I'm not sure how to pm you.

Love this thread. Been meaning to join forever. I'm a terrible spendthrift so I'm keeping a daily log of my spending like this: September 2020: 9-5 -- Gas, $10. Eagle eyeing my spending really helps me be less dumb. I shouldn't be amazed but am at all of the "opportunities" to buy things "I need." Like my shepherd, 9, is having a hard time jumping into our car. My thought, "I need to buy him stairs." But then I put together a good box set-up and he happily used it. Being more creative means less spending. Now, if I could only remember that. W.

This is absolutely amazing!! W.

I'm pming you. ♥ But for future readers: I bought a recumbent indoor bike from Craig's List for $50. I try to work out on my indoor recumbent so that I can do hills on my outdoor recumbent. I also have a balance problem and can't ride a regular bike. This pic shows my first day on my new trike. (I only ride on paved paths -- never on regular roads -- and I bought a huge colorful flag. Plus I wear my helmet.) If anyone is interested in recumbent trikes, let me now. Happy to help. W.

I've long wanted to join you guys, but am incredibly lame at being consistent. 🙄 But October is here -- meaning cooler in Atlanta -- and I'm goaling myself to work out daily on my inside recumbent so that I can actually pedal up hills on my outside recumbent on Saturday. Many who ride outside recumbents have e-assist, but I don't have the bucks for that so I have to use stamina- and muscle-assist. lol. (I bought a really colorful flag for it and only ride on paved trails -- never on the street. And of course I wear a helmet.) I have a balance problem and can't ride a regular bike. (I wish.) -- W.

LOVE these kind of threads. Thank you for starting it! Love: Killing Eve (first two seasons on Hulu and I bought the third on Amazon) Big Little Lies (really good w/ Nicole Kidman, Reece Witherspoon, and Laura Dern; if it got violent I fast-forwarded it.) Enlightened (so good w/ Laura Dern) Good Girls (NBC; you don't need cable) Mad Men (Netflix) I never watched when it was originally on. So good. Better Call Saul (Netflix) My favorite between Better Call Saul and Killing Eve. Breaking Bad (Netflix) I hear nothing but good about Schitt's Creek but I heard it gets better as the seasons progress. Crazy Ex Girlfriend -- silly and fun. I'm from Ca so it was funny seeing her move from NYC to SoCal. I haven't watched, but I've heard that Fargo is really good. Have fun! W.

You don't have to scare a girl before coffee!!! Thanks for the reminder! 🙃 W.

I'm w/ Matryoshka. Although, too, you might want to talk to your obgyn about hormone replacement therapy (HRT). I just wanted to add that I'm 56 and am blown away at how hard it is to keep weight off. It's really, really hard. I lost 55 lbs. in my 40's and keeping those pounds off after 50 was challenging, but do-able. Now that I'm past 55? It's a new ball game. I have deep respect for women who do gain, because it's hard to keep it off. Hang in there, ♥♥♥ W.

My teen wants to read the series, but apparently a lot of kids want to read the series. Do you have any you want to sell? Wendy

I'd never heard of this book!! Thank you for the name! Is it strictly for novel writers? I'm currently writing a non-fiction e-book and would love some inspiration. Would it work for me? And congratulations on going for it! (And I have a story for you, but I won't know until next Tuesday if the happy ending I'm hoping for will really happen.) Thank you again!! W.

I was having a really bad time too and then somehow found this (free) podcast. This woman's -- Brooke Castillo -- podcast totally turned my life around and I haven't paid her a dime. I highly recommend listening. Start with her first podcast and work your forward. (I've had some amazing results b/c I re-listened to many again and again in the car, when I'm cleaning the house etc.) My sister and I -- who struggled to get along -- are going on 20 months of not one argument. I'm sure my sister is perplexed. And my husband I are doing so, so much better -- really well, in fact. I would definitely listen to #1 through #10 first before jumping forward. There's nothing woo-woo about this. Brooke just delivers cognitive therapy in a way that's very easy to digest. The ones specifically on relationships are: the Manual (#11), Challenging Relationships (#23), Unconditional Love (#27 -- the best one in my opinion). Hang in there -- it's not "just you." Marriages are challenging. W.

I agree. The Netflix documentary was way, way better than I thought it would be. W.

Please feel free to ignore me, I could easily be projecting. What you describe sounds a bit like Aspergers to me. Very quiet, doesn't engage, very attentive to your daughter, gives off an "odd" feeling. Again, I could be completely off. W.

Thanks for the kind words about my job coming back. Here are the articles, I hope they help: The Family Went Down to Georgia Have a Sapphire Christmas -- (Lake Tahoe) 10 Lake Tahoe Ski Resorts for Families The Ritz-Carlton, Lake Tahoe -- click on the windows to see the entire article. A Date with Delaware -- (Rehoboth Beach) When it's Carolina Time -- (Hilton Head) Let me know if you need anything else! Wendy

Omg, your oatmeal sounds delicious. I usually do oatmeal and one cup blueberries over 1/2 cup up honeycrisp and 1/2 vanilla yogurt. It's really good. But I'm going to try your idea minus the pecans (calories). I might try a smiden of maple syrup. I love your idea of putting in pumpkin pie spice and cinnamon! Yum! Thanks for this great recipe! W.

Which Soda Stream brand do you recommend? Great idea for water!! W.

Wow, will you adopt me? You guys sound fun! I'm a -- or I was a (before covid) -- family travel writer. I'm not sure where you're traveling from. I've been travel writing for 15 years now (I sure hope my job returns). All of these locations would allow you to social distance. Here are my suggestions Lake Tahoe. This place is insanely awesome. I think it's a don't-miss if you're a resident of Earth. Tahoe is just phenomenal. Sometimes there's snow for Christmas, sometimes not. Let me know if you want the article I wrote for families flying into Reno to visit Tahoe -- it appeared in a Virginia mag. (The Reno airport is just 45 mins. to Tahoe.) Hilton Head in South Carolina. We visited last Thanksgiving and it was warm. I don't know if it does that every year, but it's a beautiful island. Keep in mind this state sees hurricanes. The beaches are gorgeous and quiet in the winter months. And some are hard-packed so you can ride bikes on the beach. There's also a nice riding path into town. Super cute. Upscale. The Georgia islands are phenomenal too: Saint Simons Island and Jekkyl Island are my favorites. I wrote an article on these islands called The Family Went Down to Georgia. 😅 I crack myself up. The Florida island that I LOVE is called Amelia Island. I've written about it too. It sits at the top of Florida very near the Georgia line. Also, Delaware's beaches are cool too -- especially Rehoboth Beach. I wrote about it too if you'd like the article. The town is adorable, they work hard to keep chains like Starbucks and McDs out of the cute area surrounding the beach. The beach has an old-fashioned boardwalk w/ cotton candy, saltwater, pizza and ice cream. I love Rehboth. I wish we still lived by it. But, if I could only do one, I'd do Tahoe. I hope this helps!!! (Can I be your kid?) Let me know if you want articles. They go into the specifics that parents need for travel w/ kids. W.

Caraway: You were so nice to offer so many awesome suggestions! Thank you again!! W.

Hi Caraway! I need a photography class like you would not believe!! I'm interested in taking better pictures of small items in the home: food, items we use for cooking, purses, things like that. It's for my website. And I know zero. I have a stand-alone camera and an okay camera on my Samsung phone. Would you allow a 16 year old plus forty years into your class? 😊 Also, how will it work in terms of . . . watching videos? Or. . .? Also, are you a hard grader? 🙃 Feel free to email me at Wendy (at) the Inspired Eater (dot) com. And a million thank yous! W.

Costco sells a huge bag of stir-fry veggies that are really good. They're kept in Costco's frozen section next to frozen strawberries and frozen blueberries. it's called Stir Frye Vegetable Blend and has sugar peas, broccoli, carrots, mushrooms. Now I need to get some. W.

I just looked into these and they look fantastic -- thank you!! W.

Awesome -- thank you!! I'm ordering now. I should have said: South Korea; I can't take the horrors of modern North. 😞 I loved reading in Pachinko how North and South came to be. Thank you again! W.

Plum beat me to the punch. My two 16 year olds got a lot out of How to Become a Superstar Student from Great Courses. I watched it w/ them and thought it was great. And. . . just adding: there's a point in one of SWB's (man) lessons that teaches kids how to listen and remember during a lecture which means your guy is doing great. 🙂 W.

Were there other books on Korea that you could recommend? And thank you!

You guys are wonderful for taking care of him. ♥♥♥ W.