Now I really did it :((

[Austina]

Hello lovelies.

Roasted butternut squash soup is delicious @PierreBear. There've been lots of good rides, but I think my favourite so far has been at Epcot, Soarin' ans Mission Space.

We're gointo the animal kingdom today, so that may change!

We went to Universal on Wednesday and one of the Harry Potter rides made both of us feel sick

Hope you had fun with your cousin and enjoyed your meal out.

@missy That seems like an incredible amount of money to redo the kitchen. We had ours done 2 years ago, which was a complete gut and refit. We needed work done on the floor, an extra layer laid so the travertine didn't move, plus they had to dig a big trench to run the higher powered cable for my induction hob. Lots of electrical work, walls replastered where the old tiles were removed, plumbing altered, lighting altered, just about everything. We chose top of the range units and appliances, I didn't have granite tops, but even then, I think we paid about half the amount you've been quoted.

Everything crossed the RV saga will soon be over @marcy

Hope everything is progressing well with your brothers move @junebug17

Hope poochy is comfortable @Scandinavian

Time to get up and get moving, another busy day ahead.

Have a good one everybody

 

[missy]

Good morning ladies! Happy Friday the 13th! Oooooh scarrrrrryyyyyy.

Austina thanks for reading through my kitchen saga in the previous posts and for sharing that info re your kitchen reno costs. It's frustrating that the cost here is so much more expensive and sometimes I know in my heart we should move and then other times I'm just as sure we shouldn't...how's that for consistency? LOL.

So glad you are enjoying your time in Orlando and woohoo to Animal Kindgom. Sorry the Harry Potter rides made you feel ill though. No fun feeling seasick from the motion of some of these rides. Have fun today!

Junie thinking of you and hoping all is going well with your brother and that your mom's house closing has been rescheduled. The weather has turned so much cooler here and I cannot believe it is the 60s cause it feels like the 40s to me LOL. Of course the temps are predicted to hit 80s again by Sunday. Crazy weather and no wonder my body isn't acclimating well to the temperature. It keeps fluctuating wildly.

Marcy hope the check from the RV dealer has arrived by now and that this Friday the 13th is only good luck for you at work and no more naughty employees pester you or make mistakes.

Scandi hope F is recovering well.

Sharon hope you are continuing your cycling adventures. It has turned very cool here too so not sure if we are venturing out today. The winds were crazy yesterday (35 mph plus) and today though they have quieted somewhat they are still over 20/25 mph so it might be too challenging a ride. I haven't checked the updated weather forecast yet this AM but we can and hear see the ocean waves are super high and the winds super strong. Any riding plans this weekend?

Kristie hope you are enjoying.

Callie hope you are healing. (((Hugs)))

LLJsmom hope things have quieted down around you and the fires are dying. Thinking of you and your family and friends and praying everyone is safe and that their homes are intact.

PierreBear I love butternut squash. Greg roasts/bakes it for me and it is oh so scrumptious. I mean heavenly delicious.
What are your weekend plans?

Yesterday after the HVAC and sprinkler guys left and I finished my workout we headed to Pt Pleasant and had a lovely afternoon. It was (for me) cold though and I sure hope my cold tolerance improves soon because I want to enjoy our autumn weather that has finally arrived before winter makes an appearance. Today we are thinking of cycling but the winds are giving me pause so maybe we will do something else.

Enjoy this Friday the 13th girls! Leaving you with a few cute signs we saw in Pt Pleasant yesterday. True true true.

 

[jaaron]

Hi Nirdis,

I'm DONE!!! Happy dance. For the moment, at least- I'll have another round before everything's completely finished, but my hard part is over. Planning a big glass of champagne tonight with dinner--or maybe instead of dinner, then away for the weekend and then next week we're having houseguests and I get to dig myself out of the huge pile of paperwork that's piled up on my desk over the last month. I opened the electricity bill this morning, and it was the equivalent of a page of frowny faced emojis... Oops.

Missy - Greg and I are almost birthday twins. We have three Libras in our household--I feel sorry for the two outliers (sometimes). Sorry your kitchen estimate was so high- I did two kitchens in NY, one in Manhattan and one in Brooklyn, and I'd say that if your estimate included appliances, I would think it was high but not outrageous. If you're another $20,000 in for appliances, it seems pretty steep. Are you using an architect or a kitchen designer? In my experience, architects tend to save you money in the long run. And have you asked if they'll give you the appliances at cost if you use them? And re the computer search - I just had to replace my laptop and my computer guru's advice was to skip the MacBook Air - he said that word is Apple will either kill off that model altogether or do a massive re-design in the very near future, and that they've only done small tweaks since 2015 and it's not keeping pace with the newly designed models. I ended up getting the MacBook because it's so incredibly portable. It doesn't have quite the same serious oomph as the pro, but I'm not a gamer or anything, basically only use it for internet and work, and I'm loving it. I drop it in my bag to take to meetings, etc. and it's hardly heavier than a phone.

Marcy - I hope the RV check turns up soon. That whole thing sounds like you deserve combat pay. Not to mention your job... I think you should try showing up at work in a dominatrix outfit. Thigh high boots and a big whip. See if that gets your employees falling into line. But don't bring snickerdoodles. That will make you much less intimidating - send them to me instead.

Austina - You guys are very brave. Twirling teacups are my upper limit when it comes to scary rides--assuming they don't twirl too fast. Hope you guys are continuing to have a great time.

Pierre Bear - Butternut squash soup with crispy sage leaves and a little cheese is the ultimate cold weather comfort food, in my opinion. And your bombe looks amazing! When is your gorgeous OEC going to make an appearance on your hand?

Scandi - The pups are too cute. I hope F is making a good recovery. One of ours had surgery early in the summer, and I swear, was milking the situation. Running like a lunatic within a week, but convincing me the only way he could possibly eat was if I hand fed him spoonfuls of warm chicken...

Junie - I hope your brother is settled in and you get this closing behind you. It sounds so stressful, made doubly so by the fact that so much of it is out of your control. On a cheerier note, I can't wait to see the earrings. You have impeccable taste.

Big hi's to Sharon and Callie and Azstonie. LLJs Mom, I hope you're out of the danger zone and that none of your friends and family have been affected.

Hope I'm not missing anyone. Have a great weekend y'all.

 

[PierreBear]

Hello ladies! Yesterday, my cousin came to visit and we did a spin class together at my local gym. The instructor is a sponsored athlete and was giving away Chipotle buy one get one free cards if you answered trivia questions correctly. Music and movies are not my forte but he was kind enough to pass them out to all the newer people in his class. Who would have thought that Chipotle would be considered the “healthy fast alternative?” On the card it listed out some examples of what you could order and was a bit astounded that one meal was close to 1,000 calories. I won’t say no to free food though, especially if it’s Mexican. But if it’s BOGO, I better not eat both of them.

This weekend we are going camping with some friends. We do an annual trip each year so it will be nice to catch up with some of those acquaintances/friends of friends. We tried booking a camp site but there wasn’t availability for some reason this year. So changing it up and going to a state park to hang out during the day and go glamping at a friend’s house and make smores over a fire. Sunday, I am thinking we will still do our usual bike ride but my left quad has been showing signs of fatigue and strain. Nothing as severe as an injury but something I’m watching. So we might change up the routine and do more running/swimming.

The other weekend plan is to watch the original blade runner. @missy – I’m sure Greg would love doing that right? DH borrowed the dvd from his father and so we will watch the original before we catch the newer version at the movies. I think I’ll get some good wife points for watching it and cash it in for some outdoor chores like getting the shed repainted. : ) Hope ya’ll have a great weekend!

@Austina – Oohhhh animal kingdom! Sounds like a blast. Sorry to hear that you felt nauseous on some of your rides. May that not occur during your adventures today. Enjoy and can’t wait to hear more about your wonderful vacation. How is the weather over there?

@missy – Thanks for pointing out Friday the 13th. Didn’t even realize it. I just remembered Greg’s term of “stupid”stition. Haha : )

I bet Greg can bake a mean butternut squash! I’m sure your cold tolerance will improve when you wear your sexy high boots. It’s not sweater weather yet over here so my boots are still stored away. Are you a scarf person, Missy?

@jaaron – Congrats on getting your project completed! What industry are you in? I’m hoping it’s something where you can physically see the product of your work. My end product is usually a report or some sort of excel document and that’s not very exciting as compared to maybe an architect who finally gets to see a creation become reality after construction. Enjoy the celebrations!

Wow… sage leaves. Good combination of flavors. I think I might have some dried sage as a herb but I know that won’t do justice for flavors. The only live herb I have is basil but I wonder how long it will last. I keep it growing on the window seal and it keeps growing taller as I pluck away it’s leaves. It looks a bit awkward.

DH had the same question about when the OEC is coming too. hahaha… All I can say is the French cuts are being manufactured and it will take a month before it gets to OWD. The ring shouldn’t formally make an appearance on my hand though until the anniversary date in 2019. However, DH said the band that goes with it can show up for our 9 year anniversary in 2018. We will see if I can sneak in some pictures of it just for my favorite NIRDI ladies.

 

[canuk-gal]

HI:

We plan on cycling this weekend and next week as our temps are looking great. I've walking outside early mornings with my neighbor and it is crisp outside, but good. I feel energized for the day!

Shout out to all the NIRDI's and to all the life adventures!

cheers--Sharon

 

[Calliecake]

Missy, I'm glad you were able to get out and enjoy the day. I have no idea how you ride in that wind. You looked freezing.

Pierre Bear, Please tell your husband you can't wait until 2019 to wear your new ring. Every piece of jewelry I have received is supposed to be for some upcoming anniversary. He has never made me wait a whole day before It is on my finger. He just tells me not to expect a gift on that anniversary. I received my 25th anniversary gift 2 years early. When the anniversary rolls around he gives me a pretty card and we go to dinner. I had the same experience with halo rings. LOVE them on everyone else but not so much on my hand. I never would have guessed I would feel that way. I practically begged my husband for my halo ring and now it sits in a safety deposit box. Your dessert pictures look fantastic. I so wanted your ice cream desserts.

Jaaron, Congratulations on your project being complete. I bet it feels great to have this done. Enjoy the much deserved champagne tonight!! Your posts always make me laugh. Marcy will have to let us know if she has success with the thigh boots and whip.

Marcy, I will be so happy for you this RV mess is a thing of the past. I'm with you and not being completely comfortable until you know everything is completed. I remember what you went thru on the payoff of your car. I LOL at Jaaron's suggestion to getting your employees to fall in line. Nothing like thigh high boots and a whip to make people see you mean business. I'm thinking this approach probably works a little better when applied to husbands. On second thought maybe not so much. My husband would be making me mad daily if thought that costume would come out of the closet.

Austina, I'm glad you are enjoying your vacation!

Junie, I'm hoping all is going well with your brother packing up his things from your moms house.

 

[Austina]

Yikes, I'm not superstitious, but someone had it in for me today!

I fell down the stairs (missed the bottom step completely), lurched forward banging my shoulder into the wall, hit my wrist, bounced off that wall, and hit my other arm against the wall the other side, then fell hard on my knees. I lay there unable to get up for a few minutes. Of course, everyone was in their bathrooms, so didn't hear a thing!

I'm a lovely shade of black and blue now. Hope everyone else has got through the day unscathed

 

[canuk-gal]

Yikes, I'm not superstitious, but someone had it in for me today!

I fell down the stairs (missed the bottom step completely), lurched forward banging my shoulder into the wall, hit my wrist, bounced off that wall, and hit my other arm against the wall the other side, then fell hard on my knees. I lay there unable to get up for a few minutes. Of course, everyone was in their bathrooms, so didn't hear a thing!

I'm a lovely shade of black and blue now. Hope everyone else has got through the day unscathed

Well sh**! Sorry for your accident--cuz that just sucks. I just had giant spiders in the garage but I am not sore or physically injured cuz of it! Take care!

cheers--Sharon

 

[marcy]

Hi NIRDIs!

Austina, I am sure you reached your 10,000 steps and then some. It sounds like you guys are all having a wonderful time. My adjustable has the little heart too. I love hearts but I don’t like the 3 to 4 inches hanging when it rolls around to the front with my pendant. I was very lucky I heard my pendant fall. Oh no that you feel and got bruised. I hope you didn’t break anything.

Junebug, I agree; when the GFI’s pop out occasionally probably something needs tweaked. At our old house if you ran the toaster and microwave at the same time (on opposite sides of the kitchen and on different plugs) that would happen to the plug running the microwave. If you used them alone nothing ever happened. It sounds like your brother counts on you to help him get settled. Hopefully he gets moved in completely soon. When do your pretty earrings arrive?

Missy, yes things like a power outage would only happen if our guys are gone. Of maybe we just notice them more then? Darn that your kitchen estimate was higher than you estimated. That’s a tough decision what to do. Good luck figuring that out. Sorry it was windy for your bike ride. Your ice cream looks delicious. Sounds like your beach house is ready for winter. I love your cat signs but of course the witch one if right up my alley. That made me chuckle.

Jaaron, how exciting to be done with your big project. You deserve a nice dinner and champagne. Happy belated birthday. I’ll tell you the RV and my employees have me a bit frazzled. Marty asked me tonight what I did this week besides work and I didn’t have much to say. I read a book and that’s about it. I have quite a few requests for more snickerdoodles. I am making a batch this weekend and then I’m done cookie baking until Christmas. Come on by.

PierreBear, good deal for BOGO at Chipolte. I like bargains. Have fun camping and enjoy a s’more for me. I heard reviews of the new Blade Runner weren’t glowing. Marty watched the original not too long ago. Enjoy your weekend. You have lots of fun things planned. I totally vote for you wearing your ring long before 2019. Is the cooking class at a college? That is strange they would care you wanted to take the class audit. I had quite a few students take my astronomy classes that way.

Sharon, that sounds like a nice way to start the day on a walk in the crisp morning air. Enjoy your bike rides. Crap to big spiders. I swear some of those I’ve seen should be shot not squished.

Callie, sorry you don’t like your halo ring. Do you every think you might move it to another setting? We are always ahead of holidays, birthdays and anniversaries. I swear we have presents covered for the next 30 years. Pretty funny that your husband would want your outfit to come out everyday. That really made me chuckle.

Marty made it home this afternoon. Yippee. He was at the gym when I got off work so I went down to say hi and welcome home. Hopefully he’s home soon. I’m hungry. I thawed out a few sirloin burgers and have baked potatoes done already.

Tomorrow we have to go out and have Marty sign the title transfer for the RV. I am making homemade soup tomorrow. That has sounded good for weeks now that we’ve had some snow.

Take care.
Marcy

 

[missy]

Good morning girls! Happy Caturday Saturday. Meeeoooow.



Jaaron woohoo on reaching the finish line for this huge work project! So glad it went well and you finished it. Well done!

Happy Belated Birthday Jaaron! I hope you enjoyed your celebration and wow that is a lot of Libras in your family. I am a big fan of Libras having one most important one in my family and one of my best friends is a Libra too. Hellooooo Callie!
I hope you had a wonderful birthday and hoping all your birthday wishes come true!

So I am so sorry we didn't know it was your birthday and missed the opportunity to wish you all the best on your day but here is a quick poem. Forgive the brevity but it comes from the heart. (((Hugs))).

Jaaron we missed your birthday alas
but now that we know
We cannot let another moment pass
Without wishing you the best and so

Wishing you a very happy and healthy birthday
and wishing you the best all year
and hoping all you love and hold dear
bring you joy and love from far and near

and we want to say how much we care
Happy happy birthday Jaaron dear
You are a NIRDI girl and we think you are the best
you are a lovely breath of fresh air


Thanks so much for sharing the kitchen reno info. Joe is a contractor and kitchen designer and we do have an architect included in the estimate he provided for us. That is a great suggestion to ask Joe about getting the appliances through him at cost. Unfortunately he doesn't provide appliances so we are on our own with purchasing appliances. However based on your rec you have me thinking (always a risky proposition lol) and I will ask Joe if he can somehow get us appliances for us at cost to make the deal more reasonable for us. We will see if this is possible. Thank you so much for the wonderful suggestion.

Greg said I wasn't sharing the full picture with you guys and I sure didn't mean to mislead you at all. We are moving and replacing some windows in the kitchen and making structural changes. Burying beams in one area of the ceiling and removing part (if possible-unclear if we can do this) of the brick wall and moving gas and water lines. The problem is we aren't sure if we can remove the ceiling beams or if we are going to end up having to drop the ceiling in that area instead and very uncertain if we can remove part of the brick wall without the cost skyrocketing. The brick wall is part of the house structure and I would be surprised if we can actually remove it for the estimate Joe provided. We are going to have the architect and/or structural engineer take a look and give us advice. So much is up in the air right now.

Thanks so much for the Macbook info too! You are a wealth of information and now I will cross getting a new macbook Air off my list. The one I have is old from 2013 so perhaps the newer ones will have more advanced features since my Air is older but if they are discontinuing it doesn't seem worth it. I have older Macbook Pros and always liked them so I guess when I get a new laptop I will get another Pro. Thanks for weighing in Jaaron. Really appreciate your input.

So are you doing anything to celebrate finishing your big work project? New bling perhaps? Or do you have new bling to share with us since we saw you last? Anything else new that has been going on with you? Any trips coming up?

I cannot believe winter is around the corner but that is OK because change of seasons brings new adventures right? And that also means Spring isn't far behind. For me the most challenging aspect of the days getting colder and shorter is the darkness of the short days. That is always tough for me and I feel my mood changing. I have a SAD light but I don't think I gave it a proper chance as I got impatient and I never felt it helped. I think I will get it out and try it again.

Austina oh no! I am sorry you had a nasty fall and I hope you wake up today feeling better and not too sore. Big healing (((hugs))) to you! Hope you enjoy the most terrific day today and that yesterday's accident is a distant memory sweetheart.

PierreBear enjoy your glamping trip. That sounds like fun. I have never camped and no desire to sleep outdoors with the bugs and dirt and have no running water or plumbing etc but I would love hiking all day and sleeping in the comfort of a hotel or home so that sounds like the perfect combo. And hope your injury is minor and you can do a run/bike/swim this weekend too.

Those french cuts will be divine. And girrrrrl no way your dh can make you wait till 2019. I will have Greg speak to him OK? OMG but if you are good with that we definitely need a sneak preview. Don't leave a NIRDI hanging.

I do enjoy light scarves for style but not a fan of very heavy scarves. I have hives to almost everything and as I get older it is getting worse. Remember that "private" issue I have been experiencing? Yup it came back full force during our cycling yesterday. I think I am allergic to almost all fabrics now. These are cycling pants I have been wearing for the past 15 years plus (same material) and now my skin seems intolerant to it. Chamois cream didn't help. Oh well. But yes I do love scarves...so pretty but I can only tolerate very lightweight scarves so for warmth not so much but the light ones I favor cover a neck from the sun at least...

Sharon so glad you are cycling this weekend. I agree with you. Life is one big adventure. This weather and being able to enjoy outdoors in an active way is invigorating and reminds me how much I appreciate our lives. Despite all the challenges life is sweet. A philosopher might say because of the challenges life is sweet but I am not so sure about that and wouldn't mind a bit of a smoother path hahaha but I am appreciative and grateful for all we get to enjoy and all the love we have in our lives. Enjoy this cycling weekend!

Marcy so happy Marty is home and that you guys can enjoy the weekend together. Hope the RV dealer visit and signing goes smoothly and that you finally get your check. Yay to soup in the chillier temps. I love a good thick vegan soup. With all this chat about butternut squash I am reminded of the delicious butternut squash soup Greg makes. Mmmmmmmm good. Yes that witch sign is perfect for both of us. Thanks for coming along yesterday on my travels and keeping us company. LOL I remember Callie once said she has more pics from me than anyone else on her phone. Sorry about that girls!

Which brings me to the Birthday girl du jour.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY CALLIE!!! Poem will be in next post but just wanted to say we love you and wish you a very happy and healthy birthday today and all through the year. (((HUGS))). And I am so glad your roof is fixed.

OK here are the requisite photos from yesterday's cycling. Enjoy!

It was crazy windy yesterday but we managed to do our full ride and enjoyed it so much and got a great workout too!









Have a great day ladies! Stay safe and have fun!

 

[missy]

Dearest Callie it is your birthday today and we all just want to wish you the very best birthday and all the best in the upcoming year. Love you sweetheart.


Today is the birthday of our dearest Callie
You are always a sweetheart and the most generous ally

Loyal and kind, lovely and sweet
Protective and strong, nicer than anyone you could meet

We are so lucky you are here
our sweet friend and NIRDI dear
sharing our adventures through life
the joy and excitement, highs and lows and the strife

Here when we struggle
with challenges and sadness
here when we celebrate
full of passion and happiness

You are a true friend
Who we so greatly appreciate
your enthusiasm and love just doesn't abate

A wonderful woman in every way
so kind hearted and generous
so strong, kind and wise
and of course today of all days
we want you to know
how dearly we prize
your caring and friendship and support of us all
always here to catch us whenever we fall

we want you to know and believe when we say
how much we love you in every single way
our sweet Callie girl
there are no diamonds or pearls
no sapphires or rubies
that could ever compare
to our groovy Callie cutie

A gem of a girl is who you are
the brightest of any shining star
we wouldn't trade your friendship
for a 100 carat D diamond that is flawless
because you are much more valuable to us
and that is why we want to put up this fuss

we want to celebrate
on this very important date
how much we adore and love you
and we hope all your dreams come true
have the most amazing day today and all year
we hope you know how much we really do care
you deserve all the happiness in the world
you are a very special and lovely good soul

love you sweet Callie and happy birthday!

 

[junebug17]

Happy Birthday Calliecake! I hope your birthday if filled with love and laughter! Sending good wishes that a very special person has a very special day!

 

[canuk-gal]

HI:

Happy Birthday Calliecake: Hope something good smelling and sweet tasting fills your day!

cheers--Sharon

 

[Calliecake]

Oh thank you so much for the beautiful poem Missy!!! That was so nice of you! You know I feel the same way about you! I hope you and Greg had a great day cycling today. You two made my morning!!!

Thank you Junie and Sharon. I'm so happy and lucky to have gotten to know all you girls.

 

[Austina]

Happy birthday Callie, hope you're having a wonderful day!

Hello lovelies

Just back from the Kennedy Space Centre, for me the highlight of the trip. I've always been fascinated by space travel, and the new exhibits there are well worth visiting.

Thank you all for your concern, I'm not too sore today, just lovely shades of purple, good job it's my favourite colour!

I'm not a fan of anything that spins or flings you around too much either @jaaron and especially not rollercoasters that go upside down yay for finishing your project. Happy belated birthday, I hope you had a lovely day.

So sorry to hear your important little places are suffering @missy what a (literal) pain the kitchen certainly sounds like a really major project and leaves you with the dilemma of whether it's something you'll recoup the cost of if you ever do decide to sell. Your little panther is looking particularly sleek today

Enjoy your glamping @PierreBear I'm with Missy, I'm too much of a princess to 'rough it' You'll have to tell DH that there are several women who don't want to wait, and we neeeeeed to see your beautiful new ring as soon as it's ready

Yay to Marty being home @marcy, I sincerely hope the whole RV saga is now done and dusted. Yum to soup, possibly my favourite food ever.

I used to be terrified of spiders @canuk-gal but I've overcome my fear and can now pick them up and put them outside. We've had fun this week with tiny frogs in the pool, we've scooped out at least 300!

I expect you're getting excited about your new earrings @junebug17 I sense a common theme here of us all pre-planning events around bling purchases I'm hoping Colin will have forgotten that I've already had my 60th bday and 40th anniversary present, because I have my eye on a diamond bangle

The weather here has been ridiculously hot for this time of year, well in to the 90's and 100% humidity, we chose October because it's supposed to be cooler.

We're going out for a Thai meal tonight, we all love hot spicy food, and tomorrow we will be packing up, and going for a final visit to Epcot before leaving on Monday. The time has whizzed by.

Have a great weekend lovely ladies

 

[MarionC]

Happy belated Birthday, Callie!

For those of you who do not know/remember who I am, I used to write every day and now I am [newly] lurking here! and will NEVER never ever catch up!
Scandi, how is F?
Missy dear, are you into your kitchen remodel now?
I wish I could think of what would make you warmer for your cycling...maybe tuck Francesa into your parka?

I've been back home from France for a week and mowing the -overgrown with head-high weeds and small trees- pastures with the tractor. Not very exciting, but satisfying.
I have diamond fever again for the first time in a very long time and am doing that "hours of scrolling through stones" vocation that is so much fun. Still looking for an antique asscher.
I'm glad to be home and back to PS! <3

 

[missy]

Good morning girls!

Welcome home Jimmianne! We missed you lots. Please tell us everything. How is your french chateau coming along?
Not remodeling yet...just meeting with carpenters/architects/designers and our contractor deciding what is worthwhile and what isn't. In about 1 minute a carpenter is due here lol. 8AM Sunday. Crazy right? Arranged by Joe our contractor to give us his opinion on the brick work and the ceiling beams. OK...the carpenter is here now. Arrived right on time. That is a good start!

Austina so glad you are having a wonderful trip and yes the time goes too fast. Glad you didn't seriously hurt yourself. Enjoy this last day of vacation. It's our last day of vacation too sadly. And very sadly I think my tooth nerve is dying (same tooth we thought might have a problem) and my endodontist retired so now being Sunday I have to wait till tomorrow and pray I can find someone good who can fit me in for a root canal ASAP. And of course we are supposed to leave tomorrow for NYC and Greg has been off from work for a long time now so I would hate to delay his return. It's so Murphy's Law. First day of vacation my tooth breaks and last day I start having nerve issues in the tooth next to it. Color me worried. Fingers crossed the pain doesn't get too bad till I can find a good endodontist who will give me a root canal.


We had a good cycling day yesterday despite getting rained on for a while. It finally cleared up and became a beautiful day. Saw a turtle so adorable and moved him off the road and saw a wedding in progress too. And an eagles nest.


Sweet turtle! On road

and moved him/her to safer ground just across the road where he/she was heading so we didn't change their direction.


I found a park ranger and asked him about the turtles and the fact that they are tagged. He explained they keep track of them and that there have been so many more since the Sandy storm of 2012 so that is great news. The problem is they do get in trouble on the roads with traffic but we did the right thing by moving him where he was going though his safety is not assured unfortunately. He could go right back into the road with traffic but fingers crossed this little guy remains safe!

Sandy Hook beach


Eagle's nest


And yes I couldn't resist a photo of the happy bride and groom as we cycled through Sandy Hook. I love love!




Have a happy Sunday girls! Enjoy this lovely day.

 

[Calliecake]

Jimmianne, So good to hear from you. I hope you enjoyed your time and were able to get everything done in your new home. I'm so glad you were able to find the young couple that keep you informed and look after things here for you. You were missed here!

Missy, What the heck did you do to get a contractor to show up on time? I'm so impressed!!! Hopefully you get great news today. Fingers crossed!
Have fun cycling. Hopefully your weather is great.

 

[junebug17]

Hi everyone! Yikes, I'm so far behind, will do my best to catch up -

Missy, so sorry your tooth is acting up, and at such an inconvenient time. Sending lots of good thoughts the pain doesn't get too bad and you find someone to take care of it asap. (((Hugs)))

Sorry to hear about the high estimate for the kitchen, it's a tough call for sure. A compromise might be to update/renovate without making any major structural changes. At least the kitchen would be more to your taste and it would probably help with resale. Good luck as you mull this over with Greg, I know making these kinds of decisions is stressful!

Love the pics of those signs, so funny! Love the pic of Francesca too, she is so pretty (and I think she knows it lol). Love the poems you wrote for Callie and Jaaron. Great pics of the beach and Greg at the ice cream place, looks like such a cute shop. Aw, such a sweet turtle, we have large turtles like that in our area too and I worry about them - they occasionally end up in the middle of the road and I have had to stop and rescue them. Wow, that is an amazingly huge nest!!! Love the pic of the newly married couple, so romantic! Boo to the end of vacation.

PB, hope your physical went well - I have a hard time getting blood drawn too, I get very light-headed. I always ask to lie down while it's done - better that than me passing out and falling on the floor lol. Yes, the studs are technically a Christmas present but I'll probably get to wear them beforehand Omigosh your ring is going to be SO gorgeous and I can't wait to see it!!! Glad you had a good time with your cousin, and I hope you're having fun camping.

Austina, I am SO sorry about your fall and very relieved you weren't more seriously hurt. Sending lots of healing vibes to you, and I'm glad you are feeling ok and still able to enjoy your trip. (((Hugs)))

Sounds like you are having a great trip! Yes, as much as I love roller coasters those days are over for me too, too much motion sickness. Is Mission Space the ride where they warn you every 20 seconds before you get on not to go on the ride if you're claustrophobic? I should have heeded that warning! I went on it with my kids and dh a few years ago and I freaked.out. I knew I was in trouble when the cover of the "capsule" closed and was about an inch from my face. I completely panicked and couldn't breathe. But I had to pretend I was ok because ds told me it wasn't bad and I didn't want to make him feel bad. Sounds like you didn't have a similar experience, Thank goodness! (If I even have the right ride). You are certainly doing and seeing a lot and I hope you enjoy your final day of vacation.

Jaaron, congrats on finishing your project! Must be such a relief. I think you deserve 2 glasses of champagne ha! Thanks for the supportive words about the house, I'm slowing getting there. Hopefully I made the right decisions with these studs, I just kind of went with my gut and I hope I chose wisely. I figure I can always return them if I don't like them though. Happy belated Birthday, I hope you had a great day!

Sharon, I'm glad the weather is cooperating and you'll be able to get some cycling in. I love walking in crisp, brisk weather, it really is energizing.

Calliecake, I hope you had a very happy birthday!

Marcy, yay to Marty being home! I hope this RV saga is wrapped up soon. Soup sounds perfect for the cooler weather. My earrings are showing up on Wednesday, fingers crossed they're nice! I hope you're having a great weekend and getting a chance to relax a little.

Jimmianne, welcome back, it is so great to hear from you! Glad to hear you're doing well. Keep us posted on the antique asscher hunt, I hope you find something you love!

Ok, I better get off the computer and get a few things done around here. Not much going on today except catching up on some household stuff. There's a chance the closing for my mother's house will be this Wednesday, I'll find out tomorrow. Still things to be done at my mother's so I'm heading back there tomorrow. I hope everyone is enjoying their weekend!

 

[Calliecake]

Austina, How are you feeling today????

 

[Austina]

Hello lovelies

I'm ok thank you @Calliecake a bit achy but I'll be fine, just look a bit battered. I'm a vision of lovely bruises. My knees, plus the bruise I got at the airport on my leg from someone ramming their case in to me. Good job I'll have my legs covered when we get home, wouldn't want people getting the wrong idea

I hope you enjoyed your birthday, did you do anything special?

Oh noooo @missy, just what you were hoping to avoid. I hope the tooth stays settled until you get an appointment.

Your time at the beach house has just whizzed by. Wow, that eagles nest is huge and don't the bride and groom look so happy?

Is the ride you're thinking of Space Mountain @junebug17 ? I don't mind the rides as long as they don't go backwards, upside down or loop the loop. These new 'virtual reality' rides coupled with movement just make me feel motion sick

What do you have your eye on @Jimmianne something particular for a special occasion?

We've enjoyed it here, but I don't think we'll come back again, it's been hard work getting up early and walking around in the heat all day. We've had fun, but we've 'done' the theme parks, and these new rides are not my thing. Adam and Kim have loved it all, they're real thrill junkies (and YOUNG!)

We leave tomorrow and won't be home till Tuesday morning, so I'll say goodbye until then. Hope all you lovely NIRDI's are having a great weekend. See you soon

 

[Calliecake]

Austina, I'm sorry you are so bruised Austina, You are lucky you just have bruises and not broken bones. We went to dinner but that didn't turn out so well. I had 2 wisdom teeth removed earlier in the week and for some reason one side is still very uncomfortable. At least my husband got to enjoy his dinner LOL.

 

[marcy]

Happy Birthday, Callie!!!

 

[rainwood]

@Jimmianne Welcome back!! I too lurk more than post these days. Life is crazy busy!! If you want to scratch that diamond itch, check with Missy. She may have a solution coming up in the very short-term!!

@missy I'm sure you know what I'm referring to, but if I'm being obtuse, let me know!!

@Calliecake Happy birthday! You don't look a day over whatever age you want to be!!!

@junebug17 Glad you're getting new diamond studs. You've earned them!!

Hi, to all. I'm sorry I don't have time to catch up with everybody. I'm such a terrible NIRDI these days, I should be drummed out of the club!

 

[marcy]

Hi NIRDIs!

Missy, oh no to your rash coming back full force and in such a miserable place Not like any place isn’t miserable. I hope that gets better like yesterday. I agree that sign is perfect for us. I enjoy all of your pictures; feel free to send more. Your outing in the wind looks fun, pretty and yes windy. I totally enjoyed your birthday poems for Jaaron and Callie. Oh no that your root is dying and you need a root canal. Maybe ask your dentist for recommendations for an endodontist. Good luck with that! That was nice of you to move the turtle. I wouldn’t be happy with that nest on top of my chimney. What a cute wedding photo.

Austina, I am delighted to hear you enjoyed Kennedy Space Center. I haven’t been there in a while so it’s good to hear they have new exhibits. Sorry to hear about your bruises but glad you aren’t still super sore. And bruises are color changing beasts; they look the worst when they get yellow. How was your Thai food? Yes, your trip is quickly coming to an email. I hope all the storms have past at home before you head that way. Safe travels home.

Jimmianne, welcome back from France. How exciting and fun to be browsing for an antique asscher cut diamond. Keep us posted.

Callie, I hope you had a great birthday. Did you get any new bling? Sorry to hear about your wisdom teeth and that you are still uncomfortable from that I hope that gets better right away.

Junebug, I am with you on claustrophobia. No way no how could I ever do a MRI. I can’t wait till Wednesday now to see your earrings and what you think of them. How exciting. I hope you do close on your mom’s house this week. Those last few things seem to take forever. Good luck with that!

I got up at 6 today since my cleaning lady was “supposed” to be here at 7. Poor Marty hasn’t slept in for probably a month and was still asleep and got up about 6:30. About 7:35 I called her since she hadn’t answered my text. No answer. We went to breakfast Then stopped at the grocery store. She sent me a text about 9:30 saying she forgot to set her alarm and she was sorry. I didn’t see the text until about 11 and just responded not today. Grr. She is the one who cleans better than her sister but that is twice she hasn’t shown. Both of them show up late. If I keep them (still debating) I am not agreeing to anything before 8 again. The one plus for them is they are related to Marty’s friend so I trust them.

I made another batch of snickerdoodles today to take to work. I’ve been reviewing the program for my astronomy club and washed our linens even though the house didn’t get cleaned today.

It was decent here today so Marty played golf. He just got home.
Laters,
Marcy

 

[Scandinavian]

Callie, HAPPY HAPPY birthday!!! I'm so sorry I missed it!!!!!!!!!!
I'm back, after a week on the floor (quite literally) with furbaby F. She is much better now, so now I'm back at work with tons to do.... LOL typical. Emails apparently don't disappear by me ignoring them, so strange. On another note, have started working out - first time today - with a PT! So scary, LOL, should not need him, but apparently, I do. Because if I pay him to show up - I have to show up too!! Want to start lifting more weights, and improving my strength, and perhaps lose a bit of fat (not weight). So he has his work cut out for him, LOL. He was laughing at me, because apparently I'm not as bad as I think. I thought my bodyfat percentage was a lot higher than it actually is too, which is kind of fun, and kind of disturbing, because that limits how much I can reduce it... (silly man! LOL A girl needs her goals!)
I'll try to catch up later today, just wanted to let you know that F is much much better now. Hugs.

 

[missy]

Good morning girls! Happy Monday. Well you kwim.

Junie my fingers are crossed for you that your mother's house closing is this Wednesday! Thanks for all your comforting words and lovely comments as always. Big (((Hugs))). Good luck!

Callie I know right? Hahaha and the carpenter stayed an hour! OMG he delayed our cycling that day but it was OK. No info from him as he just took measurements etc though Joe had taken those measurements last year as well. This is a complicated reno. The architect will be calling us soon to schedule an appointment. It is challenging that we won't be here really for the next few weeks as you know.

Good luck calling your oral surgeon/dentist today. How funny and weird we are both having tooth pain. More sad than funny but you kwim. (((Hugs))).

Austina have a safe flight and trip back. So glad you enjoyed a wonderful vacation and that your ds and his gf were able to join you and your dh!

Rainwood LOL now I am being dense. No clue what you might be referring to...Seriously. Listen you might as well know by now if you don't already. I like things spelled out and I am upfront about everything too. Like Greg says my feelings are not a mystery. He knows them as soon as I feel them. Just saying. There is no reading b/w the lines with me. I think that is a good thing...no?

AND You are NOT a terrible NIRDI. You are one of the NIRDI founders and I love whenever you stop by and more importantly love that we are connected outside of PS. So the NIRDI thread is just an extra. But I have to correct you in that you a wonderful NIRDI! (((Hugs))).

Marcy oh no to the cleaning lady being a no show. That would upset me too especially if you got up extra early for her. I very fortunately was able to get my cleaning person to come at noon hahaha how's that for convenience? Now that I am no longer "working" I do not want her coming so early in the AM. My beach house cleaning person isn't coming till 4 pm in a few weeks. That is a bit late for me (as that means more like 5PM) but I cannot be choosy as she is busy and we don't use her services as often as most of her clients since this is our part time home. I cannot have her come here every other week with her services being so expensive. Once a month is perfect for us here.

Yes that is a large Eagle's nest on Sandy Hook property. It is the perfect place for it.

FYI we are all still waiting for our NIRDI snickerdoodles...
Pretty please?

Scandi thank you for the F update. Good luck with your PT. You go girl.
Now back to work! We are here when you have a break.

We hit a total (so far this year and we have a few months left so hoping we hit the 3K mark) of 2900 miles plus yesterday when we were cycling. Woohoo! Now here's hoping for 3,000 miles before 2018.

So right now my mouth and teeth feel OK so fingers crossed please. We are planning on heading back to Brooklyn if I remain pain free in a few hours and worse comes to worse I will have to return if the pain returns if I can get an appointment with Denise's endodontist. I haven't let her know yet I was having what I thought were nerve issues as I don't want to jump the gun and bother anyone. That is the biggest problem. Knowing definitively there is a problem before it becomes a huge pain literally. But since I am feeling OK now I am not contacting anyone and continuing our plans to leave today. We have been here over 17 days and it is time to get back to Brooklyn and see what is happening there. OMG please let everything be working.

It is a beautiful albeit windy day and the rest of the week is going to be warm again. Crazy weather! But I will take it. It beats snow and rain and cold for sure.

Enjoy a lovely Monday girls and HUGS all around.

 

[PierreBear]

Good morning! It is finally fall! Cracked opened the windows and felt cold in the middle of the night. It was fantastic and slept great. DH pulled out my monkey slipper and robe but it's not that cold yet. haha but I'm getting ready.

Camping was enjoyable. Good company and food. However, I was pretty disappointed with our state park. It's really close by but was not maintained at all. There was a main section called the "beach" where it was shallow enough for kids to swim and play (yes it still felt like summer on Saturday being in the high 80s). However, there were about 15 large ant mounds that you had to walk through. It was like a land mine and just wasn't safe for kids. The grass also had these sticky burrs that would aggressively get into your shoes and it was painful to remove with you hands. I'll be honestly ladies, I never thought I would enjoy camping and I've learned to slowly love it due to camping in other states. Utah and CO are the main places we've been. Camping in TX is far from ideal due to weather and the parks and there really isn't any bml land. I just felt some injustice as we had to drive through these really nice neighborhoods to get to this park and the people playing in the parks seemed to be from a specific demographic if that makes sense. Not the people living in the mega homes. Anyhow, sorry for the rant.

We did our usual bike ride on Sunday and came across all these gourds just growing off of the concrete side walk. Very unusual and unless the gourds were growing, I would have though all that greenery was weeds. DH plucked two of them to take home for the fun of it. Placed it next to our salt shaker just to show perspective in size. It is so tiny it fits in your hand. I think that's all the fall decorations we will be doing! Should have gotten a third smaller gourd to represent our cat. : ) Hope everyone has a great day!



@canuk-gal – Glad you got some cycling this past weekend with the nice weather. How is your knee feeling?

Yuck giant spiders! Creepy crawly legs…..

@Calliecake – Happy birthday to you! Happy birthday to you! Happy birthday dear Callie, Happy birthday to you!

Very sweet of your DH to not let you wait a whole day. I agree that gifts can have a greater impact when it is least expected. It’s how I feel about Valentines day. Spouses should treat every day like Vday and shower each other with love. Anyhow, I’ll try not to get too sappy. As much as I would like to have the ring early, I think I want to be patient with the big one. I never ever dared to imagine that I would get an upgrade. It is a blessing and something I think DH would enjoy the opportunity to mark another memorable event by proposing again. I know I’m not unlike other PSers where I have more control on the actual ring product than most ladies who are getting a full surprise but I think DH would want to put his spin on commemorating the 10 year and plan something. : ) I say all this now…. But once the ring comes maybe I won’t be able to reign in the excitement! Hahaha

Would you ever de-halo your ring to be able to wear it more often? Or perhaps you have a daughter who would enjoy it?

@Austina – Oh my goodness!!!! Sorry that you had quite the fall. Are you feeling sore? Just something your body will naturally recover from?

@marcy – The cooking class is at a community college. I feel that the admin versus the instructors might have their own opinions or focus on things. I might have just asked the wrong person on their bad day and got that type of answer. It’s ok though and I don’t need to feel more different from the other students. I seem to be the only one “doing it for fun.”

How many astronomy classes do you teach and how long have you been doing it? What type of students do you get – taking it as their major or a fun elective?

@jaaron – Happy belated birthday! Sorry didn’t know until Missy mentioned it. Hope you did something fun to celebrate!

@missy – Good luck with the kitchen reno. Wow, there are some big structural changes but hopefully it will turn the kitchen into what you are wanting. Have you worked with Joe before and feel comfortable with his work?

Gggrrrr sorry to hear about your cycling issues coming back!!!! I was actually thinking about you this past weekend and apologies to associating it with you. We were outdoors this weekend so had to use bug spray. I brought the heavy deet stuff but my friend had this organic deet free mosquito spray. I thought I would try the organic first to see if it worked. Who doesn’t want to avoid chemicals? Well it was burning my skin, making me feel like I was on fire. Very strange. I guess I have sensitive skin like you. It also wasn’t effective for me. Ughh I think I have about 10 mosquito bites on my body. So itchy!

Ooohhh the ice cream on the left looks good. Caramel? Is that one yours or Greg, who was lucky enough to get 2 scoops of it. We are really into making our on “fake ice cream” at the moment. You take a frozen banana and blend it up with a bit of milk or water. Add in blue berries and it turns it all a beautiful blue. Pretty similar consistency as ice cream. Put some granola and chocolate in it. Yum!

Wow, love all the animal encounters. Huge eagles nest!

@Jimmianne – Welcome back from France! Did you eat all the croissants and crepes to your fill? Ohhh and the cheeses there…. Please feel free to share some pictures of your adventures!

Good luck finding your antique asscher!

@rainwood – Hello! So nice to see you pop in!

@Scandinavian – Hope F is doing better. You are a good dog momma. Please keep me posted on the PT and your work out adventures. Does he also advise you on nutrition as well? I actually just got my annual physical and never paid attention to the body mass index before. Might join in you trying to reduce it but of course staying healthy in the process.

 

[marcy]

Hi NIRDIs!

Missy, good luck with the decisions and options on the kitchen renovation. IMO it’s a good thing to not keep your feelings hidden. That’s nice your cleaning lady comes at noon. If we go with a cleaning service I know it will be more expensive and they’ll come during the week. If Marty is in town then it’s not a problem; if he is out of town though it is a problem. I can probably go to having them clean every 3 weeks but I like my current schedule of every other week. I am exploring some options. That makes sense to have your beach house cleaned less frequently. When Marty travels our place doesn’t need much cleaning. I just want to keep it clean. I have no doubt your’ll hit 3000 miles this year. That is awesome to hit 2900 already. I hope you made it home okay and that your tooth isn’t bothering you. Good luck getting that fixed soon.

PierreBear, welcome to autumn I am braving it this week keeping the heat on lower and not turning on the air conditioning. It’s getting near 70 in the daytime this week but 30-40 at night. Glad you had fun camping but you lost me at large ant mounds. I did enjoy dry camping at a spot about 30 miles out of town. It’s on state land and very secluded. The spot is reserved for the boy scouts but they let my astronomy club use it. It’s like our own, private little camping spot. It’s very quiet and peaceful with deer roaming through there. We’ve seen some lion tracks but we never have seen any lions. I miss camping there. Cute little gourds. I was looking at little pumpkins this weekend but didn’t pick any up. I think that is so sweet your DH wants to make your ring something special. I am glad you are taking your cooking class for fun. The others are missing out.
I taught astronomy for 21 years but was let go 5 years ago. Initially I taught one of two 2 credit hour class each semester. We eventually combined the 2 classes and added a lab so it counted as a 4 credit hour science course with lab. About 10 years after starting they had me develop an online class and that was really popular. I ended up with a campus class and two sessions of my online class each semester. In the summer I taught on weekends at the community college’s outreach campus about 35 miles from here. When the college hired a new president and he re-aligned departments I got put under a dean who got rid of most of her adjunct teachers. I had been in physical sciences and got moved under her in the social science division. The reason she gave me was I didn’t have any master credits in astronomy, but I heard they could have grandfathered me in for the amount of time I’d been teaching the class. She fired me by a letter in the mail. Once I quit teaching I quickly realized how little time I had to myself working 2 full time jobs. I doubt I would ever do it again. Most of my students took the course as their lab science but about 1/3 of them were genuinely interested in astronomy. I did enjoy it tremendously and still run in to students who took one of my classes.

I logged in to my RV account and it’s gone. Woo hoo!!!!

I had a long, long day at work but feel I made some progress. I had my one on one with my boss. He is a glass half empty guy and doomy, gloomy. He is concerned about our future and maybe more job cuts. He did reassure me if he has any say I am doing fine as far as he is concerned. I had one on ones with 2 of my employees this after and gave the senior position lady some specific tasks she needs to do in addition to her normal work. I also pointed out to her I feel her position should be team leader material and I don’t feel she is there so she needs to be stepping up and doing extra things. She received that well. It will help me with my boss when it’s time to write appraisals.

Take care.
Marcy