Quarantine and chill and kindness chatty clubhouse: Jump in and join the conversation! All is welcome!

[AuntieMe3]

Fi ally replying to few things I've wanted to reply too...

Three of the four pairs of flip flops I ordered have arrived. One I'm for sure sending back, the other two I like both....my intention was to pick one pair and return the other three BUT now I might change my mind haha!

What kind did you get? Flip flops are my choice footwear 85% of the time...lol but I'm having a hard time finding one that don't hurt my feet after a little while of walking. I got some Sanuk brand from Costco a couple years ago and they were wonderful. I even wore them to Disneyland parks on a spur of the moment day trip and my feet didn't even hurt. I ordered some from the website in 2020 and those were great, so last year I ordered some more and they were awful. Definitely not the same quality...ok for casual wear but if I know I'm going to be on my feet walking a lot, I can't wear them so I need to find a new brand this year.

Mine looks like this.

We had one like that until DH was playing ball with the dog in the house and the dog knocked if off the shelf and it broke. DD was so annoyed...lol I ended up getting a different one since the price of those nearly doubled from when we bought it. LOL

QOTD.... When you take a road trip, how long do you drive in a day?

Depends on where we're going and how much time we have. We usually try to get to where we're going as fast as we can and then take our time coming home. On our drives up to Washington State years ago, we could drive straight through with DH just needing an hour or so nap in a rest stop at some point. I think it was 23 hours from our house to the InLaws. Last time we drove, we took 2 days to get there. Only stayed less than 24 hours in the area, and then took 3 days to get home. We've also driven to Kansas from our puse which is 18 hours I think and we've done that in 2 days, taking 3 to 4 days to get home. So I would say between 8-10 hours(stopping here and there along the way) would be the most I prefer to be in the car during the day. We drive to the San Francisco Bay Area quite a bit for DH's job and that's about 7 hours. If I'm by myself going to met him up there, I can usually do it without stopping. just have to go the bathroom really bad when I get there...lol If we're together, he likes to stop to stretch his legs and usually eat a meal along the way.

Do you have any Happy Valentine stuff you can look forward to putting out?

I actually put up some winter things in January, snowflakes and such. I just ordered a lighted garland for our TV stand that will get here Saturday so I'll take my Christmas stuff down before then and switch to my winter things. I didn't want anything to blah so I got a greenery one with pinecone and holly berries to add some color. February I'll switch to Valentine's and then March I have St Patrick's day stuff.

I've felt a little better today,

Glad you're feeling better. We just donated my mom's clothes last week, my dad said the hardest thing for him was seeing all her stuff everywhere(she had a couple wheelchairs, walkers, toilet commode, etc...)so her clothes have been the last big thing for him to get rid of.

the valet staff greeted us daily with, “Good morning, Toto!”, lol. Somewhere I have a picture of him with three of them when we were leaving.

Love those pictures...too cute. DH said the other day, when we decide its time for another dog, he wants to get one a little more portable than our boys, so we can take her/him places. He said no more dogs, which I couldn't imagine NOT ever having another dog but he's already coming around.

Believe it or not after a lot of back and forth, I finally got my cards, so I’m going to get those sent out now. How embarrassing!

Not embarrassing...I'm sure people will understand and still love getting a card from you. There were so many years, I was late doing Christmas cards, I started just making New Years one...lol

But I've been washing dishes for 3 days now and I'm tired of it so I got a pack of disposables.

Ugh...so awful.. LOL Dishes are my least favorite chore and we hadn't had a dishwasher in forever. Our first stimulus check, I used to buy a dishwasher and I'm so happy I did that. LOL Cleaning up after Christmas and New Years, I told DH after Ioaded and started the DH how happy I grateful I was for it. LOL Hey and even still with my dishwasher, I still have paper plates for when I don't even want to bother with loading the dishwasher.

I've heard so much about the Speed Queen's - and all of it good. Everyone I've spoken to who has made the investment has no regrets. I may need to look into that as a possibility.

Me too...we just bought a washer last year but next time we need a new one I'm getting a speed queen. We'll need a new dryer sooner than later and I'm thinking I'll just get the Speed Queen dryer.

So DH and his coworker made it to Philadelphia late last night after lots of flight delays, and without DHs luggage. Apparently it's still, as of last I talked to him about an hour ago, in Denver. So he had to go out shopping this morning for warm clothes as it's snowing and he had all his cold weather wear(and boots, safety vest, hard hat, etc...) in his suitcase...ugh. What a pain. It happened to him when he went to Italy the first time too. He can't take much clothing in a carry online like we do when we're on a personal trip because he has work stuff he needs to carry on so it's not great when his bags are lost. Hopefully he's supposed to get it by tonight so he can be on the job tomorrow with his own things. LoL

Going to Costco today for dog food and I'm hoping it's not to crowded... and I still need to set up an appointment with my Dr about my back.

Hope you all have a great rest of your day.

 

[Owlpost23]

🌨❄🌨❄🌨❄🌨❄🌨❄🌨❄

Snowing here. A proper snowstorm, evidently. Supposed to get either 3-5 or 5-8 depending on who you listen to and where you live. As usual we are right on the line....that line usually being the line of getting or not getting snow. But not today, today we are firmly in the getting snow area for once! Roads are rubbish, so had to close down the office. That I am not pleased about, as I'm sick and tired of being home after quarantining w/ Covid then shutting down over the holidays. I think it's been 3 weeks since I spent a day in the office- I'd sneak in there on weekends for a bit of work, but honestly both my husband and I are climbing the walls around here, can't wait to get back to work! But we don't mind a proper snow day once in a while, so I'll take it when I can get it! It's pouring down snow, and blustery. It's a heavy, wet snow, expected to last a fair bit of the day.

So here we sit for the day. Son still in basement, dogs in front of the fire. Husband upstairs doing something and I'm watching Return of the King. My very favorite scene is on, where the beacon(s) of Minas Tirith is lit and the remaining beacons all follow suit.



Welp, I supposed it depends. We will drive all day to get to a destination, but we don't drive thru the night. We'll stop by 9 PM or so, although as early birds it's not uncommon that we might get up early at 3:30 or 4 and get back on the road. The only place that is super far aware from us we drive to is FL when needed. For instance, we have to both take a car down to my folks place in Ft. Myers, and bring one back up here....so I canceled our flights (going to WDW while down there) and booked the auto train home as my car I'm brining back up here is small, and almost a classic that I'd like to not add another 1000+ miles to. But mostly I didn't want to drive it all the way home. So we will leave Maryland around noon on a Friday, drive to roughly the Florence, SC area, grab a hotel and overnight, continuing on to Ft. Myers the next day. When we head to Orlando from Ft. Myers it's only about 3 hours or a bit less so no plans there for any unneeded stops.
We have been known to need to go up to Lynn's neck of MD - about a 3 1/2 or 4 hour drive one way for us, up & back all in one day. That makes for a very long day.




It is! I shoveled off the steps and it's a heavy snow for sure!



I've heard so much about the Speed Queen's - and all of it good. Everyone I've spoken to who has made the investment has no regrets. I may need to look into that as a possibility.



We have another project starting there in a few months, and I'm going to need to be there 2-4 times per month for meetings. Thinking of splitting between flying and driving, but we'll see.


Maybe I'll finally get around to buying my tickets and booking parks (I hate that). We arrive at Wilderness Lodge 3 weeks from today.
Time to suit up and boot up, the dogs are starting to get restless, I think they have to go out but aren't sure, so I'll go out with them. They aren't snow adverse, but they don't much care for the biting, cold wind!
Dinner this evening is a bear pot roast. Not at all my cup of tea, but husband and youngest will enjoy it and it's one less piece of bear in my freezer. I'll scrounge up something else for dinner.

Have a good morning everyone-

The beacons are lit is my favorite scene,too! Just a stunning sequence.

 

[flyingdumbo127]

Good afternoon to everyone!

Waving hi to you, Owlpost and good to see you.

That is awful service, Judique especially to deal with so late at night! I'm sorry you and your family went through that!

extra AuntieMe3 and thank you for donating more of a mom's things, making a difference and to your mom by doing so. A lighted garland sounds like a cozy and festive idea for more year-round use, I like that

Waiting on the mail which should bring some packages later as well. Dad cashed in a jar of full of change earlier to Coinstar to Amazon. Always a blessing to discover that even a small jar of loose coins adds up to extra needed funds.

I pray all of you are warm right now and ideally safe at home, too!

 

[easyas123]

What kind did you get? Flip flops are my choice footwear 85% of the time..

I'm a serial flip flop wearer as well-but I have weak ankles, so nothing thin or flat. I need a 4 wheel drive, off road kinda flip flop! Or at least one fairly substantial. I wear them at WDW, so I like them to be supportive & comfortable. This go around I ordered from Merrell, Clarks & Olukai, and another pair from Columbia to see how the new model feels. The Columbia is going back, the Merrell's & Clarks - especially The Clarks are very comfortable. I haven't gotten the Olukai's yet - and I'm looking forward to trying then as I've never had a pair of those. They should arrive Wednesday. Problem is I had only planned on keeping one pair, if I like the last pair when they arrive I I will have exceeded my self-imposed maximum flip flop expenditure for the year Oh well, I'm worth it! I

It's looking like we got upwards of 10", and there is a hell of a wind blowing. Snow has stopped. Took eldest from 8:15 until 3 PM to get from south east DC area (Woodrow Wilson Bridge vicinity I think) to home, which should be about a 1 hour 45 minute drive. He said 495 was like a scene from a apocalyptical movie or something, snow plows off the side of the road, cars stuck or abandoned. He's got a new job over there, hope he doesn't come to regret the commute! Husband hiked into the office to plow out the driveway and parking lot after he plowed out our driveway. They hadn't plowed our road yet, but they did plow the main road. Gonna be slick in the morning I'm thinking.

So today I slow cooked a bear roast in a onion & red wine reduction. I'm very pleased with how tender it came out. It's wrapped up and staying warm. Currently I'm cooking down some lamb bones with vegetables, I'll use the broth in a lamb & Guinness stew w/ dumplings if I can find what I did with the recipe. I think I'm going to go look for it now -

 

[lynxstch]

I'm a serial flip flop wearer as well-but I have weak ankles, so nothing thin or flat. I need a 4 wheel drive, off road kinda flip flop! Or at least one fairly substantial. I wear them at WDW, so I like them to be supportive & comfortable. This go around I ordered from Merrell, Clarks & Olukai, and another pair from Columbia to see how the new model feels. The Columbia is going back, the Merrell's & Clarks - especially The Clarks are very comfortable. I haven't gotten the Olukai's yet - and I'm looking forward to trying then as I've never had a pair of those. They should arrive Wednesday. Problem is I had only planned on keeping one pair, if I like the last pair when they arrive I I will have exceeded my self-imposed maximum flip flop expenditure for the year Oh well, I'm worth it! I

It's looking like we got upwards of 10", and there is a hell of a wind blowing. Snow has stopped. Took eldest from 8:15 until 3 PM to get from south east DC area (Woodrow Wilson Bridge vicinity I think) to home, which should be about a 1 hour 45 minute drive. He said 495 was like a scene from a apocalyptical movie or something, snow plows off the side of the road, cars stuck or abandoned. He's got a new job over there, hope he doesn't come to regret the commute! Husband hiked into the office to plow out the driveway and parking lot after he plowed out our driveway. They hadn't plowed our road yet, but they did plow the main road. Gonna be slick in the morning I'm thinking.

So today I slow cooked a bear roast in a onion & red wine reduction. I'm very pleased with how tender it came out. It's wrapped up and staying warm. Currently I'm cooking down some lamb bones with vegetables, I'll use the broth in a lamb & Guinness stew w/ dumplings if I can find what I did with the recipe. I think I'm going to go look for it now -

Exactly what part of MD are you in? I can't seem to recall. We got no snow, no wind, and the sun is out, but it is cold..Just be careful if you go out at all in that snow~

 

[easyas123]

Exactly what part of MD are you in? I can't seem to recall. We got no snow, no wind, and the sun is out, but it is cold..Just be careful if you go out at all in that snow~

Eastern Shore - about 40 minutes north of the bay bridge up 301.

I know - you guys usually get it and we don't. Luckily it's not a blizzard or anything.

 

[lynxstch]

Eastern Shore - about 40 minutes north of the bay bridge up 301.

I know - you guys usually get it and we don't. Luckily it's not a blizzard or anything.

Just talked to stepson in Salisbury. They got a good bit of it too. He didn't bother going to work,, he owns his own bread truck, but has to drive to Easton every day to get his truck and stuff..and Easton got a lot of snow early.

 

[Snowysmom]

Everyone with the snow please be careful. I love the snow on the ground as it is pretty but not so much with the havoc it wreaks.

On family trips our longest one was to WDW from Mass. We drove about 12 hours one day to North Carolina, then to St. Augustine the next day, and then on to WDW the third day. My FIL built the large cross (with a little help) that is at the Mission in St. Augustine. We had to take the kids to see it. He was a welder. It was his best and favorite work. We let older DS drive us into WDW. He was 17 and just graduated from high school. He thought it was cool to drive us onto WDW property. He also got to drive us through a major traffic jam in Northern Virginia. The kids and I said no more car trips to Florida. It was a bit fun and interesting to do once but we fly now. Other trips we would go for 6-7 hours with breaks. Now I will probably just do the 3 hours to North Conway. If I pick up my friend halfway up in NH it will make the trip easier. Plus I will have company for the last hour of the ride.

It has been a busy weekend. I was at the house myself Fri, Sat, and Sun. I cleaned, I sorted, I binned up stuff, brought bins back to my son's house, donated books, clothes, and DVDs, filled up the trash bin outside the house, and in general got things in better shape so maybe I have a chance of getting out of the house sooner rather than later. I am on a mission to get settled somewhere as soon as I can. I need to be able to grieve properly, move forward, and soothe my soul. I can't do all that with all the house stuff. I hurts my heart every time I clean and throw out stuff. I tried to pretend it was not New Year's but I cried buckets all weekend. I also did some more yelling at Chris. It is a bit therapeutic as well as being true.

I finally had my appt with social security. Praise the Lord and sing alleluia. The appt was for 2:30 but they did not call until 3:10. The rep was very nice and pleasant. I had to send my marriage certificate to them which I ran right to the post office and did after the call. He said I am full retirement age for the survivor's benefits and it goes back to December when I had my birthday. I will get 2 months paid the first month to make up for the time lag. I was surprised at that but it was a nice surprise. I have some more financial stuff to do next week and I hope this is it until I sell the house. I am going to look at the condo complex 2 towns over on Jan 21 with a friend. She is very outspoken and will ask alot of good questions. My brain is not fully functional right now so I need help.

Have a nice evening.

 

[PollyannaMom]

I haven't gotten the Olukai's yet - and I'm looking forward to trying then as I've never had a pair of those.

I got DH Olukai slippers for Christmas, and he loves them!

Pea, I hope you get the dog!

 

[Breezy_Carol]

DS lives in Dunkirk, MD, south of Annapolis. He sent me the NWS website that showed the highest amount of snowfall in MD and surrounding states. MD listed Dunkirk with 13 inches.

 

[flyingdumbo127]

Please, please be careful and stay safe those of you in snow! From so far away it does sound pretty nut no way would I want to live in it. Plus, lol, I truly freeze.

Snowysmom

Quiet afternoon here. Did get Amazon delivery earlier and waiting now for the snail mail. Dad and I started watching Nostalgic. Christmas briefly last night, will watch more later. This year, I'll DVR 1-2 movies a week and not record any others until what's already been recorded has been watched!

❤to all. I also hope you get the dog, Pea!

 

[easyas123]

I got DH Olukai slippers for Christmas, and he loves them!

Pea, I hope you get the dog!

Oh good - I have high hopes for them!

And yes - Good luck Pea w/ the dog!

 

[tazdev3225]

Good evening.

Cold one here but at least no snow. I finally talked with my grandson and we are good. I reached out a few times and he finally called me. We came up with a fair price for the work. I told him I was hurt that he didn’t come to me and he agreed he should
have. Any misunderstandings now have a code phrase - you’re being cheap. it feels good to have that fixed.

we stopped food distribution for the next month. My mom is terrified of getting COVID. I think she is over reacting but I’m glad to have a break.
QOTD - when my husband could drive he insisted on driving straight through to Disney, 14-16 hours depending on stops and traffic. I refuse to drive that long. We did take the kids that way once, it was not fun. Most trips went no more than 8 hours to Maine or williamsburg. Now it’s day trips to the Jersey shore.

 

[flyingdumbo127]

Taz. So glad to hear you and your grandson have made amends. Enjoy your break and as always thank you for your service! Day trips sound much more enjoyable to me!

Have a good night everyone.

 

[Kirby]

We’ll see. I think this uptick is going to take a little while to run its course, unfortunately. I was reading that it’s not just the O variant but Delta is still around.

I read a CDC report today that said that Delta was still the main variant for those in the hospital.

I forgot to say earlier that a crossword for dad can be from a magazine, too. He just enjoys daily the newspaper puzzle. He does get AARP and also does the NY times. Any others, would be so welcome. Thanks again. Good night for real now

Have you looked online for free crossword puzzles that you can print out?

I am much, much better today. Feeling like my old self. It felt good to get back into the office and do some work. I was home alone for most of the day and was able to get some work done. DD goes back to work tomorrow so I'll have to juggle work and Lou Lou.

Dinner tonight was Honey Baked Ham (again), mac & cheese and steamed mixed vegetables. I split the rest of the ham in half, freezing part of it. We have enough of the other half for sandwiches for the rest of the week.

 

[Snowysmom]

Good Morning. Getting ready for work and just checking in. Hope all are doing well and thoughts and prayers to those in need.

Pea-n-me Good luck with the dog. I love the pictures of Toto. Nothing like a cute little terrier. I love them.

 

[PollyannaMom]

Good morning, all

 

[easyas123]

I’ll chime in with a good morning as well!
Busy week ahead, meetings out of the office 3 out of the next 4 days. Got a lot to catch up on- but that’s ok with me-

 

[Owlpost23]

Good afternoon to everyone!

Waving hi to you, Owlpost and good to see you.

That is awful service, Judique especially to deal with so late at night! I'm sorry you and your family went through that!

extra AuntieMe3 and thank you for donating more of a mom's things, making a difference and to your mom by doing so. A lighted garland sounds like a cozy and festive idea for more year-round use, I like that

Waiting on the mail which should bring some packages later as well. Dad cashed in a jar of full of change earlier to Coinstar to Amazon. Always a blessing to discover that even a small jar of loose coins adds up to extra needed funds.

I pray all of you are warm right now and ideally safe at home, too!

Thank you!

 

[lynxstch]

Good chilly morning..21 outside now, but thankfully we got none of the snow~

Today is cleaning day. Both bathrooms get done, kitchen floor will get washed (didn't get to it yesterday as I spent half the morning on the phone trying to straighten out an Aetna/CVS/co pay issue). No way in you know where was I going to pay $1037 for my Eliquis while waiting for approval or denial from the drug company as to whether they are going to provide it for free. Aetna had something mixed up, they contacted CVS and I am only going to get a 30 day supply,,for a lot less than what they quoted me from CVS~ Whew!~

Already stripped and remade the bed, waiting for Mr L to wake up so I can run the washer,,as it's directly underneath where his chair is. He still won't sleep in our bed,,says it's not comfortable? I think it is,,and I wake up without a sore/stiff back!

Going to gather trash and make grocery list for tomorrow first, then work on the other chores

Have a nice day fellow QUACKers