Ignore this thread!

[AMJ]

In this online game I'm playing someone started a chat with me, saying that she was glad to have found another girl playing the game. Which, honestly, I think is a bit of a weird thing, since who cares what gender players are, so I didn't know how to respond. I ended up saying that I'm probably a bit too old to be called a girl. And then she was all like "I just meant a female, and saying that you're too old to be called a girl makes you sound young and immature". Okay then. I'm not big on chatting anyway. Well, other than here, obviously, but y'all aren't real time (as in, no instantaneous back-and-forth required). 

 

 

You young whipper-snapper, you!

[AMJ]

Earlier tonight there was a huge flash of lightning right overhead and a clap of thunder that shook the whole house  Ds came running out of his room saying "I didn't do it!" 

 

 

Are you SURE he didn't?   :smilielol5:  :smilielol5:  :smilielol5:

[Junie]

Good Morning!!

[AMJ]

I could join you in the scented candle department. I don't dislike scented candles, but I have an aversion to anything that smells like pumpkin pie spice or cookies baking.

Which is what everyone gives me...

 

 

I received a scented candle, too, rather strongly perfumed.  I'll be making another run by the charitable thrift shop this week, but I think I'll mark the toiletries specifically for the women's center so those ladies can benefit from them instead of the items being sold through the shop.

[Susan in TN]

But the mousies LOVE their presents!

Re: previous topic, I found a website that has the Christmas at Belmont program to view. The children's choir starts at 11:10 into the video, and at 13:33 you can see my two kids next to each other in the middle row (boy on the left, girl in ponytail on the right).

 

http://video.unctv.org/video/3007648836/

[AMJ]

No one got me books either. ;). Dh handed me his present and said, I didn’t know what to get you. ðŸ§. Hmm, I showed you my amazon wishlist with a dozen different things on it (I thought but did not say). But there was a bag of Dove chocolates in there, so we’re good. :)

 

 

DH here kept complaining my wish list was full of books.  No, less than half of it was books!  My ILs gave me a bit of cash, so I ordered 4 things from my wish list yesterday.  Only two of the things ordered were books. 

 

I suspect that my ILs are quite willing to do mail-order shopping for stuff for their boys because there's no place local that sells such stuff.  For their DILs, however, I think they insist on actually going out shopping for presents.  For the grandkids it's a mix -- I think they will mail-order when needed, and local shop when they can.  I suspect it's partly due to how they keep track of what's done and what's left.

 

DH resists buying me books, but he does pay attention to stuff I like and my wish list.  He knows I'm not good at returning things that don't work out.

[lanalouwho]

Dad doesn't talk about his Vietnam experiences, either.

 

All the time I was growing up Dad's identity was as an airline pilot. He would identify himself as an airline pilot and talk EAA and AAA and other airplane enthusiast talk with other plane-heads. He didn't keep his 14 years in the Marine Corp a secret, but it was only mentioned from time to time and not part of his active outward identity. For both my brother and my dad flying was breathing, was life.

 

25 years ago Dad was a passenger in a small plane that crashed and he suffered debilitating brain injury, grounding him from flying planes himself for the rest of his life (though that was the end result and not completely certain at the time of the accident). For a while his identity was as a medically-grounded airline pilot in recovery, then as a general retired airline pilot and continuing airplane enthusiast.

 

In the past few years, however, Dad has realized that in the town in which he lives there is a LOT of support and praise for veterans. His 14 years in the Marine Corps is now something he can claim with pride, with none of the recriminations towards Vietnam vets of previous decades. He now claims his USMC rank as Captain, and wears a hat around town with the USMC insignia on it.

 

Dad wanted me to be sure to mention to his new, upcoming residence community that he is a veteran. I told him they ask about such things specifically on the forms, and I made sure to add those details to those forms. Dad is satisfied with this. When I was signing the lease and talking to various staff I told them what Dad is most likely to answer to, giving them 3 versions Dad has used over the years, one of which is "Captain <last name>". They then promptly changed one form to indicate how to address him, and changed another to make sure that "Capt." was in front of his name on his brass door plate.

 

I'm not telling Dad about this ahead of time. I'll let him be surprised and impressed at how thorough and respectful the place is. They certainly do their best to be.

This is fabulous. I am so happy to hear that he can be proud of his service, and that the new place will be treating him well.

Re: previous topic, I found a website that has the Christmas at Belmont program to view. The children's choir starts at 11:10 into the video, and at 13:33 you can see my two kids next to each other in the middle row (boy on the left, girl in ponytail on the right).

 

http://video.unctv.org/video/3007648836/

[emoji7] so much love

 

Sent from my HTCD160LVW using Tapatalk

[Critterfixer]

Dilemma

 

I’ve got things I could do—that’s a fact.

A Christmas explosion to pack,

Back up in the attic to stack,

Do dishes, the perennial chore

I could stand to go to the store,

And mop, by the state of the floor.

 

But somehow it doesn’t seem right,

To labor from morning to night,

On housework with no end in sight,

When nobody else seems to care,

If they have clean clothes to wear,

Or socks that belong in a pair.

 

I think that I’ll sit with my tea,

Just I, myself, and me,

With a good book in hand and just be.

The flotsam of Christmases past,

Can wait until Gabriel’s blast,

Or someone else can clean up.

At last.

 

Random Musings

[AMJ]

Re: previous topic, I found a website that has the Christmas at Belmont program to view. The children's choir starts at 11:10 into the video, and at 13:33 you can see my two kids next to each other in the middle row (boy on the left, girl in ponytail on the right).

 

http://video.unctv.org/video/3007648836/

 

 

Wonderful!!!!!!  Argethy argh argh argh!!!!!!!   :hurray:  :hurray:  :hurray:  :hurray:

 

Thank you for pointing your two out.  Once I knew who I was looking for I could see them several times throughout the piece.  Did the children's choir only do the one number, or should I look for them some more when I have time?

 

 

They did absolutely splendid!!!!

[AMJ]

This is fabulous. I am so happy to hear that he can be proud of his service, and that the new place will be treating him well. [emoji7] so much love

 

Sent from my HTCD160LVW using Tapatalk

 

 

Argh!  

[Junie]

Re: previous topic, I found a website that has the Christmas at Belmont program to view. The children's choir starts at 11:10 into the video, and at 13:33 you can see my two kids next to each other in the middle row (boy on the left, girl in ponytail on the right).

 

http://video.unctv.org/video/3007648836/

 

Bravo!!  :hurray:  :hurray:

[lanalouwho]

Dilemma

 

I’ve got things I could do—that’s a fact.

A Christmas explosion to pack,

Back up in the attic to stack,

Do dishes, the perennial chore

I could stand to go to the store,

And mop, by the state of the floor.

 

But somehow it doesn’t seem right,

To labor from morning to night,

On housework with no end in sight,

When nobody else seems to care,

If they have clean clothes to wear,

Or socks that belong in a pair.

 

I think that I’ll sit with my tea,

Just I, myself, and me,

With a good book in hand and just be.

The flotsam of Christmases past,

Can wait until Gabriel’s blast,

Or someone else can clean up.

At last.

 

Random Musings

This seems very fitting as I'm hiding in my bedroom to drink my coffee. I don't even want to look at the rest of the house.

 

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[Susan in TN]

Wonderful!!!!!! Argethy argh argh argh!!!!!!! :hurray: :hurray: :hurray: :hurray:

 

Thank you for pointing your two out. Once I knew who I was looking for I could see them several times throughout the piece. Did the children's choir only do the one number, or should I look for them some more when I have time?

 

 

They did absolutely splendid!!!!

Aw shucks. 😊 They only did the one number. The live program was about 2 hours long and they cut over half the show for the broadcast, so the kids were super excited to be included.

 

ETA: Ds13 was mortified that he brushed his bangs out of his eyes AND it was on the video. I told him that if the editors left it in, it must have been "show worthy". :D

Edited December 26, 2017 by Susan in TN

[AMJ]

OK - I need to talk something over with sympathetic but more objective people.  I am really really annoyed with dh.  I came into the kitchen today to find that he had reorganized my pans.  Well, technically our frying pans but I do 90% of the cooking so really I consider them my pans and my kitchen.  I had them on top of the toaster oven.  Maybe not the prettiest there but easily reachable.  He put them in the warming drawer of the new kitchen range.  I had thought of putting them there but decided against it because I was thinking that I want to start using the warming drawer.  I have only used the warming drawer once since getting it a month ago but I'm still figuring things out.  And if I do use it I don't want to keep having to lift heavy pans out of there. 

 

So tell me straight.  Am I unreasonable to get really irritated over this and possessive of the kitchen and the pans?  My instinct was to want to put them back where they were but I haven't because I want to be cool when I make a decision over where to put the pans.  Which leads to the second question:  would you keep them in the warming drawer? 

 

 

My darling DH, please let me determine where I keep the pots and pans.  While they may not look all that great on top of the toaster oven they are easy for me to reach and grab, which really counts when I am more tired and achy.  Also, I'd like to try out using the warming drawer as a warming drawer, now that we have one, and I don't want to have to empty it each time.

 

 

 

Perfectly reasonable.

[Susan in TN]

:hurray: Critter!

[Critterfixer]

I'm up to eight books on my list. Working through a non-fiction craft book, Conflict and Suspense by J. Bell, and a fantasy fiction book, The Little Country, by Charles de Lint. I discovered that I am in need of some bookmarks. I should make some more with watercolor pictures on them.

[Critterfixer]

Time for second tea. De Lint does some awesome things with words. I'm enjoying them. Perhaps a bit too much--I'm a bit distracted by his craft to be taken off by the story yet.

[KrissiK]

Good Morning!!

 

COFFEE!!!☕ï¸â˜•ï¸â˜•ï¸â˜•ï¸â˜•ï¸

 

Don’t know what i’m Going to do today. And that’s ok.

[Critterfixer]

I have assigned the writing of thank you cards to the boys. Let the groaning and griping begin.

[lanalouwho]

I'm trying to organize the post-Christmas chaos. It's not going well.

 

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[Susan in TN]

Didn't you have another child in there, too?

Only the two in that particular choir - I have one in the older choir and one in a younger choir.

[Another Lynn]

Re: previous topic, I found a website that has the Christmas at Belmont program to view. The children's choir starts at 11:10 into the video, and at 13:33 you can see my two kids next to each other in the middle row (boy on the left, girl in ponytail on the right).

 

http://video.unctv.org/video/3007648836/

 

Thank you for posting.  I'll come back to watch it a little later.  Can't wait!!

[Critterfixer]

I've been reading. Now I'm thinking about a nice bath and a nap. Didn't sleep well last night. 

[Slache]

Slache, have you recovered yet?

Coffee!

No.  

Yes, I wonder why no one has followed through on this genius idea yet?

Child abuse?

[Critterfixer]

I need to clean out drawers and closets. But I think that can wait for a few days. I'm too tired to do much sorting and cleaning out today. I think I'll get a bath and try for a nap this afternoon.

[Jean in Newcastle]

My darling DH, please let me determine where I keep the pots and pans.  While they may not look all that great on top of the toaster oven they are easy for me to reach and grab, which really counts when I am more tired and achy.  Also, I'd like to try out using the warming drawer as a warming drawer, now that we have one, and I don't want to have to empty it each time.

 

 

 

Perfectly reasonable.

 

For the moment we have compromised.  The three pans I use the most are on top of the toaster oven.  Dh didn't have an issue with it when I explained why.  The rest of the pans are still in the warming drawer though that is really because I just can't bring myself to bend and bring heavy pans up out of there right now. 

[Jean in Newcastle]

Good morning.  I am having hot Throat Coat tea (for my sore throat that developed last night) which was kept nice and cozy by the mug warmer that dd got me for Christmas.  Today I forgot about it for much longer than steeping time like I always do but it was still nice and hot when I remembered!  Woo hoo!  (It's a Mr. Coffee mug warmer for those who might want to know.) 

[Jean in Newcastle]

The Dove wrapper is telling me to hit the snooez button. Who starts eating chocolates before they even get out of bed? People who take life advice from chocolate bars, I guess.

 

This really made me laugh! 

[Paige]

Nap

[Jean in Newcastle]

So I'm just going to get this off of my chest.  Yesterday at the extended family Christmas, the cousins and ds got together to get the helicopter flying lesson that I mentioned yesterday.  They billed it as a birthday present for dd (who had a birthday two weeks ago).  They got nothing for ds.  Which is ok.  Technically they didn't get a Christmas present for dd either.  But the thing is they never ever give ds a birthday present either.  I know that it is because ds is socially awkward (Aspie) even though he tries really hard and dd is quiet but socially adept.  What sucked even more is that ds worked really hard for two weeks on those Lichtenberg Figure ornaments for all of them.  I'm not sure if Ds noticed since he hasn't said anything but he's not dumb.  I just want to rap some people upside the head. 

 

It's a Mama Bear Booyah. 

Edited December 26, 2017 by Jean in Newcastle

[Paige]

I got How Not to Die (book) for Christmas and now I’m conflicted because I don’t want to die and be sick but I want to eat all the bad things. 😬

 

Maybe I can compromise by eating less of the bad things. Sugar is good. Doughnuts are good. Bacon and chips and pizza...I want them all.

[Jean in Newcastle]

PS - I know that they do not understand ds.  They know that he's "scary smart" (their words) so in the past they got him things like trivia games that weren't a super big hit for him because they seemed dumb to ds.  Or else no one wanted to actually play him because he beat them all hands down. 

[Paige]

We had a good Christmas! Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, etc to all of you!

 

I’ve reached a new level of personal freedom after this autumn w/baby and guests: mil and bil are coming tonight and I don’t even care that the place is a post-Christmas disaster. At all. Screw it all; if you show up the day after Christmas you get what you get and don’t pitch a fit.

 

My grandmother would haunt me for this if she could but I feel no guilt and MIL will have a better time because I’ve chilled out. 😎

[Jean in Newcastle]

I'm really proud and happy for you, Paige.  Being stressed about those things is so tough and it is so freeing to let it all go. 

[Paige]

So I'm just going to get this off of my chest. Yesterday at the extended family Christmas, the cousins and ds got together to get the helicopter flying lesson that I mentioned yesterday. They billed it as a birthday present for dd (who had a birthday two weeks ago). They got nothing for ds. Which is ok. Technically they didn't get a Christmas present for dd either. But the thing is they never ever give ds a birthday present either. I know that it is because ds is socially awkward (Aspie) even though he tries really hard and dd is quiet but socially adept. What sucked even more is that ds worked really hard for two weeks on those Lichtenberg Figure ornaments for all of them. I'm not sure if Ds noticed since he hasn't said anything but he's not dumb. I just want to rap some people upside the head.

 

It's a Mama Bear Booyah.

They were rude! People can at least make an effort.

[Susan in TN]

(((Tech Support)))

[lanalouwho]

Good for you, Paige! I try to remember that when I visit people I'm there for their company. I don't notice or care if it's messy, as long as they are warm and inviting. I like to think it's the same when the tables are turned.

 

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[KrissiK]

*we’re all gonna die

 

When my grandmother was dying they asked her if she wanted some water and she replied, “Coffee all the way, sister.†;)

I love your grandmother!!☕ï¸â˜•ï¸â˜•ï¸â˜•ï¸â˜•ï¸â˜•ï¸â˜•ï¸

[lanalouwho]

(((Tech Support))) I feel like they really aren't making much of an effort. I don't even know him, but I know that he's got quite a few interests. He seems like a tinkerer to me what with the Lichtenburg figures and working on cars. Doesn't he also play music? I think they are the ones lacking social skills.

 

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[Paige]

FWIW we aren’t living in filth. I was raised to show guests we value them by making an effort to see to their comfort and comfort meant a clean, pleasant, and tidy environment. At the same time, as guests we were to make a concentrated effort to ignore all signs of mess and disarray at the hosts’ homes.

 

It’s a nice plan but right now the first part is not possible to my prior standards. They’ll just have to live like we normally live which is passably, “we won’t die from the mess†and nobody will call the health department clean. I’m awesome at the 2nd part- I don’t care how messy anyone’s house is and can ignore it or pitch in and help clean according to your preferences.

[luuknam]

I got How Not to Die (book) 

 

 

Why? There's a rule against dying, so you don't need a book.

[luuknam]

I'm cold. I tried to put plastic insulation on a drafty window in the kitchen yesterday, but the tape in one corner kept coming loose. Probably should duct tape it, but that will leave residue on the walls. Anyway, that window is really drafty (hadn't realized how drafty before since it's next to the fridge), and the window next to it is also sorta drafty, and some other windows/doors are not great either, and it's 11F feels like -8F or something and I keep turning the thermostat up higher and higher but I'm still cold. I think I've turned it up 2 degrees in the past 24 hours. And then kids are harassing me about being bored, but I'm too cold to go fiddle with new stuff, and the stuff I suggested (games we could play, etc) was turned down as boring. Maybe we should do more school. 

[AMJ]

Aw shucks. 😊 They only did the one number. The live program was about 2 hours long and they cut over half the show for the broadcast, so the kids were super excited to be included.

 

ETA: Ds13 was mortified that he brushed his bangs out of his eyes AND it was on the video. I told him that if the editors left it in, it must have been "show worthy". :D

 

 

It was.  It made the performance all the more relatable and human.  I was really getting into the kids singing with life and enjoyment, and the so-automatic brushing of hair out of the eyes speaks to how deeply he was involved in the singing, in the performance.  I only actually noticed in hindsight -- I was right there with him, getting that pesky hair out of the eyes and getting on with the celebration at hand.

[AMJ]

I'm up to eight books on my list. Working through a non-fiction craft book, Conflict and Suspense by J. Bell, and a fantasy fiction book, The Little Country, by Charles de Lint. I discovered that I am in need of some bookmarks. I should make some more with watercolor pictures on them.

 

 

CRITTER DOES BOOKMARKS, TOO!  Agents and publishers who don't snap her up really don't see the marketing gold she already is!  They could make squillions alone printing off special bookmarks for her books!

[luuknam]

Kitchen thermometer says 62. That's definitely not what our thermostat is set to. 

[AMJ]

I cleaned out the cabinet under dc bathroom sink! It's been years, apparently!

 

 

I was feeling sick and puny when I was wrapping Christmas presents, so I opted for the easy way out -- I grabbed all the reusable gift bags and decorated boxes I could.  DD16 got some presents in old Little Mermaid bags....

[Jean in Newcastle]

CRITTER DOES BOOKMARKS, TOO!  Agents and publishers who don't snap her up really don't see the marketing gold she already is!  They could make squillions alone printing off special bookmarks for her books!

 

AMJ should do Critter's marketing. 

[luuknam]

Btw, I'm in the living room, not the kitchen... it's just that there's no way that the living room is remotely near the temp the thermostat is set to... at least I seem to finally have set it high enough that the heater doesn't stop, as it was still doing an hour or so ago. Downside: that means that the heater might not be able to keep up with the cold weather outside, and, it's not record cold outside. 

[AMJ]

I am cleaning out clothes so we have somewhere to put away Mount Washmore. There is a bin of “thin†clothes I haven’t been able to wear since ds, but I can’t make myself get rid of. Sigh. The thing is, since I am so cheap and since I buy most things at the thrift store where it’s always hit and miss, I know I WILL be annoyed with myself if by some miracle I do manage to lose the weight and I’ve given them all away. So it feels like giving up hope to give them away.

 

 

Lego Lass is growing.  It won't be long before she might fit into some of them, kwim?

[AMJ]

I need to clean out drawers and closets. But I think that can wait for a few days. I'm too tired to do much sorting and cleaning out today. I think I'll get a bath and try for a nap this afternoon.

 

 

You will be much more effective and efficient if you start on the project at lease somewhat rested instead of worn out.  Bath, nap, good night's sleep.  These are called for at this time.  And yummy, nourishing (to the soul) treats.