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

[Breezy_Carol]

Good morning.

Grass is mowed and working on the grocery list. Need to shop sometime today.

DD settles on the new house this morning so I anticipate a trip down there later today. Current house has many showings but so far only one low ball offer. And, they had already dropped the price $20,000. DD concerned about 2 mortgages.

Oh, and while we were on vacation, DD's dog was staying with DSIL's parents. Poor Paisley got skunked. They have not brought her home yet.

 

[Canadisney Fly]

Good morning all!

Feeling quite alive after a long 50 km ride on Sunday - having come out of a couple of difficult years and some health issues, I so appreciate it when the body works as it should. First weekend of beautiful weather this year - it's been a long, cold spring.

@flyingdumbo127 - I try to keep each holiday in its season, so we only watch the Christmas shows in November/December - NO Christmas allowed until after Remembrance Day (we're huge Halloween fans and are the nutbar family that decorates the yard and have the BEST candy cannon!). I still love the classics from when I was a kid - The Little Drummer Boy - original version with the sort of claymation figures (I always cried when Baba the lamb was run over by the chariot), and the original Grinch, It's a Wonderful Life, Scrooge, and then some recent ones include Rise of the Guardians, and for some reason, our Christmas eve traditional movie became Dr. Strange! I think it's because he goes from being an arrogant self-centred man to understanding the power of the human spirit and the joy of redemption (we're not religious but have a strong spiritual side and embrace the concept of good over evil).

I just looked up the Hallmark Christmas movies - 174!!! I'll have to add some to the repertoire - which ones are your favourites?

 

[flyingdumbo127]

Thank you and your watch-kitty, dear PollyannaMom, for looking out for the new neighbor cat. I hope it is okay. Enjoy the nice weather

Easyas and sorry you had a rougher weekend. Sounds like you all, dogs and all, need a rest! Sometimes when kiddos need the most love is when they act as though everyone and everything is against them. Know, you and your DH, especially, and loving dogs, too, made a difference to your niece whether she chooses to admit to right now or not. You did, my friend, and I thank you. Prayers for her to choose a kinder and it sounds like healthier for her way! I hope your meetings go well and smoothly today, too.
Oh no, poor Paisley, Carol! I hope she (I think she is a she)will be a sweeter smelling and probably happier doggie soon. I'm sorry, of course, all of you have to deal with skunk, yuck! I've read before that tomato juice? may do something to help combat skunk smell. Prayers for your DD's current house and all the best to her and her family in their new home

Canadisney Fly, I'm truly so glad you have become a Quacker. You're a lovely lady. Some of my favorite Hallmark Christmas movies are the two about Aidan and Darcy called A Gift to Remember and Cherished Memories. It looks like a third movie might be in the works. I also love most of the small-town inns or movies that center on other local businesses. Always feels as though the whole town comes together in genuine faith and friendship. Love that spirit. I recorded A Veteran's Christmas a few days ago to rewatch, I think that was great so was Christmas in Angel Falls and Holly and Ivy, heartbreakingly sad but VERY touching. I also enjoyed The Christmas Doctor and A Very Vintage Christmas. Many others I look forward to some newer movies this year and discussing them with you and everyone else on here, too

Happy Monday, friends

 

[Breezy_Carol]

I try to keep each holiday in its season, so we only watch the Christmas shows in November/December -

Same here. And that goes for Christmas music on the radio too.

 

[Kirby]

I try to keep each holiday in its season, so we only watch the Christmas shows in November/December

Count me in that club, though I'm not opposed to watching one at a different time of year, I just don't go out of my way to watch one. But, I can watch Hocus Pocus anytime of the year.

Snowy, I shared this on Facebook last year and it came up on my memories for today. I thought of you.

Before I begin, this post is not seeking sympathy. It is merely trying to shed a little light on the total weirdness and unpredictability of grief. Those who have experienced deep loss already know. But for those who have not:
I washed the orange cup today.
“The orange cup” is not a metaphor. It’s a small, plastic cup—one of several in a multicolored set. It is small, and just perfect for the bathroom sink. It’s just big enough for a sip of water in the middle of the night, or to wash down daily meds. I had not washed it since before January 1st. Before you get too grossed out I had not used it either. You see, that little orange cup is the last thing in the house that Mark’s lips touched on January 1st, before he was loaded into an ambulance never to return.
I had picked up the orange cup several times before, thinking it was time to wash it and put it away. But each time it wasn’t. I would hug that little cup, cry a little (or a lot) and return it to the counter next to the sink. It wasn’t time to wash it—until today.
Today, I washed the cup.
When my mother died, her house coat (bath robe) was hanging on the back of the door in the bathroom. When my Dad died 5 years later, it still hung in the same spot. He had given away or tossed a lot of Mom’s items, but just not that house coat. Had he lived another 10 years, I think that it may still have been there… or maybe not.
Deep, profound grief is just weird. So, keep that in mind when you wonder why grieving people do (or don’t do) what you think they should do, or what seems normal. Grief is really weird. They’re just not ready to wash the cup.

 

[PollyannaMom]

@Kirby, that is a perfect way to explain it.

Thank you for taking the time to share that.

 

[lynxstch]

Good afternoon. I tried several times earlier, kept getting 'the boards are being moved to new server'...so how many times it is getting moved? lol!
Its sunny and 75 outside, perfect weather. It rained overnite, so everything got watered and saved me from doing it. I went out and pounded the tomato stakes down farther while the ground was wet,,so much easier. Tied up the plants, yet again..they are growing so fast all of a sudden. It's a do nothing day for me. We were supposed to go to my BIL's house tomorrow for a family picnic. There are 1 girl and 3 boys in Mr L's family. The one that lives in FL was in Maine visiting his wifes mother. They were coming tomorrow and staying till Wed, then driving home. Everything was planned, until last nite. SIL texted me that while in Maine, BIL just came down with shingles. Since it's so contagious, they of course are not coming to any picnic nor staying at SIL's house overnite. So she decided to just cancel. Her office is moving from one place in the city to another tomorrow anyhow, so she would have been swamped. So now I have a 10 lb bag of baking potatoes I was going to make a lot of potato salad with,,lol. Going to make a small batch for us anyhow

Have a nice afternoon all--

 

[frog3101]

Good afternoon to all.

@Kirby love love love that post about the cup. I'm sorry for your loss. Thanks too for your words of wisdom regarding your daughter. My lawyer is amazing and for that I am grateful because I tend to be a "noodle" and she is anything but. I just really need to trust her more, but it's so very difficult.
@Canadisney Fly glad you got some nice weather. Today for us is really nice also, not too hot and just enough breeze to make it nice.
@Breezy_Carol Here is hoping your daughter has legitimate offer on her house soon.
@PollyannaMom Cats are definitely their own boss and we should just be grateful they let us wait on them hand and foot.

I sent out another application last night and got a call for an interview today for Friday. This one sounds like something I would really enjoy also and would still be able to maybe do another one also. Not knowing a schedule for the kids makes it really hard to commit to anything right now.
I don't know much else. So far I have heard nothing from the camp, so am thinking my daughter is having a good time so far. I did send her an email this AM and had put a little note in her bag before she left, so hopefully she saw that when she unpacked last night. The staff prints off the emails from families and hands them out during lunch. My oldest daughter went to help with a day camp today that one of my friends puts on each year. Got a picture from my friend saying all is going well and they love having her there.
Hang in there everyone, whatever valleys we may be in won't last forever...at least that is what people keep telling me, so I'll go with it.

 

[easyas123]

DD concerned about 2 mortgages.

That worry is no fun...selling one and buying a second when you've got kids & a dog in tow makes it even more difficult. Hope they get a decent offer ASAP, at least they are in a up & coming area w/ good schools.

I try to keep each holiday in its season,

Me, too. No Christmas until "after dessert on Thanksgiving evening" is my motto!

Sometimes when kiddos need the most love is when they act as though everyone and everything is against them. Know, you and your DH, especially, and loving dogs, too, made a difference to your niece whether she chooses to admit to right now or not. You did, my friend, and I thank you. Prayers for her to choose a kinder and it sounds like healthier for her way! I hope your meetings go well and smoothly today, too.

Well, if I may be brutally honest....she's just entering a very bratty stage. And I think it's okay to say that and acknowledge it. She has a very loving and happy home & extended family. She's used to pushing her luck and not getting called on it. It's just the age, she'll grow out of it. But in the meantime, I won't indulge it. I think it's healthy that she knows there are adults in her life that redirect her bad behavior and not allow it.

tomato juice

You want a combo of baking soda, hydrogen peroxide & some dawn dish soap. The dawn is instrumental in pulling the oil which contains the smell. Gotta let it sit on the dogs coat for a while, possibly reapply. Regretfully I've had to soak the dogs in this mixture a time or two! So much so that I keep 5 lb. boxes of baking soda and peroxide up in the dog pantry "just in case"! That is no fun - and even when you THINK you have gotten it all, the dog gets wet again and you can smell it again.

And that goes for Christmas music on the radio too.

Yup, same here.

'the boards are being moved to new server'

I keep seeing folks saying they get that message - I've not gotten or seen it but I do keep getting big, red blurry X marks at the bottom of other folks posts. Looks like it is over any photo folks have in their signature. Weird.


Well my meeting went well, and we went out for lunch after and beat the rain as it started to come down. It's really falling outside right now, love the sound of rain. My second meeting has been postponed.

Not sure what is going to be for dinner this evening, possibly leftovers.

 

[easyas123]

got a call for an interview today for Friday.

Nice! Good luck with your interview!

 

[Kirby]

I'm sorry for your loss.

Oh, I didn't write it, was something I shared on FB that someone else wrote. I wanted to post the link to it but don't know how. Does this work? If it does, quite a few people have responded to the person that wrote it, telling what their "orange cup" is and is very comforting. My orange cup are pictures on the wall down the hall to our bedrooms. They were on my mom's hall walls in her home before she moved in with us and I tried to make our home as much like hers as possible to more her feel more at home. I don't know when those pictures will come down but they comfort me.

https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=10158559724597921&set=a.10151878166122921

 

[Judique]

Good morning everyone - hope you all had a good weekend.
I've got a 10 AM & 2 pm meeting in-office today, so that will keep me busy.
Not much going on up our way. We vastly underestimated the amount of paint we needed for the barn, so we picked 13 more gallons (argh! No 5 gallon buckets anywhere!) of paint yesterday and will get to painting the next day we can. Should be able to finish it next time weather allows us to paint.
Survived having our niece, barely. She's becoming...badly behaved. We were exhausted & irritated by the time her father picked her up. Even the dogs were exhausted! Youngest heads to CO for a week of hiking today and so we are anticipating a nice, quiet 8 or 9 days ahead of us. ahhhhhhhhhhh
We also lost the zero turn and the finish mower, which fouls up our schedule. Hopefully they can get put back to rights this week.

Off to my meeting(s)!

Haha....I'm running Camp Gammie here for 2 days for my DD.

6 and 5 year olds. Oldest is fine and youngest has developed an attitude. That's okay, I'm a master when it comes to attitudes and I've got this!

Anyway, we've quickly gotten back on track and if it wasn't raining, I'd have them outside. Spent some time outside this morning and it was 78 and slightly muggy. I turned on the fan and it was fine.

So DD has been pushing the 'Camp' idea and oldest DGD asked me when we were starting the activities. I said what activities. She said, 'Like making slime.'

I'm thinking maybe a kiddie pool and swimming for tomorrow. But sorry, not up to slime.

 

[Snowysmom]

Kirby Thank you sharing that post. It is so true.

@flyingdumbo127 The ice cream was delicious and I have some left for another day. I think everyone needs to have a treat in the house. Your grandmother had the right idea. I love that she kept ice cream in her freezer. I agree that once you are in your 80s eat what you want. My Dad was in a nursing home and they kept him on a certain diet which restricted a couple of things. He had a friend who had other things restricted. At meal time they would trade the foods they wanted to eat and were not supposed to. I thought that was great thinking. They were in their late 80s. Just let them eat what they want. I always got him chocolates like the Hershey minis and boxes of Whitman's assorted chocolates. Had to be sure he had his sweets. One time I got him assorted chocolates that only had one layer. Next time I saw him he told me the box only had one layer of candy and he was looking for another one. Whitman's with 2 layers of chocolates was all I got him after that.

Frog Thinking of you and hope you find the job that works best for you. I hope your DD does well at camp.

I worked today and then went out to get a salad for lunch and probably dinner. I am too tired mentally and physically to cook or even think about what to cook. I did some laundry too. Trying to keep busy. I am finding it hard and just trying to get by right now. I am giving this place some time before I make a final decision on where to live. I really thought I would want to live in the area Chris and I did but I guess I did not really think it through. It was an emotional decision. And I think until I did it I really could not know. My older son was right in that I should move near him. If after awhile this still does not feel right I will sell and move out to my older son's area. I want to be sure this time so I will give this place a fair chance. It could just be that grieving is taking over and I need to take some time to let it have its' way and then think about things more clearly hopefully.

Jetblue changed our flights again for Oct. Now we leave at 2 pm for Orlando instead of 11:45 am. At least we do not have plans that day, just a travel plans. The plane is almost full so as long as we have seats all is good.

I have been watching Hallmark movies. I liked the one about the honeymoon in Hawaii on Saturday night. I think it was called 2 tickets to paradise. It was just mindless. The Christmas movies are mindless too and just what I need. I am avoiding the news for sure. Too much.

Have a good rest of the day.

 

[flyingdumbo127]

Beautiful post, Kirby, thank you for sharing with us all!

ITA, Easyas! Kids of all ages need to learn that no one ever deserves rude!

Snowysmom and thank you for doing that for your dad and his friend! Grandma loved her candy, too, that's for sure. Keeping you in much prayer.

 

[PollyannaMom]

@Snowysmom, do give it a little time, and eventually even make a pro and con list - don't forget to include things like the commute to work from both locations.

 

[Snowysmom]

PollyannaMom My work commute is one of the reasons why I wanted to stay in this area, after wanting to be where Chris and I lived. If I decided to move to my older DS's area I would most likely retire and maybe find a part time job there or help out with his kids if DDIL ends up working full time. Since I do need to be in the office one day a week now I might try the commute one day a week to see if it is possible when I am further along in the grief journey. I am fortunate in that I can retire if that works out best. My mind is so confused right now that I am just trying to get done each day what I can and then just stop and let it rest. That is where the Hallmark movies or old comedies come into play.

 

[flyingdumbo127]

Kind and wise advice, PollyannaMom.

Snowysmom, one day at a time. Remember you don't need to decide for sure today! Extra hug.

 

[Breezy_Carol]

Good evening.

After a torrential downpour, we went down to see the new house. It is very nice and has so much more space and a bigger yard. DSIL has already started painting. Tomorrow they have a cleaner coming to deep clean everything, and it needs it. It's not filthy, but 20 years of grime. Wednesday we are going down in the evening to entertain the kids so DSIL and DD can get ready for the movers. And we will bring Paisley home with us so she won't be there with the movers. DD works all week but DSIL is off for the summer.

We were there when they brought the kids home from daycare. (They are going this week then done for the summer.) They we so excited to see the new house. Carter may have been a little confused but Tessa loved it and walked around thanking everyone. She especially liked their new bathroom.

Grocery shopped on the way home and made turkey burgers for dinner and froze three more meals of them.

at least they are in a up & coming area w/ good schools.

Very true. Appo is a draw. The seller's agent at settlement thought their old house looked good in the listing and she hoped they find a buyer soon.

You want a combo of baking soda, hydrogen peroxide & some dawn dish soap.

That's what DSIL's parents did.

@Kirby, I liked the orange cup story.

@Snowysmom. try to give the condo a fair shot. It sounds like you have already decided not to like it. I hope you become more comfortable there with time.

 

[PollyannaMom]

Out super early with a kitty. (It's the day after a big rain, so tons of birds singing and driving her crazy at the window.)

There is a hummingbird in this pic if you look closely:


I'm going to be tired later.

 

[footballmouse]

Good morning!

It's supposed to be a beautiful day out today, not too hot. Of course, this is the one day I needed to come into the office. I've been working from home all last week and this week (except for today).

Got the grass cut yesterday, sat out in the sun for a couple of hours in the afternoon. Went to my Pilates class last night. I picked up a small shift at the hospital tonight so when I'm done with job #1, I'll make dinner and feed the animals and then head out for job #2 around 6:30. It's only a 4 hour shift so it will be fine. Had to change my exercise class time though, I was supposed to go tonight but changed it to tomorrow afternoon.

Ds1 & Dil met up with some friends in Pigeon Forge over the weekend and they all went to Dollywood. I get a picture from them at Dollywood watching the parade and sure enough, here comes Dolly herself in the parade. I'm sure that was fun!

Speaking of ice cream, I tried some Halo ice cream for the first time last night. It's the least amount of points on Weight Watchers for ice cream. It was pretty decent, I got the sea salt and caramel. Not a huge fan of that flavor but the few bites I had were good. Definitely kept me from eating the entire pint at once!

Well people are starting to roll in so I guess I should start doing some actual work. Have a great day!