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

[PollyannaMom]

@PollyannaMom what products did you use to dye the pasta? I’m sure the children (and adults) will enjoy them!

All you need is vinegar and food coloring, but I also added a bit of orange extract to my red and a bit of almond extract to my green. Here are the instructions:

1) Add 3 Tbsp. vinegar to a glass bowl or measuring cup. (The food coloring can stain plastic.)

2) Add 15 drops of any color food coloring (and a bit of baking extract if you want) and mix well.

3) Place 3 cups of dry pasta (I used small wagon wheels) in a gallon ziplock bag. Add about half the liquid, seal, and shake. Add the rest of the liquid and repeat, mushing it around to get good even color.

4) Dry on rimmed cookie sheets or craft trays, lined with paper towels. (Stir it around every so often at first, to avoid it clumping together.)

I plan to mix mine with white rice and put it in a big shallow Rubbermaid bin (along with kitchen things for scooping and pouring) for center time play (I’m doing homeschool kindergarten with a friend’s kids) but it’s the same procedure if you want to make it for macaroni necklaces or whatever.

 

[Breezy_Carol]

Good morning.

I fixed a spinach, cheese, and salsa omelet for breakfast, with toast and fruit salad. Then started laundry before watching church.. (A note to Mona, if you watch, the sound quality was very bad this week and made it difficult to listen to the sermon.) Had thought we might go for a walk but it's getting cloudy and very windy. Going to try to order some Christmas gifts online and also Christmas cards. Currently uploading pictures to Shutterfly. And we are considering getting a kerosene heater to make the screen porch usable this winter.

Good Sunday morning all. It kind of seems like our thread is getting a smaller and smaller group of posters? That makes me sad. We have hung together for 9 months, and I'd hate to see it end. I am hoping all of our 'missing family members', are just busy , and that they will stop by and say hello and let us know how they are soon!

I am sad about that too. I with Tina would check in. Glad NYCgrrl is back and grateful for all who have stayed. What do you think of starting a new thread with a link to invite people and direct them here? Someone might look at the number of pages and posts here and think it is a closed group.

Maybe sort and throw away more of the man’s stuff if the mood hits.

That must be very hard for you to do. {{hugs}}

 

[flyingdumbo127]

Happy Sunday Dis family, ITA with you Lynxstch in prayer that our missing members are simply busy and will check in at some point. I absolutely pray that we stick together through this and long after! All of you have become very special to me. It matters so much to know you are okay! I believe God brought us all together, I am so grateful He did.

It's sunny and cool here today. Tomorrow it's supposed to be 85!

I may have asked this before but do any of you wear bootie type slippers? Last year at Kohls I got a pair of Muk Luks. They were okay for a couple weeks until they began to stretch out super wide. I thought I had gotten a deal on a pair of Dearfoams I believe at Ross only to realize the bottoms felt like I was walking on a thin piece of cardboard! I usually do wear socks inside the slippers, sometimes even bigger socks so prefer the slipper to be flexible but not dangerously gargantuan to where I can walk out of the shoe@ I do have narrow big/long feet, 9 1/2. Thanks

Hugs to all and Sunday Blessings.

 

[lynxstch]

Good Morning, All!

Woke up at 3:00 AM to discover dirty dishes still in the sink. “Hmm“ I said to myself “Crazed grrlie passed out before finishing her chores last night” so proceeded to do them myself. I hear a body scurrying into the kitchen and lo and behold DGD still had nt gone to bed!?! Don’t expect to see her before noon now, LOL.

LOL sounds like my Niece. Her day begins at midnite, she's up baking and cooking half the nite, and then can't get moving till 2 the next afternoon!

Nothing special planned for the day. Maybe sort and throw away more of the man’s stuff if the mood hits.

Hubby hasn't been in the cellar for months. He'll never know how much stuff of his I got rid of when cleaning down there for the new HVAC system. Stuff that he hadn't touched for at least 10 years, lol!

@lynxstch Last year we bought a new appropriate to this size dwelling tree from Balsam Hill. Think its around 4.5’ tall and prelit. Put it away with half of the decorations still on it thus making it easier to setup this year. No more ornaments allowed saying now ina semi hysterical voice. Err but well that Grinch ornament looks cute in a commemorative fashion

Thanks for the suggestion..but a 4 1/2 feet, prelit with colored lights..$499, on sale for $249??? Way out of our price range and budget! We'll stick to Walmart or Big Lots or Ace Hardware. Can't justify spending that much on such a small tree!

 

[lynxstch]

Happy Sunday Dis family, ITA with you Lynxstch in prayer that our missing members are simply busy and will check in at some point. I absolutely pray that we stick together through this and long after! All of you have become very special to me. It matters so much to know you are okay! I believe God brought us all together, I am so grateful He did.

I am grateful for that too..I feel that we have all become friends through this!

It's sunny and cool here today. Tomorrow it's supposed to be 85!

Gotten very gray outside, I think the rain is about to begin. Supposed to be 63 but it's still only 59 outside. Enjoy your 'cooler' weather!

I may have asked this before but do any of you wear bootie type slippers? Last year at Kohls I got a pair of Muk Luks. They were okay for a couple weeks until they began to stretch out super wide. I thought I had gotten a deal on a pair of Dearfoams I believe at Ross only to realize the bottoms felt like I was walking on a thin piece of cardboard! I usually do wear socks inside the slippers, sometimes even bigger socks so prefer the slipper to be flexible but not dangerously gargantuan to where I can walk out of the shoe@ I do have narrow big/long feet, 9 1/2. Thanks

Hugs to all and Sunday Blessings.

I do..I bought some Muk Luks at Gabriel Brothers a few weeks ago (at a MUCH reduced price from what Kohls had them on clearance for last year). I haven't had any issues with them stretching out. Mine are still snug to my feet. I don't care for Dearfoams, I have never had good luck with them. I have smallish feet, only size 7. Try searching on Amazon for bootie type slippers, maybe there will be something on there that would suit you!

 

[lynxstch]

Good morning.

I fixed a spinach, cheese, and salsa omelet for breakfast, with toast and fruit salad. Then started laundry before watching church.. (A note to Mona, if you watch, the sound quality was very bad this week and made it difficult to listen to the sermon.) Had thought we might go for a walk but it's getting cloudy and very windy. Going to try to order some Christmas gifts online and also Christmas cards. Currently uploading pictures to Shutterfly. And we are considering getting a kerosene heater to make the screen porch usable this winter.

I am sad about that too. I with Tina would check in. Glad NYCgrrl is back and grateful for all who have stayed.

That might work, but I have no idea how to do it, lol! I am grateful for all who have stayed, and all of those who come back occasionally to post. I wish Tina would check in too, I am worried about her!


That must be very hard for you to do. {{hugs}}

 

[flyingdumbo127]

Thanks, Lynxstch

Carol, we must have posted close together earlier. I agree with you that perhaps since our thread has so many pages that might turn away newcomers. But we do have a surprise pop in every now and then of a new person Definitely something to think about--an invite thread.

 

[sparkle78]

Very very windy today, glad I got the teens to rake leaves yesterday , 3 rd time so far this year . 20 minutes ago my metal chair on the front porch just slid across. Kind of glad we didn’t put the outside decorations up yet. I want to make cookies in a bit , but tired of choc chip or Hershey peanut butter blossoms. Would like to do snickerdoodle or oatmeal raisin, but no one else likes them. Guess I should did put one of my 20 + cookbooks and look for a fun new cookie recipe or I could make it easy and just do brownies. Really I’m just procrastinating on scrubbing the shower. Here to at least a few chores getting done this afternoon

 

[Breezy_Carol]

Ok, I did it. Posted a thread inviting people here with a link. We will see what happens.

 

[Snowysmom]

I had to play catch up since I was last here on Friday. Everyone has been so busy. I am on day 2 of my staycation. We saw older DS and the grandkids yesterday. We had to stay outside as he does not allow anyone in his house now. It was 46 degrees out. We lasted an hour and a half and had to leave as we were so cold. It looks like zoom is the future of our visits with them. Today I have been busy with housework. I made sweet potato pancakes for breakfast. Tomorrow we are looking at a new car. We are driving a 17 year olld minivan and 15 year old accord. Minivan needs some work so we would rather put the money into a new car. I also want to do some holiday shopping and cleaning out some junk.

Jasper is having a bit of a down day today. He is sleeping alot which is probably expected for a 15 year old dog. He did enjoy his walk. He has his good days and not so good days. He has another follow up Wednesday. Hopefully that will be it.

I hope everyone has a nice rest of the day.

 

[lynxstch]

Just back from Big Lots and Ace Hardware..and just in time, sky is black, it has gotten windy and the rain is dumping down.

Big Lots had almost no trees, and a lot of the shelves in the store were empty. I haven't been in there in awhile and it will be a long time before I go back. Didn't buy a thing in there.

Same with Ace Hardware. They had an sales ad in the paper yesterday, I didn't notice it said starts Wed. I went in and asked about the tree they had on sale. He says I don't know what we have,,won't know till Wed. I went out to the car and got my phone...looked up the ad, it had the sale price on it and said pick up free TODAY at THAT store. I went back in and showed the cashier my phone. She said get me the item #. No wifi in there, so I walked back outside and got it. She looked it up and it said they had 6, but the price was $41.99. I showed her where it said $29.99. She had to call the manager, who turned out to be the same surly guy I already talked to. She tells him I have the ad showing I can get it at THAT store today, at THAT sale price. He mumbles something, and says I have to go search and see if we have any. Comes back about 10 min later, and throws the box on the counter, glares at me, and tells her ring it at the sales price. That will be the LAST time I go in that store. I found the owners name and the managers name online and sent the manager an email telling her about the experience. Will be curious to see if I get any response.

Stopped at Burger King, hubby wanted the 2/5 Whopper special. That would be his lunch today and tomorrow (he's still on vacation so I let him get away with it, lol). I had a coupon for bacon double cheeseburger, small fries, small soda, which is all I wanted. 2 whole customers in the store. She rings me up, and I wait..and wait..and wait. The guy in front of me gets his whopper, and 2 seconds later comes back and throws it on the counter, says 'did you forgot something'..there was no burger on the whopper,,lol! She yelled back to make another one and to try and remember to put meat on it this time. She refunded him his money and got him another one quickly. Meanwhile, I wait and wait and wait some more. Finally I said to the manager..since when does it take 15 min to make 2 whoppers and a bacon cheeseburger? She yells back and asks..noone has made it yet. There were at least 8 people working back there! She refunds me..and finally the order comes out a few min later. We get home, and the Whopper is so messy he can barely eat it..and I have no bacon on my bacon double cheeseburger Another place I won't be going back to anytime soon, I don't eat fast food often, and after my experiences at both McD's and Burger King this week, I will be sticking to Subway!
Also found out that the 2 Pizza Huts we have around here..are totally gone. Bldgs empty, signs gone..another casualty of Covid I guess.
That was my exciting adventure for today, aren't you glad to stuck around to read it? LOL!

Have a good afternoon all..I hope we don't lose power,,high wind warning from 5-9 pm, but the winds have already started!

 

[NYCgrrl]

Thanks for the suggestion..but a 4 1/2 feet, prelit with colored lights..$499, on sale for $249??? Way out of our price range and budget! We'll stick to Walmart or Big Lots or Ace Hardware. Can't justify spending that much on such a small tree!

Oh trust me wasn't suggesting anyone else lose their mind like I did last year . Before we moved into our empty nest apt we still lived in a much larger apt where almost every room had a decorated tree of various sizes including one of the bathrooms. And was color coordinated to the room’s garland. As were the ornaments. Too much home decorating magazine perusing for me.
When we sold the apartment I also sold almost everything we had for Christmas decor thus allowing me to rationalize spending a silly amt on the new version. That’s my excuse and I’m sticking to it

 

[Shellsbutt]

Hello everyone Thanks for the invitation. I've been reading along for a few months now, just haven't felt like posting anything. I am somewhat of a lurker. I mowed the backyard this morning and did some fall clean up, now catching up on some football. The high here in N CA is expected to be 66 degrees, but we're supposed to get some rain on Tuesday. I need to take my cat Xena (kitty in my profile pic) to the vet tomorrow for needle aspiration biopsy on her lung. I had originally taken her in last Wednesday because she's been trying to hack up hairballs for a few weeks now, but nothing comes up. Imagine my surprise when they tell me she has a kidney stone, bladder stone, and a mass on her right lung. She is ten years old, as are my other 2 cats. It sucks because I can't go inside with her, have to stay in my car for all appointments since Covid happened.

I'm trying to think of something good to report, can't come up with anything right now, sorry

I hope everyone has a good day!

 

[AuntieMe3]

Sorry everyone....I always get a few days behind. I always mean to reply from my laptop because its easier to quote from it than my phone but then I get sidetracked(or usually my laptop needs a charge...haha) and get more and more behind. I'll be back in a bit to reply and update. Hope everyone had a great weekend.

 

[flyingdumbo127]

Good for you Baker Sparkle on the treats and teens raking leaves! I saw this morning in the Target ad Hershey's Sugar Cookie Kisses! Those might make a tasty new treat. I wish there were a way to try just one without having to buy the entire bag--I would! I hope you do bake something all of you enjoy

Thank you for doing that Carol!

Hugs, Snowysmom and continued paws and prayers for Jasper! I don't think I would have lasted outside in the cold that long! I am glad you got to visit with your older DS and his family. Prayers your new car search goes well!

Yikes, what an awfully rude Ace Hardware experience you had, Lynxstch, I'm sorry Sounds like a good plan to stick to Subway. I am sorry to hear your fast food treat was such a hassle+a disappointment. Prayers of safety to you! Hugh winds can be scary.

NYCgrrl, thank you for the smile! Glad you treated yourself to some new Christmas decor back then. A new place does need at least one new ornament, etc. after all

Shellsbutt! Glad you joined us.

AuntieMe3, see you soon! hope you have been having a good weekend, too!

 

[Breezy_Carol]

Welcome @Shellsbutt! Must ask what your name means. And sorry to hear about your kitty. I think most of us here have or had cats and/or dogs.

 

[PollyannaMom]

Hello everyone Thanks for the invitation. I've been reading along for a few months now, just haven't felt like posting anything. I am somewhat of a lurker. I mowed the backyard this morning and did some fall clean up, now catching up on some football. The high here in N CA is expected to be 66 degrees, but we're supposed to get some rain on Tuesday. I need to take my cat Xena (kitty in my profile pic) to the vet tomorrow for needle aspiration biopsy on her lung. I had originally taken her in last Wednesday because she's been trying to hack up hairballs for a few weeks now, but nothing comes up. Imagine my surprise when they tell me she has a kidney stone, bladder stone, and a mass on her right lung. She is ten years old, as are my other 2 cats. It sucks because I can't go inside with her, have to stay in my car for all appointments since Covid happened.

I'm trying to think of something good to report, can't come up with anything right now, sorry

I hope everyone has a good day!

to the thread and on your kitty. Like Carol said, a lot of us here have pets, and we definitely get it. Worrying about them is hard enough, but not being able to go in makes it even more so. I hope they are able to sort everything out and get her feeling better!

 

[Kirby]

Hello everybody! Happy Sunday!

Sorry I haven't been around. Sometimes life just gets in the way and I don't even log in here for days and then when I do I just lurk.

Something I don't get, maybe you guys do. If there is a rise in the number of positive cases in MD (as well as other states from what I have been reading), .. why are they still allowing churches to still have "Christmas/holiday" bazaars, craft shows etc? Why are they allowing flea markets to stay open? Why are they allowing gyms/exercise places like Planet Fitness to remain open? Yet they are either reducing or closing all indoor dining at restaurants and bars? It just makes no sense to me. I saw an ad on tv for a giant holiday thing advertising over 150 vendors..yep, that's just where I would want to be spending time in a pandemic??? Okay..vent over,,had to get that out!

Cases are rising here, El Paso is the latest bad hot spot for Texas. From what I have been hearing on talk radio is that small/large family gatherings are accounting for quite a few of Covid cases because of lack of wearing masks and social distancing. I canceled going to my son's future inlaws for Thanksgiving because of this. I heard from a friend today that her DIL has Covid. Getting too close for comfort!

I have most of my Christmas shopping done, most of it online. I have really missed going to the Christmas/holiday markets this year. I almost went to one Saturday but decided it wasn't worth the risk. All of the big ones that I would go to have gone virtual. I want to shop and touch what I'm buying.

My mom is doing okay, some days are better than others. Today was a good day as far as being able to hold a conversation with her.

I can't seem to get my act in gear today, I just don't want to do anything constructive, a little down in the dumps. I guess we all need one of those days every now and then. Fortunately my DH is grilling steaks and baked potatoes for dinner.

 

[NYCgrrl]

Hello everyone Thanks for the invitation. I've been reading along for a few months now, just haven't felt like posting anything. I am somewhat of a lurker. I mowed the backyard this morning and did some fall clean up, now catching up on some football. The high here in N CA is expected to be 66 degrees, but we're supposed to get some rain on Tuesday. I need to take my cat Xena (kitty in my profile pic) to the vet tomorrow for needle aspiration biopsy on her lung. I had originally taken her in last Wednesday because she's been trying to hack up hairballs for a few weeks now, but nothing comes up. Imagine my surprise when they tell me she has a kidney stone, bladder stone, and a mass on her right lung. She is ten years old, as are my other 2 cats. It sucks because I can't go inside with her, have to stay in my car for all appointments since Covid happened.

I'm trying to think of something good to report, can't come up with anything right now, sorry

I hope everyone has a good day!

Hey Shellybutt!
Dont worry about whether it’s good, bad, or indifferent news you are writing about. It’s just a day in your life and we all have times of differing levels of emotion. Thanks so much for sharing and always be your best .

 

[AuntieMe3]

I truly think we're going to go into full lockdown again soon. I learned last night that both the middle school and high school in our town are now fully remote, so it's just a matter of time before the elementary schools join them.

I hope Josh can stay in school...the elementary kids(especially kindergarten) REALLY need to have in person learning. Our district is finally going back going to part time in person learning the week after Thanksgiving.

Maybe sort and throw away more of the man’s stuff if the mood hits.

I'm sure that's not easy.

I was up at 6:00 and productive this morning:
threw in a load of laundry,
dyed pasta to change over the kids' sensory bin to Christmas colors after Thanksgiving,
(and, thanks to a bit of paint and glitter, turned the side of the pasta box into a "magic sight word viewer")
made a quick sight word game from some plastic cups and pom-poms,
wrote a check to the Alzheimer's Association,
cleaned out a cabinet, and
made breakfast sandwiches for DH and I.

Not bad for three hours!

Wow....busy morning. I didn't even get up until 10a. LOL We had a late night and hubby was up early so he got to feed the dogs. LOL

I want to make cookies in a bit , but tired of choc chip or Hershey peanut butter blossoms. Would like to do snickerdoodle or oatmeal raisin, but no one else likes them. Guess I should did put one of my 20 + cookbooks and look for a fun new cookie recipe or I could make it easy and just do brownies.

I made these last year and they were really good. https://www.bunsinmyoven.com/christmas-double-chocolate-chip-cookies/
Recipe calls for espresso powder but its optional and I never used it, simply because I didn't have any.

Just back from Big Lots and Ace Hardware..and just in time, sky is black, it has gotten windy and the rain is dumping down.

Big Lots had almost no trees, and a lot of the shelves in the store were empty. I haven't been in there in awhile and it will be a long time before I go back. Didn't buy a thing in there.

Same with Ace Hardware. They had an sales ad in the paper yesterday, I didn't notice it said starts Wed. I went in and asked about the tree they had on sale. He says I don't know what we have,,won't know till Wed. I went out to the car and got my phone...looked up the ad, it had the sale price on it and said pick up free TODAY at THAT store. I went back in and showed the cashier my phone. She said get me the item #. No wifi in there, so I walked back outside and got it. She looked it up and it said they had 6, but the price was $41.99. I showed her where it said $29.99. She had to call the manager, who turned out to be the same surly guy I already talked to. She tells him I have the ad showing I can get it at THAT store today, at THAT sale price. He mumbles something, and says I have to go search and see if we have any. Comes back about 10 min later, and throws the box on the counter, glares at me, and tells her ring it at the sales price. That will be the LAST time I go in that store. I found the owners name and the managers name online and sent the manager an email telling her about the experience. Will be curious to see if I get any response.

Stopped at Burger King, hubby wanted the 2/5 Whopper special. That would be his lunch today and tomorrow (he's still on vacation so I let him get away with it, lol). I had a coupon for bacon double cheeseburger, small fries, small soda, which is all I wanted. 2 whole customers in the store. She rings me up, and I wait..and wait..and wait. The guy in front of me gets his whopper, and 2 seconds later comes back and throws it on the counter, says 'did you forgot something'..there was no burger on the whopper,,lol! She yelled back to make another one and to try and remember to put meat on it this time. She refunded him his money and got him another one quickly. Meanwhile, I wait and wait and wait some more. Finally I said to the manager..since when does it take 15 min to make 2 whoppers and a bacon cheeseburger? She yells back and asks..noone has made it yet. There were at least 8 people working back there! She refunds me..and finally the order comes out a few min later. We get home, and the Whopper is so messy he can barely eat it..and I have no bacon on my bacon double cheeseburger Another place I won't be going back to anytime soon, I don't eat fast food often, and after my experiences at both McD's and Burger King this week, I will be sticking to Subway!
Also found out that the 2 Pizza Huts we have around here..are totally gone. Bldgs empty, signs gone..another casualty of Covid I guess.
That was my exciting adventure for today, aren't you glad to stuck around to read it? LOL!

Have a good afternoon all..I hope we don't lose power,,high wind warning from 5-9 pm, but the winds have already started!

Sorry you had such horrible customer service today....that's terrible. I would definitely let Burger King know your experience too. Every time we have fast food something is always wrong with my order, usually my food and I'm the one who went to get it) and it drives me bonkers.

Hello everyone Thanks for the invitation. I've been reading along for a few months now, just haven't felt like posting anything. I am somewhat of a lurker. I mowed the backyard this morning and did some fall clean up, now catching up on some football. The high here in N CA is expected to be 66 degrees, but we're supposed to get some rain on Tuesday. I need to take my cat Xena (kitty in my profile pic) to the vet tomorrow for needle aspiration biopsy on her lung. I had originally taken her in last Wednesday because she's been trying to hack up hairballs for a few weeks now, but nothing comes up. Imagine my surprise when they tell me she has a kidney stone, bladder stone, and a mass on her right lung. She is ten years old, as are my other 2 cats. It sucks because I can't go inside with her, have to stay in my car for all appointments since Covid happened.

I'm trying to think of something good to report, can't come up with anything right now, sorry

I hope everyone has a good day!

Welcome @Shellsbutt I hope everything with Xena is ok.


Last night, we went to this outdoor market, our friends daughter works there. It was a nice place, totally safe with social distance tables and lots of room for everyone there, didn't feel crowded at all. There was live music, really good food and best of all a great time with our great friends, something we all needed I think. We've been hanging out with them but just at each other's houses so it was nice to do something different.

We decided we're going with two big trees this year....one for our front room(in front of our front window) and another for our family room. The front room will have the new tree, this one I ordered from WalMart https://www.walmart.com/ip/Holiday-...e-Christmas-Tree-7-5-Warm-White-LED/150632199 It was set up in the store's customer service dept and it looked so pretty I had to get it.
They didn't have any in stock anywhere near us and no shipping available so I ordered it for store pickup at my sister's Walmart and she'll pick it up for me.

The family room tree will still be a real one. I like the Frasier Fir and I like them at least 7.5 ft tall.

Hope everyone has a good week.