Now I really did it :((

[azstonie]

My Most Precious and Adored Madam Calliecake: *You* may call me any of those LOL The receptionist at my doctor's office? Not so much unless I get to refer to her as High School Dropout with Unjustified Attitude

 

[Sunstorm]

Wow, incredible that this winter has dragged on forever for most of you girls. We were supposed to be hit with hopefully the last snow earlier this week but we never got it and the weather has gotten milder, it is supposed to be spring from next week, we will see. Last year I wore sandals a few times in March but that is not normal here either. I wish, if only that helped. I am not complaining because it could be worse and the house would be freezing then.

I too am worried about you Missy. Well, I figured Missy went to work but now I am not sure because she would normally respond to my emails and she is not today. I am definitely concerned and I do hope we will hear from Missy soon, if you could only hear us Missy, you would know that we are thinking of you!

Callie, I tend to call my favorite people dear and darling or dear friend, maybe this is really odd or old fashioned sounding or cheesy but I think it may be that in Austria people use these words in German all the time so I tend to use them some in English too, I probably sound real dated in English to say the least. I remember the elderly ladies in England used to call me dear and/or darling when I was 18. So, I am sorry if I do that too.)

Have a great day Girls.

 

[MarionC]

I am hoping Missy can't contact us only because the power is out and she doesn't have internet. We will all feel better when she writes.

I have satisfied my bling fever with some vintage rings from Etsy that arrived in the mail just now. They were quite reasonable, so I didn't know what to expect, but there was a return policy so I took a chance. I LOVE them!
It's a 14k wedding set and a plat. band. The 3 were not a set, but serendipitously they all fit together perfectly. I'm excited! I've been longing for something new to look at. yay!


Goodnight everyone, sleep tight and dream about visiting NY!

 

[missy]

I'm baaack.

Woohoo power is ours again!!! Those Con Ed guys did an amazing job and worked all day and it is cold out there. Just got home from work a little while ago and all is well. Thank you all for your concern and emails too! I really appreciate it and big hugs to you all.

I was so busy at work today (I didn't get to check my emails at work at all like I thought I would be able to do) as Ellen came in the afternoon again to go over things on EMR that we hadn't had time to get to the last 2 Thursdays. We spent more time chatting though but I am feeling confident on EMR as of now and feel that is it just a matter of time for me to be more efficient/quicker on it. It is exhausting though being back at work but a good exhausting and I am glad (as of now and I reserve my right to change my mind lol) to be back working and taking care of my guys there!

Ovi, how is Sapphie doing now? I hope she is feeling better. Oh no just what you and she needed. Big hugs to you both and thank you for thinking of me!

Callie, Kristie woohoo I am emailing you responses now. Because I can... because I have power... woohoo!

Jimmianne, LOVE that set! Woohoo on great deals and happy surprises. Enjoy!
And I am hoping those sweet dreams about NYC are happy dreams that come true.

 

[MarionC]

Well, thank goodness. All your NIRD moms can relax now!

 

[missy]

Thank you dear Jimmianne! ((Hugs))! I love all my NIRDIs. You girls are the best.

Jimmianne, how's the snow by you tonight? Are you OK? Hoping the weather forecast is favorable by you and that it warms up very soon!

 

[Calliecake]

Missy, I am so glad you are okay! No one needs that kind of excitement early in the morning! Are you off tomorrow?

Jimmianne, You are just full of surprises! I love the new set! It looks beautiful on you. Stay warm tonight.

 

[azstonie]

Jimmieanne, please shhare with us the Etsy vendor, I need more jewelry **** sites to visit!!

I visit Lang's, Israel Rose, Dover, LAD, and I subscribe to Town & Country for the jewels alone!

NIRDIs, what sites do we visit when we get our bling jonez?

 

[Calliecake]

Lang Antiques and Dover are probably the ones I visit the most. I also spent an entire evening going thru Gem Gossip's blog posts looking at the rings.

 

[azstonie]

I like Gem Gossip, way cool, thank you!!!

 

[MarionC]

half asleep, but of course had to check for NIR posts before turning in.
I would be happy to share the Etsy store. Let me know what you think. In the case of the rings I just got, the photos did not do justice to the quality of both the stones and setting. She was very good about answering all my picky questions and took additional photographs for me with the views I wanted.
https://www.etsy.com/shop/gems4borth

good night!

 

[Calliecake]

I like Gem Gossip, way cool, thank you!!!

Kristie, I love her engagement ring! What do you think of that ring for a RHR? It has to be a lot less expensive than a 4 carat diamond.

I have to get the 4 carat diamond out of my mind!

 

[azstonie]

Callie, I'm on gemgossip.com, there are LOTS of ring links!!!!

 

[Calliecake]

Callie, I'm on gemgossip.com, there are LOTS of ring links!!!!

She is always wearing her engagement ring. It's the bypass ring with the two OEC's. You can also Google Gem Gossip Engagement Ring.

She has some gorgeous rings on her site. I love antique rings!

 

[junebug17]

Missy, so glad you have power and are up and running! Con Ed really did come through! Wow, what a relief. Also glad things are going well with work, it must feel so good to be active and productive. And it's great you're getting the hang of EMR too. And thanks for being ok with chatting about bling! I appreciate your thoughts, I get what you're saying about the settings - I guess I lean towards the larger settings for the finger coverage.

Calliecake, so sorry your brother is having health issues, I really hope it gets resolved and he's back to good health soon. I sympathize with the family issues, they can really create a lot of stress and anxiety. Still trying to figure out what ring I'd like to go with - I might start a thread in RT, but I think I've seen all the diamonds within my budget already on the sites that PS usually recommends, but there might be something I've missed and it's helpful to get opinions. I just want to organize my thoughts a little before I post, I'm all over the place right now!

Jimmianne, love your new rings! I have a soft spot for halos. The rings look so pretty on your hand, I love getting something new. It really does pick up the spirits to get something pretty in the mail, I love that! The second diamond you posted looks lovely to me (I think you decided against the one with the sapphires, right?) It might be worth it to take a look in person. I've been looking around a bit for you but haven't really found anything yet.

Ovi, I hope you are doing ok and getting some rest! You sound like you have some very busy and hectic days, so take care of yourself. I'm so sorry to hear about Sapphie, I hope she's doing better soon.

Have a good night everyone!

 

[azstonie]

To.

Die.

For!!!!!!

 

[marcy]

Happy Thursday!

I am so far behind on this thread. How did that happen?

Ovi, did you get all your errands done? Can you put your phone on do not disturb or are you kind of on call for work? I hope you got to relax after your errands and get plenty of rest tonight. I hope your flu goes away and the sooner the better. I hate to hear Sapphie is not feeling well again either. Sending both of you get well hugs. I am glad to hear your weather is getting milder. Enjoy it for us snowbound girls.

Missy, redirecting the airflow and vents made me realize the only people who looked at our place are the people who would have to fix it under warranty; they may have not wanted to do what it took to fix it. I am sure it wouldn’t hurt to get someone else in here to at least give us suggestions and options. The basement doesn’t get hot in the summer so the air conditioner works well enough to keep it cool. That’s great you are doing well with EMR. How awful your office is so cold. Mine is probably in the low 60’s and I’m miserable. I had a blanket in the office I use but I am sure you can’t do that when you are with patients. Stay warm! Thank you for the warm bear hugs coming my way. How awful about the fire and that it was so nearby. Glad to hear your power is back on. At our old house we had someone banging on our door about 2 in the morning; they wanted to tell us the house behind us was on fire. We went out on the patio and watched in case it headed over to our house. The neighbor south of us had a shed right at the alley so he was hosing it down. The firemen did a phenomenal job putting it out. An elderly couple lived there and they got out okay. It was scary though. I often think about that because if Marty wasn't home; there is no way I'd answer the door at 2 am. We saw the fire from our window before we opened the door but still . . .

Jimmianne, good idea to make a chart. I like sticky notes on my computer at work; it really helps me remember things. Stay safe and warm with all that snow. Your new rings look fabulous.

Callie, my problem with writing things down is then I forget where I put the note. I try to remember to put things in my phone. I hate to hear you have the same weather we’ve got; I think the mild fall and winter we had here made this cold, snowy smell harder to deal with. It was icy coming home today so I already asked Marty to take me to work tomorrow. More snow coming off and on for the next 3 days. Sadly then it’s probably moving your way. How is your brother doing? I’ve been looking at plates online tonight. There are so many to choose from. Aak.

Kristie, Callie and Jimmianne, you realize I don’t “need” to know about great places to browse for more jewelry. I had an email this morning from Ebay with an emerald cut emerald ring from Esty. It was pretty and cheap and I quickly deleted that email.

Junebug, I know what you mean about being all over the place when trying to decide what to do or buy. I think too many options just make it harder to pick something. I think a thread might be a good idea.

Cold, snow, ice; well they all just stink. That’s about all I’ve got to say about that.

I’ve been browsing dish patterns tonight. I think it’s going to be hard to pick out something both of us like.

We had cheese raviolis for supper tonight with raw veggies and crusty rolls. Marty made a toasted garlic, cheese olive oil dip for the rolls. Tomorrow night is poker night so I think we’ll order in pizza. No dishes. Woo hoo! Okay, a few but not as many as when we cook something. Maybe if I had new dishes I wouldn’t mind having to wash them.

Have a great day tomorrow.

Marcy

 

[marcy]

I had to hunt through my deleted messages but here it is; the tease of a pretty emerald ring https://www.etsy.com/listing/157618593/claw-prongs-vs-emerald-si-025ct-pave?ref=shop_home_active_3

 

[Sunstorm]

Hi NIRDI Girls,

I really needed a pick me up this morning and got it, links to blogs on jewelry and new sites, wow, I will be on there a lot, I had never visited Gem Gossip before but it sounds like a great place to go to and will do for sure over the weekend. Oh, Girls, what are you doing to me? Well, it is the best type of fun for me though.

I have a meeting in a city an hour and a half away early this afternoon so I am heading out in a bit, not much time before that but will be back to write more in the evening which is sometime in the afternoon for most of you.

Unfortunately, Sapphie is not really well. She has had diarrhea which she did all her life though, she was just so well on the antibiotics though but I did expect this to happen, not this bad though. She has been vomiting quite a bit and yes that if her too, she has been a slim girl with a very sensitive stomach her whole life and an extremely picky eater. She did not really want to eat this morning but I am going out today and buy her her favorite things and see if I can tempt her. I ran out yesterday morning so that may be the problem. I will also buy chicken breasts as she loves that and it works with broth when her stomach is upset. For now I am giving her immune supplement, not much else I can do, otherwise she has been active and all over me this morning kissing me, it may also be a bug. Thanks for caring Girls!

Jimmianne huge congrats to you! I will check out the link you sent. Also, can we have specs on your beauties? You really deserved this and what a way to start spring, not with one but three new rings ROFL. I am also the excited owner of a new ring as some of you may know and was very tempted to buy a second one but for now I am trying to be good, after all it is spring and while bling is my absolute fave I may need to have budget left over for other stuff like say a yellow bag, I am dreaming of one. I also want to buy some new dresses, again yellow and coral, summery, happy and bright but this season the colors in fashion here are mostly pastels which I hate so we shall see. I am sure I can find something I love eventually. Definitely not in a hurry and I prefer buying during the summer sales anyhow. Watch it by then I will just buy more bling.) But I think a yellow bag will be in order.

Missy, so happy that you are well, we were definitely worried, I was waiting before I went to bed. Hi to my dear Callie, lol, also Kristie, I will talk to you more hopefully, Junebug, Marcy and Jimmianne, so nice to talk to you over here and wake up to your posts in the morning.

Enjoy your days ladies, it is stunning weather over here, sunny, bright, yaaaay! Can I scream we have one day of spring finally? It will not be too warm today but if we get sunshine and around 54 hey that is already almost spring.

 

[MarionC]

Lang Antiques and Dover are probably the ones I visit the most. I also spent an entire evening going thru Gem Gossip's blog posts looking at the rings.

Gem Gossip: What an evil web site
Fabulous! utterly fabulous & dangerous.
Holy Moly!!! seeing those collections brings a whole new level to the hunt.

 

[missy]

Good morning! Still have electricity so woohoo! I LOVE electricity and too bad I cannot hug it lol.

Ooh thanks for the bling site recommendations. Never heard of gem gossip. Going to check it out. HAH, just what we needed. More bling to drool over.

My recommendation that I don't think has been shared here yet is First Dibs. LOVE their site. I also enjoy on ebay the following sellers:

eragem
lajollagems (Callie, I know this is also a favorite of yours too!)
melonypino (my absolute fave)
mydiamondzone
oldtreasures
rozentalantiques
sflmaven

Ovi, I am sorry about Sapphie and hope she starts improving soon.
Thank you for your concern and for waiting up to see I was OK. I had my emergency evacuation plan all ready...beach house escape. Greg was going to rent a car need be if we couldn't get our building garage to operate. The fire people had blocked the opening so not sure we could have gotten our car out even if the garage gates could have been opened manually.

Callie, I am off today and actually taking my first dose of the oral Ivermectin this morning. Then I have to take another dose in 10 days. Fingers crossed. Right now my face is very itchy and annoying me. But fortunately I can take my mind off that by chatting with you girls and browsing all the beautiful bling.

Kristie, thanks for starting the recommendations of the bling sites we visit. Can always use new recs. I think...
How is the geode polishing coming along? I know you are enjoying it! Any pics to share?

Junebug, I love many of the rings you posted but since you have a good budget I think you can do even better. The larger the budget the more searching we need to do IMO. There is no rush. Take your time and enjoy the search and you know all of us NIRDI girls are here for you to help! We will gladly go through the torture of looking through endless rings and diamonds to find you the perfect one. It's the least we can do.

Marcy, I'm glad Marty is going to be taking you to work today. Icy roads are so dangerous. And YAY for 3 day weekends! I hope the that the forecast was wrong and that the snow misses you completely. SPRING we NEED you NOW.

OMG that was a scary situation at 2AM and I am also glad Marty was home with you at the time. I would be hesitant to open the door at that time of night as well if I was alone. But smelling and seeing fire would have definitely made me open that door and get out. As soon as I could have rescued the kitties that is. Would not leave without them. As I am sure you would have not left without your killer bunnies and bears. Though I imagine they would be easier to round up in an emergency.

Your dinner sounded great and you did it again Marcy. It is 6:20 AM here and I am starving for cheese ravioli now and I cannot even have dairy or crusty rolls. LOL.

I have the same problem as you also. I write things down but then cannot remember where I put the info haha. And if I email it to myself I cannot find the email. So now I email it to Greg and he puts a reminder on his phone for me.

Jimmianne I know I already said this last night but I LOVE your new rings and if you wanted to post more pics of them here I would not object haha. I love Lang and Dover too btw. Though I do feel Dover overstates the bling facts a bit but so do many of the above sites. Fortunately we are bling aware and smart shoppers.


ETA: Just heard that Bono plans on being ready for his concert tour in May after his bike accident this past November. Great news for him and pretty fast recovery for what he went through. Good for him!

 

[missy]

Ooh here's a cool backyard pic from the security camera that I forgot to post the other day. First time in a decade I believe that the bay has been frozen. Pretty.

 

[MarionC]

That's beautiful. How fun that you can remote view what's going on there.

 

[missy]

Thanks Jimmianne. We also have cameras inside because we often have workmen in the house. It's convenient to be able to keep an eye on things remotely.

On a bit of a tangent but somewhat related topic -Just yesterday my colleague asked me for help with her mother's situation re security cameras. Her 95 yo wheelchair bound mother has 24 hour home care and they are robbing her blind. They just took her towels for goodness sakes and it is just the mom's word against the home health care aides word. The mother said you cannot take those towels and the health care aide said yes I can just try stopping me.

So my colleague is now going to install security cameras inside her mother's home. It's egregious that something like this even happens but now hopefully it will be a deterrent to future abominable behavior by these "care" workers. I asked my colleague why she doesn't fire the company and start fresh and she said it is impossible to find 24 hour home care covered by insurance. I was shocked at what is happening to her mother.

 

[MarionC]

Missy, hearing about that poor older woman being robbed really got to me. We never found most of my mom's jewelry, and my grandmother had her rings stolen right off her hand in the nursing home...with the bruised fingers to prove it.
I'm so glad that they are installing cameras. Very smart.

Have a great day off!

I started playing with my stacking rings and taking photos, inspired by the curated look of the collections on Gemgossip. It never occured to me how often I pick blue. It makes me want to find some tiny & interesting [cheap] rings with blue sapphires to really get a theme going. I think I'll post to SMTB or start a "show me your sapphire rings" thread if there isn't one already.

Does everyone here have a theme or color scheme for their collections?

 

[missy]

OMG Jimmianne, your blue collection is TDF Bluetiful!

If I could afford it I would have a collection of sapphires and aquamarines as blue is my favorite color and I love the light and dark blue juxtaposition. Melony has gorgeous antique sapphire earrings on her site that I love.

I really LOVE your blue collection Jimmianne.

Your sapphire striped ring is so unusual...gorgeous! Details please.



and I am so sorry about what happened to your dear grandmother and your mom's collection. How awful and so hard to believe there are people like this in the world.

 

[missy]

My only "blue" pieces (so far) are my aquamarine and blue sapphire necklace that Greg got me for my 40th 10 years ago(!!!!)that I can share a pic of and my aquamarine and diamond ring from Rome that is a terrible cut but I didn't know any better back then unfortunately. I also have an aquamarine choker that I love but no pics sorry. Will remediate that when I can if you would like to see pics. I also have a sapphire necklace I wore as my something blue when we got married and a sapphire bracelet. Greg bought me an aquamarine bracelet many many years ago when we were dating that he bought from blue nile. Not great quality-too light in color and people mistake it for diamonds LOL. But I still love it as he got it for me during our courtship. Haha love that word. So old fashioned. I have a few pairs of inexpensive gold and topaz earrings and also a blue topaz necklace. Have to find these and photograph them all together when I have the energy. That's all I can think of in my "blue" collection. Not as extensive or lovely as yours Jimmianne!

Here are the only pieces I have pics of right now.


And here is one of my "dream" pieces from JAR. Lots of bluetiful blues in there.

 

[MarionC]

Missy, thank you!

oh! aquamarines with sapphires - YES!

The striped ring is sterling and enamel from Tiffany's. I wish now I'd bought out the store - it's retired and now going for double + the cost, not to mention all the fakes out there.

Aside from really having things stolen, my mom thought everyone was taking things [like the plumber taking a jar of pennies that we found in a closet after she died]. Same thing with my friend's mom.She found the "stolen" family silver after her mother passed on. Elderly paranoia.
That & dishonest people would make being an honest caretaker very difficult.

I MUST go to the barn. Very hard to get started when there is PS : )

 

[MarionC]

RE: your posted photos ... that's what I mean! who can work when there is such eye-candy?!

 

[missy]

Haha I know Jimmianne, I know! I was supposed to start working out hours ago LOL. Procrastination can be so sweet especially when there are such lovely likeminded NIRDIs to procrastinate with over morning bling. I really love your Tiffany striped enamel ring. Something about it is so appealing!

OK go to the barn and start your day. Kiss the animals hello from their Aunt Missy and a special hug to Puff. And I will start my day too. Sigh, elliptical here I come.

See you later I hope.