what are you doing right now?

[Pink Cashmere]

Oct 23, 2023 14:11:45 GMT -5 giramomma said:

Oct 23, 2023 10:01:00 GMT -5 Pink Cashmere said:

I have spent way too many days like that.

I hope you feel better soon.

I am so sorry.

Thank you.

Do you feel any better yet?

[countrygirl2]

I gave the cats that bit of salmon last night. Smoke nibbled on it and Mr Hungry Gut wouldn't touch it. What is it that they don't like food other animals would fight to get. No steak no nothing of real food will they eat. I know they need certain things from cat food but I would think real food would be better for them overall supplemented with cat food.

It is really nice out 72. I turned the furnace off and opened a door, hope we don't get buried in stink bugs.

[chiver78]

Oct 23, 2023 14:14:35 GMT -5 wvugurl26 said:

I log out of Teams when I'm out of the office or in training. People still try to call me in the middle of training just in case I might pick up.

I sent DH to get me food.

I haven't figured out how to log out entirely, and that may be something that's locked out for me, idk. the IT rules at this place are unlike anything I've ever seen before. but I always show as offline, and those that I work with closely know they can just reach out anyway. I always have an OOO message up when I'm actually offline. 

[chiver78]

Oct 23, 2023 14:30:05 GMT -5 countrygirl2 said:

I gave the cats that bit of salmon last night. Smoke nibbled on it and Mr Hungry Gut wouldn't touch it. What is it that they don't like food other animals would fight to get. No steak no nothing of real food will they eat. I know they need certain things from cat food but I would think real food would be better for them overall supplemented with cat food.

It is really nice out 72. I turned the furnace off and opened a door, hope we don't get buried in stink bugs.

do you not have a screen...? this is one thing that truly baffled me about Europe. zero window screens. 

[andi9899]

Oct 23, 2023 13:20:14 GMT -5 daisylu said:

Oct 23, 2023 11:31:29 GMT -5 chiver78 said:

quite awhile, actually. this is intended to fill up all of the freezer containers from none. they generally eat whatever proteins are on sale, which is why there's meatloaf mix in the fridge to cook off with some kale when I get off my ass in a little bit. BSCB is a brainless processing thing, because I run it through the IP and just glove up to shred it once it's cool enough to touch. 

I'll try to pay attention to volumes when I build their dinner bowls and post back. but they are 65 and 85lbs, so not dainty little pups. 

I guess I was more curious how much protein they eat in a day. I am sure you have been doing it for so long that you just eyeball it.

Since the kids, who were by far the largest eaters in the house, moved out, I am over here trying to calculate how much food is enough but not too much when cooking for DH & I. Ideally I like to make enough for 4 meals, 2 to eat and 2 for leftovers, but failing at that. And it is not just me. When DH started making some spaghetti the other night he cooked the sausage and the noodles, I did the sauce. Which wasn't a huge amount of sauce, but enough that some should have gone in the freezer. Until the noodles were done. DH strained them and said it did not look like enough, so he put more on. Once they were on the plates it was plenty for just us, but the other noodles were already going. So we ended up eating leftovers for DAYS.

This is me. T2 is always telling me "mom, there's only two of us." I cook way too much and end up throwing food away. I probably won't cook anymore when I finally get to live by myself. I'll likely exist on healthy choice meals and takeout. It's probably going to be way cheaper too. I spend a lot of money at the grocery store.

[soupandstew]

Pink Cashmere Congratulations to Mister on his new job-I'm so glad he went for it and hope it gives you both a better quality of life (and more $$ never hurts either)

[soupandstew]

Oct 23, 2023 8:52:11 GMT -5 andi9899 said:

Oct 22, 2023 20:16:36 GMT -5 swamp said:

I had a really weird dream last night.  There is a lawyer I often work with and he gets called to handle lots of stuff when “WE NEED A LAWYER RIGHT NOW” things happen. 

I dreamed I called him, his mom answered and told me I was working her Mikey too hard and she would no longer let him answer my calls.  He’s a 35ish year old man who has never given me any indication he has an unhealthy relationship with his parents. 

I don't know about you guys, but sometimes my dreams don't make any sense at all. I've had some really weird ones.

Last night I dreamed I was trying to get my hair cut and colored in this crowded strange place that wasn't at all like a salon filled with odd people.  The night before all sorts of aliens came to earth and were the nicest people possible and changed all of us to nice people too so there was no more hatred or anger.  Everyone had a job doing something they loved and everyone had enough money too.  One type of alien was a beautiful bronze-green, and they glowed golden when they were happy.  It was so wonderful that I hated waking up.  Melatonin does some weird things to me.

[Peace77]

Oct 23, 2023 13:17:24 GMT -5 finnime said:

Oct 23, 2023 13:05:20 GMT -5 Peace77 said:

A “colleague”  has invited a friend to collaborate on a white paper.  He has asked my friend if he has received payments or gifts for his work.  My friend has sold a few copies of a children’s book and some poetry with original artwork but nothing major.  He was once given a copy of a book that included a few lines of one of his poems.
This colleague is well to do but my friend has never written anything lengthy other than college papers.  What would be a reasonable request?

It sounds like the children's books etc. he has done are not similar enough to be a good guide for the white paper.

Typically when I do a writing project I estimate the word count expected and use some number as a multiplier, like .05, to derive a total, then adjust as needed. Is there research involved? Other effort? Has he done comparable work before at his day job?

He has done other writing and public speaking but nothing else that has been published.  I will have him ask about research.

[Pink Cashmere]

Oct 23, 2023 14:46:03 GMT -5 soupandstew said:

Pink Cashmere Congratulations to Mister on his new job-I'm so glad he went for it and hope it gives you both a better quality of life (and more $$ never hurts either)

Thank you! He has way more ambition than I do lol. So I’ve supported him, been his biggest cheerleader and helped him in any way I could, since he started chasing promotions early in our relationship. 

Idk if it will improve our quality of life though. This building works 24 hours/day, and because he will be the top, person responsible for his department, he might get some calls at night or even have to go in on an evening or night shift, if there is something serious that he needs to make sure gets done or resolved. In the beginning, he will probably work the evening and night shifts for a while, just to get a feel for what goes on, on those shifts. I don’t like that part lol. I like no middle of the night, work related phone calls, and us both working days. But it won’t be all the time, and this is what he wanted, so I will just deal with it.

Because he has been working in upper management for so long, instead of working his real job, it’s not a difference in pay. He gets paid at the grade of whatever job he is working in, so he’s already been making more than his real job pays, and at least an equal amount to what his promotion pays, for over a year now. It’s just that now, it’s his base salary for real, and he will get paid that amount even when he is on vacation or whatever.

[Pink Cashmere]

Thank you to everyone that showed support and said “congrats” by “liking” my post about Mister’s promotion, and those of you that took the time to make a post saying congratulations to him.  I love y’all, you are awesome friends.

[chiver78]

for daisy, and anyone else interested in the math. 

my freezer containers are 64oz, I actually checked before posting this. today's cooking adventures resulted in one white rice, one "meatloaf mix" plus wilted chopped kale, and four IP BSCB (two family packs, maybe 11lbs?). I'm freezing everything but the white rice and one of the IP BSCB. over the time I'll be picking from this freezer stash, I'll also be back-filling with whatever's on-sale. 

[soupandstew]

I drove across town to my author with the last chapters of the autobiography and returned with the "short" story which isn't that short, and some edits and new chapters on the autobiography.  It's a gift that just keeps on giving  .  

[Pink Cashmere]

In other news, my teeth woke me up last night, hurting, and it has been nonstop all day. I’m pretty sure it’s pressure from my sinuses because sinus issues have been giving me hell since last Sunday, and my ear on that side is also hurting. 

All of this random stuff is driving me crazy! If it’s not one thing, it’s another, or both, or a bunch of stuff. I.need.a.break.

[susana1954]

I had one of those "do the right thing" moments today.  LL sent me too much flooring, about twice what I ordered, and the installer suggested that I just keep it.  He gets paid the same either way.

But I won't.  What I do have to do when he finishes, though, is to figure out how much of the overage is really mine and how much belongs to the store.  Then he will have to load it into my trunk--mine, that is.  He will have to take the rest back.  I am guessing 2 or 3 boxes are my overage.  I don't think I will be able to return it today since he hasn't started the laundry room yet, and it is almost 4 pm.  I have to work tomorrow so it will have to be after school.

It was tempting since it is about $1000 worth of flooring.  But I honestly would have hated looking at my new flooring knowing what I had done.

[Pink Cashmere]

Oct 23, 2023 15:56:18 GMT -5 susana1954 said:

I had one of those "do the right thing" moments today.  LL sent me too much flooring, about twice what I ordered, and the installer suggested that I just keep it.  He gets paid the same either way.

But I won't.  What I do have to do when he finishes, though, is to figure out how much of the overage is really mine and how much belongs to the store.  Then he will have to load it into my trunk--mine, that is.  He will have to take the rest back.  I am guessing 2 or 3 boxes are my overage.  I don't think I will be able to return it today since he hasn't started the laundry room yet, and it is almost 4 pm.  I have to work tomorrow so it will have to be after school.

It was tempting since it is about $1000 worth of flooring.  But I honestly would have hated looking at my new flooring knowing what I had done.

When things like that happen to me, I tell myself it’s a test. I won’t lie and say I’m never tempted. But the temptation is just a few moments, because I feel like what I put out in the world is what comes back to me, and I want as much good stuff to come to me as possible.

So I’ve been the person to go back in a store to pay for something me and the cashier both missed in my basket when they were ringing up my stuff. I’ve called back after being refunded for an item that was never delivered and the shipper didn’t know what happened to it, to say that it had finally arrived and I needed to pay for it. There have also been times, I had a problem with an item I’d bought online and when I called to complain, the charges were reversed and I was told to just keep the item instead of sending it back. When that happens, I do not argue, because that was a decision the company made.

And I understand your last sentence, I believe I would feel the same way, unable to really enjoy it because I know I got it dishonestly. The temptation isn’t the problem, we are humans. What we do is what can be a problem. But because I am lazy, and for me the whole point of ordering stuff to be delivered is so I don’t have to go anywhere, I would call them first, and see what they say. Even if they want you to bring it back, they might offer you a credit because not only are you being honest, now you have to go out of your way to correct their mistake. Or at the very least, arrange for someone to come get it, so you don’t have the hassle of returning it yourself. That’s really the part that would irritate me the most. I’m not saying that honesty has to be rewarded to be motivated to do the right thing, I’m just saying that if it happens like that, I wouldn’t turn it down.

[soupandstew]

Oct 23, 2023 15:55:09 GMT -5 Pink Cashmere said:

In other news, my teeth woke me up last night, hurting, and it has been nonstop all day. I’m pretty sure it’s pressure from my sinuses because sinus issues have been giving me hell since last Sunday, and my ear on that side is also hurting. 

All of this random stuff is driving me crazy! If it’s not one thing, it’s another, or both, or a bunch of stuff. I.need.a.break.

My mother used to say, "If it's not one thing, it's t'other" and she was right.  Some days it just feels like the universe is taking a giant on us 

[wvugurl26]

Since DH shared his germs, my sinuses are killing me. I woke up with jaw and teeth pain that kept me up most of the night. I finally took my mouth guard out but it didn't help.

[Pink Cashmere]

Oct 23, 2023 16:26:59 GMT -5 wvugurl26 said:

Since DH shared his germs, my sinuses are killing me. I woke up with jaw and teeth pain that kept me up most of the night. I finally took my mouth guard out but it didn't help.

We are twinning. Unfortunately, it’s not in a good way.

I hope you feel better soon. 

[soupandstew]

If you heard a distant shout of "Hallelujah!" it was me.  I just got the renewal notice on my homeowners insurance and it's only up $200 for the year which is a lot better than I feared because rates have risen dramatically across the country, with some people losing coverage completely.  Now I have the full picture for our 3 insurance policies (home, auto, LTC)-we'll pay an additional $3702 next year total which is definitely doable.  I'll sleep better tonight knowing the solid numbers.  I reminded DH that we don't actually take our RMD's into our bank accounts, but just roll them over to our joint investment account so there's a lot of flexibility there if ever needed.  

[The Walk of the Penguin Mich]

Oct 23, 2023 14:30:05 GMT -5 countrygirl2 said:

I gave the cats that bit of salmon last night. Smoke nibbled on it and Mr Hungry Gut wouldn't touch it. What is it that they don't like food other animals would fight to get. No steak no nothing of real food will they eat. I know they need certain things from cat food but I would think real food would be better for them overall supplemented with cat food.

It is really nice out 72. I turned the furnace off and opened a door, hope we don't get buried in stink bugs.

It really isn’t better for them.  It is a lot of empty calories that they don’t need.  They fill up on this and don’t eat the chow that has the taurine, bone meal and other things they need.  There is a lot that goes into making healthy cat chow, while I was doing this I thought about switching them over.  Had this been necessary for Gomez (like him giving up cat chow) I would have done so, but to do it correctly really is a pain.

The only reason why Gomez got it was I was trying to get weight on him.  That cat went from 12 lbs to 4 lbs.  He was getting as much chicken as he wanted along with kitten food and kitten milk.  He still lost weight.  

[The Walk of the Penguin Mich]

Just back from the grocery store.  Another produce run…..plus to get more of the acorn squash I bought that was really good.  I had to hit the yarn shop for some needles that I had ordered, and mail the baby blanket and gifts off to m6 nephew.  

Carbonara with grilled asparagus tonight.  

[weltz]

Oct 23, 2023 13:45:00 GMT -5 jerseygirl said:

Oct 23, 2023 13:20:14 GMT -5 daisylu said:

I guess I was more curious how much protein they eat in a day. I am sure you have been doing it for so long that you just eyeball it.

Since the kids, who were by far the largest eaters in the house, moved out, I am over here trying to calculate how much food is enough but not too much when cooking for DH & I. Ideally I like to make enough for 4 meals, 2 to eat and 2 for leftovers, but failing at that. And it is not just me. When DH started making some spaghetti the other night he cooked the sausage and the noodles, I did the sauce. Which wasn't a huge amount of sauce, but enough that some should have gone in the freezer. Until the noodles were done. DH strained them and said it did not look like enough, so he put more on. Once they were on the plates it was plenty for just us, but the other noodles were already going. So we ended up eating leftovers for DAYS.

I didn’t know how to cook when I married at 21. I had and still do little interest
Well I made spaghetti for first meal. The box looked really small so I made 2 boxes of spaghetti for 2 people! Didn’t eat it all!

OK, that's really funny. 

[Pink Cashmere]

Oct 23, 2023 16:56:40 GMT -5 The Walk of the Penguin Mich said:

Oct 23, 2023 14:30:05 GMT -5 countrygirl2 said:

I gave the cats that bit of salmon last night. Smoke nibbled on it and Mr Hungry Gut wouldn't touch it. What is it that they don't like food other animals would fight to get. No steak no nothing of real food will they eat. I know they need certain things from cat food but I would think real food would be better for them overall supplemented with cat food.

It is really nice out 72. I turned the furnace off and opened a door, hope we don't get buried in stink bugs.

It really isn’t better for them.  It is a lot of empty calories that they don’t need.  They fill up on this and don’t eat the chow that has the taurine, bone meal and other things they need.  There is a lot that goes into making healthy cat chow, while I was doing this I thought about switching them over.  Had this been necessary for Gomez (like him giving up cat chow) I would have done so, but to do it correctly really is a pain.

The only reason why Gomez got it was I was trying to get weight on him.  That cat went from 12 lbs to 4 lbs.  He was getting as much chicken as he wanted along with kitten food and kitten milk.  He still lost weight.  

I’m just curious. How is a balanced, natural diet not better than cat chow? Feral cats don’t eat cat chow, but them seem to be just fine.

[TheOtherMe]

Congrats to Mister!

[giramomma]

Oct 23, 2023 14:22:23 GMT -5 Pink Cashmere said:

Oct 23, 2023 14:11:45 GMT -5 giramomma said:

I am so sorry.

Thank you.

Do you feel any better yet?

The good: No need to use the bathroom every 38 seconds.

The bad: I lose a couple hours at a time napping

The ugly: currently sporting a 101.5 temp.

[Pink Cashmere]

My teeth seem to be hurting more instead of less. Or maybe it just seems worse because I am sicuuud.

I have an appointment with my PCP tomorrow. But because I made the appointment because my belly button was bothering me, she may not even be willing to talk about my sinus issues. So far, she seems to only be willing to deal with the specific thing I made the appointment for. I really need to find another PCP. I miss my old Dr., she wasn’t like that. Whatever I made an appointment for, she would go through my chart and follow up and ask about things she knew about from previous visits or address whatever additional concerns or issues I was having.

I feel like I’ve wrestled with my sinus issues long enough now, and given the fact that it is getting worse instead of better since my teeth and ear are hurting now, that I should probably try getting some relief from a sinus cocktail shot. They don’t always work for me, but when they do, it’s something like a miracle, so worth trying. If my PCP doesn’t cooperate tomorrow, the easiest thing to do would be to go to a CVS MinuteClinic, but idk if they do those cocktail shots. I’m not even sure urgent care offers them. I’ve only ever had them in my PCP’s office, and even though I know plenty of people whose PCP have provided them, they seem to be a regional thing that the rest of the country doesn’t even know about, so I’m not sure how readily available they are through different providers, even locally.

If I could take my teeth out and my ear off and sit them all on a table right now, I would.

[soupandstew]

I am so proud of my neighbors who spend a lot of time and effort with one of Houston's feline TNR (Trap, Neuter, Return) groups.  This past weekend they neutered 62 feral cats.  This is something they do almost every weekend, and the results make a real difference in our local communities.  The projected reproduction rate for 1 cat is scary, and we face both well-intentioned folks (hoarders) who are quickly overwhelmed and large apartment complexes where one or two strays soon result in a colony of 100+ cats.  Many of these volunteers also foster kittens from the colonies until they can be adopted by responsible, carefully-vetted owners.  

[Pink Cashmere]

Oct 23, 2023 17:29:35 GMT -5 giramomma said:

Oct 23, 2023 14:22:23 GMT -5 Pink Cashmere said:

Thank you.

Do you feel any better yet?

The good: No need to use the bathroom every 38 seconds.

The bad: I lose a couple hours at a time napping

The ugly: currently sporting a 101.5 temp.

Oh noooooo…… I don’t have a high temp when I have those issues.

Do you think maybe you have “stomach flu”?

I am really sorry that you have had all those issues today.

[soupandstew]

Oct 23, 2023 17:29:35 GMT -5 giramomma said:

Oct 23, 2023 14:22:23 GMT -5 Pink Cashmere said:

Thank you.

Do you feel any better yet?

The good: No need to use the bathroom every 38 seconds.

The bad: I lose a couple hours at a time napping

The ugly: currently sporting a 101.5 temp.

All of that sounds really tough - I hope you get better very soon.  

[chiver78]

Oct 23, 2023 16:56:40 GMT -5 The Walk of the Penguin Mich said:

Oct 23, 2023 14:30:05 GMT -5 countrygirl2 said:

I gave the cats that bit of salmon last night. Smoke nibbled on it and Mr Hungry Gut wouldn't touch it. What is it that they don't like food other animals would fight to get. No steak no nothing of real food will they eat. I know they need certain things from cat food but I would think real food would be better for them overall supplemented with cat food.

It is really nice out 72. I turned the furnace off and opened a door, hope we don't get buried in stink bugs.

It really isn’t better for them.  It is a lot of empty calories that they don’t need.  They fill up on this and don’t eat the chow that has the taurine, bone meal and other things they need.  There is a lot that goes into making healthy cat chow, while I was doing this I thought about switching them over.  Had this been necessary for Gomez (like him giving up cat chow) I would have done so, but to do it correctly really is a pain.

The only reason why Gomez got it was I was trying to get weight on him.  That cat went from 12 lbs to 4 lbs.  He was getting as much chicken as he wanted along with kitten food and kitten milk.  He still lost weight.  

this was the argument I had with my friend, the veterinary nutritionist. she was appalled that I was fresh feeding my two, which had actually started as an effort to get LD to eat (he'd leave his kibble for days, he hated it) and to get some weight off Punk. both of them lick their bowls now, and are at healthy weights. D was horrified at the thought that they were missing nutrients, based on a sample bowl I listed out for her. when I asked her where in nature I could find the missing things, I turned around and gave her the options for those nutrients, that didn't happen to be in their bowls that day. 

when I brought it up with the vet I switched to when I moved back*, she shook her head and reassured me that I wasn't doing anytihng wrong by the pups in fresh feeding. I'd taken the necessary pounds off of Punk, and LD was still all of the lean muscle. they were both fresh coated and healthy. 

*this was the vet I would have chosen, if I knew then what I knew when I moved back. anyway, onward and upward!