Thanks. I know someone is visiting L.A., so it fooled me.
Sorry you lost a reliable go-to~I’ve used the same breakfast on my way out of town for decades. What I did learn was that McDs franchises in the same town could vary widely in the quality of both the food and service, depending on how well it was managed. There are ones in my city I can rely on for consistent ok-for-the-money time after time and others that I have crossed off my list. Fortunately a good one is close to my house and on the way to the Interstate. Others I drive right by no matter how hungry I am. Sounds like you got one of those. Maybe give another McDs a chance after this has worn off, here’s hoping you land on a decently managed one. Even nutritionists say egg McMuffins are a relatively decent fast food meal. I’ve been known to order two and put both egg and ham stacks into one English muffin and discard the other (I don’t do the hash browns, never have liked them but if they ever offered French fries at breakfast I’d do those in a heartbeat. Probably better for me that they don’t).
No excuse for bad coffee except crummy management who don’t care and let the brew stew into nastiness. If it hasn’t been served within 15 minutes of being brewed dump it and offer fresh. Sorry you had that experience too.
I do the Happy Meal because it gives me that teeny serving of fries, a taste to delight my craving but not an artery clogging adult serving size. I usually get the milk for my beverage. Boosts the protein in the meal and decreases the empty calories. Plus the little package of apple slices of course. All of which is a great big rationalization but it works for me~most of the fun, less of the harm. If the toy is something a grandkidlet would enjoy (like the Halloween buckets), even better.
I think most of them have remodeled to be less hospitable inside to discourage lingering. Shoot, in many of them you can’t even walk up and order from a human being, it’s all done at a kiosk. It’s been years since I ordered inside much less ate it there.
No one writes about this as compelling or articulately as you do. Please don’t ever stop. You help far more people than you could ever know.
It was 50 yesterday. 33 today. Bah! Ohio weather.
I do get a free meal at my job. Unfortunately, its an unpaid half hour to eat.
Decided to jump back into the exercise classes today. We’ll hopefully keep it up. This is “wear red” month for some reason; heart awareness? I’m aware of my heart, thanks, and don’t need to wear a colored shirt. Yeah, I’m a rebel, and I really hate group-think.
A really gorgeously sunny day today, but likely won’t get above about 40F. Perhaps a walk is in order; I could use some fresh air.
We’ll be heading out to youngest son’s place for dinner on Sunday, so will get to see the granddaughters, who always cheer me up.
Breakfast was avocado toast, a scrambled egg and a piece of bacon. I mixed in a bit of lemon olive oil and just a bit of salt with the avocado. Good stuff.
I live in the Pacific Northwest too and I was just wondering … why do we call it the “Pacific Northwest”? Is there an Atlantic Northwest? I mean, we only use the term to refer to the US, so I assume we’re not delineating from Ireland or something.
I think that Minnesota and that area were once known as ‘The Northwest’ century or two ago. Nowadays ‘The Northwest’ means Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming. The Pacific Northwest is Washington and Oregon (i.e., west of the Rockies). I think the Northeast is just called The Northeast because they’re northeast and west of there is Canada.
Hugs to all of you that are having struggles. I’ve had to skim a bit, as I’m meeting my friend in about 15 minutes.
He ran me ragged yesterday, wanting to see various things all around town. Over 22,000 steps on my Fitbit.
And yet, I could not fall asleep last night. I finally broke down and took a CBD/Melatonin gummy at 3:30 am. Even after that, I kept waking up every hour or so, and by 8:00 I was up for good.
So I came downstairs to caffeinate and feed rumbly tummy (apologies to Swampy).
Not surprisingly, Penn & Teller was a very fun show. It was the third time I’ve seen them (over the course of four decades), and I dunno, it’ll probably be the last. Not that I didn’t enjoy the show, but I’d seen at least half of it before. And their new bits didn’t seem as - what’s the right word? - unique as they used to be.
Mind you, Teller is still an incredible prestidigitator and it’s a treat to watch him work. But Penn did no juggling at all. He’s still great at the patter, but I think the act is making some concessions to age. I won’t be surprised if they announce their retirement within the next few years.
Well, onward to another action-packed day!
I woke up this morning with joint pain and that my-skin-is-glass feeling that says I’m running a temp. I haven’t had joint pain in maybe four years. I’m hoping it’s from this mild bug and not a signal that I’m out of autoimmune remission. I should take a Covid test out of an abundance of caution, but I think mine are well past the expiration date. Can I get free ones through Medicare?
I dreamed about the novel Tom Jones. I couldn’t recall what Fielding’s first name was. Henry, maybe? I woke up at 3 a.m. and asked Alexa. Yep, Henry.
You had good reasons not to walk, but congrats on getting back to it.
Even beyond whoa! What a rich inner life he must have.
That reminds me of my mom’s favorite joke.
Minister: Sister Slocum, do you believe in the hereafter?
Ms. Slocum: Oh, my, yes. Whenever I enter a room, I think, “What am I here after?”
I’ll do it for you: 
{{{JtC and hubs}}}
Says the guy who swims the equivalent of the English Channel. And thank you for your kind remark. Truth be told, it’s not stamina; it’s stubbornness.
Thank you to you and all the other caring souls here.
The Ariel. They seem the best for my feet, plus they come in EE sizes. Thanks for the tip on eBay! I had a look and will definitely go that route next time.
shoe, I’m intrigued by the zucchini. Is it sautéed first, or how do you keep it from “weeping” in the oven? I’ll pass on the banana topping, though. That’s just wrong.
Also, LOOOOVE the penguin Happy Meal!
For awhile, it was three dogs and a toddler. Niece and hubs are teachers, so they they’re patient, but it’s a small house. One of the dogs had the best name for a lab: Crash.
Sooo frustrating!
Oh, I hope not. I read Shackleton’s Valiant Voyage. My son read it in college and said he was empathetically cold throughout the book. It really is an amazing story.
Late aged MIL loved that joke. Thanks for the replay.
Banana peppers. Bright yellow things about the size of a skinny jalapeno but shaped like a banana. Much more common on sub sandwiches than pizza, but yummy on either. 
Just skimming today. Lots of irk to do. Condolences to all who need them. Sorry to hear about the dog.
I sneaked away from the orifice to try to make salsa. Normally I make pico de gallo/salsa fresca when I make it. The other day I accidentally bought an extra bunch of cilantro, and decided to make cooked salsa… which I’ve never made. I separately ran an onion, the cilantro, and three tomatoes through the food processor, chopped up a jalapeño, and put them into a saucepan with a can of tomato sauce and a good pinch of salt. I hope it turns out well.
And now… back to irk.
OW*, add me to the list of people who miss Ruble.
Few of the McDonalds around here serve breakfast and sometimes I almost get an idea that I might like to go to a McDonalds which has breakfast, just to get sn EggMcMuffim. I think that description has quenched that urge for another decade.
Me too! Always a special treat to go there, especially when I was little and my grandparents paid.
Oh, geez. That went right over my head. Can I blame the fever? Thanks for the clarification.
Just watched a 100+ y/o movie made on Shackleton’s last journey on Endurance. It went from their departure to getting caught in the ice to being crushed and sinking to the rescue of the crew on Elephant Island. There were scenes of training the sled dogs, erecting tents, removing all the could from Endurance before it sank, as well as the then-exotic shots of Elephant seals and penguins and albatrosses. A silent movie, of course, and the piano accompaniment got old pretty fast, but it was still a fascinating look at history as it happened.
Now we’re sitting in a quiet lounge until supper. It’s the last formal night so no dining room for us. No biggie - we’ve gone to dining rooms twice and I wasn’t impressed. Actually, I kinda want pizza…
The final production show is tonight so we’ll go for that. Then maybe an early bedtime? Or not. Who knows??
Started Typing: 12:53 PM ET
Clicked Reply: 2:25 PM ET
Happy Friday, all! It was rainy when I woke up but now it’s partly sunny and a little breezy, and at the day’s forecasted high of 49°F. Could definitely be worse for early February.
I’ve been low-key grumpy and out of sorts all year: aside from needing a break from work, I think I’ve determined that focusing on volunteering vs music isn’t working for me anymore (the switch happened gradually/during the pandemic). I’d already been toying with the idea of handing off my committee and stepping away from the organization at the end of this year, and now I’m 90% sure that’s what I should do. It takes up just enough of my time and energy that I find myself not engaging with music stuff nearly enough, and I think it’s time to get back to that. Dealing with other volunteers is also frustrating/stressful at times, and even though the work is rewarding and worthwhile I’m seriously tiring of that aspect. I have a feeling the upcoming jazz festival weekend will wind up reinforcing my realization.
Sometimes I wish I were one of those Energizer Bunny people, who can have leadership positions in 3-4 organizations while also holding down full-time jobs and being single parents and winning Nobel prizes (and no one ever feels shortchanged). I’m definitely organized enough to pull that off, but I don’t have near enough energy or patience. I’m single with no kids and a mostly-not-demanding job, but I really only have the energy for one significant hobby/pursuit at a time. I’ve learned that I require a fair amount of downtime in my day-to-day. I still sometimes fall into the trap of comparing myself to others in that regard, but these days I’m mostly able to remind myself that my limits are my limits and that’s all there is to it.
My neighbors’ porch and shrub holiday lights are partially visible from the window behind my piano (I keep those blinds up/open all of the time, both for light and because it’s hard for anyone to see inside), and even though I tend to be done with my own decorations shortly after Christmas I love that they keep their lights up until well into January. Whenever I walk between the kitchen and living room after dark and see them, they make me happy. 
Last year I told one of the neighbors as much, and she was tickled!
Sounds like a wise and good plan.
Awww. 
Ha…thanks for the vote of confidence, but nah; not really. Definitely nothing that’s worth the tsuris!
The main reason I’ve never been kicked outta this place is that I’ve deliberately avoided GD (and now also P&E) for the past 20 years: a while ago I realized that people misinterpreting or derailing my OPs – deliberately or otherwise – was also a potential land mine.
Great news!
Hmmm…seems like the dog and I have been Netflix-and-chill-ing for the past 15 years. 
Sounds like my weekend morning routine: pee, take care of the dog, brush my teeth, grab a protein shake and a Gatorade Zero outta the fridge, then sit at my computer for several hours. 
Nice! Looks like a great place/trip.
Yeah, it’s hard going into her condo now. It still smells like her. Just being there makes me a little sad because the scent is more of her when she was ill than when she was well. Usually if I go, I plug my ears with a podcast while I work so I don’t think about it too hard. We all need to find a way to compartmentalize.
I LOOOOOVE the stories of moms bragging on you guys, by the way. It’s beautiful. Three days before mom went unconscious for the last time, I was laying in bed with her because she wanted me to eat ice cream with her. She held my hand and said, “You and your sister were the absolute best thing that happened to me.” It sounds like your mom feels like that about you, too. I try to make sure my son and daughter hear me telling other people how amazing I think they are. Everyone needs someone who thinks they’re the damn bees knees - just like all you guys.
Today is grey and warm, I hear. Work is agitating today - there’s so much to do that I just know I did a Big Thing, but I’ve forgotten what it was already because I have Another Big Thing. I’m tired of haggling with people this week. I used to do it all the time in South America and when my husband and I would travel to India. Never pay full price. BUT…sometimes arguing is exhausting. Finding justification for it even moreso, other than, “Yeah, that’s expensive, though.” I’m being asked to huff and puff to create a smokescreen and I’m just not into it right now.
I’m so sorry to hear about the pup, nellie. That’s really, really hard. And what an incredible program for those kids. I’m so sorry they shut it down.
Paramedics just took an elderly neighbour away, siren blaring. ‘She’s a little on the sick side. That’s all we can tell you.’ Fair enough. We do tend to be aware of our neighbours around here, but I haven’t seen this one since October when I asked her to keep an eye on the house while we were on the cruise. Then we came back with COVID. Then there were the holidays, and Winter. Too cold for her to be working in her giant front-yard garden. I hope she recovers.
It’s after noon. I think I’ll take a break and go for another short walk.
My food stamps came in today, and I’m off to get groceries.
I try to buy healthy, but chips call out my name when I walk by. Hard to ignore them.
I get 291 a month.
Planning on sweet potatoes, oatmeal, orange juice, tomatos, broccoli, we shall see.
Happy Friday to everyone who still notices what day of the week it is!
This is fantastic news! I hope his recovery continues quickly. It’s no fun to have a parent in the hospital.
If there was a way to just transport to vacation spots instead of taking domestic flights, I’d be happier about traveling. I hope your journey home is uneventful. It’s been lovely reading about your trip!
Mine is better about going to doctors than most, probably because he’s had so much practice, and he’s on TOP of his medications. He could use more (any!) exercise and less ice cream and cookies, but i have absolutely no room to talk about that. He has the added complication that his back seizes up and hurts more if he walks more than about half a block. I’ve suggested finding a gym with chair classes, but that’s as far as it’s gone. What I should really do is nag myself to quit keeping cookies and ice cream around and to go to the gym. Then I’d have room to talk!
Sounds like someone needs a day in bed! I hope you can get some R&R.
Hurray! Especially at Wee Weasel’s age, the day they get a present doesn’t matter as much as how much they like the present. And it’s so much fun to give your kid something you know they’re going to love!
Oh, hell. This is sounding more and more familiar to me. My older daughter was (finally) diagnosed with ADHD, and I kept recognizing the symptoms in myself, but they were things that just surfaced gor me in the past few years. I guess I’ll just be pulling out the Post-Its more frequently. (It occurs to me that more exercise and a better diet might also help with this issue.)
Every kid is different, of course, and school systems are, too. However, I think I’ve mentioned before that a lot of his traits remind me of the aforementioned daughter. We had to work extra hard with her on interpersonal skills, and she needed extra support to focus on the things her teachers wanted her to do rather than whatever she was interested in doing independently. But she was a girl, and it was the early 90’s, so she was never diagnosed.
We had the great good fortune to find an elementary school with a superb gifted program that was well-integrated with the gen ed classes, and her teachers automatically provided twice-exceptional accommodations. She was able to get a very good education all the way through high school in our public school system. So it’s possible!
I’ve never been to a Publix, or the Gulf of Mexico either, come to think of it. I’m glad you’re having fun!
I have absolutely no faith in the judgment of armadillos, just based on their apparent inability to cross a road without getting run over.
It’s absolutely not the best place to go! On top of everything else, it’s way less likely to have clear skies than, say, Texas. And it’s way farther. But I’m getting a trip to see my kids! They have a good friend in Toledo, and we’re planning to head over her way for the actual eclipse.
I can admit this to you guys, right? I don’t actually care much about seeing the eclipse. I’ve seen three totalities in my lifetime, and they’re impressive, but I wouldn’t shed a tear over missing this one. But Mr. Legend is really excited about it, and I’m a good sport!
Yeah, me too (except I’ve only been here slightly less than 4 years). I’m glad I figured that out after my first mod note/warning when I was a clueless newbie. I still have to sometimes mentally smack my keyboarding fingers when I’m about to respond in the wrong forum or to non-Mumper posters (happened just this morning). Some of us just want to be pedantic or more right than the next person or bare ass contrarian. You’re right, it’s best to stay well away from those threads/forums/folks. I’m ever grateful that I meandered into here where it’s just friends, magic internetz friends. Y’all people my world in the bestest, most affirming way. I treasure you, each and every one, even _____(fill in your Mumper of choice).
bee cave bob predicts an early spring.
he did not give a traffic report.