for fun: Do/Would you still put on all your makeup and decent clothes if you are quarantined

[awhfy]

6 hours ago, Lois R said:

I hope you have a wonderful day🙂..........and the pictures look awesome!!!!!!!!!  You are a beautiful couple, then and now!!!!!

Thanks Lois. 

[Lois R]

You are most welcome🙂

 

I got some sad news last night.........one of my closest friends lost her sister over the weekend. She had been quite ill for a long time (Not Covid) but her health issues go all the way back to 9/11.......she was living not far from the Towers at that time and if you have followed any of the First Responders health problems over the years.........well, it affected many other people too.......many folks got very sick with horrible lung problems😥.........I am sure she is in a better place now but still...........she was only in her young 60's..........very sad.

[cruise kitty]

Lois, I'm back & have a lot of catching up to do, but wanted to say how sorry I am about your friends sister 😢 that's too young to go.   

 

Melody, beautiful photos, happy, happy anniversary !!

 

Cynthia good luck on your move 🙂.  Congrats!

 

Kat, hang in there at work...  going back today was a rude awakening for me, & I was only gone 10 days lol 😉

 

[Lois R]

Hi Debbie, welcome home and thank you. Yes, she was young.  Tomorrow I need to go to the Florist and send some type of plant/flowers. 

 

How was the cruise?

 

Cynthia, yes, good luck with the move. Hope all goes smoothly for you.

 

I will pack tomorrow.........I fly out on Wednesday.

[awhfy]

16 hours ago, Lois R said:

You are most welcome🙂

 

I got some sad news last night.........one of my closest friends lost her sister over the weekend. She had been quite ill for a long time (Not Covid) but her health issues go all the way back to 9/11.......she was living not far from the Towers at that time and if you have followed any of the First Responders health problems over the years.........well, it affected many other people too.......many folks got very sick with horrible lung problems😥.........I am sure she is in a better place now but still...........she was only in her young 60's..........very sad.

So sad. 🙏🏻🙏🏻

[awhfy]

Lois enjoy your cruise!  I’d forgotten how soon it was!!

[Lois R]

Hi Melody, thanks so much🙂.....finished packing a bit ago (the checked bag). I still have to put my stuff in the carry on and get my jewelry, toiletries, etc......together. 

 

I went to the Florist and ordered flowers for my girlfriend and her family. Then I went to the bank and got some lunch.   

 

Will check back in later🙂......

[slidergirl]

Happy Anniversary Melody!!!

 

Lois - this is the Caribbean cruise, right?  Have fun.

 

Debbie - welcome back!   Yes, I'm getting back into things at work.  Good thing we're pretty vacant next week, too: my 2 co-horts are back tomorrow while I'm off and our new "supervisor" comes up to start on Monday.  The HOA don't want her as the new manager as they want someone more "mature", so she'll do some of the things my boss does and my boss will do the HOA stuff AND her new job down at HQ.  So, I have some teaching to do...  Fortunately, I get my same schedule - 11am-7pm Fri-Tue.  This morning stuff is killing me!!!

 

OOTD: my Vuori black yoga pants, a white/black stripe Sundance long-sleeve V-neck T, a comfortable pair of shoes for my bad toe.  If I get chilly, I have my jeans jacket.   Gosh, I hope the new "supervisor" doesn't change the dress standard!!!!!!

[Lois R]

Hi Kat, yes......this is the Caribbean cruise🙂

[cruisemom42]

 

@Lois R  So sorry to hear about your friend's sister. Untimely deaths always seem more difficult to bear.

 

I've been super busy with both work and house stuff but didn't want to miss out on wishing you a bon voyage on your latest adventure. I hope you have great weather and a relaxing and fun time.

 

[Lois R]

Hi Cynthia, thank you so much🙂 Hope you are loving your new home!

[cruise kitty]

Lois, Bon Voyage!   wishing you a great flight & smooth seas 🙂

 

-Debbie

[awhfy]

Everyone must be busy working & getting ready for the holidays. Or cruise critic is acting up again. I’m ready for Christmas except for one granddaughter, any ideas (besides money) for a 16 year old girl? Her 16th is on Dec 22 so I need bday too!    I only have an Ulta gift card for her. Her dad got her the camera equipment that I was planning on getting her (with all the attachments, etc).  Here’s a picture. She’s usually in Doc Maarten, leggings (or holey jeans) & a plaid shirt. Only jewelry is earrings. I know better than to buy her clothes when she’s not with me!  Melody

[Lois R]

Hi from the Carribean Sea😀having a lovely, relaxing time. Hope everyone is doing well!

[cruise kitty]

Hi Melody, your granddaughter is gorgeous!   I'm no help gift wise... I have zero idea what today's teenagers like...  it seems like gift cards are always a good idea, or maybe a spa day with you ?

 

Cruise critic has definitely been acting up... have to clear cookies, log out & log back in 🙂 getting used to it lol

 

Lois, glad to hear you are having a relaxing time 🙂. bet it's beautiful there!

 

[slidergirl]

Grrr.  Couldn't login yesterday at work - I guess CC was too busy.  When I got home, I find that our cable/internet was out in the area.  It never came back up until sometime around 2am.   Good thing I have my tunes on my MacBook - I listened to stuff on there while I played Solitaire 😁

 

Wendy - if your granddaughter likes earrings, look at Range Leather.  Some really cool leather ones in 3 different colors.  I have some of all the styles except for the Arch.  Right now they have a Holiday Bundle - 4 of any of them for $70.  They are really light and don't pull on my ear.  

Does she do leggings/jeans and flannel shirts?  Look at Angry Minnow for flannel shirts.  Fun colors and neat patches on the back.  

If she'd do a bracelet that would go with those earrings, look at the bracelet from Ranchlands Mercantile.  I've got the one in natural.  Wear it everyday.   

 

You can always do a cool pair of Docs - they come in soooo many colors!!

[Lois R]

Hi girls from my balcony docked in San Juan. Having an excellent time. This is a totally relaxing cruise😀. Met some really nice folks, weather is beautiful and food great😀

Hope all of you are doing well.

[PurpleHays]

Does she live nearby? If so, maybe you can do something together like a museum, play, or musical. I'd enjoy the above mentioned spa day. Along these lines, my husband is getting concert tickets for Christmas--maybe you could get tickets for her and a friend and be their driver/chaperone.

[awhfy]

13 hours ago, PurpleHays said:

Does she live nearby? If so, maybe you can do something together like a museum, play, or musical. I'd enjoy the above mentioned spa day. Along these lines, my husband is getting concert tickets for Christmas--maybe you could get tickets for her and a friend and be their driver/chaperone.

She’s visiting for 10 days from CA. We already do the spa thing, no decent plays or museums unless we go to Denver (& I don’t drive there for anyone!).   I’ll figure something out, maybe a cake decorating class, she loves to bake

[slidergirl]

Afternoon all!

 

A day off.  Tomorrow is a (supposedly) snow storm.  So, I went down the canyon to get my Christmas shopping done at Trader Joe's. Cookies, candies and candles for gifts for my hair stylist and co-workers.  And, a little for me 😉   The baked lemon ricotta cheese was back so I had to buy some of that yummy goodness.  Some more cauliflower gnocchi for baking and snacking.   Some goodies for a soup.  

 

Cynthia - thanks for coming to my "rescue" on the "carry on = inappropriate dressing" thing over on Ask a Cruise question.  No matter what I do, I always get sucked into that one...  I could have trumped his Guild Dinner with dinner with Prince Albert, but I didn't (he was a bobsledder when I was working as an official)

 

OOTD:  my jungle leggings and a charcoal hoodie, with my high tops.  Hair in a pony and a baseball hat because it's my day off and I didn't feel like washing my hair already.  

[awhfy]

Spending this week & weekend helping our daughter get moved into her new home. I’m clearing out things as soon as this is over!!  We’re the mover watchers, cable watcher, coffee maker, etc. 

[cruisemom42]

Sorry I've been kind of absent lately. I am still in the process of getting my new condo "move-in" ready. The closets are refitted and the whole place painted. Now I just have to wait for the floor refinisher to find time for me. (The place has hardwoods throughout but they are a rather off-putting orange-ish color....).  In the meantime we are still tossing stuff and also starting to pack and stow a few things at the new place.

 

@Lois R and @cruise kitty should be back from cruising soon (or already) -- how was it?

 

Kat -- reviews of any of your TJ purchases?  I'm probably only going to make one pre-Christmas trip and I want to head straight for the good stuff!

 

Melody -- good luck with the birthday girl; let us know what you decide to do. 

 

 

[Lois R]

Hi girls😀 I still have 6 more days. I get home Friday, the 17th.

[cruise kitty]

@cruisemom42 sounds like you have been super busy!  That's great that you have so much time to get stuff done at new place without having to be completely out of old place, that's always stressful, trying to time moving & getting work/repairs/remodeling complete!

 

Had a fantastic time on HAL, spent the week reading, relaxing, rented a cabana on two days.. walked on the promenade deck, ate & drank a LOT of mimosas 😉   This HAL ship had an area of deck called "music walk". Basically 3 or 4 areas set up like a bar/lounge with live music,  when the show would end at one little club area, it would be starting up at the next,  just brilliant.  

 

The food/service in MDR was mostly awful... comically awful to the point where it was actually funny...  ate in two specialty restaurants which were fantastic,  the spa area was great, along with the relaxation room, tile lounges, & thassotherapy pool.  

 

The standard sized Verandah cabins are much smaller than on Celebrity, so two people can't be walking around at same time, but their in room entertainment is great, lots of top notch free movies to choose from, Celebrity took that away a while back, & now you have just a handful of B list movies to choose from on X.  

 

The unlimited laundry package is brilliant,  I also added the pressing, but probably didn't need it.  Every morning I sent out our previous days clothing & they came back that night,  clean & pressed...

 

Decided that at some point we will try them for an exotic itinerary...  either do a balcony guarantee, or if it's much cheaper, an inside cabin (HAL has some big ones) & I would add on the cabana for the entire trip.. 

 

Anyhow, happy moving to you!

 

& Melody, happy moving to your daughter 🙂.    

Lois, enjoy the remainder of your cruise  🙂

Kat, I read the thread on packing in a carry on only with great interest 😉  It's funny how some people are horrified by the idea that different people travel differently,  we all have the things that make us feel more comfortable when traveling & what works for us (& doesn't). 

 

Anyhow,  time to continue getting ready for holiday celebrations!

 

[slidergirl]

Review of TJ's seasonal stuff:

 

mini peppermint merengues -yummy!  We're devouring them at work.  Melt-in-your-mouth with little bits of candy cane.

baked lemon ricotta - OMG!!  You gotta get this.  It's like eating lemon cheesecake.  Sooo good with a water cracker or something like this.  I loved it so much last year that I bought 3 pieces of it this year!!

Bacon-wrapped scallops - 10 of them in a box.  A quick dinner for me.  The scallops do not end up dry, but have a nice bite to them.  

candy cane jo jo's ice cream.  Just say yes.  peppermint & vanilla ice cream, fudge ribbons, and pieces of the candy cane jo jo's.  

Panettone and Egg Nog.  It's a good quality panettone.  And, if you look at the recipes from TJ's, they have an awesome bread pudding recipe using just those 2 things.

Truffle Burrata.  Got one, but haven't tried it yet.  Their plain buratta is pretty darn tasty.

Dark chocolate-covered pepperment jojo's - decadent.  My hair stylist loves them!!  

The astounding multi-flavored enrobed jojo's - I get them for the Front Desk folks and they are gone in a day!!!  

leibkuchen.  One of my absolute favorite holiday cookies.  soft gingerbread/spice cookies with a sugar glaze on them.  I gain 5 lbs just noshing on them each year.

 

 

Grab 'em while they are available.  There were canisters of snacking mixed nuts, plain and spicy, but the manager said they sold out of them and have no more coming.