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

[lynxstch]

Too stuffed to think about dessert for another couple of hours here, lol!

 

[Pea-n-Me]

Finally home relaxing. Had a nice visit with family, a great meal, and a brisk, sunny walk around the cranberry bogs with three dogs - our two, and SIL’s, who all got along well. Couldn’t ask for a better day. Got to drive home with DS, who came after work, but got to eat and see everyone, while DD went off to her BF’s house from there (he came with us, too). Toto rolled in goose poop on walk (idk why some dogs love to do that; Grady would never ) so DH and I had to clean him off with water and wipes before he got back in my car, lol. Thankfully I had a towel!

I’m glad to hear people had a good day.

 

[flyingdumbo127]

So grateful that all of you are enjoying this special day. Dad and I are so blessed indeed. We also got to talk with Ruth, Steve's wife which always means a lot. Steve still dealing with long term Covid. He never knows when the fatigue and aches, etc. will start. They are lovely and faithful people. Dad and I are blessed to have them in our lives.

note, we saw him! He came on about 10 minutes before the end of the parade. That was fun to get to see. Lol, I jotted that down as a reminder for next year.

Sweet dreams with much gratitude and love to all.

 

[PollyannaMom]

Good morning, all

 

[Snowysmom]

@Judique Glad you had a good trip. I will have to read your posts more carefully to get some good info. I booked a trip for next Fall for the Beach Club Villas. I saw you went to the new deli at Boardwalk.

Good morning. It sounds like everyone had a nice holiday. I got back from Kenny's last night. He works early today so I figured I would get back and go grocery shopping early today. The store was pretty empty which was nice. I may go to the Museum of Science tomorrow with Kenny and the kids. I haven't been there is so long. Chris being the science geek loved it there.

We had a nice time yesterday. All the family plus one of Kenny's friends came. The turkey came out so good. Kenny does a good job. We had so much food leftover as well as desserts. My turkey face cupcakes were good. Kenny has alot of leftovers. I took a little bit of turkey and stuffing for one sandwich. I did not need to bring any desserts as I don't need to eat those. The grandkids enjoyed seeing each other. Sam is getting so big. He is 6 months and weighs 17 lbs 14 oz. He is tall too. He is still such a happy baby. When I felt overwhelmed and needed some time to cry, I went upstairs.

I love walking around Kenny's neighborhood. It is peaceful and up hill, down hill, and around the school. I saw a Bald Eagle yesterday just circling above me. I went to take picture and while I was getting my phone ready he had disappeared. I am thinking the eagle was a sign. Plus I found a random penny on the floor in Kenny's kitchen. No one had any change with them so not sure where it came from. It is an old penny from 1944. A sign from my Dad? He was in WWII in Italy that year. I looked at a few condo complexes while I was in Kenny's area. One I really liked but I don't think it is in my budget. But, I wonder if they have smaller units that would be priced lower. It is an over 55 complex. The large unit is 2500 sq ft which is way to big for me. One place that is also for over 55 has individual small homes that have one floor living as well as a finished basement for a family room. There are around 1400 sq ft 2 BR 2BA. There is a garage attached and you enter the house through your own door which is what I really want. It is a nice neighborhood. I am not sure what is included in the HOA fee. It says road maintenance and snow removal. I would need to see if lawn care is available. The other one I went to was OK. It reminded me of a place in my area that has very close condo buildings and is in a small area. It really does not have walking options. There are other condo options in Kenny's town but I wanted to see these particular ones.

Have a good day.

 

[lynxstch]

Good morning all--welcome to Black Friday! You wouldn't catch me near a store today for anything. I used to work retail as a supervisor and people are crazy when shopping on this day. My bet is that there will be at least one fight in Walmart today that will involve the police being called. I will stay home and browse online, or wait for Cyber Monday to see if there are any deals.

Chance of rain today, but temps will still be in the 50's. Going to clean both bathrooms thoroughly and decorate them. For some reason I always start with those 2 rooms, so no need to switch it up, lol.

Looking forward to leftovers tonight. I love turkey, Don doesn't. He says he's going to make turkey sausage, but since he doesn't like turkey, I don't know why he wants to go to all that trouble. I told him if he does, then he has to clean up the mess he makes, lol

Have a nice day, don't spend too much money shopping, lol!!

 

[Bianca and Bernard]

Morning all!

Well, the potatoes were, well, potatoes; the rolls big and dense; the turkey mostly moist, just a little bit dry on the very outside of the breast, because I threw it back in after resting to brown the skin just a tad more. I had cooked it back side up for two hour; I meant to do just an hour, but forgot to set the timer! The skin on the back was actually perfectly crispy and brown, even after flipping and cooking more. But the breast skin did not brown up well in the last hour, so I put it in low broil for about 5 min to brown it up. It even fell apart; went to take it out of the pan and it just split in two. Didn't need to carve off the legs/thighs/wings; they just came right off. I borrowed THIS recipe. Next time I will bring it a day earlier, and then let it sit to dry it out; I didn't realize that I needed to do that step, so I started brining Wednesday. very good flavor, though.

I made gravy from scratch, successfully, for the first time! DH usually does the gravy, because I've never been able to get it just right...but those HF meals that have gravy made me practice the basics, although they use sour cream and cream cheese to make them creamy; and I gave it a try with the drippings.

We watched the new Christmas Story, thought it was pretty well done. Also watched Don't Worry Darling; it was...different.

Today, I'm making an easy turkey pot pie; chunks of the turkey, some mixed frozen veg, some of the leftover gravy thinned with more broth, and maybe a layer of mashed potato on top; then flaky layered biscuits pulled in half (so they are shorter), baked first so they don't get soggy.

No BF shopping here, except maybe one online store. Bittermilk (link) is the mixer we like, and I thought I might get some to add to the grown up kids gift baskets this year. We really like the Smoked Honey Whiskey Sour, the Bourbon Barrel Aged Old Fashioned, and I like the Charred Grapefruit Tonic (DH can't have it). They also make the Barcoop Bevy line, and the Ginger Smash and Spicy Strawberry Margarita are very good.

Anyways, y'all have a good day!

 

[Breezy_Carol]

Good morning.

Dinner yesterday at Sarah's was so good. So much food and desserts. Everyone contributed and there were a lot of leftovers. I definitely overate.

Got home before Andrew, Jen, and Martin arrived about 9. Andrew helped me buy tickets on StubHub for the Maryland Football tomorrow. We got some close to theirs.

Today we were all up fairly early and Jen and Jack helped cut vegetables for the beef stew. I now have three crockpots of stew cooking, one without onion. Still have to bake a pumpkin pie. Thirteen for dinner tonight.

Then we 5 went out for breakfast at a new place, right across the street from our church. The Peach Blossom Eatery It was very good.

Toto rolled in goose poop on walk (idk why some dogs love to do that; Grady would never ) so DH and I had to clean him off with water and wipes before he got back in my car, lol. Thankfully I had a towel!

Yuck! Been there, done that. I always love it right before people are coming over. And as far as "Grady would never"' our dog Grace would never drink for a communal water bowl, like at an outdoor restaurant or park.

I borrowed THIS recipe.

We use the Alton Brown recipe from Food Network.

 

[flyingdumbo127]

Good Morning everyone,

Very grateful to have read all of your Thanksgiving shares and that you each enjoyed a happy day yesterday Any Black Friday shopping will remain online only! Dad as able to get himself a 2023 engagement calendar last night for half off on Amazon using gift card money that we had earned from Coinstar. That was a blessing. He'll check out refrigerator ad possible new microwave storage cart options. Thanks to God, both items are working fine for now. As far as the laptop, unless he does find a deal on one with a 15.5" (I believe) screen size like his current old one he will happily keep the new one with a smaller 14" screen. Right now, dad is doing Friday followed by Ralph's I am sure neither place is jam packed.

PollyannaMom I was so thankful extra to God to have read that your DS got to celebrate Thanksgiving with you. What a blessing indeed. you enjoyed a wonderful visit together.

God Bless baby Sam, dear SnowysmomOf course, how thankful to God I am that your Thanksgiving was a positive one, my friend. Continuing newsearchingYou're heart will know my friend when you have found the place God has led you, too. Don't be rushed into anything and keep all, of course, in prayer. Hooray that you have a trip planned for next year.

Lynn and amen about online shopping! Enjoy your leftovers and lol may Don enjoy his own meal and definitely clean up any mess he may make, too! Thank you always for bringing us all added cheer each day through a morning picture. I really like how bright today's image is.

B&Band I'm glad you enjoyed the movie. Dad said how good the Campbell's packet of gravy that he made was. I am sure your homemade version was a lot tastier! Prayers all your cooking efforts were appreciated as well they should have been!

CarolI really love that everyone in your family contributed to your meal yesterday. So grateful to God that all of you got to celebrate together, of course, too. Just Googled the Peach Blossom Eatery and am so glad you did enjoy it. How convenient that it's located across the street from your I hope you enjoy more meals there to come.

Have a wonderful Friday everyone. I will check back later.

 

[PollyannaMom]

I may go to the Museum of Science tomorrow with Kenny and the kids. I haven't been there is so long. Chris being the science geek loved it there.

That place is so much fun! I used to take DS a lot when he was little.

 

[Judique]

I'm back from my morning excursion. This was not Black Friday shopping, just regular errands attempted today.

I've been to CVS, Costco and Lowes. While at Lowes I remembered I had a tiny merchandize credit so I dug around in my bag, found it and used to buy some poinsettias. CVS got a few dollars for DD's feminine needs, and Costco managed to extract over $200 out of me for milk, eggs and half and half. I'm sure you all understand.

Dinner last night was delicious. A ham, and two turkeys were cooked. One turkey deep fried and one grilled. All were moist and delicious. I've done the deep fried before but not the grilled. The ham also came in from outside cooking but I'm not sure how it was prepared. Sides included Oyster stuffing(southern Maryland thing), rice, asparagus, sweet potatoes, mac and cheese, cranberry, kibbeh and spanikopita as one family has middle eastern roots. Appetizers included an eggplant dish, a pickled veggie dish, mini crab cakes in tart shells, hummus, a cheese and cauliflower hot dish that tasted like chicken, crackers, chips, and a table of wines and other drinks.

Desserts and coffee later with chocolate pecan pie, pumpkin roll, apple pie, pumpkin pie, a chocolate concoction that I didn't try (yet - mine is in the fridge) my donation of apple torte and brownies, and if I'd taken a pic of the table I might remember all the other things. There were a lot of people to eat a lot of food!

Someone I spoke to this morning didn't have it quite so good. They said their family members have forgotten how to cook. I can relate to that, in that I don't take much interest in cooking these days, so sometimes things I've done well in the past have been failures in the present. And, it's not always easy to be consistent with turkey - except when it's a small deep fried one - they seem to come out well almost all the time. It's just so messy!!

@Judique Glad you had a good trip. I will have to read your posts more carefully to get some good info. I booked a trip for next Fall for the Beach Club Villas. I saw you went to the new deli at Boardwalk.

I've booked a few nights at BCV next year in October, but I may move it along into late November, after Thanksgiving.

You wouldn't catch me near a store today for anything. I used to work retail as a supervisor and people are crazy when shopping on this day.

I would say that CVS was normal, Lowes had loud music - weird, and Costco employees didn't seem as friendly, but otherwise the shoppers were civil. No way I'm going to Walmart today!

Didn't need to carve off the legs/thighs/wings; they just came right off. I borrowed THIS recipe. Next time I will bring it a day earlier, and then let it sit to dry it out; I didn't realize that I needed to do that step, so I started brining Wednesday. very good flavor, tho

I once or twice or three times bought a brining kit at Williams Sonoma, but have never used any of them.

Dinner yesterday at Sarah's was so good. So much food and desserts. Everyone contributed and there were a lot of leftovers. I definitely overate.

Same experience for me, just not at Sarah's. So good!

 

[flyingdumbo127]

Aw, so glad you have good memories of taking your son to the science museum, PollyannaMom. I hope you and your grandkids enjoy checking it out, Snowysmom. When I was little, I remember often enjoying the Musuem of Science out here and seeing an IMAX movie, especially Blue Planet there as well.

Wow you have been a busy shopper, JudiqueSo glad you had a happy Thanksgiving, too, my friend.

Dad is safely home, thank God. He said Ralph's was just regular busy as opposed to pre-Thanksgiving packed. Laundry is all done and put away, too. We will do a bit of online shopping this afternoon. I may start on some Christmas cards as well. Wishing all of you a good rest of the afternoon with love.

 

[AuntieMe3]

Glad to read all the nice Thanksgiving updates. We had a nice day ourselves, very quiet and relaxing. I need to get better at my timing though....lol. I felt like the sides too much longer than I thought they would so the turkey was done before the sides were. I made a turkey breast in the air fryer and it was sooo good. I'm not a big turkey fan but even I liked it. Yum. Only one dud was a butternut squash casserole I made last year, it wasn't great then but I thought I'd give it another try...nope, won't make that again. LOL Everyone else liked it but it tasted weird to me.

My dad brought his little doggies with him. They're going to be staying here with DD this next week while my dad and I help with my sister's out of state move. My dad stayed pretty late watching some national geographic shows with DH and the dogs were knocked out, they almost didn't want to wake up when my dad was ready to go.

The first picture has two dogs, one is just under the blanket. LoL They are funny dogs...lol

Lazy day today...I stayed up way to late Wed and last night, even though I was so tired. No shopping either. LoL My dad and I leave tomorrow for to help with the move and we'll be gone for the week so not sure how much I'll check in but I'll try and share some pics along the way. We're driving from So California to Northern Washington...so long drive.

 

[Snowysmom]

@AuntieMe3 Love the pictures of the doggies. So Cute. Have a nice trip and safe travels.

It seems quiet around here considering it is Black Friday. I am wondering if people are just not spending as much this year and doing alot online. Even the highway near me was not as crowded as I thought it would be.

Chris and I took the kids to the Museum of Science alot. The kids loved it. And I chaperoned school field trips when the kids were in elementary school. Since I had 2 boys the teachers always gave me a group boys and usually one was a bit wild. I always had to count heads to make sure someone did not run off. I met my DDIL's mother chaperoning field trips. She always got a group of girls. We only saw each other at school functions but would talk and catch up then. Who would have thought our kids would get married.

Have a good evening.

 

[flyingdumbo127]

Adorable 's AuntieMe3. Thank you for the extra doggie smile. very grateful, of course, that you and our family also enjoyed a good Thanksgiving. Many prayers for safe travels for both you, your dad, and your sister and that her move goes smoothly as well. I'm sure it will mean so much to your sister and help better put her at ease, possibly in a new state, having you and your dad helping her get settled in. All of you are indeed blessed to have each other.

Snowysmom, God works in a most beautiful, perfect, and mysterious way. I absolutely know and believe with all my heart all we meet who touch our lives or whose lives we get to make a difference in, where put upon our path by God exactly when He knew we most needed to meet or meet again as was the case with your DDIL's mother, what a great story and memory. Thank you, too, for loving all those boys you chaperoned. I absolutely know you touched their lives.

 

[lynxstch]

Good Last Saturday in November. We are at 40 degrees, going to 60--much more normal temps for this time of year than we had the last couple of weeks.

I was pretty lazy yesterday, about the only things I did were to bring up Christmas totes (didn't open them yet to start decorating), and get my Christmas cards ready to go in the mail. We had Thanksgiving dinner again last nite, so all I had to do was reheat things.

Today is clean both bathrooms and decorate, I already stripped and remade the bed and swept the kitchen floor.

@AuntieMe3 --safe travels

Have a nice morning everyone

 

[PollyannaMom]

Good morning, all. Like @lynxstch, I also have my bins down but haven't started the big decorating project (other than taking fall stuff down.)

 

[lynxstch]

Good morning, all. Like @lynxstch, I also have my bins down but haven't started the big decorating project (other than taking fall stuff down.)

Oh I forgot ,, I took Fall stuff down yesterday, inside and out. And I put my Christmas flags, and wreath up out front and put new decorations on both the front and back doors---new doors needed new decorations (at least that's the excuse I used to buy them, lol). I have an Olaf wreath I made a few years ago, which I adore, but it wouldn't fit between either of the doors without getting squished, so I hung that on the front porch next to the door instead.

 

[flyingdumbo127]

Good morning and happy Saturday

Dad and I have gotten out our Nativity set. He's currently affixing a little sheep onto a small piece of cardboard to better support it. I will share a picture when we have it all up later. Always fills my heart withe extra thanks, joy, and wonder to just unpack everything. Still trying to find a much smaller second Nativity to place in here (living room) beside our eventual small potted Christmas tree and table lamp. Thank you all so much for all of your suggestions and help with this. I will post a picture of what we end up deciding on.

Wishing everyone a great day ahead. I will check back later.

 

[Snowysmom]

It sounds like everyone is getting ready to decorate for the holidays. Have fun.

I had a good time at the Museum of Science with Kenny and the grandkids. Ethan has a sensitivity to noise so he did not want to see the electricity show with the Faraday cage at the museum. He and I looked at some trains while Kenny and Owen went to the show. It is one of my favorite shows there but I wanted to be sure Ethan was taken care of. I was proud of myself for not crying. Chris and I went to the museum while dating, prekids, with the kids, and as empty nesters. The Nasa space capsule was his favorite. He loved anything to do with the early space program through Apollo. I took pictures of Kenny and the kids in it. I felt like Chris was with us while there. We had a nice lunch at the museum and then went to a nearby playground which was only about a 5 minute walk from the museum. By the time Kenny dropped me off it was mid afternoon. It was nice to be with family and have some fun. I did cry when I got back to the condo as I always do after being with family and then I am alone again. Not sure how much of it is the condo and how much is being alone. It is probably a bit of both.

I will probably watch some Hallmark movies tonight. I tried to watch the one, Royal Corgi Christmas or something like that. I figured how could you go wrong with a corgi. The corgi was adorable but one of the main characters, the prince, was so atrocious acting that I could not get past that. I am not sure if the actor was supposed to act like a conceited moron or if it was the actor making it that way. Someone else may watch it and think it is good so not saying to not watch it. I could be too critical. I prefer lighter, more good hearted movies. There is a new one tonight that may be more fun and good spirited.

Have a good evening.