So glad you liked the card. I very much enjoy making Christmas cards. I make them year round.
While I was stress baking, I forgot to toast the walnuts for a batch of tea cakes. Now I’m stressed over the stress reliever.
It’s raining. I didn’t know it was supposed to rain. Not that it matters.
We watched one episode of Tudors and 2 specials of Jim Jeffries on Netflix. Yes, our evenings are that exciting. Sleepy-bye time now.
Or you could make Regal Potatoes. If you’re interested, I’ll be happy to share recipe. I’d like someone to make and enjoy them since I really can’t anymore since both Hubs and Daughter are lactose intolerant.
I’m going to use JtC’s & Nettie’s suggestions above the next time I make pork chops.
I’d be interested in that recipe, please.
Up, caffeinated, and sheveled. Off to heave.
< headdesk > and {{{{FairyChats}}}}
{{{{Coppertone}}}}
If you suck down enough of any gas, you fart. 
I watched the Survivor 47 finale. I need to watch the new Shogun, so I can nitpick the sword choices.
IANAD, but one of my kids is. Board certified, fellowship-trained psychiatrist. They definitely know their mother has a brain injury since they were in the car as a passenger when I got the brain injury. They know I need to minimize brain noise and cognitive commotion. When I was visiting them in February they encouraged me to enjoy an edible of an evening when we were all relaxed and watching a movie in their living room (all perfectly legal, this was in Colorado). Said doctor child also sent me home with some, so obviously edibles aren’t contraindicated in senior women with concussions/brain injuries. Same doctor child exhorted me to taper off any and all benzodiazepines for anxiety a few years ago, all they felt those weren’t a good idea, they might contribute to brain fog and certainly heightened the risks of falls and loss of balance. No such concerns with edibles.
Make what use of this you might wish. It’s just one story, but I’m sticking to it.
I fretted all day over the moving situation. It’s very depressing. However, it looks like I may have to stay at the complex another year. My lease is up on February 28th. My brother messaged me that his TKR surgery is scheduled for Feb.10th. I’ll need to get there two days ahead and will probably need to stay 10 days to help out, as I did that with my sister, and it was barely enough. That means I won’t return until the 20th or so, and I’ll be gone just when I should be looking at places to rent if I stay local. I was kind of hoping he’d hold off until early March, but since he’s in some pain, that’s pretty selfish. For various reasons, I’m the only one who can go and help (and am glad to do so), and his wife isn’t exactly up to the task.
I can afford to stay here, but I hate the noise, the owners and their money-grubbing ways, and besides, mhigher rent means less to save so I can get a car and expand employment opportunities. It occurred to me today that I don’t know what I’ll do when I get too old to work. Well, don’t borrow trouble, as they say.
My downstairs neighbors are having a loud get-together as I type this.
One of my cousins called today. I haven’t heard from him in about 4 years. The last phone call, he kept saying some extremist political things that were pretty racist, and I kept asking him to stop and finally had to raise my voice to air raid siren level. “PLEASE. STOP.” I guess he had to wait to call until he forgot. Anyway, he had a lot to say, and he DID avoid politics, so it was a long (90 minute) call.
Ah, Martin Shkreli. What a jerk. That smug smile as he kept saying, “On the advice of my attorney, I decline to answer” or whatever it was was hard to take. We watched a little of it on the news, and one of my students–one of the few really awful students that made me wish I’d become a sewer inspector–said, “Man, I admire that guy. Man, I’d like to shake his hand. That guy is sick. [As in cool.] That’s the way I’d be if they made me go up there [testify before Congress].”
I said, “[___], Martin Shkreli is generally known as the most hated man in America.” I explained why, and the kid looked chagrined and shut up. Imagine admiring that low-life.
Ironing. I only iron when I hem pants, so not very often. My ironing lessons followed the same order as yours, FCM. Handkerchiefs, pillowcases, sheets, and on up through Dad’s button-down shirts, which required more skill, what with ironing around the buttons and creasing the collar. We only changed our sheets every 2 weeks because a) six people, five beds, so lots of sheets b) “We’re clean when we go to bed.” and c) Mom had a full-time job (teaching), was taking graduate classes, had a politically active husband, a house to clean, dinner to cook, and four lively kids to manage. It was a great and glorious day when Mom discovered permanent press.
This has been gloomy, so here’s something nice. Yesterday I had a retinal doc appointment. (All’s well there. Glaucoma is stable.) I asked the tech here plans for Christmas. She said she hoped her family of 12 (!) would get together, as she wants to spill her news: she’s having a baby in May. She was so excited as she told me how she and her husband are planning on how they want to make the big announcement that I had to get a little excited, too.
So much I want to say in response, but this is so long. I DID read all attentively and with affection.
Sticky, waiting that long for a root canal is crazy. I’d start feeling like Tom Hanks in Castaway when he found the ice skates. Are you on a cancelation list?
Yay on the good health news, hippie
He already IS an influencer: he influences you to feed him and let him consume your hand. Also, he’s very cute and has worked out a way to get you to give him all his food free in exchange for publicity. He probably has a secret TikTok channel already. (You don’t want to know what he’s up to while you’re sleeping.)
The next time I post something like this, I want one of you fine folks to come to my house and smack the everlovin’ shit outta me.
Car(e)less Co-worker had a death in the family ( 
) and wasn’t in.
Another of the girls - who happened to be acting like a total bitch last shift & frankly, I wasn’t looking forward to finding out if she was in a mood again or not; when she has her act together, she’s a very strong crew member - ALSO called out, and S.M. was uncharacteristically circumspect about why.
So we were double-short handed.
One of the other guys stayed late & covered for Carless so we’d at least have a minimum skeleton crew to close.
But it was still a mostly-frantic evening, and S.M. took the phone off the hook a LOT. (Of course, that now just triggers an avalanche of online orders … )
Okay, I wore - no joke - fleece Xmas-themed PJs with black cats on them to work (even on an especially difficult day like today, there are some things I lurve about this job!) but I need to get outta this cardigan and bra before I can really decompress.
Then I can get back to painting my Secret Santa box, snuggling Monkey, and killing off this joint.
… D’aaaawwwwwww, while I was typing that last part, he practically crawled into my lap. 
Now he’s stretch-flopped all the way across my appendages like my thighs are his personal sofa, lying on top of black cats on my PJs and, of course, purring.
Is it feasible (or even possible) for you to go month-to-month, instead of renewing for an entire year?
Most places will allow it, although the monthly rent will be more than under a 12-month lease.
But it would buy (ha!) you a bit of breathing room …
Morning, mumpers! It’s currently 4c/39f with a predicted high of 5c/41f, and partly cloudy. Weather app says “Is it partly cloudy or partly fucking sunny? Mother Nature needs to make up her fucking mind.” It’s definitely chilly out there, the sky is mostly clear and it’s starting to get brighter although it was precipitatin’ when I left home.
Sounds like she’s had a right run around since then - avoiding crowds and noise won’t be easy unless she’s prepared to stay at home all the time 
Shades Good to hear from you, I hope the festive break isn’t too dramatic!
Hurrah! Much as I enjoy driving US rental cars, I am always concerned about damaging them - I am the person driving round a car park looking for two spaces just so I know I’ve got plenty of room. Hell, I do that in my local supermarket’s car park too!
I have both too, but I plan to hang on to them 
They’re going to be worth a lot more than “What Does This Button Do?”…I had a copy of that, read it, and left it in the book swap area downstairs in the student lounge at work.
If the neighbours are so noisy, and there are empty apartments in the complex, could you approach management about maybe moving to a different one where you might not have to deal with so much aggravation?
Yesterday was not such a bad day, had a meeting out of the office (in one of the campus coffee shops) and managed to persuade the ADHD Squirrel that we need to do something specific (won’t bore you with the details), she was unconvinced until I explained to her that my two depts would be doing it anyway. Then she decided it would be a good idea.
The commute home wasn’t too bad either, the train from campus was late as usual but got re-platformed going into Big City Station and I got off on the opposite side of the platform I needed for my usual train home. Except my usual train wasn’t there, the delayed previous service was there and it was a largely empty Nice Train, so the trip back to my local station was far more pleasant than I was expecting. Got home and did some bits and pieces, didn’t go to the pub as one of the friends isn’t well so decided he should stay at home. We’ll catch up before hexmas to exchange gifts once he’s sorted it out with his partner.
I had a nice soaky bath instead, we had takeaway for dinner and watched some tellybox stuff. I was in bed at a reasonable time but had trouble sleeping so I was up again just after 5am. Managed to motivate myself sufficiently that I was in time for the Nice Train this morning, and made it on to the campus train with a minimum of scuttling. Came in to an empty office, made a cuppa and am now catching up with all of you.
Three of us in the office today, and only two of us tomorrow. I might ask my minion if she wants to work at home tomorrow, doesn’t seem much point us both being in when there’s naff all going on.
Good Mornin’ Y’all! Up and caffeinatin’. YAWN ‘Tis 54 Amurrkin out and mostly clear with a predicted high of 67 and N.O.S. We shall get shorn this mornin’ and then be bears who brawl brunch at Waffle House. The rest of the day will be spent in high RDOS inactivities as is our wont.
Now I need more caffeine and I suppose I should purtify and don attire acceptable for bein’ amongst the great unwashed. I have done this far too often this week and am appalled that I must yet again!
Happy Thursday Y’all!
My take on this:
Rough chop a bell pepper and a sweet onion. Sauté them in a little olive oil and set aside. Lightly sear the pork chops with a sprinkle of granulated garlic. Mix a can of cream of celery and a can of tomato soup with half a cup or so of dry white win, adding salt and pepper to taste. add some dried basil and parsley. Put the chips and veggies in a baking dish and pour the soup mix over them and bake in a 350f degree oven for forty five minutes.
Moi, aussi!
My dad taught me to press using a cloth so I could “freshen up” his suits for work. He’d pay me a dime apiece. BUT I’d get a quarter to do his tux! Dad was very active in the Knights of Columbus, so he wore his tux a lot, and I’d “freshen it up” between trips to the dry cleaner.
So when I got into the Navy, I knew how to iron my dress blues without making them shiny. Thanks, Dad!
Do you tend to encounter the same fellow riders during your commutes to and from work? As I think back, even taking the same route at roughly the same time for many years, I rarely saw the same cars, but then a few seconds difference leaving the house or catching a traffic light would affect everyone’s timing. But trains and buses, theoretically, follow schedules…
OK, I had a flash of sheer genius this morning. As I mentioned above, I’ll be dying the whites for the deviled eggs and the red ones will be the Bloody Mary recipe. So, the filling for the green halves will have chopped ham in it - Green Eggs and HAM!!! Inspired, no?? 
Deck guy is coming at 11 today. I really need to get someone else to come with an estimate, if not 2 other someones. FCD is guessing $15K but I’m thinking he’s pessimistically high. After all, this is just replacing the deck boards. Of course, if we go with composite boards, that’s a possibility. We shall have to see. It’s a (I think) 10’ X 12’ deck, four 3’ wide steps, and a 4’ wide ramp that’s about 6 or 7’ long. We built it all 12 years ago and I’m guessing about the sizes. Anyway, we’ll see what the guy has to say today.
And that’s the only real plan. Oh, except one of our goofy swap game gifts will be a wallet I never used that I’m going to stick a few scratch-off tickets in, so I need to buy the tickets, then wrap the gifts for the game. No real rush on that, but since I have nothing else to do, I may do it today. Or ask FCD to get some tickets when he goes for his morning soda. Or not. No biggie either way.
And so it begins. Happy Thursday!!
Good morning.
It’s 43F and cloudy outside at the moment. A few rain showers are expected a little later this morning, becoming a steady light rain in the afternoon with a high temperature of 55F.
Yesterday’s morning commute was extra soggy with high winds and a torrential downpour. I arrived in Oly town and sat in the Haggen parking lot, waiting for the store to open, watching lightning blaze all around me and the effects of colossal wind gusts. The metal poles with handicap signs were clanking and bending in the wind. When the store opened at 5:00, the wind almost ripped the umbrella out of my hand.
The storm eventually calmed, and my afternoon commute was dry but contained the usual gridlock and left-lane vigilantes.
I guess my big meeting was productive, and the staff enjoyed the potluck. There was too much food as usual. I gave each of my peers and the admin team a Christmas card and ornament—just a little something to bring some cheer.
FCM, while I don’t take trains or buses, I often encounter the same people/vehicles on my commute. The cars are recognizable due to a particular out-of-state license plate, dent, or paint color. And, probably, the reason the vehicles even stood out to me in the first place was the fact the drivers did something stupid, like being a left-lane vigilante or nearly wide-swiping other cars because they weren’t paying attention while attempting to make a lane change. I tend to leave at around the same time in the morning, or drive home around the same time in the afternoon.
For instance, there’s a numbnuts who drives a Tesla. He or she enters I-5 northbound at the Pacific Ave on-ramp, slowly cruises across the lanes like he or she is driving a land barge and enters the left lane doing ten freakin’ miles below the speed limit. I see this person almost every time I commute home from Olympia. It’s a gray Tesla with a particular set of numbers on the plate.
Shoe, I hope your next shift is fully staffed and goes well.
Nellie, it’s nice and quiet in my son’s apartment complex. It’s over by Evergreen State College. I’m surprised at how peaceful it is. However, BooFae’s suggestion for perhaps moving to a quieter corner of your complex sounds like a good suggestion. Assuming there is a quiet corner.
Herald, I’m sorry to read about your wife’s fall. I hope the healing process speeds up for her.
It’s time to finish loading the dishwasher and prep for my work day. 
It’s my Friday and then I’m on leave. Huzzah!
White stuff is falling in earnest this morning. In Minneapolis, too. The Alberta Clipper has arrived and we’ll likely have 5-6" before it’s over. The plow trucks have been scurrying about since early hours. Looks a lot more like Christmas season out there, for sure.
The staff sponsored a holiday dinner for all residents last night, which was very generous of them. The wine was actually drinkable. They hired a roaming violinist who was quite good to provide entertainment. We haven’t eaten in the dining room in over a year; it was nice to have some conversation and cheer.
I’ll likely make our last batch of seasonal cookies today.
Ask and you shall receive:
Regal Potatoes
6 - 8 large potatoes
1 cup chopped onions
1 - 3 garlic cloves
1 cup sour cream
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 stick melted butter
8 ou grated or shredded cheese
ground pepper
method:
Scrub potatoes, cut into chunks (I do not peel to increase nutritional value) and boil until pierces easily with fork. Let cool.
Chop onions (I suggest using food processor. I also use the food processor to shred a ½ # block of cheese).
In very large bowl, combine cream of chicken, sour cream, shredded cheese (I use sharp cheddar), melted margarine & chopped onions.
Use garlic press to press cloves over mixture.
Add ground pepper (I use a pepper mill and grind liberally; however, if you don’t care for much pepper, just sprinkle a little over mixture).
Mix thoroughly. Put in refrigerator until potatoes are ready.
When potatoes have cooled a bit, drain them and cut into slices or small chunks.
Fold into mixture and stir gently until potatoes are well coated.
Spoon into 13 x 9 pan and bake at 375 degrees for 45 minutes covered; for an additional 5-10 minutes uncovered.
Note: you will have more than will fit in a 13 x 9 pan if you did not use the frozen hash browns. I use a 2nd casserole and freeze for later use.
substitutions:
• For potatoes - original recipe called for 2 lb frozen hash browns; they should be thawed for 30 minutes
• For garlic cloves - original recipe did not include any garlic so feel free to exclude if you don’t care for it; you could substitute garlic butter and reduce the amount of butter accordingly; or add ½ - 1 tsp garlic powder
• For sour cream - plain yogurt
• For cream of chicken - cream of celery or mushroom
Yes, quite often. I see a few familiar faces on the bus, although I don’t always use the same time service. On the trains, it’s dependent on which one you get on and where you choose to sit. Since I have to change trains in the Big City station, I favour the end carriage of the train because it stops closest to the staircase at the back end of the platforms and that’s the easiest and quickest way to get from one train to the next. I know there are a few people who do exactly the same thing, for the same reason!
We call them TeslaTwats. I’m sorry your commute is plagued by them too.
When mum first looked at the flat she finally took in the sheltered housing complex, she swore blind she would never set foot in the communal lounge. Yeah, that lasted until the first coffee morning then she was in there for pretty much everything they organised! I’m glad you had a decent meal and some company, and hurrah for drinkable wine!
I’ve just wasted nearly 2hrs attending our annual “festive forum”, where the mucky-mucks deign to appear and tell us we’ve done a tolerably good job but we need to do better.
it is st. nicholas day!! (julian calendar types)
my stocking had new holiday shirts, earrings, coasters, and socks!
last night my birdmoss box arrived. i now have a lovely new date book. i haven’t had a date book in years. i will use it to record all the books i read in 2025. usually i write them down in a journal type book. a fountain pen came with the book. still just love this subscription box.
i haven’t ironed in quite some time. i do have an iron and an ironing board. one of the few scent memories i have is my mum ironing sheets and table cloths. she would do it on the kitchen table instead of the ironing board. there was a pad thing she would put down first. no fitted sheets at that point.
i watched the new season of queer eye on sunday. they had a person on who does costuming in las vegas. she had the cutest tiniest ironing board. i would guess it would be for trim? that was sooooo very wee.
I got quite a lot from my 89¢/lb spiral sliced ham. There were 7 or 8 vacu-packs of slices now in the freezer for future meals, a pack of slices for, probably, tonight’s supper, a baggie of chopped bits for the deviled eggs, and a bowl of cubed pieces for bean soup (along with the bone in a bag.) And I gave FCD a plate of scraps to snack on. And it took less than an hour to do all that - go me!
The deck guy should be here in a bit over an hour. I’ve sent requests to 2 other companies to see if they’ll respond. And this afternoon I’ll go to the post office to mail the inheritance checks to TX SIL and her son - Is registered, signature required, the best way to go? It’s a fair chunk of change and we don’t want to risk interception and check-washing. They’re cashier’s checks rather than personal checks.
I’ll also run into a convenience store or something for the scratch-off tickets. And that should be all I need to worry about today.