Small Talk: The Prayer Closet

[Zella]

Just now, Jenniferbug said:

 

I am mostly a lurker here too, but when I jump in everyone is so kind and friendly. Even though I don't post too regularly, this thread does help me feel like I'm socializing. 

This is my favorite online community. I post on some other websites and have online pals on them, but I've had to weed through a lot of crazy people to find people to chat with, usually in PMs because the general threads are too insane. This place is like a breath of fresh air in comparison. 

[Sweeneyswt]

5 minutes ago, Scarlett45 said:

My oldest friend in the world who is now teaching English safely in Taiwan (the best place in the world to be) also HATES watermelon. She says it’s a texture thing too. 

Interesting. I find the texture of watermelon to be fun. Too fun for everyday use 🙂

[andromeda331]

2 minutes ago, Jenniferbug said:

Welcome @Sweeneyswt! Meant to say that earlier but got super excited about the mention of Babysitter's Club because those books were such a huge part of my childhood. 

I am mostly a lurker here too, but when I jump in everyone is so kind and friendly. Even though I don't post too regularly, this thread does help me feel like I'm socializing. 

I loved those books growing up. I spent today watching all ten episodes of the new series and really liked it. They made some changes but it really worked.

[Marshmallow Mollie]

I loooooooved Babysitter’s Club! And Sweet Valley Twins!

Watermelon is so messy to cut! I don’t salt watermelon, but I salt apples and sometimes the other melons. Popular in my house right now is adding salt and pepper to cantaloupe.

I was just looking up the recipe to watermelon rinds yesterday, @Albanyguy! Never had them as a child because I couldn’t understand they weren’t like cucumber pickles. Looking forward to trying some soon!

[andromeda331]

Just now, Marshmallow Mollie said:

I loooooooved Babysitter’s Club! And Sweet Valley Twins!

Watermelon is so messy to cut! I don’t salt watermelon, but I salt apples and sometimes the other melons. Popular in my house right now is adding salt and pepper to cantaloupe.

I was just looking up the recipe to watermelon rinds yesterday, @Albanyguy! Never had them as a child because I couldn’t understand they weren’t like cucumber pickles. Looking forward to trying some soon!

I loved Sweet Valley Twins too. Also SVH, SVK, and SVU. But I liked Twins the best. Jessica wasn't the psychopath she was in SVH. 

[galaxychaser]

Unsolved mysteries is out on Netflix looks interesting!

[Sew Sumi]

Watched Hamilton today. It was spectacular! 

[galaxychaser]

I bought winter boots today for $10.50. And new balance sneakers for $20. They have so many boots for under $15. I think I should buy some more. 
 

I love shoes!

35 minutes ago, Sweeneyswt said:

My ex has one and hasn’t used it. I think I would, though!!

Wow too bad you didn’t take it 🤣🤣🤣. 

Edited July 4, 2020 by galaxychaser

[Sweeneyswt]

28 minutes ago, galaxychaser said:

I bought winter boots today for $10.50. And new balance sneakers for $20. They have so many boots for under $15. I think I should buy some more. 
 

I love shoes!

Wow too bad you didn’t take it 🤣🤣🤣. 

Great deals! Where do you enjoy shopping?

[galaxychaser]

Kohl’s reopened I went there today. 
I don’t remember the last time I bought shoes in an actual store. A lot of shoes and clothes for cheap. Sadly no open fitting rooms !

[Sweeneyswt]

4 minutes ago, galaxychaser said:

Kohl’s reopened I went there today. 
I don’t remember the last time I bought shoes in an actual store. A lot of shoes and clothes for cheap. Sadly no open fitting rooms !

Nice! I’ve been there for kids’ clothes. I bought some shorts there months ago, but I got them home and they were too small. I’ve gained 20-25lbs recently. 

[galaxychaser]

I usually shop in Target but they got too expensive! Kohl’s is much cheaper.  Scott brothers line got discontinued and now is reasonably priced. 🤣🤣🤣

[Ijustwantsomechips]

14 hours ago, Zella said:

Ah okay. I'm still working my way through my GOT rewatch I've had going on since May. My watch has not quite ended. . . . 

Ahhh GOT best show ever created that suffered the worst finale ever created.  FU Benioff and Weiss.  Still love Kitt Harington though.  Now The Handmaid’s Tale season finale was one of the best.  

Welcome @Sweeneyswt. Join in any time.

Edited July 4, 2020 by Ijustwantsomechips

[Zella]

15 minutes ago, Ijustwantsomechips said:

Ahhh GOT ever created that suffered the worst finale ever created.  FU Benioff and Weiss.  Still love Kitt Harington though.  Now The Handmaid’s Tale season finale was one of the best.  

Welcome @Sweeneyswt. Join in any time.

I've not actually watched the 8th season yet, though I've heard some spoilers. I just finished season 7 tonight. From the spoilers I've heard, I think the ending was actually pretty well foreshadowed but the execution of getting there was sloppy. (And I'd argue that about season 5 onward. There's a noticeable change in the quality of the writing even though individual scenes and moments are still good.) But hold that thought. In a week or so after I've finally finished it, I might have changed my mind. 🤣

Edited July 4, 2020 by Zella

[Love2dance]

@galaxychaser, we almost exclusively use our toaster oven instead of our large oven. We have a cuisenart, and I think we bought it reconditioned. We love it!

Welcome @Sweeneyswt! I think you will find this a most welcoming and helpful group. 

[PikaScrewChu]

11 hours ago, GeeGolly said:

Apparently this is the new way to cut watermelon.

Yeah no. Someone would end up with a quarter of the watermelon and half my finger if I attempted that. 

[madpsych78]

3 hours ago, Scarlett45 said:

Did any contemporaries of @Christina87 and myself read the BSC books? Or any Gen Xers? We’ve got a little discussion going in Other Dramas. This show is so cute so far. 

Xennial here - I haven't watched the show, but I was BSC (Bat Shit Crazy) over BSC (Baby-Sitters Club). I read the books, watched the early 90s TV show, and watched the movie. I was in elementary when the first books were published. 

Oh, and I also read the Sweet Valley series. My favorites were SVH and SVU. 

Edited July 4, 2020 by madpsych78

[Chicklet]

Quote

Unpopular opinion, I hate watermelon. It's a texture thing.

Thank you! People always look at me sideways when I say that. I hate all melons except cantaloupe because of the texture. I also cannot cut the stuff to save my life. 

[GeeGolly]

Peaches - I can't get past the fuzz. Only nectarines for me.

[Chicklet]

I worked with someone who ate kiwis whole, fuzz and all. I hate kiwi too and cannot imagine eating it whole, the skin seems like fuzzy burlap to me.

[latetotheparty]

9 hours ago, emma675 said:

I've read them, too, although I didn't know there was a new BSC show.

Unpopular opinion, I hate watermelon. It's a texture thing.

Sweeneyswt, welcome! People here are great and pretty diverse. I'm usually pretty chill and snarky and not a raging harpy who's threatening to punch old men with Covid in the face, but it's been a week. 

Texture is my biggest deal breaker when it comes to food. Then smell. 

[crazycatlady58]

Welcome Sweeneyswt, I am lonely also and this forum is a lifesaver for me. I have been without a car for three years and just go to work. As others have said we talk about almost everything here and people are respectful.

[Jenniferbug]

Happy 4th of July! I hope everyone has a great day, even if your traditional celebrations aren't happening. 

Parade and fireworks are cancelled in my town. We're going to inflate our little pool, grill out, and maybe have a movie day with the kids to watch the first act of Hamilton. It won't be the same, but it will be a nice day!

[Minivanessa]

Welcome, @Sweeneyswt! The Prayer Closet is also my go-to online place to socialize. Nice folks here. 

I can't find the post here recently from someone who's finally shut down their Facebook account, but I admire that. I'm also about done with Facebook. I used to be very active but now I don't open FB on my laptop or phone for days at a time. I also made my birthday private on FB, and sure enough without being reminded by FB pretty much nobody remembered it, which is okay with me at my old age. 

I have relatives in Houston who just tested positive for COVID-19. One is a woman who actually was ill, with a fever, and had tested negative. She's over the fever and illness but just this week tested positive. Her 17 year old son, who's being treated for cancer, also tested positive. I think I posted last week that his scans had just come back clear (YAY!), but they are completing the planned course of chemo treatments. Their husband/father hasn't been sick and also hasn't been tested. Damn. Be careful out there!

Now, to turn to something less grim, seeing that I can't do a damned thing about my relatives with the virus - especially go down there to try to be of some practical help, since Houston's such a hotspot:

[Pours another cup of coffee, sits down to meander through a story.] I'll put the tl:dr first: I got bored during COVID and shopped. I bought cars. 🤣 You can skip the deets now and get on with your day. 

Before the effiing virus knocked the world off balance, I'd been hatching a plan. I wanted to buy a used minivan and take some road trips in 2020. Minivans have a TON of room in the back if you take out the second row seats (which in almost all of them are intended to be removed/replaced), and fold down the third row seats. Room enough for a cot, and a lot of gear to be stowed neatly. So that while it's by no means an RV, it's a feasible thing to sleep in. My plan was to stay in campgrounds which mostly provide some access to bathrooms/showers, electricity, and water, and sleep in the van. HUGE savings over the cost of hotels. I took a big road trip a few years ago, and omigosh the cost of hotels was such a big bite. And what do I need from a hotel when I'm traveling? A place to get off the road and relax, a bed, and a toilet, sink, and shower. If I can cut that cost down I can go farther and stay on the road longer. I can physically lie down in my current car with the back seats folded down; I've tried it but it's so snug it feels like I'm in a coffin. No thanks.

I'd just started some shopping for a minivan before the virus hit. I had two options: (1) trade in my current car which is in excellent shape on a later-model used minivan, or (2) find a used minivan cheap enough to buy and keep as a second vehicle. I'd already determined that the minivans I would want (Toyota or Honda) were just too expensive for me to buy new, because I'd have to trade in my car, pony up cash, and still have a car note. I'm too effing old to have a car note. That's a personal decision, BTW, not a judgment on how anyone else manages their life. 

Once the pandemic hit I would browse online used car ads and listings - but hadn't followed up on any of them. Then around Memorial Day I got a call from a salesman at the broker/dealer place where I bought my current car 8 years ago. He knew what I was looking for and they'd just gotten a used minivan in that I might want to look at. I ended up trading in my car for it + writing a big check for the balance due. And I swear, within half an hour of driving that thing off the lot I regretted it down to my bones. Fortunately that place has a policy that you have 2 days to return a car to them for ANY reason, and I took advantage of that. Got my money and my car back, no muss no fuss. And, yes I would deal with those folks again. It was just that particular used van and some issues I had with it.

After that I decided that I'd just back off the whole minivan thing since it's not like I'll be traveling the country this summer anyway. So I left it alone for a week or so. Then one morning I idly thought, well I've been looking only at the Toyota minivans. What about the Hondas? Went to Craigslist, searched for local Honda Odysseys for sale by owner - and BAM. There it was. Listed only hours before. I ended up buying it and keeping my current car.

It's a 2008 Odyssey that had had only one owner until last year when the engine was ruined (oil plug fell out while driving, ouch). A factory trained certified Honda tech (mechanic) who worked at the dealership where the car was towed, looked it over and bought it from the owners who chose not to replace the engine. His plan was to fix it and sell it. He rebuilt a Honda engine, put it in, did some other servicing - and I was the lucky buyer. Yay! I'm very happy with the van. It needs some cosmetic TLC, but it came with a glove box full of maintenance records showing that many of the major vehicle systems have been serviced/updated within the last 15,000 - 30,000 miles. It even has great low-mileage tires, and the receipts for them! I'm enjoying driving it. Heck, I may get crazy and sell my other car and just drive this 195,000-mile old van till it finally gives up the ghost. 

I posted here the other day that I regretted visiting a local car audio shop because I was risking getting COVID over getting Bluetooth and other updates in my car. This was the vehicle involved. Maybe sometime this year, I can spend a night or two in it at a state park campground not too far from home, sort of a test run. I'm maintaining the hope that someday I can really hit the road in it. Here's a photo of my new project/toy:

So anyway if you feel you may have over-indulged by COVID shopping for clothes or other things? At least you didn't buy two cars! (Well, yes, I did return one of them, so there's that. 🤣

[latetotheparty]

39 minutes ago, Jeeves said:

Welcome, @Sweeneyswt! The Prayer Closet is also my go-to online place to socialize. Nice folks here. 

I can't find the post here recently from someone who's finally shut down their Facebook account, but I admire that. I'm also about done with Facebook. I used to be very active but now I don't open FB on my laptop or phone for days at a time. I also made my birthday private on FB, and sure enough without being reminded by FB pretty much nobody remembered it, which is okay with me at my old age. 

I have relatives in Houston who just tested positive for COVID-19. One is a woman who actually was ill, with a fever, and had tested negative. She's over the fever and illness but just this week tested positive. Her 17 year old son, who's being treated for cancer, also tested positive. I think I posted last week that his scans had just come back clear (YAY!), but they are completing the planned course of chemo treatments. Their husband/father hasn't been sick and also hasn't been tested. Damn. Be careful out there!

Now, to turn to something less grim, seeing that I can't do a damned thing about my relatives with the virus - especially go down there to try to be of some practical help, since Houston's such a hotspot:

[Pours another cup of coffee, sits down to meander through a story.] I'll put the tl:dr first: I got bored during COVID and shopped. I bought cars. 🤣 You can skip the deets now and get on with your day. 

Before the effiing virus knocked the world off balance, I'd been hatching a plan. I wanted to buy a used minivan and take some road trips in 2020. Minivans have a TON of room in the back if you take out the second row seats (which in almost all of them are intended to be removed/replaced), and fold down the third row seats. Room enough for a cot, and a lot of gear to be stowed neatly. So that while it's by no means an RV, it's a feasible thing to sleep in. My plan was to stay in campgrounds which mostly provide some access to bathrooms/showers, electricity, and water, and sleep in the van. HUGE savings over the cost of hotels. I took a big road trip a few years ago, and omigosh the cost of hotels was such a big bite. And what do I need from a hotel when I'm traveling? A place to get off the road and relax, a bed, and a toilet, sink, and shower. If I can cut that cost down I can go farther and stay on the road longer. I can physically lie down in my current car with the back seats folded down; I've tried it but it's so snug it feels like I'm in a coffin. No thanks.

I'd just started some shopping for a minivan before the virus hit. I had two options: (1) trade in my current car which is in excellent shape on a later-model used minivan, or (2) find a used minivan cheap enough to buy and keep as a second vehicle. I'd already determined that the minivans I would want (Toyota or Honda) were just too expensive for me to buy new, because I'd have to trade in my car, pony up cash, and still have a car note. I'm too effing old to have a car note. That's a personal decision, BTW, not a judgment on how anyone else manages their life. 

Once the pandemic hit I would browse online used car ads and listings - but hadn't followed up on any of them. Then around Memorial Day I got a call from a salesman at the broker/dealer place where I bought my current car 8 years ago. He knew what I was looking for and they'd just gotten a used minivan in that I might want to look at. I ended up trading in my car for it + writing a big check for the balance due. And I swear, within half an hour of driving that thing off the lot I regretted it down to my bones. Fortunately that place has a policy that you have 2 days to return a car to them for ANY reason, and I took advantage of that. Got my money and my car back, no muss no fuss. And, yes I would deal with those folks again. It was just that particular used van and some issues I had with it.

After that I decided that I'd just back off the whole minivan thing since it's not like I'll be traveling the country this summer anyway. So I left it alone for a week or so. Then one morning I idly thought, well I've been looking only at the Toyota minivans. What about the Hondas? Went to Craigslist, searched for local Honda Odysseys for sale by owner - and BAM. There it was. Listed only hours before. I ended up buying it and keeping my current car.

It's a 2008 Odyssey that had had only one owner until last year when the engine was ruined (oil plug fell out while driving, ouch). A factory trained certified Honda tech (mechanic) who worked at the dealership where the car was towed, looked it over and bought it from the owners who chose not to replace the engine. His plan was to fix it and sell it. He rebuilt a Honda engine, put it in, did some other servicing - and I was the lucky buyer. Yay! I'm very happy with the van. It needs some cosmetic TLC, but it came with a glove box full of maintenance records showing that many of the major vehicle systems have been serviced/updated within the last 15,000 - 30,000 miles. It even has great low-mileage tires, and the receipts for them! I'm enjoying driving it. Heck, I may get crazy and sell my other car and just drive this 195,000-mile old van till it finally gives up the ghost. 

I posted here the other day that I regretted visiting a local car audio shop because I was risking getting COVID over getting Bluetooth and other updates in my car. This was the vehicle involved. Maybe sometime this year, I can spend a night or two in it at a state park campground not too far from home, sort of a test run. I'm maintaining the hope that someday I can really hit the road in it. Here's a photo of my new project/toy:

So anyway if you feel you may have over-indulged by COVID shopping for clothes or other things? At least you didn't buy two cars! (Well, yes, I did return one of them, so there's that. 🤣

Nice! it looks so sleek!

I also bit the new car bullet this spring, retiring my 2003 Taurus for a 2017 Ford Escape. There were two absolutes that had to be met: it had to be a car that I didn’t have to climb into or climb out of (because arthritis) and it had to be a car I wouldn’t klunk my head getting in because I am tall and long torsoed; it can be very tricky. I really love it.

I was privileged to be able to pay cash for it; when my sister died October the balance of my mom’s estate settled on my brother and other sister and me.  I’d been debating a car for a long time but I was really nervous about a car payment at my age (69 next month) because I wasn’t sure how long I’d be able to keep working. I’m glad I waited; I got laid off a week before Katie died and it would have been a disaster without a pay check. 

Now, of course, I’m dying to road trip. Damn you, coronavirus! I’ve put 300 miles on it in nine weeks. At this rate it should last me forever. 

Edited July 4, 2020 by latetotheparty
Spelling is a thing.

[Sweeneyswt]

Hi Jeeves. I enjoyed reading about your van experience! Where do you plan to travel with it first? 
 

I only recently got FB, so I could connect with church members. Oh my. Some people’s true thoughts have been a bit surprising. 

[latetotheparty]

4 minutes ago, Sweeneyswt said:

Hi Jeeves. I enjoyed reading about your van experience! Where do you plan to travel with it first? 
 

I only recently got FB, so I could connect with church members. Oh my. Some people’s true thoughts have been a bit surprising. 

Facebook is definitely eye opening. I don’t use mine much, mostly reading to keep up with cousins, almost never posting. And I mute obnoxious family. I don’t have the emotional bandwidth to encounter horrors in my feed!

And welcome! Hope you’re comfy here!

[BetyBee]

@wilsie, thank you for that beautiful share about mask wearing! I saved it to my documents just to be able to reread it whenever!

@Jeeves, that was me who quit FB. It's been a few days, but I don't miss it. As a cheat, my husband has it, so if one of my kids posts cute pics of my grands, I can still see them. I tapered off by removing FB from my phone and that made it easier to quit. I love your story about your new minivan. I am hoping that you will get to do your traveling in 2021 (2022 by the latest!) and that you have many adventures. I think it's a great plan!

Welcome @Sweeneyswt! I jumped in here when I retired and we moved to a new, smaller town. I had just joined a women's group and a book club when Covid started. Both have kept up via Zoom and Messenger, but it's not the same. I hope you find your peeps irl and you've already found us as your virtual ones!

I'm not going to whine about missing my grandkids today. I'm going to enjoy this beautiful day and be thankful (for once) that I don't have a dog to get upset over the fireworks. Our cat could not care less! Have a great weekend, everyone!

PS - I like watermelon! I prefer with seeds for spitting!

 

[galaxychaser]

Happy 4th of July!

[Barb23]

21 hours ago, GeeGolly said:

Apparently this is the new way to cut watermelon.

I've loved reading all the watermelon posts & luckily Mr. Barb just got us one at our local fruit stand. My mom didn't like it but we still were lucky to get it during the summer (cut in slices & eaten outside.) She had a tendency not to cook & serve things she didn't like. Don't think I had macaroni & cheese til I was 15.

My mom also had a melon ball maker. It came out & was used mainly for company when she made a fancy fruit salad.  My sister & I fought over who got to use it so luckily one of us got to make the watermelon balls & the other one got to do cantaloupe.  

The watermelon sticks look interesting & would probably work well at a party.  Except I would cut the sticks from the melon & put them on platter with a fork to make it easier & less messy to get a piece. 

13 hours ago, Sweeneyswt said:

I know this is off topic, and I’m sorry. I think whatever is wrong with Jill is what’s wrong with me. I’ve been a lurker for years. Could any of you kindly point me to some advice if you have any? I’m sorry. It’s just the loneliness I’m feeling is suffocating recently. Therapy has never worked for me. 

 

12 hours ago, Scarlett45 said:

Hi! Nice to meet you. We talk about anything and everything on here. Everyone is so kind and has so many interesting things to talk about. 

Welcome!  This is a great forum & please don't hesitate to jump in or change subjects.  We can start the day discussing Covid, switch the conversation to a make-up recommendation at lunch, discuss pets in the afternoon followed by new recipes or what we had for dinner later on.  A simple statement can start a whole new discussion like name origins or what books everyone is reading.

May I also add this is a great place to vent whether it's about family, friends or coworkers.   Health is also a big topic here (whether it's about you or someone else) so if something as minor as a paper cut or as major as a serious disease has you concerned or upset, we are here for you.  

I'm mostly homebound (even before Covid) and consider this group my best friends. Someone is always here 24/7.

Well since it's Saturday(my nail day) & the 4th, I'm off to do my fingernails in a sparkly red color.  I usually stick to the softer pink and peach colors but have this red from Christmas and also used it for Valentine's Day.  

Have a safe and Happy 4th of July everyone! 🇺🇸🎆

[ginger90]

A coworker was reassigned, and a new one hired. Prior to this, I worked Sunday through Friday. Now we’re switching to every other weekend, which will put me on 12 days straight some weeks.

On one hand it’s good, and I got to choose which weekend would be mine. I just checked my schedule and they messed it up. They have it the opposite of what was agreed upon. I’m so glad I save emails.

My peeve about it is, this is a new employee. They have her working today, and me tomorrow. I don’t get paid when I’m off on a holiday, but she will get 10 hours at time and a half her first day. Next weekend is supposedly my weekend off, so I feel they should have given me today on.

 

I know, blah, blah, blah.....

 

 

Edited July 6, 2020 by ginger90

[Ijustwantsomechips]

11 hours ago, Zella said:

I've not actually watched the 8th season yet, though I've heard some spoilers. I just finished season 7 tonight. From the spoilers I've heard, I think the ending was actually pretty well foreshadowed but the execution of getting there was sloppy. (And I'd argue that about season 5 onward. There's a noticeable change in the quality of the writing even though individual scenes and moments are still good.) But hold that thought. In a week or so after I've finally finished it, I might have changed my mind. 🤣

It was pretty obvious when the source material ran out.  I still watch it from time to time though.  The complexity of the characters was brilliant. 

[Zella]

30 minutes ago, Ijustwantsomechips said:

It was pretty obvious when the source material ran out.  I still watch it from time to time though.  The complexity of the characters was brilliant. 

Hahaha yes! I think that also coincided with a "oh wait how much story do we have to cram in how many seasons?" realization that meant everybody got jetpacks to travel the length of Westeros. 😉

But I do enjoy the complex characters and the political machinations. The more overt fantasy elements never interested me as much.

If I don't get burnt out or distracted, after I finish reading the books I'm going to read a French historical fiction series that apparently inspired the more machiavellian elements of the plot. 

Edited July 4, 2020 by Zella

[Scarlett45]

Guess who got a menstrual stain on her light gray Restoration Hardware dining chair (Even though it had a cover in it)🥺. I seriously wanted to cry, but with some cold water, Dawn dish soap and elbow grease I got that puppy out!!!

[Jenniferbug]

20 minutes ago, Zella said:

If I don't get burnt out or distracted, after I finish reading the books I'm going to read a French historical fiction series that apparently inspired the more machiavellian elements of the plot. 

Which book series?

@Scarlett45, I'm glad it came out! I hate when stuff like that happens! 

[CherryMalotte]

4 hours ago, Jeeves said:

So anyway if you feel you may have over-indulged by COVID shopping for clothes or other things?

The husband and his conspiracy shit and aimless home tasks that he starts and never finishes have been unbearable - so I have been compensating with blu ray ordering.  Kino Lorber knows me very well.  So does Deep Discount, and since Twilight Time is going out of business I've availed myself of a few there.  Usually Barnes & Noble has a summer and late fall/early winter Criterion sale but the economy being what it is there may be no sale. I just treat myself every paycheck.  I favor older films - the latest was a Criterion I just HAD to have - The Cameraman with Buster Keaton.  In whatever hereafter there is, if there is one, I'd like to meet Buster and thank him for all the great times he's given me.  And all the cats I've had...I want to see them too.

On the bright side - the husband got a big two page letter from his place of employment (school bus service) about everything they will be doing in the fall for the school kids.  It's hopeful to me that he'll be working even if it's in a limited capacity.  I need him OUT of the house doing something useful.

 I can't discuss GoT - I was okay at the time, though hugely disappointed.  Yup, they ran out of steam, and didn't know how to really conclude some things and it got sloppy.  Yes I know, not everything is going to go they way I want, and I'm cool with that but even now that time has passed I'm still a bit bitter.  It could have been done so much better.     

[Zella]

31 minutes ago, Jenniferbug said:

Which book series?

Maurice Druon's The Accursed Kings series about 14th century France. There are 7 books. I bought them in a set a few years ago and never read them. Looks like Amazon no longer sells them all together, which is weird, but you might be able to find them through a library or individually. 

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01L4MRNUC/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_HsmaFbG2WBHEJ

[Pinke]

32 minutes ago, Zella said:

Maurice Druon's The Accursed Kings series about 14th century France. There are 7 books. I bought them in a set a few years ago and never read them. Looks like Amazon no longer sells them all together, which is weird, but you might be able to find them through a library or individually. 

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01L4MRNUC/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_HsmaFbG2WBHEJ

Ohh, Les Rois maudits. 😮 I was also gonna ask which book series you were talking about since I'm a native French speaker and was curious to see if I had heard of it (which I have).

I still need to finish War and Peace myself. Read Anna Karenina (which I hated) years ago, as a ''warm-up''. But yeah, no more Tolstoy for me after this one XD

(On the other hand I absolutely loved Crime and Punishment. Stunning book.)

[Sweeneyswt]

37 minutes ago, PinkyCupcake said:

Ohh, Les Rois maudits. 😮 I was also gonna ask which book series you were talking about since I'm a native French speaker and was curious to see if I had heard of it (which I have).

I still need to finish War and Peace myself. Read Anna Karenina (which I hated) years ago, as a ''warm-up''. But yeah, no more Tolstoy for me after this one XD

(On the other hand I absolutely loved Crime and Punishment. Stunning book.)

Hi, what made you hate Anna K if you don’t mind me asking!

[Pinke]

1 hour ago, Sweeneyswt said:

Hi, what made you hate Anna K if you don’t mind me asking!

Hi! Sure, no prob. 🙂 ''Hate'' was a bit of a strong word on my part, but basically the book felt ''cold'' to me and it had an overall moralizing tone (IMO) which I didn’t like. Unrelated or not but I also ended up super annoyed at Anna’s character and by the end

Spoiler

I was like, just kill yourself already, woman!
(NOT something I would ever think of or say to anyone IRL, obviously)

That being said, I did enjoy some of it – I don’t recall much but the parallel story involving Levin and Kitty comes to mind.
 

Edited July 4, 2020 by PinkyCupcake

[GeeGolly]

Has anyone heard from, or seen a post from @kokapetl? I haven't seen a post in at least a couple of months.

 

[BitterApple]

With regards to GOT, it's pretty obvious the showrunners were over it and wanted to move on to Star Wars. HBO was willing to give them all the episodes and money they wanted, so there was no excuse to do a rush job and botch the finish. The ones I feel bad for are the cast and crew, who put in a tremendous amount of effort, only to have S8 trashed because of the bad writing. In case you can't tell, I'm still bitter. 

[Oldernowiser]

/rant

One night down, two to go...

Last night went sort of okay thanks to Nervous Dog’s preemptive noon Valium, topped off with more Valium at sunset plus every fan in the house on, the radio on, the television on, all the curtains drawn and brushing him nonstop for four hours. Today, however, seems to be the Festival of the M-80 (illegal here, BTW) and maybe it’s wrong, but I am desperately hoping the lighters thereof get their stupid drunken fingers blown off sooner rather than later.

I hate this stupid “holiday.“

/endrant

[galaxychaser]

Not one firework here. 😞😞😞

[Zella]

It's rainy here, so maybe the idiots will stay indoors. 

I'm watching Jaws (a 4th of July holiday tradition my brother started), and inspired by our conversation, I'm eating watermelon. 😁

[Sew Sumi]

Perfect weather for a fireworks barrage tonight. Thankfully, what I've heard has been miles away. I live on top of a hill, so I can hear fireworks as far as 10 miles away. 

[Oldernowiser]

22 minutes ago, Zella said:

It's rainy here, so maybe the idiots will stay indoors. 

I'm watching Jaws (a 4th of July holiday tradition my brother started), and inspired by our conversation, I'm eating watermelon. 😁

I love that movie. And I usually avoid scary movies of any kind. 
Quint’s “USS Indianapolis” monologue is a masterpiece of acting and writing. Gives me chills every time.

[Zella]

9 minutes ago, Oldernowiser said:

I love that movie. And I usually avoid scary movies of any kind. 
Quint’s “USS Indianapolis” monologue is a masterpiece of acting and writing. Gives me chills every time.

YES! That's my favorite scene. Just one of the best monologues I've ever seen in a movie. 

[Ohiopirate02]

Happy Fourth to all my American friends.   I am at the beach with my sister and her family enjoying all of the illegal fireworks displays.  I am very impressed with the selection.

[galaxychaser]

Fireworks started I’m outside enjoying myself and even got a beer. 
 

Started unsolved mysteries on Netflix.