Now I really did it :((

[missy]

Missy--migraines??

Thanks for brainstorming for us Sharon. I don't think it is migraines. Greg doesn't ever really get any type of headaches. He told me he is feeling absolutely fine and hopefully whatever it was that happened twice re weird olfactory issues won't happen again and that he is A OK.

How's the weather doing by you?

 

[canuk-gal]

Thanks for brainstorming for us Sharon. I don't think it is migraines. Greg doesn't ever really get any type of headaches. He told me he is feeling absolutely fine and hopefully whatever it was that happened twice re weird olfactory issues won't happen again and that he is A OK.

How's the weather doing by you?

Downright balmy at 5C! Bright and sunny. Slushy. Thanks for asking.

cheers--Sharon

 

[MarionC]

Sharon, good to get the report from Antarctica!
Are you getting used to the cold weather yet?
I was thinking today
I wish we could have a GTG sometime.
Maybe someday...

Pierre Bear, when you talk about the injuries you got it hits home again how challenging it was. Grey polish probably is a good color for hiding bruised toe nails!
I Skype with the teacher I use when I’m in France. She is excellent and fun and enthusiastic. We belong to the same social group as well, and she is also teaching almost everyone I know! She has a B&B where one can stay and do immersion, and occasionally takes small groups to Paris, etc.


I rediscovered Waldorf Salad yesterday -have been eating my 3 apples a day chopped up with almonds and mayo. There is probably sugar in the mayo : (
and that’s why I like it so much.
Really there is almost no way to avoid sugar

 

[CJ2008]

Hi all. Just wanted to stop in and say hi. xoxox

Missy - I hope that never happens to Greg again, and I hope he goes to the doctor now anyway, to rule anything out.

Austina - thank you about the kitty.

I'm the same way re: avoiding confrontation. There is someone in my life right now that I used to have a close relationship with and it's been suffering lately. I feel like "she started it". But of course I know better and I know that as much as it FEELS that way she may think I brought on the change (and she may even be right!) Sometimes we don't realize when we do things. Having the kind of conversation I know we need to have takes so much courage and I came close so many times. I knew we needed it and I was willing to put it out there. Yet I never did it for one reason or another - at times I thought it seemed like things were getting back to normal - but no they never have. And as time goes on the less likely I will do it and the more the assumptions and resentments build. And the longer that goes on the less likely I will be able to salvage the relationship. Because from my perspective she keeps escalating the passive aggressiveness (or what I perceive to be that).

Anyway - if this is a friend you really cherish, I hope you are able to talk to your friend Austina. If you're not as far gone with the situation as I am, I hope you'll take a deep breath and talk to her.

 

[marcy]

Hi NIRDIs!

Jimmianne, I made chocolate chip cookies. They were pretty tasty. Come on by. I’ve got more. I am excited and anxious to see your new diamond. Waldorf salad sounds good. I’ve been eating lots of apples lately. I ate so much candy today I am surprised I’m not sick. Someone had a big bowl of white chocolate peanut butter cups (the small one). I swear a snagged a few every time I went by there. I hope they are gone tomorrow.

Missy, I sure hate to hear Greg was having some olfactory hallucinations. I hope he is feeling okay tonight and those hallucinations haven’t continued. We have lights under all of our cabinets and sure like them but I bet you already have those in mind for the new kitchen. I like light too. Probably because I don’t see so well. Great pictures of the sea, sand, OEC diamonds and wow you guys are taller than I though.

Austina, it’s always nice to get a new car. Glad Colin figured it all out for you. So far the Audi’s have held their value so we had good trade ins and from what I’ve read Porsche hold their value really well. How fun for you and Colin to go ride Segways. Glad you bundled up because I bet it was cold.

PierreBear, I am glad to hear you are feeling more like your normal self. I guess bruises under your big toe nails are somewhat better than blisters. Either way I am sure it hurts. We were going to go see the new Blade Runner this weekend but it wasn’t showing at any of our local theaters anymore. I heard it wasn’t great. Cleaning out the cactus garden does sound a bit dangerous. I bet your seafood stew turned out great, it sounds like it was not an easy meal for you. Home cooked meals do hit the spot sometimes.
I think Marty and I are just used to having vehicles that don’t need a key. One time I shut off my car at the mall and the remote battery went dead. I had our home phone dialed to call Marty and tell him he’d have to come get me then it dawned on my “oh yeah. the key fob has a key in it”. I agree the more complicated a system the more can go wrong. I have not driven or rode in a Cayenne so I can’t say how nice they are or how well they ride. Maybe if Junebug and her DH go test both of Porsche SUV she can give us a report. I am interested. The Cayenne was too high for me to get in comfortably so we were only looking at the Macan. I don’t regret buying the Macan for one minute. My oil change on the Macan was under $200. The Audi’s oil change was around $150 so it wasn’t that much of an increase. They come with a 4 year warranty so you are good for 4 years anyway. We’ve had 3 Audi A6 starting in 2005 and only had one issue the entire time. The 2005 got locked up because it thought it was being stolen. I think it happened when I was getting out of the car and pulled on the steering wheel; and you know how you can pull a steering wheel and lock it? It took the dealer a long time to figure it out; but we’d already traded for the a new car. That was the only car we let run out of the warranty. Porsche has a high reliability rating so I guess I’m not that worried about it but I know if something needs fixed it’s not going to be cheap.

Sharon, stay warm.

CJ, I am sorry to hear about the strained relationship with your friend. I hate dealing with PA people. I avoid confrontation too. I am not comfortable with it and just withdraw. I have a friend who was dishonest with me a few times and repeats things I tell her - even to Marty. I really shut myself off from her because lying is not something I can put up with. One time when she and I were at dinner and I was on my second glass of wine when she brought up something she talked to Marty about and I let her know I didn’t appreciate her telling Marty things I said and that because of her past dishonestly I don’t feel like I trust her anymore. She has worked at trying to repair things from her side but I doubt we’ll ever be as close as we before. I certainly don’t tell her as many things as I did before.

So other than eating all those darned PB cups today I did get a lot of work done today. I had several meetings and worked on some reports that should help us work ahead on things.

I got my eclipse coasters in the mail today. They look great. My gift for our family gift exchange is an eclipse mug, an eclipse magnet and a set of eclipse coasters. At least 1/2 of the family watched the eclipse so hopefully whoever ends up with it will like it. I have my gift ready next I need to plan our menu. I want Marty to made his homemade BBQ sauce again and slow cook ribs but it’s full of sugar and he won’t eat it now. Phooey. I might order a honey baked ham but isn’t that full of sugar too?

Laters,
Marcy

 

[marcy]

Junebug, I checked today on this; the back seats can fold down in the Macan. I thought they did but wanted to make sure. I hope your trip home went well.

 

[missy]

Good morning girls!

Hahaha Marcy yes we are very very tall! That's why Greg taught himself to sew. To custom alter our clothing and that is why I prefer flats. (HA don't I wish! I always wanted to be model tall but I am stuck at 5'6" and probably shrinking soon...)
That is a great gift-eclipse coasters, mugs and magnets. I remember you telling us about this. Great going Marcy. It is going to be a hit in the gift department for sure. I do think honey baked anything is full of sugar. Most delicious things are...sorry.
Thanks again for all your good wishes. Greg is feeling fine today and no other hallucinations have occurred. However I am hallucinating diamonds in my dreams...does that count?

Junie hope you are back home safe and sound. We aren't as warm here as SC but it isn't bad this week. 50s and sunny I think. Hope your closing is planned for sometime soon and then you will be done with this chapter. Sending you good luck vibes!

Sharon yes it is downright balmy by you lol. Bright and sunny is very good however and while slush is well slushy it does give you a chance to wear snow boots and it is easier to deal with than ice...Enjoy your sunshine and stay warm and comfie!

Jimmianne there really is no way to avoid sugar. It is like trying to avoid oxygen or shudder...diamonds. Life isn't worth living without the above right? Rock on girl and don't forget to share with the NIRDIs! Lucky lucky girl!
And OMG Yoram is right here...Do you want me to vet your new diamond?
Haha be careful I might not give it back to Yoram


Good morning Austina, hope you are enjoying a lovely week and please give Dottie a big hug from me.

PierreBear glad you are getting back to feeling like your normal self. Sending you blingy vibes.

Hello CJ, sending you and Mousey hugs and love.

I'm a sad NIRDI today. Giving back the OEC. It's so purrrty...wish we could keep it in the NIRDI family...any takers? I swear if I didn't have Bea I would be all over this baby. It is bright and beautiful. My photos don't do any of the diamonds justice. Ok last chance before I give it back...





Have a wonderful day girls and sending you healthy vibes, hugs and blingy thoughts. XOXO.

 

[PierreBear]

Good morning NIRDI ladies! Yesterday Starbucks was having a buy one get one free holiday drink special. I thoroughly enjoyed my pumpkin spiced latte even though it was 80 degrees and brought the other one home for DH. I swung by central market to pick up some more seafood bouillion/stock since I used up my last bit for the seafood stew. I do 95% of my shopping at a local grocery store (think Albertsons/Krogers/HEB/Win Dixie… I don’t know what else to list) which has the best prices. The remaining 5% goes to the fancier grocery stories like central market and whole foods to pick up special items. Can I say that I LOVE the shopping experience at CM and WF. I don’t know what it is about the layout and their pre-marinated meats and all their display of fun produce and other items. I get so excited about going and how much fun it would be to just pick something fresh and making a meal out of it. I wish I could shop there all the time but think I might make a plan to do it once a month. I think the next thing on my list to try is posole. Yummm! Anyhow, it’s too early to be thinking about food and all I have for lunch is a boring salad. Booooo! Hope ya’ll have a great day!

@missy – oh man… I hope I didn’t scare you by jumping to the conclusion about neurological issues with Greg. Pardon me as I think I’ve watched too many Greys Anatomy and other medical show procedures. I do hope he gets it checked out though to have a better understanding of the situation.

Thanks again for sharing photos of Bea and the other OEC. I still think Bea is the winner. She’s the queen B/Bea! Just like you!

@Jimmianne – I think I’ll have reminders of the race for quite awhile. My tan line is still severe but luckily it’s my back so I don’t see it. There were signs on the course that said “pain is temporary but becoming an ironman is permanent.” I suppose there is truth to that but if my toe nails fall off and I have messed up toe nails for life, I think I rather not be an ironman. Hahaha….

Wow, immersion study sounds like the best way to learn a language. I try to visit my mother and even though I have a very elementary foundation of Chinese, just being there for 1 week really can refresh the brain. I remember DH was stepping out into the street and even though he doesn’t know the language, I called out “watch out” in Chinese instead of English. It was a sign to me that immersion is the most effective way to learn and neat that our brains can adapt so quickly. Good luck to your studies and glad it is also fun!

@CJ2008 – Good luck with your friend as well. It’s so hard and you are right that those type of conversations take courage, especially as one wouldn’t know if the discussion would help or potentially make the situation worse. For you to even think through it though, means that you are a caring and thoughtful person/friend.

@marcy – I think watching blade runner via red box or a streaming program would be fine for me. A lot of people said the CG was amazing but I didn’t think it was anything spectacular to watch it on a big screen. The movie wasn’t horrible but it was long and there were competing themes. I’ll just leave it at that but I think it’s still worth the time! I have one more chance to make the seafood stew as I mentioned I used the frozen blue crab and only used half of the package. I’ll save it for when it gets a bit colder! Thanks for sharing your car feedback. DH does say the Porsche is reliable though. I have a feeling we might be Volvo drivers for life but wish they made a sportier car. I know I know… it’s now that they are known for and that would be ridiculous.

How do ya’ll do a family gift exchange? Is this for Christmas and is it a White Elephant party or do you draw a name and only give one gift? I personally don’t like to do gifts with a whole bunch of relatives even if it’s for a White Elephant Party. I think we all end up spending money and getting things we don’t use. It is a fun activity though! We hosted a party and asked everyone to do white elephant but it must be a “nicely used” item that you already had in your house or go get it at a garage sale etc to bring to the party. It was more interesting the things people would bring … everyone wanted this old wok that we never used anymore. It kept getting stolen and traded.

 

[junebug17]

Hi nirdis!

Missy, I’m sorry about Greg’s issue and that you are so worried and upset. I’m sending lots of good thoughts that it doesn’t happen again. ((Hugs))

Your last set of diamond pictures are amazing! Two beautiful stones, that’s for sure. Must have been so fun to wear them both for the past few days. And yes, very hard to have to give one back Love the one of you and Greg on the beach, so cute.

Marcy, thanks so much for sharing your thoughts and experiences with the Macan - I don’t blame you a bit for not waiting for the warranty on your Audi to run out lol. You’re right, the seats in the Macan do fold down, which might help fit those animals in there. I have a 2009 Lexus, which is just a tad bigger than the Macan so dh and I are going to take a good look to see if a big dog and a little cat could fit comfortably. The issue is going to be the big dog ha. Thanks for your help and suggestions. I’m really looking forward to test driving both of them, it will be interesting to compare the differences.

Your gift for the family exchange sounds great, it’s perfect since so many of your family watched it. Good for you for speaking up to your friend and letting her know you were bothered by her behavior. Trust is such an important part of friendship and when that’s ruined I agree that things can never be quite the same.

Jimmianne, I’m very excited about your new diamond and I can’t wait to see it! Yes, being at the beach was very relaxing and restful, the place we go to in SC is really beautiful - and very quiet lol. No other travel plans at this point, maybe we can get back down to SC in December or January.

I use mayo to make pimento cheese - I use Hellman’s and just checked - it lists sugar in the ingrededients but 0 carbs, so the amount of sugar added must be very low.

Austina, I have watched episodes of the tv show featuring David Suchey and he is definitely the quintessential Hercule Poirot! It’s like he walked right off the pages of Agatha Christie’s books and into the tv show. I can see where purists might not care for Kenneth Branaugh’s interpretation. He doesn’t really resemble Poirot as described in the books and acts a bit differently. I enjoyed seeing a different portrayal of the character though and wasn’t really bothered by it. An effort was made to “spice up” the original story line by changing the characters a little and by adding in some racy tidbits - by Agatha Christie standards, not necessarily today’s lol! The scenery in the movie is gorgeous too.

Very fun that you and Colin rode Segways! I’ve never ridden one before, how was it?

You’re handling your friend’s situation the same way I handled mine - honestly, I didn’t really have the energy to engage in drama so I just waited it out to see if she got over whatever was bugging her.

PierreBear, very glad to read you are recovering and feeling good! I am just so impressed by you finishing that race. Luckily our cat doesn’t get car sick, hopefully our future dog won’t either haha. The Cayenne is certainly a gorgeous car and I’m willing to bet it rides and handles beautifully. I will fill you in once I drive it - might not be for a few more weeks though.

Sharon, so nice to honor your fil, brave men like him deserve to be remembered and we should never forget their bravery and sacrifices. Hope you are handling the cold weather ok.

I’m back in NJ, I think Zoe the cat must have missed me because she slept cuddled right up to me and purred literally all night long ha. The closing is this Monday and I’m sort of nervous about it for some reason, can’t really put my finger on why. My lawyer isn’t going which means I can’t attend either. We’re going to sign the documents beforehand.

Have a great day everyone!

 

[canuk-gal]

Sharon, good to get the report from Antarctica!
Are you getting used to the cold weather yet?
I was thinking today
I wish we could have a GTG sometime.
Maybe someday...

Pierre Bear, when you talk about the injuries you got it hits home again how challenging it was. Grey polish probably is a good color for hiding bruised toe nails!
I Skype with the teacher I use when I’m in France. She is excellent and fun and enthusiastic. We belong to the same social group as well, and she is also teaching almost everyone I know! She has a B&B where one can stay and do immersion, and occasionally takes small groups to Paris, etc.


I rediscovered Waldorf Salad yesterday -have been eating my 3 apples a day chopped up with almonds and mayo. There is probably sugar in the mayo : (
and that’s why I like it so much.
Really there is almost no way to avoid sugar

Yes, it would be great to have a GTG! I am not close to anyone---I may as well live in Antarctica! lol Hope you are loving your heels!

cheers--Sharon

 

[Austina]

Hi lovelies

Glad to hear Greg is feeling fine with no more episodes @missy I'm sure there'll be another perfect diamond out there with your name on it, just need to be patient.

Dottie says Woof! which is dog speak for thank you for the hug

We often go to the WF at the Galleria @PierreBear and the new HEB in Bee Cave. The CMs aren't that near to Adam anymore, but when he lived on SoCo, we went to the one downtown.

I hope your body is gradually getting back to normal now, and if your toe nail does come off, it should grow back fine.

Glad you're safely back home @junebug17 I think it's only natural you're feeling nervous about the closing, after the delays so far, the concern is there that there might be another. Hopefully, on Monday, the closing will happen, then you can put this to bed.

I'm glad you enjoyed the film, I'll probably see it sometime, but I'll wait till it comes on our movie package.

We enjoyed riding the Segways, but were careful because of the conditions. When Colin first got on, he looked like he was on a bucking bronco

I don't think you'll have problems getting a dog in the Macan, I think it's slightly bigger than our SUV, and Dottie is larger than a Lab.

I'm really pleased the eclipse gifts turned out so well @marcy I'm sure they'll be gratefully received. As we won't be seeing Adam & Kim this Christmas, they've already had their present (the trip to Florida) and Colin and I probably won't bother, as neither of us can think of anything we'd like.

Hi @canuk-gal it was 8 deg C here on Sunday, positively tropical

Have you been holding out on us @Jimmianne? When do we get to see the diamond

We've been out to the cinema this afternoon, saw Paddington 2, it was absolutely lovely with some real laugh out loud moments. We like going in the afternoon as there's usually only about 12 people there.

Big wave to all the NIRDIs

 

[rainwood]

I haven't gotten around to posting since getting back from NYC. My sister just left to go back home, but again I'm so far behind, there's no hope of catching up!!

@missy Just popping in to say I'm glad you're keeping Bea. As you know, that was always my choice for you. I do want to stick up for that petal setting though. It was so much more beautiful IRL than in the photos. I'm sorry to see that going back to Adam. A colored gem would look lovely in that setting.

 

[marcy]

Hi NIRDIs!

Missy, great last shots of the visiting OEC. I am sure someone will find it and take it home to cherish. It is a beauty. I bet being so tall is helpful finding each other in the crowds around NYC. I am glad to hear Greg is feeling fine today. As for you hallucinating about diamonds I think that is perfectly reasonable. You sure have a who’s who of diamonds near you. Lucky!

PierreBear, that’s cool you like shopping at Center Market and Whole Foods. You can find some great food at WF. I’ve never been to a CM. I can see where recovering from an ironman will take some time. Hopefully none of it is permanent. We’ll definitely watch Blade Runner when it comes on PPV. We test drove a few Volvo’s. We thought they were great, solid cars but definitely lacked extras and certainly are not sporty. I know they are very safe and run forever. Our gift exchange is pretty easy. Everyone brings a wrapped $20 gift and we draw names. You pick which present you want and open it; then you can keep it or steal something someone else has already opened. The person who went first can steal anything they want. It’s been kind of fun.

Junebug, I am sure a big dog can take up a lot of space or curl up pretty small. Probably depends on their mood. Of course a small cat can really stretch out too. I agree trust is very important in a relationship and once it’s broken it is hard to get back. I generally don’t try to work out things with friends either. I usually let friendships slip away rather than dealing with drama but since I had 2 glasses of wine that night when she opened the door and I walked in. That is cute Zoe cuddled up with you and purred all night. She was glad you were home. Good luck with the closing on Monday. That’s nice you can sign papers ahead of time. That will be good to get that finished.

Sharon, I am sure you feel like you live in Antarctica sometimes.

Ausitna, your trip was a nice Christmas present for your Adam and Kim. Marty and I tend to pick out our own presents and it’s hard for me to pick out something for Marty. I thought of looking for barbell cuff links and a tie tack for his stocking stuffer. He eats organic dark chocolate so I can get him some candy bars. I haven’t seen the first Paddington movie. I should watch it.

Rainwood, I hope you had a nice time in NYC and visiting your sister.

I made 4 mini pizzas tonight and baked one of them for supper. I need to figure out something for lunch tomorrow. I am low on stuff in the freezer. I need fuel maybe I’ll run out for lunch.

I only ate 2 white chocolate PB cups today. I enjoyed every bite too.

They are upgrading systems and phones at work so we were completely off line for about 2 hours today. It was great! I was sad to see my phone came back to life and emails arriving again.

I keep getting up at 5:45 to try and see Jupiter and Venus (they were closed yesterday) but they are always behind clouds. I did get to see some pretty sunrises though.

Take care.
Marcy

 

[MarionC]

Oh Missy, a sad day indeed. It’s always hard to send back a stone after you’ve had it long enough to bond. Be brave! Joy sends love. She suggested you might get Bea a little blingaling present for the holidays, like a new stacking band. But that’s just Joy’s two cents.

Marcy you’re killing me with this white chocolate peanut butter cup talk.
I think you should get Marty a Superman T-shirt to go with those cuff links.

Rainwood, hi. I feel as though I have not talked to you in ages. How was your trip?

Sharon, I’m sorry you live so far away. I kind of live in the middle of nowhere too, but not as cold and snowy. In my mind’s eye I see you wearing a fur hoodie in your igloo. If you ever get the notion, we could meet in NYC and take Missy out for lunch.

Austina, the police at the Raleigh airport have started using segways and I don’t understand how they aren’t really dangerous. Is it a balancing act? How do you stay upright at a stop?

June

P’Bear, I love that you called out in Chinese without thinking. That’s cool.
You have a Shiba?!

I can’t wear high heels. I put them on 10 minutes before I went out yesterday and realized quickly that I would suffer all day.
They will be good for parties when I can stand in one spot all night lol.

Yoram is shipping our diamond today while he is visiting NYC.
I am both excited, and dreading the next phase, which is finding a setting.
I know I will get good help from my NIRDIs.
I want to post a photo, but I fear it will be as big as the side of a barn...
Nope, Good.
Hmmmm Well, heck, it is a huge photo once posted.

 

[marcy]

Jimmianne that diamond looks fabulous! I am so excited for you. Go through the EC and asscher thread for setting ideas.

I am creeped out this morning. I noticed our back gate was open. When I closed it I decided no way the wind could have blown it open. It’s was open just enough for a person to walk through. I decided I didn’t want to look through our video of our camera at the back door. I don’t want to know if someone was back there or not. I’ll have Marty look on Friday.

Have a fabulous day.

 

[Austina]

Wow @Jimmianne your diamond is gorgeous Don't let those cackhanded fools anywhere near it! We have an expression here for anything that badly done, we say they've made a right pigs ear of it

I was worried about the balance issue on the Segway (because my balance is terrible), but actually it's fine as soon as you step on.

Colin is a chocoholic @marcy, so I do generally buy him some 85% cocoa solid chocolate. He tried the 99% stuff and said it was horrible. I think because we buy what we want during the year, it's difficult to think of anything at Christmas. I have bought him blue topaz, amethyst and citrine cuff links in the past, trying to stimulate an interest, and whilst he wears them, so far his interest in gems remains zero

Hi @rainwood glad you and your sister had a good visit.

I had an appt at the optician this morning, my vision is still 20/20, my optic nerves are fine, no problems with my macular, peripheral vision perfect, pressure perfect, but my eyes are a bit dry, which I already knew. So I've got some drops to help with that.

Hope all is well with @missy @Calliecake @junebug17 @canuk-gal and @PierreBear

 

[missy]

Good afternoon girls! I woke up late and am working out right now, well cooling down, so wanted to say a quick hello.

Rainwood if only I was a multi ring girl. I would have purchased that setting but I’m a one ring rules all girl so I had to let it go. Maybe you should snatch it up and put a gorgeous gemstone in it. Or how would Elle look in that setting? Hmmm.

Welcome home Junie! The closing will be over soon and I am sending you buckets of good luck dust for it to go successfully!

Jimmianne you already know I love your gorgeous new diamond. Omg and THUD! I also quite like Yoram as he seems like a lovely person and talented to boot and I’m so happy for you!!!
Can’t wait for you to have stone in hand!

And a big YES to you and Sharon visiting me in NYC. But lunch is on me ok?

Sharon, you’re invited!

Marcy oh no sorry about the possible intruder in your yard. Please take all necessary precautions! That is creepy. Could the lock on the gate been faulty in a way to allow the wind to blow it open?
I love pretty sunrises too. This is a good time of year for pretty sunrises and sunsets. The light in fall is breathtaking IMO.

Austina hello there. Glad you had a healthy eye evaluation. I like preservative free eyedrops like tears naturale or refresh plus. Since preservatives can irritate our eyes. Glad you enjoyed the movie.

PierreBear thinking of you. Good things are coming. As for those holiday gift games I don’t like them. They can feel mean spirited and I never take anyone else’s gift so I’m no fun and prefer not to play such games. Bah humbug. And yeah I hate parades too. And you kids get off my lawn.

I’m disappointed because our contractor is now saying it’s impossible to get Thassos marble. I’m thinking of calling off the whole renovation and trying to get our money back for the appliances as we already purchased them. So frustrated because I spoke to his designer who is meeting us at a marble quarry this Friday and she said she called all over and they cannot find the white Thassos anywhere. She said since white Quartz started being produced successfully most people go for that and the Thassos isn’t being made anymore. All I can say to that is Harumphhh. As HRH Francesca would say. So we will see what happens. I’m hoping I find a beautiful white stone for our countertops. I dislike quartz as to me it looks lifeless and they don’t make a white enough granite at least that I have been able to find. Fingers crossed it goes well Friday.

Sorry to post and run girls. Have a wonderful day and (((Hugs)))

 

[MarionC]

Hi Missy, thank you for the invitation to buy us lunch. When ever Sharon can come, count on me! Sharon???
Sometimes if you can’t get what you want it is because the universe is getting ready to send you something better!

Yoram is gracious and seems like a lovely person. I’ve gone back and read literally everything he has written on PS, [not that I understand all of it], and every photo he has posted on Instagram. He’s been on quite a journey in his cutting evolution & I would happily own anything that comes out of his shop...those argyles are calling to me

SO excited to see it soon, and share.

 

[PierreBear]

I had baking class this morning but it was different than most. We went on a field trip to a Hyatt Resort to walk through their kitchens and talk to a few chefs. It was a really neat experience to get the behind the scenes look. Facilities was beautiful. I was pretty distracted by this one area where they had miniature horses, alpacas, and goats. I day dream about having 2 mini goats in the backyard chomping on the grass. I doubt my neighbors’ dogs would like them though. Girl can dream right? Hope ya’ll have a wonderful day!

@junebug17 – Awww how wonderful that you had a purring cat next to you all night long. Is that a picture of Zoe in your avatar? She looks like a curious and friendly cat. Good luck on your closing! You are a pro at this stuff. Almost at the finish line just in time to relax for the holiday right?!

@Austina – So neat that Adam used to live on South Congress. My cousin had an apartment there, right behind Home Slice Pizza. Whenever she went on work trips or vacations, we would occasionally do a staycation at her place. Pretend what it’s like to live close enough to fun places you can walk to.

Glad you had fun at the movies. I love going when there aren’t a lot of people as well. It feels like you have your own private movie theater!

@rainwood – Hope it’s nice to be back at home. I’m sure there are catch up chores to do but glad to see you found a break to pop in and say hello!

@marcy – It was a bit unexpected that I became a Volvo fan. I didn’t want to drive an Asian branded car and fit that stereotype so I swore off Hondas and Toyotas etc… Silly I know. In college, I had a bad accident and needed a car immediately and my best friend’s father sold his old Volvo to me. I loved that bad boy. The Volvo drove like a tank and I’ve grown accustomed to cars that aren’t too sensitive at the wheel if that makes sense. Gosh, we sold my college car about a year ago and it was a sad moment. We priced it at $1K so it went quickly and I thought I would be able to ride in it one last time. Who buys a car without wanting to test drive it?! However, the gentleman got in the vehicle, turned it on and that was enough for him! Anyhow, I’ll agree that the 2013 XC60 (Volvo’s smaller SUV) doesn’t drive as well as other SUVs in that range. It lags a lot in first gear and just jumps aggressively into a higher gear. However, we do enjoy the look on the outside and the simplicity of the inside. We were in our friend’s Audi SUV and the navigation/radio console area was so complicating and confusing. Anyhow, pros/cons to all cars.

Ya’lls gift exchange sounds fun. I’m sure whoever gets your gift will think hmmm… I know who put this one together. : )

@Jimmianne – Oohhh I finally made the connection why you asked if I had a shiba. If I were ever to get a dog, I think I might get a shiba or some sort of medium size cattle dog like a blue heeler. I actually only have one cat that keeps me busy enough. A cousin of mine got a shiba and I think I was looking at pictures of them and saw one with the bear and just randomly picked it as my avatar.

Congrats on the diamond!!! Are you trying to convert me into a step cut girl? Can you share the story behind how you found the stone and are you planning on making this a RHR or another ering? Yiipeee how exciting!!!

@missy – Awww bummer to hear that they can’t find the marble that you like but hope that you can find something similar. Arg it’s hard to see something that you like and then always have that comparison. I hope you shop around at multiple places. When picking out tiles, we went to about 3 to 4 places. The nicer the show room, the more expensive the tiles/marble slab seem to be. We honestly saw about a 50% price difference for exactly the same product. It was really surprising that a marble/tile store chain was the best place to buy. Good luck with your search!

Question about going with white though, will it be easy to clean? What if wine spills on it etc? If you wipe it quickly enough will it not stain?

 

[missy]

PierreBear I am not worried about etching or staining the marble. If it's good enough for the Italians in Italy to use every single day it is good enough for us! And if it etches and stains well it shows it is being used and loved. So I am OK with that.

We have 3 days of appointments set up right now Friday, Saturday and Sunday so fingers crossed.

Jimmianne, thanks I hope so! Fingers crossed for you that Yoram's stone blows you away!

 

[canuk-gal]

HI:

My plans to visit ya'll are like ropes of sand...something always gets in the (my) way to "prevent" an East Coast visit. Why is that?????? pshaw or should I say boohoo That said--Missy you should be careful to promise to pay for lunch I eat and drink, a lot!

Hello NIRDI's!

cheers--Sharon

 

[marcy]

Hi NIRDIs!

Not to worry - Marty says the wind has blown that gate open before. I choose to believe he’s not telling me that to keep me from freaking out. The wind here can be brutal so I can’t discount it could happen.

Austina, that is pretty cool the Segway is so steady. Marty likes the 85% cocoa solid chocolate too. He says the 90% if too bitter. I’m a milk chocolate girl. We tend to buy what we want year round too so I agree - it makes it hard to buy something at Christmas. I tried to get Marty interested in a gemstone ring but he didn’t bite. We saw a meteorite ring he kind of liked one time but thought it was too expensive. It sounds like you mostly good news at the optician. I hope the drops help your dry eyes.

Missy, when you said one ring to rule them all I can see all of us NIRDI’s going “My precious”. Our neighbor kids had a trampoline near our fence and they get a ball in our yard sometimes. I told them they can come in our yard and get it but had to use the gate not hop over the fence. My guess is if they came in they didn’t close it very well. But Marty says he has seen the wind open it; it has a serious latch but if it’s not hooked all the way I am sure the wind could open it. We’ve had low clouds in the mornings too which reflects that red light all the more. Very pretty. I am so sorry to hear they don’t think they can find the marble you want. I hope they keep trying or find something you love just as much. I hope your appointments go well.

Jimmianne, what day is that gorgeous asscher showing up? I bet you can hardly wait.

PierreBear, how cool to go to a restaurant and talk to the chefs. I like the idea of your own goats munching on grass in the back yard. I agree there are pros / cons to all cars. I am not surprised your Volvo lasted for such a long time. They are very solid cars. I always wrap my Christmas gifts with jingle bells so that’s a dead giveaway.

Sharon, I live smack in the middle of everyone. Maybe a NIRDI GTG in Wyoming? Of course there is no where here to go look at diamonds and jewelry.

I met a friend for supper tonight. It was fun to catch up with her. We swapped how old we feel and how our bodies are letting us know that stories. I opted to try a new dish they had - baked spaghetti and meatballs. I won’t opt for that again. I brought a lot of it home but decided to throw it out. Now I need to figure out something for lunch tomorrow.

Take care.
Marcy

 

[marcy]

Here was the sunrise the other day.

 

[MarionC]

Marcy, beautiful photo. I love the incredible sky above the lights of a house. Wowy wow.

PierreB, I love Shibas and had a Shiba/blue heeler cross. Super intelligent, he was the dog love of my life. Hey! In just went back to read your post again and saw that you mentioned blue healers! Both breeds are odd creatures, don’t you think? Not always warm & fuzzy, but lovely and loyal.
My DH loved Volvos and always kept a vintage project in the garage. I had a mustard colored station wagon for many years. They seem to last forever!

Sharon, ropes of sand or not, I can tell that you are thinking about a visit. How far from NYC are you? I promise not to nag after this : )
And Marcy, you are central, for sure!
One of these days...

Hi to everyone. Some of you are so good at writing to everyone, me, not so good, but I love you all : )

OK. YES. The stone arrives between now and 12 noon.
I told Yoram I would wait by the front door like a puppy dog and that all of you were waiting with me.
As some of you may know, this will be my 6th asscher. Out of all those I have kept two. But never were any of them *just right*. I very much like my 1.23, but too small, alas.
I have big hopes for this diamond arriving today. Compared to a RB it will still be “small”, but it is as large as I want to go if I am going to wear it all the time. [“the one ring”].
I THINK that right now it is the most perfectly cut stone out there. Not bragging, just a testament to Yoram. So, VERY high standards of anticipation for this stone.
Here were the best contenders [they looked better on their website and the facets turned on and off nicely],
and the last is the stone from Yoram.

Back later, with “Bells on”!

 

[missy]

Good morning girls!

Marcy that is a relief knowing it probably was just the wind that blew it open. But be super careful just in case. Greg and I watched a very good movie last night by the name of Split. It was creepy good and well I recommend watching it when you are with Marty. Haha. What a gorgeous sunrise! See autumn sunrises and sunsets are just the best IMO. Crisp clean bright colors. AMAZING.
Hahaha My Precious

Sharon I dont scare that easily and I can eat with the best of them...just saying.

Jimmianne oooh I cannot wait and 6th time is the charm don't you know? OMG I am getting lost in those facets. TDF and THUD THUD THUD...I am waiting with bells on as well and don't keep us in suspense! Please share as soon as you pick yourself up off the floor after receiving it.

Have a good day girls...I know Jimmianne will!!!!

 

[PierreBear]

Hello NIRDI ladies! I’ve got my bags packed and am leaving town for another work conference. Not too far away and DH is joining in as he has client meetings there as well. Always feel so fortunate to be able to turn a work trip into something that has more fun. Will be meeting up with my high school friend who is pregnant with her first baby.

We will be back in town just in time for a Friendsgiving. We are in charge of smoking brisket/pork, which we did earlier due to upcoming travels. The smoker is really DH’s toy so I let him do all that stuff. The pork butt was the first time smoking and it turned out not too flavorful but very moist. We just added extra seasoning at the end. The brisket was flavorful but a bit on the dryer side. Haven’t mastered it yet but we will get it one day. We must right?! Or we can’t call ourselves Texans. Hope ya’ll have a great weekend!

@missy – Good attitude about the marble! I have furniture which I love the look of but it is untreated wood. Oh gosh….. if you don’t use a coaster you will leave those circular water marks. It drives me nuts to see the marks. We have been good for the most part but there are some that I did my best to rehab away but it’s still there. I wish I was less OCD about home items but it does bug me and eventually I forget but eventually I also see it again. Haha…

@canuk-gal – Cheers to a girl who likes to eat! I want to go out to eat with you!

@marcy – Oohh impressed with your gift wrapping presentation. I’m the worst. Throw it in a bag that doesn’t even have Xmas colors. As long as it is covered up, it’s ready to give out. For one baby shower, I didn’t even wrap the gift and brought it in the Amazon box since it was so big and unruly to wrap. I had butcher paper but then realized if I wrapped it, it would be the same color as the box so I just gave up. Maybe I’ll get into the marcy spirit and do it right this year!

@Jimmieanne – Whhatt??!!! Shiba/blue heeler combo? Please share some stories/pictures. Did your dog still like to herd? I wonder what personality dominated. I hear that shibas like their independence and aren’t very clingy dogs.

Awww so neat to hear about your DH being so handy to work on cars. I feel like that is the iconic marksmanship of a manly man.

Hope that this asscher meets all your expectations! It looks lovely to me though I don’t have knowledge about step cuts. Very exciting!

 

[MarionC]

PierreB, I will look for my dog's baby pictures for you!

Does anyone ever buy the grocery store bulbs in water?
I got a great surprise this week.
The leaves were only 6" high when I bought it, now it's at 28 inches and blooming.
Who knew?!

 

[junebug17]

Hi everyone!

Missy, so sorry the marble you like isn’t being made anymore, that does stink. Fingers crossed you find something you like just as much, or even more. Yes, very sad to have to send back such a gorgeous diamond but luckily Bea is gorgeous too!

Sharon, a gtg would be fun! I’m game

Austina, good to hear Dottie fits comfortably in your car - gives me hope ha.Our last yellow lab was huge so I guess that’s why I’m nervous, maybe our next dog won’t be so big lol. Great news about your eye exam, and having 20/20 vision is awesome.

Hi Rainwood!

Marcy, yes, I’m starting to think the Macan just might work out after all. I keep thinking about how excited the salesman was about it. Your litttle break from work sounds great, I only wish it had lasted longer. Getting together with your friend sounds like fun, but too bad your meal was so lousy. Glad to hear it was probably the wind that blew the gate open. That is such a gorgeous picture of the sunrise, the colors are just amazing

Jimmianne, I am in awe of the diamond you are waiting on! Oh my oh my, it is gorgeous! And how exciting it was cut by Yoram, he is an exceptional cutter with a great reputation. The sapphire in my Diana/Kate Middleton ring was cut by him...I think that’s the closest I’ll get Cannot wait to hear your thoughts on the fabulous stone! Love your supermarket blooms too, really beautiful, and impressive that it grew so much.

And sorry the high heels didn’t work out - I can’t wear heels for any length of time either You and I will just have to wait for special occasions to break out the heels.

PierreBear, yes, that is Zoe the cat in my avatar - she is a sweet kitty, but she also does have her share of psycho kitty moments! Hope your conference goes well, and it’s really nice you can combine business with pleasure. Have a great time!

Your class field trip sounds like it was fun! Very cool that you got a behind the scenes view of the restaurant.

Just got back from signing documents, there was some question on property taxes but it got straightened out. I feel relieved it’s over. Dh is working from home today, which is rare and it’s nice to have the company. Not much else going on, but I might do some online shopping - Frontgate is having a 25% sale so I might treat myself to a new Christmas decoration. I really don’t need anything but I’m having trouble resisting the pretty things in the catalogue

Hope everyone is having a great day!

 

[canuk-gal]

HI:

Congrats JuneB! House closing yipee! And I LOL about your Christmas decoration comment. I went to Home Depot for other things and grabbed a package of those super mini LED lights! LIKE I needed another strand!

JiA: flight distance is 3266 kms! 4.5 hours flying time. I am envious of your no snow, and grass, and flower pictures. I really need to live in Hawaii! Sorry your bezel setting was kablooie--but I look forward to seeing more pictures of your new diamond!

Hope your marble issues get straightened out Missy. Reno's make me crazy!

Hello to everyone out there in NIRDI land.

cheers--Sharon

 

[MarionC]

Our asscher arrived.
It's really Terrific!
More photos tomorrow,
Being this excited about it has just worn me out!
It’s impossible to capture the performance...it’s unlike any asscher I’ve ever seen, extremely active, and it picks up so much color that even in a fairly colorless environment it throws off every imaginable hue.
I hope to get some better photos tomorrow. These don’t explain the way it looks very well.
I’ll keep trying.

Outside in the shade


Good size

In the kitchen