what are you doing right now?

[daisylu]

I am determined to get out on time today (3pm), come hell or high water. Then it is 8 days off, 1 working, followed by 4 days off.

[chiver78]

I'm listening to a call that really doesn't need me. so I just put in the vacation day I took before my PA trip and checked the reporting calendar vs my Outlook one. looking at the 2022 statistics, I'm correctly reporting that I'm carrying over the max 2w. but I'm also losing 8 sick days.... if I really wanted to split hairs, that last vacation day was a mental health day (we can legitimately use sick days for this) so if nobody's around on Friday I might just shut the laptop down and burn a sick day. I've already had more fires in the first day and a half of this week, including a couple that are going to require FDA filings that I'll need to write. 

[empress of self-improvement]

Got reminded why I don't eat McDonald's anymore. It was like eating a salt lick! Bleah.

[chiver78]

seeing you post now, I'm off from Friday til 1/3. not sure what everyone's holiday plans are as far as the week in between them, but if empress of self-improvement, finnime, Malarky are around? let's hang out again. I'll host or travel. 

[empress of self-improvement]

I don't get that nice of a schedule. Whatcha doing for New Year's?
I can't really travel anywhere as I have a full house of cats until the foster goes to her new home next week at some point.

[chiver78]

that's amateur night, esp on the roads! I stay home lol....usually don't even stay up for the ball drop in Times Square.   here in redneck SE Mass, they light fireworks, so we've spent the last two NYE downstairs. you're totally welcome to join us! 

*ETA - if you figure out the foster sitch in time. I missed that when I replied. 

[MarionTh230]

Watching TV. Kiddo seems to be in wind down mode after eating lunch. Waiting to see if that results in a nap before we start on our indoor chores.

[bean29]

Dec 20, 2022 12:17:03 GMT -5 stillmovingforward said:

Dec 20, 2022 2:44:44 GMT -5 toomuchreality said:

I had one for a very short time. I tried it (adjusting the amounts each time) and I didn't care for it, at all. I gave it to my niece, who loved it.
A matter of taste, I guess.

We love ours and use it all the time. We like sparkling water and don't drink soda. We do not appreciate single serving containers and like being able to reuse bottles. It did take a bit of getting used to.

I gave my husband one two years ago, and it has never been used.  I will have to get it out and try it, now that I gave up soda.

[Deleted]

Dec 20, 2022 15:05:22 GMT -5 empress of self-improvement said:

Got reminded why I don't eat McDonald's anymore. It was like eating a salt lick! Bleah.

I haven't had anything other than coffee from them in years.  I noticed the same thing at Olive Garden, though, when family took me there.  I do most of my meals from scratch and try to go VERY light on added salt so I really notice it in food others prepared.

No exciting plans over New Year's other than a follow-up echocardiogram on December 30 and hoping BF and I can go to our usual favorite Mexican place with no New Year's hoopla on December 31.  I did the giant, expensive New Year's Eve celebration at a local hotel restaurant with a date when I was in my 20s and ended up with a bad hangover.  No, thanks.

[minnesotapaintlady]

Annoyed with my kid.  His Thursday final got moved to take-home due to the blizzard so students could get home and I offered to come pick him up tonight but he doesn't think that would work because he wouldn't be ready to go yet.  It would be at least 4 hours before I got there.  How much time does it take for a college kid to be packed up for a 3 week trip home? 

[TheOtherMe]

Dec 20, 2022 16:04:13 GMT -5 minnesotapaintlady said:

Annoyed with my kid.  His Thursday final got moved to take-home due to the blizzard so students could get home and I offered to come pick him up tonight but he doesn't think that would work because he wouldn't be ready to go yet.  It would be at least 4 hours before I got there.  How much time does it take for a college kid to be packed up for a 3 week trip home? 

I would be totally annoyed.  The University is doing this so they can go home.

Does he plan on bringing everything from his apartment?  I doubt it so there's no good reason he can't be ready in 4 hours.

Right, mom?

[andi9899]

Dec 20, 2022 15:05:22 GMT -5 empress of self-improvement said:

Got reminded why I don't eat McDonald's anymore. It was like eating a salt lick! Bleah.

Hope your body doesn't reject it. That could be ugly.

[andi9899]

Dec 20, 2022 15:17:16 GMT -5 chiver78 said:

that's amateur night, esp on the roads! I stay home lol....usually don't even stay up for the ball drop in Times Square.   here in redneck SE Mass, they light fireworks, so we've spent the last two NYE downstairs. you're totally welcome to join us! 

*ETA - if you figure out the foster sitch in time. I missed that when I replied. 

That's exactly what I always say and do. No way will I be anywhere outside my house that night. I've been told that I'm keeping my granddogs. So I'll have 4 dogs all to myself. Joy.

[Cookies Galore]

Dec 20, 2022 12:33:03 GMT -5 weltschmerz said:

Dec 20, 2022 11:07:51 GMT -5 susana1954 said:

weltschmerz , down here in the South, we generally love squash.  But it is typically yellow summer squash and zucchini.  I wouldn't begin to know how to cook the one you pictured, but some of the ladies at church make bread with it.  So your recipe sounds close to what they probably do to make it edible.  

I decided to make a list of "yearly" expenses that I generally cash flow on a month-to-month basis.  This is everything from the safety deposit box rental to Costco membership to Penny's monthly vet expenses to filters for the refrigerator.  It does not include internet or prescription copays or anything I pay every month.

$3000!  And I really couldn't see anything I could eliminate.  I am not a fan of monthly subscriptions so I am still using a 2015 copy of Quicken.  It does include car insurance, umbrella insurance, and pest control.  But still . . . !!!!

So I called my internet provider, and the customer representative lowered my internet/house phone by $25 a month for 12 months.  They also sent me an application to apply for a federal subsidy!  I don't begin to qualify, but it was nice of her to look out for me.  I have only been their customer for 18 years.

I had to go back to the store (which is across the street) and asked them what kind of squash I bought.  Butternut.
It was quite tasty once I finished with it.
Like I said, BFF cooks it on the holidays, and it's pretty nasty just boiled.

Figured it was butternut squash. It's great as soup. Maybe I'll make that next week!

[Deleted]

We love all squash, winter and summer. But we don't use butter or sugar on the winter squash and sometimes you get a flavorless one. I threw the last acorn squash in the trash because a boiled piece of cloth would have been better. And you can't tell by looking at them either. We sauté zucchini and yellow squash with onions and red bell pepper, and I'll often sub calabacita, the Mexican equivalent of zucchini, because it's sweeter in flavor.

We have 5:30 dinner reservations for New Year's Eve. While it will all be awesome, I'm really excited about my dessert choice, caramelized onion & Monte Enebro Tart with agave nectar & toasted almonds.

We found our smoked salmon back in stock at Aldi today, so tomorrow's Whole Paycheck run will be for museli and caviar only. We were at Costco this morning for DH's hearing aid follow-up visit, and he choked on their $54.99 caviar

[chiver78]

Dec 20, 2022 15:45:45 GMT -5 @athena53 said:

Dec 20, 2022 15:05:22 GMT -5 empress of self-improvement said:

Got reminded why I don't eat McDonald's anymore. It was like eating a salt lick! Bleah.

I haven't had anything other than coffee from them in years.  I noticed the same thing at Olive Garden, though, when family took me there.  I do most of my meals from scratch and try to go VERY light on added salt so I really notice it in food others prepared.

No exciting plans over New Year's other than a follow-up echocardiogram on December 30 and hoping BF and I can go to our usual favorite Mexican place with no New Year's hoopla on December 31.  I did the giant, expensive New Year's Eve celebration at a local hotel restaurant with a date when I was in my 20s and ended up with a bad hangover.  No, thanks.

OMG. my parents picked OG after a court date earlier this year, and it was horrendous. I packed up my lunch portion of whatever noodles marinara, and he tucked a breadstick into the container. other than the salad, all I tasted was salt. (see also my recent post re: salt) anyway, Dad took all of it home, and I grabbed a snack when I got back home an hour later. I don't think I'll voluntarily visit an OG again. 

[chiver78]

Dec 20, 2022 16:18:35 GMT -5 andi9899 said:

Dec 20, 2022 15:17:16 GMT -5 chiver78 said:

that's amateur night, esp on the roads! I stay home lol....usually don't even stay up for the ball drop in Times Square.   here in redneck SE Mass, they light fireworks, so we've spent the last two NYE downstairs. you're totally welcome to join us! 

*ETA - if you figure out the foster sitch in time. I missed that when I replied. 

That's exactly what I always say and do. No way will I be anywhere outside my house that night. I've been told that I'm keeping my granddogs. So I'll have 4 dogs all to myself. Joy.

I'd totally take in some 4-pawed house guests for the night. my basement is actually pretty solidly soundproof. that's been a lifesaver over the summer as I've realized I live in redneck SE MA, where "blowing shit up" is a Constitutional right.   I'll stop there... 

[bookkeeper]

Dec 20, 2022 16:04:13 GMT -5 minnesotapaintlady said:

Annoyed with my kid.  His Thursday final got moved to take-home due to the blizzard so students could get home and I offered to come pick him up tonight but he doesn't think that would work because he wouldn't be ready to go yet.  It would be at least 4 hours before I got there.  How much time does it take for a college kid to be packed up for a 3 week trip home? 

He might have some socializing to do!  Christmas cheer and all of that.

[minnesotapaintlady]

Dec 20, 2022 16:13:11 GMT -5 TheOtherMe said:

Dec 20, 2022 16:04:13 GMT -5 minnesotapaintlady said:

Annoyed with my kid.  His Thursday final got moved to take-home due to the blizzard so students could get home and I offered to come pick him up tonight but he doesn't think that would work because he wouldn't be ready to go yet.  It would be at least 4 hours before I got there.  How much time does it take for a college kid to be packed up for a 3 week trip home? 

I would be totally annoyed.  The University is doing this so they can go home.

Does he plan on bringing everything from his apartment?  I doubt it so there's no good reason he can't be ready in 4 hours.

Right, mom?

It actually saves me a trip since we're going back up there on Christmas Day anyhow, so now I'll just pick him up before going to my Dad's...or if the weather isn't bad Saturday someone from there can run over and get him. 

I'm still annoyed.  They want him to work here when he's back and he can't start until his drug test is done which will probably eat up 1 of the 3 weeks he's off.  If he came home tonight he could get that out of the way tomorrow.

[giramomma]

Dec 20, 2022 16:04:13 GMT -5 minnesotapaintlady said:

Annoyed with my kid.  His Thursday final got moved to take-home due to the blizzard so students could get home and I offered to come pick him up tonight but he doesn't think that would work because he wouldn't be ready to go yet.  It would be at least 4 hours before I got there.  How much time does it take for a college kid to be packed up for a 3 week trip home? 

I would be annoyed, too.

I made my dad drive me back to school in the snow once. I don't know what he or I were thinking.

[Deleted]

And the rice pudding saga goes on. I went down a rabbit hole looking at recipes and found Thai rice with coconut milk and Creole rice pudding which is a real pudding with lots of eggs to make a custard baked in the oven. Being the hybrid human I am, next year might see me making a rice pudding variation with mango. And coconut milk.

[jerseygirl]

Dec 20, 2022 16:50:26 GMT -5 giramomma said:

Dec 20, 2022 16:04:13 GMT -5 minnesotapaintlady said:

Annoyed with my kid.  His Thursday final got moved to take-home due to the blizzard so students could get home and I offered to come pick him up tonight but he doesn't think that would work because he wouldn't be ready to go yet.  It would be at least 4 hours before I got there.  How much time does it take for a college kid to be packed up for a 3 week trip home? 

I would be annoyed, too.

I made my dad drive me back to school in the snow once. I don't know what he or I were thinking.

My dad drove me home slso after a huge snowstorm. Sad that I didn’t appreciate him then . He was a lovely smart man who had to overcome many obstacles in life. He also stayed with the family even though his youngest daughter was disabled. A loyal man when many just walked out

[chiver78]

heh. as I wait for the clock to hit 5pm so I can park this laptop against a bookshelf, I'm laughing a little as I text with my "big brother" from my first job. details are deliberately fuzzy, but a common contact is now in a high position at a former employer of mine that is now a contractor for my current place. at 8 this morning, I signed into Teams, he saw my name and we exchanged some pleasantries. and my LinkedIn blew up for the duration of the call as the site tried to figure out why we knew each other. lol....2023 should be fun. 

[jerseygirl]

Drinking glass of red wine, maybe that will help get me warmer
I HATE the winter cold!!!

[weltschmerz]

Dec 20, 2022 13:31:34 GMT -5 chiver78 said:

Dec 20, 2022 12:33:03 GMT -5 weltschmerz said:

I had to go back to the store (which is across the street) and asked them what kind of squash I bought.  Butternut.
It was quite tasty once I finished with it.
Like I said, BFF cooks it on the holidays, and it's pretty nasty just boiled.

that's an odd looking butternut, from the pic you posted. glad you made it work! I typically peel and cube it up, tossed in olive oil with cinnamon and nutmeg. roast at 400 for about 40-45min. bonus - my dogs both like it as well, so we share

I didn't post a pic of a butternut.  I posted an example of a squash. Someone said courgettes are zucchinis, and I posted a pic of a courgette that's not a zucchini.`
Hmmm, nutmeg. I should try that.  Thanks.

[jerseygirl]

I just started to cook butternut squash. Cut in half put butter and maple syrup in center and bake. Tastes good

[ken a.k.a OMK]

My son makes a great Butternut squash soup.

[weltschmerz]

I'm back from the mall and a follow-up for my hearing aid. 
I stopped at the optometrist to ask how much to pop my prescription lenses into a new frame. He said the frame itself would be $200. Highway robbery. 

So, I went to Dollarama and bought a bunch of reading glasses there. I can't believe how much I spend there when I just need lightbulbs or something. 
I wanted to wear my lightweight but very warm cashmere sweater. To my horror, it was riddled with holes.  Moths.
I can catch fish with it now.  I'm pissed.
 

[weltschmerz]

I'm drinking a cup of coffee with rum in it, and Sushi is watching BBC Earth, about sloths.
God, they're adorable!

[Deleted]

Dec 20, 2022 17:53:18 GMT -5 weltschmerz said:

I'm back from the mall and a follow-up for my hearing aid. 
I stopped at the optometrist to ask how much to pop my prescription lenses into a new frame. He said the frame itself would be $200. Highway robbery. 

So, I went to Dollarama and bought a bunch of reading glasses there. I can't believe how much I spend there when I just need lightbulbs or something. 
I wanted to wear my lightweight but very warm cashmere sweater. To my horror, it was riddled with holes.  Moths.
I can catch fish with it now.  I'm pissed.
 

I get the frustration.  I may have mentioned here before in my griping that I can't get new lenses put in my current frames unless I sign a waiver because trying to remove and replace lenses in plastic frames can cause them to fracture.  Yes, most new frames here start at about $100/USD for the junk ones and lenses run another $100 or so.