The pumpkin spice (bleck!) MMP [Old]

[purplehorseshoe]

@dogbutler

we have 71 Blueberries starting. Which means we might have 5 Blueberries left by Friday

Dang, that points to either horrid work conditions, or some seriously lax hiring standards.

Or both.

@dogbutler

one of the PT sups at work wears a heavy hoodie, with the hood up. In the building in August. And I don’t recall ever seeing him sweat.

That’s terrifying.

@rocking_chair

switched soap from some sort of mint (cooling for summer)… { snip }

i am always cold

See, now I’m confused.

@Misnomer

Here’s something I never thought I’d type: Mom’s death certificates were just delivered! Yay!

Deaths create some of the strangest scenarios, don’t they?

@Misnomer

I need a dark/quiet/cool room, socks, warmth from the waist down (but I can’t sleep in any kind of PJ bottoms), and a fan for the waist up (but I can’t sleep without a top). It wasn’t this complicated the last time I regularly shared a bed with someone (~10 years ago)…I imagine that I’d be quite challenging to (literally) sleep with these days!

Nah. As long as your bed-neighbor also wants it dark/quiet/cool (and frankly, anyone who doesn’t is probably a rabid hyena raised in a barn by sociopathic wolves anyway) then your socks/clothing details aren’t their problem.

I wasn’t planning to sleep with you anytime soon, but for the record, I am Team DarkQuietCoolWithSocks.

@Misnomer

I need to pretend that I never clicked on that link…

You and me both. I clicked … something … and now my Amazon app is set to U.K. and won’t go back & no offense to our British friends or nuthin’ but this is a problem I don’t know how to solve and is vexing me.

@Misnomer

I generally don’t think about any of my meals until pretty much I’m ready to eat,

Same. I can plan ahead, but by the time X + 1.5 hrs has passed, I don’t want X anymore. One anna half hours ago Shoe wanted it, but that was her, not Present Shoe.

@Misnomer

there are people who spend a chunk of every Sunday doing meal prep/planning for the entire week!

I’d starve. There’s almost no chance that what Sunday Shoe wanted to eat would seem appetizing to Thursday Shoe.

@Chefguy

His stepson impresses me more each time I talk to him. He’s in his frosh year at UW(isc) and seems to be totally focused on the job at hand. Likes to read, and actually admits to it!

There’s hope for humanity yet.

---

Whelp { slaps knee } guess I’m officially on my way to Michigander status.
The clerk’s eyes got a bit bigger when I plopped down my gigantic pile o’documents (“I wanted to make SURE I wasn’t missing anything, this time”) but after some perusing over it all she said everything was good, did a quick vision check, snapped a (semi-horrible) pic, punched “VOID” onto my TX DL, and sent me on my way into the sunshine, with my now-mutilated TX DL stapled to my temporary Mich D.L. piece o’paper.

I bought a clock for work a few weeks ago (a rainbow colored “training” clock … if I didn’t describe the details of why remind my trash memory, but there was good reason) and my manager reimbursed me yesterday, so I think imma take that bit o’ca$h and myself both out for a celebration meal.

… especially since I was too on edge to manage breakfast after all. I tried. There’s even a diner near where I had to go, that I’d love to try but I … just … couldn’t …

… so no eggs/bacon/chocolate chip pancakes for me.
Dammit. Now, they sound soooo good. But “normal” people don’t eat breakfast at 2 p.m. so I’ll hafta find something else.

[The_Stainless_Steel_Rat]

And a good early afternoon to all. Been moderately productive, did some shopping and then got my Jersey MIke’s #3 sammich while on the road, then called Mr. Handyman to replace my disposal (Yes, I know it’s not a major job, but I know my limitations nuts-and-bolts wise, not to mention my back if I spent 45 minutes crouched/sitting/lying on the floor). They got someone out in a couple hours, which is a really good turn-around and he got the job done in about 40 minutes. The bill was more than I paid for the new disposal, but it’s within my monthly budget so no problems.

So after keeping our economy rolling along, need to head out to the gym and get the Moanday swimming and sauna time in and see if my weight has reached…under 240lbs (was close last week). Then soccer practice and the evening sloth.

Shoe, very glad you’re legal again. Enjoy the meal. And we have places that do breakfast all day, so why the heck not? (says the man who has been known to eat White Castles for breakfast).

doggio, hope there isn’t a Blueberry fallout.

As for the the sibling diversion, I have one brother, we talk and I visit them on Thanksgiving and Xmas but he’s got a wife and three grown children while I’m a life-long bachelor, and he’s very conservative and religious while I…am not. Still would do anything for him and them, but phone calls every several weeks seems to be sufficient for both of us.

Cookie, glad the visit came off and everybody sounds happy.

Oopsie, no meetings and the other guys’ on holiday…sounds wonderful.

Flyboy, hope the meetup goes well. You never know how people change…or don’t.

OK, need to put on the swimming trunks and get over to that gym. Take care all.

[swampspruce]

Celebrated Thanksgiving Canada-style with pumpkin pie and requisite spices the way it was intended, although not quite traditional as it also contained roasted white chocolate ganache. It was every bit as good as it sounds. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MXzNtsL5HYU

Insofar as stupid pumpkin spice stuff, the winner for me has to be pumpkin spice PLA 3d printer filament. Premium Pumpkin Spice PLA 1.75mm Filament (1kg/roll)

[longhair75]

@swampbear

I don’t like pumpkin spice anything. I don’t even like pumpkin. I think pumpkin pie is an abomination. There, I said it.

I have said that using the exact same words except one: pumpkin pie is just nasty

[LSLGuy]

Car finished! Off to next adventure.

[rocking_chair]

the mint soap is for cooling for after a walk home in 90 degrees and humidity. after the cooling a sweat suit is donned.

[Misnomer]

swampspruce made me realize that I forgot to wish “Happy Thanksgiving” to the Canadian Mumpers! So Happy Thanksgiving, eh?

It’s almost 4:30pm, and the workday has remained quiet; I even cancelled the tagup with my direct report (after a quick check-in via MS Teams). I haven’t gotten a single email that required any action, and only a handful of emails at all. My kinda Monday! I’ll log off before 5:00. Happily, I have no meetings/appointments this evening.

@LSLGuy

Sounds like you were offset 2 or 3 hours, maybe a bit more.

Prolly around 5 hours. He was naturally “behind” by 3 hours due to the west coast job/east coast abode thing, plus he had a tendency to stay up/sleep in even later. There were one or two benefits – e.g., plenty of time to myself – but the cons definitely outweighed the pros. We dealt with it, and our schedules weren’t a factor in our eventual breakup, but it did make me realize that with future relationships I’d want more alignment in that regard.

@LSLGuy

Bottom line being I’m often up & moving 6 hours before she emerges.

That is tough.

@purplehorseshoe

There’s almost no chance that what Sunday Shoe wanted to eat would seem appetizing to Thursday Shoe.

Exactamundo!

@swampspruce

pumpkin spice PLA 3d printer filament

Wow.

[nightshadea]

@purplehorseshoe

@dogbutler

we have 71 Blueberries starting. Which means we might have 5 Blueberries left by Friday

Dang, that points to either horrid work conditions, or some seriously lax hiring standards.

Or both.

part of it is people not knowing what they signed up for or deciding "f this " its not for me … when I was an insert 5-10 people a week would be hired for an 10-5 job butting together the preprinted sections of the la times assembly line style on a table …then when you did your 1500-2 k stack it would get moved to a wrapping machine where wed add the one-sheet ads like fast food coupons and then the little piece of plastic string would get wrapped around it and cut and put back on the cart to be added to the rest of the paper that would arrive about 11 pm

it was a job that was a combo of being fast and bored at the same time …i did it for 3 months every Saturday out of 40 mostly teenagers hired only 4 were left well actually 3 since I went to sell video games at a swapmeet

usually, half would stay after the first week then the 2nd week when they found out the paycheck was maybe 50 bucks (this was in 1991 MW was 4.25/hr)they’d quit …

then at the start of the month it’d start all over again …i imagine its the same there

[FairyChatMom]

MIL will be spending the night here so they can get an even earlier start in the morning. FCD is fetching her now. Supper will be last night’s leftovers, plus cauliflower.

I fired up the pellet stove to take the chill out of the house, especially with MIL coming over. It’s a bit more comfy now, tho the bedrooms will remain cool, being at the other end of the house.

Speaking of houses, remember that $$$ listing down the street from us? Well, it’s got a contingent contract at $625K - a slight reduction in price, but still at least $150K more than the next most expensive house in the neighborhood. It makes me shake my head, but it’s not my mortgage. More power to 'em!

OK, microwave is beeping - back to the kitchen!!

[overlyverbose]

My daughter sadly loves pumpkin spice everything. I haven’t decided if it’s because she’s a 13 yo girl or because she seriously likes it, but it’s pretty raunch.

Today I’m curmudgeony. My calendar at work keeps filling up, even if I block it out so it looks like I have meetings already. As a result, I now have people trying to quadruple and quintuple book me. So much for “empowering employees” to be in charge of their time. Unless I am empowered to be four to five more people at once, I shall use decline with abandon (unless it gets me in trouble, in which case, management is going to have to solve for the lack of multiples).

My friend made me go to a “Witches of…” type of event over the weekend. If you’ve never been to one it’s an excuse for a bunch of 30+ yo women to get together, take over a small, quaint touristy town, dress up in costumes or whatever they want to wear and stroll around, drink wine in the street and shop at local shops. When it gets dark, you plop down on the green, have a picnic and dance to live music. It was the first time in years I’d felt easy enough to just sit and enjoy myself. I wasn’t planning how and when I’d get back, feeling guilty about not giving anyone my attention and didn’t look at my watch more than a couple of times. It was…nice. It made me think of my husband and wish he could do something similar with friends.

Overlyboy went to his senior homecoming this weekend. He had a great time. There was a minor interaction with the police - he went to a park with friends afterward because they didn’t want to go to the afterparties and decided to tinker with his telescope instead in a local park, which closes at sundown. I’m not going to complain. Whatever shenanigans they were up to (stargazing is plausible for him), they were safe and sober and not being jerks, so I’m good.

Oh, well. Work and waddling call.

[JaneDoe42]

@scareyfaerie

This, however, is an abomination.

That is not a link to click while eating breakfast. shudders

@purplehorseshoe

@FairyChatMom

It looks soooooooooo good but I’m trying so hard to avoid sweets.

Looks can be deceiving. That stuff tastes like crap, and will be so disappointing.

The cake part will be dry and tasteless and the frosting stiff and over sweet. Not really a treat at all!

@purplehorseshoe

I’ve also seen counter-memes about just letting people enjoy their silly phone games, P.S. whatever, and other tiny joys in life, and … well, I can see both sides.

See, I’m up for that. I’m not into PS, but I do know that Starbucks was responsible for the abundance of small, local coffee shops. I don’t like Starbucks but I lurves me some GOOD coffee.

Now, if you want to do something that will make big strong men with tears in their eyes praise your name…wait until the middle of Christmas season and then start visiting stores that have those battery operated noise makers. Shut each one off. If possible, open them and reverse the batteries (won’t hurt the thing).

The gratitude displayed by the poor hostage clerks that have been listening to those constantly for days is sometimes tear-jerking.

They can’t shut them off, but I am a customer and the customer is always right!

@purplehorseshoe

(Then again, smoky, HOT ooey-gooey semi melted cheese sounds really good.)

You have NO idea!

There is also a certain point when making cheddar that the curds squeak when you eat them. It’s only a five minute window, which makes them even more special.

As you bad influenced me AND I don’t get up at the crack of dawn without being sure it is worth it, I wedged a wheel of Caerphilly and talked hubs into going to the junction for more milk (I have issues driving after dark), made up a batch of Mozzerella, chunked it up and put it in a colander to dry overnight.

When the clock went off at 5 fucking am, I pulled the cheese out of the cave to bring it up to room temp, then fired up the smoker and went back to bed for another half hour. After putting the cheese in the smoker, I figured that as long as I had to be out there monitoring the smoker, I might as well do other stuff like scrubbing the birdbaths and feeders and watering the trees.

This ticked VBC off because she usually gets up with hubs, eats her breakfast and then comes back to bed with me. If I get up early, she has to get up early to supervise and will go out into the catio when I go out back and then come back in when I come in to wash my hands every 15 minutes (because the tap water is too cold and of course I’m going to scrub my hands before touching the tongs to turn the cheese over). She started bitching at me after about an hour and then said fuck it and went back to bed without me.

I cut some catnip for her and I’ll give it to her after she gets back up in the hopes of forgiveness.

Breakfast was hot, melty, smoky cheese smeared on hot French bread with a handful of fresh off the vine cherry tomatoes. The unconsumed cheese wedges are now on drying racks and I’ll wax them tonight.

[purplehorseshoe]

@Misnomer

I even cancelled the tagup with my direct report

I’ve been out of the corporate sphere around five years, and I’m already completely behind. Bolded was a new word for me, though I can gather from context what you meant.

@nightshadea

it was a job that was a combo of being fast and bored at the same time

Ah, technology. These days, everyone would have earbuds and be listening to music, podcasts, or “Learn to speak Portuguese!” lessons while working.

@nightshadea

then the 2nd week when they found out the paycheck was maybe 50 bucks (this was in 1991 MW was 4.25/hr)they’d quit …

then at the start of the month it’d start all over again

That hiring manager must’ve really liked talking to teenagers. Imagine how much less turnover there might have been with a simple, “Most people make $X per paycheck for Y hours, you still want in?” during the initial hiring.

Less initial workforce, sure, but if you’re gonna hafta replace them within one pay period anyway …

@overlyverbose

I haven’t decided if it’s because she’s a 13 yo girl or because she seriously likes it, but it’s pretty raunch.

My money is on the former. There is very, very little I liked when I was 13 that still appeals to me now.

@overlyverbose

I now have people trying to quadruple and quintuple book me.

Ooooh, lookit the popular girl!

@overlyverbose

My friend made me go to a “Witches of…” type of event over the weekend.

Good for you, and good on yr friend. Sounds like you needed the getaway.

@overlyverbose

a bunch of 30+ yo women to get together, take over a small, quaint touristy town, dress up in costumes or whatever they want to wear and stroll around, drink wine in the street and shop at local shops. When it gets dark, you plop down on the green, have a picnic and dance to live music.

I’ve never heard of it, but I just took a mental internal inventory, and I am fully capable of doing all of those things.

@overlyverbose

It was the first time in years I’d felt easy enough to just sit and enjoy myself. I wasn’t planning how and when I’d get back, feeling guilty about not giving anyone my attention and didn’t look at my watch more than a couple of times. It was…nice.

Well, then, I’m definitely happy for you that you attended.

@overlyverbose

Whatever shenanigans they were up to (stargazing is plausible for him), they were safe and sober and not being jerks

Tentative faith in future of humanity restored, pt II.

@JaneDoe42

Breakfast was hot, melty, smoky cheese smeared on hot French bread with a handful of fresh off the vine cherry tomatoes.

I haz so much jealous right now.

---

I couldn’t get the aforementioned “diner food” off the brain, and since what Shoe wants … well, I eventually re-pantsed myself sufficiently to bestir myself to IHOP, where I haven’t been in quite a long time.

Per the O.P. I (regret to) inform you that they have P.S. cold-brew coffee (“sweetened with vanilla!” WTF? that’s not how either sweetening, nor vanilla, work) along with make-your-own smiley face pancakes, where instead of bringing you the happy thing of our collective childhood dreams, they just bring you a pancake with the whipped cream face + some candy, and you … do the rest yourself.

Spooky/Smiley Face Pancake … some assembly required.

Lame.

I wouldn’t know personally, however, as I am a grown-ass adult who had toast, eggs, hash browns, bacon … okay, and one (1) chocolate chip pancake.

Hey, it was a celebration meal!

Now I’m safely ensconced back home, and contemplating whether 6 p.m. is a bad time to take a nap.

… though I suspect that decision will be made for me shortly.

[LSLGuy]

I napped from 4pm to 530pm. Not really voluntary either. And unlike you I’ve not had a crazy schedule recently. Nap forth with gusto there dear Shoe

JtC your cheese-capades sound incredible. Even if it does piss off the cat. Rumor has they have very short memories for slights.

[Paintcharge]

Howdy, y’all! A moderately successful day in the shop, got some drawing done. I figured out how to put some new extensions into the program I use. Still haven’t figured out how to extrude a curve on a curve. I’m trying to draw a boat with bumpers. Computers, well, at least as well as I know how to use them, don’t like that. Compound surfaces and all that.

shoe Heartily agree with both breakfast for late lunch and nappage.

JtC Squeaky cheddar curds are a wonderful thing! I can occasionally find them around here, but not too often. And that breakfast sounds drool-worthy.

[swampbear]

Howdy Y’all! Been a day of high sloth and general overall uselessness, as promised. No closets were touched, but need to be, so someday. soon. OK, soonish. Eventually. Sup got cooked and et and the kitchen cleanded up. I made a peach cobbler. We et some whilst it was still warm with a glop of 'niller ice cream on top. YUM!

Pilot I do indeed love me some pee-kahn pie and even make a pretty good one. I also loves me some sweet N.O,T. pie and make a pretty good one of those as well.

MOOOOOOM yay for a couple of day of solitude even if you have Tobester duty. Every once in a while it’s good to have the house to oneself. Hope the trip is a safe and uneventful one.

shoe and Pilot I do plan meals so I can make sure whatever is defrosted for cookin’ purposes when the time comes. I make a pretty fair amount of meals in the slow cooker as well. We even plan the days we eat out.

shoe yay for DMV success! In Jawja DMV is called DDS (Dept. of Driver Services). Sounds like a dentist. Like one could get their license renewed and teeth cleaned in one convient location. Also, it is perfectly fine to have breakfast for N.O.L. or sup.

[JaneDoe42]

I didn’t finish, RL happened, so to finish…

@The_Stainless_Steel_Rat

FCM, I think sometimes couples (especially retired couples) should take a few days off from each other now and then, so enjoy your ‘Home Alone’ days, if they occur.

I agree. I like having hubs around, but sometimes I just want to do my own thing for a while.

@FairyChatMom

And some weenie used our hose and couldn’t be bothered to coil it back properly.

Bastid!!!

@Johnny_L.A

‘Wait. You up here?’ We’re supposed to meet up after I get off irk today.

Neat, I hope you have a good visit.

@rocking_chair

the cats have perked up due to the cold. there was much craziness in the wee hours.

I always want ours to have fun while we are awake to enjoy watching, not in the wee hours of the morning when they are feeling zoomie. They never listen to me.

@Misnomer

plus, I’m always disappointed that it isn’t sweet potato pie.

I don’t really like fruit pies of any ilk so only bake pies for hubs. He would rather have sweet potato (which isn’t a fruit pie but I put it in that category anyhow) pie than pumpkin, so that’s what he gets.

It’s nice you were able to get a ride so you could spend time doing more important things…like couching with Bailey

@Misnomer

Get this: there are people who spend a chunk of every Sunday doing meal prep/planning for the entire week!

That was me when I was working, but it was because I am so lazy. Figuring out what to have for dinner is the hard part, so putting together 10 daily meal plans made it so I didn’t have to think about it later. It also meant that I could do all of the shopping at once instead of stopping after work which I really didn’t like doing.

We didn’t have a On Friday We Will Eat THIS sort of plan, it was more like lets make spaghetti, chibata bread and a spinach salad some day this week sort of plan.

@Chefguy

Likes to read, and actually admits to it! I gave him two books about the British exploration of the Nile.

Good man and good on you for sharing books with him

@purplehorseshoe

Whelp { slaps knee } guess I’m officially on my way to Michigander status.

HURRAY!!!

@overlyverbose

It was the first time in years I’d felt easy enough to just sit and enjoy myself.

I am so glad you went, even happier that you were able to relax. You’ve been through a grinder for the last way too long, you deserve to unwind.

@LSLGuy

Even if it does piss off the cat. Rumor has they have very short memories for slights.

She accepted the catnip, but hasn’t brought me a piggy yet so I’m not yet fully forgiven.

Good on you for getting the car taken care of. Hubs is taking my car to town next week, I think he said something about oil and alignment but I don’t really pay much attention. The service records are in the glove box, if I need to take over, I can figure it out from there.

@Paintcharge

JtC Squeaky cheddar curds are a wonderful thing!

I had no clue until I started making cheese, it was such a nice surprise!

@purplehorseshoe

I haz so much jealous right now.

I did think about you

It’s crazy that we are still getting tomatoes this late in the year, but I’m sure enjoying it!

[The_Stainless_Steel_Rat]

Evening all. Swimming (1500 yards) has been accomplished and while I didn’t break the 240lb barrier (240.6), I have hopes of doing so next Moanday (that’s my official weigh-in day, since my habits/meals are usually the same each Monday pre-weighing). Soccer was practiced, the boys were energetic and keeping them under control was a bit of a challenge, but we had a good hour-long practice. Now inside as the temperature is dropping through the 60’s, with a Whataburger and fries happily being digested. Internettin’ and general slothage is now on the agenda.

swampspruce, happy Canada Thanksgiving Day.

Ooopsie, hurrah for a quiet Monday; did this being Columbus Day influence the level of busyness at all?

shady, I think I did something like that putting stuff together once when I was working for a Temp Job company one summer. One day of that was quite enough.

talkie, I foresee a cloning job in your future… And glad you had some fun this weekend. And getting busted for star-gazing after dark tickles me…

JtC, your cheese stories are fascinating, glad they came out well, even if it made VBC grumpy.

OK, need to finish the evening internettin’ and then watch a little tackleball before bedtime. Take care all.

[Johnny_L.A]

The Missus was watching The Hobbit on TNT. TNT suddenly started showing a baseball game.

[dogbutler]

So after work, I went for my eye exam, and new glasses. In spite of last year’s saga, they didn’t recognize me at first. But I should have new glasses…at some point.

@LSLGuy

I was thinking in terms of what horrible Labor uprising the Rabble had done yesterday to now be locked out by vengeful management.

To be fair, there are folk who sprinkle grievances like like Frank Costanza at Festivus. But locking us out(especially me) would suck for management trying to pick up the slack.

@purplehorseshoe

Dang, that points to either horrid work conditions, or some seriously lax hiring standards.

Or both.

What shades said. I still think the lack of HVAC and mind numbing repetitite tasks is better than hour long conference calls to discuss having fewer conference calls.

[Johnny_L.A]

Friend came by the house, instead of me meeting him at the restaurant. We had a nice visit. He got to meet my wife, and at least see the cats.