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

[flyingdumbo127]

Good Morning Friends from much cooler CA,

For me, this morning feels chilly indeed. My phone says it's cloudy and 67. Dad is at a further away Target right now that's next to a Dollar Tree where he will be picking up some Jergen's liquid soap we ordered on Dollar Tree's website. Even something as simple as liquid hand soap is no longer as easily available as it once was. Truly pray to never take being able to get anything for granted again! As a follow up to my mentioning prices the other day, dad got gas yesterday for $5.89 a gallon. 10 cents cheaper than last time. We will take it! Something

Hooray for a warm shower, Snowysmom. Simpler every day graces are such blessings indeed. I extra learned that regarding warm water when dad and I had no hot water for a weekend. Hugs, I could not agree more. Heartbreaking to me and so wrong that anyone chooses to intentionally be less than honest and kind in how they choose to act and speak. Psalm 19:14 is a daily prayer of mine. Big my friend, and I am so excited for you about your trip, yay!

Enjoy your morning ride, dear Bobbiwoz. Aw, God Bless you for taking a picture of your friend's precious kiddos. You helped give them all a lasting fun memory. Years ago, dad, who like me, is not much of a candy person, used to buy a treat he would enjoy so when no kids would come, they wouldn’t go to waste. I thought that like your similar plan was smart just funny how he would explain it.

What a precious memory of your son, dear B&B , I love that story! God Bless all of you! I hope you once again enjoy Hello Fresh meals.
Hug and prayers for safe travels to you dear, Taz! You are going to have a blast I so look forward to hearing about your adventures and meet with Snowysmom! I love that story about your kids. Thank you so much for sharing with us. God Bless Beth and Jay! Looking back, I wish with all my heart I had listened to what I know was my calling at the time and chosen to stay at the school age center rather than resuming being a preschool director. Loved all the kids, of course, and wouldn’t change anything, no regrets. Just something as a human, I every now and then get wistful about.

Have a wonderful time at the festival, Footballmouse!It sounds too loud for me, but I love that it is interactive!

Please stay warm and out of the PollyannaMom. So glad you are home from shopping!

hi, dear Lynn, in cooler weather especially it’s so nice to have more of a choice of shows to watch. I truly hope you and Don will enjoy some good ones! Dad and I will begin watching this weekend, if not sooner, The Secrets at Bella Vista. Thank you for sharing again another fun Autumn Disney image

Carol and God Bless you and Jack for helping to create a fun and lasting memory for all involved! Party treat menu sounds delicious. Please have safe travels in the rain.

Wishing all of you a warm and safe Thursday with love.

 

[Snowysmom]

Lots of posts today. I enjoyed reading through them. I tried all the hot water faucets and shower today and they seem to be OK. So I canceled the plumber. I just checked again they seem OK, basically back to where they were before the fiasco. I really did not want anyone fooling around with the utility closet equipment just before going on vacay especially if things seems to be working. The system must have needed time to heat up after being off for 4 days.

I just finished packing. I get so paranoid that I am going to forget something that I check things over and over again. They do have stores at Disney. I forgot that I can get a cart at the airport to put the luggage on. Then the kids can help me push it. Hopefully Jeff and family will be there right around the same time to help out.

Have a good evening.

 

[flyingdumbo127]

ExtraSnowysmom and for safe travels to Can't wait to hear about your FUN

 

[lynxstch]

@flyingdumbo127 --while your gas prices went down $.10 a gallon, ours went up by 10 cents yesterday. Back up to $3.79--nowhere near as bad as the CA prices though!

 

[Judique]

Apartments in Bethesda are expensive. Andrew lived there two years with a roommate.

Son lived in Bethesda but had room mates. I remember when he first started at Walter Reed. He was pretty sure all he could afford was a room. Eventually after some years he and his wife got a townhouse together near in Gaithersburg. Signed a 2 year lease and less than 9 months in the owner wanted to sell as the market started its boom upwards.

They eventually found another TH nearby, but at significant hike up in price. Saving to buy a house soon.

I menu plan a week at a time before I grocery shop. I may rearrange or substitute a day, but at least I have an idea and all the ingredients. Sarah does it too now.

I used to be very good at this. I'm pretty much bored with cooking, housework and managing my property. The fridge and freezer can have lots of choices yet I may just not want to cook or eat. Then later I'm craving brownies. I did spend time doing a deep clean on my kitchen today. I think that always helps with my motivation to actually use my kitchen.

We are restarting our Hello Fresh subscription this week. I stopped it over the summer, because I was a bit about leaving food on the delivery truck for 6+ hours in the Florida heat and humidity. We do 4 meals a week; usually the vegetarian or the ground meat options....I worry about getting bad 'woody' chicken breasts, and meh on certain cuts of pork. It does make things easier...I get in cooking ruts, and need a boost to get out. Plus the portioning for just the 2 of us is better.

Our delivery is supposed to be tomorrow. I haven't even asked what's coming. DD will cook it as she's most excited to have the package delivered.

Yesterday I made a large pan of lasagna. She came home and told me it was really nice to walk in and smell cooked food! The lasagna turned out delicious and we both enjoyed it. She's having leftovers tonite for dinner and I had it for lunch.

All this talk of jeans and pants, who likes the new elastic waist, no zipper pants? Not me! And where are the pockets?

Elastic waist for me means I don't notice weight as much so I avoid them. Except for pajamas.

I just finished packing. I get so paranoid that I am going to forget something that I check things over and over again. They do have stores at Disney. I forgot that I can get a cart at the airport to put the luggage on. Then the kids can help me push it. Hopefully Jeff and family will be there right around the same time to help out.

Perhaps when son drops you off and goes to park he could take one child with him. Might be easier to manage 2.

And I'm starting to pack for next month! Not what I usually do. But, I've been doing some Costco shopping online and found some really good deals with the buy 5 get $25 off and buy 10 get $60 off. Mostly just runaround clothes for winter. Some flannel shirts that feel really nice and are not heavy - final cost for one style $7 and tax, the other style $6 and tax.

I bought a couple of wool sweaters. I had the same sweater last year and loved it, but managed to damage it. I was happy to see them available again and I paid maybe $18 plus tax.

Also ordered some high waisted Calvin Klein Jeans - I think final cost was $13.

I have many brands in my closet: DKNY, Ella Moss, Kenneth Cole, Buffalo, Levi, plus others. They are all fairly lightly worn as I buy too many.

The Gloria Vanderbilt 'Amanda' jeans that someone mentioned deserve their own paragraph. I've had sizes from 6 to 16 in my closet. Right now I can squeeze into the 6's but the 8's are more comfortable. I never really fit the 16's or even the 14's, but I did buy them and gave them away. I still have some 10's but anything larger has been handed on. An 8 in Amanda is not the same as an 8 by Kenneth Cole or Ella Moss. The Amanda has lots more room, especially in the legs. They are my body feels good jeans, but some other brands make me feel as if look good.

 

[Judique]

A sign that I probably spend too much: I bought 4 pairs of pajamas at Costco on markdown earlier this week. The Disney ones for 4.97 and flora Nikrooz for 6.97. Also still in the car are a box of progressive prepworks prokeepers to add to the huge supply of airtight storage I already have. I wanted 2 of the 6 containers and paid $20 for the 6. Buying the 2 separate elsewhere would have cost more than buying the pack of 6 marked down at Costco. Here they are on Amazon: link removed due to personal info
Amazon price was $55.48.

 

[flyingdumbo127]

Lynn, very thankful to hear that gas prices out there are nothing like here! Dad said he recently read that in SF, gas cost $8+ at one location. I guess under $6 is "cheap." An extra reason to give God great thanks is to be able to afford any gas, period and that limited driving=maybe once every week and a half fill ups. By the end of this month, we are supposed to be receiving, as residents of CA, a gas relief rebate check. That will be most welcomed and appreciated.

to you as well, Judique! ITA that a size of anything in one brand is not often the size or even fit in another brand of the same item! Hooray for next month trip packing! Costco favor the next time you go. Would you please ask customer service how much they are selling first class forever stamps for? I understand at Costco, they only sell these stamps in a coil of 100. 100 stamps at the post office costs $60 ($12 per sheet of 20). Costco, I have heard offers a slight discount on 100 of these same stamps. Would love to find out how "slight" the discount is. I am not a Costco member but have quite a few local friends that are.

A tiny bit of a bowl update is that I did hear back from Tracie. This is what she told me" The Plastic Polymer bowl (big bowl I don't want) weighs approximately 1.2 pounds. The Melamine Narrow Rim bowl (bowl I am considering ordering) weighs approximately .25 pounds. The Kids bowl (small bowl I have) also weighs approximately .25 pounds." I did re-attach a picture that shows all 3. Based on this it sounds like ordering the narrow rim choice might work out. Need to decide what to do about a return by the end of next week. Still have not found anyone who has any idea of who locally might want to buy it from me. Still thinking. Appreciate all of your support on this so much!

 

[Breezy_Carol]

Marty is asleep. Jack and I actually got to eat our carry out pizza. We FaceTimed with Carter and Tessa earlier.

Drive down was not pleasant. Rain plus speed plus trucks. We stopped at Baltimore Coffee in Annapolis on the way down. Had a nice lunch and I bought some tea and Jack bought coffee.

Watching the rerun of the January 6th hearing from this afternoon. At least I am, Jack fell asleep.

 

[Judique]

Marty is asleep. Jack and I actually got to eat our carry out pizza. We FaceTimed with Carter and Tessa earlier.

Drive down was not pleasant. Rain plus speed plus tucks. We stopped at Baltimore Coffee in Annapolis on the way down. Had a nice lunch and I bought some tea and Jack bought coffee.

Watching the rerun of the January 6th hearing from this afternoon. At least I am, Jack fell asleep.

I was supposed to go into Annapolis this morning but I canceled because I don't like to drive in rain. Nothing mandatory so I'll get there sooner or later.

I just finished watching the first 2 hours of the hearings as I'd forgotten to watch earlier and tuned in late.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

I wound up at the eye doctor’s today for an eye problem. Always something. Now on soaks and ointments, whole side of face is sore (and inside my ear). That will be the last time I see that particular doctor - not a fan. DD has some strange rashes she had to take benadryl for, too.

Had a few errands to do today and a little shopping. Got less than usual, but spent more. I saw that gas prices are up in my area, as well, but I filled up last week and didn’t really go anywhere, so I still have almost a full tank. Worried gas prices will be taking a steep hike soon. (On a better note noticed the one car we’re paying on is almost paid for when I made the payment today. Yay.)

Tonight we had chicken wings and Panera Butternut Squash soup from the supermarket, and both were good. We were planning to make a ham and potato chowder but with putting away errands we decided to leave that for tomorrow. We baked a ham this week and want to use it up. We froze the chicken stew, there was a lot leftover. We‘ll see how much chowder we get out of this but may end up freezing some of that, too. We love soups, stews and chowders, especially this time of year! (Who doesn’t, right?)

I went on a midnight shopping spree last night. Got kinda sucked into the Prime sale. With only a short sale time left I decided to look for something DD mentioned she’d like for XMas (new Uggs). I found them at a really great price, so I wound up getting myself some, too, for the price of what one pair regularly would’ve been! (Like a 2 for 1!) The boots I have are old and practically falling apart. I decided to look for these other boots I’ve been wanting because this is the time of year you have to get them - closer to the holidays and forget it. So I searched around for a while and wound up finding two styles of the brand I wanted (Frye), at good prices, and I could not, for the life of me, decide which one I liked better. So I ordered both! I will see how I like them and how they fit, and will wind up returning one pair, but I’ve been wanting them for a while so this was a nice treat to myself. (I‘ve had two other pairs of traditional Fryes but I wanted ankle length.) Hopefully one of the pairs fits well (the sizes have been a little wonky as I’ve gotten them for family and read lots of reviews) so then I’ll have new brown and black ankle boots for the winter that don’t have soles that are falling off, lol. I don’t buy much for myself so why not. I also today saw a corner stand/unit that would fit great into a space we have so I bought that, too. I’d texted a picture to DH to ask if he liked it and he really did, surprisingly so. (Fun getting it out to and inside the car so the windows didn’t break driving home!) It will hold a lot of our holiday decor very nicely. So far I put a pumpkin, a turkey, and a mum on it.

Kids’ bday is coming up next week and I think I’m all set w those gifts, I just have to wrap them. (Got DD some cool Disney shirts to wear to parks and a new work bag; DS a nice fishing vest and shirt and a bunch of new high and low socks (wow has the price gone up on those!), plus Chik Fil A cards for both). Have to think about what kind of cake we want to have (bakery bought or homemade) and whether and where they want to go out to dinner, etc. Did I mention that we think DS is seeing someone new? He’s been quiet about it (lol, but DD is a sleuth - hey, it’s her twin brother!) so we’ll see what happens there. He hit us with something else out of the blue the other night that he’s thinking about (involves the military) so we were a little surprised, but not really, as it was something he was always interested in, so we’ll see. Definitely something we support if it‘s what he wants to do. Other than that he still has a licensing test to take, hopefully by the end of the month, and then he’s going to start applying for jobs in the field he wants to move to, having at least two leads to follow. We also talked last night about the possibility of training Grady for search and rescue. So any that anyone has to help him find his way would be greatly appreciated. He’s a good kid who will be great in his field and who you’d want on your team!

Have a good evening, everyone! Prayers for safe and fun travels for all our Quackers!

 

[Pea-n-Me]

Sorry, that got too long but I wanted to say to frog: I saw this on another thread that you posted on and I really like this quote. It has meaning for me right now, so thank you! I liked all your quotes!

Your value doesn't decrease based on someone's inability to see your worth.

 

[Judique]

Would you please ask customer service how much they are selling first class forever stamps for? I understand at Costco, they only sell these stamps in a coil of 100. 100 stamps at the post office costs $60 ($12 per sheet of 20). Costco, I have heard offers a slight discount on 100 of these same stamps. Would love to find out how "slight" the discount is. I am not a Costco

The Costco online price is $59.75 which includes shipping and handling. I'll try to remember to check the price next time I'm in. The have a paper card that you take to the cashier usually, so the price should be easy to see without going to customer service.

 

[Judique]

While cleaning my kitchen I found the split pea soup recipe which involves a ham bone. That's something I like when the weather gets cool. I'll probably pick up a hambone at Honeybaked or maybe Heavenly Ham if they have the bones.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

While cleaning my kitchen I found the split pea soup recipe which involves a ham bone. That's something I like when the weather gets cool. I'll probably pick up a hambone at Honeybaked or maybe Heavenly Ham if they have the bones.

Normally we do split pea soup with leftover ham. But we decided to make this chowder like a corn chowder with ham this time. We’ll see how it comes out.

 

[Snowysmom]

Good morning. Printed my boarding pass. Ready to go. Unfortunately 2 of Jeff's kids had to see the doctor yesterday. Youngest DGD has an ear infection along with her cough that is getting better. She is on antibiotics. Baby Sam is croupy so he got steroids. The nurse practitioner said to just go on the trip. I am hoping the kids had a good night so they can go tomorrow without issues. If need be, Aimee will change her flight to Monday and bring the 2 kids. But I am praying that the kids are better and we can all go together.

Tazdev Looking forward to meeting you. Have a safe trip.

I may check in now and then.

Have a good day.

 

[Judique]

Normally we do split pea soup with leftover ham. But we decided to make this chowder like a corn chowder with ham this time. We’ll see how it comes out.

'Somewhere' I have a potato soup recipe that has swiss cheese as a final ingredient. It's also delicious.

A lot of the high carb recipes have fallen by the wayside at my house as they are not as good for a type 2 diet. For instance, lasagna is a 2-3 times per year treat, due to the pasta and other carbs. This last time I cut the pasta layers by one layer and we still loved it. It was accidental as I counted out enough pieces for a smaller pan than I ended up using. I wonder if they have a cauliflower lasagna pasta?

 

[Judique]

Good morning. Printed my boarding pass. Ready to go. Unfortunately 2 of Jeff's kids had to see the doctor yesterday. Youngest DGD has an ear infection along with her cough that is getting better. She is on antibiotics. Baby Sam is croupy so he got steroids. The nurse practitioner said to just go on the trip. I am hoping the kids had a good night so they can go tomorrow without issues. If need be, Aimee will change her flight to Monday and bring the 2 kids. But I am praying that the kids are better and we can all go together.

Tazdev Looking forward to meeting you. Have a safe trip.

I may check in now and then.

Have a good day.

Sorry for the kids. My younger DGD developed a fever on the Disney cruise. She was okay fairly quickly but it interfered a bit with sending her to the kids club.

You are going to have an awesome trip!

 

[Judique]

It's a beautiful morning! Hopefully it will dry up enough between now and Sunday to get my back yard tidied up. There are a lot of leaves still on the trees in the far back part and the wind blows them almost the 200 feet up into my patio back yard area.

I sat out and watched the birds for an hour and saw quite a few sparrows, 3 cardinals and a woodpecker. No sign of the mourning doves this morning. It had been almost 2 weeks since I'd filled the bird feeders as I'd run out of seeds. Earlier this week I finally dragged home the 40 pound bag and I filled the feeders yesterday and then topped of the older open ones this morning. It didn't take the sparrows very long to zip in and start feeding, but the woodpecker came first. It made a half dozen trips and then was gone.

 

[footballmouse]

Happy Friday!

Taz & Snowysmom - have a great time at Disney!!!! Can't wait to see some meet-up pictures.

Ran some chili up to my aunt yesterday and she gave me a couple more grilled cheese sandwiches. Pretty good trade-off in my opinion.

I feel asleep on the couch about 7:15, got up at 8:00 and went to bed. Slept until 6:30 this morning. Looks like I needed to catch up on some sleep. Missed all my shows last night but luckily I record them just in case I forget or fall asleep.

Tonight we'll be heading to the Blink Light Festival. I'm excited! I'll post some pictures on Monday.

Was able to get logged in to the Kroger app yesterday so I was able to put in my pick-up order. Surprisingly I got the time that I wanted.

Well, off to finish cleaning the house and getting the dishes done. Have a great day & weekend!

 

[Pea-n-Me]

Good morning!

I hope the kids turn around quickly so they can make the trip tomorrow, @Snowysmom! If not, that’s a good back-up plan. I was reading that pediatric hospitals are already crunched with illnesses and it’s just October! They are predicting that the flu is going to be bad this year. Ugh.

@footballmouse it’s nice that you do that for your aunt, and vice-versa! I bet the grilled cheeses were good! I talked to my elderly friend recently and she told me she’d had a fall. Was sad to hear that. Her mobility is really waning.

@Judique I saw a recipe I saved last night that was for a vegetable lasagna. It looked good, and had just a small amount of pasta, if I recall. It was layered with zucchini. I can pull up the recipe if you’re interested. I like the sound of your potato soup recipe with the Swiss cheese.

Will check back in later!