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

[lynxstch]

Yippee..the heating company just called, and asked if they could start putting in the new system today! They must have known I was going to call today and ask what was going on as I hadn't heard from them for 2 weeks now. At least the units are there and will be installed. We are supposed to get to 81 Wed or Thursday, so maybe we will be able to test out the new ac, lol!

 

[lynxstch]

Why I always mess up the name, I have no idea.
It’s Frontier Soups. Here is an example of some. There are lots of flavors. PS These might make a
good gift idea for that hard-to-buy-for person or just to send to someone. Search around for more flavors and gift packs.

https://www.amazon.com/s?k=frontier...11420257&tag=hydsma-20&ref=pd_sl_316u2ccw7f_e

Thanks for the suggestion on those soups @Pea-n-Me Sounds like good gift ideas for my Sister in law..they eat gluten free most of the time, and there are several there they might like to try!

 

[flyingdumbo127]

Good Morning, Everyone

Sparkle, being in cozy in warm jammies and a fuzzy throw blanket perhaps too is a lovely thing I am glad you are happy with your job!

I've enjoyed reading the soup and also tasty cake memories!

Lynxstch, yay about your new HVAC.

Last night it was so lovely to feel cool air coming in! It was cooler inside even than Saturday night.

Here's to a great week all

 

[Pea-n-Me]

I never answered the cake QOTD question. My favorite cakes are ones DH has made for me. Strawberry and fresh whipped cream vanilla cake, chocolate raspberry, lemon, etc. Flavor didn’t matter, just the fact that he never disappointed; always had a cake, flowers, a funny card, dinner, a thoughtful gift, etc. That’s what I think of when I think of my favorite cakes. Growing up sometimes things were rough in my house and birthdays weren’t always a big deal. DH always made my bday special.

 

[easyas123]

Yippee..the heating company just called, and asked if they could start putting in the new system today

Good news!

I've missed a few questions...I like soup - I'm a 365 day a year-doesn't matter if it's hot out - soup eater. I enjoy homemade chicken noodle soup, and creamy tomato basil soup - and potato soup! Beef & barley is another favorite, and of course cream of crab. I think the other question was about favorite birthday cake? Can't think of any particular birthday cake...but cake is good! No arguments from me there...I'm making some cupcakes this evening as a matter of fact - for my husband as it's his b'day tomorrow. I'll take them into the office and we will have a generic happy birthday to the 2 October b'day folks. He's not a huge cake/dessert person so I'm not sure we will even have a dessert tomorrow night for his birthday! He's going away on a trip later this week and we decided to take kids out for dinner and do a combo birthday meal out in early November - we both have birthdays in October, youngest in Sept. & eldest in November.

So - I got my very first flu shot and survived. Arm was a bit sore for about 48 hours, nothing that was overly bothersome. No other side effects, which I was somewhat concerned with. Also found out that I can get shingles vaccine at 50, no longer need to wait till 60, which I'm glad for. I'll be lining up to get that shot the morning of my 50th birthday!

Lets see, what else is going on? Well I renewed my membership at the local YMCA with the intentions of taking some classes to get myself moving. Especially with the upcoming time change - I need to move more. And they are the only place within a doable distance that has yoga classes, and I'm really missing my yoga classes (online or virtual isn't for me with these things). My husband heads out on Friday to his uncles farm up lynxstch's way with our young nephew and our eldest for a hunting trip. At most he will be gone 8 or 9 days, although he thinks he'll be back sooner. Halloween late afternoon/early evening we will go to my BIL & SIL's development to sit in the driveway while our niece and the neighborhood kids do their trick or treating thing. I hope the weather cooperates. I have absolutely nothing to wear for Halloween driveway sitting...mind you the most effort I'm willing to put in to this is maybe a headband or fascinator. Maybe a light up necklace. I do have some plans for a shopping trip this weekend so I'll skip into Target to see what is leftover after being picked thru! I need to get a new rug for the sitting room and to hit the Costco liquor store for a stock up and the main store for some coffee and perhaps a few things I don't need

I hope I don't jinx myself, but the corn is coming down around here and - knock wood - my allergies have been in check. I take daily asthma meds, as well as daily claritin and I'm glad I'm feeling okay. I do hate this time of year when we eventually have to put on our heat. No matter how I clean the vents I get sick a day or two after the heat comes on. Ironically I dislike being cold but I will push off that heat as long as I can!

We had a discussion about Thanksgiving last night, and Christmas. I think it will only be 5 of us total for Thanksgiving - that bums me out. I love a big Thanksgiving with 15-20 people. But, with the health situation PLUS the fact that our main/big family room area where I'd be able to host & seat everyone is in use for other things at the moment...well, its really for the best. Christmas also looks like it will be quiet. I'm okay with that - my husband, not to much. I made the mistake of suggesting a small table top tree in the sitting room as we won't be able to use the big family room with space for a big tree this year! Oh boy - that did NOT go over well at all!!! We had originally planned to be traveling over the Christmas holidays this year - and I'm really starting to feel put out that we had to postpone that. Dang you Covid, messing up my travel plans So anyway, I think my husband is going to fry the Thanksgiving turkey this year. With so few of us, we can do a smaller turkey which will fit in the fryer. He's done it a time or two before, but it's not really a regular thing for us, but he is looking forward to the treat of a fried turkey. It's hard to justify so many of the usual Thanksgiving desserts for only 5 people, I think I may play around with some smaller versions of the traditional desserts. So far I've got pumpkin roll, pumpkin pie, apple pie, apple crisp, chocolate chip cookies and "maybe" brownies....and that is just what 3 out of 5 of this years attendees requested! I am fairly sure the other two will request cheesecake! Now I'm hungry-

Dinner this evening will be leftovers. I did a dill pickle roast and a
a whole chicken yesterday (someone we knew had a freezer malfunction and passed on some half thawed meat). So my thoughts were that the roast will be dinner tonight & lunch this week. Chicken I already picked the meat off of in anticipation of chicken & dumplings that my husband will make up at the hunting camp for dinner one night. Chicken bones & vegetables cooking down in the crock pot today and I'll strain and freeze the broth for later use.

I've downloaded a new Great Courses book on my audible app. I think I'll take my lunch outdoors and sit in the sun while it's still nice enough.

Enjoy the afternoon & evening everyone-

 

[flyingdumbo127]

Hug, Pea, my childhood birthdays were not always happy either. So glad you have a kind and fun DH now

I'm glad your flu shot went well, Easyas123! Happy Birthday to your DH tomorrow. Cupcakes are fun Good for you for enrolling at the Y!

 

[PollyannaMom]

Why I always mess up the name, I have no idea.
It’s Frontier Soups. Here is an example of some. There are lots of flavors. PS These might make a
good gift idea for that hard-to-buy-for person or just to send to someone. Search around for more flavors and gift packs.

https://www.amazon.com/s?k=frontier...11420257&tag=hydsma-20&ref=pd_sl_316u2ccw7f_e

Thanks!

 

[lynxstch]

@easyas123 please tell me..what is a dill pickle roast? Never heard of that one!

The new ac unit is sitting outside, the new furnace and air coil are in the cellar. The furnace is hooked up to gas, and they will be back on Wed to finish up. They still have to run new elec to the breaker box for the ac, new wires for the new thermostat, run the vent pipe for the furnace, and the drain hoses for the ac and furnace will run into a drain in the corner of the cellar. I asked a lot of questions and they answered them all willingly, lol! We are supposed to be in the 80's by Wed, so they should be able to test the ac out as well as the heat, lol.

I think dinner here is going to be something simple like smoked sausage, fried baked potato slices, and maybe a salad. Hubby's stomach is bothering him today (I think it's because he just officially notified HR and his boss in writing of his retirement date, lol), so I don't want to make anything too heavy.
Have a nice nite everyone!

 

[easyas123]

"please tell me..what is a dill pickle roast? Never heard of that one"

It is one of the simplest, easiest things I've ever made. I don't care for dill pickles necessarily - although I do enjoy the flavor (dill pickle chips - yum). Anyway - take a 2-4 lb. roast - beef, venison or pork. You can use chicken breast as well. Toss them into a crock pot, dump one large jar of dill pickles (per 2 or so lb. of meat), put the lid on the pot, turn it on (I use low, but you might need to do high for a while then toke it down to low of vice versa) and check it again in 8 hours. Viola! dill pickle roast. I'm sure there are better versions of recipes out there compared to my rather haphazard way of doing it! So after it is cooked - shreddable is what I go for - I take it out. chop or slice it up and Grab some of the cooked pickles (I usually use chips, but you can use spears) and shop up the smooshed up over cooked pickles and combine, along with some liquid from cooking, with the shredded meat. Use as much or as little pickles as you care for in the shredded meat. And there you have another incredibly detailed and down to a knats *** w/ measurements, temps & cooking times from me and not to be confused with my "salsa roast" which is where I do the exact same thing only with a jar of salsa.

A close family member just told me about a situation w/ her 4 1/2 year old and asked my advice in regards to her pitching a absolute fit/temper tantrum.
So - I gave it. Not sure it went over as it was meant, but I figured I would not sugar coat it. Mostly it centered around you are the Mother and you are in charge, she is the Child. She is in no danger, there is no threat - this is her wanting her way plain & simple, and if you allow her to continue this behavior she will continue to do it because it's working for her. I may be 20 years removed from kids aged 4-6 but some things just do not change.

 

[PollyannaMom]

@easyas123, I think you are right, and she did ask, after all. If it's truly a tantrum, you can't keep letting them win or they learn that it works! If she asks again, I like this chart for deciding how to handle things with littles:

	Tantrum			Meltdown
	Child is ANGRY. He or she is expressing that anger in an inappropriate way, but they know they're angry.			Child doesn't know what they are feeling. A child having a meltdown is OVERWHELMED.
	Child has a GOAL. He or she wants something, and the tantrum will be "worth it" to them if they get it.			Child has NO GOAL. He or she would much rather not have a meltdown, and wants it to stop as much as you do.

In a meltdown, I try to offer help and support, but I give no sympathy for tantrums!

 

[easyas123]

Thanks! That is helpful...I'll send it to her if she brings up the conversation again. It was defiantly a tantrum!

 

[flyingdumbo127]

That's a handy chart, PollyannaMom!

Came back to share a hopeful Bagel/Toaster Oven Solution. Keep in mind, I get Thomas Mini Bagels. With my TMJ, the Mini's are thinner and less chewy than full size bagels. Current toaster trouble was the bagel would only toast/brown around the edges, leaving the middle cold. Experiment that we'll try again tomorrow that seems to have worked. Wrap the bagels in foil. Heat on 200 for 5 minutes in the toaster. This thoroughly warms the bagel through and through. Then regular toast for a couple minutes max and all is warm and toasty!

For how Dad uses the current toaster as a toaster it works great possibly because he typically puts a spread on what he's toasting first (I don't) so maybe that moistens the bread, have no idea. He uses the oven part of the toaster daily, whereas I never do! He would have little use for just a toaster. For now, (until we actually need a new toaster oven), we are hoping to have saved a good $20 (on buying just a toaster). I'll keep all of you posted and hope this tip is helpful to some of you lovely folks

 

[lynxstch]

Good morning DIS family, did everyone sleep in this morning? No posts since 5:40 last nite! Going to be a summerlike day here, 75 and sunny. I was going to vacuum and then shampoo the carpets in the dining and living room, but hubby has 2 different 2 hour phone meetings, so those chores will have to wait. Countdown to hubby's retirement starts today, since he submitted his retirement date to his boss and HR yesterday-46 days and counting!
Maybe I will just sit outside for awhile and enjoy the sunshine later on. Have a great Tuesday everyone!

 

[easyas123]

I hope the countdown goes smoothly, quickly for him Lynxstch. My husbands cousin ( ALSO from up your way haha!!) just told him he planned to retire from the Company (husband also used to work there) he works at in about 6 months, however they recently had new folks come in at the top Admin spots and they screwed him over over something that wasn't his fault, so he decided to not cash in his sick/vacation days which number over 60 work days, rather he turned in his notice of retirement and decided to take those days. So he pretty much doesn't need to go in again except for his "last day" in about 2 or 3 months. They already bought a place in The Villages and met their new neighbor who, at a spry 85 told them it would be nice "to have someone young around here"!

It's grey and drizzling outside my window at the moment, but I think once the sun burns thru and the clouds clear we will be enjoying several nice days in a row in the mid to high 70's. I had planned on spending most of the day Saturday mowing the fields, but I think I'm going to start by doing a hour or two after work tomorrow, Thursday & Friday in order to clear up my schedule for something better this weekend! I think this will be last big mow of the season, not counting actual yard mowing.

 

[lynxstch]

I hope the countdown goes smoothly, quickly for him Lynxstch. My husbands cousin ( ALSO from up your way haha!!) just told him he planned to retire from the Company (husband also used to work there) he works at in about 6 months, however they recently had new folks come in at the top Admin spots and they screwed him over over something that wasn't his fault, so he decided to not cash in his sick/vacation days which number over 60 work days, rather he turned in his notice of retirement and decided to take those days. So he pretty much doesn't need to go in again except for his "last day" in about 2 or 3 months. They already bought a place in The Villages and met their new neighbor who, at a spry 85 told them it would be nice "to have someone young around here"!

It's grey and drizzling outside my window at the moment, but I think once the sun burns thru and the clouds clear we will be enjoying several nice days in a row in the mid to high 70's. I had planned on spending most of the day Saturday mowing the fields, but I think I'm going to start by doing a hour or two after work tomorrow, Thursday & Friday in order to clear up my schedule for something better this weekend! I think this will be last big mow of the season, not counting actual yard mowing.

Thanks for the well wishes. Similar to your husbands cousins situation, the top brass where hubby works, have decided to completely redo the way the residential program is working, and none of the managers are happy. Hubby is retiring, his boss is threatening to retire, 1 other manager has been threatening to quit for a month now. There are 3 other managers, and 1 of them is seriously thinking about going to work at the Post Office. So the top brass had better rethink their plan, or they will be looking for all new staff to manage all the houses! Hubby also has comp time, personal time, sick time, and vacation time he can either use or get paid for it when he retires. He says he's going to take at least 2 of the weeks as vacation, so his last day of actually working from home will be 2 weeks before Dec 4, lol.

Like me, I bet you just can't wait to say 'I am done with mowing for the season'? I am so tired of mowing every week, sometimes twice a week, from April till almost late Oct is way too much! Your plan to do a little every day instead of trying to do it all at once on the weekend is smart! Just put a hat and sunscreen on, its supposed to go to almost 80 tomorrow and Thursday!

 

[easyas123]

Like me, I bet you just can't wait to say 'I am done with mowing for the season'?

YES INDEED!!

 

[flyingdumbo127]

Good Morning Dis Family. It's much cooler here today. It's been so lovely to feel cool air in the evenings as well. I sure sleep much easier when it's not HOT the way it has been. I do hope each of you slept well last night.

Lynxstch, prayers indeed the countdown and transition to retiring for your DH (and you for him) goes smoothly and well.

Hug to all dealing with unkind work issues.

 

[Breezy_Carol]

Good morning.

Today started out dreary but the sun is coming out. I drove to the next town to get a book from a friend. We took a walk around her neighborhood to visit for a bit. The book is nearly 600 pages for a book group at church next month. The Warmth of Other Suns I hope I can finish it.

I am going to try to attach some nature pictures. They are what we need now.

This is from yesterday. A deer in the neighbor's yard next to our fence.

Then some of the leaves from yesterday and today. I think the lack of sun makes the colors brighter. The first 3 are Fair Hill. The last is my across the street neighbor.

 

[Snowysmom]

DH is at a dentist appointment, my work work is done for the day, and my house work is done for the day. I now have some alone time to relax and catch up with Disboards. It is a bit dreary here today with occasional sun peeking through. The temp is in the 60s.

Congrats to all who are close to retirement. DH is counting down. He has 3 years and 2 months to go. Every day he tells me how many days until retirement. I have a bit more than 5 years so he will need to start the house clean up without me. Maybe he can get it done in the 2 years he is home all day by himself. He is a pack rat so there is alot to throw out. Then we can just move to a condo. I will have to convince DH about that one as he does not want to go to a condo and I want to downsize and house work downsize.

What is going on for Halloween in everyone's areas? Right now my town is still having trick or treat. We are putting a table at the end of the drive way and putting out the candy using gloves and wearing masks. Then the kids can just grab it as they go by.

Happy Tuesday!

 

[easyas123]

What is going on for Halloween in everyone's areas?

Honestly, I'm not sure. There are a fair bit of little kids in our neighborhood BUT we don't have street lights, and I'm not sure if their parents take them somewhere or they trick or treat here????? I'm out of that loop for sure!

We won't be home that evening as we are going over to my BIL & SIL's place, they live about 35 minutes away in a proper development with people & kids and streetlights, and we have a 4 1/5 year old niece, so this one year we will go over and do the sit in the driveway thing.
Honestly, I'm hoping to be home by 7:30 if not before. Really only going over there since it's a Saturday, and we feel something of an obligation.
Halloween this year to me is 'pajama time eve", as in I (personally, for me - you do you ) feel daylight savings ending is a license to slip into pajamas at the end of a work day guilt free. I can't enjoy big fluffy socks and pajamas when the sun is still up and it's 75 degrees out....but if it's dark and chilly? Sure - no problem!