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

[Kirby]

Welcome Stephanie!

Flatware - I have four different kinds in my drawer, Interpur (Japan), Community by Oneida, 1847 Roger Bros. and Northland (Korea). I received two sets from my mom over the years, I'm pretty sure I got one when we were married. No telling where the fourth set came from. One thing I like about them is that they are smaller than the sets they have out at the stores these days and lighter.

Dishware - a mix of Corelle and Texasware. I like lighter plates, you get a theme here. Don't care for heavy stuff. My glasses are all Texasware too.

I really don't have any goals for the new year but I would like to lose weight (don't we all?). I am going to try and lower my sugar intake. So much of what we eat has sugar in it.

 

[AuntieMe3]

Thank you. I don’t make it a lot. I’m not a huge fan of ricotta cheese, and my sisters in law always make the lasagna.

I don't really care for ricotta either. Sometimes it just seems to be too much. My sister does hers with cream cheese and it's sooo good. I really need to get her recipe. And what a shame you don't have a Costco.... we're kind of obsessed. LoL We get almost everything there.

What dishes do y’all use?

We have plain white dishes. This is the set we have https://www.wayfair.com/kitchen-tab...rware-set-service-for-4-w003464358.html?piid=
We bought them at.....Costco....lol but they don't sell them anymore. I broke a plate the other day and a bowl has a crack in it, so I googled to see where else I could buy them in case we have any more casualties. I found them at the link on Wayfair for way more than we paid($14.99 per set.)

We started watching The Queen's Gambit on Netflix and are enjoy it.

I really enjoyed it and didn't think I would.

Great board Tina. A great way to chat and get to know fellow disney fans. I'm Stephanie. I went to WDW once when I was younger and fell in love. I now try to take my two young ones at least twice a year (if I'm fortunate to do so), but sometimes the distance is a lot for my littles to handle. We always drive from Ohio (my husband will not fly). Anyways, I'm a mother, full time data analyst and student obtaining her bachelors... FINALLY.

Life was busy today, so needless to say... I threw some fish in the oven and made a box of mac n cheese for dinner!

Welcome...


I ended up making green chili chicken and cheese enchiladas for dinner tonight instead of the tacos I've been craving....but they ended up being really good so I'm happy I decided to make those instead. Tomorrow I'm going to try a pot roast with mashed potatoes. It will be my first one, which seems weird....lol Hope it turns out good.

 

[lynxstch]

Good Wednesday morning all! Well., only 2 more days till a New Year starts. Hard to believe isn't it? Today I start taking down the Christmas decorations, have been up long enough. Time to get the house back to looking like normal, even though nothing else this year has been, lol. Pkgs are still 'late in transit', as in over 3 weeks for one, 3 1/2 weeks for the other. I am beginning to think they will never show up. And the one that went to FL has a handmade gift in it, that I can't replace

No big plans for the day,,did all my cleaning yesterday, and we had chicken tenders and mac and cheese for dinner last nite. Still haven't settled on what we want for New Years Eve, New Years Day HAS to be pork and kraut, according to hubby (being from MA, that isn't something we ever had, but once I moved here, I was told there was no negotiating that one, lol).

No further word on granddaughter, once again , stepdaughter promised me she would call her Dad and didn't. I an not asking her anymore.

Started the undecorating. The master bath and spare bedroom are done. Anything that needs to be washed before being stored away is in the washer. Will do the kitchen next, since I didn't decorate that much in there. Tomorrow will be the dining room and living room, then the curtains get changed back to 'everyday ones', and the tree will come down on New Years Day. Only issue I have with that is,,I always do that while watching the Rose Bowl Parade, and there is none this year
Outdoor lights and decorations will come down the first day we get where it's not below freezing, as in like 40 or 50, which may be this weekend!

Forgot a few things...First..Welcome to this thread @stephalloo

QOTD from the other day.--dinnerware--we only use Corelle..since it's the 2 of us, we aren't fancy. When I met him, hubby insisted on using stoneware, which was constantly chipping, cracking, breaking. We bought 2 large sets of Corelle at the outlet in DE almost 20 years ago, and we still have every single piece that came with it, not one broken, and we use them constantly. I have another set of Corelle called Wisteria,,it's so pretty, I only use it for special dinners.

Flatware..nothing fancy here, just plain everyday stuff

Tina's QOTD the other day--goals for the New Year--just to make 2021 a lot better than 2020 was--and to enjoy some of hubby's retirement while we are both still 'young'-lol enough to do so!
Have a great day all!

 

[easyas123]

Welcome Stephaloo!

Good morning all.
Finally leaving the house today!!! First time in a week....and I’m ready to bust loose. Very exciting day planned- a return to Cabelas, turn around Marshall’s on off chance they have any Christmas dishes left, grocery stop. Yup- very exciting-
Started to cull things off list of potential bday trips for my husband. We have eliminated WDW & probably US off the list.
I’m itching to start taking Christmas decorations down, I’m ready. I’ve already boxed up my old Christmas dishes to pass on and I’m in a mood to keep thinning things out. I’d like to pick up some new, fresh pieces over the next few years but not until I get rid of some old stuff. Eldest is buying his first house soon- perfect to hand stuff down!
Have a wonderful day everyone-

 

[Breezy_Carol]

Good morning.

Finally leaving the house today!!!

We are heading to Middletown today. Will I see you there?

Picking up a crock pot from, DD and taking a gift she left behind at our house.

Not much else today.

 

[easyas123]

We are heading to Middletown today. Will I see you there?

Possibly!
Husband in Centreville at Dr. then we are heading north, stopping at the Middletown Walmart/Marshalls and maybe the farmers market on way home from Christiana.

Speaking of crowds...BIL just texted us He is a massive Universal fan, AP holder for years, averages 2 trips per year at least....he's not there now, but he said they opened up at 8 and by 8:10 AM they were at capacity! Yikes - can you imagine?!?! I'm just hoping I don't have to wait in line for longer than 30 minutes to make my one return!

 

[Pea-n-Me]

Before I forget, we also use Correllware. I still remember going to the Lechmere Sales store in Cambridge, MA, in the 70s, with my parents, to buy our first set when it first came out! Salespeople were dropping it on the floor to demonstrate that it’s really hard to break (although I think one did actually break that day!), and we’ve been using it in our family ever since! My mother’s kitchen cabinet still holds the original gold-flower set she bought that day, and is still in pretty good shape! (Not sure what I’m going to do with it now. ) Her sister/my aunt, had the green flowers set, and I believe her son is still using it. DH and I originally had a green and peach hearts Correlle set (80s) but we switched it out to a black and white flower Correlle set (which you have probably seen in my pictures) when we did our kitchen remodel about ten years ago. I love it. Nothing really has broken or cracked, and it’s lightweight and pretty. Very easy in and out of the dishwasher, I can do it in seconds flat just grabbing a bunch of plates at once, they’re so thin.

We were unexpectedly given a Pfaltzgraff set for our wedding which we saved for company. I preferred a different pattern (we were given the blue but I liked the brown) and we didn’t have room to store it upstairs so I had to keep it in a storage room cabinet downstairs which meant I always had to wash it before I used it, which doubled the workload. A lot of pieces cracked or broke, too. When we did the kitchen remodel we also created a storage cabinet in the kitchen for “better” dinnerware, so I could actually use it more easily. And I went out to Crate and Barrel and bought all white classic pieces. (Some I actually found at second hand stores.) I also bought some black serving pieces from Big Lots that went really well with everything in case I had to blend my pieces. Those have held up well, in fact we used some over the holiday. But I’m giving even that second thoughts because I haven’t really used that set lately, ie not just this year, but even before. Trying to simplify life, you know? So it might be that I give the Crate and Barrel set to one of the kids if they want it. I still have to sell the Pfaltzgraft set (which I see in thrift stores all the time), it’s in storage, as is the original hearts Correllewear, in addition to my mother’s. No wonder I can’t think straight sometimes! This seems to be the story of my life, lol!

 

[flyingdumbo127]

Good Morning Dis Family,

That’s special your family has some birthday connections to other members, Carol. Prayers all does go well and as inexpensively as possible for your septic job next week!

Welcome, Stephalloo

Kirby, I also tend to prefer lighter dishes!

AuntieMe3, I sure hope you and your family are continuing to feel much better.

Lynxstch, continued prayers and extra hug to you on your DGD, remember always, we are here and care. May you and your DH indeed enjoy in good health for many years his retirement!

Easyas123, I really like that you along with some of our other friends in this thread have Christmas dishes. That’s also great you are able to pass on some extra dishes onto your son. Paring down of stuff is a good thing to do indeed. Prayers also your BIL stays safe at Universal.

You posted just as I did, Pea! A heart patterned Correlle set sounds interesting. At one time Correlle was sold at Walmart. The Citadel Outlets also had a kitchen store that had the plates (for more money).

It's another chilly early morning here. I was thinking yesterday how nice summery weather sounded! I watched Holiday for Heroes (seemed to keep dragging on a little but was super sweet at the end) and Christmas Town I enjoyed this Candace Cameron movie) yesterday.

Happy Wednesday to all!

 

[Pea-n-Me]

You posted just as I did, Pea! A heart patterned Correlle set sounds interesting. At one time Correlle was sold at Walmart. The Citadel Outlets also had a kitchen store that had the plates (for more money).

Yes, it seems that 80’s fashion is coming back around again lately! Maybe I should hurry up and get it listed!

 

[stephalloo]

Thank you all for the wonderful welcome!

Today is rainy and cold. Not my kind of weather! Luckily, I have been blessed to work from home (even before the pandemic) so I didn't have to go out in it.

Dishes wise - I have had 3 sets. I finally had to detach myself from the ones I received when I got married, I'm not really sure what I was thinking at the time but they were horrid. Fast forward to present time and I found an excellent set of white stoneware from Big Lots and I am in love with them. Cheap and durable.

 

[sparkle78]

Yes, very chilly low 40s but I just walked 2.5 miles at the park with a girlfriend, we are both moms to teen boys and needed some girly chat.

dishes, I have a purplish blue rim pfaltzgraff pattern from my wedding and gray marks from the forks are on the main part, need to get a new set.

my mom lives an hour or so from the Fiestaware factory. It’s in the northern panhandle of WV, not far from Pittsburgh, PA. She goes twice a year to their big sale . I have several water pitchers she got for $10 that have a tiny mark on the inside or mark in the pattern, but hey those pitchers sell for over $50 normally. I also have some bread plates. My sisters all have the main dishes, but they are too large for my cabinets. my youngest sister has turquoise adn poppy colored ones. It’s pretty .

 

[Pea-n-Me]

We had a good day yesterday. Toto was groomed, and DH had a dental cleaning, so we stayed local.

Got some lunch and visited a couple of stores, just to browse. A couple of things about that. 1) I ran into someone I knew from a [huge] retail store who told me she’d been “let go” after almost 20 yrs, probably because she was at the top of the pay scale. Ugh. They apparently found a really dumb excuse to fire her. (DH, as a manager, couldn’t believe it when she told him why.) So that made me kind of sad and mad, but we were able to find some positives in her life and I think she’ll be ok because of them, so that was good. Funny thing, among ourselves we always said she was the hardest worker in the store!

2) I found a little set of nativity figurines and almost bought them, but we talked about it and decided that we like our little rustic set as is, and we have the Mary, Joseph and Jesus, which are really the most important pieces, so that if we get some hay and a couple of felt nativity animals it should be fine and we can keep it, as is. That made me feel good as I was feeling sad at the thought of giving up the pieces we did have. (Weird, I know, but with so many losses this year, keeping things “as is” somehow seems more important to me now. Plus, we only have a small area to display it so we didn’t want to get into getting a whole new set.) We couldn‘t remember exactly, but we think we originally bought it at a craft fair, as it seems homemade, and we used to go to those a lot when we first bought our house.

Strangely enough, I began searching around the internet the past few nights and I had no idea how popular - and pricey! - nativity sets can be! There are some nice ones out there, though, and it gave me an idea for future Christmas presents once our kids get their own places. So thank you all for that inspiration! I really enjoyed seeing all of your beautiful sets and other items! Next year I will have to re-post a picture of ours “updated”. I’ll have all year to find a couple of small animals that are the same felt material that the rest of our set is made out of. Or try to make my own. (And we think the other pieces must be somewhere among our stored Christmas items, so they will eventually show up, too. We only took out the minimum this year.)

Here is the little guy after pick up from the groomer. He always gets a special treat after the stress of that, in this case a plain BK cheeseburger , to make it a little more bearable for him. (It’s gotta suck for dogs!) Usually I get him a scrambled egg with bacon, but we were closer to BK this time, so he enjoyed his burger, too.

 

[snappy]

We had a good day yesterday. Toto was groomed, and DH had a dental cleaning, so we stayed local.

Got some lunch and visited a couple of stores, just to browse. A couple of things about that. 1) I ran into someone I knew from a [huge] retail store who told me she’d been “let go” after almost 20 yrs, probably because she was at the top of the pay scale. Ugh. They apparently found a really dumb excuse to fire her. (DH, as a manager, couldn’t believe it when she told him why.) So that made me kind of sad and mad, but we were able to find some positives in her life and I think she’ll be ok because of them, so that was good. Funny thing, among ourselves we always said she was the hardest worker in the store!

2) I found a little set of nativity figurines and almost bought them, but we talked about it and decided that we like our little rustic set as is, and we have the Mary, Joseph and Jesus, which are really the most important pieces, so that if we get some hay and a couple of felt nativity animals it should be fine and we can keep it, as is. That made me feel good as I was feeling sad at the thought of giving up the pieces we did have. (Weird, I know, but with so many losses this year, keeping things “as is” somehow seems more important to me now. Plus, we only have a small area to display it so we didn’t want to get into getting a whole new set.) We couldn‘t remember exactly, but we think we originally bought it at a craft fair, as it seems homemade, and we used to go to those a lot when we first bought our house.

Strangely enough, I began searching around the internet the past few nights and I had no idea how popular - and pricey! - nativity sets can be! There are some nice ones out there, though, and it gave me an idea for future Christmas presents once our kids get their own places. So thank you all for that inspiration! I really enjoyed seeing all of your beautiful sets and other items! Next year I will have to re-post a picture of ours “updated”. I’ll have all year to find a couple of small animals that are the same felt material that the rest of our set is made out of. Or try to make my own. (And we think the other pieces must be somewhere among our stored Christmas items, so they will eventually show up, too. We only took out the minimum this year.)

Here is the little guy after pick up from the groomer. He always gets a special treat after the stress of that, in this case a plain BK cheeseburger , to make it a little more bearable for him. (It’s gotta suck for dogs!) Usually I get him a scrambled egg with bacon, but we were closer to BK this time, so he enjoyed his burger, too.

View attachment 546975

He looks wonderful! I just got back from a getting a haircut myself. Even though my hairdresser works out of her house I still get Covid anxious. I just ate a cookie to make me feel better.

 

[snappy]

I think I posted this photo a couple weeks ago but I have included another one here since we have been sharing our nativity scenes. My MIL made 3 of these sets 40 years ago when she was into ceramics. All pieces were meticulously hand painted by her. The larger camels and the wise men have a good bit of gold paint. I also have a tiny Mary, Joseph and Jesus set that my sister did in pottery about 35 years ago. I didn’t display it this year but it’s precious to me as well.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

View attachment 546977

That is a beautiful set! I saw some online that cost in the thousands! Many in the high hundreds.

@flyingdumbo127 I was thinking of that beautiful set you got, so nice!

 

[snappy]

One of the 3 sets my MIL made was tossed around packed in a cardboard box inside a piece of furniture in her New Orleans house during Katrina. My husband found it when they went in to the house months later. He said something drew him into his mom’s sewing room where it was kept. He brought out the box and one of my sisters in laws cleaned the set. It was a little spot of heaven in all the mess in that house. I didn’t go into the house but I saw the photos. It was horrendous. That house was renovated in 2008 and is going on the market soon. Sadly my MIL was never able to move back into that house after it was renovated as her Alzheimer’s seemed to explode and she lived with two of my SIL’s until she passed away a couple of years ago. It was a wonderful house and we do have many many years of memories there.

 

[NYCgrrl]

Hey all!
Almost at the end zone and with a holiday surprise added to the mix.

Okay, for several years the man and I celebrated New Year’s Eve by giving a multi-course dinner party for a total of 8 people. That was the magic number as it matched the amt of seating and complete place settings. We stopped inviting people when we moved here and began a December to January WDW annual visit but it was never set in stone that the dinner parties wouldn’t continue at our new digs.

Ive been delivering holiday meals for the man’s BF since November and he was always a dinner party guest. As a thank you, he gave me a gift certificate to Laduree, a Parisian tearoom, that makes some of the best macrons on the planet and not coincidentally were frequently found on our table NYE. So yesterday, DGD and I went to the Madison Avenue shop and overindulged. We bought 5 cookies (she already ate one so we are down to 4, LOL), 4 individual cakes but some items were sold out already and a return visit was needed today.

Who was “elected” to do the pickup? Why the crazed little grrlie who mistakenly threw the Christmas dinner leftovers away thinking it was exceedingly well wrapped garbage. Told Bob, what happened to his CD leftovers and since a cutie was the culprit he laughed.Whadda world, whadda world .

I promise to return in the New Year with pictures and the ability to read through other respondents’ posts to this thread.

 

[Breezy_Carol]

Today's best news, DS got his first vaccination at the White House today.

Got to see DGS for a few minutes when we stopped by DD's house. I love to see him smile.

Had CFA for lunch. We go for the finer drive-through dining.

the Fiestaware factory. It’s in the northern panhandle of WV,

I must keep this in mind for a road trip.

 

[flyingdumbo127]

Pea, I definitely understand that things (and people) dear to you indeed mean extra this year as well they should. So glad you found the extra Nativity pieces! Handsome Toto! Glad he enjoyed a treat!

Snappy, thanks for sharing your Nativity! How very special that your MIL handed painted it! Hugs on your MIL, too. Alzheimer's is such a horribly heartbreaking disease

So glad for your son, Carol and yay for DGS time for you.

I've enjoyed all the extra posts since last I checked in here

 

[easyas123]

Here is the little guy after pick up from the groomer. He always gets a special treat after the stress of that, in this case a plain BK cheeseburger

That melted my heart, my Pop had a Boston. Teddy was his name...Teddy got a plain hamburger and a scope of Bryers vanilla every evening! Teddy died the same day Pop passed away (they shared a urn until buried at sea as is our family custom!!), and so your photo of Toto enjoying his burger just warmed my heart!

My MIL made 3 of these sets 40 years ago when she was into ceramics. All pieces were meticulously hand painted by her.

That is amazing - she made those? I'm in awe of that kind of creative talent. I have none...that set is very, very impressive.

Laduree, a Parisian tearoom

Nice!

oday's best news, DS got his first vaccination at the White House today.

Good!

Had CFA for lunch. We go for the finer drive-through dining.

Fancy...we tried the newer mexican joint across the street from Walmart - that new shopping center w/ the Dairy Queen. It wasn't to bad at all - the usual fare. Every two tables/booths empty, waiters friendly and welcoming. Considered going to CFA so my husband could have one of those peppermint shakes if they still had them, but he decided he didn't have a sweet tooth. It was a last minute decision as we came into town and were passing it - "hey I forgot that was there, do you want to try it?" kind of thing.
Cabelas wasn't that bad. Only one person working returns, but my wait was less that 15 minutes so really can't complain about that. Went into Dicks for a new bike seat, no wait there. Marshalls was a bit busy BUT - speaking of dishware - they had two plates from a Spode collection I like to collect, so that was a huge get to me. Walmart was...horrid. How many levels of Hell are there? I think they are all in this Walmart, and I'm almost sure we waded thru each one! Also noticed when I was checking out that as of January 1 they are eliminating the use of plastic bags at that store (Delaware mandate- state wide evidently) , it was a small sign at the checkout computer - did not see the notice anywhere else. Guess they'll start encouraging folks to bring their own bags again? And have paper available. So if you are in Delaware or frequent the state for shopping, heads up on that. Good reminder for me to keep my bags in the car, I'm terrible about putting them back in there.

Found something out last week that I meant to share with you guys - if anyone here frequents any of the E-Z pass roads on the east coast that have the automatic charging to your E-Z Pass (or tag) when you go under it/don't have to stop to pay tolls - I've had something interesting happen to my vehicle. I am often listening to my SiriusXM radio, and if it is on when I go under the toll thingy it does not pick up the E-Z pass and they send you a toll bill! I had gotten 2 or 3 in the mail and when we called, after making sure the pass was in working condition/had $$$ on it, the toll folks told us they've had a lot of people get caught up with billed tolls if they have the XM radio on when they go thru the toll! Told me it was so common that it's the number one reason people people are getting billed at the moment even though they have a pass. So I sent thru two tolls today and turned off my radio prior, as a experiment. We will see in a month or so if I get billed. Ha! We will see in a month or two if I remember and can't figure out why I got the toll bill for a while!