Small Talk: The Prayer Closet

[Boston]

1 minute ago, Jeeves said:

@Boston - this is a safe place to rant. I get it; the holidays can really stir up emotions. Wishing you well.

@zoomama, let me add to the chorus of good wishes for you and your husband.

I finally tackled an annoying mess around here. When it came to cables and cords and adapters and whatnot for electronics, I had really Let Things Go. I knew it was bad when I gave up rummaging around for a couple of cables to use with my new desktop computer setup and just bought new ones. I *knew* I must have extras of each kind of cable somewhere but couldn't find them. I mean it was less than ten bucks, but still. Ridiculousness.

I've been in this condo for 15 years, and I must have had that many years' worth of stuff around in various places. I went around late this morning and collected all the cables I could find that weren't attached to a working charger, and put them all on a table I'd set up in the living room. A couple of hours later - I had tamed the mess. In the "after" photo, there's a box of video/audio cables, and plastic bags with various types of USB cords and adapters. The messy box on the right holds stuff that I'm taking over to the Best Buy store to put in their recycling bins, and in the white bag are items to be donated to a charity shop. The "keeper" bags are now in labeled boxes and bins. This mess was bugging me for weeks, and it feels so good to get it cleaned up. 

Thank you.  I've just had nowhere and no one to talk to these past few days (well i did talk to my best friend on Christmas Eve.. she makes me laugh and I treasure our friendship).. So my uncle is doing a POT ROAST (he's a great cook, as am I if i do say so myself).. and I will go to his house next week.  Thanks for listening.

[emma675]

Welcome Boston, rant away! 

I made my annual list of home repairs/needed large purchases for 2021 today. My house was built in 1941 and while it has good bones, it needs more and more upkeep as the years go by (don't we all). Oy, it's a long list.

One of the items is a new mattress. I know we've talked about this before but any recommendations for someone with a stiff back who likes a firmer mattress? I have a Simmons Beautyrest Black but it's gone U shaped after years of use.

Edited December 27, 2020 by emma675d

[SunnyBeBe]

For anyone who wants a distraction, some laughs and just to be entertained, check out this movie with Sally Field....it’s sweet and funny.  Its on one of the streaming channels....Amazon I think.

 

[crazycatlady58]

Well Christmas day I was checking out Facebook and noticed my cousin's husband ( my cousin in law?) had made a post saying they had visited the grave site and included a picture of my uncles Uncle J.'s head stone. I was unaware he had passed. I sent my aunt ( his sister  ) a D.M asking when he died thinking they just forgot to let me know. Her response was WHAT???!!!. My Aunt L. (Uncle J' wife) had not let her know. He died Oct 16th.. I felt bad and told my aunt R. if I had any idea she did not know I would have called. No one should be told of her brother's death like that. There has been bad blood between Uncle J , my mother and Aunt R. for all my life. They talked but there was always a distance between them. Aunt R. did not seem upset, if fact said he had not been in her life for 20 years but still it must have been hard to know her last sibling was gone. I was not close to Uncle J and need no sympathy ( isn't it sad I have no feelings about his death) just upset for my aunt.

[EVS]

5 hours ago, iwantcookies said:

Haha! 
 

Imagine Jill Rodrigues Xmas letter?! Oh my I want to read that...

I want to hear @Zella ‘s grandmother read that.
 

I’m adding my best wishes to @zoomama and her husband.

[Boston]

The house i grew up in was built in 1913.  My dad remodeled it as years went by.  (the attic was a scary place but he made it into a loft).  My brother and I re-did the bathroom (which could hardly fit one person).  We made it huge for my dad (he even had a telephone next to the toilet - not my idea).  He sold it and made a HUGE profit.  I still go by just to see it.  The people that bought it have kept it up.  

Mattresses are not my forte, but i bought one a couple years ago from local and it is great.  I love my bed.  BUT.. I bought a TOPPER for it and that dang thing is driving me crazy.  I'm waiting for another dark night to go throw it in a dumpster.  GOOD LUCK

7 hours ago, Jeeves said:

I've been fortunate that I've rarely received any of those obnoxious Christmas brag letters. I don't get a lot of Christmas cards in the mail anymore, but some have update letters that are actually interesting and real. 

This year I wondered how that would go. I got three letter/card combos. Two of the letters weren't on full letter-sized paper, more like half-sized or even one-third. They were pleasant, brief, and to the point, which boiled down to: the pandemic changed our lives this year. With some details. The third was on a full sized sheet and was about the same. 

I LOVE the thought of a comedic reading of one of those BS Christmas brag letters! Way to go!

hell, i got THREE Christmas cards this year.  

[iwantcookies]

46 minutes ago, ChiCricket said:

Thank you 😊 

[CalicoKitty]

23 minutes ago, emma675 said:

Welcome Boston, rant away! 

I made my annual list of home repairs/needed large purchases for 2021 today. My house was built in 1941 and while it has good bones, it needs more and more upkeep as the years go by (don't we all). Oy, it's a long list.

One of the items is a new mattress. I know we've talked about this before but any recommendations for someone with a stiff back who likes a firmer mattress? I have a Simmons Beautyrest Black but it's gone U shaped after years of use.

Sleep Number!  Even their entry level C2 is a great mattress.

[iwantcookies]

17 hours ago, iwantcookies said:

I am a huge Big Mouth fan. Someone made this as a gift. It is sweet but such a creepy thing. Not made by me! Wish I was that talented. 
 

It looks possessed and ready to get me lol.

I can order one for $150. I am going to think about it. 

[Boston]

6 hours ago, zoomama said:

hello everyone, currently sidetracked by a sick husband in the ER for day #2.  he is losing blood somewhere in large amounts, enough to cause his hemoglobin levels  to sink to 6.7.    he had a transfusion last night which raised his level to 8.? and currently is on a cot in a hallway somewhere in the cavernous ER waiting to see a doctor again. the plan as of last night is for him to have ANOTHER colonoscopy tomorrow so they have him on a clear liquid diet while there. he just had a specialized colonoscopy last tuesday in a different university hospital. its possible that he is still bleeding from that i guess.  he is cranky (as i would be ) and impatient with the system.  i am worried. his heart rate was super fast yesterday morning, that was what took him there in the first place.  research suggests that the blood loss could cause the fast heart rate and other symptoms he had.  yet, after two moths of knowing he had this loss, we are no closer to understanding where its going. so now he is uber exposed to covid and i have to be the one to get him home when its time. i dont know what to do!!!

I feel for you and wish you and your husband the best.  I so hope he gets better.  This pandemic has taken it's toll.  Reach out to someone.  2 of my cousinis have covid (non-mask wearers).  but it seems you are keeping a good eye on the problem.  Good luck.

4 minutes ago, iwantcookies said:

Thank you 😊 

Happy Birthday!!!

[Mindthinkr]

@zoomama I can’t imagine the worry you are feeling right now.
I hope they get the issue resolved very quickly for your husband 🙏🏻

@ChiCricket Happy Birthday 🎉 

[crazycatlady58]

So for Good news Sunday,  I completed the audit for my store and it went smoothly.  We do one every 3 months which can be a pain but it is done and I don't have to worry about it until March. 

[iwantcookies]

delete

Edited December 28, 2020 by iwantcookies

[Happyfatchick]

Happy late Christmas everyone, and happy late birthday Cookies!!  
when did prime rib slide in as the “thing” for Christmas @SunnyBeBe??  You are the FIFTH person who’s mentioned they had prime rib at Christmas!  I totally missed the memo!!  One of these was a cousin literally across the country in Oregon, and who also will be sending me her yearly newsletter shortly.  I don’t hate these missives for any amount of jealousy - I’d rather run across a 6 lane interstate than live her life.  Naked.  In a blizzard.  Eating a rutabaga sandwich.  Barefoot.  With a live chicken on my head.  I hate her newsletters because it will be a hair tighter than single spaced with very little punctuation and zero paragraph delineation and it makes me feel like I’m going to be sick.  And I love her and don’t want to dread the annual “what the actual heck??”  Plus her husband is a narcissist hypochondriac (I don’t even remember why, but for many years, we’ve referred to him as “secret Squirrel”).  And every year I have to at least skim it to see what his disease dejour might be.  He’s probably had covid 7 or 8 times.  They’ve been married more than 40 years and he’s worked a grand total of 2 years (all combined).  She’s a nurse, is now 73 and still working bc - somebody has to.  I have another friend who’s husband does an annual letter, and who (although relatively intelligent) writes in some weird 3rd person hillbilly from hell voice that also makes me feel stabbish.  
I sound like I’m in a bad mood, don’t I?  I apologize.  I’m not in a bad mood.  I’m distracted because I’m working on my annual newsletter.  I’m am seriously having some nostalgia moments.  This weird world.  And Phil Niekro died.  
@zoomama I’m terrified for you!!!!!   Holy cow, Batman!!!  You just zipped to the top of my list - I missed this before I posted.  🥺

Edited December 28, 2020 by Happyfatchick

[Love2dance]

@Boston, this is the BEST place to rant. We all need a turn sometimes. Hang in there. Hugs!

@Jeeves, I need your ambition and organization. We have cables, cords, wires all over the house in drawers and closets and in the carport/garage. I’m sure most have no practical use in the 2020’s. Maybe you will inspire me to tackle them some day.

[beckie]

My dad and step mom used to do the yearly update letter thing. I find myself wishing that they'd done one this year, but I don't think my step mom wanted to remind people that 2020 started with my dads passing.

[Jeeves]

7 hours ago, Love2dance said:

@Jeeves, I need your ambition and organization. We have cables, cords, wires all over the house in drawers and closets and in the carport/garage. I’m sure most have no practical use in the 2020’s. Maybe you will inspire me to tackle them some day.

Thanks, but it wasn't ambition and organization - more like finally getting fed up with the results of laziness and disorganization, lol! I can tolerate a certain amount of mess. Then I hit my limit, when the aggravation of the clutter gets big enough to overcome my inertia, and then, I get busy cleaning up. Okay, I do get sparked by other things to clean up too, but sometimes the motivator is aggravation.

Back in April I read of an opportunity to let my phone crunch calculations for a COVID-19 medical research project, while it's charging. It's a project of the Vodafone Foundation, supporting research at the Imperial College of London, information here: https://www.vodafone.com/about/vodafone-foundation/focus-areas/dreamlab-app. I downloaded the phone app, DreamLab (available for Android and IOS), and got started. I have it set to run only when the phone is charging and connected to wifi, so it doesn't use data. (It would otherwise run DreamLab while on my car charger, when it would use data, not usually an issue with my service plan but I'd rather avoid it anyway; and besides I'm usually at home where it's on wifi.) The app will pause automatically to keep the phone from overheating. 

There are a few other projects I could select to support with the app, but I chose this one. Here's another story about it: https://www.mobihealthnews.com/news/emea/dreamlab-app-obtains-covid-19-research-while-users-sleep

I thought about this because this morning here's what I found when I picked up my phone which had been charging overnight. A milestone; Phase 2 is now complete:

When I started participating Phase 1 was just getting started. Now we're at Phase 3. Little bits can add up to a lot. 

Edited December 28, 2020 by Jeeves

[Scarlett45]

Hi friends, the holiday weekend was fun, but the Monday after the holiday weekend is starting off in a BRUTAL way. I feel like "you know what"- for the record I am not sick or anything, just full of sugar, refined carbs, bloated, and off my workout routine. I am back on my routine today. I dont feel "guilty" about it, I had a great holiday, but theres a reason why holiday meals arent every weekend. Im also glad for WFH because I slept until the very last possible second this morning and am wearing joggers and an oversized long sleeved tee with Grogo (aka The Child/Baby Yoda) on it, because holiday clothing can be worn to New Year's Day. 🙂

 

[Scarlett45]

14 hours ago, iwantcookies said:

I can order one for $150. I am going to think about it. 

@iwantcookies that creature is super creepy. I say DO IT if it brings you joy.

[Absolom]

12 hours ago, Happyfatchick said:

hen did prime rib slide in as the “thing” for Christmas

According to my daughter, who has served it two years running, for her it's the grocery store.  They have been putting it on sale the last three years.  None of us want another turkey and while we used to do ham, the size of the prime rib is more easily controlled and we all enjoy it.  A ham is usually too big since half the family went vegetarian.  Another plus is her husband prefers it over ham. 

[realityfan26]

40 minutes ago, Absolom said:

According to my daughter, who has served it two years running, for her it's the grocery store.  They have been putting it on sale the last three years.  None of us want another turkey and while we used to do ham, the size of the prime rib is more easily controlled and we all enjoy it.  A ham is usually too big since half the family went vegetarian.  Another plus is her husband prefers it over ham. 

My in-laws always served prime rib for Christmas. It was served very rare and I am not a fan. Thank goodness my family is happy with anything. On Christmas Eve, I ordered from Portillo's; we had Italian beef sandwiches, chicken tenders, fries and salad. Easy, peasy!

[iwantcookies]

3 hours ago, Scarlett45 said:

@iwantcookies that creature is super creepy. I say DO IT if it brings you joy.

I decided not too. It looks possessed and evil. 

[Turquoise]

Hi everyone-belated holiday wishes and birthday wishes for @iwantcookies. We don't live downtown, but the bombing Christmas day knocked out our internet for a couple days. We got it back last night.

[Jeeves]

29 minutes ago, Turquoise said:

Hi everyone-belated holiday wishes and birthday wishes for @iwantcookies. We don't live downtown, but the bombing Christmas day knocked out our internet for a couple days. We got it back last night.

Omigosh, I'm glad you're okay - and back online. I have heard that the blast not only knocked a load of people offline, it's interrupted 911 service in many area towns and counties. There are no words . . . 

[Scarlett45]

My resistance bands arrived to start resistance training again. My new goal is another 15lbs by March 5th, so another 15lbs in 10weeks. I think thats very doable especially without any major holidays and the allure of eggnog 😀. I will let you guys know how I do. 

[MargeGunderson]

6 minutes ago, Scarlett45 said:

My resistance bands arrived to start resistance training again. My new goal is another 15lbs by March 5th, so another 15lbs in 10weeks. I think thats very doable especially without any major holidays and the allure of eggnog 😀. I will let you guys know how I do. 

@Scarlett45, if you don’t mind my asking, what are you doing for exercise? Any programs/videos/routines you could recommend for someone inspired by your dedication and determination? 

[Turquoise]

21 hours ago, Jeeves said:

Omigosh, I'm glad you're okay - and back online. I have heard that the blast not only knocked a load of people offline, it's interrupted 911 service in many area towns and counties. There are no words . . . 

Yes, it knocked out 911 in Davidson Country (where Nashville is), and several surrounding counties. We don't have our phones through AT&T, so those were functioning fine. Some people didn't have phones either.
It could have been a lot worse, and it appears the bomber went out of his way to make sure no people were hurt. But it's still so pointless and sad. That section of town is filled with buildings from the 1800s. From what I have seen so far, several will not be repairable.

Edited December 29, 2020 by Turquoise
I noticed a typo...oopsie

[Scarlett45]

31 minutes ago, MargeGunderson said:

@Scarlett45, if you don’t mind my asking, what are you doing for exercise? Any programs/videos/routines you could recommend for someone inspired by your dedication and determination? 

No no I dont mind you asking! I got started in October doing Walk Away the Pounds videos on YouTube. Leslie Sansone is legendary in the WW (weight watchers) community and has been for YEARS for accessible exercise. Many of her workouts are on YouTube .I started with the two miles and moved up to the three miles. In November I signed up for Beachbody On Demand for a variety of workouts- it is $99 for an entire year. I have been working my way through the "Country Heat" dance routine (low impact version), doing each routine 3-4x a week and then moving onto the next routine (except for the last one, Trail Ride- because it was really hard and I wanted to master it, so im doing it for two weeks). They also have a beginner ab routine I am liking (its super hard though) to improve my core function.

Intellectually most fat people know how to lose weight, we know HOW to be in a calorie deficit, do we want to do that? NOOOOOO because eating is fun, but I need to do this. Weight loss is made in the kitchen, fitness is made in the gym. I find fitness intellectually much harder than weight loss. I do not like exercise, I don't like moving, Im a naturally sedentary person, but I do like cooking and vegetables and all that.

I do know when I get lighter exercise will be a lot easier. I lost 70lbs on WW back in college(I can get into that entire story later if anyone cares), so I know I can do it, I just need to be emotionally mature and do it.

[Love2dance]

@Scarlett45, I admire your determination! Motivation is what it is all about, especially during the pandemic. I try to do some exercise every day, starting with neck stretches to help prevent migraines. (It really helps me!) Then some front, back and side  leg lifts and light hand weights while the coffee is brewing. About 4-5 days a week I make myself lay down the exercise mat and do core stuff with an exercise ball and a combo of yoga/Pilates while I watch something fun and easy on TV like the Voice or Hamilton. And we walk, but not real far. But every day is a fight for the motivation to do it all. I miss my gym and gym rat buddies so much.

Keep up the good work, Scarlett! You got me to put down the mat today! 😉

[SunnyBeBe]

Yes, prime rib was on sale at the grocery store, but I would have bought it anyway.  I wanted to treat myself to something that I rarely have. Pardon the pun.  Since I have had limited variety in my diet since covid, I wanted to shake it up.  My mother prepared a ham, which none of us wanted or needed. My parents don’t need it for health reasons AND I don’t like it.  My brother doesn’t care.  I’m not sure why my mom can’t let go of preparing a ham.   This year she got gout the day after eating the ham.  We are all tired of poultry.  So, it was prime rib or meatloaf.  Lol. I also prepared shrimp, but it was not good at all.  It was frozen and nothing like fresh shrimp, imo.  I took the prime rib out so it was medium rare, but, other family members put theirs back in to cook it longer to a medium. 

Edited December 28, 2020 by SunnyBeBe

[Oldernowiser]

3 hours ago, Scarlett45 said:

Weight loss is made in the kitchen, fitness is made in the gym

I’ve never heard this before and it makes so much sense. Over the years I have generally been able to exercise hard enough to get away with a reasonably healthy diet but lots of it. Plus wine. Definitely wine. 🥂

But as I’ve gotten older I’m not going to be able to get away with that much longer because my joints are beginning to whine piteously. So you will be my new dietary  muse!

[emma675]

I try to find a balance between healthy eating, working out, and not depriving myself. Obviously it gets harder as I get older and metabolism slows down and things aren't as strong as they used to be (and having no thyroid doesn't help). I need to shake up my exercise routine next year. I swim, do weights, and sporadically do yoga, but I need more cardio. I think I'm going to start with some long walks first. My neighborhood is hilly and the winter weather in Texas is tolerable so I can be outside. I just hate typical work outs (like HIIT classes, dance fit, etc.), I have no rhythm and I get frustrated too easily. 

[SunnyBeBe]

I’m put to shame when I see this gentleman in the neighborhood who has suffered some serious health problems over that last several months, including heart surgery, walking around the cul de sac multiple times a day!  When I’m at home, I can do the same and when at my parents, I can drive to a place to walk. I’m not sure if the outdoor tracks are open or not, but there has to be some outdoor place that’s safe for me to walk.  I don’t make new year resolutions, but I will this year. 

[Temperance]

I consider anybody whose religion takes over their life to be fundie It doesn't matter what denomination, faith etc. I grew up Catholic, I've known plenty of Catholic fundies. 

[ChiCricket]

On 12/27/2020 at 6:41 PM, Mindthinkr said:

@zoomama I can’t imagine the worry you are feeling right now.
I hope they get the issue resolved very quickly for your husband 🙏🏻

@ChiCricket Happy Birthday 🎉 

@zoomama I'm sending good vibes to  you and your husband

@Mindthinkr, It was  @iwantcookies birthday...not mine 😊

       Now here's something dumb I did last night....I turned off my TV  in my bedroom, and  sleepily thought I laid the remote onto my bedside table. Then I promptly fell asleep. 

    When I woke up this morning, I saw that I had actually placed it into a full glass of water I had there!!   So that remote was soaking in that water for about 7 hours!🙄

Yes, I put it in rice, but in the meantime, I found a firestick remote app that's working just fine, so far.

But boy ...do I ever  feel stupid. 🤣.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       

💤

Edited December 29, 2020 by ChiCricket

[Jeeves]

@ChiCricket - I hope you didn't fatally drown that remote. But OMG is that EVER something I would do! I don't think I've done that exact thing, but sometimes, especially when I'm tired? I do crazy sh*t. 

For instance, the coffee.  I've taken to putting the coffee and filter in the basket of my Bunn coffeemaker, and setting a carafe of cold water on the (not powered on) warmer plate, at night. So first thing out of bed in the a.m., I just have to pour the cold water in, and by the time I wander around turning on lights and looking out the lanai windows at the waning moon - I have coffee.

Can you see what's coming? More than once, when prepping the coffeemaker at night? Instead of setting the carafe of water on the cold warming plate? I pour it right into the machine, so there I am, near bedtime, with a fresh pot of fully caffeinated coffee. **facepalm**

I have done this more. than. once. Most recently, last week. It was late and my mind was - not focused on the task. Muscle memory took over, I suppose.

I hate reheated coffee with the heat of a thousand suns. I always meekly discard the mistaken pots and start over with a fresh setup, and go to bed feeling foolish. 

Edited December 29, 2020 by Jeeves
words

[GeeGolly]

Oh goodness at mine and my husband's ages we could fill a book with funny (sometimes embarrassing) 'fails'.

A recent one was when I was on my cellphone talking with my husband. He was on his way home and we were weighing risks of getting a treat of Dunkin coffees. In the middle of the conversation I interrupt, mildly anxious, and tell husband I can't find my phone. I'm like, hang on let me check in the living room. I get to the living room and laugh. Husband's chuckles and asked if I found it. I can hardly stop laughing long enough to remind him that I'm talking on my phone.

BTW, we did get the Dunkin. Such a treat of something we had far more often, pre-pandemic.

[ginger90]

That’s happened to me with my cell phone. I’ll be getting ready to leave while talking on the phone. I grab my keys, and look all over for my cell. 🤦‍♀️

[iwantcookies]

Duncan coffee is terrible. So is Starbucks. Best coffee is in a deli near me. I don’t know what brand it is but it’s so smooth and delicious.  Mmm I buy it daily. He raised it $.50 Just this year. 
 

I fall asleep with my phone under my pillow. 

[Albanyguy]

7 hours ago, Temperance said:

I consider anybody whose religion takes over their life to be fundie It doesn't matter what denomination, faith etc. I grew up Catholic, I've known plenty of Catholic fundies. 

Oh, Lord, yes. I've known more than my share of Fundie Michelles (spaced-out mamas, popping out more babies than they can possibly handle and then dumping them on their older daughters ), Fundie Jills and Shreks (pious, self-righteous grifters) and Fundie Stevehovahs (dads who use the Church to keep their grown kids, especially their daughters, under their their thumb forever).

Edited December 29, 2020 by Albanyguy

[emma675]

2 hours ago, GeeGolly said:

BTW, we did get the Dunkin. Such a treat of something we had far more often, pre-pandemic

Yum, I miss Dunkin coffee. None of the Dunkins or Starbucks near me have drive thrus so I haven't been inside in forever. My little Keurig is okay, but there's nothing like having someone make a fancy coffee for you.

[Jeeves]

I like Dunkin coffee. Not enough to make a special trip for it, but I like it. I'm not a big fan of Starbucks coffee. I don't do fancy coffee drinks, just straight up coffee with some cream. I think the main Starbucks blend tastes burned, and I get why people load it up with additives, lol. Their Blonde roast is more to my liking.

I like coffee but I'm not a coffee snob, really, as long as it's freshly brewed. Stewed on a hotplate all day, or reheated? No thank you.

Here's the thing. People who know I like coffee - give me Starbucks gift cards. Although they have, I promise you, almost never seen me holding a Starbucks cup. Last year I collected the SB gift cards I'd accumulated; I had about forty bucks' worth. I made an effort to use them but I think I still had about half that left, and what with going NOWHERE this year, I sure haven't whittled down the balance. Annd - came this Christmas. And from the senior folks in the group where I've been working this temp job? A FIFTY dollar Starbucks gift card. **facepalm**

I finally got smart. I've been spending the SB gift card down by buying the Starbucks blonde roast coffee in packages, grinding the beans, and having that coffee each morning here at home. I had always pretty much ignored the Starbucks located inside my usual grocery store, but realized the other day when I walked past it, that I coulda bought my beans there instead of making a trip to a Starbucks store. Sweet! I still have balances remaining on those gift cards and now a reasonable plan to use them. 

[iwantcookies]

11 minutes ago, Jeeves said:

I like Dunkin coffee. Not enough to make a special trip for it, but I like it. I'm not a big fan of Starbucks coffee. I don't do fancy coffee drinks, just straight up coffee with some cream. I think the main Starbucks blend tastes burned, and I get why people load it up with additives, lol. Their Blonde roast is more to my liking.

I like coffee but I'm not a coffee snob, really, as long as it's freshly brewed. Stewed on a hotplate all day, or reheated? No thank you.

Here's the thing. People who know I like coffee - give me Starbucks gift cards. Although they have, I promise you, almost never seen me holding a Starbucks cup. Last year I collected the SB gift cards I'd accumulated; I had about forty bucks' worth. I made an effort to use them but I think I still had about half that left, and what with going NOWHERE this year, I sure haven't whittled down the balance. Annd - came this Christmas. And from the senior folks in the group where I've been working this temp job? A FIFTY dollar Starbucks gift card. **facepalm**

I finally got smart. I've been spending the SB gift card down by buying the Starbucks blonde roast coffee in packages, grinding the beans, and having that coffee each morning here at home. I had always pretty much ignored the Starbucks located inside my usual grocery store, but realized the other day when I walked past it, that I coulda bought my beans there instead of making a trip to a Starbucks store. Sweet! I still have balances remaining on those gift cards and now a reasonable plan to use them. 

Or you could buy a sandwich/salad. That’s what I bought when I got a gift card for Starbucks. 

[Jeeves]

3 minutes ago, iwantcookies said:

Or you could buy a sandwich/salad. That’s what I bought when I got a gift card for Starbucks. 

Good idea. I don't think of Starbucks as a place to get food but I know they have some. I think the kind they carry varies by location.

[GeeGolly]

41 minutes ago, iwantcookies said:

Duncan coffee is terrible. So is Starbucks. Best coffee is in a deli near me. I don’t know what brand it is but it’s so smooth and delicious.  Mmm I buy it daily. He raised it $.50 Just this year. 
 

I fall asleep with my phone under my pillow. 

30 minutes ago, emma675 said:

Yum, I miss Dunkin coffee. None of the Dunkins or Starbucks near me have drive thrus so I haven't been inside in forever. My little Keurig is okay, but there's nothing like having someone make a fancy coffee for you.

Starbucks is a bit strong for me. I'm a definite Dunkin girl. We have at least three drive-thru Dunkins within three miles of our home, going in different directions. I'm not fond of flavored coffee, but I do love the creamy sweetness of the whole cream Dunkin uses, which we don't use at home.

A few years back, my husband would stop at this one DD about twice a week, on his way home from work. He got pretty friendly with the workers and they knew him by his car and would often start getting the order ready before he even got to the speaker. Also, because he got us coffee so often, we would actually wash out our DD Styrofoam cups and use them as travel mugs in the morning. One night after coming home with coffee my husband excitedly (yes, he was excited, lol) told me about the extenders DD put on their trash cans, making them easier to reach, to throw out the recycled cups.

To make a long story even longer... one night when stopping for coffee he was getting a little impatient because no one was taking his order at the speaker. After what felt like a minute or two, he sees one of 'his' DD workers waving to him. He waves back. He speaks into the speaker, and still no one is there. He looks back into the store and now sees two of 'his' DD workers laughing hysterically and one waves him forward to the window. Husband was 'ordering' at the trashcan. 

 

[Zella]

I have had people gift me Starbucks cards. I. Don't. Drink. Coffee. But I'd usually take a friend with me (back in the pre-pandemic days), and I'd order tea or cocoa, depending on the weather, and something to eat, and friend would order coffee. It worked pretty well. 

[Oldernowiser]

I’m a fan of Starbucks pumpkin bread. It’s really just cake, but it ’s healthy because it has a vegetable in the name...right?

[GeeGolly]

24 minutes ago, Zella said:

I have had people gift me Starbucks cards. I. Don't. Drink. Coffee. But I'd usually take a friend with me (back in the pre-pandemic days), and I'd order tea or cocoa, depending on the weather, and something to eat, and friend would order coffee. It worked pretty well. 

I think that might be a sin. 🤣😉

[iwantcookies]

Until this year I loved pumpkin anything. I would buy out pumpkin everything in Trader Joe’s. This year I am over pumpkin. 
 

I went to see what I can get for after Xmas sale. Nothing good left. I used to get body wash sets not this year. Bummer. Trader Joe’s was empty too. I should have stayed home!!!

[Zella]

2 minutes ago, GeeGolly said:

I think that might be a sin. 🤣😉

It makes my family (who guzzles black coffee like there's no tomorrow) swear that I must have been egg-hatched and left on the door step! 🤣