Small Talk: The Prayer Closet

[andromeda331]

Happy Birthday @Westiepeach!

[Westiepeach]

1 hour ago, andromeda331 said:

Happy Birthday @Westiepeach!

Thank you!

7 hours ago, SunnyBeBe said:

HAPPY BIRTHDAY WESTIEPEACH!!!  🎂🌟🌷🥳

Thank you!

[Westiepeach]

7 hours ago, iwantcookies said:

Happy birthday 🎉 

Thank you!

7 hours ago, Jeeves said:

Happy birthday from me too, @Westiepeach!!  🌟

Thank you!

6 hours ago, Love2dance said:

I’m a little late getting on my computer today, but hope you had a great birthday, @Westiepeach! 🎂🎊💐🎉

 

Thank you!

5 hours ago, Temperance said:

Happy Birthday, @Westiepeach! 🎂

Thank you!

[BetyBee]

11 hours ago, ChiCricket said:

Come right over and get them...😂

No way! I quit doing the 4 letter C word (cook) after my five kids all left home (my last two, my sons, left in July 1998 to join the Marines together.) 

Since I got married at 17 (and had my first daughter 7¾  short months later😁) that was almost 30 years of figuring out what to cook  for 7 people 3 X  a day...

Also, I've never canned anything in my life, I'd probably give us both food poisoning.😜🤣

PS my two kids who live in Bensenville (Illinois) just just told me they heard a tornado siren there. (There is one town between us and them)

I can relate to being sick of cooking! After about 25 years of cooking for my family, I found that I was sick of buying/making the same old meals! I was also sick of paying bills. Mr. BB took over the bill paying and he does a lot of the cooking too. I did renew my interest in cooking somewhat when I got an Instant Pot. Now that we're retired, he does much the cooking and when I do it, it's because I want to and because I'm making something I'm good at making. Now that it's just the 2 of us, I got out my old Betty Crocker Cooking for 2 cookbook from when we were first married. Those meals have proved to be nostalgic winners!

ETA: HBD @Westiepeach!

Edited August 10, 2021 by BetyBee
Can't forget a Small Talker Birthday!

[Mindthinkr]

Darn it. I’m late. Sorry. 

🎉 Happy Belated Birthday 🎉 @Westiepeach

[Westiepeach]

9 minutes ago, BetyBee said:

ETA: HBD @Westiepeach!

Thank you!

4 minutes ago, Mindthinkr said:

Darn it. I’m late. Sorry. 

🎉 Happy Belated Birthday 🎉 @Westiepeach

Thank you!

[ginger90]

A belated happy birthday to you @Westiepeach !!

[Scarlett45]

Happy Belated Birthday @Westiepeach!

[Westiepeach]

26 minutes ago, ginger90 said:

A belated happy birthday to you @Westiepeach !!

Thank you!

13 minutes ago, Scarlett45 said:

Happy Belated Birthday @Westiepeach!

Thank you!

[Scarlett45]

Park Guy has been texting me this week. We are meeting at the Starbucks again for him to give me this "gift bag" full of the samples. I will report back on what it is, if he says anything interesting or if the evening is slightly entertaining. 

[Cinnabon]

1 hour ago, Scarlett45 said:

Park Guy has been texting me this week. We are meeting at the Starbucks again for him to give me this "gift bag" full of the samples. I will report back on what it is, if he says anything interesting or if the evening is slightly entertaining. 

What kind of samples again?

[Scarlett45]

11 minutes ago, Cinnabon said:

What kind of samples again?

"Plant based, home and beauty." He tried to recruit me to an MLM in an attempt to flirt. That was a FIRST for me.

[iwantcookies]

This is hilarious 

[iwantcookies]

1 hour ago, Scarlett45 said:

"Plant based, home and beauty." He tried to recruit me to an MLM in an attempt to flirt. That was a FIRST for me.

You should give him this 😂😂😂. Omg I bet it’s plexus. 

[Scarlett45]

That is so funny! When I get home from this shin dig I will have to break down my watermelon, do the dishes (I may do those before I shower though), prep my lunch for tomorrow (in the office tomorrow)- but I will let you guys know what happens.

[jcbrown]

Happy belated birthday, @Westiepeach!

Re.: tomatoes When I was a kid my parents had a huge garden and massively overproduced tomatoes. My little sister and I filled our radio flyer wagon with them and pulled it through the mobile home park my dad managed, selling them door to door for 10 cents each (it would have been the early 70s). We got to keep the money! That was my favorite thing about homegrown tomatoes as a kid.

[Westiepeach]

1 hour ago, jcbrown said:

Happy belated birthday, @Westiepeach!

Thank you!

[Scarlett45]

Friends- I am back from Starbucks. 
These are the gifts I got from Park Guy. I guess the MLM is Amway. 
 

it was storming badly so I didn’t get my watermelon😒.

 

We chatted for about an hour. I do like the rubber duck. 
 

He didn’t offer me any sort of refreshment or make plans to go out for another activity. He did walk me to my car with his umbrella to keep me dry.

[iwantcookies]

Park Guy has an unique way to get people to join his MLM.  Join MLM or maybe get a significant other in the process. I like his hustle. 

[Love2dance]

@Scarlett45 so, are you in love? 🤣😆😂

 

[ChiCricket]

 Most of my granddaughter's football team (high school) is in quarantine as of today. This was only their second day of school.

(Did I mention she's the only girl who tried out and and made the team?) 

 But she's vaccinated, so she and a couple of others who are also vaxxed don't have to quarantine, I guess?

(my daughter wasn't too clear , she was getting dinner ready when I called, and was distracted.)

Btw, I was not happy when my son played football back in the day, and I'm not happy now that my granddaughter is playing it. (I think it's too violent.)

But I know many people love it.

 My son never knew I hated it, (I went to all his games)'and my granddaughter won't either.  

But...guess who dislocated her shoulder playing football during their practice a couple of days ago? 😕

Yep. my granddaughter.  (my daughter only told me today)

She has an MRI scheduled tomorrow morning at 6am.

I thought I'd share a post my daughter made a couple of weeks ago about her....after seeing this, how could I pee on their parade? 🙃

Ps. Happy belated birthday @Westiepeach !

Edited August 11, 2021 by ChiCricket

[Scarlett45]

6 hours ago, Love2dance said:

@Scarlett45 so, are you in love? 🤣😆😂

 

Maybe with the rubber ducky. 
 

For the record- I don’t think he’s a man of poor character or anything. He is nice, but no. 

[Scarlett45]

@ChiCricket you are a wonderful grandmother. 

[zoomama]

@ChiCricket you are a better grandparent than i am. i flat out said 'no football' for my grands. so far, there has not been any either. i support soccer and baseball, cheer and gymnastics, track and field but not football. it IS a dangerous sport with many injuries to the brain not even showing up until much later. 

[ginger90]

So, my youngest daughter, her husband, and one of my grandsons flew from Alabama to DC today. They’re connecting flight home was just cancelled and I’m nervous for them. I think I may be in mother mode big time. 🤔

[ChiCricket]

8 hours ago, zoomama said:

@ChiCricket you are a better grandparent than i am. i flat out said 'no football' for my grands. so far, there has not been any either. i support soccer and baseball, cheer and gymnastics, track and field but not football. it IS a dangerous sport with many injuries to the brain not even showing up until much later. 

I had no say in my son  playing (unless I would have divorced my husband way back then.)

I agree...way too violent!

Why couldn't she do soccer or tennis or something?! She used to do competitive gymnastics, for years and years, which also gave me agita. But then she hurt/tore something in her knee/leg, and that ended that, thank goodness.

if I didn't know about the long term injuries to the brain back when my son played (only for one season) I sure know it now.

(And you can't tell me her physican father doesn't know either😢.) 

But he's obsessed with football, and is all for it. 

I don't understand how he can compartmentalize  his medical knowledge from his concern for his daughter.😱

I can only secretly  agonize from afar...not my circus not my monkey, you know.🙃

That's not to say I didn't give her mom (my daughter) an earful about my concerns..but I asked her not to tell A I said anything...because she was determined to do it anyway.

Am I a bad grandma to hope she hurt her shoulder just enough to keep her benched? 🤔 (results of MRI tomorrow)

SSB (sorry so blabby 🙃)

 

 

Edited August 12, 2021 by ChiCricket

[iwantcookies]

When you go to the doctor do the staff/doctors wear masks?

[GeeGolly]

1 hour ago, iwantcookies said:

When you go to the doctor do the staff/doctors wear masks?

Depends on where you live, what kind of medical office it is and the staff's location and duties. There's not much consistency in my state and the neighboring state from what I hear from friends.

Fortunately where I go, everyone wears masks.

[Liddy52]

2 hours ago, iwantcookies said:

When you go to the doctor do the staff/doctors wear masks?

Yes they do and they also require patients to wear them. 

[Turquoise]

3 hours ago, iwantcookies said:

When you go to the doctor do the staff/doctors wear masks?

I work for a hospital group, and right now the rule is all employees must wear masks, even the ones not patient-facing (like me, I'm an accountant). Corporate employees can take theirs off in their cubes, but have to wear them any time they leave their desk. The vast majority of my department is full remote, but if we ever have to run by the office we have to wear them.

[zoomama]

13 hours ago, ChiCricket said:

 

Am I a bad grandma to hope she hurt her shoulder just enough to keep her benched? 🤔 (results of MRI tomorrow)

SSB (sorry so blabby 🙃)

 

 

 

 

nope!!! i would be hoping same BECAUSE i care about my grandkids best interest, even if they dont/cant understand that right now. 

6 hours ago, iwantcookies said:

When you go to the doctor do the staff/doctors wear masks?

yes. my medical group requires we all wear masks.  on the topic of masks, has the uptick in covid related illness caused anyone to rethink and start wearing their mask everywhere again?

 

[Jeeves]

8 minutes ago, zoomama said:

yes. my medical group requires we all wear masks.  on the topic of masks, has the uptick in covid related illness caused anyone to rethink and start wearing their mask everywhere again?

My HMO requires patients and visitors to wear masks in their facilities as well as staff of course.

And, I've started wearing my mask again in public indoor places. Which for me is mainly stores, and the post office, and the public library. I've been fully vaccinated since late February but this variant (or, as I tend to call it, "the #&@^ Deviant") is IMO nothing to f*ck around with. I don't worry about dying from COVID at this time, but I would very much NOT want to get sick with it. At all. Or transmit it to someone unknowingly. 

[crazycatlady58]

12 minutes ago, zoomama said:

nope!!! i would be hoping same BECAUSE i care about my grandkids best interest, even if they dont/cant understand that right now. 

yes. my medical group requires we all wear masks.  on the topic of masks, has the uptick in covid related illness caused anyone to rethink and start wearing their mask everywhere again?

 

I have been wearing my mask even though I have been vaccinated.  I was considering now wearing when I went to the store but ..no, in fact I have started getting my groceries delivered again. Part of that is the uptick in the virus the other part is the heat. I live in Tx and ot is HOT. My 9 am we have a heat index of 99° and it just gets worse. It will not cool down till mid September. 

[ozziemom]

I live in Florida and we never stopped wearing a mask at indoor places. We also only seem to go to doctors appointments and a few stores, no restaurants except for takeout. All the medical facilities require masks. Taking this variant seriously. We were vaccinated back in February but I don’t want to get sick and Ozziedad has too many health issues already. 

[Absolom]

23 minutes ago, zoomama said:

yes. my medical group requires we all wear masks.  on the topic of masks, has the uptick in covid related illness caused anyone to rethink and start wearing their mask everywhere again?

I never stopped.  My opinion was we were removing masks prematurely.  Some days I'd rather have been wrong.

[peppergal]

I was wearing a mask indoors in public 99.9% of the time anyway.  The only exception I can think of is earlier in the summer, at the spa, in the room alone with my also vaccinated therapist I would take it off (but wear it the rest of the time during the visit).  I won't even do that now. 

My workplace has also done an about face on the return to the office.  Over the last few weeks it went from:

We will re-open the offices to everyone after labor day, unvaccinated people must wear masks at all times, to

We will re-open the offices to everyone after labor day, everyone who comes in must be vaccinated, to

After labor day anyone who comes on site must be vaccinated and masked, we will continue to restrict onsite access to those that require physical access to equipment, management approval is required to access the site, and will be limited to the minimum amount of time required to accomplish the task for which approval is granted.  All others are to continue working remotely until further notice. 

 

Here's the thing that really gets me.  I have a vaccinated family member that likely picked up covid at a senior center that does not require masks.  We are almost positive it was there because this family member does not go out anywhere else, and the entire rest of the family went and got tested and were all negative, so are unlikely to have been the source of infection.  We informed the facility of the test results and illness, and they claimed that because the CDC does not require quarantine for vaccinated individuals that are exposed to an infected person, they did not need to inform the rest of their patrons that they may have been exposed.  Technically by the letter of the law, they are probably correct, but he was there while he was infected, and my opinion says their other patrons should have at least been given the information that they may have been exposed so they could decide for themselves their course of action. 

[lookeyloo]

1 hour ago, zoomama said:

nope!!! i would be hoping same BECAUSE i care about my grandkids best interest, even if they dont/cant understand that right now. 

yes. my medical group requires we all wear masks.  on the topic of masks, has the uptick in covid related illness caused anyone to rethink and start wearing their mask everywhere again?

 

We never stopped wearing masks. Vaccinated since end of February. I’m going to wear a mask on an airplane for the rest of my flying days. I know a lot of you won’t/don’t fly but we still do. 

[Jeeves]

Hi, Small Talk friends. For a few weeks now I've been occasionally divesting some of my books and DVDs. Not that I have a lot of DVDs but I do have plenty of books (not as crazy-big a bunch as I used to have). I've taken a few boxes of books and DVDs as donations to our public library in the last month or so.

Yesterday I ramped that up. I decided to get radical and consider pulling ALL the books off the shelves and operating with a presumption against putting a book back unless I can articulate a reason to keep it. I haven't gone quite that far yet -  but there are already three more boxes of books packed last night, and ready to go out the door right now.

I've really gone into e-books in a big way since 2008. I spent some time last week going through my Kindle book library. I organized things into collections, and deleted many titles I didn't like or knew i'd never want to read again. That leaves me with more stuff that I'll ever read in my lifetime anyway. 🤣

So, in deciding on keeping physical books, I was wavering about a series of crime novels that I've enjoyed. I went to some pains to find all of them, because they were mostly published only in the UK. I was going to donate all of them anyway - and then out of curiosity searched the author's name on Amazon. WOO HOO!! Fifteen of the eighteen novels in the series are available to US readers as Kindle books! And even better, they are available in three combined "sets" of five books each, for only $8 per set. So I grabbed the Kindle sets and will only keep the three books that aren't available on Kindle. 

Now I'm off to donate those boxes. I'm liking the idea of nearly bare bookshelves and looking forward to continuing this divestment project.

[Cinnabon]

8 hours ago, iwantcookies said:

When you go to the doctor do the staff/doctors wear masks?

If they don’t, I’m finding a new doctor. I expect them to be vaccinated as well (and their staff).

1 hour ago, Absolom said:

I never stopped.  My opinion was we were removing masks prematurely.  Some days I'd rather have been wrong.

Same. I have never stopped wearing mine. I’m used to it at this point!

[Rootbeer]

1 hour ago, Cinnabon said:

If they don’t, I’m finding a new doctor. I expect them to be vaccinated as well (and their staff).

Same. I have never stopped wearing mine. I’m used to it at this point!

I work in a medical office that is free-standing, not attached to a hospital, and we do not care for COVID patients per se here (any COVID patient who was seen here was not seen for COVID and had not been diagnosed before being seen here).  We have required masks for all personnel and patients since a year ago last spring.  There are signs in the lobby and on every elevator telling people that they must wear a mask.  There are also hand sanitizer dispensers as you enter the floor from both the elevator and the stairs.  There are signs hanging up that tell people that no visitors under the age of 18 may accompany a patient and that only one visitor allowed on the floor unless the patient has specific medical need for more help.

And, yet, we have to tell multiple people daily to put on a mask.  Multiple people daily show up in the waiting area hauling their young kids with them, often more than one small child.  Multiple people every day show up with an entourage-kids, parents, spouses, boyfriends, girlfriends, acquaintances, and expect them to be welcomed into the office and exam rooms, the largest of which is about 12 x 12 feet.  And, when anyone questions this; they are greeted with shock, disbelief and general nastiness as though rules were for OTHER people.  And, no JLo is not a patient here.  Beyonce isn't, either.  Just a lot of people who think they are extra special super exceptional.  You think you're tired of COVID?  Go ask a healthcare provider how they feel about it.

BTW, every single person working in this office has been vaccinated, including the cleaning people and people who work in offices and don't have direct patient contact.  Every single one of us wears a mask, all day, every day.  Every single one of us washes or sanitizes our hands at least a dozen times in an 8 hour shift.  We are tired!

Edited August 12, 2021 by Rootbeer

[Cinnabon]

3 hours ago, Rootbeer said:

I work in a medical office that is free-standing, not attached to a hospital, and we do not care for COVID patients per se here (any COVID patient who was seen here was not seen for COVID and had not been diagnosed before being seen here).  We have required masks for all personnel and patients since a year ago last spring.  There are signs in the lobby and on every elevator telling people that they must wear a mask.  There are also hand sanitizer dispensers as you enter the floor from both the elevator and the stairs.  There are signs hanging up that tell people that no visitors under the age of 18 may accompany a patient and that only one visitor allowed on the floor unless the patient has specific medical need for more help.

And, yet, we have to tell multiple people daily to put on a mask.  Multiple people daily show up in the waiting area hauling their young kids with them, often more than one small child.  Multiple people every day show up with an entourage-kids, parents, spouses, boyfriends, girlfriends, acquaintances, and expect them to be welcomed into the office and exam rooms, the largest of which is about 12 x 12 feet.  And, when anyone questions this; they are greeted with shock, disbelief and general nastiness as though rules were for OTHER people.  And, no JLo is not a patient here.  Beyonce isn't, either.  Just a lot of people who think they are extra special super exceptional.  You think you're tired of COVID?  Go ask a healthcare provider how they feel about it.

BTW, every single person working in this office has been vaccinated, including the cleaning people and people who work in offices and don't have direct patient contact.  Every single one of us wears a mask, all day, every day.  Every single one of us washes or sanitizes our hands at least a dozen times in an 8 hour shift.  We are tired!

I bet you are. I have had it with these people. Quit crying and wear your damn masks and get vaccinated so we can get past this.

[GeeGolly]

I have psych prescriber friends and some therapists who will do sessions maskless if the client is vaxxed, in their private practices, but everyone is masked coming in and going out.

I've been in a store maskless - once - in the past year and a half. It was during a period of time when things were looking good. We're back to masking up, and many stores are requiring their staff to wear masks. We are also back to grocery shopping during senior hours - 7am and my husband hates the early time. We decided to scrap our plan of doing weekends of outdoor restaurant dining. I haven't dined at a restaurant since February of 2020.

If we can get through this delta variant without another mutation maybe we'll see the dim shine of a light at the end of this tunnel.

[awaken]

8 hours ago, Rootbeer said:

And, yet, we have to tell multiple people daily to put on a mask.  Multiple people daily show up in the waiting area hauling their young kids with them, often more than one small child.  Multiple people every day show up with an entourage-kids, parents, spouses, boyfriends, girlfriends, acquaintances, and expect them to be welcomed into the office and exam rooms, the largest of which is about 12 x 12 feet.  And, when anyone questions this; they are greeted with shock, disbelief and general nastiness as though rules were for OTHER people.  And, no JLo is not a patient here.  Beyonce isn't, either.  Just a lot of people who think they are extra special super exceptional.  You think you're tired of COVID?  Go ask a healthcare provider how they feel about it.

BTW, every single person working in this office has been vaccinated, including the cleaning people and people who work in offices and don't have direct patient contact.  Every single one of us wears a mask, all day, every day.  Every single one of us washes or sanitizes our hands at least a dozen times in an 8 hour shift.  We are tired!

Co-sign all of this!! I have the same situation in my medical office. Because we work with infants, we’ve had strict protocols from the beginning. Yet daily we have people who think THEIR situation is different and special so they try to bend the rules. Each time it’s a totally normal circumstance and nothing out of the ordinary that would require a special accommodation. It really puts healthcare providers in a difficult situation when people push rules put in place for their and our safety. I feel harsh sometimes having to enforce it but mad at people for trying to get around it. 

[SunnyBeBe]

After being fully vaxxed, I had two consultations where we didn’t wear masks, because we were all vaxed, but then the upsurge. Now, clients and I mask, we sit at opposite ends of long conference table and I have an air purifier between us on a side table.  Ceilings are high and air is running.  Afterwards I disinfect table and chairs and Lysol the room. I disinfect door knobs and bathroom if they used it.  I make no apologies and hope they are happy I care enough to do it. I’ve returned to wearing my mask in the office at all times.  Courts have resumed masks in full force.     

Edited August 13, 2021 by SunnyBeBe

[Cinnabon]

9 hours ago, SunnyBeBe said:

After being fully vaxxed, I had two consultations where we didn’t wear masks, because we were all vaxed, but then the upsurge. Now, clients and I mask, we sit at opposite ends of long conference table and I have an air purifier between us on a side table.  Ceilings are high and air is running.  Afterwards I disinfect table and chairs and Lysol the room. I disinfect door knobs and bathroom if they used it.  I make no apologies and hope they are happy I care enough to do it. I’ve returned to wearing my mask in the office at all times.  Courts have resumed masks in full force.     

The air purifier is a great addition.

[SunnyBeBe]

I’ve read certain kinds can help. I hope it’s true.  I think I may go to televisits only for a while.  
 

I got impulsive and ordered these shoes today.  It’s a risk, but this is the only brand shoe I buy.  Good price.  I think today only.

 

https://www.qvc.com/Vionic-Mesh-Slip-On-Athletic-Mules---Zuri.product.A399302.html?sc=TSV&TZ=EST

[ChiCricket]

36 minutes ago, SunnyBeBe said:

I’ve read certain kinds can help. I hope it’s true.  I think I may go to televisits only for a while.  
 

I got impulsive and ordered these shoes today.  It’s a risk, but this is the only brand shoe I buy.  Good price.  I think today only.

 

https://www.qvc.com/Vionic-Mesh-Slip-On-Athletic-Mules---Zuri.product.A399302.html?sc=TSV&TZ=EST

Cute shoes.

[Jeeves]

1 hour ago, BitterApple said:

With regards to covid, are people still staying at home? I'm in Las Vegas and while our governor put the mask mandate back in place, no one is really social distancing anymore. 

I brought this over from I think the Joy/Austin topic. 

I don't think people are staying home, certainly not like we were during the serious shutdown phase last year. But I think that once they are out and about about, in some places people are keeping their distance more than they did before. But not everywhere. Sigh.

I'm in Denver. Last week I was talking to someone who was just back home here, from visiting a sibling who now lives in Las Vegas. She commented that she'd noticed a definite lack of social distancing in LV.

But here in our area, in most stores and other public places, the norm both of us are experiencing, is that we tend not to crowd up on each other, such as in checkout lines.  We keep more distance between us than we did before the pandemic even if there aren't six foot lengths marked off on the floors. And the other morning at the Post Office, people in line were observing the six foot distances although nobody was telling us we had to. I was out wandering around our Botanic Gardens last week, and it seemed that most people left a bit of distance between themselves (or their little group) and others (or other groups). Especially when coming to a stop to look at something. Not too many "pileups," lol.

ETA: @SunnyBeBe - cute shoes indeed!

Edited August 13, 2021 by Jeeves

[BetyBee]

I saw my older sister yesterday for the first time in 17 months - in person! She only lives an hour away and we've all been vaxxed for months. Somehow we didn't get around to it until yesterday. We had such a nice visit, including IRL hugs! 

We wear masks anyplace indoors - never really stopped. We don't go out a lot. I think we may be in for another shutdown. If so, we'll deal with it. I think about unvaxxed children all the time. We have to be careful for their sakes! Even when I'm on my walks outdoors, I steer clear of kids. I can't believe the world we're leaving them 😓

[sixlets]

Happy Belated Birthday Wishes!!

Sunny-I love the shoes you chose.  They kinda look like they have cat faces on the top, too.

I have a good thought/prayer request for Mr. Six & I.  I can't go into specifics right now, so I need to keep it unspoken for the time being time.  I will say, I feel like my mental health is feeling threatened at the present.  I'm just not doing well.  Please know, I am physically safe, not in harm's way, and my husband has been amazing through it all.  I just need some time to work through some things, and everything should be handled by mid-September.  Thank you all.  We both truly appreciate it.