Small Talk: The Prayer Closet

[lookeyloo]

1 hour ago, lookeyloo said:

No, but my adblocker seems to have failed.  Have to figure that out.  On an iMac - any suggestions out there?

I found the adblocker and turned it on.  Got new computer and guess I forgot to do that.  So now so far no ads.

[GeeGolly]

The font is way too small for my liking. I spend my days documenting work on computers, reading emails on my phones. This is supposed to be for fun, but with this size print it feels like work. Ugh

[SunnyBeBe]

I can only get to threads by clicking on an outside link.  When I click on forums on the home page here, nothing happens. It doesn’t take me anywhere.    How did you get here?

[Minivanessa]

5 hours ago, GeeGolly said:

Anyone else having issues with font size? There are 3 choices at the bottom of the page yet when I click between the 3, the size does not change.

 

21 minutes ago, GeeGolly said:

The font is way too small for my liking. I spend my days documenting work on computers, reading emails on my phones. This is supposed to be for fun, but with this size print it feels like work. Ugh

I just tried adjusting the font. It seemed kind of hit or miss but after a few tries I could see a difference. The difference between "normal" and "larger" is IMO minimal. "Largest" is noticeably bigger than "normal." I'm doing this on a MacBook Pro using the Brave browser. The "normal" font isn't particularly small for me. 

The Brave browser is stellar at blocking ads and other nonsense. Its adblock is working on the Mac, but using the Brave browser on my iPad, I see ads on this site now. I'll see if I can fix that in settings, and if not I'll probably not view the site on the iPad. 

Oh, folks, I'm suffering self-inflicted damage this morning. Yesterday I re-upped with a paid subscription at ancestry.com. I was determined to sleuth out some information and decided that if I quit the paid sub after a month It would be okay. Well, I nailed down that stuff and then started checking into all the hints on people in my now-enormous family tree. Until FAR too late last night, and when I went to bed I was still too mentally wired to sleep. Urgh. I finally got a few hours of zzzzz's and I'm hoping that coffee will rescue me from feeling like the walking dead. I'm meeting a friend for lunch and have a shopping list for the grocery store after that. 

We escaped the big bad winter storms that swept across the country recently, but our turn is at hand. About mid-day tomorrow the temps will plunge below zero F and stay there for a couple of days. Happily, Christmas Eve will be back to nicer temps. In the meantime I'm doing my best to not need to go outdoors in the nasty cold. 

@SunnyBeBe - I customized my home page view and that carried over into the new format. However, just now I got here by clicking on a notification that someone reacted to a post on this topic, which I suppose is a "back door" approach. 

Oh, about the Ancestry search. Last night I found a marriage record for a second cousin I barely know, who has AFAIK never married. I've tactfully put it in the "undecided" category so it doesn't show on her record on my tree. I'm gonna talk to a couple of cousins I'm close to, on the downlow, to see what they know. It may not have been a big secret at the time, just something I wasn't in the loop about back then (we've never even lived very close to each other). I don't want to stir the sh*t by putting that on my family tree on Ancestry till I figure it out.

I also came across a real little mystery involving people who are all dead and gone, as are their few descendants. I'm looking at birth, marriage, and death dates and either there are two guys with the same name and birthdate in a small county, or a guy who got up to some shenanigans. Heh. There's no need for me to find out the truth but I may poke around in records to see what I can find. My mind is already spinning a mystery story, facts being a great basis from which to launch fiction. 

[Madtown]

There are no page numbers under the topics, so I have to click the arrow to get to the last page and back track to where I left off. I have the setting on to take me to the last post, but it never does.

[Minivanessa]

1 minute ago, Madtown said:

There are no page numbers under the topics, so I have to click the arrow to get to the last page and back track to where I left off. I have the setting on to take me to the last post, but it never does.

Maybe you could report that? I'm seeing the page numbers, just as before. Also the "last unread post" thing is working for me.

Hope you can get that fixed. It sounds so annoying!

[zoomama]

NOT liking this new set-up  at all. someone tell me how to get rid of the ads again and how to go back to what it was yesterday. 

[lookeyloo]

1 hour ago, zoomama said:

NOT liking this new set-up  at all. someone tell me how to get rid of the ads again and how to go back to what it was yesterday. 

Adblock worked for me

 

[Mindthinkr]

50 minutes ago, lookeyloo said:

Adblock worked for me

 

[Mindthinkr]

After I added the quotation and picture it didn’t have room for me to comment. I’m finding this new format challenging. 
 

In other news I mentioned few pages back how I was excited to see my family for Christmas. The first time in ages. I knew it was too good to be true. Covid struck and now I’ll just be spending it with my cats. I’m not depressed about it. I now have more time to make merry for when we can all be together. I’m going to keep my glass half full. 

Edited December 20, 2022 by Mindthinkr
Took a bit to find the edit button.

[lookeyloo]

29 minutes ago, Mindthinkr said:

Wow. Maybe there is similar. 

[Madtown]

2 hours ago, Jeeves said:

Maybe you could report that? I'm seeing the page numbers, just as before. Also the "last unread post" thing is working for me.

Hope you can get that fixed. It sounds so annoying!

I did get the last unread post working again. Still no page numbers. They were always under the title of the threads(see photo). Also, I see the "default" setting is gone. That is what I always used because there were no ads on that setting.  Really bummed about that. I don't really want to download an ad blocker.

[Salacious Kitty]

I have page numbers. Weird. 

Go to the Bugs forum in the Site Business tab. They have a thread for stuff like this. I've already used it. 😁

[Scarlett45]

1 hour ago, Mindthinkr said:

After I added the quotation and picture it didn’t have room for me to comment. I’m I’m finding this challenging. 
 

In other news I mentioned few pages back how I was excited to see my family for Christmas. The first time in ages. I knew it was too good to be true. Covid struck and now I’ll just be spending it with my cats. I’m not depressed about it. I now have more time to make merry for when we can all be together. I’m going to keep my glass half full. 

Sorry your plans got interrupted but you have the right attitude! 

[CalicoKitty]

This "largest" font size is not working for me.  I don't understand why there is not a larger option.

[skatelady]

21 minutes ago, CalicoKitty said:

This "largest" font size is not working for me.  I don't understand why there is not a larger option.

I ONLY get the largest font size. If I were Mr. Magoo, this would be great! 

And - no page numbers. 

[sagittarius sue]

6 hours ago, Jeeves said:

Oh, folks, I'm suffering self-inflicted damage this morning. Yesterday I re-upped with a paid subscription at ancestry.com. I was determined to sleuth out some information and decided that if I quit the paid sub after a month It would be okay. Well, I nailed down that stuff and then started checking into all the hints on people in my now-enormous family tree. Until FAR too late last night, and when I went to bed I was still too mentally wired to sleep. Urgh. I finally got a few hours of zzzzz's and I'm hoping that coffee will rescue me from feeling like the walking dead.

I know the feeling!  Recently I was checking the date a great uncle died, long before I was born, and it led me to free ancestry pages which showed my ancestors going back centuries.  I had no idea my English and Scottish ancestors all came to this country in the 17th C., all Puritans.  I'm hoping Ancestry.com can provide me with more info on the Scandinavian heritage as well as the German, Irish, and German-speaking East Bohemians who came in the mid 19th C.  I've decided to wait until 12/31, the end of their current sale, to subscribe because I don't need the distraction right now.

Speaking of the weather we've had a lovely sunny cold day today, but nasty stuff in MN starting tomorrow until early Friday.  I'm all set to stay home until Christmas Eve.

[AstridM]

8 hours ago, GeeGolly said:

The font is way too small for my liking. I spend my days documenting work on computers, reading emails on my phones. This is supposed to be for fun, but with this size print it feels like work. Ugh

Same here . It’s not an improvement.

[CalicoKitty]

3 hours ago, skatelady said:

I ONLY get the largest font size. If I were Mr. Magoo, this would be great! 

And - no page numbers. 

I'm happy you have good eyesight.  I much preferred the previous font size choices.

[AstridM]

41 minutes ago, CalicoKitty said:

I'm happy you have good eyesight.  I much preferred the previous font size choices.

Same! It’s odd that they would choose to make it more so officially for those of us with vision issues . 🥲

Just now, AstridM said:

Same! It’s odd that they would choose to make it more difficult for those of us with vision issues . 🥲

 

[Minivanessa]

Now I understand about the missing page numbers - on the main forum page listing each topic. I was looking at the topic we're commenting in and seeing the page numbers there. 

I follow several single-topics (vs whole forums). I used to be able to click "follows" on the top of the home page on my laptop (not my mobile devices) to get the page displaying my followed topics. Now even on my laptop it's like on my table and phone: I have to click to get a dropdown menu up at the top right (by clicking my username), where "manage topic tollows" brings up my list. However, I also have to go down and chose "full" width or the list displays with poor formatting. I'll report that as a bug one of these days if it isn't fixed soon.

I had a great lunch with my friend but otherwise this has been a meh day - just too pooped after such a bad night's sleep. @sagittarius sue - I admire your self-control w/r/t ancestry.com! It can be such a time sink but also so darn interesting. I haven't gone near the site today and plan a sensible bedtime tonight so hopefully I'll be better rested tomorrow. 

[MrsKravitz]

5 hours ago, skatelady said:

I ONLY get the largest font size. If I were Mr. Magoo, this would be great! 

And - no page numbers. 

I AM Mr Magoo! Largest size doesn’t “stick.” I have to choose it every time. I don’t want an ad-blocker just for this site. But just in case I change my mind, can anyone recommend a good one for iPad?

[P2C2E]

They just added a new largest font size - Embiggened. 🤣 Hopefully that helps some of y'all.

[Scarlett45]

The discussion of Ancestry.com made me remember I intended to do some research on the 1950 census! My mom doesnt know exactly where she was living then, but I am going to try and find her. My great aunt e was easy to find in the 1940 census because she was living in the same house she was born in. I will put that on my list of "to dos" for January. 

[Absolom]

1 hour ago, MrsKravitz said:

I AM Mr Magoo! Largest size doesn’t “stick.” I have to choose it every time. I don’t want an ad-blocker just for this site. But just in case I change my mind, can anyone recommend a good one for iPad?

Be sure and change it on the home page before opening other pages.

ETA:  And I'm sorry.  Even doing that it doesn't always hold.

Edited December 21, 2022 by Absolom

[Scarlett45]

I wanted to share the final version of the holiday card with all of you. 
 

In the Pets thread it was brought my attention that I can take Cosmo to see Santa! I did know people took dogs to see Santa, but never having had a dog, and then it being the pandemic, I hadn’t thought of it. Next year we will go and get a photo for our card.
 

I’ve now learned Cavendish and Lady Reese REALLY do not like being dressed up, so I may go back to my wrapped box theme for them (which was a big hit for my 2019 card). Cavendish did enjoy the costumes as toys though which was kind of precious to watch him carry that around. 

[ozziemom]

I’ve been looking at the 1950 census when I have a moment, I know once I start, time flies by, so I’m hoping to do a deep dive in January. I was born in the 1950’s so this census is more real and fascinating to me. 

[GeeGolly]

I finally can increase the size of the font in posts, but that doesn't help when navigating the site. Some of the print is microscopic. Plus, I have to change the font every time I switch pages. I hope these are quirks that have yet to work themselves out.

[Absolom]

I have a touch screen on my laptop.  I'm finding it easier to change the size using that on the pages that need it.  I have a mental note now to never be without the touch screen.

[skatelady]

13 hours ago, MrsKravitz said:

I AM Mr Magoo! Largest size doesn’t “stick.” I have to choose it every time. I don’t want an ad-blocker just for this site. But just in case I change my mind, can anyone recommend a good one for iPad?

So weird. No matter what font size I choose, it "sticks" as gigantic. Ermmm, embiggened. With the larger & more prominent ads, and the giant font, it's awkward to read. I guess I just have to get used to it. 

[AstridM]

13 hours ago, P2C2E said:

They just added a new largest font size - Embiggened. 🤣 Hopefully that helps some of y'all.

Unfortunately “embiggened” is smaller than “largest.” 🤣🤦‍♀️

2 hours ago, GeeGolly said:

I finally can increase the size of the font in posts, but that doesn't help when navigating the site. Some of the print is microscopic. Plus, I have to change the font every time I switch pages. I hope these are quirks that have yet to work themselves out.

Same. Very frustrating and they don’t seem to understand .

[GeeGolly]

31 minutes ago, AstridM said:

Unfortunately “embiggened” is smaller than “largest.” 🤣🤦‍♀️

Same. Very frustrating and they don’t seem to understand .

It was suggested I change my browser to 110%. It helped somewhat.

[Notabug]

19 hours ago, sagittarius sue said:

.

Speaking of the weather we've had a lovely sunny cold day today, but nasty stuff in MN starting tomorrow until early Friday.  I'm all set to stay home until Christmas Eve.

It's heading to Ohio on Friday and into Saturday which will wreak havoc with travelers and last minute shoppers.  I've got the shopping done, just need to pick up the roast on Friday.  My cable company has already sent out notices that it expects for there to be service outages both Friday and Saturday due to high winds.  We're expecting 30-60 mph here and we are not likely to be anywhere near the hardest hit.

Stay safe!

[Salacious Kitty]

Sending virtual hot chocolate to everyone affected by the upcoming cold snap. It sounds brutal! Stay warm. ❤️

Edited December 21, 2022 by Salacious Kitty

[Scarlett45]

I had social plans Friday evening but, I’m 90% sure I’m going to cancel as the snow and temperature will be INTENSE. No need to be out on the roads unnecessarily. 

1 hour ago, Notabug said:

It's heading to Ohio on Friday and into Saturday which will wreak havoc with travelers and last minute shoppers.  I've got the shopping done, just need to pick up the roast on Friday.  My cable company has already sent out notices that it expects for there to be service outages both Friday and Saturday due to high winds.  We're expecting 30-60 mph here and we are not likely to be anywhere near the hardest hit.

Stay safe!

Stay warm and safe!

[skatelady]

1 hour ago, Notabug said:

It's heading to Ohio on Friday and into Saturday which will wreak havoc with travelers and last minute shoppers.  I've got the shopping done, just need to pick up the roast on Friday.  My cable company has already sent out notices that it expects for there to be service outages both Friday and Saturday due to high winds.  We're expecting 30-60 mph here and we are not likely to be anywhere near the hardest hit.

Stay safe!

As JRod would say... a snow tornado! (or something like that...)

[realityfan26]

5 hours ago, Absolom said:

I have a touch screen on my laptop.  I'm finding it easier to change the size using that on the pages that need it.  I have a mental note now to never be without the touch screen.

Thanks for the tip. I have touch screen and hadn't even thought to use that.

[Ohiopirate02]

14 minutes ago, skatelady said:

As JRod would say... a snow tornado! (or something like that...)

Now I'm wondering how JRod would describe the wind and waves that come off of Lake Erie during a winter storm.  My dad used to drive into Cleveland from the East Side and there was a stretch of Route 2/I90 that was lethal if you were not paying attention.  Waves big enough to engulf 4 lanes of traffic.  He used to talk about how drivers would wait and time the waves before attempting to cross the icy road.  

[CalicoKitty]

8 hours ago, GeeGolly said:

I finally can increase the size of the font in posts, but that doesn't help when navigating the site. Some of the print is microscopic. Plus, I have to change the font every time I switch pages. I hope these are quirks that have yet to work themselves out.

I finally figured out that if I go to the "view" tab on my computer (not this site, but the actual computer setting), and click the zoom in option, the print in this forum is about the same size as the large print on the old site.  And it seems to be staying, even when I leave the site and return.  I don't have to adjust it for each page.  But it is not changing the font size on any other site, so I guess I would have to do the zoom in if I wanted larger font on any other site.  FYI, I am using a MacBook Pro.

[Salacious Kitty]

I've made them aware that their "embiggened" function doesn't always work. I'm on my phone, and while Large and Larger work, their special designation fails. 

[GeeGolly]

2 hours ago, skatelady said:

As JRod would say... a snow tornado! (or something like that...)

They are predicting ground blizzards. I had to read it three times to make sure I was reading it right. lol

[crazy8s]

We are supposed to travel across lower MI from east to west Saturday for Christmas Eve with the grandkids. The usual easy decision to cancel for weather got complicated this year when Santa Prime cancelled one kid's wish order Monday and we picked up the wished for gift at a store near us to take Christmas Eve.  Best laid plans and all.....

[Minivanessa]

21 hours ago, Scarlett45 said:

The discussion of Ancestry.com made me remember I intended to do some research on the 1950 census! My mom doesn't know exactly where she was living then, but I am going to try and find her. My great aunt e was easy to find in the 1940 census because she was living in the same house she was born in. I will put that on my list of "to dos" for January. 

Sounds like a plan. Good luck!

Until Monday, I hadn't signed on to ancestry.com for a few years, so of course the 1950 census is popping up all over my family tree in hints. Another type of document that's now available and conveniently pushed as hints: World War II US draft cards. I've now learned that in 1940, males between ages 21 and 45 had to register, and the minimum age was lowered to 18 during the war. Per this article, "By the end of the war in 1945, 50 million men between eighteen and forty-five had registered for the draft and 10 million had been inducted in the military."

I've now downloaded and printed out the draft cards of my dad and his three brothers; I'd never seen them before. I'll share them with my cousins when we get together this weekend. The information is interesting, including name of employer and name of person "who will always know your address." 

I learned from the cards that one of my uncles was, in 1940 at age 19, working at the Boeing aircraft factory in Wichita KS. I'd never known that, just assumed he'd still been working on the family farm in OK - 300 miles away. 

6 hours ago, Salacious Kitty said:

Sending virtual hot chocolate to everyone affected by the upcoming cold snap. It sounds brutal! Stay warm. ❤️

Thanks! It's been a comfy day here in Denver, temps in the 40's. Now the temps are dropping like a rock as the polar vortex arrives. The local TV news is covering it. We've had a temperature drop from 47F to 5F in less than an hour and will go way way lower. Brrrr. The City has opened warming centers for anybody who shows up. My heart was happy when I read this in the notice: "People seeking shelter who have pets that are not Registered Service Animals should go to the Coliseum warming center so that pets can be safely sheltered at the adjacent Colorado State University Spur Center." 😻 I hope that word gets to the people who need it. [ETA: they're running shuttles to the warming centers, some are 24-hours and some are daytime only but the City's saying they're coordinating with private sector nonprofits to get everyone into a warm place for the duration.]

The worst is supposed to be over here, by sometime Friday morning. I'm sure I sound corny but I'm thankful down to my sock-clad toes, to be in my safe warm home. 

@Scarlett45 - thanks for sharing your card, which is def cute overload. I remember trying to get photos of my dogs for Christmas cards. The struggle is real!

Edited December 22, 2022 by Jeeves

[jcbrown]

My sister is on her way here (San Francisco Bay Area) as I type! She got out of the Midwest on the right day, turns out.

This is the look I got from Lucy when I suggested how festive she would look in a Santa hat. I believe that's a hard pass.

[ChristmasCandy]

21 hours ago, Notabug said:

Mdue to high winds.  We're expecting 30-60 mph here and we are not likely to be anywhere near the hardest hit.

Stay safe!

Where I live 30-60 mile wind would be a nice breeze.

[ChristmasCandy]

I have just realized that my pickle soup cousin's family is turning into the Duggars. The great grandparents, grandparents, parents, their kids and the grandkids first name all of them started with a J. Please help me get out of the nightmare.

[Minivanessa]

8 hours ago, ChristmasCandy said:

. . .  the way shit is going on in my pickle soup family I wouldn't be surprised to find out somewhere along the line I am related to the Duggars.

[From the Sweet Fellowship topic.]

That cracked me up. Here in Denver a subzero weather party's been going on outside. So I'm sitting in my warm condo, and have been working on my ancestry.com family tree some more. It's all too easy to keep on adding people and my tree is outta control, what with second marriages, etc., lol. So far, no Duggars have turned up but there are a bunch of folks in the Louisiana/Arkansas area so who knows what may turn up? 🙄 No Duggars in my actual blood relations, but I've been adding people to some related-by-marriage families. Could still happen.

 

[Scarlett45]

It's -5F/-20C in Chicago right now, I bundled up to take Cosmo on a short morning walk once the sun was up. He seemed fine, but he kept looking back at me. Maybe he could smell that I was "stressed" in this cold. I grabbed my Mom's coat from downstairs as my coat is too big so it doesn't hold my heat in as well. I feel a breeze!

I looked at Columbia online, and they only have XS,  in our coat (link included, if you are an XS and want an idea for a coat), I will likely take my Mom's coat and buy her a new one next season- of COURSE when she leaves the house I let her wear her own coat). My 2x, which was loose up top when I bought it (gotta love those hips yo) is now a nightgown- weight loss is expensive. I will need to replace all my winter coats next year- I like to have three, A hip length Northface  with a nice breast pocket for my phone, (for between 45-32F), a long Columbia with Omniheat (that I wear when its below 30F), and something that is rain resistant but does have a warm lining to it for when its raining but chilly and I am out with Cosmo. (I will keep wearing my plain rain coats, if they are too big thats okay, they are just for water not warmth).

Speaking of coats I am going to join the committee at work that does the school lunch and winter apparel drive for underserved children in Chicago. In the fall children need coats, boats, gloves etc, but they need food and personal items all year long.

Today's outfit- footie socks, Christmas leggings, fleece lined snow pants (gifted to me by my BFFs Aunt, who is SUCH a sweetheart, she is always buying me warm toasty things although I am grown woman with a job "you have to walk the dog" 🥰), cami, Christmas t-shirt, Nightmare Before Christmas sweatshirt, scarf, hat, eyeglasses (to protect my eyes from the wind). I am going to order hand warmers from Amazon because my fingertips were pink even with the thick gloves!

Early dismissal today from work, holiday meal tomorrow evening, presents with my Mom and sister the morning of the 25th, presents with my BFFs family the evening of the 25th, and M is taking a much deserved day off the 26th, but I scheduled L to work, so I am taking my Mom out to see Avatar: The Way of Water since I dont have to work until the 27th. 

May everyone have a safe and happy weekend, and if you celebrate Christmas, Merry Christmas, I know for many the celebrations start tomorrow.

[Dehumidifier]

7 minutes ago, Scarlett45 said:

It's -5F/-20C in Chicago right now, I bundled up to take Cosmo on a short morning walk once the sun was up. He seemed fine, but he kept looking back at me. Maybe he could smell that I was "stressed" in this cold. I grabbed my Mom's coat from downstairs as my coat is too big so it doesn't hold my heat in as well. I feel a breeze!

I looked at Columbia online, and they only have XS,  in our coat (link included, if you are an XS and want an idea for a coat), I will likely take my Mom's coat and buy her a new one next season- of COURSE when she leaves the house I let her wear her own coat). My 2x, which was loose up top when I bought it (gotta love those hips yo) is now a nightgown- weight loss is expensive. I will need to replace all my winter coats next year- I like to have three, A hip length Northface  with a nice breast pocket for my phone, (for between 45-32C), a long Columbia with Omniheat (that I wear when its below 30), and something that is rain resistant but does have a warm lining to it for when its raining but chilly and I am out with Cosmo. (I will keep wearing my plain rain coats, if they are too big thats okay, they are just for water not warmth).

Speaking of coats I am going to join the committee at work that does the school lunch and winter apparel drive for underserved children in Chicago. In the fall children need coats, boats, gloves etc, but they need food and personal items all year long.

Today's outfit- footie socks, Christmas leggings, fleece lined snow pants (gifted to me by my BFFs Aunt, who is SUCH a sweetheart, she is always buying me warm toasty things although I am grown woman with a job "you have to walk the dog" 🥰), cami, Christmas t-shirt, Nightmare Before Christmas sweatshirt, scarf, hat, eyeglasses (to protect my eyes from the wind). I am going to order hand warmers from Amazon because my fingertips were pink even with the thick gloves!

Early dismissal today from work, holiday meal tomorrow evening, presents with my Mom and sister the morning of the 25th, presents with my BFFs family the evening of the 25th, and M is taking a much deserved day off the 26th, but I scheduled L to work, so I am taking my Mom out to see Avatar: The Way of Water since I dont have to work until the 27th. 

May everyone have a safe and happy weekend, and if you celebrate Christmas, Merry Christmas, I know for many the celebrations start tomorrow.

Are you determined to have the plum color? It looks like they have all the sizes in the "marionberry."

Hmm. as I'm looking back they  added a medium to the plum. Someone must have deleted from their cart or a cart expired. Keep checking. 

[Scarlett45]

3 minutes ago, Dehumidifier said:

Are you determined to have the plum color? It looks like they have all the sizes in the "marionberry."

Hmm. as I'm looking back they  added a medium to the plum. Someone must have deleted from their cart or a cart expired. Keep checking. 

Thanks! my mom has the marionberry and I refuse to be the Bopsie Twins because she is ALWAYS buying something after I buy it! So I can wait until next season, as I do have a coat to wear. But I will keep checking. I appreciate it!