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

[easyas123]

It's a beautiful day in the neighborhood here today...of course, I've been inside all day! I did have to run home around 2ish to grab something and I pulled up and on our porch is my sons girlfriend, having a zoom meeting overlooking our farm! She is in crop production and is half in the field, half working from home. It was so pleasant on the porch and quiet. I wish I could have stayed myself! Low 80's and no humidity.

Husband made it to his destination this afternoon and was working from the screened porch himself when I talked to him a bit ago....he is staying at my folks place in FL for a few days as he & my father have some combined business stuff to deal with.

Tonight I'm going to have to break it to the dogs that they have to sleep in their beds, not mine. I didn't sleep that well last night, and it's totally my own fault for letting them up there. Lesson learned. Nothing specific planned for supper tonight. I have a appt. after work and I don't anticipate being home before 7 PM. Might be a grilled cheese or pb& j kinda evening.

 

[flyingdumbo127]

That is so funny, Sparkle! Kids do say the funniest things

Enjoy a cozier more restful evening, Easyas123. I am glad your husband is safely at your parent's place.

Gratitude:

Morning rest after a long, hot night.
My Dad got some things we needed at the Dollar Tree this morning.
Sale of the Century is a perfect watching show during this plague, so funny.

 

[Bianca and Bernard]

Just a share:
News4Jax has discovered the secret to...POG juice. I figured for those of you missing Disney breakfasts, this might help.

https://www.news4jax.com/features/2...Y7N1xi9aHxAu7mXCu3f5FXnnMYTwpKw4M9tI8w7K4SuLA

 

[Pea-n-Me]

Just a share:
News4Jax has discovered the secret to...POG juice. I figured for those of you missing Disney breakfasts, this might help.

https://www.news4jax.com/features/2...Y7N1xi9aHxAu7mXCu3f5FXnnMYTwpKw4M9tI8w7K4SuLA

I love that stuff! (I think you could see it in the pic I posted last week w the Mickey waffle from Boma!) Interesting about the Popcorn stand at AK!

Sometimes if I’m craving it I buy this. It’s not exact, but pretty close:

 

[Kirby]

Happy Monday to you!

It's Maureen O'Hara day on TCM and my mom has been binge watching the movies today.

I went to the doctor. She's thinking my issues are stress related but is sending me to my cardiologist for testing just in case. I've felt fairly good most of the day but can't shake a headache this afternoon and evening.

Dinner tonight was Ranch Style Chicken Pasta Salad and honeydew. I don't make the pasta salad very often but when I do I always think of the lady that gave the recipe to me 20+ years ago.

 

[flyingdumbo127]

Hug, Kirby, I am glad you did get to the doctor. Please take care!

 

[Breezy_Carol]

Somehow in my old age I have started following politics more. Actually watching the DNC tonight.

Today I grocery shopped then helped DH cut the grass. Dinner was grillers, broccoli, and left over Spanish rice. I have to get back to counting WW points as I have gotten lax and picked up a few pounds. Also, we get Blue Apron periodically. I usually go through and skip weeks and pick one I like every 3 months. With vacation, I forgot to skip weeks so got an email that a box is coming tomorrow, after I menu planned and shopped. At least the meals are something we'll like.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

Happy Monday to you!

It's Maureen O'Hara day on TCM and my mom has been binge watching the movies today.

I went to the doctor. She's thinking my issues are stress related but is sending me to my cardiologist for testing just in case. I've felt fairly good most of the day but can't shake a headache this afternoon and evening.

Dinner tonight was Ranch Style Chicken Pasta Salad and honeydew. I don't make the pasta salad very often but when I do I always think of the lady that gave the recipe to me 20+ years ago.

The pasta salad sounds good, will you share the recipe?

Stress can be a factor with adrenaline keeping us in a perpetual state of fight or flight. In that case relaxation exercises can be helpful. There could be other reasons, too. But the really important part is just getting it down, because high pressures to overcome cause our heart to work extra hard when it shouldn’t have to, and over time that can cause negative changes to the heart that can’t be reversed. So if it requires medication, so be it; don’t be upset. Important to have normal readings. Hope you don’t mind me chiming in but it’s what I do.

 

[Caseheidi]

Hello Friends!

last several days have been crazy for me. I mentioned my cancer screening test that I was to have last Friday? Well, I got there and had a massive panic attack. Really I think the machine triggered something that has been building over the last several months of quarantine. I dont like confined spaces, and when the tech stated that they would be bringing the stand down to my face, but not touching it set off all kinds of trouble. After getting some medshelp me relax, and getting permission for DH to be there to distract me by babbling at me, I was successful today. However, I have spent the last three days on edge. After sleeping off the drugs all afternoon, I started reading some news, and the edge came back. So I guess I will be going mostly newsless for a while and taking lots of walks (best thing for me when I fell this way).
Other then my crazy, we had a lovely visit with my brother and his youngest son. They came over for a cookout on Sunday - it was way too hot to cook indoors - over 100 which we don’t have very often I. The Pacific Northwest. Great to spend time with my new phew before he went back to his Mom’s for the next several months. They live about 5 hours south of us,

QOTD - Board Games. We had lots we played when I was young. I think my favorites were Pictionary, Balderdash and Scattergories. As for now a days, too many to come up with a favorite. DH has a board game hobby, and plays with a group of guys weekly (found a way online for the last several months). Recently I have really enjoyed Quacks of Quidenlinberg, Surburbia and Azul. I get a variety as we play so many.

How about a new QOTD: If the world were to return to normal tomorrow , where would you want to travel to for vacation?

This is the topic DH babbled at me during my test. Of course people I wasn’t allowed to talk for the first 15 minutes, so didn’t work as well as it could have. Lucky for me I was amused and thinking how dear he was trying to help that it did the trick, Anyway, we came up with a few, including planning a trip to Great Britain and France. DH really wants to Dee Disney Paris, and we have friends who live in Luxembourg, Germany and Switzerland. DD and I would really love to plan this kind of trip, and today was the first time I have ever heard DH state that we could start planning it.

 

[PollyannaMom]

QOTD: If the world were to return to normal tomorrow, where would you want to travel to for vacation?

We have a list on our fridge!

The big one is Italy (especially Rome for DH). The closer, shorter trips are Philadelphia and NYC (both requested by DS) and Dollywood/Nashville/Great Smokey Mountains. - That's the one I was “planning to plan” for this fall, for our 50th birthdays, but I’m going to wait a bit. I’ve also been tucking away ideas for an extended trip to California some time.

Of course, the first thing we’d actually do is probably go visit family. I haven’t seen my folks in person since last summer (though we do talk every week) and I have a new baby cousin I haven’t even met yet!

But after that, we’d get started on the list. ✈✈✈✈

 

[Pea-n-Me]

@Caseheidi what a tough experience! I have actually had it happen, too. I forget what the circumstances were - oh wait, I was recovering from a difficult concussion and I think it was just sort of a bad year all around, too. Anyway, I had to have a breast MRI, the one where you have to lay on your stomach and your breasts go in holes on the table it's just so darned humiliating and it does bring back a lot of the memories of my cancer itself (breast) even though it had been many years and I'd had many breast MRIs before without a problem. (361 days of the year I don't even think about it.) But I think I was just vulnerable that day, and the tech was super rushed and a cold fish, and I got in and just couldn't do it. I'd asked if my DD could come in the room with me and they'd said no. Of course once it was clear I could not complete the test they said she could come in. I said no at that point, I couldn't. I just wanted to go home. Now I am pretty tough, so this was very disconcerting to me, and I knew I still had to try again at some point. Ugh. The next time I went in I had a super compassionate and understanding tech who understood and actually leaned outside the MRI machine during my entire test (almost 30 mins) holding my sweaty hand. (Jesus I'm sitting her teary just thinking about it; her back must've been absolutely killing her!) I was able to do it with her help, but my face was soaked with tears, my nose was running, and I couldn't move, etc. (Man, what we sometimes have to go through!) I later wrote a nice letter about what she did for me to her managers. (When people say there's no good in this world I have to laugh. I like to reciprocate for my own patients, as well.)

I think you have a lot going on in your life right now. The pandemic, a new school for your DD, taking care of your mother (did that myself so understand the complexities), unrest in your area, etc., and that can really all add up and do funny things to us, especially in the setting of bringing back memories of cancer diagnosis and treatment, etc. At any rate, be easy on yourself, it's all understandable. We are seeing a lot of stress-related issues with patients right now, everyone is feeling it pretty much. As I mentioned above, it's good for all of us to help find ways to be good to ourselves and to help us relax and continue to enjoy our lives even if it's different than what we're used to. Such tough times.

 

[apirateslifeforme]

Just a share:
News4Jax has discovered the secret to...POG juice. I figured for those of you missing Disney breakfasts, this might help.

https://www.news4jax.com/features/2...Y7N1xi9aHxAu7mXCu3f5FXnnMYTwpKw4M9tI8w7K4SuLA

They serve this at the Legoland breakfast buffet, too! The machine merely said "orange juice," but when DH tried it, he said it wasn't orange. That was some fabulous stuff - I even gave up coffee for a few days for that juice! Been trying to find it since I came home and haven't been able to. At least maybe I can make it homemade now

I went to the doctor. She's thinking my issues are stress related but is sending me to my cardiologist for testing just in case. I've felt fairly good most of the day but can't shake a headache this afternoon and evening.

Stress can be a factor with adrenaline keeping us in a perpetual state of fight or flight. In that case relaxation exercises can be helpful. There could be other reasons, too. But the really important part is just getting it down, because high pressures to overcome cause our heart to work extra hard when it shouldn’t have to, and over time that can cause negative changes to the heart that can’t be reversed. So if it requires medication, so be it; don’t be upset. Important to have normal readings. Hope you don’t mind me chiming in but it’s what I do.

Big to you, Kirby. I've done several 24-hour saliva tests over the past few years and we've found that my stress is high/cortisol is non-existent. Like literally not on the chart (and yes, there was a chart ). She even said the words "in perpetual fight-or-flight" as Pea-n-Me said. We've been unsuccessful in reversing it completely - we've tried medication but they've all given me bad headaches. Ashwagandha seems to help - I don't notice a difference when I'm taking it, but when I haven't taken it for a while, I feel even more stressed. My family - my biggest stressor by far - refuses to help; they tell me I'm being dramatic and walk away. I hope you can get it figured out.

How about a new QOTD: If the world were to return to normal tomorrow , where would you want to travel to for vacation?

We're hoping to plan an Ohio trip next year - maybe when Josh has a week off from school in April, or we might wait until school gets out so the weather will be warmer and we don't have to rush to get everything done in a week. We want to go to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, the Christmas Story House, the Pro Football Hall of Fame, and the Cincinnati Zoo. There's a science center in Cleveland (next to the R&R HoF) that Josh would enjoy. We're also waiting for Legoland New York to open next year; then we discovered that Lake George is only 2.5 hours north of Legoland, so if we could take an entire week, we would do both.

Doing our state project, when we pulled Kentucky, I was pleasantly surprised to find that there is a LOT to do there! I also have wanted to visit Savannah, GA for many years. Josh is obsessed with Mount Rushmore, so South Dakota is on his list - and I recently learned that Devil's Tower is only 2 hours away in Wyoming, so we'd cross over there as well. DH wants to go to Niagara Falls...we're putting that off until we get our butts in gear and get passports so we can cross over into Canada.

Basically we just want to see the entire United States. Our only overseas trip that we really want to do is Ireland-England-Scotland. I went to England on a class trip in 8th grade (also France, Switzerland, and Germany) and I've been itching to get back! I loved it there!

@Caseheidi, did you get any results yet from your screening? I hope and pray for good news

 

[Pea-n-Me]

QOTD: We were hoping to do a Disney trip this winter with us and the kids and their boyfriend and girlfriend, but it doesn't look like that can happen. DD and I really cannot travel outside our area due to work restrictions. Hopefully we'll make it back some day in the near future. We were there in March when word came in it was closing. So surreal to think how much has happened since then and where we are right now with travel. Other than that our bucket list includes a Mediterranean Disney Cruise and an England/Scotland trip. (Any Outlander fans here?) DH has Scottish heritage and we'd really like to go. I'd love to do an Alaskan cruise, as well.

 

[Bianca and Bernard]

(((huggles to all of you))) especially @Kirby and @Caseheidi, who are dealing with medical issues on top of everything else.

QOTD: If I could go on VACATION (oh, I miss that word)...there are a couple of options.

Practical: to NE and CA to visit the grandbabies; go to the beach; camping. (Once it cools off some, we talked about doing a camping trip up to Georgia or somewhere else in FL; we want to replace the old tent with one of the easy pop up ones, and I'd like to get a cot mattress to go with my cot frame, but that's all that we'd need to pay for.)

Fantasy (money no object): Washington DC, Ireland, Scotland, Seychelles, Iceland, Japan, Switzerland, Austria, Greece. Norway/Sweden/Denmark/England/Germany (see where my ancestors come from)....maybe a full around the world tour! I would love to do an African Safari.

Disney: all the theme parks!

------------------------------------

I am feeling so lazy the last week, I've just kind of let everything go. (I've been taking my allergy meds; while I'm breathing better, I'm very tired about 5-6 hours after popping one, and could sleep 12 hours. The lawn guys have been cutting the grass every 4-5 days, and they spread more dang cedar mulch around the trees; both of which are not good for me. ) Add that to (TMI) mother nature being here since July 3rd, and I'm just over it all. (C'mon menopause, let's finish this right now!!!!)

So...I need to clean the bathrooms, vacuum, put up the towels I washed, wash the bedding, and I need to shower and head to the store; we need milk and hamburger buns and some fresh fruit/veg.

I was going to make ham & cheese omelets yesterday for lunch but we ended up with grilled ham & cheese sandwiches instead! I'm taking the rest of the ham off the bone, and going to freeze the chunked ham and the bone for later; the ham for the omelets next week and the bone (with the ham left on it) to do a bean soup in a few weeks. I'm thinking I might pick up Moes after I go to the store, as a reward for me, if I can get up and clean the house. (I might order Tijuana Flats, but we've been eating a lot of them since March, because our Moe's was closed, but it's supposedly opened now. Waiting until 10 to see.)

I received my match for Reddit Secret Santa, Simple Pleasures round. Simple Pleasures is about something that you find joy in, to introduce the person to your joy. The person really wants to be able to make coffee, (they usually are a tea person, but want to branch out) and sit in their window seat to watch the ocean in the mornings. I was thinking of just going all out for them. A French Press, coffee grinder, a few types of coffee beans that we like. The coffee grinder and beans are about $40, so free shipping from Walmart; I have a $5 GC, so only about $35 OOP; I would get credit card points for it. The French Press I like is on sale on Amazon for $15; I have $10 in GC on there, plus points on my Amazon credit card, so I'd end up paying about $2.00 for it! I just have to hop on and order it all this morning.

 

[Meriweather]

.

How about a new QOTD: If the world were to return to normal tomorrow , where would you want to travel to for vacation?

Well, we missed a Disney cruise, a family one, so that is one that is already booked.
We missed Russia and Egypt. I would still like to go to Egypt someday, but we'll see.
We love Disney, so Disneyland and Disney World are our big ones.
We also love Cruising to Alaska. I need one of those back on my list of booked.
We hope we can do our British Isles cruise......time will tell, but that is one we really want.

 

[flyingdumbo127]

Aw, I like how you said that Bianca and Bernard, hugs to you, too! Definitely hugs and much prayer to Kirby and Heidi! This is indeed such an emotional and tough time, so extra important to take care of yourselves and spirit! Know we all care, too

QOTD: If the world were to return to normal tomorrow, where would you want to travel to for vacation?

Not the following day because it is way too hot, but Disneyland I would want to "travel" most to Kohl's followed by Dollar Tree or the library. In reality, even when all is back to normal I won't be trekking out for at least a month or so to be sure all is still truly back to normal. I might wait more on the library. I'd love to be able to also go to church and pray in our small Chapel. One thing for sure, I have said this before on here, I will never again take for granted the safety and ability to even go outside let alone be in any type of public setting without worry!

 

[Breezy_Carol]

I started reading some news, and the edge came back. So I guess I will be going mostly newsless for a while and taking lots of walks (best thing for me when I fell this way).

This sounds a lot like me. No news and get outside.

QOTD: If the world were to return to normal tomorrow , where would you want to travel to for vacation?
I would take the southern Caribbean cruise out of Baltimore we have booked. Other trips include Aruba, National Parks in Utah and the surrounding area, and in 2014 somewhere in the path of the total eclipse.

 

[easyas123]

QOTD: If the world were to return to normal tomorrow, where would you want to travel to for vacation?

Ironically I spent a hour on the phone yesterday getting prices for various cruises next year! Have not decided but seriously thinking of going away for Christmas next year. And we are comfortable with rolling the dice and booking. Unfortunately so are a lot of other folks and half of what we wanted to book for next Christmas is already sold out! Agent I was talking to told me they've been slammed with bookings for next year. We might have to book for Christmas of 2022 due to lack of availability for 2021. I'm starting to transition my brain back to normal, or a new normal.
I've got plans on the books to go to Universal in October w/ my husband, backup plans in December in case we can't go in October and my niece (works in news for parent company and is technically a CM), wants to do a quick girls weekend at WDW after the election. We flew in June and it was fine. So, I'm starting to get moving again...husband had good experience in hotel on way down to Fl a few days ago (he had to drive a trailer down & back or he would have flown). We are just ready to start testing the waters and moving around where/when we can. Obviously, everyone had different levels of tolerance, and your mileage may vary, but it's where we are mentally at the moment!

Today is a quiet, quiet day at the office. It's dead in here, phone has hardly rung and a few folks are out for the day/week. I even remembered to make my lunch so no reason to even change things up and go pick something up!

Last night, around 8:30ish, I let the dogs out for the last time. It was so pleasant outside, cool and no humidity. I tossed around the idea of turning off the AC and opening the windows, but in the end didn't. Heat is going to ramp back up and our little hint of Sept. will be gone for a few more weeks by this weekend. Still, it was a nice reminder of what is coming! Every year I fall in to the self laid trap of thinking the weather has turned, when it really hasn't yet, and I pack up my summer stuff eager to get to my cool weather clothing. Then I spend the next few weeks searching for something cooler to wear! I'm especially bad with tops...I'll wear capris & flip flops till the frost hits, but for some reason pack away my warm weather tops to early. It all starts this time of year when I decide to clean out my closet, which then means I get rid of some clothes, and then go shopping...you know what is out??? Nice new items that have sleeves and shirts that aren't cut off half way! Cardigans and oxfords...and next thing I know I've packed away my short sleeved shirts the first day the temps don't go above 75. and the next day it's 85 and I'm in a long sleeve shirt!

 

[Meriweather]

It is so nice to start planning trips again.....maybe they won't happen, but I love planning and have missed it.
Makes me happy.

 

[lynxstch]

Beautiful day here. Sunshine, low 80's nice breeze. Did some of the yardwork and laundry. Not my night to decide dinner, just waiting for him to decide what he feels like having.
Like you @apirateslifeforme , I have just been feeling lazy. I know there are a lot of things on my to do list, but I just don't feel like doing them. Just feeling 'blah' lately, haven't even posted on this thread much, which I feel bad about.

QOTD: If the world were to return to normal tomorrow, where would you want to travel to for vacation?
First trip would be to Ocean City to see the 2 stepsons and the 3 granddaughters
Second trip would be to WDW of course
Dream Trip?--Australia, New Zealand or Egypt
Glad some of you are looking towards traveling again, I hope it all happens sooner, rather than later!