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

[NYCgrrl]

10%. How many of you will go shopping on Dec 26th because they are marking down their holiday leftover decor at 10% off. Or that 10% of the minimum wage check will be set aside for taxes. Or just how important is it it to know that 10% of ice cream eaters prefer vanilla and caramel blends. I can tell you that 100% of the folks who shop at my local grocery store love klondike bars. they were all gone by the time I arrived for a super sale on the foiled delicacy.


And foiled I was this morning at 1:30 a.m. M.S.T. that the 10% chance of rain turned into 100% rain. After many conversations yesterday with "old timers" at the Farmers Market where I sell my found objects to be repurposed elsewhere about what exactly 10% chance of rain looks like on the sunniest place on earth....I was pretty confident that set-up of the garage sale today for tomorrow would be a green light.

In 1994 a song was released that had the lyrics " like the desert miss the rain", the title of song "Missing" which went on to historical music chart records, including a ranking of #1 song of 1996, which is when I bought the cassette tape.. 24 years later I understand how the desert misses the rain , we have not seen a raindrop since April 11th, and I have not hiked the desert blocks down my street because of the dust and dirty smell. Now the desert is clean and smells really wonderful because when the oldest living plant on earth misses the rain...it puts out a fantastic fragrance that last for several days.

....and...my tables for putting wares on for the garage sale....all clean...not that it matters...10% chance that my garage sale is going to happen Friday....but at least it will have a clean smell.

🌦🌦☀☀

Great post overall! Lots of local color and easy to imagine living near the desert in ways I never thought of before. Just for the record no way I’m leaving my home the day after for 10% (our sale tax rate is 8.65%). Its gotta be 50% off the already marked down price or or or I lose my native New Yorker street creds .

 

[NYCgrrl]

@tazdev3225 Err quick pickled radishes for the masses that constitute your neighbors? Right color for Chriztmas

 

[flyingdumbo127]

Good Morning to all

Hug and thank you TazDev for your community service! God Bless You. Prayers for your grandson indeed!

NYCgrrl, braces and rubber-bands (worse) are no fun. Good for your DGD! For me the worst part of all that was the torturous headgear, eek. I did have a wonderful orthodontist though, such a kind man.

Thank you, Lynxstch for another cheerful good morning picture! Those mean a lot! Hallmark usually, don’t they, have some Valentine’s movies? Tell your DH if he doesn’t want to watch both Christmas and Valentine’s Day he needs to join you now for sure
Thank you for the Tina call out! I am sure keeping her and Matt in prayer, too.

Chickapin Parterre, good to see you December 26th is normally when Dad and I would go to Barnes and Noble to buy our calendars at half off. This year we will do so online!

Yay and much congratulations to your DD#1, B&B. Blessed news indeed Congratulations also to your DS. You take care out there and of yourself!

Cool, sunny Thursday here. I really did like “It’s Time For Us To Come Home for Christmas.” I wish it had contained a tad bit more of a religious message in parts but it was so sweet. All these small town Christmas Inn movies are sure making spending a weekend at such a place during Christmas sound appealing! Post plague, I’ll have to see whether there is even close to such a place locally.

 

[easyas123]

One more thing off the to do list!

I'need to get busy with my lists! As per my usual, I've shopped & ordered and dumped everything in my closet. I need to get everything out, make up piles of who is getting what, make sure I have enough for stockings and got what I needed. I fairly sure I've got everything, with the exception of two gift cards I need for my niece & nephew. Not counting groceries.

Boxed up the cookies for my son, took them to the post office. Wow, $45.00 to ship!

Wow, that's a lot! I have to send up the seafood we ship to my inlaws every Christmas next week. I have to overnight it, and I'm not looking forward to that bill. I tried to send some cookies in with my son for his unit, but they aren't having their usual Christmas/family/put on your dress uniform to-do so I didn't push it. Maybe next year.

Almost all of my stuff is kept in its original packaging,

I'd say about 50% of my stuff is in original boxes, and a lot it rapped up in tissue & bubble wrap. We are at that point were it is time to separate out all the kids ornaments and pass them on to them. Same with some other Christmas decor...I've got to much and don't put up or out 3/4 of it anymore, and they are starting their households so it's time. Now if I can just remember to get some proper storage containers this year so I can go thru with dividing it all up! I have grand plans of doing just that, but also suspect I might forget and then just put everything way thinking 'next year'.

I have to figure out what to cook for Christmas once we know what will be going on

Me, too. I've got a few standards that 'we always have' but I'm also not hosting as many people and all the usual foods aren't going to fit! Might be the year to drop some of them. We usually fondue when we put up the tree, but didn't this year. I'm trying to figure out my Christmas Eve menu presently. I know I'll stick to the traditional on Christmas Day -duck & turkey w/ all the trimmings- I'll do that no matter what/who. Christmas Eve will dependent on who is home, and that I don't know yet. Kinda depressing forgoing some of the traditional meals/menus/recipes...but, Next Year. And I do have cookies to make, as well as the chocolate peppermint cake, so that's fun to look forward to.

This is all such a mess.

I'm so sorry your grandkids and their Mom have to go thru this. Not to long ago I was commenting on how I didn't know anyone in my circle of co workers, family or friends who have had it and in the last week I find out a good friend who works for us has it, as did his son, and the daughter and two grandkids of my folks dearest friends have recently been diagnosed with it. I don't fear getting it, but I do fear giving it to someone with and them getting very ill or worse...that is what keeps me up.

DD#1 is 6 weeks pregnant!

Oh! What wonderful news, congratulations to your daughter and your family! Is this your first grandchild?

Well it's cold and damp, not sure what the temp is. This weekend looks like a almost total wash out with rain forecast, but in the low 60's. I didn't have any plans to do anything or go anywhere but still - if it was going to be 60 it would have been nice if it wasn't raining!- that way I could have at least enjoyed a walk or two. I guess I'll get to some of that cookie baking and Christmas movie watching this weekend-

Yesterday I put a whole roaster in the crockpot for the day. I just lay it on a bed of carrots and celery, and shove a onion in it. Sprinkle w/ a bit of seasoning and call it a days. So we had chicken and rice last night, and I pulled all the chicken off and made chicken salad, which will be lunch today, and dumped it all back in the crock pot overnight and strained it this morning - for soup tonight! I think we will be tired of chicken soon! But a small roaster does the trick for us for three decent meals. No idea what dinner tomorrow will be - but now that I think about it this weekend might be a good time to make the bean soup with the ham bone from Thanksgiving...hmmm I'll have to give that some thought.

I've been operating under the false assumption that next week was the week of Christmas. Not sure how I got so turned around w/ my calendar. But - it's not, so I have another week, which is good. I'm planning a December 23rd luncheon for the 14 of us who are in the office. Trying to make it so that it can be festive, include everyone AND be socially distanced as possible. Everyone does have their own office, and we have a big conference area so I'm going to put some thought into it. I'm ordering a big spread from the local BBQ place, once I figure out what and how much to order...I always seem to order to much - I'm not good at catering math - and I don't want to force leftovers on folks that are going home, like me, to two or three days of other big meal and lots of leftovers. So I need to fine tune that, hopefully I can get the quantities right. Its hard to judge when some of the folks are heavy eating big guys, and some of us are 5'0" pickers! I figure it out one way or another - and if I get it wrong, I'll be able to freeze some of it.

I've a bit of a headache today which I'm attributing to lack of sleep last night. It was a off night, the dogs didn't sleep well. I didn't, and my husband was very restless. It was as if we were all reacting to each others restlessness...Hopefully we can all enjoy a good nights sleep tonight. I think a bit of soup, jammies on early and some fluff TV/Christmas TV and a quiet evening will be just the ticket.

Hair color and trim appoint this afternoon at 4. My Mom asked me last night if I wasn't ready to just toss in the towel and stop coloring - sure I would! But I'm just not feeling it yet. I started going white - not even gray - white about 4 years ago and when it happened it happened fast! I'm well over 50% white now. I keep saying I'd love to go full Jaime Lee Curtis - white/gray and supper short. Doesn't her hair look so easy and simple?! I just don't think I have the face structure to pull it off, being round & tumbly as I amPlus my hair person has managed to NAIL my original color (I'm a red head) and so I'm not doing anything other than what I naturally have. My mother is a blond and 70 her hair is a nice blond/gray without coloring it. Maybe one of these days...

Have a wonderful afternoon all!

 

[Bianca and Bernard]

Oh! What wonderful news, congratulations to your daughter and your family! Is this your first grandchild?

LOL, nope. This will be #4. DD#1 has 2 already and DD#2 has 1; all boys. I'm hoping for a girl this time around, haha.

 

[flyingdumbo127]

Feel better and get some rest, Easyas123!

Dad braved the post office this morning. Thank God it was not bad at all. He had tried the other day and it was packed. Now all the packages I had to mail are sent! I'll get my Christmas cards tomorrow and those can just be dropped off--no waiting in line required. Hooray to be done with all that.

Good afternoon to all!

 

[lynxstch]

Feel better and get some rest, Easyas123!

Dad braved the post office this morning. Thank God it was not bad at all. He had tried the other day and it was packed. Now all the packages I had to mail are sent! I'll get my Christmas cards tomorrow and those can just be dropped off--no waiting in line required. Hooray to be done with all that.

Good afternoon to all!

I haven't been inside a post office in years, lol! I use click and ship online, pack my boxes, arrange for my regular mail carrier to pick them up when she's delivering mail. Saves a lot of time and hassle. And you get free delivery confirmation so you are able to track the pkgs you send.

 

[Breezy_Carol]

Good afternoon.

Attended a virtual WW meeting this morning to learn how they are changing yet again. Then after lunch, because it is sunny and 48, we took a hike. No wind so it was nice. We started out planning to either go a half mile if too cold or do a 2 mile loop. Once we got started, it was so nice we ended up in a 3.5 mile loop. Missed Hogan's news conference. By what I can read, it was all about economic relief and no new restrictions.

We have a local post office that has no delivery area in it's zip code. Very small, only has PO boxes but all of the services. Easy to get in and out.

 

[lynxstch]

Good afternoon.

Attended a virtual WW meeting this morning to learn how they are changing yet again. Then after lunch, because it is sunny and 48, we took a hike. No wind so it was nice. We started out planning to either go a half mile if too cold or do a 2 mile loop. Once we got started, it was so nice we ended up in a 3.5 mile loop. Missed Hogan's news conference. By what I can read, it was all about economic relief and no new restrictions.

We have a local post office that has no delivery area in it's zip code. Very small, only has PO boxes but all of the services. Easy to get in and out.

Me too, I didn't realize he was having another one. Glad it was just about economic relief and vaccine.

I just read on another thread about Pennsylvania--Their governor, who has Covid, has put the state on lockdown....until January 4, 2021. No indoor dining; no gyms; movie theaters; casinos; musical venues; no indoor gatherings of greater than 10 and outdoor no greater than 50. No extra curricular activities at any schools to try and get this under control. The OP also said ''I am afraid with Christmas holidays, there will be lots of spread. "


They banned high school sports, but college ones can still go on? How can you do that without having gatherings of more than 10 people indoors?

 

[flyingdumbo127]

Lynxstch, I use Click n Ship every now and then for priority mail flat rate packages. Sadly we don't have a regular mail carrier or I would love to just leave mail for them to pick up. We also don't have a safe (really any) place to leave outgoing mail. So thankful, especially during this plague that you can do that! I don't understand a lot of the seemingly mixed messages or actions either

How are your grandkids feeling, Carol? Keeping them in prayer.

 

[Snowysmom]

Our post office is very busy with a small parking lot and small building. I try to go on an off time but there never seems to be one.

I am getting used to working 40 hours a week working on the year end project. I haven't worked 40 hours
since April. Then in January it is back to 24 hours a week again. Today I was reconciling all day. My brain hurts! I am glad to be off tomorrow. It will be busy but a different kind of busy with wrapping gifts, setting up the tree, and going to the hairdresser for a much needed haircut. I also need to color my hair this weekend. The white is sneaking back in again.

It's almost the weekend!

 

[Breezy_Carol]

How are your grandkids feeling, Carol? Keeping them in prayer.

They both have colds but no COVID symptoms. DGD is home til Monday. DGS until 12/23. DD called the pediatrician today but they said just watch them. Haven't got the test back from Tuesday and are going again tomorrow. Thank you for asking.

Anyone watch the Hallmark movie Time For Us to Come Home? It was new this weekend I think. I as watching and DD Facetimed right when the older lady was explaining why she invited everyone so I missed it. I need to know.

 

[flyingdumbo127]

Get some rest, Snowysmom! You and Jasper should watch a Hallmark movie and be cozy.

That is great news, Carol!

I think (meant to anyway) I shared about that earlier today. I really liked it! The older lady, Frenchie was her name, was the former owner of Snowfall Inn. She shared how Christmas of 1984 was so special to her because all present (in the movie) were unexpected guests (huge snowstorm) at the Inn back then. Everyone came together despite power going out along with other things to truly make that Christmas joyous. During the time they were at the Inn, they bonded. Frenchie (in the present--35 years later) wanted to be a spark of that same joy for the Inn's new owner, Ben (who was very handsome, btw). God, of course, saw to it that in the movie, all present came to be special to one another, too

I'm not finding it now but didn't I say (last night) I found the movie has a sequel?

 

[gwynne]

Anyone watch the Hallmark movie Time For Us to Come Home? It was new this weekend I think. I as watching and DD Facetimed right when the older lady was explaining why she invited everyone so I missed it. I need to know.

I watched it too, it was sweet. Basically the older lady (Frenchie) invited them to the inn as a gift to the new in owner Ben.
All the guests in the movie who got invites had some relationship to the folks who stayed there at Christmas in 1984.
Edited to add...@flyingdumbo127 we must have been posting at the same time. Good movie!

 

[Breezy_Carol]

Thanks @flyingdumbo127 and @gwynne. In searching, I found it will be on several more times. I may re-watch. Also, I think it may be the third in a series.

 

[flyingdumbo127]

Really? You think it was the third and not first? Unless I'm making it up, I really thought I read somewhere last night about a sequel that took place during Ben and Sarah's second Christmas? Although, wait a minute. I just Googled another movie I enjoyed called "A Gift to Remember." That movie, looks like it had at least one sequel (A Gift to Cherish) I promise I thought (maybe I just wanted their to be a sequel) there was also a sequel to Time for Us...etc.

 

[Breezy_Carol]

When I googled I found this in Country Living.

Blake executive produced his first Christmas movie for Hallmark Movies & Mysteries—Time for Me to Come Home for Christmas—back in 2018. Since then, he produced Time for You to Come Home for Christmas in 2019, and now, fans are eagerly awaiting his third film in the sequel, Time for Us to Come Home for Christmas. The film, which stars Lacey Chabert and Stephen Huszar , is set to debut on Saturday, December 5 at 10 p.m.

 

[flyingdumbo127]

Wow, thanks Carol! So the one we saw was movie #3. It doesn't look as though either the first or second movie in this series took place at Snowfall Inn. Maybe there will be a 4th next year that will show us Ben and Sarah's second Christmas together!

 

[lynxstch]

 

[gwynne]

Aww, Dumbo is adorable.
We're predicted to get 2-4 inches of snow tonight. It's December, probably about time.

The new season of The Repair Shop is available on Netflix. We love the stories, often they are both touching and uplifting. Amazing craftspeople too.
Hope everyone has a nice Fri.