Ah, dragged back into the MMP because you mentioned my favorite thing in the world - vacation in Maine!
My extended family has gone every year for two weeks in August to the same town (http://www.oceanpark.org/), in the same house (Vacation Rental Software | Property Management System - CiiRUS) for the last 28 years. We’ve had 5 generations of our family go to the same town; my grandparents met there when they were kids. This year we will have a second family wedding there. My grandparents’ ashes are sprinkled in the forest there. All we need is a baby being born, and we’ll have covered most major events.
We go to Maine, and there are around 30-40 of us all hanging out together. We go to the beach, play cards, go to baseball games (go Seadogs!), and just relax in general. We’re like kids again when we go, and our kids are getting to know & love each other from the time they spend together.
I can’t think of a way to describe the wonder of Ocean Park. It’s my number one place in the world. Number two is Venice, if that tells you anything.
Knowing that a lot of people are going through tough times, I don’t want to be too enthusiastic and look like I’m rubbing it in, but I just want to share some good news. I got a raise and a bonus at work that I’m feeling very good about. Unlike certain corporate executives with their big, undeserved bonuses, my team worked really hard this year and furthered the goals of the company. We’re operations types so without the stuff we do, there wouldn’t be any money coming in and it feels good to be recognized. But in deference to the tough times, I won’t be partying in Vegas, I’ll just keep my celebration to a sedate Woohoo!
The closest I’ve gotten to Maine is either North Bellerica, MA ro Nashua, NH - I’ve not checked a map to see which one is closer, but sometime around '83 or so, my folks took a trip to a friend’s cabin near Kennibunkport (not sure of the spelling, but I’m sure you know where I mean) When they came home, mom set about painting their bedroom to look like a screen door opening onto the bay. Very cool (no I don’t have any photos, darn it). I’m sure the new owners painted over it.
Here’s a handy hint - before you buy any garment - unfold it, shake it out, and have a good look. Had I followed that guidance, I wouldn’t have bought the “polo” shirt with the puffy sleeves. And that aside, who the hell thought it’d be a good idea to make a plus size shirt with puffy sleeves??? :eek: The only reason I wore the stoopit shirt is because I also wear a cardigan in the office.
Unfortunately, the stoopit puffy sleeves are too short to remove the elastic and re-hem. Which is too bad - I like the shirt otherwise. It’s soft and comfy and has a nice multi-colored stripe pattern.
Supper was leftover potroast and chocolate moose tracks ice cream. 'twas yum.
Maine is on my bucket list. I think I’d like it a lot, just not in winter.
That’s great news, taxi!
I took Skunk to the vet today and the scary-looking growth is probably a sebaceous cyst or a hair cell something or other. He really has good days and bad days and every time I think, ok, this is it, he rallies. Friday was awful, but yesterday and today, he’s full of piss and vinegar.
I also had a phone screen interview today. It went really well and she asked me to send my resume in right away, which I did, and then left to run some errands. The email bounced, because I’m a moron and typed the wrong email address. :smack: So, after the interviewer reiterating how urgent it was that they fill the position and that they want to interview and hire by Friday, I send the email three hours late. :smack:
FCM, I’ve noticed a lot of puffy sleeves and weird styling lately. When I was trying on clothes today, one top looked okay until I tried it on. Then I noticed the dolman sleeves. No, just no. And then there was this. The reason the model is standing funny is so that you can’t see that there isn’t a side seam from armpit to waist. The 80s called and wants its clothes back.
Damn dogs just tracked in mud all over the carpet. Grr! They both had baths after going to the dog park - finally!!! They were going stir-crazy after three days of seemingly non-stop rain. Oh, well…
Yay for the raise, taxi!!!
Yuk for puffy sleeves.
Welcome, and welcome back to the noobs and semi noobs!
Dinner is gonna be awesome. Tri-Color Pepper Meatloaf Rings with Creole Sauce. Stuff meatloaf mixture into 1" thick bell pepper rings (I only had two colors though) and pan fry both sides. Add creole sauce to oven-proof skillet, and finish in a 400° oven, along with some Crash Hot NOTs. Damn, it smells good in here.
Yay for well-deserved raises, taxi!!! (Could I have one, too, please?)
I find it amusing that LiLi is asking Muppet to run an errand via the MMP.
Tulip sleeves??? :eek:
I’d love to go visit Maine sometime. Faraway Best Friend and her husband love camping there in the summer and have made it sound like a cool place to go on vacation. They’ve been there several times.
Dinner sounds yummy, Rebo. Is there a delivery option???
Our vacations (like many people who live in the southern 2/3s or so of Michigan’s lower peninsula) were typically “up north.” My grandparents owned a cottage near Lake Huron (I can’t remember if it was actually on the lake or on a different, smaller lake; I just know it was near Deckerville, where my grandfather grew up) and we went there several times when I was little. We also went up near Traverse City several times and once went up to Marquette to visit my great aunt, who had a house on Lake Superior (brrrrrrrrr:eek::eek::eek::eek::eek:).
I’ve been very good and worked in the garden for about an hour and also walked down to the drug store.
Now I need to edit a document and then I’ll watch my German soap opera and then it’ll be time for beddie-bye, I’m sure.
Hi folks! Taking son to get braces tomorrow. I hope he’s not too sore, because I need him to go to school after he gets them! So much for sympathy in the Tower…
Soft tacos, homemade refrieds for dinner and too many Tagalongs for dessert.
'grats on the bonus and raise, taxi. It sounds like it was very much deserved.
Mooooom, how about turning it into a sleeveless polo? Summer is coming up, after all.
I’m a wreck. Mumsy Dearest just called, all in a tizzy because it turns out that my sister went to buy her wedding dress this weekend. Conveniently enough, she went to buy her wedding dress in the same city that Daddy Dearest and That Woman currently reside in, which led her to conclude that they are a) footing the bill for the dress, b) heavily involved with the wedding plans and c) she’s been relegated to footnote. I just don’t know what to say to a woman who’s sobbing brokenheartedly into the phone to make it better… and she’s too far away for me to just hug her, which is what I’d like to do right now.
Oh, no, Muppet. I’m so sorry that your Mom is so upset. Is there any other reason to think The Troll’s wedding dress is being bought by your Dad? And does your Mom get upset if The Troll sees your Dad? Could it just be a visit, and she decided to go dress shopping?
Sigh. I’ve spent from 4 on feeling upset and unhappy and teary and protective because I read one page of the article Bricker linked to about parents who accidentally leave an infant in the car. I feel utterly terrible for the babies and their parents and siblings. I can’t imagine living with myself if my kid died that way.
Morning all! It’s finally decided to be spring over here so the sun’s out and the flowers are blooming. That means all the cherry trees on campus are blossoming now, that’s going to end in a mess!
My skin’s really irritated and itchy with red patches today, must have eaten something that didn’t agree with me. Trouble is, I have a suspicion that it’s either strawberries or raspberries which is very bad news 'cos they’re my current favourite fruits. Bah.
I’m drinking lots of water to try and flush out whatever’s causing the problem but so far it’s driving me batty.
Congrats on the raise, cabbie, it’s great when proper hard work is rewarded instead of the managers taking all the credit.
Good morning all - up and caffeinating here. And a HAPPY ST. PATRICK’S DAY!!!
Another story about Weld Maine … the first time we went up to that cottage, the closer we got to Weld (LOL), we started seeing signs for the Weld Inn. They read: “The Weld Inn and Motel, Public Dining Room, Gifts,” so we started singing that, every time we saw a sign. And the signs got bigger too, the closer we got to Weld. We were surprised to see that they actually did have a public dining room and a gift shop. We ate in the dining room, and bought one of those pine pillows from the gift shop! Many years later, my Mom took my daughter there for a vacation, and they stayed in one of the cabins that was the motel part.
Took the car to the car doctor (90.000km checkup), they changed oil and filters and said next checkup will require changing the belt in the alternator.
My local government has a “renewal plan,” where they give a rebate to people who trade in their old TVs for digital-ready ones, or old kitchen appliances for more energy-efficient ones. There are also rebates for people buying laptops, but these apply only to first-year college students - people yelled kind’a loud at this restriction, so they say they may remove them. I’ve been looking at a new TV for Mom and a new laptop for me (mine tends to shut itself off due to overheating, and yes, I keep it on an aluminum base).
One cool thing about living in Parts Abroad is that after Miami’s rains, any Spanish rain except for Mediterranean “cold drop” (floods in the fall) seems mild; after living in Scotland, being at 15C with wind is T-shirt weather…
Blurf. I haven’t been sleeping well lately. Today I go to fight Financial Aid for the last time, so that accounts for last night’s “wake up at 3:30 and don’t go back to sleep for an hour before the alarm goes off at 6:30” marathon.
According to my mutt of a husband, he is some small percentage Irish. (Mostly French and French Canadian with Welsh, Native American and something else). Soooo, corned beef and cabbage into the crock pot. I know he doesn’t identify with the Irish (French Canadian and French more than anything) but it’s a good excuse!
