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

[easyas123]

Good morning all! There was frost on the fields and the cordons this morning, and on my windshield. Stopped at the Costco yesterday afternoon around 3:30 - it was a zoo! I couldn't believe it. Grabbed some coffee, some cookies for the boy, and made my way to the liquor store side which was also crowded. The whole mall complex was crowded. Tis the Season I suppose....

Eldest mentioned coming over to make fish tacos. Not sure why tonight but I'm not going to complain. Not having to fuss over dinner frees me up to do other things!

Tomorrow we are supposed to attend a event we were gifted tickets to - but with our state and the neighboring state starting to tighten up restrictions on gatherings I've reached out to the event planner and the facility where it is being held to confirm that it is still on. I've left 3 voice mails and I still haven't heard from anyone. It's two hours south of us and as you can imagine, I'm not really wanting to drive halfway down Delmarva only to find out it's not happening. I'm really ticked that no one has returned my call.

Saturday I don't have to much going on at all. Seriously considering dragging out ALL the christmas decorations and spreading out in the garage to see what I'm working with and maybe get started on putting up some lights. Had a 20% off coupon for Michaels and their lights were 40% off so I picked up a few strings yesterday. I think I'm going to need some zip ties.... Sunday is our annual breakfast out and big Thanksgiving grocery shopping trip. No idea what we are having for dinner Saturday or Sunday!

On a sad note, one of the workers , who worked at one of the consumer houses at hubby's job, passed away from Covid today.

I'm sorry to hear about that, that is very sad. We were just talking the other night how odd it was that no one in our Company has had it, nor has anyone in our friend or family circle had it....at least that we know of. I've sent three employees home to get tested and quarantine when they suspected exposure- myself included in that number - but everyone was negative. I'm hoping we can continue the lucky streak. I have two close relatives who are nurses, one will be mandated to get the vaccine as a first responder. Youngest expects they'll line him up and give him one as well. Quite interested in seeing how they make out with it.

Today DH and I went to a store about 45 minutes away in DE that is a garden store in the summer and a Christmas store in the fall/winter. (Ronny's) It is a big open place

For years we got our live tress at Ronnys. We usually hit the Christmas Shop there about 2 weeks before the holiday, breakfast at the Smyrna Diner first.

and went to a DE rest area

The one with the black toilets that is usually very clean and always so warm in the winter?!?!? ha ha I MAY be familiar with that one!! Husband always says "do you want to stop at YOUR rest area?" because after Ronnies we usually head north to Willys and I'm wayyyy to precious to use a porta potty!

 

[easyas123]

Thought I'd share, for those who find the Charlie Brown Thanksgiving &/or Christmas specials integral to the holidays! Awful as they are, I do like to see them every year.

For those of us w/o Apple TVs &/or w/o the interest in figuring them out if we do have them, I'm happy to share I've just read that Charlie Brown Thanksgiving will be aired on PBS 22 Nov. @ 7:30 local/6:30 CT. Charlie Brown Christmas will be airing 13 Dec. @7:30 local/6:30 CT.

 

[Breezy_Carol]

Good morning.

Another cold over night.

he one with the black toilets that is usually very clean and always so warm in the winter?!?!? ha ha I MAY be familiar with that one!! Husband always says "do you want to stop at YOUR rest area?" because after Ronnies we usually head north to Willys and I'm wayyyy to precious to use a porta potty!

Can't say I remember the color of the toilets but it is a nice rest area. But we really watch how we exit. One time, coming north on 1, we got off to use the rest area. Unfortunately, didn't pay attention and when we left we were on 1 southbound. Yeah, Ronny
s is right next store but we came to the rest area rather than use the portapotty. Haven't been to the market at Willey's since the fire.

A funny story about non-white toilets. When DD was little and just toilet trained/training, she refused to go on any toilet that was not white. So she wouldn't use any rest area toilets with white or metal toilets. And we went to a friends house that had all pink toilets, again, no go. Funny now but it wasn't then.

 

[Shellsbutt]

Our pets trust us to do right by them and whatever we decide is the right thing, as long as it’s done with love, kindness and compassion, I’d say.

This is beautifully said, thank you.

Which leads me to the QOTD - One of my sayings, and beliefs, is that “Everything happens for a reason”. Another is, “When all else fails, hug the dog” OR “Pets make the best therapists”, lol.
I love "Happiness is a warm puppy" from Charles Schulz

 

[Shellsbutt]

Hello, well I tried- I got the first quote right anyway. Hope everyone's having a good morning. I'm probably going to venture into the backyard later on and see what damage has been done with our storm. I'm sure I have a lot of leaves to rake up and both my green waste bins are already full. We have two pin oaks back there that are huge and create such a mess with their leaves and acorns. They are way too big to take out, would be too expensive. The squirrels love them of course and are constantly running back and forth across our roof.

I got an email from the volunteer coordinator of our local library. They will actually be opening to the public today and they need volunteers to help out if we are able to. I had to read up on safety guidelines and watch 5 safety videos on Covid, hand washing etc before I'm allowed to come back. Returned books are isolated for 72 hours before handling. My first shift is tomorrow, so this should be interesting.
Have a wonderful day everyone!!

 

[tazdev3225]

Morning all. Quiet day here as I have a cold so am staying in and away from people as much as I can. Checked with my daughter the nurse and am fairly positive it is my usual bronchitis I get every year at this time. Thankfully I don't have her boys til next week, just to get them to school in the morning but I will wear a mask around them to be safe. They are still in school for now but following protocols for safety. So far no one has caught the virus in the school so it is a good thing. Virtual learning would never have worked for my 2 grandsons. They are in kindergarten and 1st grade and she cannot be home with them. She is in an OR training program. I could help but she decided that Catholic school was a better option. So far it seems to be.

I can't remember if I said it on here, but I've been doing some genealogy stuff. I discovered several family members who served in the War of 1812 (mom's side) and WW1 (dad's side). Also, my 11th great grandparents on mom's side came over on the Mayflower; GGFx11 was a high ranking member of the Separatists, printed religious materials, and was forced to leave to save his life. His 2nd oldest son, my GGFx10, came over on the Fortune later on. My GGFx2 on dad's side was a famous actor/opera singer, and sang with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir after immigrating here. I really like discovering stuff like this about our family, lol. I help with 'indexing' records, so others can find their families as well. I've indexed almost 77,000 records, and reviewed about 1000.

I have been doing ancestry since we have been on lockdown, both my husbands family which is why I started, and my family. My husband knows NOTHING about his family which makes things interesting. He didn't even know his grandmother was 100% Irish. I told him he can wear green on St. Patrick's Day now. My family didn't arrive in this country til the mid 1800's but it was interesting to find out that every war from the Civil War on had a family member fight in it. My great grandmothers brother lost a leg in WWI and my dad's cousin was killed in one of the 1st major battles in Korea. I also had an extended cousin killed in WWII. He was on his last mission before coming home when he was shot down in Burma.

My husband's family hasn't been as easy to trace because their names changed so much or how the were spelled. His great grandfather was Charles here but he was born Cynokus in Germany and his father was Cyriacus. Try and figure those names out.

Well I am off to try and locate graves. My granddaughter and I have decided to try and get pictures of all the family burial spots if we can. It is not fun when you have no idea where to look in a cemetery that has 1,000+ graves.

 

[flyingdumbo127]

AuntieMe3, many prayers you and your family are plague-free! I was also surprised by Christmas Doctor! It's on again today at 2pm (our time here in CA) on Hallmark Movies and Mysteries as an FYI to all

B&B, how interesting all your genealogy finds! I have never heard of a store named Penzeys! I'm glad they have some deals My apartment building wouldn't even put in new smoke/carbon monoxide detectors until the fire department said they had to! It's a Blessing your building does inspections, so important. Really the same with heaters and gas related appliances by the gas company perhaps in the Fall. Nothing like that here just remembering when I lived in small town Northern, CA.

Stay warm, Easyas123! Prayers to all you know taking covid tests! I love a Charlie Brown Christmas! Yay Linus I may have shared this before but several years ago I had given the Associate Pastor at my church a stuffed animal Christmas Linus (she is a big Peanuts fan). She used that along with the movie message to start her Christmas Eve sermon it was cool.

Easyas123 and Carol, a black toilet sounds rather....odd! I do know some people have those colored padded toilet seat covers but an actual black colored toilet, yikes.

Shelley, thank you for volunteering! Prayers that goes well

TazDev, that's great you are also using this time to research your family's past

Keep warm and have a good Thursday all!

 

[lynxstch]

Good morning all. Very hard frost last nite, temp was 27 when I got up at 4 am, and by 6 had dropped to 24. But we are supposed to hit 60 today, and near 70 the next 2 days, so we better enjoy it while its here.

If anyone is interested on our trying to navigate the Medicare Maze for this year-lol You can read the following. If not interested you can skip it, lol!

Just got off the phone with the insurance broker, who gave us the quotes on prices for Supplemental Medicare Plans. She advised us not to use any of the Advantage Ones. So, we are going with Plan N. Best plan/least cost one to use in Western MD she said is Aetna, so we shall see. Mine is less than hubby's as I am female and a year younger, but even his is less than we thought it would be. She took all the info on his prescriptions over the phone and is going to check into the Plan D prescription plans and call back this afternoon and let him know if our CVS will be the best one to use. I hope so, as that is the only pharmacist in town that we trust! I am getting a basic 'silver script' one for $7 a month, so that will be good. (I haven't had a prescription issued or filled since 2002, lol), but you never know when you might need it. . What a maze they make it to try and figure that stuff out. This local company will go over coverage yearly, (no charge, I am assuming Aetna gives them something equal to commissions to get them customers?), to make sure it's the best for us to use, especially the drug one, as she said that can change from year to year. For anyone else trying to navigate it,,she told us that Plans C, D and F are not good to use, as there are not enough new people coming into them to keep the rates stable, and prices have gone up on those at least $50 a month. N has $20 co pays for Drs visits (hubby usually only has about 8 a year), and $50 for hospital, which is what we have had with BCBS/CareFirst all along. And if you go to Urgent Care,,there is no co pay. She is also going to do the enrollment phones for us, between phone and email, so no in person visit, which hubby can't do because of his health conditions.

I have no big plans to do much today. Since it's 'staycation', I am being lazy, lol. Like @easyas123 , I may go downstairs and go thru holiday decorations and decide if I want to put up the same amount, or less than last year. Other than the new tree,and 2 new ornaments, I don't plan on buying anything more to decorate with.
Have a great Thursday everyone..almost another full week gone..and Thanksgiving is a week from today! I got ours out of the deep freeze and into the fridge to start defrosting. Our fridge keeps things so cold, it will take at least 3 or 4 days to get thawed anyhow!

 

[dazedx3]

I really admire those of you doing ancestry research. I have no patience for it. I would love to have the information, just wish someone else would do the "legwork" Our niece has done quite a bit, but hasn't organized on paper yet, I think she is kind of over it.

 

[lynxstch]

Hello, well I tried- I got the first quote right anyway. Hope everyone's having a good morning. I'm probably going to venture into the backyard later on and see what damage has been done with our storm. I'm sure I have a lot of leaves to rake up and both my green waste bins are already full. We have two pin oaks back there that are huge and create such a mess with their leaves and acorns. They are way too big to take out, would be too expensive. The squirrels love them of course and are constantly running back and forth across our roof.

I got an email from the volunteer coordinator of our local library. They will actually be opening to the public today and they need volunteers to help out if we are able to. I had to read up on safety guidelines and watch 5 safety videos on Covid, hand washing etc before I'm allowed to come back. Returned books are isolated for 72 hours before handling. My first shift is tomorrow, so this should be interesting.
Have a wonderful day everyone!!

We have the same issue, but with Black Walnut trees. Had the smaller of the 2 cut down from the back yard a couple of weeks ago, but the one in the side yard is HUGE. And they are a mess between the sticks that fall, the walnuts that fall, and the leaves, so I am glad our tree is finally empty and all the leaves have been disposed of. They are the only ones I can't put into the garden or into the burn pile, as they are no good for the soil.
Be safe if you go to volunteer at the library,,do not take any chances with your health!

 

[easyas123]

Penzeys!

Flyingdumbo - do yourself a favor and google them, and order their catalog. They have great spices!

 

[Breezy_Carol]

Just signed up for COVID tests Saturday at the UD Star campus. DD and I were both looking to sign up and they showed nothing available. Looked like website issues. Then I checked and they were available and going fast. I texted her and we all got spots.

 

[lynxstch]

Flyingdumbo - do yourself a favor and google them, and order their catalog. They have great spices!

They do have great spices, and you can also order them online. I also use myspicesage.com for good spices, and they are always having sales!

 

[lynxstch]

Just signed up for COVID tests Saturday at the UD Star campus. DD and I were both looking to sign up and they showed nothing available. Looked like website issues. Then I checked and they were available and going fast. I texted her and we all got spots.

They have been doing them out at the Fairgrounds out here, and they have had something like 500 people show up for testing. We also read in the paper this morning, that there have been 10 deaths in Allegany County since last Friday,,that is not a good sign

 

[easyas123]

10 deaths in Allegany County since last Friday

Oh man that stinks - I thought they were at just 1? Maybe I was looking at Garrett. Regardless, hope you can remain safe and healthy7!

I have a sneaking suspicion that things are about to go downhill really fast.

 

[lynxstch]

Oh man that stinks - I thought they were at just 1? Maybe I was looking at Garrett. Regardless, hope you can remain safe and healthy7!

I have a sneaking suspicion that things are about to go downhill really fast.

Nope..this mornings paper says hospital is at capacity, and 10 deaths were reported between Friday and yesterday. I have a sad feeling that you are right that things are going to go downhill quickly
As for Garrett County--Health officials reported 42 new COVID-19 cases on Wednesday, which raised the county total to 399.

 

[Breezy_Carol]

I have a sneaking suspicion that things are about to go downhill really fast.

I think you are sadly right.

We have prepared for pretty much staying in most of the time. Preparing for the worst.

 

[tazdev3225]

Lynxstch I am so confused by all the supplements. My husband started on Medicare this month because he gets Social Security Disability that was backtracked 2 years from when we applied. I had no idea they would do that. Since we still have 2 years coverage left from his job when he retired we don't need the supplement yet. I did call our administrator to make sure and we are good. They offer 2 plans when he loses his coverage but I was in shock when I found out the price per person. We need to make sure he has a prescription plan because 2 of them would be over $1,000 a month and he still takes 8 other prescriptions. It sucks getting older.

I would love a Black Walnut tree. My favorite ice cream, which is almost impossible to find, is Black Walnut. I have some that I will make my husbands favorite cookie with, hopefully this year as I do not have much of a kitchen at the moment. New kitchen is going to be installed in January, I cannot wait.

 

[easyas123]

I just ordered from Instacart (Foodlion) for the first time. We (I say 'we' but really another gal in the office has been placing the order for us)use it to order kitchen supplies/cola & snacks for the office (usually from Acme) regularly, but I've never used it personally. I'm tired of placing orders that get canceled at Walmart pick up and thought I'd give it a try. The service fee and a $10 tip seem totally worth it to me not to have to actually go to the store! Plus, I figured I'd have to schedule it for tomorrow or Saturday delivery, but they had a slot available 2 hours from now! I just had them deliver to the office and I'll put it right in the car.... hopefully it is as easy as it appeared to be!

I'll tell you what - outside of picking up fruit/vegetables & meat - this grocery pickup & delivery is the way to go.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

Did anyone see this?

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.da...wl-discovered-Rockefeller-Christmas-tree.html
Poor little thing!!

Tell us about your kitchen @tazdev3225 ! We did ours about ten years ago, too. I remember that year we had Thanksgiving dinner on a board over sawhorses that DH had set up! But have been happy with everything we did. (Had 20 yrs to plan it! Lol.)

I have cousins on each side who did genealogy research. The one on my mother’s side called Mom a few years ago to ask some questions as she was the last one left. The stories were both funny and sad at times! I think the biggest thing we learned was one branch that we knew as “French Canadian” all these years actually traced back to France, and there cousin connected with someone else on that side who had even more information. Nice to do if you have the time.