an allergy if it doesn't involve hives, throat swelling, etc? He has an actual allergy to blackberries with hives, etc. I guess I don't understand the difference between allergies and food intolerances... If there is a difference?

In his early thirties, DH developed an intolerance to eggs after having been able to eat them with no problems. He would have some minor digestive distress for a couple days and then feel fine. well, last night he decided to see if eggs still bother him, and boy do they ever. He's had horrible diarrhea all day and feels just awful. This is a much bigger reaction to eggs and he's ever had. I've been giving him bananas, rice, and he had a couple bites of chicken with dinner, and lots of liquids. Are there any great remedies to help him feel better? I feel so bad for him.

Bummer!

Ha. I'd think so, too! If you honestly - kindly - tell him that his hair looks greasy, would he be offended?

Maybe a shorter haircut?

Now this sounds like a good, cautious reopening plan. I like that the school plans are tied to an actual rate of cases. Here in Maine, it's not so clear what would constitute a change between the Green (fully open), Yellow (hybrid), and Red (remote) plans. I'm sure everyone would feel more secure knowing the criteria for being open or closed.

Oh, my goodness. Your poor sister. I actually did quit my teaching job, and my circumstances would have been much better than hers! I would have been a nervous wreck if anyone in my school tested positive, let alone IN MY CLASS! It's shameful that they're not quarantining the class at the very least. Could she put an air purifier in the room near where she stands? I'm not sure how effective they are, but maybe it would help. I really can't picture going into a classroom and spending the entire day feeling terrified.

Good idea! Yes, they're just wonderful. I live in a neighborhood of mostly retired people, and I LOVE it!! Must be a reward for all those years of simply awful neighbors.

Sounds yummy! I'm one that usually only likes white, so I need to try this too.

Good point - I'll do a bit of investigating!

I have the absolute nicest neighbors! They knocked on our door yesterday with a plate of bacon-wrapped scallops from the grill 😍, they mow the part of our lawn that is adjacent to theirs, and more. DH and I want to give them a gift, and we thought something wine-related would be good, because they're always sitting out on their patio with glasses of wine in the late afternoons. Does anyone know of any good wine-delivery sites? We don't know exactly what they like, so a box with a mix of wines would be perfect. Thanks!

I thought my cat had ear mites years ago, and it turned out they were just dirty. I got some cotton pads and cleaned out her ears with plain water. If you do that for your dog, she might stop scratching and the ear may go back to its normal color. I wouldn't stick q tips or anything in her ear though. With my cat, I could get right to the entrance to the ear canal with the cotton pads, and it worked great.

There was an NPR story this weekend about how goal setting using visuals (and one of their examples was exercise) helps with achieving the goals. They had examples like, when you're out for a walk, fix your attention on some landmark you can see - like the stoplight waaaaay over there - and remain focused on it. The people who did stuff like that walked 22% faster, or something (paraphrasing), and were more likely to achieve the goals. Anyway, the whole thing was pretty interesting, and made me want to set some goals in a different way. https://www.npr.org/2020/08/10/900994753/you-2-0-the-minds-eye