(Old) A spot of good news in the MMP

Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
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Last night I finally finished the Chateau quilt top. I still need to get an appointment for the long arm to do the actual quilting. I will have a picture available later today.

The quilt is nine feet by nine feet and we do not have free floor space that big. I am taking it to the gym and after Tai Chi I will lay it out on the class room floor for a good picture.

Today is a fifth Saturday. Two of our fabric stores gives a 20% discount today. One of them has a 25% discount for Sunflower for Her upcoming birthday

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Afternoon.

Pub happened, they even had the Belgian raspberry beer I really like on tap, which was nice.

Not doing much today I think; that’s the problem with this time of year, you have a lazy start and you have like.. 2 hours of daylight left. I’ll do some pottering in the garden, but probably not much else.

Technicl’y 'dahlia was named for one Mr Dahl, as in Roald Dahl, so it should be said like that but with an ‘eea’ at the end, but most people here say ‘Day-leea’.

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Good morning! It’s October 31, which is called Hallowe’en in this part of the world (the apostrophe is optional.)

Pope Leo has voted in the US election, by mail. That’s a first, because he’s the first Pope who’s a US citizen.

To mark the occasion, NPR Weekend Edition did an almost serious interview with a maker of brooms. The product comes with a notification that is does not fly.

That’s all for now.

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Good morning.

It’s 35F, damp, and a little foggy. The forecast calls for a daytime high of 53F, with partly cloudy skies most of the day. So, it won’t be too cold or wet for the lil ToT’ers.

Our porch light will remain off because the dogs would lose their everlovin’ minds if we gave out candy.

Johnny, I’m so sorry you didn’t get a chance to interview.

Herald, I’m glad you’re okay, but please take care of yourself.

2gig, I’m glad to hear you’re still employed, but it must be difficult. I’m sorry about your eldest daughter, and it’s nice that your second daughter has found happiness.

BooFae, you’ve got more patience than I.

I finally made it to Costco yesterday, but I went late. It was a complete madhouse. I was crabby before I even got in the door because of the parking lot shenanigans. Even getting to the store on my usual route made me detour because the left-hand turn lane for the street I needed to enter Costco was backed up several blocks. It was ridiculous. Anyway, the usual crowded store obliviots were present (aisle and product blockers), as well as someone who was very proud of her voice and how loud she could be.

Anyway, I got the pups’ prescriptions and picked up some chanterelles, bananas, and little personal pizzas. I was going to pick up lunch from the food court, but that was madness, too, and I was just done.

Later, I made Death Chicken, which I haven’t made in probably a couple of years, maybe more. Mr. Taters was quite happy about that.

It was quite soggy yesterday, so there was no yardwork. Today, however, I’ll have to empty my new fountain and put it in the garage. Overnight temps are beginning to slide into the mid-thirties, and even within a couple of degrees of freezing, so it’s time to put it away for now.

For now, I’ll drink a little coffee and look at funky houses.

Please take care of yourselves.

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Which is how I’ve always pronounced it.

I’m sorry about the interview, flyboy.

Happy Halloween!

Up, caffeinating, breakfasted and fixing to do KP. I’ll do the laundry that I didn’t do yesterday today and maybe hit Giant Dollar for a couple of small wastebaskets, but otherwise, RDOS.

Y’all have a great day!

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Just finished. Ziva was not happy to be uprooted, but too bad. It’s her fault the carpet was polychromatic. Now it’s back to its usual pewter. And lucky for her, there were no stains where her bed sits or where the litter box lives, so I didn’t shampoo that area - just vacuumed it. I was able to put the bed and box in place, but her food and water will have to go down later. The ceiling fan is on Med - with luck it’ll dry quickly. I went over it in the suck mode several times to get all excess water up.

After breakfast, we went to Daughter’s because FCD wanted to measure an alcove where she wants a cabinet. He’s going to build it for her when the boat stuff is done… some day… :wink: Once we got back, I tended to the carpet, and shortly I’ll fire up John Deere. I don’t think I’ll do any planting today - just not feelin’ it. We shall see.

Since JoAnne’s bit the dust, we don’t have any real fabric stores nearby. There’s one place the specializes in upholstery fabric and another that’s an Amish business, so limited selection. Next closest would be a few within the DC Beltway (40 or more miles) or Annapolis (70+ miles away.) Good thing I don’t sew a lot any more.

And now I think I’ll take Johnny D for a ride around the front and side yards. Not much grass but lots of leaves that need to be chopped up. Onward!!

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Happy Halloween to those who observe! :jack_o_lantern:

My father’s outpatient procedure (to correct an inverted eyelid) went smoothly, and we were at Bob Evans before noon. Dad got breakfast. I was in the mood for breakfast food, too, but all of their portions were way too big – I can’t eat much in one sitting, and especially when it’s carbs like pancakes or waffles – so I wound up with half a turkey sandwich and a few onion rings. Both were good. Afterwards we stopped at a CVS to make sure he had an extra ice pack and plenty of Tylenol (he wasn’t given any prescription), then I took him home. I’ll check in with him via email this afternoon. He’s a church organist and choir director, and he’s planning to work this evening’s Mass: he already gave his choir a heads up about the surgery, and will have to assure them that today’s bruising, swelling, and reddish “tears” are normal!

Unfortunately, HusbandBFF had to go to the ER last night and is in the hospital: 48 hours after surgery he still had significant pain and some abdomen distension, and was nauseated. A CT scan revealed something called “post-surgical lazy stomach,” so they’re giving him pain and anti-nausea meds and keeping him under observation (technically he isn’t admitted). If his bowels don’t start moving, they’ll need to put a tube down his throat and drain his stomach. WifeBFF is frustrated, because all along she’s felt that he was discharged too soon. They went to the ER at around 9pm, and at 3am she texted that she and my “nephew” were finally home. I heard from both her and HusbandBFF at 10:58am – they each texted me at exactly the same time! :joy: Anyone would be exhausted, but she already had health and sleeping issues and is not doing great today. My nephew is still in college and needs to get some homework done this weekend (he has a test coming up), so I’ll be taking WifeBFF to the hospital this afternoon. I’ll be leaving the house at 1pm, and won’t get home until sometime tonight.

I’d been excited about my first Halloween in my new neighborhood – I had decorations, a playlist, etc. – but obviously this is way more important. The kids here will get plenty of candy without me! I bought a lot of bags: I’ll definitely eat some of it, but I’ll take some to the polling place on election day for my fellow officers and will take the rest to work the next day.

Time for some replies, then I need to eat lunch and get ready to go pick up WifeBFF. And I need to remember to turn off my porch light!

Good to see your face back in the place (so to speak)!

The book I’m reading right now is called Miss Wolcott’s Ghost, which it turns out is the name of a plant. There are many similar jokes/references. :slight_smile:

Same! My “niece’s” baby shower three weeks ago featured their cakes and cupcakes…yum. :grin:

Ditto. I’ve sprained an ankle, bruised my tailbone, and once severely bruised a toe when I dropped two big panels of drywall on my bare foot (an x-ray revealed no fracture), but 55 years and counting without a break! *knocks on wood*

Ugh!! I’m glad you did no serious damage, and hope you aren’t too sore today.

I live near our national’s capital, and aim to never become news. Or shot. :grin:

Their loss.

Oooooo can she get 45% off at the one place? :smiley:

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I hope they have two separate sets of pipes. . . .

So it’s the extra calories that give it that horrible taste?

With Thomas it was always the hair on his nice, fluffy tail.

I thought a “flat A” was the same sound as the O in doll. What’s the correct pronunciation?


Right wrist still hurts; might be a little swollen, but I can’t really tell. Other than that I just have three small holes (one on the base of my left thumb and two on the bridge of my nose) that appear to be healing properly.

Main problem was that I’m getting old the library’s driveway slopes down from its centreline to the kerb, and I hadn’t ever noticed. The combination of being pulled downward by gravity and being pushed downward was too much for me to overcome before tripping over the kerb.

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52F and overcast at 1130. We’re in for some heavy rain on Monday, but it will slack off for election day. Makes no difference for us, as our polling place is at a nearby art museum that has free indoor parking on election day.

The NYT puzzle kicked my butt today.

Pasta with marinara for dinner tonight. Maybe I’ll add some Italian sausage.

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* slopes down from its centreline to the kerb I was walking toward,

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I think they actually just made that one up- there is a real plant that’s called the suspiciously similar ‘Miss Willmott’s Ghost’ though, named for a famous and slightly notorious early plantswoman[1]. If you use a real name then I guess your book’ll be fighting the search algorithms.

Tis going dark, I’ve played in the garden a bit and I’m hiding inside with the lights off and counting down the minutes until I can eat the chocolate I bought ‘just in case’.

I’d shut the curtains, but I have a really nice view of trees in the park, where all the trees are currently a glorious orange and it’s perfectly lit just before sunset, so I’m waiting until it’s a tiny bit darker.

*waves at 2gig*

  1. it’s silvery and there’s a myth that she used to sneakily scatter the seeds in other people’s gardens, so next year they’d have a ghostly reminder of the visit- unfortunately it’s not very easy to grow from seed and it wasn’t even a plant she especially liked so sadly the story is untrue ↩︎

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I mean the flat “A” as in the words “flat” and “tally”.

I’m yanking my basil and Thai basil out of two pots today, and replacing them with what I hope will do okay in the winter: pansies. I bought some that are pretty much black (“penny black” is the variety) and some that are pumpkin orange. So it’s a Halloween scheme, fittingly enough. In a little while I’ll go out and get that done. Then I’ll make a chicken pie with homemade chicken stew and a puff pastry crust I bought at Trader Joe’s. BTW, Trade Joe’s puff pastry is awesome. It doesn’t taste like shortening or margarine like Pepperidge Farm’s pastry crust. I’m pretty sure it’s all butter. I’ve made tarts and a big turnover using it, and they were as good as a French bakery.

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Ah – what’s taught in US grade schools as a “short A”. I’ve seen it in print many times, but never heard anybody define it and say it.

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Howdy all. Back from soccer refereeing, game went well and got a lot of running in, but the restrooms were locked up so I had to ignore some ‘signals’ until I got home (just in time). Afternoon game has a ref signed up, so I’ll probably just watch tackleball until the Halloween time starts. Lots of clouds today and rain is due tonight and tomorrow.

boo fae, what, staying in the house on a weekend! Inconceivable!! :wink: :grinning_face:

Hippie, that’s a whole lot of quilt.

Nut, Belgian Raspberry Beer are three words I never thought I would see together. Interesting taste, I am sure.

I guess I may have to join Costco just to fit in with the rest of the MMP, I belong (for now) with a warehouse called BJ’s but seldom if ever go there.

FCM, sounds like a constructive and well-planned day…I wonder what they are like…

Oopsie, glad Dad’s operation went smoothly. Not so glad tidings about Husband BFF, sounds like they screwed up and are trying hard not to have to go back in to fix it. Best wishes to you all.

Keep feeling better, Herald; falls ain’t no fun (unless your watching them on Fail Army You Tube…)

lucky, ahppy basil yanking!

And that’s all for now. Have to get un-uniformed and see what the day has in store.

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Ummm, hmmmm, well…

Dang those pesky vowels, they are always tripping me up.

Honestly, I never noticed the different spelling and spellcheck didn’t squiggle at either one. I will remember now, it is firmly lodged in my brain!

That’s just what you should do. Use Bright Tree’s words, they were good ones.

Oops, more later.

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I’m in that club too, but I have torn both Achilles tendons and my ACL.

Ms Peach and I went out and did the gettin’ rid of stuff and gettin’ stuff run. Got stuff to make chili this evening. She’s getting better in the car, but really wants to lie down on the center console…she’s a bit big for that.

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Good morning. We’re sitting patiently at the Publix pharmacy, waiting for our Covid vaccinations, plus the flu for Mrs Magill. Chloé, Mistress of Pattern Recognition, saw me make a call this morning and walk into the bedroom to pick up my wallet and immediately knew that meant we were going to the Café to get her a pup-cup. Unfortunately for her, I was pre-ordering a pizza for this afternoon/tonight. She was very disappointed.

We have a psycho-killer (fa-fa-fa-fa fa-fa-Fa fa) costume for her. Mrs Magill and I will dress as her victims. It should be cute.

Mrs Magill used to collect interesting candles and loved lighting scented ones. We stopped when the boys were born. We also have plenty of flashlights stowed about the house.

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Or you can sit at my “Never been to Costco, don’t really wanna” table. We’ve had memberships in the past to both Sam’s and BJ’s but I never felt like either one was worth the membership or the hassle of crowds.

The front and side yards got mowed/mulched. I should mow/whack the ditch, but not today. Just got back from an Aldi run - it wasn’t as crazily crowded as I’d feared and I was in and out pretty quickly - didn’t even have to wait in line to check out.

Purchases have been stowed and, frankly, I don’t feel like doing anything. So I probably won’t. That’s one good thing about adulting, right? Off to do nothing for a bit.

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Hello, hello! :slight_smile:

It’s very Halloweeny around here today. Eerie with fog and wet falling leaves in lots of colors. The trees look like hags with their arms reaching out for a gratuitous grab of unsuspecting small children seeking treats. I will have no trick-or-treaters tonight.

Current temperature is 40Ferrets, climbing to a high of 53F. Should be ok for kids out and about this evening. We used to trick-or-treat in the snow, with temperatures below freezing and it didn’t faze us. (“Back when I was a girl…!!”)

Mollie, mmmmm. Stromboli. :smiley: Also, I hope we are treated to a Chloé in costume pic later. I have a cowboy one for Ollie, but he fights it every second so pics will not happen, I’m sorry to say.

Nut, I will keep good thoughts for you to get a break for a sciencey hire. Glad you enjoyed the pub last night.

True, but you had no way of knowing that! I’m sure you aged a bit before you recovered the little miscreant.

VanGo, your employers are sure lucky to have you! We could all do with someone giving our space an objective clean-out! And nice to meet another in the no-bones-broken club. :slight_smile:

Cat Glove, I can’t begin to game the Kroger/Safeway/Albertson’s coupon system the way you and metal mouse do! I consider it a win if I manage to cash in on a ten cent gas discount before it expires. I do have a 20% off for groceries coupon I must use before November 7th, and I hope to do that! I don’t need much at the moment, though. Wish I could get the hang of it as you have.

LOL, I get that reference. Funny! :smiley:

dicey, I need to follow your example to do away with candles and replace them with charged LED votives… someday. I have lots and lots of candles and they got used during what used to be frequent power outages. Our electric co-op has been gradually updating infrastructure, however, and power outages are much less frequent now. And I still love candles for their ambiance. Fortunately, Ollie is very short-legged, short-haired and unable to reach the spots where I put lighted candles.

Good luck with CT scan results, red! I know you want that PIC line out. And so do we!

JtC, has James passed? I apologize if I missed that. I knew he was close to the end and I know you will miss him terribly. I’m so sorry.

As is Western Oregon, and like you, I just love it. :smiley:

Right there with you, sister.

Those are them! I’ll have to see if they even make them anymore. Probably not. I’m glad you were not worse hurt from your nasty fall! Hope the attendant aches and pains abate soon.

Thanks, swampy. The Part D stuff went far better than I expected – more below – but I’m missing the speakers more than I anticipated I would. Turns out I watch more Youtubes than I thought. :flushed_face: Your first Sunday brunch sounds fantastic – enjoy it all, and good luck to your Dawgs!

2gig, nice to see you around and posting! With your front row seat on news services and journalism, you are well positioned to confirm what I expect many of us also understand is happening to your industry. I’m glad things have worked out for you in your job and with your children. Do please stick around and keep posting as you can!

FCM, I hope fiber comes to your area soon. Now I have it, I can’t imagine not. A real game changer! Have fun chopping leaves this afternoon!

I think I dated that guy.

As one does. :wink: You wouldn’t want to pass out stale candy to children! I hope you get many trick-or-treaters! Thanks for your kind wishes re the Medicare stuff. I hate tackling it every year. Good luck finding Honey Smacks – my stores don’t stock 'em, more’s the pity – although my blood glucose is likely grateful.

flyboy, yeah, they missed out. It just means something better is waiting for you down the track.

Happy to help, shoe! I hope he takes it in a good spirit.

It’s nice. :slight_smile: And btw, Li’l Miss sounds like a pain in the gravache.

lucky, I’ve recently gotten several teasers from Costco to rejoin. Your Wagyu tri-tip experience may push me over the edge. I’m glad you scored and enjoyed it so well!

BooFae, stay safe at home away from the footballers. What films did you decide on?

hippie, conga-rats on the quilt completion! It’s quite an achievement. I look forward to the pic!

Okay, Taters, I gotta ask: What’s Death Chicken? Sounds like the perfect recipe for Halloween!

Oopsie, I’m so sorry you’re missing out on your trick-or-treaters. You went to a lot of trouble. But it’s for good reason and you’re an excellent friend. I hope HusbandBFF comes good in short order. Glad you’re still in the no-break-to-date club!

cookie, yeah, it was a nasty puzzle today. I didn’t do well at all.

All went well yesterday, surprisingly. I got right through to an agent for my Part D coverage, we had a productive discussion, she patiently answered all my questions and was easy to understand. My costs will be higher than last year (of course), but not as bad as I dreaded. I’m glad to have this sorted for another year, but don’t get me started on the corruption and greed rife in our so-called “health” care system.

I baked bread yesterday afternoon and am fixed for that now for awhile. I’ve had a craving recently for tuna salad sandwiches, so the bread will do nicely for that for dinner along with a cup of ham and bean soup.

Today is a day to bludge. Other than a walk up to the mailbox to give Ollie a nice sniff session and some guitar practice later (for me, not Ollie), I look forward to a quiet day and being irresponsible for as much of it as possible. Even though the gate will be closed and no trick-or-treaters tonight, I expect enough shenanigans up on the road to excite Ollie’s sensibilities. It will be a barky night.

Happy Halloween to those who celebrate! Stay safe and cozy, and may no one get egged!

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From your keyboard to God’s monitor.