Good Morning!

I am feeling SO much better today! I slept like a log until Gabby got up at 5AM and I went to bed before 9. Thank you, AdvilPM! I'm much more positive today and just having a good mindset. What gets done before I leave....eh...who cares. DH is a big boy, he will figure something out.

I'm going for a pedicure this afternoon to get beach ready toes! I haven't heard from the plumber, but I'm not going to cancel my Pedi just in case he decides to show up. The he!! with it! EDITED: Pedicure done! Plumbers came and fixed my kitchen faucet! Got notified that my new stove will be delivered tomorrow before Noon! Things are falling into place!

The contractors will have a short work day here as all they have to do is some electrical work that should be easy and then attach a few back splash tiles. They'll be back tomorrow to put the grout between the tiles. Done! My new stove is supposed to come tomorrow too and I have a massage at 2. Will I make it? Whatever......not life & death.

Gabby is so used to the strange guys coming every day that she just heads upstairs around 8 and hides until they leave. Then she comes down, sniffs around, eats her dinner and adjusts.

Onward I go!

Lori- Love you got beach ready toes!!!!!- What are you wearing / packing for trip???? I bet you got a bunch of Skorts? You remind me of a skort girl too! I love them! Just ordered 200.00 worth of them! Every color/ pattern!

You eating out every night?
Glad your Reno almost done!
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Morning! EARLY HERE!

I am still not used to the fact it is dark at 6 am. I need to leave here in an hour to drive an hour to meet a patient at the Ortho Office! TGIF!

We have rain moving in later this afternoon. Rain all night into tomorrow morning. I am thinking my grandsons t-ball game will be cancelled. it would have been his first game ever. It's tomorrow morning. Then I was going to take them all to Smokin Pig for DD Birthday. We might need to just do the PIG!

Nothing else moving or shaking here. Sunday is going to be a beautiful day.

I noticed we have over 30K of lurkers! That is over 115 PER POST?!?!?!?!?- People have got to be bored! Notice nobody ever "drops" in anymore..............

Well, me and 30K are waiting for ya'll to drop in! LOL

What are ya'll eating today?!?!?!?!? I am tired of cooking.

By the way did you hear that Greenville SC will be in the DIRECT path of the Solar Eclipse coming? We will have what is called Totality. How cool is that. It is sunny most days here too!
AWESOME. - Going to Amazon to check on Eclipse glasses.

Good Morning!

What a night! We have/had an ADT alarm system in the house and we cancelled with them 6 months ago. We still have the equipment(they don't want it), and have been using it every night. It will still sound an alarm if anyone comes in a door or a window, it just won't summon the police. Anyway, at a bit after 1AM the damn thing started beeping. Not the alarm sound, just some kind of error. I came downstairs and shut it off and this morning, the panel is dead. No big deal, I just hope it doesn't start randomly beeping. We are thinking about getting a Ring system we can put up ourselves etc. ADT was just too damn expensive. So....interrupted night's sleep.

We got up around 6 and I did some floor cleaning where my new stove will go and I have last minute laundry spinning. I'll change the bed and wash towels and get everything sparkling for DH for the week I'm gone.

The contractors are not going to be happy this morning as I have a problem with a new receptacle that they put in. My microwave plug is too big and the receptacle is too close to the counter so I can't plug it in the bottom one and when I plug it in the top one, it covers the lower one. WTH? I always plug my coffee pot in the 2nd one. It is a pain to have to unplug the micro or coffee pot every time we want to use the other. It wouldn't be as big a problem if they hadn't already put back splash tiles around the receptacle box....oops. He wants me to be happy, so he'll change it and they may just have to come back after I get home and fix the tiles around the moved box. Nothing is easy!

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Jaz.....I mainly packed shorts, Capri pants, joggers and 1 LBD(little black dress) for dress up night. It will be cold the first day as we need to get further south before it starts to warm up. I also saw on FB that someone looked on the NOAA site and we will probably have 15-20 foot swells the first day. I'll be taking seasick meds that will take care of any issues.

I hope your early morning trip goes well. Happy Friday to the working gal!

Trig....What's up?

Nic....Still in DE or back to MD? I have lost track of you!

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DH is helping with a big project at the Rec Auth. this afternoon, so I'll be able to putter around and get my kitchen put back together at my leisure. It's ideal, really. I'll get the contractors to help me get a few things back in place once I mop the new floor and then I'll get busy reorganizing.

I'm heading to my sister's by Noon tomorrow.....hopefully more like 10. I have a 2.5 hour drive and it's supposed to be raining. Ugh.

Happy weekend!

Lori- I am so excited for you about your trip with your sister. I know you guys will have a great time. It is a pain when little things in the construction need to be fixed but it's good that that can happen and you will be so happy with the end result.

We are also expecting a lot of rain tomorrow in Delaware. Last I looked it was something like 2 1/2 or 3 inches which is just crazy.

Jaz the foods in my fridge are crustless quiche, spring salad mix: I served both of those at book club last night. I also have one serving left of Carnitas with black beans, and several servings of pot roast with vegetables and broth.

Did I misread or were you saying that you were applying for another job?

Hi Trig!!

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I have read The Midnight Library. I read that a couple of years ago. I do believe that I liked it.

Book club went well. It's an enjoyable group and I had a variety of food and everyone enjoyed that also. I'm listening to all the dogs barking in the dog park right now. One of my neighbors had two adult corgis and one passed. She now has an adult corgi and a puppy and that puppy is so stinking cute! Reminding myself, I do not want a puppy!

I am here through Sunday afternoon. Today I had a different book club meeting- that is over and I have the rest of the day free. Tomorrow I don't think I have anything scheduled and I'm just going to enjoy a rainy day.
I'll also be prepping the house for shutting it down since we won't be back for a few weeks I think.

I hope you all have a great day!

Good Afternoon!

Whew! All issues fixed and the contractors left at 1:15. I've been working on getting things back in place and also made a run to CVS & the grocery store for some last minute things.

I'm dreading driving 2.5 hours in the pouring rain tomorrow, but I'll make it. I'll probably get up, have some coffee, take a shower and head out. I will have everything done here that has to be done and I can't stand just sitting around waiting to go. I'll take AdvilPM tonight so I'm sure I can sleep tonight. Excitement is building!

I'm taking my laptop along to my sister's and just leave it there while we're gone. I will have internet access on the ship, so I'll probably try to send you all some pictures along the way.

Lori safe travels in the rain, we got it here too. But you will have a fun time with your Sis.

your receptacle crazy sounds like my backward faucet handles. yea mine sure ain't been fixed, glad your issue was,

Nicco, no pup, no pup, repeat that ALOT, I am doing it here too LOL

hope you got an easy shut down....kinda like that checklist routine to keep it closed til you can get back there again. enjoy the weekend tho.

Jazz I had no idea an elcipse was coming, gonna have to go off and check that on the net.

sick of cooking? what ya cooking? I mean ZC is one of the most simple cook ways ya know, Slap meat in pan, done HA

-----------omgosh all the stupid of the world settled on me. I am putting out little fires all around. Annoying as hell.

first major F up is Verizon, honest to heavens I despise that company but can't leave it, hubby won't let me.
They screwed up that 'free Iphone 15 offer' I got back in Sept.
Honestly I can't tell you how bad it went down, in the bitter end after 2 hrs with a rep in the store, I ended up screwed to the max. My lady rep that handled it just f'd it all up and according to verizon, it was like an imaginary crazy non-existent upgrade we did with her.

They had no records of returning our Iphone 13s, without my emails showing they rec'd them that would have meant they stole our phones, plus somehow a plan change was forced without my consent into a higher plan cost with no included hot spot coverage, that is now extra and they will not put me back on my old cheaper plan cost I had...Once off your lower priced better plan they will not put you back on it, period, even though I never requested that change, huh?,

then the Iphone, to compensate for this massive screw up they could 'only' give me 400 off each phone, so not free upgrade anymore, so when the credit refund for the 400 on each phone is reached I then have to pay the balance. COME THE HELL ON.....

I was furious, I almost went over the desk at the customer rep guy helping us when he said all in all thru this whole mess, my bill that was to be around 205 a month as promised and planned by the other rep that screwed me, was now gonna lock in at 264 per month and when that phone promo is off my bill will raise to about 310 til that time is covered and will drop....but I saw stars to no end. I thought I was gonna bust a blood vein in my head ont is one LOL

I HAVE TO LAUGH about it cause I wanna cry about it. I said to hubby we are out of verizon and when they send me the final bill to cancel contract I ain't paying them a damn red cent but hubby is like, NO, he wants verizon....rare he speaks up but he wants their coverage so.....I literally have to turn a blind eye here and suck it up buttercup. I mean verizon wouldn't do anything for us on this massive f'up, it was take what we can offer and done. What, am I gonna start sending letters to the President of Verizon LOL ain't gonna get no where fast.

but I tell ya one thing. As soon as those damn Iphones are paid off I am taking me and kiddo off verizon and hubby can have it, but we are outta there. Tmobile or whoever.....Anyway I literally can't stand the friggin' companies out there anymore.

AND MY POWER BILL went insane. got a bill for 295. WTH? went up alot per killowatt hr and also tagged out some damn company fee and then tacked on some damn thing called an electric policy rider charge? HUH??? I am SO curious to see how my bills are gonna be, they will be diff. from my near constant other ones....ok should be interesting.

How in THE heck can people survive on what is going down on these cost increases?

I am ranting, darn right I am HAHA

got one good news. 2400 back IRS this yr and while there tax lady and me chatted about last yrs taxes with me owing them and she said, hmm, did a double check and found out she filed wrong and missed some question that made me pay instead of get a refund.....so she is amending last yrs taxes and I am getting 1900 back on that....weeee....but I can't get too excited I mean the way I am getting screwed around with I am scared to death to deal with the IRS even LOL

I made my brain accept that the 1900 from last yrs taxes that is kinda a freebie now will cover those damn Iphone charges and bill increase a bit. Only thing that is making this acceptable in my mind, sad right.

then the annuity at the bank threw me a 1099 for my gain. huh? that should not happen. only when ya take money out is it taxed, the gain just rolls over without generating a 1099, so tax lady told me to call bank and find out WTH is going on there??

I am playing a very very very tight money income game right now, I can't have issues like this..ugh

then when I mowed I got like 12,000 fire ant hills down by the red horse barn area and along that back fenceline....geez louise...got poison tho onto those damn things....don't work, kills that nest til they just move over and start another. I TELL YA I want to move sooner than later to the beach. Shells and white rock for front yard and damn cement. Screw ants and mowing.

ok I am venting and ranting like a mother....

ok guys in general all is going well, yea right HA
be good, sorry ya had to read all this mess LOL

Good Morning!

Yep.....it's raining. I'm going to enjoy my couple cups of coffee and then get ready to head down the road. I had DH put my big suitcase in the car last night instead of doing it this morning in the rain. I can just leave it in the car tonight as I have a backpack with what I'll need at Sis's. I think I'm ready! Kitchen all put back together and everything looks so great. We had a couple things for the contractors to take care of yesterday morning as well as them finishing my back splash and newly rewired kitchen sink light. My new toilet had a bit of a malfunction yesterday morning....it wouldn't stop running. Turns out something was wrong with the float thing. The mechanism failed? Anyway, contractor said that is the 2nd one that he has had fail from new. It worked out good since they were coming yesterday. They simply flipped the receptacle upside down so my plugs will fit....easy fix. OMG.....the new stove delivery....2 guys brought in the new stove and plunked it in the middle of the kitchen floor and left. I had the spot all ready for them to put it and the cord/plug thing right there. I said "Are you not going to attach the plug and level it?" No.....they said they aren't allowed to attach the cord because it was the one I had from my old stove? The salesman never suggested I buy a new cord from them, but I really didn't need one, mine is fine. The one guy said "All you need is a Phillips screw driver and attach these 3 wires here etc etc. WTH? Anyway, my contractor said "Don't worry, we'll hook it up for you." But really, that's not the point. What if I was some little old lady who didn't have a contractor standing beside them? I tell ya.....customer service is a freakin' thing of the past! Anyway, it is in place, leveled and works like a charm.

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Trig.....Oh man....you have been dealing with major crap! We are all bleeding money right now. I'm telling you, those damn cell phone contracts are impossible to understand and they just nickel and dime you to death.

Jaz....Hope you have a nice weekend. Will you get out for a nice walk with Ruger?

Nic.....Exciting times ahead for you! What a special time for your family.

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Gotta fly.....I'll be in touch!

Lori I read this and was laughing loud!0---- The one guy said "All you need is a Phillips screw driver and attach these 3 wires here etc etc. WTH? Anyway, my contractor said "Don't worry, we'll hook it up for you." OMG I WOULD be WTH too HAHA, but so glad it was easy and they handled it I bet you had alot of WTH moments thru this reno too!

yea this rain stinks. such a gray day, we had big rain last night. safe travels, have fun

Nicco and Jazz, will catch up again when you guys post.

-------------for me I got another issue to fix. I had 'the perfect' water run-off line created along my backyard fenceline til I met hubby, then he came and used the front end loader to change the slope of that side acreage when we put up our big ol' red carport to handle the small tractors and mowers and other stuff we own, well from that day the water run-off doesn't head down to the back branch area like it should, it runs into the backyard and heads down to my gate entrance to the other barns. Yea sucked rocks and of course he said 'he would fix it' and in this 30 yrs it never got fixed and while mowing the other day I now have a f'ing sinkhole starting at that fence line area. Like one that will collapse and suck up a person if I don't handle it now. WHY IN THE hell doesn't hubby listen to me ever? saw that gaping hole right under the backyard fence and thought, oh hell here we go HAHA another darn problem to fix up and this isn't a small one to correct either but something I gotta deal with for sure. Another farm/land thing on the plate I would love to walk away from.....but it is very close to my water well so yea, gotta deal.
Yet to tell hubby but he will get an earful on this issue sooner than later HAHA rains it pours, darn right, never a good rain either.

the Black Panther cat was at my back door banging and meow'ing. come on, that thing ain't coming in the house LOL
I felt sorry for it tho but hubby said, hey no pets, no 'real' cats and no darn pups. Hey I get it

what I would take....a horse. If a horse showed up I would keep it in a heart beat! that is why I can't go to the horse auction sales with Barb anymore. I see the scrawny older ones and wanna buy them just to give them a good retirement but again, if I don't see it I won't buy it and so many times I fight with....live here and live simple but get old azz horses from the auction and give them a great retirement or get a beach house, live simple and become some kind of reclusive beach bum with absolutely no worries or responsibilities in life....hmmm
ok just a stupid chat out.

today I am running up to little local smokehouse store to get some drinks/snacks in house for kiddo cause she comes home Tues but might get me a brisket too to eat. Hubby is eating out for job employee celebration day at some fancy place in Hickory, good riddance, let me have brisket and leave me alone today...sounds good HAHA

chat up later, be good all

Good Morning Ladies!!!!!!

Holy Smokes the NE is getting Hammered! I am thinking of you Lori and that drive, and then a boat in this mess! BE SAFE! Lori I was nauseous just reading that the boat would be handling SWELLS. I had visons of the Titanic! LOL- Not funny I know! Hopefully, you get on board and get you a sweet drink and all calms down and SMOOTH SAILING!
I know you left the house in good hands. It is very annoying when you get work done and then you need the "little stuff" fixed!
GIRL ENJOY YOUR TIME!

Trig- I read and then re-read your post. OMG I would have BLOWN A GASKET over the entire Verizon mess. Add that to taxes and Ant Hills. Over the top. It IS stuff like that that truly is maddening. Especially with the phone company. I mean- You did everything right. Then to deal with incompetent people..... OMG I could rant on that too! Extra charges without out constent..... I could go on! You showed way more restraint than I would have.
I am fine until people mess with my MONEY, DOG, FOOD. In that order!

Those sink holes are such a real thing. I don't blame you for looking ahead to......... Shells, sand, and water for your front yard. I am right there with you. Load it up and let's head out!

Panther is back! I was sorta worried about him as you haven't mentioned him for a minute. Banging now on your door huh?!?!?!?LOLOLOLOL The animals know you are a SOFTIE for them!!!!!!!!

Kiddo Coming home on Tue? Spring Break? She get a ton of time off! Glad she comes home for those. It will be interesting to see if she still has that nose appendage! heheheheh

Cooking- Ya- I do just slap it in the pan or air fryer. But SOMETIMES- even getting out 1 pan seems like alot! I just want it to go from package to tummy without any effort. I could go VERY LION and just hack off a hunk of meat and eat it AS IS! LOL- BLECK- lol I have gotten SO lazy. I Have been tossing my meat in the air fryer. Steaks, chicken, burgers, and fish do SO well in the air fryer. I have the kind that is square. It fits more and is more like a "convention oven" I love it.

Nic- Boy I am watching the weather channel. You are REALLY getting it. Glad you are in, humming along and loving having out for the day. Yum on your leftover. I do love a good quiche. I am pot roasted out. I also noticed that leftover pot roast makes me chew and chew. LOL

Today will be a warm and cozy day for you. I know you are gearing up for all sorts of upcoming change! I had both my kids in the Spring. I ALWAYS associate Daffodils with my son's birth! You will find something like that as well. You will look back at this time and something will bring it back. Maybe a flower, a song, a smell. Good times for sure! LOVE IT UP! Excited for you.
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It rained all day yesterday and all night. It has cleared out and moved up north where you all are! Sun is out now. It is Super wet and cooler.
Tee-ball was cancelled.
However, the Smoking Pig brunch is still on. Then we are going to the Gardens to walk. It is paved there. I will hang out with my kids, and son, and the grands. LOVE

Then after that I am meeting a group of about 10 people later on for a night of live music and all manner of debauchery (just kidding). A local hangout is having a band that is local, but pretty popular. So, I have several people that pinged me they were saving a seat for me. I guess I am going! LOL
So........ yea...... Whoot....... Rockin tonight! This granny can still dance!

Eats: I am going to buy some Brisket to bring home from the Smoking Pig. Then steak for tomorrow. I also bought a "pack" of 3 pounds of beef that was on sale. I am good for a minute!

Yes..... I am actively sending out resumes and application. I gave myself 6 months to try out a new field. I am just not feeling it is a good fit. At 58 I decided I am going to go into an ENTIRELY new line of nursing work. Something I have never done. It is technical and something I have never done. MEH- I gave it a shot.
I need to go back to "WHAT I KNOW". My brain is just not picking up the little technical stuff and rules and regulations that needs to happen in these reports. I have been on the struggle bus from day one. It is nobody's fault. It just isn't my wheelhouse and not a good fit. End of story.
I am looking, while I am still working.

I am really enjoying my new little condo I am in. I haven't chatted it up much since I moved in. But I am enjoying being here and not having neighbors on top of me. It feels very residential- not apt. It has everything I need. I think of that every time I do a load of laundry in my new washer and dryer, or kick back on my new couch and watch a great movie in my living room. It's just a super comfortable space.

I am just in a good spot in every way right now. Yeah- need the new job, but it will happen. Then I will b!tch about it like I do. Life is good! LOLOLOL

The rain took most of the pollen out of the air. SWEET.

Well- off to do my hair for the day! Most days it gets thrown in a pony tail. I need to make some sort of effort for today and tonight! LOL

Later Gators- STAY SAFE AND DRY!

JAZZ, you had me snorting over saying even 1 pan to fry meat is too much cooking HA OMG I am so there with you!!! I hate it too even having to fry a steak, I despise my kitchen now literally lol

HEY ME TOO, bought me a brisket from the lil' smokehouse store. I ate 1/2 of it and am gonna hound down the rest tonight. got a nice big juicy fat cap on it and the meat is so tender and this one is done just right for me. LOOK MA, NO COOKING TONIGHT for me

New job huh. new field? ugh. If I was you I would find the simplest darn decent paying job and do it without having to over tax your brain in any way. Live to get some bucks but enjoy your lovely condo home and walks and family visits with work as that back side line ya gotta do but doesn't pressure you to no end.

something tells me you are gonna end up buying a permanent home near your son and daughters area aren't ya??? Your local seems to suit you so well, and there is work there too with family and close to beach travel etc. so ya got it good where you are at actually.

kiddo had weirdo break from Uni. home a week before then back for 2 weeks, now she comes home on Tues and leaves Sun and that is all the break.

hell she is out on May 7 to come home til she goes back in Aug.
I dread feeding her thru summer truly. I hate cooking now so much I have to force me to do it to where I am one step from never touching another damn pot or pan in my life lol ugh

you sound like you are in a great space tho Jazz...happy for ya

Yo!

I made it to DSis's but what a horrendous drive! Pouring rain the whole way. There was an accident on the turnpike when I was nearly here that held me up for just a few minutes. Someone probably hydroplaned, took out some guardrails and it looked like they spun around and got hit head on by another car.....not good. Thank goodness it didn't happen right in front of me.

We're going to go out for an early dinner and then back here to just hang out for the evening. I know I'll be ready for bed early, as usual. We're going to leave around 8:30 tomorrow morning to head to the port. It's about a 2 hour drive.

I'll try to email you all some pics of my travels!

Later!

Lori glad your trip was safe tho.

yes please, if ya get a chance email us some pics, would love to see!!!

-----------ANOTHER STUPID UPDATE

kiddo called. she dropped her lanyard with car key, dorm key and WCU ID key card down the elevator shaft.

HUH LIKE WTH?

She called facility maintenance and they said kiss it goodbye. they will not do anything to retrieve.

car key replace near $250 or more

dorm key $25 *she tried to copy her roommates key at Lowes and it won't scan to duplicate, then she went to walmart to try and it would not scan to duplicate either* oh well

key card $75

and another 300 or so gonzo

Too tired to rant anymore LOL
I am so over it all,,,,,weeeee

Good Morning!

OMG Trig......what next on your list of "things I have to deal with"!! I'm sitting here wondering how you drop something down an elevator shaft? Must be a small gap and it slipped right thru. Things have got to settle down for you soon!

It's 6AM and I'm up and dressed and ready to go. DSis isn't getting up until 7...so she said. That is her regular get up time. I was just ready to get up now so I'm enjoying some coffee and will just ease into the day. We really can't leave before 8:30 as we are not supposed to get to the port too early. Our check-in time is 11:30, but we will be there an hour early. I can stand around and wait for an hour. I just want to get there!

Later!

OMG I lost my juicy long A$$ post!

Would you not know I wrote out this huge monster post only to hit close- BOOM GONE!

Let me summarize!

Lori- I thought of you all day yesterday as you were driving! I know it was a "bad" drive! White knuckle driving! ACK! So glad you are there and good to go!
Thanks for checking in!!!!!!!
Girl take some pictures!!!!! I wanna see some boat pictures too! Take us along! ENJOY!

Trig- OMG how frenkin TALENTED is it for your kiddo to drop SO much stuff down an elevator shaft. If you offered her a million dollars to do that again she couldn't!!!! Momma get out your wallet! LOL
I am still amazed how much time these kids get! Wow

Yea going back to the kitchen and one pan deal. It DOES seem like too much. Have to clean up and put away one pan, for just me. YEAAAAAAAAAH

BTW- My brisket yesterday was THE bomb. I am going to have to go back for some more!

Nic- Travel Day for you? I know you are feeling funny about leaving your happy place with no return date! It will make it all the more awesome when you do go back.
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So updates. I am dating............... The "just friends" guy got "upgraded" LOLOLOLOLOLOL
As a matter of fact I am going to his house for a friends dinner. Apparently, the group he hangs out with get together ever couple weeks for a "pot luck". He ask me last night to come. My gal pal will be there too with her boo.
Last night was super fun. I danced the night away! Then the party moved to my house. Dance party for 2! That is all I will say on this thread. LOLOLOL

Ohhhhhh....... hanging out with the littles was great yesterday too! That sweet granddaughter of mine has me wrapped around her finger! She puts her head on my shoulder and whispers- "my Gigi"- Please still my heart! My daughter laughs and rolls her eyes. She is not even discrete about it!!!! LOL

All is well in my world. I am thinking about another long weekend in Folly beach. YUP sure am!

Gotta put out a few resumes and yada yada yada...........

Later Gaters!
ROCK ON