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

[lynxstch]

@Breezy_Carol ((huggles)) I'm sorry for your loss.

@PollyannaMom ((huggles)) Here's to your nephew's continued healing

QOTD: flavor combinations
apples and peanut butter
dark chocolate and salted caramel
graham cracker marshmallows and dark chocolate (mmm, I miss Melting Pot)
pineapple and chocolate
coffee with vanilla or caramel (but not chocolate)
A weird one: peanut butter and dill pickles


I have been laid up the last couple days. Think I have an ear infection (left ear is swollen on the outside, can hear and feel fluid pressure on the inside) for the last 2 days; the night before and yesterday I had a fever at its high point of 102.5. Got it to finally break about 2am. DH said if it didn't come down or if it got any higher, he'd take me to the ER (well drop me off anyways, since he can't go in). Now it's just the swollen ear and fluid pressure that is bothering me. Got some OTC numbing drops and they work great on the swollen part. Did a tele-health visit yesterday before lunch (anything to avoid going in to be seen, haha) and the doctor said it's most likely just an ear infection, but to go be seen if it seems worse or doesn't get better in a day or two. No antibiotics, since he feels they aren't warranted. Neck was sore, but that was from me holding my head in that sideways position to try to get it to drain; and I had a headache (which I'm attributing to lack of caffeine and the neck positioning). Laid in bed and slept all day yesterday, waking up just long enough to make lunch for everyone (fried fish and frozen fries and veggies), then cleaned the kitchen and went back to bed. DH finally realized how bad I felt about 4pm, when he went in to the bedroom and I was still sleeping, so now he feels bad that I cooked lunch and cleaned up.

Anyways, nothing new here really, other than DS started his junior year this week. He's been doing phone calls/video chats with the new teachers, that we are supposed to be sitting in on. He's still struggling with being at home when the schools are open (our district opened with 76% of students going back into the schools....wanna bet how long before they start closing?), but he's being really amazing about the whole thing.

First I hope you feel better soon. Second..your weird food combination is one of my husbands favorites..but then again he eats peanut butter with anything--pickles, onions, lettuce, mushrooms, etc..lol!

 

[apirateslifeforme]

@Breezy_Carol, I am so sorry for your loss and I hope your ankle is on the mend

@PollyannaMom, continued prayers for your nephew! Hope to continue hearing good news!

Still pleasant around here. Received an email from Josh's school principal last night regarding a couple of Zoom meetings next week. The anxiety is coming back. This morning we went to Kohls and PetSmart. Kohls didn't have much...it seemed like a good majority of the store is on clearance. They even removed a lot of racks and the registers on the men's department side were all closed (as was the entrance there). But I found a few things for Josh - he is definitely fitting into "regular" sized clothes now, no more toddler My favorite purchase for myself was a t-shirt that says "Sunsets and Palm Trees" - I'm definitely a Florida girl at heart! At PetSmart, Josh surprised us by saying he needed to potty and then actually holding it until he got there! Miracle! Then he entertained the cashier when we checked out - he needs to stop announcing how old we all are to strangers... He then got a Happy Meal at McDonald's and my mom was surprised and happy to get a free vanilla milkshake. Now we're just relaxing at home, waiting for the "severe weather" that supposedly is coming our way...

QOTD: what flavor combinations in foods do you like ? Thurs aug 27 th

Salted caramel chocolate
Peppermint vanilla (Yankee Candle's "North Pole" scent)
Orange vanilla (creamsicles)
Maple/brown sugar bacon and sausage
Sweet chili pistachios
Cinnamon buttered carrots
Chocolate ice cream with marshmallow topping
French fries dipped in barbecue sauce, sweet-n-sour sauce, or Wendy's Frosty

 

[easyas123]

Peppermint vanilla (Yankee Candle's "North Pole" scent)

My husband likes that scent a lot! I'll never forget the time - it was about this time of year - we popped into our local YC store to grab a few of the fall scents .... or as he calls them "the candles that smell like hunting season" but he ended up smelling so many of them he made himself sick! Big burly bald-headed bearded goof ball had to go lay down in the back of the truck till his stomach settled.
Amateur ...

 

[lovemygoofy]

Hi all, Sorry I have been away. I just haven't been feeling well or I should say cheerful enough to really be posting. I'm cranky and having a bad flare up. My scans weren't that great but not that bad. I guess I'll take it. I have a doctor appointment next month with different specialist so who knows what will happen.

I'm so sorry @Breezy_Carol and @PollyannaMom to read about your MIL. I will keep your family in my prayers and thoughts.

@apirateslifeforme I'm sorry you are hurting. I don't know if you are seeing anyone for your anxiety but I hope you do. What you are experiencing is so common among parents who suffered trauma and loss along the journey of trying to have a child. Also, I don't know if this would be helpful but something I suggest some people do when having thoughts that they know aren't helpful is it get it out on paper. Make a list of all possibilities of what happens when Josh starts school. Make the list of everything through your heart and mind. After that list, make a list of actual probabilities of what will happen when Josh starts school. Number the list and pick the top 5 of probabilities and if it's something you need to plan for, start to make a plan on the side. You'll be getting it all out and you'll be starting to form a plan for any action needed.

I'm loving all the fall pictures. My Matt brought home a mixture of fall mix the other day. Besdies skittles, it's my very favorite candy. I have to have the right ratio of pumpkins and both colors candy corns just like with skittles. I can't have more right now or I'll burn out before fall is really here! Matt started talking about Halloween this week for our neighborhood. He loves it so much and we have 100s of kids trick or treating and it being on Saturday night this year, I imagine it would be safer to ToT than big parties. We can't just give out chocolate. You get your choice full size chocolate or nonchocolate, OR snack (goldfish crackers this year) OR non food (always tiny tubs of play dough). It's like a ToT smorgasbord at our house.

I hope everyone is doing well. It's just a hard time with news and weather and anything else we all having going on personally. I'm keeping you all in my thoughts and prayers.

Gratitudes:
The good people on this thread
Doctors who are trying and seem to care
Blessed to be able to pick and chose doctors without confines of difficult insurance.

QOTD: what flavor combinations in foods do you like ?
Favorite is lemon and chocolate! I love to make lemon cake and chocolate icing. Sharp lots lemon and sweet chocolate!
Jerk Sauce or Asian sauces that are sweet and spicy (can you tell a trend lol, I love candied ginger)

 

[PollyannaMom]

Finally got a pic of the elusive chipmunk! (Sorry if it's a bit grainy; he didn't actually let me get that close, so it's cropped after the fact.)

 

[flyingdumbo127]

Lol, Lynxstch, I know a few peanut butter lovers. My Grandma was one of them. I never liked it though often in college would eat a peanut butter sandwich when there was nothing else appealing. I always wished peanut butter (to me) tasted more like peanuts! Now, it would be too sticky/chewy for me anyway.

Hooray for pleasant day and free milkshakes, too, apirateslifefor me

Hugs to you, Tina and always good to "see" you post on here!

PollyannaMom, cute little chipmunk 🐿

Thursday Gratitude:

An email from a dear friend who I had not heard from in ages

The kindness of a local box/mail store worker for bubble wrapping a framed picture my dad and I intend to send a friend of ours as a part of a birthday surprise package in a few weeks. Dad had gone to this store to get a big enough envelope and bubble wrap.

My car is much whiter than it was! Drive through car wash my dad went through yesterday. I got outside again (woo hoo 2 days in a row) to move my car for street cleaning tomorrow. I wish this was still not being enforced out here during the plague. Wrong IMO.

 

[PollyannaMom]

@PollyannaMom, continued prayers for your nephew! Hope to continue hearing good news!

DH just got a text. - He is being discharged this afternoon!!

Thanks again, everyone!

 

[Pea-n-Me]

DH just got a text. - He is being discharged this afternoon!!

Thanks again, everyone!

That’s great news!!

 

[Breezy_Carol]

Hello, my ankle feels pretty good but is still swollen so trying to ice it a little now.

Started the day early. DH and I were at the grocery store by 7:30 then went to CFA for breakfast to go. I had baked a brownie base last night and frosted and glazed them it to make chocolate-mint brownies for tomorrow-DH's request. Two loads of laundry done before DD got here.

She came up with the kids so we could go to the local nature area where DGD could walk and play in the creek. I took a chair and sat on the shore with DGS. It was safer for me. LOL We saw tadpole and little fish and skipped stones. DGD brought me more pretty leaves for pictures. Then back here for lunch.

Aside from that I gave the dog a bath he had apparently rolled in something really gross. No hugs and kisses until he was clean.

I hated having to give an emergency bath to the goldens when I didn't expect to.


QOTD: what flavor combinations in foods do you like ? Thurs aug 27 th
Chocolate and raspberry
Peanut butter and apple
Peanut butter and banana
Peanut butter and bacon, on toast, with Coke to drink. Haven't had this in years
Crabs and beer

One other kid food testing was for some weird reason I liked corn chips dipped in chocolate pudding.

I personally don't do this but know more than one person who dips french fries in chocolate milkshakes.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

QOTD: what flavor combinations in foods do you like ? Thurs aug 27 th

I LOVE a piece of toasted sourdough, some cream cheese or Irish cheddar a whole roasted clove of garlic - maybe two - topped with some caramelized onions! Simple chocolate ice cream with crushed peanuts. I'm sure there are tons others, but those two came immediately to mind when I saw this question! Can you tell I haven't had breakfast yet and am hungry!?!?

I took some photos around the farm recently for this Fall Items / Photos idea. Here you go:

View attachment 521989

sunflower from my pumpkin/sunflower patch

View attachment 521990

small jack o'lantern pumpkin in the patch

View attachment 521991

mums starting to wake up, I favor the orange ones so those are what we have mostly around the farm

View attachment 521992
Hydrangea

View attachment 521993
Another Hydrangea

View attachment 521995

Burning bush starting to turn

What a beautiful farm you must have!

 

[Snowysmom]

@Breezy_Carol Sorry about the loss of your MIL. Hope your ankle is feeling better.

Flavor combinations:
Chocolate and caramel
Chocolate and raspberry
Maple and walnuts
Lemon and lime and any other citrus added in
Peppers and onions
Cinnamon on toast

The recent pictures are beautiful. They are very relaxing and peaceful to look at.

 

[flyingdumbo127]

Chocolate mint brownies sound delicious, Carol! When are we having our Dessert Meet again? Hugs, prayers your ankle feels much better soon. Glad you had a nice morning and time with your grandkids. Fries dipped in shakes....somehow does not sound appealing to me! Never know

 

[Breezy_Carol]

Here are the leaves DGD brought me.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

Hi all, Sorry I have been away. I just haven't been feeling well or I should say cheerful enough to really be posting. I'm cranky and having a bad flare up. My scans weren't that great but not that bad. I guess I'll take it. I have a doctor appointment next month with different specialist so who knows what will happen.

I'm so sorry @Breezy_Carol and @PollyannaMom to read about your MIL. I will keep your family in my prayers and thoughts.

@apirateslifeforme I'm sorry you are hurting. I don't know if you are seeing anyone for your anxiety but I hope you do. What you are experiencing is so common among parents who suffered trauma and loss along the journey of trying to have a child. Also, I don't know if this would be helpful but something I suggest some people do when having thoughts that they know aren't helpful is it get it out on paper. Make a list of all possibilities of what happens when Josh starts school. Make the list of everything through your heart and mind. After that list, make a list of actual probabilities of what will happen when Josh starts school. Number the list and pick the top 5 of probabilities and if it's something you need to plan for, start to make a plan on the side. You'll be getting it all out and you'll be starting to form a plan for any action needed.

I'm loving all the fall pictures. My Matt brought home a mixture of fall mix the other day. Besdies skittles, it's my very favorite candy. I have to have the right ratio of pumpkins and both colors candy corns just like with skittles. I can't have more right now or I'll burn out before fall is really here! Matt started talking about Halloween this week for our neighborhood. He loves it so much and we have 100s of kids trick or treating and it being on Saturday night this year, I imagine it would be safer to ToT than big parties. We can't just give out chocolate. You get your choice full size chocolate or nonchocolate, OR snack (goldfish crackers this year) OR non food (always tiny tubs of play dough). It's like a ToT smorgasbord at our house.

I hope everyone is doing well. It's just a hard time with news and weather and anything else we all having going on personally. I'm keeping you all in my thoughts and prayers.

Gratitudes:
The good people on this thread
Doctors who are trying and seem to care
Blessed to be able to pick and chose doctors without confines of difficult insurance.

QOTD: what flavor combinations in foods do you like ?
Favorite is lemon and chocolate! I love to make lemon cake and chocolate icing. Sharp lots lemon and sweet chocolate!
Jerk Sauce or Asian sauces that are sweet and spicy (can you tell a trend lol, I love candied ginger)

This is good advice, Tina. You can tell you’ve been involved in counseling people before! Writing things down is good. I have seen counselors have people write down ten things they can do when their anxiety gets the best of them, too, and that can be helpful. Often these things are physical because you literally cannot be concentrating on doing something physical while worrying about something at the same time, so it sort of pushes the worry out. (This is why some monks stand with one foot in the air, to keep their focus, for instance.) @apirateslifeforme can you make that type of list? What do you like to do that’s physical that helps lessen your worries? I do think it will likely be relatively short term once you see that things are ok at school, but of course, like many of us parents, then new worries set in! It always seems to be something. But going off to Kindergarten is a milestone, and we have so much going on in our world right now, I think there’s extra emotion involved in much of what we do, for all of us. Stay calm and strong, everyone, we will get through this.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

Here are the leaves DGD brought me.
View attachment 522118

Aww, that’s precious!

 

[Kirby]

@Meriweather , they are 2 and 4. We've made cookies a time or two. As with your two, Lou Lou shows more interest than Lil Joe.


QOTD: what flavor combinations in foods do you like ? Thurs aug 27 th
Chocolate and peanuts
Celery and peanut butter
I'm sure there are more just can't think of them. When I was pregnant with James I liked Doritos with peanut butter.

@Bianca and Bernard , I hope that your ear gets better soon!

@PollyannaMom , Yay! Great news!

Lou Lou is at that stage where she cries about everything. Nine more months of being 2!

Dinner tonight was Taco Salad. I made Banana Bread Muffins today. Haven't made them before, always made Banana Bread.

 

[Meriweather]

@Meriweather , they are 2 and 4. We've made cookies a time or two. As with your two, Lou Lou shows more interest than Lil Joe.


QOTD: what flavor combinations in foods do you like ? Thurs aug 27 th
Chocolate and peanuts
Celery and peanut butter
I'm sure there are more just can't think of them. When I was pregnant with James I liked Doritos with peanut butter.

@Bianca and Bernard , I hope that your ear gets better soon!

@PollyannaMom , Yay! Great news!

Lou Lou is at that stage where she cries about everything. Nine more months of being 2!

Dinner tonight was Taco Salad. I made Banana Bread Muffins today. Haven't made them before, always made Banana Bread.

My 3 year old loves to do the stirring and pouring, so that is what we are working on.
Cracking the eggs scares him and he then just throws them in the bowl
We're doing no bake cookies right now.

 

[flyingdumbo127]

Giving our thread a bump because it was sinking down Wishing everyone a good night!

 

[Bianca and Bernard]

First I hope you feel better soon. Second..your weird food combination is one of my husbands favorites..but then again he eats peanut butter with anything--pickles, onions, lettuce, mushrooms, etc..lol!

Tell him..
Peanut butter
Lettuce
tomato
Miracle Whip (has to be this...anything else just doesn't balance right)
pinch of salt and pepper
on white bread

Best. Sandwich. Ever.

 

[AuntieMe3]

I love sweet and salty...love apples and peanut butter, caramel apples, m&m's in popcorn, chocolate and pretzels...yum

Just saw these on Pinterest and will definitely be trying them out. Yum...seems like a perfect fall dessert.

Apple Crisp Cheesecakes


INGREDIENTS
FOR THE CRUST
14 cinnamon graham crackers, crushed
1/4 c. granulated sugar
6 tbsp. melted butter
1/4 tsp. kosher salt
FOR THE CHEESECAKE
2 blocks cream cheese, softened
2 large eggs
1/4 c. sour cream
1/4 c. caramel sauce, plus more for drizzling
1/4 c. sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
FOR THE TOPPING
2 apples, peeled and chopped
3/4 c. firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 c. all-purpose flour
1/2 c. old-fashioned oats
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 c. butter, softened
Cool Whip, for garnish

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 325º and line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners. Spray liners with cooking spray. In a large bowl, combine crushed graham crackers, melted butter, and a pinch of salt and stir until completely moistened.
2. Press graham mixture into paper liners and set aside.
3. In a large bowl, beat cream cheese until light and fluffy, Add eggs, sour cream, caramel sauce, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, and a pinch of salt and beat until combined. Pour filling over graham bottoms.
4. In a medium bowl, whisk together brown sugar, flour, oats, cinnamon and salt, then cut in butter with a fork or pastry cutter. Scatter some chopped apples and a thin layer of the mixture over cheesecake layer.
5. Bake until centers are only slightly jiggly, about 30 minutes. Let cool in muffin tin, then refrigerate at least 2 hours.
6. Garnish with Cool Whip and drizzle with more caramel before serving.