Impending holidays and stuff in the MMP

Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
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I did it! I’m caught up on the thread!! :medal_sports:

Everyone’s critters are way too cute. :heart_eyes:

Here’s my hound mix, Bailey, as photographed on her 13th birthday in July:

Today is day 6 of my pre-op diet, and it’s proving quite difficult to separate eating from unwinding/relaxing. On Wednesday I actually caught myself happily thinking about ordering a pizza at the end of the week…the thought lasted for just for a second or two, but {sigh} (and the pizza craving hit hard on Friday :pizza:). I’ve lived alone for 26 of the past 27 years, and I’ve always eaten dinner – and dessert/snacks – on the couch while watching TV. My weekends typically also involve a lot of eating in front of the TV. It’s what I do…er, did.

Every day, I’m supposed to have 4 meal replacement shakes (either 8 oz or 10 oz, depending on the product), a protein bar, 8 oz of protein-enriched soup, and either a banana or 8 oz of low-fat milk. No more, no less (to ensure I’m “eating” enough while still shrinking my liver and stomach). Last night, though, I simply wasn’t hungry; I didn’t finish the last shake until kind of late. I’m having that issue today, too: I didn’t have breakfast (10 oz shake + banana) until around 11am, and now it’s nearly 2pm and I’m not hungry yet. I’m also growing weary of having the same thing day after day: all of the products taste fine, but there are only two shake flavors (chocolate and cinnamon cafe) and the protein bar (chocolate peanut butter) and soup (chicken broth) are the same every day. These were the best-tasting of the samples I’d been given, which is why I selected them, but I think they should give us at least one other shake flavor! Next week I’ll swap out the morning bananas for milk, just for something different.

Of course, I try to stay focused on the long-term goal. What also helps is reminding myself that this is all temporary: I’ll be on liquids for 3 more weeks (different flavors for the last two weeks), but in 4 weeks I’ll be able to start having pudding and yogurt again, in 5 weeks I can start having “mushy” foods (tuna, peanut butter, applesauce, cheese, steamed veggies, oatmeal, etc.), and in 11 weeks all restrictions should be lifted. Plus, in 9 days I’ll be all distracted by the surgery. :wink:

Sorry to be a little one-note these days. Maybe it’s just as well that I’ve been struggling to post during the week!

Tonight I will be going out for live jazz in DC: my first time out since starting this diet, and my last time out pre-op (next weekend will be busy). I have figured out how to stealthily take a blender bottle and shake mix with me, and I’ll also have a protein bar in my bag. I’ll get to have some (unsweetened) iced tea, so that will be nice. My two favorite nonalcoholic drinks when I’m out are Diet Pepsi and iced tea, but I haven’t had either in a while (all I have at home right now are flavored waters and Gatorade Zero) and I think the venue is a Coke place. After my friends and I arrive, I’ll have a quiet word with our server about my situation and arrange for my food/drink minimum to be added to my check.

Well, I’m off to go spend some quality time on the couch with Bailey, finish the second season of Love Life, and force myself to have some soup and a shake. Never in a million years would I have guessed that I’d have problems with lack of hunger while on this (or any) diet!!

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There were screwups, so everybody had to stay late. But the chaos is on pause for a day.
I bought a set of Calaphon anodized pots and pans a couple of years ago. So far they have helpd up better than some other’s I’ve owned. And of course my wok and my Lodge cast iron pan are still trucking.

Have Gnat make you some golems : shudder :

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Happy Saturday!

Damp and chilly 45 degrees at the park.
A good group showed up this morning, so a lot of fun. Echo got out there and started playing a bit.
A new puppy joined us this morning and Ripple was happy because he loves puppies.
It was Urban’s bd weekend, so all the dogs got a cookie.

It’s a messy day, it rains, the sun comes out, it rains. It’s lind of windy as well.
Good day to stay indoors.

If you like wrinkles…

Imgur

Finally got the link to work right

Finally getting some laundry done. I really don’t have a choice anymore; it needs to get done.
Mike the Palm needs to be brought back in sometime today. I gave him a good soaking this morning since it’s less messy to water him outside. The overflow just flows off the porch. I wish he could stay outside, he really likes the sun, but it’s supposed to drop into the 30s tonight.

Glad your wife is okay Cookie

Charlotte is quite pretty and healthy looking.
My Mike is healthy, but kind of asymmetrical even though I turn him frequently. Some of his fronds point downward.
I feel kind of stupid about it, but Mike had just been delivered and I was unpacking him when I got the call about my cousin dying. I named him after my cousin and it’s stupid, but I feel like if I don’t take care of Mike, I’m being disrespectful of my cousin.
My mother brought my cousin up the last time we talked. Well, she brought up his money, saying that my aunt (his mother) and my cousin (his sister) were going to be well off now. I never told her my son is in the will, and I asked my aunt and cousin not to mention anything to her. I don’t know if she had heard something and was fishing for info, or just making conversation. His other godchildren may have said something, or one of the nosier may have requested a copy of his will.

I admire you for your dedication Ooopsie.
I hope all goes well.

Roxy certainly has talent.
All the stuff going on with you FCM would make my head spin.
Organization is an ongoing process around here.
I need a bigger kitchen.

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Congrats!

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Hugs to you, shoe. And stay warm and don’t forget to eat.

Thanks, all, for the lovely birthday wishes. It was really nice. The day was spent mostly eating and cleaning. And it was fantastic. I even got to go to the bookstore all by my lonesome after hanging with mom. Then there was thai food and cake after.

Now I’m getting ready for overlygirl’s friends.

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I’ve done some laundry and that’s about it so far. I need to call a friend of mine to check on her and then walk to the store.

Taters, what is no-mess bird seed? Does it contain only seeds that have no hulls? Also, glad Polar had an ice cream treat. I love how forgiving dogs are. :slight_smile:

quietly, have fun at the party!

FCM, yaaaaay, Toby will be here SO SOON! I’m excited.

Not to me. She likes to be out there AND snuggly-warm. I think it’s sweet. I also think it’s great that you do the cooking. Is Mrs. LA not much of a cook, or do you just love cooking?

Oopsie, I like hearing your diet stuff in great detail, so please don’t try to be concise. Hope you get another shake flavor. Bailey looks like a honey. OK, she looks a little sad, like she’s thinking, “Where did I go wrong that she’s clicking that phone-thing at me instead of giving me treats?” :slight_smile:

Sari, what would happen if you hit that pup with some Downey Wrinkle-Release spray? Hey, maybe you’d have a longer dog!

Thanks so much to you and all the others for your kindness! I do, and I’m going to start looking on Monday. However, TBH, almost all the medical establishments here are like that one, and most aren’t taking new patients. When I had cancer, I felt like I had to push hard all the time, and still it was 2 months from the first GYN appt. to surgery. Friends have gone through similar frustrations. I don’t get it.

She is. She’s kind of like a dog that way. I’m temped to give her skritches.

227

Oh, dear :face_with_symbols_over_mouth: this is not good.

Debated putting this in the mini-rants, as it does seem Pit-worthy, but I wanted oodles of sympathy from my Mumper friends …

My toilet clogged last night. (No, I don’t flush wipes or any non-TP products.) Called the management office first thing this morning, explained that this is a 1-bathroom house and the only available toilet is not working.

Had to leave for work an hour later; came back home a bit after 5, and … still the same. Called back, they assured me an emergency request had been made but that they had no ETA.

If they don’t show up soon, imma have to … well, I mean, I dunno. Options exist, but aren’t great:

  • It’s dark, I could go in the backyard in relative privacy, but it’s already in the 30s and getting colder.

  • I could share the cat’s litter box, but that only temporarily puts off the cleanup issue. Plus, I doubt they’d be OK with it, if put to a vote.

  • I guess I could go in a bucket …

Because COVID, the local Wal-Mart isn’t even 24-hours anymore. I’m not aware of any business nearby that’s open overnight and lets you use their facilities.

Oh, lord, y’all, I’m shitting in my own backyard tonight, aren’t I?

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Without a breeze, 45 is too warm for the heater.

I like to cook, and Mrs. L.A. is satisfied with that. Tonight: Fish Florentine made with barramundi.

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shoe, that does sound like an emergency. Do you have any pans that you do not use much to serve as a chamber pot? You can always toss the results outside–might not want to cook with that pan anymore…good luck.

Oopsie, I’m fairly bland on my diet, so I could probably adjust to the regimen, but weeks of it would get tedious. Hang in there. And Bailey is eminently scritchable.

quietly, sample well but wisely. I’d offer to be your designated driver except for being 2,500 miles away…

Dishes have been washed by the dishwasher, so I can start dirtying them again. Short nap this afternoon and a little cleaning accomplished. Still need to really get into the kitchen.

Catch y’all on Sunday.

Sari, love the photo of Ripple (and was ever a dog better named?). And I think you handled Mom just right…you could have always said MYOB, but best to keep peace in the family.

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shoe I dunno, try to find a gas station? That sucks and good luck.

I have become the friend with a truck. My best friend got rid of his pickup, new baby, got a family car, so now he’s asking if’n I’ll help get the big stuff. Looks like a 2 hour round trip tomorrow.

Now. onward. I’ve got some beer-cheese soup on the stove and will consume presently.

Stay safe, all!

231

Called the liquor store to see if they had things for mai tais. He said they did. Went down there, and they had no orgeat and no orange curaçao. Alas.

Florentine is made. Fish is cooking. I always get the sauce done before the fish. I need to plan better.

232

The brewery’s 9th Birthday and the place was swinging! Multiple bands throughout the day, 4 different food trucks, 3 bars with different beers at each, a very nice birthday glass (large) and some great beer. They had a cask ESB pouring and a really nice Imperial Stout, which was their gold-medal winning brew aged in casks that once held a gold-medal winning bourbon. Not something to have in excess on a warm afternoon, but I can see picking up a growler when the weather finally turns ugly. This year’s t-shirt is cool. They knocked it out of the park this year.

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That was a good deed metal mouse.

I hope that your toilet woes get fixed soon shoe. Do you have any lidded 5 gallon buckets? If so, line one with a couple of trash bags and use it (bonus points if you sacrifice a pool noodle to create a cushioned ring around the top of the bucket). Years of camping has served me well. :stuck_out_tongue:

sunny, I’m likely not renewing my lease in August. The maintenance currently doth sucketh here and I’m sick of it.

oopsie, Bailey is adorable! My SIL used to have a basset hound with that name.

SIL and my ramble was a good one today. Nelson got to go with us and we leaf peeped to our heart’s content. I got a fruitcake, some pumpkin bread (now in the freezer) and a dozen gingersnaps (half now in a tin) to take to Dad’s for Thanksgiving at the Dutch Maid.

We stopped at an old cemetery in the country to stretch our legs and Nelson got to go on the prowl for some moles there. Lunch was a fried baloney sandwich prepared in the back room on a regular kitchen stove by the cashier’s (owner’s son) granny at a little country store and washed down by a diet Mountain Dew (me) and a Dr Pepper in a glass bottle (SIL). Granny even brought us out a homemade fried apple pie each for dessert! :open_mouth: All in all, a beautiful day. Supper was a salad, in penance for the day’s extravagance.

Stay safe and healthy y’all!

234

I walked to the store earlier. Because it was a dark, rainy day, I put blinking color lights on myself and the babushka cart, but a driver STILL almost hit me as I was walking past the entrance into a parking area. I checked beforehand to make sure no drivers had their turn signals on, too. The driver was going pretty fast, so I’m guessing in a hurry and distracted. I’m tellin’ ya, this pedestrian life is not for wimps.

shoe, that is awful. I assume a hotel room is too pricey. No local friends you could call? Or–and I HATE to suggest this–anywhere you could pick up some adult diapers? Taking them to the trash cans outside afterward sounds better than squatting in the freezing outdoors.

Flyboy, having made your fish Florentine recipe…YUM.

Quietly, that sounds like so much fun!

235

Went to J and Canadian Dave’s place for pizza and hockey. Gordie got the pizza bones. And on the way there, some loon came out the wrong way of an access road, drove through cross traffic, all to get to McDonalds. Dude, I like McNuggets too, but not enough to kill for.

Use a pot, I guess. Sorry, that is a shitty situation.

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… possibly to use their bathroom?

I got confused about the cemetery, and the granny making pie and baloney sandwiches, and for a second wondered what in hell kind of a cemetery has a cashier, for godssake.

I think nearly everyone has had, currently has, or at minimum has known, a dog named Bailey.

I must know more. Are these, like, those little battery-powered Christmas lights?

On second thought, I guess I’ve seen LED type blinkies for joggers, but walking around draped in a string of Christmas lights sounds like much more fun. (Bonus points if you do this in July.)

I decided I needed a consolation prize for my, ah, shitty situation, and - taking a cue from our very own swampy - swiped some of the General’s chicken.
'Twas properly yum, but you know the old saying about being hungry again?
Yeah. Now it’s 3 in the morning and I’m too f-- hungry to get back to sleep. Will be having Second Dinner here shortly, it appears.

Had an incredibly vivid dream about a long-ago ex. (He was “my” Bailey’s owner, in fact. :face_with_raised_eyebrow: ) He lay down next to me, rolled over & went to sleep, and I spooned him.
That was it, that was the whole dream, but it was incredibly detailed and lifelike in a way dreams usually aren’t for me.

No therapist needed for interpretation. I don’t miss him the person - ye gods, no! - but the spooning? Definitely missed.

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That’s me! When I was in college, I had a post of a shar-pei on my wall. I don’t think I’ve actually ever met one. Ripple’s gorgeous. Actually all the critters in this thread are cutie-pies.

Oopsie, color me impressed. I admire your planning. Pup’s cute too.

Shoe, hope your shitty situation is resolved soon. Spouse and I only had one bathroom for the first 8 years and we got lucky.

Seem to be back to healthy after 3 days of blah. Today is making cookie dough and putting most of it in the freezer for baking later. Lunch will be chili and turkey reuben with red sauerkraut. Have to adjust the pseudo Thousand Island dressing - the attempt on Friday was not close enough.

Minor grumble - most recipes for “homemade” Thousand Island start with sweet pickle relish. Don’t got any of that either. Only have pickle slices for hamburgers, and probably gherkins would have been better. Oh well. First world problem.

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I’ve seriously thought of doing that! But I don’t know if they make battery-operated Christmas lights that are also waterproof–a necessity here. And yep, I wear blinking slap-bracelets and put some on the cart.

Aw. Was his Bailey the Dog in your dream? Because maybe your dream was telling you to get a dog! They spoon–sort of. OK, it’s more like they crowd you into a corner and onto the floor, but think how much more exciting that is than just acting like flatware!

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Good Mornin’ Y’all! Up and caffeinatin’. YAWN ‘Tis 34 Amurrkin out and clear with a predicted high of 64 and N.O.S. for the day. The big item on today’s agenda is deheathenization where I have Verger duty. After that we are havin’ a newcomer’s N.O,L. This involves folks who have recently started attendin’ and the Vestry and is met as an informal welcome and chance to get to know. Should be fun, I think. The rest of the day shall be spent in sloth and general overall laziness.

shoe hope your plumbin’ woes are resolved today.

nellie YIKES! Glad you didn’t get hurt.

oopsie go you! Bailey is such a cutie!

Now I need more caffeine and to feed rumbly tummy. Then purtification for deheathenization must commence.

Happy Sunday Y’all!

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He’d go crazy in my yard - it seems like tunnels pop up overnight! Evil little boogers! Just walking out the back garage door can be a trip hazard. On the other hand, I guess it aerates the roots for the grass…

Meaningless. I don’t ever trust them. Can’t count how many times a driver apparently went “Oops, not this corner - that corner!” and zipped right by without slowing. I always try to make eye contact, not that it necessarily works, but sometimes actual connection seems to make a difference, if only for me to wave the other guy on.

Early this afternoon, Roxy will arrive with a buttload of clothes and school stuff - probably too much, but contingencies, yanno. There’s an antiques place not too far from here and we may take a ride there with her - among the things outside the store is a T-rex statue - maybe not lifesize, but still durn big. We thought Roxy would enjoy seeing the weird stuff there - and we’re curious also, so maybe. Depends on FCD’s pain. His right knee - the one due to be replaced in a couple of weeks - was giving him all kinds of issues yesterday. If we have to stay home, there’s a basement full of toys.

My daughter goes into the hospital at 7 tonight. They’ll do all sorts of prep and in the morning, she’ll get the pitocin to rid her of the parasite. :open_mouth: She’s hoping he’s born on Monday so he and Roxy will both have birthdays on the 15th. The Dr is pretty sure he’ll be born pretty quick since he’s #2, so the path has been cleared so to speak. Brace yourselves for far too many babby stories. I’ll try to control myself, but since he’s probably going to be the most amazing grandson since the dawn of creation, every moment of his existence will be noteworthy. No, really!!!

Or I’ll devolve into complaining about how hard it is to be an old woman dealing with an infant. Either way…

:rofl:

Totally unrelated, the sending unit of my outdoor thermometer has been acting weird. If the temp drops below about 45°. it appears to stop sending. I guess the first step is to bring it in the house and clean it - maybe it’s got bugs or crud or something. Failing that, I’ll swap it with the sending unit in the pseudo-greenhouse that is the basement bathroom. It’s not a huge deal, but I do like knowing the temp at the house, especially on cold mornings. According to accuweather, it’s 33° here right now, if I can trust them…

Not to be a contrarian, but I’ve never known a Bailey dog. My MIL had a basset named Sugar. And a weiner dog named Corky. Not at the same time - Corky was long before I joined the family, while I met Sugar when I met the inlaws the first time.

And so begins my day. Happy Sunday!!