Now I really did it :((

[PierreBear]

Good morning friends! I had such a fun time in cooking class yesterday. I forgot to take pictures again, sorry… but we made steak au poive, ceasar salad, and banana fosters. The reason why we cooked these items is that they tend to be “table side service” where the hostest might do took it in front of you and talk about it etc… though I’ve never been to a restaurant and ordered or seen that before. Both the steak au poive and the banana fosters required booze in the recipe so you throw it into the pan and the fireball flambé occurs, which scares me half to death. Something I would never do at home by myself so it was nice to get coaching and be pushed. Note to all of ya’ll who want to try, you can pull the pan aside, dump in the alcohol, and then put it on the stove top and control the “flambe.” I was nervous and kind of threw the alcohol into the pan and that can cause unexpected stove fires etc. Luckily there wasn’t an issue but lesson learned! I’m sad to leave it on a sad note that I saw a new sore spot on my cat again. Perhaps it’s not the auto feeder and he’s just scratching with his back paws so aggressively? I don’t know! I wish I had a cat camera on him! Anyhow, it doesn’t seem to bug him but it sure is hard for this cat mom to watch. Will keep ya’ll posted. Have a great Tuesday!

@Austina – Oh hmmm I’m not sure if Kim would venture to the shop I was talking about. If she works in the Domain area then I think she would go to the bigger Asian market up north. Both markets are great though!

Awww hurray for Dottie meeting her other pals!

I’m so excited about your upcoming cruise. Very exciting!

@marcy – No apology necessary! I just didn’t want you to think I wasn’t responding back to you, my friend. I do the same as you and have Word opened on one side. Thank goodness for double monitors but it has spoiled me that when I have to switch to a laptop I feel a bit helpless sometime having to toggle and use my memory.

Good luck getting your taxes turned in and enjoy that hair cut! Going for a different look?

@missy – Oh wow, doubling the medicine doe seem like a big change but I like how confident the DR is and his approach. Hoping that is a good sign…. Sorry that you are going to so many medical appointments recently bug good luck to Greg getting his as well! Meow to the cats!

 

[junebug17]

Hi girls!

Missy, thank you for your support and excitement - Love those emojis lol! I feel pretty good, legs are a little sore but not bad.

Sorry you're troubled about the dosage and I do get your concerns. Idk, this doctor sounds competent and I guess he thinks you can handle the increase? Maybe you could half one of the pills and take 90 mg for a week and see how you do, and if you feel ok you could increase it.

Love the pic of you and Greg at the concert, your dress is really pretty and I'm glad you guys had a great time.

I'm sorry Stanley didn't work out but it's good you and Greg went with your instincts, taking on another kitty is a big thing and it has to feel right. He is a total sweetie and I really hope he gets adopted very soon. Sending hugs, I know this was a hard decision for you.

Thank you rainwood!

Sharon, thanks for the nice words, you are so kind! Just to clarify - it was a 10k - No way could I pull off a marathon lol. Ugh, so sorry about the snow and cold weather Spring, where are you??

Austina, thank you! Yeah, I'm one and done as far as runs go lol - And I did get a medal Sorry it rained so heavily, I hate driving in the rain. Aw, such a cute puppy, so glad you were able to get some puppy love.

Marcy, thanks for the congrats! I dunno, there were a few times during this run where I thought medical services might have to be called ha. I'm sorry your cleaning lady has been so unreliable, it really makes things inconvenient. I hope you can get to that bling shopping sometime soon! The masters was fun this year, lots of notables on the leaderboard, although I was hoping for a playoff between Spieth and Reed.

Thnak you CJ! Hope things are good with you, give Mousey a pet for me.

PB, great news about your kitty doing better with the plate method! I'm sorry you're not thrilled with the fridge but maybe overtime you will get more used to it and like it better. I intially didn't like my new dishwasher but now I love it haha! Good to hear that you are adjusting to your new work schedule and you're feeling less anxious. I don't think there are any more runs in my future, I struggled too much and i just don't think I'm cut out for long distances. But now that i can run a few miles fairly comfortably I am going to run a few times a week just for the exercise.

Jimmianne, thanks! I hope things are ok with you, I'll bet you're looking forward to your next trip to France.

I'm off to the dentist for a cleaning, and then on to Costco. An action packed day

Eta - PB, just saw you posted - so sorry your kitty is still scratching and I hope you can figure out the reason. The meal you made in class sounds so delicious!

 

[CJ2008]

june I love that you have a competitive streak in you. I used to do that all the time when I used to run (I used to run all the time until my knees started complaining). beating other people was definitely part of my motivation. Poor little old lady she probably had the finish line in sight and here comes june speeding right by her. Thank you so much for even thinking about trying to help me with the poem. ((hugs)) Mousey sends you a chirp and a hug too.

marcy I have a few people in my life who don't do text or email and I know that it's because that's their way of forcing me to call. Unfortunately, it doesn't work It's actually one specific person. We communicate a lot less than we used to because of that because picking up the phone is pretty much torture most of the time. I am so sorry about your cleaning lady - how rude and disrespectful of you and your time. Have you been noticing a change in their behavior or even how well they clean over time or does it feel like this is out of the blue?

pierre ooooh will you making General Tsao's Chicken or is that like not gourmet-ish enough. So glad you had such a good time in your cooking class. I was laughing a little (with you, not at you!) when you said you were scared to death of the flambe thing. I would be too. I would be so terrible at this class I probably would have tried to sprinkle the alcohol from like 5 feet away LOL

Pierre have you ever posted pictures of your furbaby? And I love what you said about how he's so strange but that you get so much joy out of him. That is just so beautiful and true of our furbabies. Pierre, a cat camera might be incredibly helpful to you and once you have it you'll wonder what you ever did without it. I have one so if you want the model let me know. So sorry that you found yet another sore on him. Poor sweetheart.

So funny you used the word picky. DH and I were talking about this just yesterday. We used to be a lot pickier and we've softened a bit but we are still definitely pickier than most people. It makes decisions more time and energy consuming for sure, which can get tiring. I hope you come to like your new fridge.

I could definitely use Word to do that but the thing is the poem is long and would run at least 2 pages I think...although come to think of it I do have a snipping tool that scrolls...so I could certainly try it. Thank you for the suggestion I really appreciate it. ((hug)) Right now I'm trying to do it in a PDF editor so we'll see what happens with that too.

missy I totally get what you're saying about Stanley. It's so hard.

As far as the new Doctor, I could see how you feel about this. On the one hand I want a confident Doctor, but I also do want a Doctor who listens to my concerns and whenever possible creates a plan of action in partnership with me. For me, part of this partnership would be making sure I am clear on why we need to increase the dosage NOW. As opposed to giving it a bit more time, and as opposed to waiting until the next blood test. And what are the risks of doing it NOW versus waiting? If he gave me answers that I felt wear clear on all those questions and they pointed to following his advice then I'd go with his recommendation. But if I didn't feel clear I wouldn't feel comfortable. I don't want to "give up control" if giving up control means I don't understand why we're choosing one path over another.

Good luck to Greg with his appointment today.

That's it for today girls. Hugs to all.

 

[CJ2008]

Guys, I had to just share this with you. First GIF I actually like. How cute is this kitty. He's supposed to be "busy".

He

 

[Austina]

Hello lovelies

For what it’s worth @missy, in your position, I would also want to know the results of the blood tests before a drastic increase in the medication. I appreciate that Drs probably get a lot of patients self-diagnosing because of the Internet, but I would’ve thought he’d want to know what effect, if any, the current medication has had so far. If everything you’ve read is saying that any increase should be done gradually, I wonder why he’s happy for you to double the dose immediately? It’s not about ‘giving up control’, it’s about ensuring that a sudden increase in medication doesn’t cause more problems than it’s meant to be curing. I’m sorry that you’re still no further forward, it’s must be incredibly frustrating for you. As always, your upbeat attitude does you proud.

Must be that time of year, Colin went for a medical yesterday, I hope Greg is A1 Thanks for organising the appt at OWD, I really appreciate it.

Yes to more sapphires @marcy - especially pink ones - my absolute favourites I hope you’re able to find what you’re looking for when you go shopping.

How did your hair turn out, are you pleased with it? Hopefully you’ve got your taxes sorted for another year.

You’re a braver woman than me @junebug17 I only ever ran occasionally at the gym after the race.

I hope you stood well back when you were flambéing @PierreBear , it’s a surefire way to singe your eyebrows You are becoming quite the gourmet, and that would certainly impress any of your dinner guests. Whenever we have crepes Suzette on the ship, they always flambé them at the table.

Sorry little Pierre is still having problems, maybe he’s got some kind of skin irritation or allergy?

That kitty gif is cute @CJ2008 I’m sure there are real kitties that play with keyboards

Hi @canuk-gal and @rainwood

I dropped Colin off at the dentist when I went to Pilates. Our new dentist is proving to be a real gem. Colin’s teeth were damaged by measles as a child and she’s doing a great job of repairing them without resorting to drastic measures like crowns or veneers.

Another wet and miserable day here, we’re in serious danger of getting webbed feet

Hope you’re all having a good day

 

[missy]

Hi girls, just a quick update.

So you all might remember a little problem I have had since September with my left eyebrow. And in October/November I asked my dermatologist could it be FFA or inflammatory alopecia to which he replied he wasn't sure but at a later date appointment (Dec/Jan?) he said no it isn't that. Well guess what? It is. So I am bucking up and holding strong and will do my best to remain positive and upbeat though it is hard. There isn't much in the way of effective treatment for this autoimmune disease. And it is generally progressive. Right now we aren't doing anything to that eyebrow and I need time to process. Since treatments are notoriously ineffective and invasive (ie steroid injections for one) I do not want to go down that road unless I absolutely have to.

And though the thyroid issue is not related I probably will increase my dose starting next week. David said 60 mg twice a day isn't really a strong dose at all. But he didn't agree with the endocrinologists assessments and recommendations re supplements etc. They practice differently as the endocrinologist is an integrative medicine doctor.

Just got off the phone with my health insurance company because they rejected the claim for the increased med dose and a lovely customer service rep overrode the system for me and I will be getting the extra meds tomorrow from my pharmacy. Yesterday the pharmacist told me he couldn't get me the extra meds but look at what a little phone call can do. Just goes to show sometimes you have to take control haha.

Greg had to get a biopsy of an area near his original melanoma but David thinks it isn't anything to worry about. Fingers crossed he is right and that it is nothing of consequence. When I put things in perspective I realize I cannot sweat what I can't control and what won't (hopefully) kill us. It's an ongoing forever lesson to learn and I must keep reminding myself to put it all in perspective.

Junie how did your dental appointment go? Hope your Costco trip proved fruitful and fun. During the week midday is the time to go for sure.

Austina my pleasure and we cannot wait to see you. So glad Colin is getting wonderful dental care and that you have a great dentist. Hope Colin's medical exam went well and that all is good.

Marcy hope you are enjoying your day off. Hey a day away from that job of yours is always a good day right?

CJ I love that GIF. It's precious.

PierreBear so glad you are having fun in class. That is what it is all about. And enjoying delicious food of course. You could rig up a cat camera and see what is going on...I like that idea. Hope kitty starts doing much better!

Have a lovely evening girls!

 

[marcy]

Hi NIRDIs!

Missy, I am sorry to hear your diagnosis and there isn’t much you can do to help with it. That’s good you were able to get the increased dosage of medicine approved. I am relieved to hear you are feeling okay and doing good through all of this uncertainty. I agree that the doctor wanting you to double your dosage before getting test results seems a bit drastic. I’d like to believe they know and have our best interest but they are also “practicing” medicine. Sending lots of hugs your way. I am sending Greg lots of dust that his test comes back negative.

PierreBear, your cooking class sounds fun last night. We’ve had bananas foster in a restaurant before where they flame it by our table. Marty bought a food torch so we could make creme brûlée at home. We’ve only made it once though. I actually got the same haircut today; she just trimmed it up. My taxes sound promising.

Junebug, I didn’t run but walked in a few Race for the Cure and I too remember that point where I thought they may be hauling me away on a cart or in a chair. Ha Ha. But we made it. Of course you were serious and actually ran. I was very proud the year my mom wanted to walk the mile portion. My dad walked with her and held her hand the whole way. She had her oxygen on and had been practicing for an entire year so she could do it. The masters was good this year.

CJ, my sister called me last night. We were rounding up tax stuff though so I was able to get off the phone saying I had to go work on that. I was off in record time; only 35 minutes. If i had no filter I would have told her by now well I don’t do phone calls but I’m nice. Or try to be. I’d say my cleaning lady’s efforts have slipped. Her FIL is a friend of Marty’s so maybe she wants to quit but doesn’t feel like she should; which of course is the biggest reason I am hesitant to let her go. That’s why you don’t hire friends, rights? That kitty is busy.

Austina, my Chirstmas shopping trip for sapphires in 2016 sticks in my mind. i’d already picked out a few things when he brought out this gorgeous pink-peach oval sapphire. I passed on it because I’d already spent too much money that is what I have in mind. My current pink sapphire is almost hot pink on a thin WG diamond band. I could halo it fairly cheaply but I am thinking of going platinum with a larger stone. That’s great your dentist is repairing Colin’s teeth. Tell him the measles is what brought on my arthritis. Who know that childhood disease has so many destructive side effects?

I tried to sleep in. Some neighbor dogs woke me up at 6. I got back to sleep and then an employee sent me a text they weren’t coming in today. I didn’t answer with the first thought that popped in to my head. My hair cut went fine, I navigated safely through the obstacle course at the post office and turned in our taxes. Now I’m working on laundry and think I’ll read. That Dan Brown book is good. It’s named Origin.

Laters,
Marcy

 

[CJ2008]

super quick check in to say
missy
1. thinking of Greg
2. glad the insurance approved the higher meds (if you dont't ask, you don't get!)
3. sorry about the FFA (was that determined through the blood test?)
4. marcy PLEASE share the first thought that went into your head - that's what we live for here in NIRDIdom!

 

[MarionC]

Missy, love and dust for health issues. I am NOT happy with this doubling of meds.
I know you will be careful.
And forget any products I recommend. That super hydrating serum I was touting was not kind to my skin. It made it look worse

Dear Marcy, how do you like your haircut?

That is all I can write for now before being better informed so must read that page+ that happened while I was out.

 

[missy]

Good morning girls! Slept "late" today.

Marcy glad your haircut went well and sorry about that employee calling in sick on your day off. Glad you didnt text them with your first thoughts but I am with CJ...what were those words/thoughts? Boo to the neighbor's dog waking you so early on your day off. Glad you managed to keep the call with your sister to just 35 minutes. Smooth excuse. Taxes have some good use hahaha. Glad you are enjoying Origin by Dan Brown.

CJ thank you sweetie. No it was finally diagnosed because it has been inflammatory with no change since September and the hair is NOT growing back and the area is swollen red and inflamed. Hallmarks of inflammatory/scarring alopecia. And sadly it is generally progressive.

Jimmianne thank you. You are a dear. David said doubling it wasn't too big of a deal but he wanted to see my blood results from that doctor when I get them. But they have different guidelines so while I am glad David will be watching I know they do not agree on treatment. In fact David balked at the huge increase this doctor wants me to do re vitamin D. Anyway appreciate your chiming in always with your thoughts. I am very confused and it helps to hear other's points of view.

Thank you @CJ2008, @Jimmianne and @marcy... I appreciate all your good thoughts and well wishes. And thank you for keeping Greg in your good wishes too!

Just going to share some thoughts I have this morning. I emailed David last night before I went to bed with a scientific journal article on this disease which is officially called lichen planopilaris (LPP) and part of a group of diseases known as scarring alopecia. It's very rare and little is known about it and treatments that have been tried have a dismal success rates. He replied back thanks and at least I am on doxy already. LOL the dose of doxy that I am on is submicrobial and too small to have any impact on this disease process but I have no interest in increasing that dose anyway. Too many negative side effects. So I think for now the best course is doing nothing. Since this is a very rare disease and not much is known about it and certainly no successful treatments exist though some treatments can slow down the progression it is not a high success rate in doing so. Less than 10% so my feeling is what is the point of trying different invasive treatments when chance of any improvement including slowing down the progression is so low.

I am most worried about the pain/itching/inflammation though the physical appearance effects can be devastating the discomfort is the scarier part of this disease for me. Having been through many conditions that affect my appearance I can say yes that sucks but I can say that the pain and discomfort that is constant is even worse.

Sorry to start the morning with a gloomy post but I am still feeling OK. I have to deal with whatever comes next and one day at a time. I am lucky I have my dh by my side and I know he loves me no matter what. So I am going to have to make the best of what happens and be grateful for all I do have.

Please someone post with something cheery now. LOL I don't want to leave a depressing post here at the top too long.
Have a lovely day girls and (((Hugs))).

 

[junebug17]

Hi everyone!

Missy, I'm sorry about the latest diagnosis and sending lots of love and supportive thoughts to you, and I hope you're doing ok. I'm also hoping for a good result for Greg. It's great you were able to get the extra meds approved.

ETA - just saw your latest post...so sorry, I know this is made harder by the fact that there is no cure for this and treatments are not usually effective. But I do hope you can draw some comfort from the wonderful things in your life, like your amazing dh who will always be by your side. Go easy on yourself, and allow yourself to process this latest news...we are all here for you to lend whatever support you need.

As for David disagreeing with the other doctor...I really don't know, I guess you're going to run into this when you're dealing with doctors with different outlooks and ways of treatment. If you're going to continue to see the new doctor, I guess it makes sense to follow his course of treatment and see how you feel? Sorry I don't have a better answer for you Missy, but try not to stress, you can always return to a doctor who is more traditional if that's what you're more comfortable with. Sending lots of hugs, I know this is a tough time for you.

Marcy, it's amazing that your mother walked a mile and very sweet that your father walked with her the whole way. Sounds like you got a lot done on your day off, and now only 4 days until the weekend. Congrats on getting the taxes sent off, that's always a good feeling. Sorry about the dogs waking you up, so frustrating. A larger pink sapphire sounds great, I would love to get a pink stone myself one day.

I might take a ride to my brother's today, depends on how well he slept last night. Other than that, not much else going on. Have a good day everyone!

 

[PierreBear]

Good morning friends! Cat update from me. No new wounds but still can’t figure out how he’s doing it so going to just monitor. Thought about putting little socks on his feat and putting rubberbands on it so that guy can’t get it off. DH said that would be a mean cat mom thing to do but it might help until it heals? Or he will slip and slide all over the place… hahaha… Wish I could just communicate to my cat and figure out what is in his little purring head.

Hmm nothing else going on but some small challenges at the part-time job. Learning some lessons on how much initiative to take versus being corrected. Growing, growing, growing…. and staying positive and learning more about the type of employee they want me to be in this ambiguous role.

Oh on a jewelry note, I bought a bracelet the other day. Just costume jewelry that is brass color. Thought that I would hate having it on while typing etc but it actually doesn’t bother me as much as I thought. Enjoy that accessory! Ok ya’ll have a great day!

@junebug17 – I understand not desiring to do long distances. I’ve put my foot down on longer races/trainings as well. Need to have joy while doing it! Glad that you are going to keep it up for exercise.

@CJ2008 – We don’t really always make “gourmet” type things in class. One class I remember we made tons of mac and cheese… it was wonderful! Haha… Speaking of the flambe thing since you were laughing (which is quite all right as I was laughing at myself afterwards)…. You can sprinkle in some cinnamon while it’s going for the banana fosters and there are sparks that show up. It is quite the culinary show. I screamed every time I was doing it or someone was doing it. I suppose I startle very easily!

I haven’t posted pictures of my cat. Similar to you, I’m a bit afraid of the interwebs so I’ve tried to limit some of those pictures. He’s my “fur baby” so I know it sounds strange as he looks like every other cat in the world but I was thinking surely someone is going to connect all the dots and link it back to me and something bad will happen. I’m crazy. : /

I’m picky about some things and other things I can care less! Once again, I can be crazy. : )

@Austina – Oohhhh you and Missy are going to OWD together. What a fun date!!! Way better than tea and pastries. Hahahaha. So excited ya’ll get to meet up and have fun together. Yipeee!

Hahaha I’m not the chef at all and don’t think I’ll do it at home. Besides, DH rather drink the alcohol than let it burn up for a dessert. Hehehe…

Glad Colin’s teeth is getting fixed up. Had no idea measles could damage teeth and sorry to hear he had to live with it for so long. Stay dry over there!

@missy – Love the good news that you got on the call with the right person and got past he system for the extra meds. Will you have to do that every time now? : /

Sorry to hear that Greg had to get a biopsy. Hopefully it’s nothing to be of concern. Please keep us posted.

Glad you are being proactive and sharing articles with David and he is being responsive. I really hope you find the best treatment for you given the rare disease.HUGS!

@marcy – Boo… I have some neighbors with loud dogs too. They bark when their owners come into the house. So bizzare…. Hope you have some good down time reading your new book. I might have to check it out at the library if you recommend it.

 

[CJ2008]

Just a quick note...

@PierreBear I know you were wondering about using socks on him but if you do, do NOT use rubberbands...if he by any chance ends up swallowing a rubberband it can tangled in his mouth/throat or inside him.

 

[PierreBear]

Just a quick note...

@PierreBear I know you were wondering about using socks on him but if you do, do NOT use rubberbands...if he by any chance ends up swallowing a rubberband it can tangled in his mouth/throat or inside him.

Ahhhh good point!!! Glad ya'll are watching out for me. Didn't dawn on me that he loves rubberbands. Thanks!

 

[CJ2008]

Well, I'm an expert, unfortunately, since my boy cat eats EVERYTHING. Even paper towels that you might think oh, no big deal - but they turn kind of like hard once he chews them and then they don't break up into pieces.

But yeah, anything stringy can be really dangerous.

I hope you can find a solution for him sweet thing.

 

[Austina]

Hello lovelies

I’m so sorry you’re having to deal with all this @missy, I wish there was something I could do or say to help. I can only send healing thoughts and love that you carrying on coping as well as you do. I’m glad you managed to sort out the insurance for your meds, sounds like your insurance company’s stock response is NO! Fingers crossed for Greg, it’s encouraging that the Dr isn’t unduly worried, but is being thorough with another biopsy.

Colin is fine, thank you.

Your comment about Mr PB preferring to drink the alcohol rather than ‘eating’ it made me @PierreBear I hope you get to the root of what’s causing the problem with puss.

Sounds like you’re coping very well with the challenges the job is presenting and not letting them get to you.

We’re very excited about meeting up with Missy & Greg, Colin has even been checking out how far OWD is from the hotel (about 5 mins!).


Ooooooo, a peachy pink sapphire sounds lovely, is it like a padparadscha colour @marcy ? I do like platinum and prefer pink stones in white metal. Boo to the neighbours dogs waking you up, it’s selfish and thoughtless of them to let them out to bark early in the morning (well, at any time really )

Glad you’re pleased with your cut, always a relief when it turns out well.

Thanks for the book recommendation, I’ll have to look for it, although these days, I only seem to read when we’re away.

Did you manage to get out of Costco without spending a fortune @junebug17 and a carload of things you didn’t go there to buy ? Well done if you did, we rarely manage it.

Hi @CJ2008 hope you’ve had a good day.

We met up with our friends this afternoon (the ones who’ve just got married). Their wedding day went splendidly, Sue said she wanted to do it all over again She looked lovely, and they’re so happy together.

We had afternoon tea and chatted about cruising, they’re hoping to go on a belated honeymoon next year, and think they’ll enjoy a cruise. It was fun catching up with them and hearing about the wedding.

Well that’s been our day, hope you’ve all had a good one

 

[marcy]

Hi NIRDIs!

CJ, I would never type out those inner thoughts in cyberspace. Let’s say it contained some very colorful metaphors.

Jimmianne, my hair looks the same just a little bit shorter. I may find someone else; I want more layers. My hair to too thick for only a few layers.

Missy, you and CJ should know I wanted to utter some more of those descriptive metaphors at work today. I kept telling myself I wish I was making this stuff up. I totally agree with you about not increasing the dosage for something that has very little success. I hope you don’t have too much pain, discomfort and itching. That can make for long and miserable days but you are keeping things positive and that always help. Big hugs to you.

Junebug, I hope you did go see your brother; it’s a good reason to take your new car for a ride. My problem on bling shopping is I want so many things. Who knows when I will get to Denver though.

PierreBear, your poor kitty. Sorry to hear you are having challenges with your part time job, I hope you have a smooth transition into what you want to do and what they expect of you. Good deal for finding a nice bracelet to wear. I do recommend the book; I really wanted to stay home and finish it today.

Austina, wow your hotel will be conveniently close to OWD. Very cool! I hope I can find a sapphire like that. It would be a pad like color but not billed as a pad. I hear the same dog after 11 at night and about 6 in the morning. Grr. It’s nice you caught up with your friends.

While I enjoyed my day off thoroughly yesterday I paid for it today. Oh well, I’m home now and relaxing.

Take care.
Marcy

 

[CJ2008]

austina Mousey has a habit of sitting on my Surface Pro keyboard instead of on my legs. I think she either feels safer there or the chiclet keyboard feels good under her paws I cringe when she does it because that's a lot of weight on the keyboard (it's an attachable kind) but I don't have the heart to move her since I'm trying to encourage her to become a lap cat. So I let her sit there a little bit and then entice her away with treats. Glad you had a nice time with your friends.

marcy that is exactly why hiring friends can get weird. What poor manners though. I never understand things like that. Speak up, you know? Don't start misbehaving or acting weird in the hopes I fire you. Didn't it feel good to hand in your taxes? At the same time it feels like I did them yesterday. Oh, wait, yes, my accountant decided to not file them until what, October? November? I forget. So it *was* like yesterday.

And boo on not telling us what you thought. We'll just have to imagine. Probably in line with what you were thinking about the barking dog.

jimmiane forget the products I recommend

june hope you took that ride to your brother's and had a nice time.

pierre I remember your mac and cheese now actually. And LOL to you actually screaming. You know when I was little everybody at my house would do those star fireworks that you could hold in your hand I forget what they were called but in a way I hated them the sparks would always catch my hand LOL

No, you're not crazy (says the OTHER crazy LOL) but I too think it's too easy to connect the dots online even though my cats look like every other cat in the world LOL well, I'm sure your kitty is very cute LOL

hi missy

OK that's it for now girls. Hugs.

 

[missy]

Good morning girls!

Junie did you get to visit your brother yesterday? How is he doing? Is he feeling better about his living situation? I hope he does and I hope he is finding friends nearby. Thank you for your continued support and good wishes. (((Hugs))).\

Hi there CJ and good morning! (((Hugs))).

PierreBear anything interesting in cooking class? How is work going? Yes when a role is ambiguous it is more challenging to know your responsibilities but it also does allow you to take more control and do more and impress your colleagues and higher ups so to speak. I know you will wow them no matter what and just follow your gut. How is kitty doing today and yes thank goodness CJ chimed in about rubber bands. That could be deadly if she ate it. It's like having little kids that never grow up. Must be ever vigilant. Thanks for your kind comments and good wishes.

Austina So lovely your newly married friends are happy and that you enjoyed tea with them and got to chat about cruising. It's a lovely way to go on a belated honeymoon if they are considering that. Thank you for your good wishes. Hugs. I hope by the time I meet y'all I won't be a complete freak in appearance. But if I am I know you are not the type to judge me on my physical appearance.

Marcy oh I wish I had some of you thick lovely hair. I hope you can find a dream sapphire that is the color of a pad but not the price tag. If anyone can I know you can that is for sure. Plus there is always the colored gem section of PS which I found recently and am quite enjoying. Such lovely gems and such lovely PSers are there.
Sorry you paid for your day off the other day when you were at work yesterday but hope you enjoyed a lovely evening once you arrived back home and hope today is not too crazy for you at work. And remember tomorrow is Friday woohoo! Thanks for your good wishes for Greg and me and hugs to you.

Hello Sharon hope the weather is warming up by you. It is predicted to hit 80 here by Saturday.

Have a lovely Thursday ladies!

 

[Austina]

Hello my lovely friends

@missy, you haven’t seen us yet, of course we wouldn’t care what you look like. I have a scar on my left eyelid and and Colin suffers from blepharits, so sometimes has no eyelashes, so we are the last people to judge. Added to that, Colin wouldn’t notice if you had 2 heads, and I’ll be too busy being dazzled by Bea.

I’m thinking I might need more layers in my hair too now it’s a bit longer @marcy, otherwise I’m in danger of looking like I have a bush on my head!
Sorry you had a trying day at work, only one more day till the weekend.

A pad coloured sapphire without the hefty price tag would be a real find, good luck in your search.

Mousey has come such a long way in your care @CJ2008 when you think back to when you couldn’t even get near her, and now she’s sitting on your lap, what a transformation.

I noticed a mark on Colin’s forehead a couple of weeks ago, so he saw the Dr today (our GP, as you need a referral for the insurance company), and he definitely thinks it needs attention So here we go again. I don’t think it’s been there long, so that’s the good news. Whatever it is, it’ll get sorted.

Nearly the weekend

To all the other NIRDIs

 

[junebug17]

Hi Nirdis!

Missy, I did end up going to see my brother and he seems to be doing fairly well - he's getting to know a few of the older ladies on his floor and chats with them occasionally lol. He's still not exactly thrilled with the place but he does realize there are pros to it - affordable, safe neighborhood, familiar area. He's ripping up the carpet and putting a new wood floor down and it looks fantastic. It's amazing what some cosmetic changes can do to a place.

Hope you are feeling ok, thinking of you and sending lots of love. (((Hugs))).

Austina, I didn't know measles can damage teeth, I'm so glad you found a dentist who can treat Colin's teeth without doing anything drastic. Your tea with your friends sounds so lovely (I still wish I could go to a tea with you). I'm so excited about your cruise, so great to have something to look forward to. And diamond shopping with Greg and Missy will be fabulous! Love that your hotel is so close to OWD, one must have priorities haha. I managed to make it through Costco without buying too many extras - but of course I couldn't resist a few things lol.

PB, I'm glad your kitty doesn't have any new wounds and I hope you can figure out what's going on with him! I know it's worrisome. Sending good thoughts about the new job, and hang in there. A new job always involves growing pains and you are very conscientious, so I'm sure you're doing fine. Yum to mac and cheese, one of my favorite foods! Yes, long distances are over for me but I am definitely going to run a few miles several times during the week, I'm kind of excited I can do that without too much trouble and I don't want to lose it. Your bracelet sounds pretty, so glad it's working out well for you and you're enjoying it.

Marcy, ugh, so sorry you paid for your day off, that stinks. At least the weekend is almost here, hang in there. I'm glad you were able to relax and put work on the back burner when you got home. I hear you on wanting too many things lol - right now I'm hankering for antique diamond dangles, a green stone ring, and a pink stone ring! Where's that money tree? And yes, I didn't mind the drive at all yesterday

CJ, so cute that Mousey likes to sit on your laptop! I'd let her do it too lol. Zoe does the same thing, and now I use an ipad with a small keyboard and she tries to squeeze herself onto it ha!
Hello to all the Nirdis!

Not much going on today, just some cleaning and laundry - and oh yeah, going to fit in a little exercise - I'm going to have to dig deep because I have almost zero motivation to do it. Had a nice time at my brother's yesterday, went out to lunch and checked out some stores.

Take care everyone!

 

[PierreBear]

Nothing says good morning like cleaning up cat vomit. Poor guy… don’t know if it’s related to the fur missing or not. Anyhow, too much cat talk recently on bad things than good things. I’ll list a few favorite things that my cat does that I love about him. He likes to great us at the door when we come. Rolls on his back for a belly rub… every single time! He is a bit dog-like and wants to be in the room we are in and follows us around. Especially bed time, he likes to be held in little spoon and purrs me to sleep. Alright friends, hope ya’ll have a great rest of the week and weekend.

@Austina – hahaha wow outstanding planning when the trip from the hotel to OWD is only 5 minutes.

Glad you had fun with your newly married friends. I bet all your prior cruise stories won them over! Speaking of vacations, DH and I are making an international trip the end of the year. Taiwan to see my mom but thinking about visiting Cambodia for the “one on one” time together. Started to look at some travel guides already but no flights booked yet!

Sorry to hear about the mark on Colin’s forehead. Dermatology related? Hopefully it’s nothing severe.

@marcy – Glad you enjoyed your day off and you did it right!

@CJ2008 – Oh yess… sparklers. I rather enjoy them from afar, watching someone else do it too.

@missy – Cooking class this upcoming Monday will be 3 weeks of “Mystery box challenge” like they do on chopped. Except the chef is kind enough to give us some heads up such that we generally know what type of protein we will get. Everyone will get chicken at the very least and the other proteins are a bit unknown. We have to make 2 dishes. One entrée and the other one can be a soup/appetizer/etc… I’m not too worried about it since I don’t have to go first and can watch the other more confident students give it a try first.

In regards to work, I do find myself wanting “acceptance” and impressing them or at least feeling like they didn’t make the wrong decision in hiring me. I guess I took it overboard with taking initiative at least with this one project and they are going to put it on hold until there is more bandwidth on the other parties involved. I’ve been working with the same people at my full-time job that I’ve been a bit rusty on working with different personality types and it’s extra challenging that it’s remote with most of the people. Only my direct boss is someone I see in person. Still learning every day and the goal is if I make a mistake or get corrected, to only hear that feedback once and not do it again. Appreciate your encouragement.

I’m really hoping all the medication changes are going well. Big big hugs!

 

[marcy]

Hi NIRDIs!

CJ, I wish my taxes were filed; I just turned them in. If I don’t hear from them on Monday I’ll be calling since taxes are due Tuesday. So you must have an extension for your taxes. Cool. Yes, my inner dialogue would surprise most people because I rarely use curse words. To be honest, I am impressed if someone can shock me or gross me out. We used to play cards at work with all of Marty’s friends and I was usually very quiet and someone would curse and then apologize to me. Finally someone pointed out “she’s married to Marty” so they said good point and stopped. Everyone’s cat is cute, sweet and unique, right?

Missy, I think that is a plus that jewelry store does not label sapphires as pads; the price won’t be as high. I keep thinking of that one I passed up. I would trade in a ton of stuff to afford a perfect pad like color. I started on PS in the colored gem section. There was a group of very opinionated people dominating it then so I quit frequenting there, my stuff wasn’t big enough or certified. Gemstones are certainly one of my favorite things though. Is it warm there yet? We are getting snow tomorrow.

Austina, I think we are all our own worst critics. I am very self conscious about what I look like. My hair bushes out if it’s just one layer. My pigtails have more hair in them than people’s ponytails. I have never been able to wear a ponytail; I have way too much hair. I would be thrilled to find a pad colored sapphire at a price I want to afford. Tell Colin good luck with that spot on his forehead.

Junebug, I am glad your brother is adjusting to his new place and visits with some of his neighbors. They probably will take him some baked goodies sometime. I bet the wooden floor will make a big difference. Your jewelry list sounds as long and varied as mine. I could list off a dozen things I want without even trying. If only we could find that money tree.

PierreBear, your poor kitty but yes that is an awful way to start the day. I love the little things your kitty does especially greeting you at the door. Your cooking sounds like it challenges your imagination. I find that when I have pretty much nothing in the cupboard and the freezer and need to figure out supper with what we’ve got. Your new job sounds like you still have a lot of gray area. Working remotely can be difficult and more so if you are new to the organization. I would guess the best you can do is ask the person you do interact with what you can do to improve or maybe do differently. I am sure once you get more familiar with everything you’ll feel more confident about everything.

So my children today; two of the mean girls are already complaining that the new guy is the golden child. They don't get someone doing their work I guess. Then I met with my employee who is on an improvement plan and one area on that list is punctuality and she punched in 1 minute late last week so yes I pointed that out to her. She obviously was messaging another one of my employees about it and I got the comment from the girl that said "I can't believe she complained ABOUT ONE MINUTE.". Late is late. I used Marty's managing skills and had her answer my questions rather than me telling her what she did wrong. It made her mad admitting yes I did this, I did that because she wouldn't talk to me the rest of the day. Also my boss tried to smooth over our disagreement from yesterday. Right now we are still doing something that his team should be doing but he backed off putting blame on us. I am glad I met a friend for lunch today just to get out of the office but sadly the bartender never stopped by to see if I wanted alcohol. Oh well, it's best I don't drink at lunch anyway.

I grilled myself a burger for supper and had a grapefruit with it. It was quite tasty.

Take care.
Marcy

This is certainly Marty

 

[missy]

Good morning girls!

Junie so pleased for you and relieved for your brother that he seems to be adjusting as well as he can to his new home and neighborhood. Huge relief and i time he will become more and more happy and comfortable there I hope. Thank you for your love and hugs and right back at ya. XOXO.

Austina thanks and no worries from me. I was never one to judge someone else based on something as superficial as appearance. I know many say that but I truly mean that. I can help Colin with his blepharitis if it is not under control. Let me know and I can make some recs that perhaps he has not tried yet. I can send them via email. (However don't worry if you don't want the advice as I know he is under the care of a good doctor so you probably dont need my advice). Hope you are having a lovely day.

Hi CJ, hope you enjoyed a good day yesterday.

PierreBear I get it. We all want (and to a big extent need) acceptance from others in personal relationships and professional ones for satisfaction and happiness I think. And working with different personality types can be challenging. I am quite adept at that after practicing in my field for over 30 years. It comes easily with time and experience. Of course some are never suited to dealing with challenging people and as long as one knows their limits and does something they are good at it's all good. I know you are probably quite skilled at that and work well with others. It is completely normal to feel stressed in such a new situation where you want to be your best and show your colleagues and bosses what you are made of. I know you will excel at whatever you want to do. And of course I am always here to listen support and give any advice I might have that could help. You are doing so well. Good luck on the upcoming 3 weeks of your cooking class "Mystery Challenge" and cannot wait to hear the details.

Marcy hahaha yes so true. Love that. Here's two Spring funnies for you.
Better laughing about the weather than crying right?





Sorry you are getting snow again. Oy. We are hitting 80 tomorrow and 70s today. But Sunday and Monday torrential rains and cooler weather is predicted. It's a roller coaster this Spring.
Sorry your employees are misbehaving again and glad Marty's managerial skills are helping you manage your trouble employees. Glad you got out of the office for lunch and met a friend. Too bad you couldn't get an alcoholic beverage though. With those "kids" you deal with every workday no one would have blamed you lol.


So finally I am going to see the kitchen today woohoo! Off to the beach house in a little while as soon as I enjoy the rest of my morning coffee. We are going just for the day because I need to see what I need to bring there and what I have and what I don't have in terms of supplies etc since we haven't been there (overnight) since December and I haven't been there at all since our December vacation. So today is a day for me to see the kitchen, survey my supplies and prepare for our future weekend visits.
I am also going to workout while I am there and then we are heading to Costco at the beach and then back to NYC so it is going to be a long day.

Hope everyone enjoys their Friday.

 

[MarionC]

Missy, I'm so excited for you going to see the kitchen. Have a wonderful day!
Yes, a roller coaster spring. Is it always like this? I can't remember. But it does seem as though we had a hard winter, and it keeps revisiting.
I love that you have a beach house not too far from you. I am starting to doubt the wisdom of a place across the ocean. I know I had reasons for doing it and it feels like part of a plan, but I love the ocean and would really enjoy a two or three hour drive to a place on the coast! [where I could take my pets, etc. and pop in for a weekend] Ah well, I will live vicariously through those of you who have getaways you can visit on the spur of the moment.

I think we need a spread sheet schedule for the NIRDIs in NY!
Is it safe to say that NYC is the NIRDI hub of the universe???

I have one week until going back to France. It seems surreal. and at the same time so normal. It's weird feeling...oh yes, here I go to France again. Really, it may sound so much more fun than the work that it is. Wow, I am getting jaded.
But the outstanding news of the day is that the young couple who live on the farm have asked to become the official caretakers. Yes! This means things may be evolving to the point where I can put the fun back in functioning. It's been survival mode mentality for the past few years.

Hello and love to you all. Sorry to be such a slouch and not respond to everyone individually, but I do read every single word, so I pretty much know where everyone is and what they are doing. You are my tribe <3

 

[junebug17]

Hi everyone!

Missy, have a great time checking out your beautiful new kitchen and spending the day at the beach with Greg! Lol to the comics, so funny

Austina, I'm sorry about colin's health issue and I hope it turns out to be nothing serious. (((Hugs)))

Jimmianne, great news about your friends becoming the official caretakers! Sounds like it will definitely make things easier for you, and give you more freedom. So nice you are going back to France soon - I know it's a hassle to get there, but once you are there I'll bet you will enjoy being back.

PB, your kitty sounds like such a sweetie! Sorry about the upset tummy and I hope it passed quickly. Your next class sounds interesting and I'm glad your teacher gave you a hint, and you don't have to go first! sending continued good wishes about the job, and don't stress about a mistake here and there, it's part of the learning process, and very understandable when taking on a new job you're not completely familiar with.

Marcy, omg, how frustrating your employee was late when she knows being punctual is an issue and her boss is watching, what? She should be showing up early! Ugh, so sorry you have to deal with such difficult employees - yeah, he's the golden child because he's actually doing his job, what a novel idea. :roll You must be so happy it's Friday. Lol to asking for directions, it goes for dh too! Thank goodness for the invention of GPS haha.

Not too much too report here - dh is out of town but will be home tomorrow, his schedule has been cray-cray lately. Nothing planned for the weekend - I'll probably pick up dh from the airport and then we'll get something to eat, and that's about it for the excitement.

Wishing everyone a great Friday!

 

[Austina]

Hello lovelies

It’s Friday, and the weather is meant to finally be improving from tomorrow.

I can’t wait to hear your thoughts on the kitchen @missy, I’m sure you’ll be delighted. I saw the photo of Greg enjoying a well deserved sit in the sun, it looks like you’re having a beautiful day there.

Thank you for your thoughtful offer, at the moment Colin’s blepharitis seems to be under control, but I wouldn’t hesitate to take up your kind offer if things change.

Oh no to waking up to a sick kitty @PierreBear , hope the little guy is feeling better now. He doesn’t sound like Dottie at all, she’s too lazy to be bothered when we come in. I’ll often have to wake her, or she’ll raise one eyelid, then go back to snoozing

The mystery box challenge sounds like fun, and I’m sure by the time it’s your turn, you’ll have plenty of ideas.

I think sometimes in life it’s good to be outside your comfort zone, and as long as you do something to the best of your ability, people can’t realistically expect more. I used to be a very shy person, and the thought of having to stand in front of a packed auditorium and speak was terrifying. But after I’d done it once, I realised nothing bad had happened and it made it easier. I don’t know if I’ve mentioned this, but I’ve even presented on live TV, and didn’t make a fool of myself

I’m glad your brother is feeling more settled @junebug17 it always helps to get to know a few of the neighbours. I’m sure the old dears will look out for him. It’s good that he’s making the place more his own with a few changes.

You know we’d love to take you to afternoon tea, just come on over and it’ll be a date

I really don’t know how you deal with the brats at work @marcy I’m sure it’d be less stressful dealing with a class of 5 year olds. B*itching and sulking about you calling her out over being late :roll They don’t seem to accept responsibility for their actions, it’s always someone else’s ‘fault’. I sound like an old curmudgeon, but that’s what wrong with society today.

At least you’ve the weekend away from them.

I’m so pleased that you’ll have permanent caretakers on the farm @Jimmianne that’ll take a weight of your mind when you’re away. I can’t believe this trip has come round so quickly.

One of these days hopefully all the NIRDIs can meet up

Thanks for all the good wishes for Colin, he has an appt on Tuesday with the specialist who did the MOHs treatment on his nose. Whatever it is, it’ll be dealt with quickly.

We don’t have any plans for the weekend, except making a start on the garden if the weather is good.

 

[MarionC]

Thanks June. It's a really big deal to have an experienced responsible person take over the heavy lifting of running the place!

 

[stracci2000]

@missy, I just wanted to pop in and say that I'm so sorry about the hair loss problem you are having.
Maybe it will resolve itself in time? Can you use a basic eyebrow pencil for a while?
Also, your new kitchen is awesome. Greg can cook some great gourmet vegan dishes for you!

 

[missy]

Good morning girls! And thank you all for your good thoughts and warm wishes. And you know who you are!

Junie glad your dh is arriving back home today and what a day for picking him up and doing something. Wow it's going to be 80 plus today. Yesterday actually hit over 80 degrees and that wasn't expected so maybe today will hit 90. Winter to Summer. What happened to Spring? LOL.

Jimmianne, I can't believe it's time for France again. Wow time is going so quickly. It's going to be a wonderful visit. How long will you be there? Are there any updates re the purchase of the house for your DD and her FI? Fantastic news about your young couple friends becoming caretakers of your farm. What a huge relief and weight off your shoulders. Now you can come and go as much as you please and you know all will be well back in the states. I am so pleased for you!

Haha yes come to NYC everyone but I will need LLJsmom to do the spreadsheets.


Austina keeping Colin in our thoughts and hoping his visit on Tuesday goes well and the biopsy is negative. It's good they are watching him and finding anything early. That's our plan with Greg too.

@stracci2000 hello Stracci! You are so sweet and kind to chime in with thoughts about what is going on with my health. Thank you. Right now that skin is crazy sensitive and even touching it with Avene Thermal Water causes it to go into overdrive and become even redder and more inflamed. Covering it with pencil or anything is out of the question for now and maybe forever because I have what my derm now thinks is "Cicatrical" Alopecia or in layman's terms Scarring Alopecia. That means my immune system is attacking my hair follicles. Everywhere on my body. Showing up most dramatically on my eyebrows.

So where my immune system is attacking that area becomes and stays red and inflamed and swollen. This has been going on since September but got dramatically worse in November/December. Left eyebrow more than right but right is becoming involved. Scalp I feel is also becoming involved. Anyway long story short there is no successful treatment. It is an extremely rare condition and they just don't have any answers yet. In fact I don't even know if they knew about this in the medical field til the mid 90s. That is how new it is.


I am hoping if the time comes that I need a wig that I will be able to tolerate one. I remember my mom could not ever tolerate one when she went through a few months of losing all her hair due to the shock of my grandmother's death. She did not have the same type of alopecia as hers was Telogen effluvium which is temporary hair loss caused by trauma. MY grandmother's death in 1992 caused a terrible shock to everyone and my mom who has a number of autoimmune conditions lost all her hair. It came back months/years later however. Completely different than what I am experiencing unfortunately. And I hope I will be able to tolerate a wig as I cannot stand being hot and they are still warm even the best ones. But I guess time will tell. I just know I will not look good bald. Haha ILikeShiny said to rock it like Pink or Sinead O Connor and if I had their looks I would!

I am taking things one day at a time and I did not even make an appointment with a dermatologist who specializes in alopecia (and there is a 4 month plus waiting list) because I am not at that place in my head that I want to put myself through invasive treatments with little to no reward. More risk and very very meager to none rewards. I am hoping and praying it isn't the worst case scenario but I will have to deal with and accept whatever it ends up being.

Sorry for the long explanation and thank you again Stracci.

Back to more happy news. We went to the beach yesterday as you lovely ladies already know and yay I love the kitchen. The marble backsplash is perfect and cool and beautiful and the floors gorgeous and rich and I love the cabinets and counters. The island is huge and for the space probably oversized but I got what I wished for- the biggest island possible. And I love all the storage space and workspace in the kitchen now so pleased with the whole renovation. It is a bright and elegant and unique in that it combines old with new and warm with cool. A 20s beach bungalow meets 21st century elegance.

And of course...

First of all an aerial shot with our cherry blossom tree. We are on the very right.




and just 2 more pics of the beach kitchen from my visit there yesterday. Greg cleaned the whole house up so well. I am super impressed and he put the entire kitchen contents back where they belong. He is really too much as in too sweet and too wonderful but I am not complaining. One of my theories is that the reason I have so many health issues is because I have Greg to help me get through them all. I know I am crazy but hey that's why I am so lovable right?





and lastly how peaceful it is there. The ducks came by to say hey to us yesterday and enjoyed a swim in the sea.



It is good to be back and next time we will stay for more than a day. Though I have to say it is very convenient that our beach house is not far away from our NY house. No traffic just over an hour and with traffic abut 90 minutes. All in all not too bad a drive. Even with all 4 kitties when we go for more than a day. Have a wonderful Caturday Saturday lovely ladies. Our darling Fred is getting older and having trouble walking around but it never affects his sweet disposition. And to all your sweet ladies Fred sends his purrs and hugs and says Meow.