(Old) Tricks, treats, and a brand new month in the MMP

[TruePisces]

@dogbutler

Ah! I was wrcking my brain to figure theat one out on FB. And {{{{Fishy}}}} on all the rest of the stuff.

All you had to do was ask! Glad I was able to unwrack your brain. And thanks for the hugs.

@The_Stainless_Steel_Rat

Real Fish, sounds like life is moving along with the usual bumps in the road (hope the lads get straightened out).

They’re starting to get there. Tuesday, BtY have me a hard time trying to work on school work. It took 90 minutes to do 3 assignments. Yesterday, Hubby took CtE to therapy and I worked with BtY again. This time, with the bribe of candy, we finished a test in English and watching one of the OSHA videos for tech with no delays. Tonight’s Hubby’s turn to work with him. Not sure who’s taking it when he gets gome tomorrow. And CtE stayed in school all day Tuesday and today. Yesterday, they had a migraine. But today, we didn’t even get a depressive message from them. I’m counting this as progress.

@JaneDoe42

Later, I became a big Rocky Horror fan and was Magenta for years.

You are definitely more a Magenta than a Columbia.

@JaneDoe42

It’s good to hear from you. Dang about not knowing what is wrong, that must be such a hopeless feeling.

Some days are worse than others, but I keep trying to remember that we haven’t exhausted all options yet. And, frustrating though it can be, swyping on my phone is far easier than typing on my computer so I’m going to try for more sociability.

Swampy, thankee very much, Sir! Moving the needle a little at a time.

@LSLGuy

. At least the poly thing is looking up.

Yeah, I’m glad to have one fairly good thing in my life. Tomorrow night, I’m double dating with Hubby, local partner and his other partner. It’s the first time Hubby and my partner and meta are meeting, so there’s a little nervousness there. But I’m sure it will be fine.

@rocking_chair

our school did a trick or treat for unicef thing, you got a little box for people to put change in when you went on your rounds.

I remember those. My mom hated them for… who knows what reason. But she still let us bring them around. I haven’t thought about them in decades.

@Misnomer

Glad to see you!

Glad to be seen!

@Die_Capacitrix

Happy cheap chocolate day, for all who celebrate!

I do a daily positive on my FB. Yesterday, it was “Today is half-price candy day!” Since I can’t steal from… I mean, the kids don’t go trick or treating anymore, I pick up stuff I like and use what i can add bribery for BtY.

@purplehorseshoe

Then again, I detest pickles.

Oh thank Og that I’m not the only one!

shoe, Glad you’re powerful once more. And hotly showered.

And that sounded so much better in my head.

@peedin

Yesterday I slipped on a patch of ice left over from Tuesday.

Ouch! That is always the worst. Especially when it’s not broken but still hurting like hell and you have to bang it because you can’t find out exactly what’s up right away.

I will freely admit to some scanning (ok, a lot of scanning) by the time I got to the latest posts. I need to be better about keeping up so I don’t glaze.

We got, as we usually do, exactly zero trick or treaters. I’ve stopped even trying. Being able to see the kiddos at the library in their costumes is awesome though. And pictures of my friends’ kids and grandkids.

The last few days have ended up being way too cold. The branch of the library where I volunteer had to be closed Tuesday and yesterday because they had no heat. The worst of it was they were supposed to have the puppet truck show up Tuesday and they’re were a lot of families that had signed up to come. They can’t open the new branch quickly enough.

I don’t mind the cold, personally, though Hubby gets grumpy when it’s cold. Next week he’ll be happy and I’ll be sad because the high is supposed to get to 80. I wish Mother Nature would make up her damned mind!

I’m trying to be more social in general, in the hopes of staving off SAD more this year. Tuesday, I went out to lunch with my meta (my partner’s partner, for those who don’t know the parlance). We get along fairly well and it was good to touch base, make sure we were coming from the same place, that kind of thing. This weekend, I’m going to a class regarding polyamory on Saturday and can’t guarantee I’ll know anyone beforehand, and Sunday is my regular D&D group. I’m taking my partner to a monthly gathering that I’ve only been to twice on Tuesday and then next Sunday, Hubby and I are joining my partner and metas at Sunday Assembly. The following weekend is my great-niece’s first birthday party. November, the month I put myself out there! But I think this is going to ultimately be a good thing for me.

Yesterday was a bit of a rough day. I haven’t talked to my mom since March. I’ve reached out to her a couple of times, not gotten a response back. But i decided to stop being afraid of getting in touch and messaged. She called me later and proceeded to make most of the conversation about how disappointing I am as a daughter (the words, “you only have one parent left”, meaning my dad, were said to me and out gutted me) and as a mother (because I didn’t train my kids right when it comes to helping around the house). And continued praise of how wonderful my sister is to help her and her husband with all the medical issues they have and how I need to step up more for my dad. It doesn’t matter that my sister lives next for to my mom and I live an hour away from my dad, I should be out there as often as my sister is for my mom. I refused to let her hear me cry, but sobbed when I got off the phone. I’m still not finished processing it and I’m not sure how I’m going to handle things on the future.

Today I used as a writing/ staying warm under the covers day. I got a lot of thoughts out and am finding that if I stay off the computer, I can write long amounts without consequence to my hands. So that cheers meup somewhat.

Now it’s time for some dinner and a little relaxation. I hope everyone has a great night!

[Kitten_Mitten]

@FairyChatMom

Daughter snapped a pic of the kids last night

Adorable Grands!

@pullin

After dire warnings of “HARD FREEZE” and wild gesticulations by the weather guy in front of pretty colored maps…high winds snatching unsuspecting Chihuahuas

@pullin

Hot tub … I can practice lounging with adult beverages this evening.

sounds heavenly. If only. (if only I could be there; sigh)

@LSLGuy

Dia de los Muertos

Speaking of, today is actually Dia de los Muertos, Nov 2, All Souls Day. Oh heck, have to go, mass in 8 minutes.

[Jack_Batty]

@Paintcharge

@Jack_Batty

about as much as I was making in the warehouse at Beans

Were you pulling nights at Bean’s warehouse? You might have worked with my brother.

No, I was working days up in Lewiston (where that shooting just was (yay)), but I may know your brother. I did work at the place in Freeport for a whle and I did pull a night shift or two.

[Jack_Batty]

@The_Stainless_Steel_Rat

J-Bats, sounds like a job that was made for you. They just opened a Dogtopia near me, wonder if they need an old guy to take care of old dogs…

That’s the name of the place where I’m interviewing. They have like five locations in my city and I know they’re in other states too. Here’s hoping.

[FairyChatMom]

@The_Stainless_Steel_Rat

might be the starter or alternator

FCD thinks it’s the computer $$$!!! I’ll let the expert have a look.

@swampbear

We’re watchin’ Six Feet Under

I loved that show! I shed tears at the final episode, and not just because it was over…

It’s now officially death watch for FCD’s middle brother. He’s neither eating nor drinking, he can’t get out of bed, he can’t communicate, and apparently the only movement is facial grimaces when he’s in pain. He’s on morphine and his wife is going to consult his nephrologist about his dialysis. The nurse who saw BIL today said maybe 2 weeks at the outside.

MIL had said she wanted FCD to fly to TX with her for the funeral, but there won’t be a service and MIL has decided she’d rather remember her son as he used to be. Sigh of relief here, mainly because we’re in the Thanksgiving travel window and getting them there and back would be a major fiasco, and according to google maps it’s about 23 hours of driving from here, so 3 long days on the road each way, with the possibility of not getting a hotel room some nights.

Frankly, we both think she’s too frail to make the trip anyway, so it’s good she doesn’t want to go after all.

We went out for Chinese for supper - it was OK, but I’ll never get their chicken and broccoli again - the texture of the chicken was just weird. Broccoli was good - maybe I should stick with veggie dishes? But we’re home now in chillage mode.

[missred]

@Johnny_L.A

Running low on supplies. No bread, no tortillas, and the cheeses are diminishing. Might have to mask up and go to the store.

Do you have a grocery that delivers near you? That was how I got everything the last time I had the flu.

Glad your mother’s out of the hospital Mooooom. I’m sorry about BIL, but glad that your MIL is being sensible.

Yay for Mauser improving baker!

{{{cat glove and hubby}}} I hope that his procedure goes well.

Yay on power shoe! After hurricane Rita, my sister was out of power for 3 weeks. That meant that she cooked meals on her grill and charged her phone whenever she got in her car.

I met my new neighbor 3 doors down and his sweetheart of a yellow lab, Linc (and I’m trying to recall the human’s name, but it escapes me now) after irk. We decided that some time this weekend, we would introduce Linc and Nelson. He said that he was raised around small dogs, so if there are any issues, it will be because Nelson is being a little cabrón. He’ll have to get used to having another male dog in the building.

Stay safe and healthy y’all!

[Johnny_L.A]

Using caution, I procured bread, tortillas, a block of Tillamook medium cheddar, a package of Tillamook Swiss, and some pork chops.

[LSLGuy]

So starvation will set in again sometime tomorrow.

Sorry you two are still dragging. But major props for giving a shit abut your fellow uninfected humans. Not a lot of that around in many places. Caring that is, not COVID; that shit’s everywhere.

[purplehorseshoe]

@Jack_Batty

hell’s bells … my job will be playing with dogs all day and Bob can come to work with me

There are far worse ways to make a living.

@FairyChatMom

So my car is still filthy. Dammit.

Thx for the reminder; after the Halloween snowpocalypse, my car has a lot of sand (and probably salt) that needs to come off, pronto.

@swampbear

We’re watchin’ Six Feet Under which is entertainin’ yet mildly disturbin’.

Oh, I loved that show. My kinda sense of humor.

@missred

I met my new neighbor 3 doors down and his sweetheart of a yellow lab, Linc (and I’m trying to recall the human’s name, but it escapes me now)

I tend to know my neighbors by their dogs, too.

[dogbutler]

from naptime. Having a Jungle Bird and watching hockey. Italian chicken and orzo on tap for dinner tonight.

@Jack_Batty

my job will be playing with dogs all day and Bob can come to work with me. Win - win.

: crosses appropriate and inappropriate appendages for you and Bob :

@nelliebly

(Right number, wrong street.) Ugh. Poor guy. He said the cigar store was closed and dark and empty

So close, but no cigar?

@FairyChatMom

the texture of the chicken was just weird.

[Fortune Cokkie]That was not chicken in the Kung Pao[/Fortune Cookie]
{{{{FCD}}}}

[The_Stainless_Steel_Rat]

Evening all. Soccer has been practiced for the last time, the boys had fun, now comes the tournament. Could end up playing 5 games in 3 days, so lots of work to do. Once the sun heads down over the horizon it gets cold fast, now 45F at 8pm. Tomorrow is supposed to be somewhat warmer and the weekend they are promising 70F, so we’ll see. Cheeburger has been prepared and consumed so belly is happy.

nellie, I remember one time in Seattle I was at a hotel, tried Uber and watched the guy go completely in the wrong direction. Ended up cancelling (can’t remember if he did or I did) and just took a regular cab. But from my house it’s never been a problem. Maybe just a West Coast issue…

Real Fish, good news on the boys and being sociable, not so much with Mom…and I know she’s your Mom and you love her but is it worth the stress and depression?

J-Bats, just opening here, looks like it’s a fairly large and expanding chain. Fingers crossed it works for you.

red, hope Nelson gets along with the new neighbors.

OK, need to browse around the internet while checking on the Tackleball game on Amazon Prime. Have a good evening all.

[rocking_chair]

Oh dear, I’m sorry fcd is having a really bad family year. This must be so difficult for his mum.

[BippityBoppityBoo]

@LSLGuy

Sorry you two are still dragging. But major props for giving a shit abut your fellow uninfected humans. Not a lot of that around in many places. Caring that is, not COVID;

Wednesday one of my literacy for immigrants/refugee class members came slightly late to our class in the library….coughing and sniffling and sore throat so bad she couldn’t be heard reading aloud. Sat herself down right next to aged beyond belief me with my oxygen cannula in my nose and the oxygen concentrator puffing along next to me, with her well-used Kleenex clutched in her hand and used frequently the whole damn hour. I was stumped as how to handle it because of the divergent cultures and mostly because I’m deathly afraid it might discourage her from continuing to come to learn. It would be hard enough to do with a native English speaker. One of the other students is 8 1/2 pregnant, due to deliver any day~she doesn’t need to be exposed to any viral illness, much less Covid.

My plan is to Covid test tomorrow and then again two days later.

[dogbutler]

Up, caffeinated, and sheveled. Off to heave. It’s 31 degrees ferret height outside.

@BippityBoppityBoo

My plan is to Covid test tomorrow and then again two days later.

: crosses fingers :

[TokyoBayer]

@The_Stainless_Steel_Rat

Sensei, I get an average of about 36 inches of rain a year, winter is usually the dry season for us. Can’t imagine getting 131 inches a year.

I grew up in Salt Lake City, which has an average of 18 inches per year, and about a third of that is snow.

In Taiwan, my major form of transportation was a scooter (my wife normally drove the minivan) and the major problem was finding ways of staying dry. People would sometimes wear two rain suits, often with the outer one put on backwards so that the zipper wouldn’t be in front. You didn’t have to zip it up, but you needed a solid, unbroken sheet of waterproof material in the front. I had a long coat that would actually wrap around my body one and a half times. Even small holes can let in a lot of water when you are going city street speeds.

[swampbear]

Good Mornin’ Y’all! Up and caffeinatin’. YAWN ‘Tis 39 Amurrkin out and mostly clear with a predicted high of 71 and mostly N.O.S. for the day. Over the next several days high temps will range from mid 70s to mid 80s. Weather be weird. Sloth and general overall uselessness shall be the rule of the day. This will include, of course, nappage, day drinkin’, and bein’ retired drains on society. Sup shall be majik intartoobz pizza and sallit.

J-Bats appropriate/inappropriate appendages crossed re the new gig. Sounds like it is a job that will make you very happy,

Real Fish good for you for the attempt to be more sociable and glad the youngun’s are doin’ somewhat better. Sorry for all the crap from your mom.

Now I need more caffeine and to feed rumbly tummy. Then, onward into the day! Rah.

Happy Firday Y’all!

[purplehorseshoe]

@TruePisces

most of the conversation about how disappointing I am as a daughter (the words, “you only have one parent left”, meaning my dad, were said to me and out gutted me) and as a mother (because I didn’t train my kids right when it comes to helping around the house). And continued praise of how wonderful my sister is to help her and her husband with all the medical issues they have and how I need to step up more for my dad. It doesn’t matter that my sister lives next for to my mom and I live an hour away from my dad, I should be out there as often as my sister is for my mom. I refused to let her hear me cry, but sobbed when I got off the phone.

Yeeeesh.

I am so sorry. Sometimes our own blood kin are the worst people in our lives.

[FairyChatMom]

It’s another (literally) freezing morning. Yet here I sit drinking a diet coke over ice - go figure!

Today. my sweetie is 67 years old. We have no real plans for today - the family celebration will be tomorrow at Texas Roadhouse. I don’t think we’re going to make him wear the cowboy hat or have the staff sing to him, as we really hate that sort of thing. But we’ll have a nice family gathering and maybe it’ll help distract MIL for a little while.

As for today, I have an appt with my dermatologist to get a once-over. I’m not too concerned since I don’t spend a lot of time in the sun. But better safe, yanno. Not sure what else the day will hold - I’ll figure it out as I go along. It won’t be anything too taxing, tho, as I’ve been up since 3-stoopit-30. One decent night’s sleep seems to be followed by 2 or 3 short nights. Not fair! But so it goes.

Happy Firday anyway!!

[purplehorseshoe]

Treated myself to fried dumplings and egg drop wonton soup yesterday. (Basically, dumplings to go with my dumplings, plus some dumplings. Also, dumplings.)

So here I sit in the pre-dawn darkness, with Monkey conveniently at hand for pettin’ and scritchin’, finishing the leftovers.
I like egg drop soup; I like wonton soup. I’ve never encountered a place that combines the two (Asian fusion FTW!) but I am heavily in favor of the concept.

@FairyChatMom

Yet here I sit drinking a diet coke over ice - go figure!

One of my best friends in middle school, her mom would only eat ice cream in the winter.

Growing up in the depths of hell Texas, where you literally can fry an egg on the sidewalk in summer, this made no sense to me. Why wouldn’t you wanna cool off?

Ice cream in winter is less nonsensical. I’m already bundled up and - theoretically - staying toasty warm, and ice cream is still sweet and delicious.

Plus I guess it doesn’t melt as fast.

@FairyChatMom

tomorrow at Texas Roadhouse. I don’t think we’re going to make him wear the cowboy hat or have the staff sing to him

The staff on shift tomorrow thanks you in advance.

---

The snow from Halloween’s snowstorm has almost completely melted away; guaranteed there will be zero evidence remaining once the sun is up.

Well, except for the giant tree mutilated all over my backyard. And my memories.

Pepperidge Farm remembers.

Family Guy- Pepperidge Farm Remembers

[TokyoBayer]

I made tortillas for the first time. I can’t believe how easy they are to make!! We can get them in some of the supermarkets, but they are more expensive here and I don’t get my tacos fix often enough.

My son’s school class is raising funds for their school trip next year so they have to make food and desserts to sell at various school events. He wanted to make tacos for an event next Saturday, but the cost of the tortillas would have eaten (ha!) into profits so we decided to try to make them.

I bought some fresh crabs yesterday. Hokkaido has great seafood and this was no disappointment. I made kabinabe crab hotpot with a shirodashi base for the soup, hakusai, daikon, kon’yaku, tofu and various other ingredients. TokyoWife really enjoyed that. I made boiled crab for dinner, along with the tacos. While they don’t normally go together, no one was turning it down.

My wife is gone for another few days. I feel like a single father. She’s been gone about a third of the time and the kids and I went to the States and Taiwan together for a month this summer. I have greater respect for those who have to do this all the time.

@TruePisces

She called me later and proceeded to make most of the conversation about how disappointing I am as a daughter (the words, “you only have one parent left”, meaning my dad, were said to me and out gutted me) and as a mother (because I didn’t train my kids right when it comes to helping around the house).

Damn. I am sooooo glad my father is already long dead. That’s a lot to deal with.