Small Talk: The Prayer Closet

[Scarlett45]

9 minutes ago, Mindthinkr said:

For you, I’m still skeeved out by that inappropriate touch. How nice of him to share his germs (cooties) with you *sarcasm*.  Feel better soon. 

Yes it was SKEEVY! Thank you for being so understanding. 

[Barb23]

19 hours ago, DangerousMinds said:

Yes, I have worked quite a few jobs where I was forced to work on the holidays and didn’t get paid extra.

I forgot about that Back in the Day workers were paid extra for working holidays including my dad. He worked for the phone company & I'm sure my parents counted on the extra pay to cover Christmas presents.  This year  two of my nieces had to work  on Christmas-- one is a nurse & the other is a server in a restaurant & I'm sure neither one got Holiday Pay.  Pretty sure that is a thing of the past.

Santa's helper, Mr Barb, seemed to have dropped the ball this year. We decided years ago not to do big presents for each other but some simple things like books, candles for me, etc but we still do stocking stuffers. Well I think my stocking fell off Santas sleigh this year. We don't even use stockings anymore but just throw the small items, mostly candy & snacks & lottery tickets into a small gift bags so my missing stocking stuffers weren't that noticeable.  But I have always gotten Gummi bears & him Good n Plenty for probably as long as we've been married, 34 years.  I even got them last year when I was  in the hospital over Christmas. You would think getting upset over not getting my traditional  $5 worth of Gummi bears & lottery tickets (he bought plenty for others in the family)  is ridiculous & no big deal but it's really hurt.  There's no excuse. He's retired & has plenty time to go to CVS or dollar store. I'm the one who is disabled & can't get out but managed to order my stocking stuffers on line.  I'm going to let it go, I don't want to start WW3 since I did get other nice gifts from him but will mention it next Christmas. 

But my wonderful Son of Barb came through for me.  Just me & him went riding around looking at Christmas lights last night.  Towards the end he pulled over & handed me a wrapped package "here's one more Christmas gift for you". Yes, it was bags of Gummy Bears & lottery tickets he had bought me earlier in the day.  I'm sure he was tired of hearing me complain to him about not getting my Gummy Bears but what a guy.  (I kidded him that when he pulled over in front of a well lit house & said he had a gift for me,  I felt like i was 25 again & he was going  to propose to me. Lol.) 

As usual, Thanks for letting me vent. You are all good listeners.

[Christina87]

2 hours ago, Marigold said:

My teenage daughter is being rude and just generally awful to be around.  

I took her phone. Not sure who is punished more by this.

I've had enough of her.  Only so much can be tossed up to "teens". 

Please tell me it gets better.  She is my oldest girl.  

How old is she? In my experience as a teacher, the worst time for most kids is eighth and ninth grade. They think they know EVERYTHING, and the "cool" kids at school have terrible attitudes. I have seen SO many wonderful, studious, respectful, polite, and driven sixth and seventh graders turn into absolute monsters in eighth grade. One of my favorite students ever, who had the lead in the seventh grade play and lived and breathed drama, joked around and didn't even finish her scenes in eighth grade, didn't do the play, and sniped at me for asking her to sit down, replying, "ummm...I have to follow the same rules as the sixth graders?!" I have seen so many parents of teenage girls upset about their behavior, and while it is no doubt troubling and frustrating, it's totally normal. Even the very sweetest ones can go through that phase. Meanwhile, some manage to avoid it completely, but that is not the norm. My advice would be, as hard as it is, just be happy she is "normal." I WISH I had gone through a bratty phase, because I was too scared about my almost daily migraines at that age to act that way. I relied on my mom too much to be nasty to her, but I have always been a little behind socially, since that point. I wish I'd been carefree enough to be a brat, and make bratty friends, who would stay my loyal friends through college and beyond. My sister did that, and she has so many close, mature friends from high school, while i've had to mainly make friends as an adult, when it's harder. She will be fine, though. It does get better, I promise!!!

2 hours ago, Scarlett45 said:

Yes it was SKEEVY! Thank you for being so understanding. 

FEEL BETTER!!!!!! Get lots of rest. 

[Scarlett45]

3 hours ago, Marigold said:

My teenage daughter is being rude and just generally awful to be around.  

I took her phone. Not sure who is punished more by this.

I've had enough of her.  Only so much can be tossed up to "teens". 

Please tell me it gets better.  She is my oldest girl.  

I am sorry your daughter is being awful. There’s no excuse for her to be rude or disrespectful to her elders, and at Christmas no less. Taking her phone is a good punishment, maybe she can think about her behavior. 

That being said, I echo what @Christina87 said above- it’s a hard age. Not excusing her rudeness but sometimes horomonal fluctuations cause mood swings that teens that they are not good a moderating in their own? All kids are different, I wasn’t moody during that age but I had a lot of physical discomfort/pain. I know the hormonal personality changes are real because my sister (who’s mentally a toddler) was HELL ON WHEELS from about 12-16. (She’s 31 now and still gets pissy during pms). Watch a toddler go through puberty, LAWD we survived it but it was intense. 

 Is she going through something at school?

 

Reminding her that things like a phone and social activities are privledges not rights, you’re doing a good job! It’s hard raising children. 

[EVS]

3 hours ago, Marigold said:

My teenage daughter is being rude and just generally awful to be around.  

I took her phone. Not sure who is punished more by this.

I've had enough of her.  Only so much can be tossed up to "teens". 

Please tell me it gets better.  She is my oldest girl.  

Hang in there.  It does get better. Mine are boys in their early 20s now. They still have their moments but became much more appreciative in their mid to late teens. It took one really ugly blowup for the second one to get to that point though. 

Edited December 27, 2018 by EVS

[Christina87]

8 minutes ago, Scarlett45 said:

I am sorry your daughter is being awful. There’s no excuse for her to be rude or disrespectful to her elders, and at Christmas no less. Taking her phone is a good punishment, maybe she can think about her behavior. 

That being said, I echo what @Christina87 said above- it’s a hard age. Not excusing her rudeness but sometimes horomonal fluctuations cause mood swings that teens that they are not good a moderating in their own? All kids are different, I wasn’t moody during that age but I had a lot of physical discomfort/pain. I know the hormonal personality changes are real because my sister (who’s mentally a toddler) was HELL ON WHEELS from about 12-16. (She’s 31 now and still gets pissy during pms). Watch a toddler go through puberty, LAWD we survived it but it was intense. 

 Is she going through something at school?

 

Reminding her that things like a phone and social activities are privledges not rights, you’re doing a good job! It’s hard raising children. 

I echo what you said about going through something at school. Sooooo many times, good kids get sucked into the orbit of kids with attitudes. They are the ones you know will be fine once they get to high school, and are separated from these people. Middle school is so tough because they are literally with the same people allllll day. It's not uncommon for them to have every class together! That would be super unusual in high school, although sometimes they are in the same activity, like band, and have it together every semester. The biggest problems I had with teenage girls was the packs that traveled together all day, stirring up drama. I remember having a TERRIBLE group of eighth grade girls last year; the worst I've ever had. They were popular girls, which made it worse. They had all individually been delightful the year before...seriously, they were ideal in every way...but combined into this super force of meanness. They would ostentatiously be on their phones, and argue with me when I confiscated them. They treated all classwork as a joke, and when their grade was bad, they told the principal I had cussed at them (which was not true). They bullied others, and were generally insufferable. They stole popcorn out of my desk and ate the whole bag, and also stole all my bandaids, and opened them and stuck them to the floor in a straight line. They even detached the molding from the side of the floor, and started trying to tear the carpet up! When I caught them, they would make fun of me in a mean-spirited way, and didn't understand why they were being punished. They were always flirting with the boys in the class and purposefully acting stupid with them. They found out that a dorky girl had an allergy to Axe body spray, so they brought it to school and purposefully spilled it on the carpet! I missed a week of school for the flu, and they actually thought that I had quit because of them! HA! They were the worst girls I have ever been around, but I actually have hope that they are fine, even just a year later! I knew them well enough before this phase to know they really ARE nice girls, but just terribly misguided and influenced by momentary peer pressure. Even while in this phase, if they saw me alone in the hallway, they would be very sweet and polite. If they were relatives, and not just students, I would meet them for dinner tomorrow, confident that they would be better out of that environment.

One thing you learn teaching that age is not to take things personally, because it's never about you. The kid who tells you to go to hell is the one who will apologize the next day because she had something going on at home. The kid who says your class is a joke because they hate the assignment will tell you two weeks later that they love your class, and that you're their favorite teacher. I remember how crushed I was when the kids had a substitute, and I saw them in the hall that day. I was on campus at a workshop. They all exclaimed, "man, you should get him every day! He actually made learning fun!" I went home and cried for hours after that! When I came back the next day, they all came in excited, and said, "we really wish you had been here yesterday! This guy was really different, and we had a lot of fun. We wish you could have been here to experience it too! We really missed you." Apparently he was a cruise ship singer, and had taught them unique things, but they didn't really want him here every day, and were happy to get back to class. They were on a high the day before (unexpected sub who actually surprises them by being fun) and just didn't have the maturity to express what they were trying to say. Turns out, they actually did like how I did things, but missed me and wished I'd been a part of the unique day!

i know it's SO hard, but it could be any number of things. Please, please try not to take it personally. It is so rarely truly about you! Hopefully this behavior will pass sooner rather than later, and you will have your usual child back!

[Scarlett45]

8 minutes ago, Christina87 said:

Middle school is so tough because they are literally with the same people allllll day.

Very much this. Again- no excuse for being a brat and not treating your family members with proper respect, but I’ve found adults get so focus on our “adult stuff” we think kids have it so easy and don’t realize how hard being a young person can be.

 

I had a fun time at school and didn’t deal with severe bullying or anything like that, but kids are with their classmates ALL. Day. Long. All day. If things are bad they cannot escape. They have no control over their personal time and aren’t even given the same protections office workers are given- bullying at school can be a huge problem! I would not want to be in 8th grade again no way no how. 

[EVS]

1 hour ago, Christina87 said:

How old is she? In my experience as a teacher, the worst time for most kids is eighth and ninth grade. They think they know EVERYTHING, and the "cool" kids at school have terrible attitudes. I have seen SO many wonderful, studious, respectful, polite, and driven sixth and seventh graders turn into absolute monsters in eighth grade. One of my favorite students ever, who had the lead in the seventh grade play and lived and breathed drama, joked around and didn't even finish her scenes in eighth grade, didn't do the play, and sniped at me for asking her to sit down, replying, "ummm...I have to follow the same rules as the sixth graders?!" I have seen so many parents of teenage girls upset about their behavior, and while it is no doubt troubling and frustrating, it's totally normal. Even the very sweetest ones can go through that phase. Meanwhile, some manage to avoid it completely, but that is not the norm. My advice would be, as hard as it is, just be happy she is "normal." I WISH I had gone through a bratty phase, because I was too scared about my almost daily migraines at that age to act that way. I relied on my mom too much to be nasty to her, but I have always been a little behind socially, since that point. I wish I'd been carefree enough to be a brat, and make bratty friends, who would stay my loyal friends through college and beyond. My sister did that, and she has so many close, mature friends from high school, while i've had to mainly make friends as an adult, when it's harder. She will be fine, though. It does get better, I promise!!!

FEEL BETTER!!!!!! Get lots of rest. 

About a hundred years ago (actually 1990), I was what was then called a resource teacher in a school that went through 8th grade. My first 2 years, I worked with 2 junior high girls together. One was great. The other was uncooperative and never did her work. When they left my office, I would hear the uncooperative one in the hall complaining loudly and calling me a bitch. Then she graduated and apparently began to appreciate me. Her mom called and asked if I would tutor her after school. Because she now wanted to be there, she was pleasant and cooperative and did really well. I only tutored her during her freshman year. 

In 2000 or 2001, the girl’s grandmother came to the school looking for me. She said that the girl was doing great and still talked about how much I helped her back then. It meant a lot because I was a new teacher when I worked with her and I know I got better in subsequent years. 

My point, I guess, is that even some of those difficult jr high girls learn to appreciate their teachers eventually. We just don’t get to hear about it most of the time. 

Edited December 27, 2018 by EVS
Even though I am a former teacher, I can’t seem to form a coherent post today.

[lookeyloo]

4 hours ago, Marigold said:

My teenage daughter is being rude and just generally awful to be around.  

I took her phone. Not sure who is punished more by this.

I've had enough of her.  Only so much can be tossed up to "teens". 

Please tell me it gets better.  She is my oldest girl.  

All I can tell you is my granddaughter is 15 and I love her dearly and can barely wait til she outgrows this phase.

[satrunrose]

6 hours ago, Marigold said:

My teenage daughter is being rude and just generally awful to be around.  

I took her phone. Not sure who is punished more by this.

I've had enough of her.  Only so much can be tossed up to "teens". 

Please tell me it gets better.  She is my oldest girl.  

Middle school teacher here! And it usually does =). For some weird reason (but confirmed in brain scans) kids lose their empathy in the early teen years but it creeps back 16-18. So they get that they're upset, and they get that they're expressing their frustration, but thy don't really get that you are a fellow human who is hurt by that. They also think of themselves as adults deserving of all the adult privileges, but they're still making decisions like little kids. It is in no way a fun age for you or for her, but it usually does get better. 

 

Also, although it's hard, kudos to you for taking her phone. There's a lot of good stuff in internet land (like this forum) but there's also a lot of stuff that reinforces that unkindness. 

[andromeda331]

Happy Belated Birthday @galaxychaser!

[ChiCricket]

5 hours ago, lookeyloo said:

All I can tell you is my granddaughter is 15 and I love her dearly and can barely wait til she outgrows this phase.

My granddaughter is 16...DITTO🙄

Love her to death, but I swear, her attitude sometimes.

[Jeeves]

So, The Powers That Be are reorganizing this website. Which I'm sure is a good thing. But it's a PITA to not have my customized homepage anymore. I have no patience and it annoys me to scroll down a wall of names and find this forum. Bah.

Oh well I need to spend less time online anyway. Happy new year to all you nice regulars! I'm not leaving for good but may not visit as often as I have been.

[EVS]

This is similar to a homepage. I did it this morning. Here is the link to the instructions. It has pictures.

 

HOW TO FOLLOW FORUMS AND TOPICS

Find the bell icon button near the top of the page on any forum page or any topic page:

Click and from the pop-up menu choose “Don't send notifications, just add to my Followed Content” for no-nag following or pick an option that also gives you a notification:

Track your follows on the followed content page which you can get to via this navbar icon or into your account drop down:

2 hours ago, Jeeves said:

So, The Powers That Be are reorganizing this website. Which I'm sure is a good thing. But it's a PITA to not have my customized homepage anymore. I have no patience and it annoys me to scroll down a wall of names and find this forum. Bah.

Oh well I need to spend less time online anyway. Happy new year to all you nice regulars! I'm not leaving for good but may not visit as often as I have been.

 

[Zella]

I've visited the forum enough that I just have to start typing "counting on" in my browser on my laptop or phone, and it pops up. Don't know if that would work but might be a temporary fix until the homepage issue gets sorted out. :)

I'd never actually realized you could organize the homepage! That would be nice. I'm mainly on here and the forums for various PBS shows and what ever other random TV show catches my fancy. :D

Edited December 28, 2018 by Zella

[CalicoKitty]

I have this forum bookmarked on my browser.  I don't have to open PTV at all.  I just click on the icon and I go to the  Counting On site.  Then I can use the "forum" button to go to any show listed.  I've been doing it this way forever, and it still works, so I guess that did not change.

[Sew Sumi]

I had a customized homepage, and tried the workaround (didn't work), so I guess I'll have to deal with the Wall 'o Shows page for a bit. 

Ah, progress. Get off my lawn! 😁

[Absolom]

If you follow all your shows, you should be able to see them by clicking forums under the followed tab (kind of flag looking).  Then look for forums on the left.  

[galaxychaser]

So we went to see my friends husband Jason Momoa (she wishes lol) in aquaman yesterday.  I wasn’t impressed too much action non stop.  

My birthday I had lunch and saw bumblebee by myself. Now bumblebee I loved. Great movie I was impressed.

Thanks for birthday wishes.

[bigskygirl]

Hello everyone! Hope everyone had a nice Christmas. I miss all of you, but I do not miss the Duggar clan at all.

I looking at getting a Mini-IPad instead of computer. Something small, easy to use, games I can play and I-Tunes. I thought of getting a Dell laptop when I can afford it, but I do not care for their customer service and how fast I start having problems when I buy a computer from them. 

I wish all of you a happy and healthy 2019!!!

[awaken]

Yeah, all my threads are under “followed content” when I click on my notifications. 

[Sew Sumi]

I couldn't find the Followed Content link! Thanks, @awaken for pointing me in the right direction!

[ChiCricket]

4 hours ago, bigskygirl said:

I looking at getting a Mini-IPad instead of computer. Something small, easy to use, games I can play and I-Tunes. I thought of getting a Dell laptop when I can afford it, but I do not care for their customer service and how fast I start having problems when I buy a computer from them. 

 I gave up having a laptop after I saw how nice my Samsung Galaxy tablet works for everything I wanted to use a computer for.

I was sick of expensive laptops biting the dust.

[galaxychaser]

I made Salisbury steaks and mashed potatoes for dinner. Yummy. 

[Catfin]

My 15-year-old son just got an amazon delivery, allowing him to use his Christmas present of a turntable. ❤️ I’m old. I had forgotten how good vinyl sounds. 

[latetotheparty]

44 minutes ago, Catfin said:

My 15-year-old son just got an amazon delivery, allowing him to use his Christmas present of a turntable. ❤️ I’m old. I had forgotten how good vinyl sounds. 

I love that vinyl is making a comeback!

[ChiCricket]

15 minutes ago, latetotheparty said:

I love that vinyl is making a comeback!

Someone come and steal my husband's old, dusty record collection for me, then.🙄

[latetotheparty]

1 minute ago, ChiCricket said:

Someone come and steal my husband's old, dusty record collection for me, then.🙄

Are you close?  I might road trip. 😄

[allonsyalice]

8 hours ago, bigskygirl said:

Hello everyone! Hope everyone had a nice Christmas. I miss all of you, but I do not miss the Duggar clan at all.

I looking at getting a Mini-IPad instead of computer. Something small, easy to use, games I can play and I-Tunes. I thought of getting a Dell laptop when I can afford it, but I do not care for their customer service and how fast I start having problems when I buy a computer from them. 

I wish all of you a happy and healthy 2019!!!

I have a mini ipad and i LOVE IT! Pro tip if you do get one, get a mini Bluetooth keyboard as well, as tapping on tbe screen can become a major PITA.  (I have a case where my keyboard clicks on magnetically.)

Honestly, its a great alternative to a laptop. (I use my laptop at school as its required, but I bring my ipad to coffee shop, libraries, anywhere and everywhere to write.) (seriously, I went home for the holidays and left my laptop at the apartment, however I bought the ipad with me and am currently using it to watch Drag Race as I type this )

I think its a great investment, ive had mine for years and it still works amazing. 

[ChiCricket]

21 minutes ago, latetotheparty said:

Are you close?  I might road trip. 😄

Are you sure you want records like "Boston Symphony does the Muppets Greatest Hits?"

(I wish I was kidding.)😂

He got them all (cheap, cheap, CHEAP) in resale shops and garage sales, because nobody in their right mind wanted them.

PS. This is not my picture, but it's a perfect example of the *carp* he collects.

Not a Beatle or Streisand in the bunch. 

Edited December 29, 2018 by ChiCricket

[Happyfatchick]

On 12/26/2018 at 11:40 AM, doodlebug said:

My first partners were Hindu.  One always volunteered...

 

OBVIOUSLY, I’m tired, OR it’s time to get my eyes checked.  I read that as “My first parents were Hindu.”

I kept reading, but eventually, my brain said, Wait a second.  How did she get new parents??

ohhhh my goodness, big occasions like Christmas give me so much material for future use.  @galaxychaser, happy late birthday!  @CalicoKitty, I am so so sorry you had that moment of recognition that your parents are on the short end of life.  I remember so well that moment, when I looked at my Daddy and absolutely knew I wouldn’t have him for another Christmas.  Suuuuucks!!!  [Unfortunately, I also remember crying - crying!!! - when he took early retirement from his second career job following 23 years in the Army.  I blubbered “Idontwantyoutoretire!!!  Retired people get lazy and they die!!!!”   I will never forget the dumbfounded open mouthed look he gave me.  Whuuuut???].   @kokapetl, where you beeeeeeen???  @MunichNark, isn’t it fun to have a worldwide holiday that allows us to talk about different traditions?  @lookeyloo, I know the experts are experts for a reason, but I will never cook a chicken without washing it.  I’d probably squirt some Dawn on that bird if I could get by with it.  And, like you, after the poultry has moved along to the cooking stage, I spray the crap out of every surface and wipe it down.  I even spray it down the sink drain, in case those cooties grow legs and crawl back out.  I’ve poured bleach down the drain chasing chicken cooties.  I might be (there’s a chance...) a little paranoid about salmonella.  Maybe.

Also, several pages back, someone -  @ChiCricket maybe? - talked about the stepson’s new gf and also the stepsons trail of babies (he’s 20 and has 3 if I remember right).  I can’t compete with that, BUT at the Dysfunctional Family Christmas (my husbands family), his nephew is the DUDE.  This kid is mid 20’s, and the official rules for being a young, southern redneck are based on his life.  (No joke, he actually fought with his dad at a barbecue once.  I could.Not.Believe.It!!!  I thought he was messing around, but he put his head down and barreled into his dad and they went rolling in the dirt.  We NEVER had that kind of entertainment in my family!).   He is almost creepy in the way he embraces redneckism.  Borderline supremisist, I suspect.  But here’s the thing.  This dude shows up several years ago with the prettiest girl, I mean it, she was a KNOCKOUT.  I wanted to shake her and say “what the heck are you thinking?  RUNNN!!!”  Aaaand.  After being together about 5 years, they broke up.  Almost a year ago.  He brought his new woman to the party.  Gorgeous.  She is drop dead beautiful.  She doesn’t seem spectacularly stupid, like you would expect (and neither was the earlier one).  I just don’t GET it.  We got in the car to leave, shut the doors and we looked at each other and said at the same time “WHAT THE HECK???”  How DOES this happen?   It is truly astonishing.

ETA:  @ChiCricket, I know you remember me talking about my cousins.  I have 3 that live very near me, and we are all so intertwined I feel like they are siblings.  They are my immediate social circle.  (This ties in with an earlier discussion).  One of them was out of work for several weeks because of his mother’s illness and death in November.  He announced he was planning to avoid our annual Christmas get-together this year because he couldn’t afford gifts.  I almost bit his head off with my lecture “I have NEVER given someone a gift based on an expectation of a gift in return (blah blah blah)”.  

Welp.  I had ordered a nice outdoorsy shirt (Jirt?  Its light canvas lined with flannel, it’s a hunter thing).  When it came, I realized it was going to be too big.  I sent it right back and arranged for a smaller size.  After my stellar and memorable speech about not expecting a gift-for-a-gift... guess what didn’t arrive in time for Christmas?  

Edited December 29, 2018 by Happyfatchick
To add my cousin story

[latetotheparty]

1 hour ago, ChiCricket said:

Are you sure you want records like "Boston Symphony does the Muppets Greatest Hits?"

(I wish I was kidding.)😂

He got them all (cheap, cheap, CHEAP) in resale shops and garage sales, because nobody in their right mind wanted them.

PS. This is not my picture, but it's a perfect example of the *carp* he collects.

Not a Beatle or Streisand in the bunch. 

Just. WOW. Those are amazing. 

[Catfin]

8 hours ago, ChiCricket said:

Are you sure you want records like "Boston Symphony does the Muppets Greatest Hits?"

(I wish I was kidding.)😂

He got them all (cheap, cheap, CHEAP) in resale shops and garage sales, because nobody in their right mind wanted them.

PS. This is not my picture, but it's a perfect example of the *carp* he collects.

Not a Beatle or Streisand in the bunch. 

Pipe layin’ Dan? 🤣 😂 Classic! 

[Christina87]

Haha I am at the airport, not flying anywhere, but seeing a friend from Germany who has a layover!!! Her flight has been delayed, so I've just been sitting here a while. It's kind of funny, because I doubt anyone else in this airport just came in and got on PTV. LOL!

[lookeyloo]

I finished this quilt- finally!  It was last year’s Saturday sampler at my local quilt shop. I did the blocks on schedule but didn’t get them out together for a while. It took me a long time to quilt it. I loved it when I saw the shop sample and I love how mine turned out. 

[Catfin]

My sister gave me ice lantern molds for Christmas. ❤️❤️ I typically use old ice cream buckets, these are so much easier! Temps here have dropped down to 10 degrees F, so I’ve become a luminary making fool. 

I always make paper bag luminaries to line the driveway at Halloween. Simple things give joy. 

[Happyfatchick]

1 hour ago, lookeyloo said:

I finished this quilt- finally!  It was last year’s Saturday sampler at my local quilt shop. I did the blocks on schedule but didn’t get them out together for a while. It took me a long time to quilt it. I loved it when I saw the shop sample and I love how mine turned out. 

Oh wow, that is GORGEOUS, Lookey!  I loooooove me some quilts!!  I’m all about piecing the tops but I don’t have a real quilt frame for quilting.  I took my comforter apart because I loved the top but hate a comforter - and am quilting it one slow hoop at a time.  PITA!!!  I’m not sure I have the 50 years left on my timeline to finish it.  I have probably 5 tops done, ready to be quilted.  Bleh.

i have 1 story and 1 observation.

observation first:  I’ve noticed that suddenly I no longer have the luxury of thinking “I need to pee soon”.  Suddenly, when I feel the urge to go, I really need to already be walking that way.  The funny thing is, I really am trying to adjust to my new reality but if I’m (for example) walking down the basement steps or in the yard, I’ve noticed that in order to make the trek without leaking, I suck in a big breath and raise my eyebrows.  This is HILARIOUS to me!!  What do raised eyebrows have to do with keeping pee in???  I’m pretty sure I also walk on my tiptoes.  

When I was in college (with Betty Rubble, as it turns out), one day at the end of clinicals, we grouped together and discussed our day.  Our instructor said “good job!  Tomorrow I’d like to have a discussion about euthanasia”.   As we walked out, I said to my clinic partner “what’s going on with the youth in Asia?”  She shrugs and flips her hands out.  “I have no idea”, she says.  “Guess we’ll find out tomorrow”.

@Catfin, the ice luminary is beautiful!  And you know what?  It reminded me of the convos before Christmas about inexpensive gifts.  If you own the molds and got candles at the dollar store - PRESTO!!!  It would make mothers like me all over the country smile BIG!!  But...brownies are pretty tasty.

Edited December 30, 2018 by Happyfatchick

[lookeyloo]

11 minutes ago, Happyfatchick said:

Oh wow, that is GORGEOUS, Lookey!  I loooooove me some quilts!!  I’m all about piecing the tops but I don’t have a real quilt frame for quilting.  I took my comforter apart because I loved the top but hate a comforter - and am quilting it one slow hoop at a time.  PITA!!!  I’m not sure I have the 50 years left on my timeline to finish it.  I have probably 5 tops done, ready to be quilted.  Bleh.

i have 1 story and 1 observation.

observation first:  I’ve noticed that suddenly I no longer have the luxury of thinking “I need to pee soon”.  Suddenly, when I feel the urge to go, I really need to already be walking that way.  The funny thing is, I really am trying to adjust to my new reality but if I’m (for example) walking down the basement steps or in the yard, I’ve noticed that in order to make the trek without leaking, I suck in a big breath and raise my eyebrows.  This is HILARIOUS to me!!  What do raised eyebrows have to do with keeping pee in???  I’m pretty sure I also walk on my tiptoes.  

When I was in college (with Betty Rubble, as it turns out), one day at the end of clinicals, we grouped together and discussed our day.  Our instructor said “good job!  Tomorrow I’d like to have a discussion about euthanasia”.   As we walked out, I said to my clinic partner “what’s going on with the youth in Asia?”  She shrugs and flips her hands out.  “I have no idea”, she says.  “Guess we’ll find out tomorrow”.

Thanks Happy! Just want to clarify that I pieced and quilted this on my sewing machine. No frame required. I am working on my free motion quilting. Funny about the peeing. The older I get the more that is an issue. 

[Love2dance]

2 hours ago, lookeyloo said:

I finished this quilt- finally!  It was last year’s Saturday sampler at my local quilt shop. I did the blocks on schedule but didn’t get them out together for a while. It took me a long time to quilt it. I loved it when I saw the shop sample and I love how mine turned out. 

It is really lovely. I wish I had the ones my grandmother made many years ago. I know you’ll enjoy many years with your beautiful quilt.

[Christina87]

2 hours ago, lookeyloo said:

I finished this quilt- finally!  It was last year’s Saturday sampler at my local quilt shop. I did the blocks on schedule but didn’t get them out together for a while. It took me a long time to quilt it. I loved it when I saw the shop sample and I love how mine turned out. 

You MADE that?! Wow, I am really impressed!!! I have never been the crafty type. That is soooo cool! Great job!!!

[Jynnan tonnix]

10 hours ago, lookeyloo said:

I finished this quilt- finally!  It was last year’s Saturday sampler at my local quilt shop. I did the blocks on schedule but didn’t get them out together for a while. It took me a long time to quilt it. I loved it when I saw the shop sample and I love how mine turned out. 

The quilt is beautiful! While I am more artsy than craftsy to start with, I really have no talent for sewing. It would be so nice to be able to make something like this.

We do have a gorgeous quilt which we got at a charity auction (the annual Dolphin Scholarship auction run by the submarine officers' spouses clubs) some years ago. Even though most of our home décor doesn't really lend itself to quilts, I just fell in love with it - the workmanship is so stunning. It's all patriotic and Navy-themed, so, not exactly something I'd normally decorate around, but finally, this past year, we got the spare bedroom done up to actually take advantage of it. It had been in the hope chest for some ten years at that point, and I really felt kind of bad about keeping something that beautiful hidden away. To say nothing of the fact that we got into a bit of a bidding war over it and ended up paying an arm and a leg...but I think it's easily worth the money for the time it must have taken to put together.

[doodlebug]

Went to Mass.  The weekend between Christmas and New Year’s is the feast of the Holy Family.  The Gospel was the story of Jesus being found in the temple when he was 12.  One of the epistles was St Paul’s fun treatise on husbands and wives.  ‘Wives submit to your husbands’.  The priest (a visitor hanging with family for the holiday) chose to speak about that reading (or ‘the hot potato’ as he called it). He started out discussing cultural norms from Paul’s time including the lesser status of women which is why women no longer cover their heads and why they  participate in church services including speaking (didn’t mention the priesthood, baby step, people).

Then he did it.  Yes, the Gospel tells wives to submit to their husbands.  However, the Bible is about God’s love for us and anyone who would use it to justify domestic abuse is wrong, period.  It would be heresy to think that God wants His word used to hurt others (violate their autonomy, he said!) He also pointed out that the same passage instructs husbands to love their wives but doesn’t say wives need to love their husbands. Why doesn’t anyone ever talk about that?  Does that mean wives don’t have to love their husbands?  And, if that goes without saying, then why isn’t is also true that husband should submit to their wives is unspoken too?  He went on to talk about how successful families mean that all members must expect to submit themselves to the greater good.  Whoa!

He even went THERE and spoke of non traditional families: single parents by choice, divorce or widowhood.  Families without children, families with unmarried partners, families with GAY or TRANSGENDER partners.  And, yet, lightning didn’t strike, the floor didn’t open and swallow him up.  He spoke of how the Gospel could be instructive to all modern families, even those not known in Biblical times. Not quite there, but very close.  My Catholic heart grew 3 sizes right then and there.

Anyway, I was sitting there in church wishing Derick was there.  He would’ve had a stroke.  And I could’ve offered him no damn help whatsoever.  I’m not perfect, people.  Churches are not museums for saints, they’re hospitals for sinners.

[CherryMalotte]

Quote

Churches are not museums for saints, they’re hospitals for sinners.

  One of the best phrases I've ever read here.  Also, I would have given good collection plate money to hear that sermon/homily/good word, and watch Dreck react to it.  He's all pious on SM, oh yes we all sin, but you know he really thinks he's a saint.  What a maroon.

Ugh, I had to take my dad's cat to the vet for the last trip, the day after X-mas.  In the early evening too, he couldn't bother to call during daylight hours.  Thankfully the vet office she went to in his town has a 24 hour emergency service, so I was able to get her in.  Bless that office, they had a room all waiting for us, so we could have some quiet time with her prior and we didn't have to sit and wait with the other patients.  I can only hope that he doesn't get another cat, though I suspect one of his acquaintances sometime in the next year will know of a cat that needs a home and he'll be gifted.

Happy belated Birthday to galaxychaser - mine is NYE and while our department is open we are closing early.  Birthday broasted chicken tomorrow night,  whooo hooo!  Happy New Year to all of us! 

[Barb23]

@Happyfatchick your pee story gave me a chuckle & I can easily relate. I use a wheelchair or walker because of my RA.  An occupational therapist once told me that most accidents for the disabled or elderly occur in the bathroom from rushing to the toilet.  She advised me I should start heading to the bathroom as soon as I have the inkling to go since it takes me longer to get there.  She added we all know the feeling isn't going away & it's much easier taking care of things earlier than later.

I long for the days I could make it through a day of high school without peeing or making it home from work (having to go) without a problem.  

I love how raising your eyebrows and/or walking on your tiptoes works for you. Hey - you may be onto some big medical breakthrough & we can all say we knew you when.....

[doodlebug]

6 hours ago, CherryMalotte said:

  One of the best phrases I've ever read here.  Also, I would have given good collection plate money to hear that sermon/homily/good word, and watch Dreck react to it.  He's all pious on SM, oh yes we all sin, but you know he really thinks he's a saint.  What a maroon.
 

I can't take credit.  It was Ann Landers, or maybe Dear Abby.  Someone wrote to her, telling her that they'd lead a less than exemplary life, had done a lot of terrible things, but was trying to change.  The writer wanted to return to the church of his or her youth but was worried that others would judge him/her unworthy of being there because of their past.  Ann replied with that sentence which I think sums things up really well.

[zoomama]

on topic sort of, but its been awfully quiet in duggar-land.... two whole months with nothing happening that matters.

so guess what? had christmas with all my kids - i did tell you that texas showed up? well twin#1 brought the creepin crud with him and now 4 of us are sick. hubby, grandson and i are each diagnosed with sinus infection requiring antibiotics. all had fevers etc. but it has triggered my lung disease and even on steroids i am so short of breath. started breathing treatments today and that has helped some.  i cant cough anymore - it hurts my ribs. i have almost no voice and i am tired like no other. but i wouldnt have traded a single minute with my texas babies!

the real bummer thing is my friend is staying here who is going to need surgery in the next couple of weeks for removing a cancerous tumor in her lung - getting sick will screw with that but the damage was done after she got here so she is just washing and praying.

welcome 2019....

[ChiCricket]

9 minutes ago, zoomama said:

on topic sort of, but its been awfully quiet in duggar-land.... two whole months with nothing happening that matters.

so guess what? had christmas with all my kids - i did tell you that texas showed up? well twin#1 brought the creepin crud with him and now 4 of us are sick. hubby, grandson and i are each diagnosed with sinus infection requiring antibiotics. all had fevers etc. but it has triggered my lung disease and even on steroids i am so short of breath. started breathing treatments today and that has helped some.  i cant cough anymore - it hurts my ribs. i have almost no voice and i am tired like no other. but i wouldnt have traded a single minute with my texas babies!

the real bummer thing is my friend is staying here who is going to need surgery in the next couple of weeks for removing a cancerous tumor in her lung - getting sick will screw with that but the damage was done after she got here so she is just washing and praying.

welcome 2019....

 Well, that stinks. But it sounds like you had a good time before you all got sick, so that's good..right? Feel better.❤

 If it makes you feel any better, my immediate family had a great family Christmas party..up until one of my daughters (usually the calmest person on earth) lost it over an argument over one of my granddaughters not participating in the family party by being on her phone. (a HUGE no no in our family)

She got into a SCREAMING argument (with my sh*t-stirring daughter)  and then my third daughter, (usually the voice of reason , also totally lost it this time) jumped into the fray.

 This was all in front of alllll the kids...it was horrible....at the time.  Not like us at ALL.

 PS we all sat down later and cried and yelled and talked it out..we actually needed to have a discussion about a lot of things. 😜

[zoomama]

oh i just didnt mention the screaming matches my grown boys got into, first son #3 with my hubby and then #2 went off and #1 tried to be the voice of reason. right now #1 and #2 are talking to me but #3 has not responded at all. not his style either. dont feel alone!

[galaxychaser]

So... tomorrow I’m going to a bar for the first time and I’m so over 30 and I feel ridiculously old. 

Haha

i figured if I got invited then I should go. I’m super shy and introverted. It sucks.

and on my birthday no one called me. I got all my birthday wishes on Facebook. It made me sad that no one called me. 

 

And this is what Sunday s we’re made for. My fav site 

 

https://postsecret.com/

[Zella]

1 minute ago, galaxychaser said:

So... tomorrow I’m going to a bar for the first time and I’m so over 30 and I feel ridiculously old. 

Haha

I'm 29 and have never been to one either! LOL