Small Talk: The Prayer Closet

[GeeGolly]

Goodness, I wouldn't want to rehab an ambulance for an RV. Not because of germs, but more because of the trauma and deaths that occur in them.

[oliviabenson]

How long did your fridge last before it broke down? 
 

 

[Minivanessa]

I'm sitting in my hotel room at almost bedtime, catching up on the forum posts. Feeling sorta smug, in light of the discussions of foot hygiene that have been going on over in the Forsyth topic and here. I've just finished washing my feets, exfoliating 'em, slathering them with Vaseline, and slipping them into white socks. I brought the stuff with me - well, I forgot the foot file so this afternoon I bought a much better one at Boots - knowing that I'd want to do this a few times during my trip. I'm not sure it's going to be sandals-in-public weather while I'm here, though I brought a pair, but at least I've been taking care of my foot biz. Even had a pedicure just before I left on the trip. 

I'm enjoying my trip, not doing anything all that fabulous. Just seeing some sights, wandering a bit, and enjoying just being in these places so far from home and what I'm used to. I can't believe I've been here two weeks already. I arrived in London today. I'll firm up my London itinerary now that I'm here; the only scheduled item so far is a tour of Westminster Abbey. It's been a few years since I was there and I want to see it again. I'm also overdue, IMO, for another visit to the Tower of London. The weather is nice - I'm so happy about that! No rain and mild temps. 

[Scarlett45]

I wanted to share some fun news with you all. I had to cancel my March 2022 trip to Morocco because of the Covid restrictions in place when final payment was due. 
 

This year I had other trips planned, so it didn’t fit, BUT I rebooked for end of Feb 2024!! I am so excited to go (I still had my travel funds so I just owed my trip insurance and a few hundred more)- the flight is the biggest thing, they have me connecting twice (Chicago to Boston to Paris to Casablanca) and even as the worlds best flier connecting twice makes me frown but it will be such a great time. 
 

The trip is only a week which is the longest I feel comfortable leaving, I don’t want to put too much pressure on my sister’s caregiver (who also cares for Cosmo while I’m away). 
 

I have some books on my list I want to read before I go, but I’m so excited. 
 

[oliviabenson]

I asked 2 people I know do they think Dave is a hunk. Both said no.

[Iguessnot]

On 6/1/2023 at 5:35 PM, oliviabenson said:

I asked 2 people I know do they think Dave is a hunk. Both said no.

Reminds me of the movie Ghost. Whoopie is running her seance swindle and tells woman how handsome her husband is. The woman states that her husband was not a handsome man. 

This is a lesson Jill should learn. Her husband might be the apple of her eye, but she comes off as suspect when she constantly declares he's so handsome. 

Come to think of it, it's a mindset she shares with current generation. The emperor has no clothes, from both extremes.

[Scarlett45]

My roomba (or more accurately a Samsung robot vacuum) arrived yesterday. My mom was socializing with her friends and they dropped it off when they brought her home. 
 

I ran it today during work, I felt like a little kid -this thing is AMAZING! I wonder how long it will take before it really learns the house?

Cosmo & Cavendish don’t care, Lady Reese has opinions. It just sucks up all the hair and dust, I walked in this evening after hunting for new evening shoes (wedding in July, my first since 2019!), and thought “my floors are so clean!”

 

Edited to add- this is my first wedding since 2019. Between 2008-19 I had about 3-5 weddings a year, then the pandemic. My best guy friend eloped end of 2022, so I didn’t have a wedding on my radar for awhile. 

[wilsie]

14 hours ago, Scarlett45 said:

My roomba (or more accurately a Samsung robot vacuum) arrived yesterday. My mom was socializing with her friends and they dropped it off when they brought her home. 
 

I ran it today during work, I felt like a little kid -this thing is AMAZING! I wonder how long it will take before it really learns the house?

Cosmo & Cavendish don’t care, Lady Reese has opinions. It just sucks up all the hair and dust, I walked in this evening after hunting for new evening shoes (wedding in July, my first since 2019!), and thought “my floors are so clean!”

 

Edited to add- this is my first wedding since 2019. Between 2008-19 I had about 3-5 weddings a year, then the pandemic. My best guy friend eloped end of 2022, so I didn’t have a wedding on my radar for awhile. 

They really are awesome.  I have an old one and it still works well.  Cosmo is as always adorable! I'm glad he and Cavendish are accepting of this new noisy thing.  And that Lady Reese finds her peace with it.

[Scarlett45]

3 minutes ago, wilsie said:

They really are awesome.  I have an old one and it still works well.  Cosmo is as always adorable! I'm glad he and Cavendish are accepting of this new noisy thing.  And that Lady Reese finds her peace with it.

She doesn’t hiss or anything, but she looks at it as if it doesn’t belong. I’ll try to get more pictures of the pets observing it. 

This was such a a generous gift! So my mom’s friend/the husband are kind of “cheap”, so I was so surprised 1. They hadn’t tried to see it second hand, 2. They were just willing to gift it to me!

 

and looking at these pictures I’ve posted I am a little mortified how much DIRT accumulated on my baseboards!!! Ewwww. I deserve a flogging. 
 

I swear cleaning never ends! Although now that my new job is 2 days in office rather than 3, that saves me at least 2hrs a week commuting, more time to handle chores. 

The 6 months it was just Blake and I (June 2020-Jan 2021) my house was spotless. 

[wilsie]

1 minute ago, Scarlett45 said:

She doesn’t hiss or anything, but she looks at it as if it doesn’t belong. I’ll try to get more pictures of the pets observing it. 

This was such a a generous gift! So my mom’s friend/the husband are kind of “cheap”, so I was so surprised 1. They hadn’t tried to see it second hand, 2. They were just willing to gift it to me!

 

and looking at these pictures I’ve posted I am a little mortified how much DIRT accumulated on my baseboards!!! Ewwww. I deserve a flogging. 
 

I swear cleaning never ends! Although now that my new job is 2 days in office rather than 3, that saves me at least 2hrs a week commuting, more time to handle chores. 

The 6 months it was just Blake and I (June 2020-Jan 2021) my house was spotless. 

I wouldn't have noticed. Baseboards get dusty so quickly and your floor looks great!

[SunnyBeBe]

43 minutes ago, wilsie said:

I wouldn't have noticed. Baseboards get dusty so quickly and your floor looks great!

It’s my least favorite chore….I hate it. My SIL pays someone to regularly come in and clean her baseboards, handrails, window sills, etc.    Of course, she can justify it, with her large house.  

[zoomama]

on a different note, i just got back from driving to las cruces, new mexico to meet my girls and pick up the grandkids --- over 700 miles one way through the desert. left on friday morning and home late last night on sunday. had my first blowout so got the experience of sitting on the side of the highway for 2 hours in the morning heat (luckily as it got up to 105 later in the day) waiting for AAA to come help me.  another 2 hours at a tire store and i was back on the road again. really set my day back but luckily it was the short day of driving. we drove all the way home yesterday in one trip and it was LONG! thankfully, God protected us and we had no traffic at all, no issues except lots of road trash to avoid. today, we are chilling and doing laundry. will be watching parts 3 and 4 of the documentary later this week when our house-guest gets back. gonna be a busy month!

[lookeyloo]

Maybe not the right topic, but, where is the thread for Shiny Happy People?  I don't see it in my topic listings. Am I having a senior moment?

[Absolom]

It was moved.

You can navigate to where you read last from there.

 

[lookeyloo]

21 minutes ago, Absolom said:

It was moved.

You can navigate to where you read last from there.

 

Thanks!!!!

[Zella]

32 minutes ago, GeeGolly said:

So hard, we buy the same planner every single year, lol.

Same! I buy the same one each year every December for the following year. 😄

Edited June 5, 2023 by Zella

[GeeGolly]

Just now, Zella said:

Same! I buy the same one each year every December. 😄

Makes life so much easier. No thinking involved.

[SunnyBeBe]

6 hours ago, zoomama said:

on a different note, i just got back from driving to las cruces, new mexico to meet my girls and pick up the grandkids --- over 700 miles one way through the desert. left on friday morning and home late last night on sunday. had my first blowout so got the experience of sitting on the side of the highway for 2 hours in the morning heat (luckily as it got up to 105 later in the day) waiting for AAA to come help me.  another 2 hours at a tire store and i was back on the road again. really set my day back but luckily it was the short day of driving. we drove all the way home yesterday in one trip and it was LONG! thankfully, God protected us and we had no traffic at all, no issues except lots of road trash to avoid. today, we are chilling and doing laundry. will be watching parts 3 and 4 of the documentary later this week when our house-guest gets back. gonna be a busy month!

Omg, glad you’re ok.  It’s been many years since driving through a desert.  Were you scared waiting by the road?  Snakes….both those slithering and those on 2 feet would have made me nervous.   Glad it worked out.  Seven hundred one way!  Man, I don’t think I’d be up for that.  

Edited June 5, 2023 by SunnyBeBe

[CalicoKitty]

Thunder and rain AGAIN today.  We had scattered thunder storms and rain last week, and will have more all of this week.  It was a glorious bright sunny day this morning with a bright blue sky, and now it is gray with the wind really picking up.  I guess the hard rain storm will be here soon.  We had so much snow this past winter that there are flood watches very often.  All this rain is not helping.  Everyone I know is having bad allergies this Spring because of all the moisture.  And--there has been a bear sighting in my area.  Since I moved her almost 3 years ago I have experienced forest fire, earthquake, record snow, flood and pestilence. I can hardly wait to see what is next!  (No bears on my porch, please). But all is forgiven by the beautiful mountains and the friendly people.  I really do love it here.

[SunnyBeBe]

We (NC) are being advised to stay inside tomorrow due to fire smoke coming from TN! And, we are in the middle of the state!  Not close to TN.   Anyone in TN?  

[GeeGolly]

23 minutes ago, SunnyBeBe said:

We (NC) are being advised to stay inside tomorrow due to fire smoke coming from TN! And, we are in the middle of the state!  Not close to TN.   Anyone in TN?  

Not in TN, but here in New England we've been getting the smoke from Canada for a few days. Today the sky was like a peachy orange. Smells like burning plastic too. They're saying it should be gone by the morning. It gives me all kinds of respect to folks in the CA area!

Edited June 7, 2023 by GeeGolly

[oliviabenson]

I’m in NY and it stinks of smoke. Maybe it’s me???

 

and look at the sky. It’s gray.

[GeeGolly]

[ginger90]

It cooled down nicely this evening. I was out for about 15 minutes and had to come back in. Had the start of a headache, and thought nope. There were fire calls all over here. Most were not actual fires, but people calling in about the smoke. We have an air quality warning until tomorrow night, as of now.

[CalicoKitty]

I feel so sorry for all of you with smoke.  I lived through that a couple of summers ago, and I know it is no fun.  We had actual ash falling. 

I found that an air purifier really helped.  I have a small Levoit and a large Conway, and they really did their job.  Even with all the windows closed smoke still seems to get in.  Everyone, stay safe.

[GeeGolly]

NYC last night.

[Minivanessa]

Hi Small Talkers! I got home last night from my 3 week trip to the UK. Safe, but a little worried about what I may have been exposed to on the 9 hour flight home. It was replete with coughing people. Including the woman sitting in the row behind me who every few minutes broke out into serious coughing spells. As in, was she gonna cough up a lung? And she didn't bother much to cover her mouth. Her hubs also chimed in with his own occasional coughs. Not to mention others seated in our section of the plane. In hindsight I wish I'd grabbed a mask out of my carryon bag to wear for at least some self-protection. So, my bad for that.

Anyway I boarded the plane with sniffles and congestion (not COVID, I tested negative that morning), and by the time I got home I was coughing when I talked at length. I just hope no additional bad germs have infested me. Don't need 'em! Don't want 'em!

I think I'll keep myself to myself, as the Brits say, for a few days in case I caught something nasty. Not isolation, but I'll probably mask up in stores and not go visiting folks just yet. When I got home I couldn't wait to get all cleaned up. Shower. Shampooed hair. Teefs brushed, followed by a gargle with hydrogen peroxide. Saline nasal rinse. Probably too little too late, but I hope I took fewer nasty microorganisms to bed with me than I came home with.

And, I gotta get out and about. The fridge is of course empty of perishables. My eight year old Sonicare toothbrush, faithful servant at home and abroad - died in Birmingham. I've ordered a new one, to pick up later today at Best Buy. And this morning, my good old Fitbit, I think 4 years old, just fell apart when I took the band off to clean it all up. I've ordered a replacement from Amazon, to be picked up in a couple of days. 

The trip was - fine. A welcome break from my so-called life. I had pretty good luck with weather, and except for one taxi driver in Birmingham, encountered people who were helpful, kind, funny, interesting, and generally a credit to the human species. Saw many interesting things, some for the first time, others as revisits. 

And, I was ready to come home by the last day or two. That's a good trip - happy to go and ready to come home at the end. 

[Nysha]

Jeeves, I hope you feel bright as a new penny without any extra airplane germs today.  I'm glad your vacation was fun.

 

[Mindthinkr]

15 hours ago, SunnyBeBe said:

We (NC) are being advised to stay inside tomorrow due to fire smoke coming from TN! And, we are in the middle of the state!  Not close to TN.   Anyone in TN?  

I’m on the coast and I can smell smoke. Usually ocean breezes keep our air quality good, but it can’t compete with these levels of pollution. 

[oliviabenson]

I’m so relieved that shakira is not dating Tom Cruise lol. Girl stay away from him.

[dariafan]

1 hour ago, Jeeves said:

Hi Small Talkers! I got home last night from my 3 week trip to the UK. Safe, but a little worried about what I may have been exposed to on the 9 hour flight home. It was replete with coughing people. Including the woman sitting in the row behind me who every few minutes broke out into serious coughing spells. As in, was she gonna cough up a lung? And she didn't bother much to cover her mouth. Her hubs also chimed in with his own occasional coughs. Not to mention others seated in our section of the plane. In hindsight I wish I'd grabbed a mask out of my carryon bag to wear for at least some self-protection. So, my bad for that.

Anyway I boarded the plane with sniffles and congestion (not COVID, I tested negative that morning), and by the time I got home I was coughing when I talked at length. I just hope no additional bad germs have infested me. Don't need 'em! Don't want 'em!

I think I'll keep myself to myself, as the Brits say, for a few days in case I caught something nasty. Not isolation, but I'll probably mask up in stores and not go visiting folks just yet. When I got home I couldn't wait to get all cleaned up. Shower. Shampooed hair. Teefs brushed, followed by a gargle with hydrogen peroxide. Saline nasal rinse. Probably too little too late, but I hope I took fewer nasty microorganisms to bed with me than I came home with.

And, I gotta get out and about. The fridge is of course empty of perishables. My eight year old Sonicare toothbrush, faithful servant at home and abroad - died in Birmingham. I've ordered a new one, to pick up later today at Best Buy. And this morning, my good old Fitbit, I think 4 years old, just fell apart when I took the band off to clean it all up. I've ordered a replacement from Amazon, to be picked up in a couple of days. 

The trip was - fine. A welcome break from my so-called life. I had pretty good luck with weather, and except for one taxi driver in Birmingham, encountered people who were helpful, kind, funny, interesting, and generally a credit to the human species. Saw many interesting things, some for the first time, others as revisits. 

And, I was ready to come home by the last day or two. That's a good trip - happy to go and ready to come home at the end. 

I

hope those plane people didn’t infect you !!

[Jynnan tonnix]

On 6/3/2023 at 1:32 PM, wilsie said:

They really are awesome.  I have an old one and it still works well.  Cosmo is as always adorable! I'm glad he and Cavendish are accepting of this new noisy thing.  And that Lady Reese finds her peace with it.

I'm more tempted than ever to try out a Roomba after reading some of the posts about them lately. I wonder whether our cat, Emrys, would ride on it. He loves taking rides in my mom's walker (she has one of those with the seats that she can use to take a break in, and he thinks that's his personal vantage point and taxi service). 

[oliviabenson]

I came outside to see how the air is and started to choke. The air is bad and has an orange hue to it. Wow. I never seen anything like this in my whole longggg life. 
 

 

Just the sky!

[EtheltoTillie]

On 5/1/2023 at 2:05 PM, Leeds said:

Talking about food, your best bet for lunch in anywhere you're travelling in the UK is sandwiches from somewhere on the high street like Boots, WH Smiths, M&S.  Just go to the fridge section, pick up some knickers while you're there and find a spot outside to sit.

Knickers?  Doesn't that mean underwear?

[EtheltoTillie]

On 5/19/2023 at 5:33 PM, CalicoKitty said:

That's what the Roomba is designed to do.  Mine has no trouble navigating around furniture.  It gets stuck trying to get under the recliner sometimes, but it eventually learns where it can't go.  It maps the house, and after three or four cleanings it knows where to go.  The little side brushes do a pretty good job of cleaning close to the walls, too. (Can you tell I really like mine??)

Another dog owner here.  I find the Roomba probably wouldn't work for the layout of my furniture and rooms and carpets.  Too complicated to program.   But I have the Dyson cordless for quick cleans, and it's really easy for me to go over the whole apartment quickly between bigger weekly cleans.  I'd rather do that than have to reckon with the Roomba running for two hours or whatever it is. 

[Leeds]

8 minutes ago, EtheltoTillie said:

Knickers?  Doesn't that mean underwear?

Haha, yes.  I could have worded my response better!

Eg, "Pick up some sandwiches in the food section and then go to the women's clothing section for multipack cotton knickers."  Or some such.

(My original response: Just go to the fridge section, pick up some knickers while you're there and find a spot outside to sit.)

[EtheltoTillie]

1 hour ago, oliviabenson said:

I came outside to see how the air is and started to choke. The air is bad and has an orange hue to it. Wow. I never seen anything like this in my whole longggg life. 
 

 

Just the sky!

This is what we are seeing downtown.  Everything looks yellow. 

[dargosmydaddy]

1 hour ago, oliviabenson said:

I came outside to see how the air is and started to choke. The air is bad and has an orange hue to it. Wow. I never seen anything like this in my whole longggg life. 

Yep, we had that, too. Nothing like trying to review for final exams with a roomful of freshmen who are convinced the world's ending (and want to take pictures). Fun times. 

The orange-ness did go away by the time school let out, but the air quality is still putrid.

[EtheltoTillie]

On 5/1/2023 at 2:15 PM, peppergal said:

When I last visited London I stayed at the Hilton Kensington (yay free room on points!)  It is about a block away from Shepherd's Bush which is a combo tube, overground, and rail station.  Technically the rail is across the street from the tube station, but unless you are doing a transfer, you don't really notice.

Getting from the airport to the hotel by transit also wasn't bad, even for a sleep deprived single traveler coming off a red eye dragging luggage for two people (long story).  Took the Heathrow Express to Paddington and from there took two tube lines to get to the hotel.  

 

I stayed at that hotel too.  Very convenient and nice, if not luxurious. 

50 minutes ago, Leeds said:

Haha, yes.  I could have worded my response better!

Eg, "Pick up some sandwiches in the food section and then go to the women's clothing section for multipack cotton knickers."  Or some such.

(My original response: Just go to the fridge section, pick up some knickers while you're there and find a spot outside to sit.)

So not a UK version of Snickers, then.  LOL.

[BetyBee]

I was in Wisconsin for the past two weeks (seeing my adorable grandkids!) and the air quality was terrible. The sky didn't look bad (though a few mornings ago the sun was cherry red as it rose, but I felt like I could not get a good, deep breath several days. I can't imagine how bad it must be in Canada. 

[EtheltoTillie]

So this is what they had in the lobby of the Hilton Kensington when we stayed there in May 2018. 

 

 

Edited June 7, 2023 by EtheltoTillie

[EtheltoTillie]

On 5/18/2023 at 7:06 PM, Scarlett45 said:

Bringing my reply to @zoomama from the media thread-

 

I’m very familiar with the term “sun down town”. There are certain Chicago suburbs my mom is still uncomfortable visiting (even though she’s been invited and personally knows the inhabitants) because they were sundown towns when she was growing up. 
 

One of the reasons I am leery of road trips. Traveling as a black woman alone I personally feel safer flying than possibly stopping in a town I am not familiar with. Of course there’s nothing wrong with ANYONE enjoying road trips- it’s a personal thing of mine. 

Reposting my earlier comment.  Did not want to mix it with my humorous Harry and Meghan photo.

This morning by coincidence I heard a really astute podcast that included the topic of sundown towns.  It's the Oprahdemics podcast (now renamed You Get a Podcast, because they were sued by Oprah).  It was about the Forsyth Georgia incident from 1987.  It could be triggering, I suppose.  In any event if you are up for it, it's really interesting.  The hosts are really smart and they put a historian's view to whatever topic they cover.  And they had a really good guest historian. 

[Leeds]

1 hour ago, EtheltoTillie said:

Reposting my earlier comment.  Did not want to mix it with my humorous Harry and Meghan photo.

This morning by coincidence I heard a really astute podcast that included the topic of sundown towns.  It's the Oprahdemics podcast (now renamed You Get a Podcast, because they were sued by Oprah).  It was about the Forsyth Georgia incident from 1987.  It could be triggering, I suppose.  In any event if you are up for it, it's really interesting.  The hosts are really smart and they put a historian's view to whatever topic they cover.  And they had a really good guest historian. 

How did you get to post separately?  Whenever I try to post separately too close together time-wise, my responses often get merged when I don't want them to.  ☹️

Edited June 7, 2023 by Leeds

[EtheltoTillie]

Just now, Leeds said:

How did you get to post separately?  Whenever I try to post separately too close together time-wise, my responses often get merged when I don't want them too.  ☹️

They were merged.  I deleted the second post and waited to repost.  I usually try to wait to avoid that, and I thought I had waited enough time. 

[Leeds]

On 6/3/2023 at 11:32 AM, SunnyBeBe said:

It’s my least favorite chore….I hate it. My SIL pays someone to regularly come in and clean her baseboards, handrails, window sills, etc.    Of course, she can justify it, with her large house.  

In my book, if you want to have someone clean your house/cook you dinner/wash your car, etc, if you can afford it and are fiscally responsible, no justification is necessary.

[Leeds]

2 hours ago, EtheltoTillie said:

 

So not a UK version of Snickers, then.  LOL.

Funnily enough, Snickers in the UK used to be called Marathon, so back in the day you might have had trouble finding those too if you wanted one with your lunch and underwear!  (This conversation is getting a little surreal.)

[EtheltoTillie]

My husband and I have recently been listening to mysteries by a British author, Cara Hunter.  I have to fill him in on the UK terminologies I've picked up from British cop shows or other books and shows.  Newest one was skip for Dumpster, as in they found the body in the skip. 

[Leeds]

10 minutes ago, EtheltoTillie said:

My husband and I have recently been listening to mysteries by a British author, Cara Hunter.  I have to fill him in on the UK terminologies I've picked up from British cop shows or other books and shows.  Newest one was skip for Dumpster, as in they found the body in the skip. 

My all-time favourite fantasy about "nations divided by a common language" is imagining an uptight American telling an uptight Brit he will be wearing pants and suspenders to a posh party.

Spoiler

Pants = underpants, suspenders = garter belt.

 

[EtheltoTillie]

@Leeds, you're bilingual.

[Leeds]

1 hour ago, EtheltoTillie said:

@Leeds, you're bilingual.

I try, but I forgot about his vest!

Spoiler

Waistcoat to Brits