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

[lynxstch]

@Pea-n-Me When we bought this house 17 years ago, the furnace they had was already an older one. House came with a home warranty, but as usual, it turned out to be worthless. The furnace wouldn't light the second year we lived here. We had it repaired, and a month later it stopped working, and wasn't worth the cost to fix. And we didn't have the money at the time to replace it. Luckily, whoever installed the wood stove in the basement, ran it into the ductwork for the house, so that's what we have been using since then. But as I am getting older, I find it harder and harder to stack wood, carry wood, empty ashes etc. So since he's going to retire in Dec, and we've been collecting SS along with his normal paycheck, we decided it was more than worth it to invest in a whole new system. The costs havecertainly gone up from your $3500 estimate back then though, lol. We got estimates anywhere from $5500 to almost $7000. And the guy who wanted $7000 kept trying to tell us stuff like we had to have a chimney liner put in, had to have new copper fittings put on the hot water tank, etc. He was just trying to jack the price up. We went with the lowest estimate who is a local guy, the business is less than 10 minutes down the road. they did little extras like cutting a slot and put a tray in the duct work next to the furnace so I can just pull the filters out and slide a new one in, otherwise it would be- get down almost on the floor, turn 3 thumbscrews to take off the bottom panel (where all the electrical is), and reach inside there to change it. They took care of the plumbing, gas, and electrical, and guarantee their work. Free labor for a year if needed, and the new system has a 10 year warranty on everything and 99 years on something (I forget what, but I won't live long enough to find out what that covers, lol).

Your daughter did a really nice job on those cupcakes, they look delicious! And congrats on getting a new dishwasher,,that's the one appliance we don't have, but I don't really miss having one!

As for the pop ups, they are only appearing on this site, and only using a desktop for me,,and they are still there, but now minus the sound! Nothing I have tried gets rid of them.

 

[easyas123]

Luckily, whoever installed the wood stove in the basement, ran it into the ductwork for the house, so that's what we have been using since then.

Our last house had a set up like that - it worked like a dream. It was the only house we ever bought (all others we built) and they also had a fireplace in the living room...house was 20 years old and they hadn't lit a fire in it once! Of course, they also had white carpets of unknown age that were like new! Our boys put the white walls & carpet to good use and we ripped them out and put in wood a year later!
We have a wood burning stove in our finished basement now, once the trolls living there move out my husband is threatening to replace it with a pellet stove, but at least I'll still have my proper wood burning fireplace up in the sitting room. I won't live in a house without one, although for me it's nostalgia and I just like to have a fire. Of course, it's easy to "like" to have a fireplace when your day to day heat isn't depending on it....we have some relative's with those outdoor wood furnaces. They seem to work really, really well. But their lives are also somewhat ruled by the timing of filling up the furnace. And of course, cutting & stacking many cords of wood. We decided against getting one, although I can see their value if it works for your lifestyle.

 

[flyingdumbo127]

Good Thursday everyone

The pop ups are only on here for me, as well.

Always lovely to come on in the morning to a bunch of new posts. Pea, those cupcakes sure do look tasty! Hug, I'm sorry for your unkind encounter Yay for Toto and people remembering you kindly, too.

This morning is dark and overcast, cool here. It's 8:20am yet feels like it could be MUCH later.

Are all of you getting mail delivery every day? We aren't. For two weeks (we'll see what happens today) we got no mail on Thursday or Friday but did get mail Saturday. This week so far there was no mail Monday or yesterday. I truly feel extra for all delivery people during this time especially for postal workers who had the extra unkind challenge of new policies, that I believe were recalled finally but still seem to be impacting operations.

QOTD: I've never really traveled with a large group other than for a summer when I was a day camp counselor! I have met a couple Dis-er's at DL which was great fun. I think such planning could be fun but also easily tiring/too much depending on dynamics and ages involved. Definitely could be fun though for sure. Happy future trips to all

 

[lynxstch]

@flyingdumbo127 --Are all of you getting mail delivery every day? We aren't. For two weeks (we'll see what happens today) we got no mail on Thursday or Friday but did get mail Saturday. This week so far there was no mail Monday or yesterday. I truly feel extra for all delivery people during this time especially for postal workers who had the extra unkind challenge of new policies, that I believe were recalled finally but still seem to be impacting operations.

Yes we get mail delivery every day. Do you live in the sticks or something where normal delivery isn't every day? IF not, I would be calling your local branch of the post office and asking them why. They haven't laid off any carriers around here, and their delivery times have been the same as always. In fact, our mail lady just came up the street, so I am off to get my kitty's their delivery of field fresh catnip..wanna bet they can smell it thru the packaging? LOL It's part of their Christmas present so I have to go hide it in the basement where they aren't allowed to go, so they don't find it!

QOTD..we no longer travel much due to hubby's health conditions. When we used to, we did as little planning as possible, just picked a place, picked a hotel and went for it. Except for Disney trips, those required a lot more planning!

 

[flyingdumbo127]

Lynxstch , I live in the opposite of the sticks actually! The street I live on is fairly quiet but it's off a HUGE street here in the city and the neighborhood has changed big time over the years. I'm not sure we've had a regular mail carrier in quite some time. I think our route gets tacked onto the end of whatever carrier maybe has time on a given day. What's truly odd is pre plague I would see a mail truck down the street yet there'd be no mail here. Very strange indeed.

That's sweet that you're taking care to have a Christmas surprise for your kitties.

I forgot to say that due to my own health and stamina limitations, I also don't travel much but admit to being a homebody pretty much so that's okay. Post plague, it will be an extra Blessing to simply safely go outside or to Kohl's let alone church or down the road DL.

 

[Breezy_Carol]

Good morning.

QOTD, How do you plan for your trips and do you include others in the planning or excitement? If so, how so?
When we vacation with the kids, with both to OBX this past August and with DS to Alaska in 2019, they start a Google doc that we can all contribute to. For OBX, we were able to plan who would bring what for the kitchen, paper products, etc. For Alaska, DS and I each put cruise excursions and reservations in the same place. We are all looking at sharing a VRBO in Maine September 2021 for a family wedding. So far that has been by text and email. Have never vacationed with anyone except the kids. Have met people for a day at WDW though. Did rent a house with my brother and family in OBX...once. We did better in separate houses within walking distance.

I'm kinda resentful of the planning that now goes into a WDW trip. We had so many trips of deciding where to eat that morning or afternoon - not 6 months ahead of time.
I totally agree with this.
Had food truck foods for dinner last night. It was okay, happy to support the local PTA - but it was a disorganized mess unfortunately, on the PTA's part.
Sorry to hear that.
Another day of fog and gloom this morning, with sun and warmer temps expected this afternoon.
Same here.

Dinner last night was left over chicken fajitas from Sunday. Tonight will be taco salad. Trying to clean out the fridge before we go away Saturday.

Started packing some kitchen supplies. Have never gone to a rental beach house for just the two of us. So much less to pack.

As far as mail delivery. We have a box out at the end of the driveway. I hear the mail truck go by every day I am home but we don't always get mail I get informed delivery emails so know if I should be expecting something. I just think we don't receive as much mail as we used to.

DD is working from home and kept the baby home. She invited us down to see him this afternoon before we go away.

 

[PollyannaMom]

I thought of a QOTD, based on my post above. How do you plan for your trips and do you include others in the planning or excitement? If so, how so?

I’m a “contingency planner”. I like to do a lot of research, and then have a couple of different paths depending on how things go. (For instance, I’ll book a lunch ADR and afternoon FPs, then plan to either go back to the hotel after those if we’re tired, or stay and see what we can ride standby if we’re still good.

I do involve DS and DH. We usually have a preliminary “anything you especially want from this trip?” chat and talk about where we want to stay. Then I do some reading and present options to them on new stuff I’ve found out about, get their feedback, and plan from there.

We always try to get to each person’s “must do” for each park/day, and then add in the “like to”s as time allows.


To the other question:
Yes, we do tend to get mail every day here. There is, once in a while, a day when we just don’t happen to have any, but the truck comes down the street Monday through Saturday.

 

[apirateslifeforme]

Regarding the pop-up ad, I'm getting it literally one after another. One ends and 5 seconds later, another begins. It only happens on this site and I've tried both Chrome and Firefox (I typically use Chrome). In my settings, I have pop-ups marked as "blocked." I've even tried blocking "pixfuture" itself and it's still coming up. I also refuse to download something that can change my privacy settings and data on sites that I visit. Interestingly, I cannot even look at the DIS on my phone. As soon as I open a thread, any thread on any board, it redirects to one of those scam sites where I'm either the 1,000th visitor and I've won something or it threatens to seize my hard drive. I've also blocked pop-ups there, I've cleared my cache and cookies and whatnot and rebooted the phone, etc. but it still keeps happening. And it's only on the DIS, I have no problems with any other website.

So anyway, yesterday was frustrating with school going completely virtual on Wednesdays. Josh's teacher did have a morning meeting and she read a new book (by the author of Guess How Much I Love You), but then we were on our own for the day. She sent a pile of worksheets that I had an awful time printing and she listed some books in their "Raz Kids" app that he had to read (I make him record himself reading them, as it's the only way to actually get him to do it correctly. The teacher automatically gets the recording). It was like pulling teeth to get him to do the work. I was exhausted by the end of the day and wanted nothing more than to be left alone. Today he's still doing whatever he feels like doing, not listening to me, and my mother is mad at ME because of it (sighing, rolling her eyes in derision again, etc). I'm tired and I want to be left alone.

QOTD: what are you reading or favorite show to watch at the moment ?

Still working on library books. Currently trying to read The Christmas Spirits on Tradd Street by Karen White, and then I've got The Family Upstairs by Lisa Jewell. I also have 2 books of my own in waiting - DH gave me The Autobiography of Captain James T. Kirk for my birthday, and I recently bought Spaceman by Astronaut Mike Massimino when the e-book was $1.99 from Amazon.

For shows, we're still working on Haven on Netflix. We're about halfway through the last season. We'll probably catch up with the just-posted last seasons of other shows we've enjoyed - The Good Place, Schitt's Creek, and I hope Lucifer will be coming up. And then when I go to bed at night, I have really gotten back into The Golden Girls on the Hallmark Channel. I usually fall asleep to it, but I'm starting to identify more and more with them. When my mother is in a joking mood, I like to tell her "Shady Pines, Ma!" (I'm totally a Dorothy...I share her dry, sarcastic sense of humor. Just wish I was as tall as her ).

I thought of a QOTD, based on my post above. How do you plan for your trips and do you include others in the planning or excitement? If so, how so?

It's usually just DH and I planning our trip. We'll tell other people about what we're doing but they really don't have any say in the decisions. It's been a given for many years now that we go go Florida, so we just try to think of things to do with Josh while there. We look through the AAA Triptik book and go on Groupon. Sometimes when I look on Google Maps for directions, I try to look around the routes we're taking to see if they note anything that looks like fun.

Now having been working on the state project with Josh, one of the things we look up is "Touristy Things to Do" and I like what comes up on Planetware for that. We also request a visitor's guide from every state, so that will help us find things to do. Next year we want to go to Ohio and New York, and we already know the main things we want to do. I will look around the areas we'll be visiting and checking out our routes for fun things to do.

 

[lynxstch]

Regarding the pop up ads on the DIS. I just got an email from WebmasterCorey. He was going to try disabling things on his end till they stopped. Whatever he has done, has worked, I have no more pop up ads or jumpy pages! Whoo hoo!!! Thanks Corey!

 

[flyingdumbo127]

I agree these days there might not be as much mail period to deliver which to me is sad because IMO happy snail mail right now is more important than ever!

Hug, Apirateslifeforme. Take some YOU time right now and just rest!

Lynxstch, that is awesome news! I pray it lasts. Thanks from me, too, Corey.

 

[Snowysmom]

QOTD, How do you plan for your trips and do you include others in the planning or excitement? If so, how so?
I do alot of research, probably OCD on the research. I have different options and make room to be flexible if needed. When the whole family was going to meet at the condo in NH this summer we did lots of emails to have everything in writing such as who was bringing what and who was responsible for dinner on a certain day. For trips that is just DH and I he is the lucky person who gets to hear all my plans, and all my changes. Lately he has been listening to me changing my mind daily about whether to go to Disney or not. LOL! He says it is up to me but when I told him I really wanted his opinion as I am indecisive, he is more towards waiting until May to go. When planning trips I am rarely indecisive but this year has thrown that out the window. I keep wondering will things be better or worse come May 2021. Will I be more stressed than relaxed in Disney this time. At least I still have time to decide. All part of the planning process. I know NH will be relaxing.

@Pea-n-Me Sorry to hear about Toto with his illness. It is hard to give up the doggies to the vet even for a visit but when the doggie is sick it is so much worse. I hope he is doing well and back to himself. The vet said Jasper will be sleeping for 2 days after the vaccinations. I guess they forgot to tell him that. He was eager for his walk and has been jumping up looking for snacks. He is napping now.

Going for medical appointments now is crazy. Each place is different and you have to find out their protocol. I called my PCP yesterday to find out their protocol for my appointment next week. I like knowing what to expect. The people working at these places need to understand that they have to explain things to patients and to be nice. Rudeness is just not appropriate ever.

We had a new heating system put in about 9 years ago during a really cold snap. That was fun! We will need a new AC unit in the next couple of years hopefully not during the heat of the summer. We will plan for that one.

Today it is around 70 and warm for this time of year. By Sunday it is supposed to cool down. At least we are not getting snow like the northern plains and parts of the midwest. It will come soon enough.

We get mail every day. It has not been an issue for us. I wonder if they just don't have anyone to deliver on those 2 days and are temporarily short handed.

 

[easyas123]

Regarding mail:

We get mail delivery Monday-Saturday. I do get the odd day w/o any mail but I think that is more having to do with the fact that no one sent me anything to be delivered vs. delivery not happening! Now, Tuesdays are often light/all junk mail type days around here, noticed that even in the office mail.
I use informed delivery as well, because our mailboxes are no longer at the end of our drive, rather at a central location at the end of the road. I can go home two ways, down that road or another. So I check the mail online each day and I know whether it's worth it to stop and grab the mail or wait till the next day. Informed delivery is awesome in that if it's particularly dark, cold or wet outside and I know if it's worth it to grab the mail or not that day!

 

[flyingdumbo127]

Definitely continued Toto prayers, Pea.

Amen, Snowysmom that rudeness is never appropriate especially right now!

That is clever, Easyas123! Last Saturday night, the mailman came close to 8pm. It was pitch black and he had a light on his hat. What was so weird is there was a USPS package delivered (not for us) on Sunday yet no mail came on Monday.

 

[easyas123]

We have a kid who works for us - well, I say kid. He's around 25 or 30. He decided he wanted to get his CDL, which we encouraged. Had his test today, so one of our other guys took one of our 2 tractor trailers and went with him as he took the test in one of our trucks. He passed, and they headed back to the jobsite to park the tractor trailer and everyone head home for the evening.
A mile or two from jobsite, drunk driver crossed center line and hit him head on as he drove the tractor trailer.
He is fine, although I think rather shook up to be honest. We don't know the status of the other driver, he was flown out from the scene....luckily no one else was hurt or involved.
This poor kid. He was witness to two other jobsite fatalities at two other jobs in the last 10 years. None his fault, one a violent situation. He is very devout- ironically I've had to speak to him about sending other coworkers bible verses unsolicited! However, we are not in a traditional go-to-church on Sunday kinda way. But I feel he'd appreciate it, so I hope those of you who are of the inclination might keep him in your personal prayers this evening. I think once he gets home the shock of it will hit him...doesn't look like the other driver is going to make it, although hopefully he does. I struggle with good thoughts about the driver as I've lost a family member to a drunk driver and frankly, I find it - well I'll leave it here to say I find it hard to "forgive" anyone who actively drinks & drives. But I'd rather this guy pulls thru to redeem himself than our employee have to live with the memory of that guy as his car crashed into him and died.
Also it looks like this guy didn't have insurance. Anyone care to guess how much it cost to fix a tractor trailer after a head-on collision?!?!?!?! I tell you, I don't.
Thank you.

In other news, evidently I ordered 50 grape hyacinths and 25 tulips in early June during some sorta sale Brecks was having. I totally forgot, but they didn't and now I have a box of bulbs that arrived today! Guess I'm planting them this weekend!

Dinner, well I was late at the office due to dealing with the accident, and husband is getting himself together for his big trip (nephew not coming over till first thing in the AM) so dinner kinda got let on till last minute. Looking like a tired bag of salad and some leftover chicken !!

 

[flyingdumbo127]

I will definitely keep him in prayer, Easyas123, how scary! You have a calmer evening!

Mail came a little while ago ✉

Thankful Thursday extra Gratitude:

A lovely conversation with an elderly church friend who recently moved closer to her family.

Cooler weather

Thinking about the Blessing of non plague days ahead when I'll be able thanks to God to get some new clothes and in much smaller sizes!

 

[Breezy_Carol]

@easyas123, how awful for your employee. I have to ask, what road was the accident? 213? I will pray for him and the man who hit him.

This afternoon we went to visit DD and DGS. He is so much more interactive. Walked over to the Amish Market and I got a cinnamon stick donut to eat later. Stopped at the library on the way home and were able to go inside. I felt comfortable but had to leave before I got too many books.

We always try to get to each person’s “must do” for each park/day, and then add in the “like to”s as time allows.

We did that as well. Asked each kid at WDW what they really would be disappointed to not see.

It's been a given for many years now that we go go Florida, so we just try to think of things to do with Josh while there. We look through the AAA Triptik book and go on Groupon. Sometimes when I look on Google Maps for directions, I try to look around the routes we're taking to see if they note anything that looks like fun.

I recommend the book Drive I95, assuming you use 95. It is getting a little out dated but lists some out of the ordinary attractions to look for. We have 2 editions.

 

[lynxstch]

@easyas123 Prayers for the young man who works for you that was taking his CDL test, and also for the man who hit him. And for both of their families. I am another one who has lost someone to a drunk driver, and while I feel the same as you, I also feel for the family. I also can't forgive someone who drinks and then gets behind the wheel, but I too hope he pulls through and learns from what happened. I feel so sorry for your worker, that's awful to have already been a witness to 2 other job fatalities already. He sounds fairly young, and all of those will haunt him for a long time, if not forever. So I am sending prayers to all involved in this horrible accident.

I had to laugh at your getting a large order of bulbs today. Covid brain must have set in for you, as it has for me. Good luck planting all those bulbs, I don't envy you! I did manage to mow the whole lawn today, and it's short enough now, that it really might be the last time I do it. I will wait till the weekend and then winterize the mower and put it away.
Good luck to your husband and nephew on their big trip!

 

[gwynne]

@easyas123 I was sorry to hear about the accident, I will also pray for all involved.

@flyingdumbo127 Our mail seems pretty normal. One unusual thing, though is the package situation. All our packages go to another building with secure package lockers. Type in the code and the door swings open, I grab the package.
Because of covid there are LOTS more packages. They just added a whole new wall of lockers. Glad they did.

I made pizza for dinner. We're relaxing now enjoying wheel of fortune.

Hope you all have a nice evening.

 

[flyingdumbo127]

Hugs, Lynxstch, I'm sorry

That is odd, Gwynne but sounds very secure! This building does not even have a front security gate. The small parking garage is gated but anyone can walk from the front past the mailboxes to all the apartments. The owner refuses to spend money on a gate. The mailboxes we do have are teeny tiny. I remember years ago, even one of the mail carriers complained about them! I'm glad you are enjoying a quiet evening. Prayers everyone else on here is, too.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

Prayers said for the young man @easyas123