imawino
Junior Associate
Joined: Dec 17, 2010 22:58:16 GMT -5
Posts: 5,359
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Post by imawino on Nov 14, 2019 12:07:42 GMT -5
I'm visiting DS and DDIL over Thanksgiving. Her parents will be there, too, and I asked if maybe I should get a hotel room. There's room for them in the house but I thought it might be crowded with me. DDIL's parents don't have my extravagant travel budget. The reply came back- oh, yes, could I, please? I was afraid the rates Thanksgiving weekend might be sky-high but they weren't. Got a good rate at the Hilton in downtown Des Moines. I have an ulterior motive. I'm going to "steal" the granddaughters for one night. The younger is just 3 and not really potty-trained but I've dealt with her poopy diapers before. She's been too young to take to Chicago with her older sister (and older sister is just FINE with that ) so this will be a good introduction to travel with Grandma. I don’t see something like this as a waste, but more of self preservation! When TD and I went to my sister’s for Christmas, she wouldn’t let us stay together. So we decided that we would just get a hotel room. It turned out to be the best idea ever. It gave us a break from people overload. Um, what's that now?!
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Post by The Walk of the Penguin Mich on Nov 14, 2019 13:08:11 GMT -5
I don’t see something like this as a waste, but more of self preservation! When TD and I went to my sister’s for Christmas, she wouldn’t let us stay together. So we decided that we would just get a hotel room. It turned out to be the best idea ever. It gave us a break from people overload. Um, what's that now?! This was way back when, before we were married. As our time together was always so limited by distance, the idea of getting to spend time together, and only surrounded by 8 other people in the house was not acceptable.
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Deleted
Joined: Apr 25, 2024 1:51:22 GMT -5
Posts: 0
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Post by Deleted on Nov 14, 2019 15:53:56 GMT -5
I think Hawaii was when I got first taste of this too. My research meeting was in Honolulu, and while my per diem paid for my expensive hotel room, it did not come close to covering food. $35 for a continental breakfast, when my food had to be under $55? Hell, the hotel wanted $10 to use the coffee pot they left in the room with coffee! I don’t think prices were as ridiculous even in Paris. OTOH, we ate out of the minibar regularly in South Africa. 0.50 for soda or water? $1 for a decent sized bag of nuts? Somehow I have lifetime Gold status with Hilton. That gets me a free Continental breakfast- if I want to have eggs, sausages,m etc. it's $10 extra. No, thanks. I'm not a big breakfast eater. I've never been on per diem, for which I'm grateful. Many times I've gone to places like the hot foods/salad bar at a nearby Whole Foods or similar for takeout, not to save the company money but because I didn't want to go out and have a big restaurant meal every night. I do the same on my own dime. Fortunately use of the coffee maker is free here- and it's a Keurig, even. I woke up at 4:30 AM after 8.5 hours of good, solid sleep and it was nice to have morning coffee before I hit the gym.
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NomoreDramaQ1015
Community Leader
Joined: Dec 20, 2010 14:26:32 GMT -5
Posts: 47,217
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Post by NomoreDramaQ1015 on Nov 14, 2019 17:25:00 GMT -5
I'm using my server money to get another tattoo.
I only work for my dad on Saturdays. It's not enough money to do a lot with otherwise so it's my blow money.
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Deleted
Joined: Apr 25, 2024 1:51:22 GMT -5
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Post by Deleted on Nov 16, 2019 14:41:59 GMT -5
Packed schedule yesterday so reporting today- took a tour of the island yesterday and stopped at a coffee plantation. I bought $109 worth of Kina coffee. I’ll use it!
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resolution
Junior Associate
Joined: Dec 20, 2010 13:09:56 GMT -5
Posts: 6,978
Mini-Profile Name Color: 305b2b
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Post by resolution on Nov 16, 2019 22:25:31 GMT -5
I was supposed to go shopping today with my mother-in-law for fabric so she could make new curtains for my house, and we somehow ended up shopping for window treatments instead. I ordered $1500 worth of cellular blinds, but I think I will really enjoy them. I am tired of looking at the curtains I bought on an emergency basis at Walmart 10 years ago when I moved into a house with no window coverings.
I had really been planning to stop spending money for a few months, since the last check has finally cleared on the septic tank work.
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Nazgul Girl
Junior Associate
Babysitting our new grandbaby 3 days a week !
Joined: Dec 25, 2010 23:25:02 GMT -5
Posts: 5,913
Today's Mood: excellent
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Post by Nazgul Girl on Nov 17, 2019 23:10:18 GMT -5
We ate out three days in a row. I guess that's bad. We're retired and Fi tho so I guess we are going to be ok . Two of the meals were with our daughter and grand daughter. Grand daughter has turned three, so when she sees us walk into a restaurant, she is amazed that we found Mommy and her there. She yells " Grandma Grandpa !!" It's worth it just to hear that !
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Deleted
Joined: Apr 25, 2024 1:51:22 GMT -5
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Post by Deleted on Dec 16, 2019 8:47:42 GMT -5
I should have done this a couple of years ago but I just ordered myself prescription diving goggles. Yeah, who knew?
I've been snorkeling in some beautiful areas and I wear eyeglasses, so the standard diving mask isn't that great. On the last trip they gave me a mask that had some magnification. Wow. What a difference. I looked up prescription diving masks- a woman on a previous trip had had one and I assumed they were really expensive. No. I could get one for $75. Then they started including an ad in my FB feed- 30% off, free shipping. Okay, already!
Next trip is Galapagos, where snorkeling is "a possibility". I figure I'll kick myself if we do snorkel and I don't have that mask. I may not use it again till 2021, when I'm hoping to take UnCruise to Belize and Guatemala. I hope I get a few years of use out of it!
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Post by The Walk of the Penguin Mich on Dec 16, 2019 14:50:52 GMT -5
I should have done this a couple of years ago but I just ordered myself prescription diving goggles. Yeah, who knew? I've been snorkeling in some beautiful areas and I wear eyeglasses, so the standard diving mask isn't that great. On the last trip they gave me a mask that had some magnification. Wow. What a difference. I looked up prescription diving masks- a woman on a previous trip had had one and I assumed they were really expensive. No. I could get one for $75. Then they started including an ad in my FB feed- 30% off, free shipping. Okay, already! Next trip is Galapagos, where snorkeling is "a possibility". I figure I'll kick myself if we do snorkel and I don't have that mask. I may not use it again till 2021, when I'm hoping to take UnCruise to Belize and Guatemala. I hope I get a few years of use out of it! TD has a set. However, since he got his cataract surgery with implanted corrective lenses, he now needs to buy uncorrected ones. He needs to do this before his next dive trip in May. BTW....the divers in the Galapagos said the water is cold and the currents diving are wicked. Snorkeling in Belize was fabulous. I did some snorkeling off the dive boat.
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Deleted
Joined: Apr 25, 2024 1:51:22 GMT -5
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Post by Deleted on Dec 16, 2019 16:42:01 GMT -5
TD has a set. However, since he got his cataract surgery with implanted corrective lenses, he now needs to buy uncorrected ones. He needs to do this before his next dive trip in May. BTW....the divers in the Galapagos said the water is cold and the currents diving are wicked. Snorkeling in Belize was fabulous. I did some snorkeling off the dive boat. Well, if the waters are cold and treacherous I may skip it- I get hypothermia easily and wet suits aren't a great help. Belize is the next place I'm likely to use them- I put down a deposit on a trip I'll have to take within 2 years and one of UnCruise's new destinations is a Belize/Guatemala trip.
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Post by The Walk of the Penguin Mich on Dec 16, 2019 22:40:28 GMT -5
TD has a set. However, since he got his cataract surgery with implanted corrective lenses, he now needs to buy uncorrected ones. He needs to do this before his next dive trip in May. BTW....the divers in the Galapagos said the water is cold and the currents diving are wicked. Snorkeling in Belize was fabulous. I did some snorkeling off the dive boat. Well, if the waters are cold and treacherous I may skip it- I get hypothermia easily and wet suits aren't a great help. Belize is the next place I'm likely to use them- I put down a deposit on a trip I'll have to take within 2 years and one of UnCruise's new destinations is a Belize/Guatemala trip. Belize was fabulous. We spent a week on a dive boat so TD could dive (and I just snorkeled) and then a week on Ambergris Caye. If there wasn't so much world to see, I'd love to go back. TD gets one scuba trip a year (well, he did 2 this year since he went scuba diving in Datca, Turkey too). 2020 is going to be in Fiji, no dive boat but a dive resort. After that, he wants to go to Truk Lagoon, which is in Micronesia somewhere. I'm going to have to figure out how to get us there, but that likely will be on a dive boat too.
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Deleted
Joined: Apr 25, 2024 1:51:22 GMT -5
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Post by Deleted on Jan 14, 2020 12:00:29 GMT -5
OK, I was bored. I pride myself on not falling for pitches in my FaceBook feed but there was one from a company called Flatiron Pepper company with some interesting blends and a promo code. I prefer the powdered form of hot and spicy to liquids so they disperse well (nothing like encountering an undiluted drop of Dave's Insanity Sauce in your dish). I ordered a 3-pack but skipped their most expensive blend, called "I can't feel my face". Total damages $23.71.
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tskeeter
Junior Associate
Joined: Mar 20, 2011 19:37:45 GMT -5
Posts: 6,831
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Post by tskeeter on Jan 14, 2020 21:49:19 GMT -5
TD has a set. However, since he got his cataract surgery with implanted corrective lenses, he now needs to buy uncorrected ones. He needs to do this before his next dive trip in May. BTW....the divers in the Galapagos said the water is cold and the currents diving are wicked. Snorkeling in Belize was fabulous. I did some snorkeling off the dive boat. Well, if the waters are cold and treacherous I may skip it- I get hypothermia easily and wet suits aren't a great help. Belize is the next place I'm likely to use them- I put down a deposit on a trip I'll have to take within 2 years and one of UnCruise's new destinations is a Belize/Guatemala trip. When I used to dive in Lake Superior’s 40 degree waters, I used to pour “warm”, room temp water into my wet suit as I put it on. That helped minimize that trickle of 40 degree water running down my spine when I first hit the water.
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Deleted
Joined: Apr 25, 2024 1:51:22 GMT -5
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Post by Deleted on Jan 15, 2020 8:16:48 GMT -5
When I used to dive in Lake Superior’s 40 degree waters, I used to pour “warm”, room temp water into my wet suit as I put it on. That helped minimize that trickle of 40 degree water running down my spine when I first hit the water. Thanks! I've done snorkeling off Alaska in 42-degree water and I think I'm done with that. It was interesting but I was conscious the whole time of being cold and wet. I may try your tactic if it's feasible- on the other cruises we took a skiff to the area from the ship (5-10 minutes) so I'm not sure it would be effective by the time I got into the water. Not sure how it will work with this cruise. I did find, after a near-hypothermic episode off Hawaii, that it helped to towel off IMMEDIATELY when I got into the skiff and then put on a light rain jacket, which helped retain body heat.
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Deleted
Joined: Apr 25, 2024 1:51:22 GMT -5
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Post by Deleted on Jan 15, 2020 18:11:01 GMT -5
I decided to splurge and have the popcorn removed from the dining room and kitchen ceilings. It was already gone from the living area. It is purely aesthetic, but it will look so good.
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giramomma
Distinguished Associate
Joined: Feb 3, 2011 11:25:27 GMT -5
Posts: 21,299
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Post by giramomma on Jan 15, 2020 18:45:31 GMT -5
I bought chocolate frogs for the peanut. She'd been wanting them forever. At least they were on clearance at Walgreens. I also got a few bathbombs for $.40 apiece.
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Deleted
Joined: Apr 25, 2024 1:51:22 GMT -5
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Post by Deleted on Jan 15, 2020 20:08:54 GMT -5
I just bought a computer desk from Office Depot. I've been using a table because that's what DH wanted, but I have never liked it. I have to have something separate for the router and modem and then something separate for the printer. It just isn't large enough. But it did work, and I had all those something separates. But I bought a desk that I think will hold all of that. If not, I will add wall shelves to hold the modem and router. I am going to move the table across the room to be my new sewing table. My DIL is going to "loan" me her grandmother's Bernina machine. She has no place to put it. Now to get it assembled once it is delivered. That is not my favorite part.
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