Not quite the same as hard sauce but we have always had rum sauce.

I cannot remember my kids ever saying they are bored. Both are boys: 23 and 21. Neither play video games. Strange?

I've never seen any weather that traps us indoors. I kick the kids out anyway. The dog always needs to be walked and he doesn't care what the weather is. Chickens need to be fed and they don't care, either.

Sometimes I find I just have to fake it. Like my mind and body have forgotten how to be happy and festive. And, faking it does seem to help reset things.

I understand. Towards the end, my sister could not speak but I could still understand her. Waiting is excruciating. Time does not heal all wounds. I am weeping for us both.

I would think it would depend on what sort of things you are planning on doing. We have done most everything imaginable ourselves, so "easy" is subjective. What do you have going on?

Or, scoop it out after baking and make into a pie! I often use these types of squash (butternut also) instead of pumpkin.

People have thought I was my kids' grandma. Got a senior citizen's discount at a store when I was in my early 40s. On the one hand, I was ticked. On the other, I saved a couple of bucks, so I was happy overall. I have also been called "Mr." but to be fair, that was from behind and I look sorta like a dude. I have been thought to be a lesbian. My girlfriend, who used to be a bodybuilder, was thought to be my significant other. Neither one of us are gay.

Straw bales. Large refrigerator boxes--you can throw a tarp over them. Pallets are free at a lot of places. Go to a lumber yard and see if they have free wood scraps. Craigslist for free building materials.

A husky found us this weekend. He is a very nice dog, young male, neutered, somewhat leash trained, very friendly. Does not look like a mix. I took him to the vet and he is microchipped but the chip is unregistered. He has two collars on, yet no name on either, and is not skinny. No lost husky on Craigslist and so far no mention on social media. So, it looks like he will be ours for awhile. We are walking him 3 times per day, and we take him out in the yard for short potty breaks in between; he is in the house all other times. He does not seem to like dry dog food nor chewies. I can't seem to get a thing done--it's like having a baby in the house! What/how much should I be doing with this dog? How easy are Huskies to train? I have had dogs before but they were mostly mutts. ANY advice would be heartily welcomed.

I do something like this: http://wellnessmama.com/59344/chia-seed-pudding-recipe/. I like to use unsweetened almond milk and add some cocoa and a bit of stevia. There are tons of variations! Have fun with it.

Thank you for all your replies! This has been really interesting. I, like a previous poster, was wondering if the younger generation is going to uphold this tradition or if it will go the way of good china.

Do you wear your engagement ring/wedding ring? I have never worn either--I only had an engagement ring and have never really worn it. My husband does not have a wedding ring nor would he wear one....

Chia seed pudding?

I got a book on HTML and CSS and taught myself. My brother-in-law has a server and hosts it.

Maybe you are trying to make too many changes at once? Tracking food, starting exercise, cooking only "healthy" meals all at the same time? Perhaps if you did just one thing and did it long enough to become your new normal then it would be easier to stick to?

:grouphug: I read your post earlier and don't have a lot of wisdom. I am 55, postmenopausal (yay!) and don't think one necessarily has to expect to feel tired and sluggish as a result of the phase of one's life. I take plenty of supplements, the ones you generally hear about (Vitamin D, magnesium) and some that are not as common (a Thyroid vitamin that has a bit of iodine, ashwaghanda, B vitamins plus some other stuff). Some people have chronic pain which can really mess them up. I believe the body can become hypersensitive to pain so a small trigger can create a major response. Finding ways to interrupt the pain signals (acupuncture, EFT, meditation, targeted weight bearing exercises to strengthen surrounding areas), can help if this is a problem. Serotonin is a feel-good neurotransmitter that helps with sleep issues but it may also be involved in chronic pain: http://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/news/media/releases/brain_uses_serotonin_to_perpetuate_chronic_pain_signals_in_local_nerves and http://www.medicaldaily.com/stoking-serotonin-production-may-help-manage-pain-299276 Of course, there are so many other things that can contribute to feeling tired and worn out lab work should be the first step.

Why doesn't he just use a fork?

My kids met other friends (in a wide age category) at a local tractor club because they were interested in antique tractors. This was definitely not through the school. It was mostly run by older men but there were a few like minded kids there, too. And, clubs often have pitch-ins or wiener roasts, etc, where whole families get together so don't discount a club that seems it is meant for older people. Does she have a hobby or other interest she wants to cultivate? Join a book club or knitting club. Don't limit friendship based on age. Can she volunteer at a library or as a tutor? We found the tractor club through a local fair. Go to local festivals, talk to people.

I have always thought of myself as an adventurous sort, but after reading some of the replies--not so much :ack2:

Just for fun-- I like bread and butter pickles with swiss cheese. Steamed broccoli with vinegar. Strawberry jam sandwiches with cheddar cheese. Dry cornflakes with cheddar cheese. Pickled beets with blue cheese. Vanilla ice cream with Fritos. I have a kid who would not eat asparagus without syrup to kill the taste. You?

Either I have had a lot of really crappy jobs or I just generally disagree with this... :sleep: Worked for awhile as a hostess at a Greek restaurant where the owner would belittle the workers very loudly in front of customers. Worked as a temp adding credit card statements (sitting at an adding machine for 8 hours typing in numbers as fast as I could). Worked at a research farm picking through moldy soy bean samples separating out and counting the different bugs in each sample. Working at same research farm sampling soybeans in 90 degree heat and 90% humidity, having to kneel between rows for each sample. My list could continue but you get the point.

Going low carb.

Hmm. Where in my post did I judge anyone? Sorry if you felt I was judging you--that was not my intention. I generally wear men's clothing because they are more comfortable, so there! I am currently sporting a T-shirt that belonged to my nephew, my son's outgrown jeans, and men's sneakers. Yoga pants would probably be an improvement. As I stated, I was curious about the trend.

I guess I am intelligent enough that when I crawl out from under my rock I see that people are no longer wearing bustles and fedoras. I was just curious to see how far the new cultural norm has come. Someone made the decision to wear yoga pants in public. They were probably frowned upon at first. Someone will probably wear them to church (or other formerly "formal" places) and be frowned upon, too. Then more and more people will do it and it will be a new normal. As I stated, I am a fossil. A curious one.