Small Talk: The Polygamous Cul-de-Sac

[Teafortwo]

Thank you for your kind words @General Days @Yeah No. I am feeling much better. I'm very sorry to hear about your tree @Yeah No, that is a scary situation!

Happy holidays to all and best wishes for a peaceful and enjoyable New Year!

[Yeah No]

5 hours ago, Teafortwo said:

Thank you for your kind words @General Days @Yeah No. I am feeling much better. I'm very sorry to hear about your tree @Yeah No, that is a scary situation!

Happy holidays to all and best wishes for a peaceful and enjoyable New Year!

Thanks, Tea, glad to hear you're feeling better.  Hoping @General Days is also feeling better.

We went to NY State to visit Mr. Yeah No's sister and brother in law and the nephews were there with their SO's and the brother and cousin of the brother in law.  It was the first time we did Christmas with the family since 2019 when my Dad was there.  It was a wonderful and sad experience at the same time, because of the memories and because they just lost their Westie less than a month ago.  My Mom was a big Westie fan, even belonged to her local West Highland White club.  Many memories.  The holidays can be great and suck at the same time....

We are still waiting for the adjusters to get back to us.  They assured us it will be this week so I'm hoping it's soon.  We got back today to see a few trees being removed in our neighbor's yard right next to our house.  We were very happy they're having them removed because they were next to the tree that fell.  Now there are two left that pose a threat and are even more threatening now because they are more exposed to the wind without the other trees.  These are over the line on our property.  I told the tree man we want them removed ASAP.  He's going to get back to me tomorrow with an estimate.  I won't sleep good until they are gone.  

[Gramto6]

@Yeah No one thing I learned through my experience with tree damage is that thinning out the trees can help in windy situations. That way the wind passes through the tree rather than hitting a wall of solid branches. I had all the tree in back of my house cut down they were too close anyway as they grew. /the 3 I left at the corners of the yard were topped and thinned out and seem to be doing fine with the wind. Nothing would hit my house anyway. One is near the garage but that doesn't bother me...

Glad to hear you had a nice Christmas with family. A mix of good and sad memories, but shared with those you love, can soothe the sad over. 

[Irate Panda]

Can anyone recommend their favorite brand of scented candles? I am looking for candles with good throw interested in rain, petrichor, ocean, aloe or other fresh scents.  Thanks! 

[Rabbit Hutch]

Happy Holidays, y'all.  Go on and ring in that New Year!  🎆

[SunnyBeBe]

On 12/27/2023 at 12:41 PM, Gramto6 said:

@Yeah No one thing I learned through my experience with tree damage is that thinning out the trees can help in windy situations. That way the wind passes through the tree rather than hitting a wall of solid branches. I had all the tree in back of my house cut down they were too close anyway as they grew. /the 3 I left at the corners of the yard were topped and thinned out and seem to be doing fine with the wind. Nothing would hit my house anyway. One is near the garage but that doesn't bother me...

Glad to hear you had a nice Christmas with family. A mix of good and sad memories, but shared with those you love, can soothe the sad over. 

I really need to do some tree thinning, but it’s so expensive.  

Edited December 29, 2023 by SunnyBeBe

[Gramto6]

2 hours ago, SunnyBeBe said:

I really need to do some tree thinning, but it’s so expensive.  

True that, and it may never happen to you. However, beyond the costs of a new roof and indoor damage repair, even with good insurance, there are emotional costs too. Some of the items inside my house that were broken beyond repair were irreplaceable old family mementos.

It was a lesson learned the hard way... If I ever move again there will be NO trees on my lot!!

[SunnyBeBe]

2 hours ago, Gramto6 said:

True that, and it may never happen to you. However, beyond the costs of a new roof and indoor damage repair, even with good insurance, there are emotional costs too. Some of the items inside my house that were broken beyond repair were irreplaceable old family mementos.

It was a lesson learned the hard way... If I ever move again there will be NO trees on my lot!!

I agree!  I have so many trees.  To get them all down would run well into tens of thousands of dollars.  I must deal with it though.  I’ve thought of getting a job at a tree company.  Lol

[Yeah No]

3 hours ago, Gramto6 said:

True that, and it may never happen to you. However, beyond the costs of a new roof and indoor damage repair, even with good insurance, there are emotional costs too. Some of the items inside my house that were broken beyond repair were irreplaceable old family mementos.

It was a lesson learned the hard way... If I ever move again there will be NO trees on my lot!!

Sorry to hear you lost so many meaningful things.  Fortunately I haven't had that experience but I am experiencing the emotional costs.  I'm anxious about the repairs and now my husband and the contractors are talking about bumping the front wall out a bit to add extra room.  It will involve pouring new foundation for the addition and extending the roofline and front gable out too.  I am trying not to be negative about this because people are telling me it's done all the time when this kind of thing happens.  Plus it will increase the value of the house.  My husband was talking about this kind of renovation years ago but of course we never pursued it because it would have been too expensive, but now it looks like for a nominal amount more we can have it done easily.  Or so they say, LOL.  I hate to be negative but I always anticipate the worst in situations like this.  Based on experience.  Tomorrow an architect is coming over to discuss this with us.  Oh joy....

I used to scratch my head when new housing developments took away all the trees before they built, but now I get it completely!  I live in a very forested state with a lot of mature trees so it's just a fact of life here.  So many people we know have gone through this.  My husband was just talking to one on the phone today who was giving him advice on how to handle it.

1 hour ago, SunnyBeBe said:

I agree!  I have so many trees.  To get them all down would run well into tens of thousands of dollars.  I must deal with it though.  I’ve thought of getting a job at a tree company.  Lol

I hear you.  That's my issue.  Too many trees.  Our neighbor took down most of the problematic ones on his side of the property line but the rest are our responsibility and even though this tree company's prices are very reasonable it's still a shocking amount of money.  Fortunately as luck would have it, my husband got a few grand the other day from a class action lawsuit against a former employer for back pay he never got so that is softening the financial blow.  But it's still a lot of money and hard to part with especially with the crazy prices going up all the time these days.

Speaking of the crazy prices, when I was talking to my SIL's friend on Christmas she told me she spends $300 a week on groceries for her, her husband and her adult son, and I know they are not extravagant with stuff like that.  I told her that didn't surprise me these days.
 

 

[Scarlett45]

On 11/25/2023 at 12:19 AM, Irate Panda said:

Does anybody love their vehicle?  If so can you recommend a low maintenance sedan/hatchback/small suv. Looking for something that generally would last at least 15 years.  Don’t have a certain price point exactly but willing to pay for something that’s reliable and last.  THANKS 😊

Subaru Forrester forever and ever Amen. I loved mine to death. Great in the snow. Drives like an SUV parks like a sedan in ANY space. 

[altopower]

1 hour ago, Scarlett45 said:

Subaru Forrester forever and ever Amen. I loved mine to death. Great in the snow. Drives like an SUV parks like a sedan in ANY space. 

I really REALLY wanted one of these but couldn't climb into it! I'm short with hip problems, and while I could get in as a passenger, getting into the driver's seat just didn't work. Ended up with a Honda HRV, which was just a tad lower, and I loved it. Now I'm carless and unable to drive but I still admire the Subarus :)

[Sandy W]

9 hours ago, SunnyBeBe said:

I agree!  I have so many trees.  To get them all down would run well into tens of thousands of dollars.  I must deal with it though.  I’ve thought of getting a job at a tree company.  Lol

Next life I will be a cleaning lady. 2 independent persons $50. per hour each, cash under the table.  They use a Swiffer on the floors and don't touch windows or venetian blinds.

Cleaning services want $150. per person.

[Gramto6]

2 hours ago, Scarlett45 said:

Subaru Forrester forever and ever Amen. I loved mine to death. Great in the snow. Drives like an SUV parks like a sedan in ANY space. 

I like that car too. If and a big IF, anything were to happen to my Geo Tracker, a Forrester would be my first choice, or maybe a Subaru Baja if one could be found anywhere. I covet that car!   But it was a short run around 2003-2005 or 06, so finding one is hard, I've looked!

Edited December 29, 2023 by Gramto6
typo

[xwordfanatik]

1 hour ago, Sandy W said:

Next life I will be a cleaning lady. 2 independent persons $50. per hour each, cash under the table.  They use a Swiffer on the floors and don't touch windows or venetian blinds.

Cleaning services want $150. per person.

I keep seeing commercials for a cleaning service.  They claim that they will clean one's entire house for $19.  I'm thinking, yeah, right!  I bet there's some kind of contract involved, for a lot more money.  

We had a huge pine tree that had roots that were messing up our driveway.  It was $3,500 for cutting and removing it, a few years ago.  

 

[CalicoKitty]

I just checked. Home Aglow offers a first service for $19, and they charge more after that.  They list their prices on their site.  $75 for three hours, which is on the lower end of the going rate around here.  They have rates for 2 hours and 4 hours listed on their site.  There are a lot of good reviews. 

[Yeah No]

I just wanted to mention that the tree man told us yesterday that the largest tree he took down for us was over 100 feet tall by his estimations.  He figured it out based on the length of the cords he uses.  And that tree wasn't even as tall as the one that fell on our house!  🤯 🌲

Now that the trees are down I am feeling a sense of sadness.  I hate to see living things die and feel responsible for it.  Those trees were part of my life and provided a little extra privacy between my house and our neighbor's.  

Somehow it reminds me of the time a few years back when my car hit a deer (or I should say it ran into my car).  I still feel sad about that too.  In my mind's eye I sometimes picture my mother in heaven with her arms around the deer, letting me know that both are OK.  It's a weird thing, something I can't explain, but it brings me comfort, especially when I drive by the place where it happened.  Like me, my mother had a huge soft spot for animals.

[altopower]

5 hours ago, Yeah No said:

Now that the trees are down I am feeling a sense of sadness.  I hate to see living things die and feel responsible for it.  Those trees were part of my life and provided a little extra privacy between my house and our neighbor's. 

 I totally get this. The trees were your privacy and felt like your friends (I felt that way about my pecan trees). You can still be sad and regretful while also being relieved that another 100 ft tree wouldn't fall on or damage your home or property. Wow, that's really tall!

My dad planted a water oak in front of his house in 1986 when he moved in. When I moved down to live with him, that tree was ginormous but I had fears of it falling on the house. The new owners had to have it taken down this year because of interior rot. It broke my heart because it was Daddy's tree, but the new owners were safer. 

[Scarlett45]

On 12/29/2023 at 9:35 AM, xwordfanatik said:

I keep seeing commercials for a cleaning service.  They claim that they will clean one's entire house for $19.  I'm thinking, yeah, right!  I bet there's some kind of contract involved, for a lot more money.  

We had a huge pine tree that had roots that were messing up our driveway.  It was $3,500 for cutting and removing it, a few years ago.  

 

Dazzling Clean?

 

I was scammed by them. Cleaners kept canceling and they said they would give me a month free to prove themselves and they charged me again. I had to file a dispute with my card. 
 

I finally found a team I like, and they do a great job, they show up on time and they don’t mind my sister (or Vice versa). They clean my mom’s unit once a month. But I swear she needs someone to run her Google calendar, the admin skills are lacking. Found them through my friend’s sister in law. 

[Absolom]

Once again my daughter and family are passing up the fine opportunity of staying at Lizzie's.  They're in Cedar City at a place with a swimming pool.  🙂 They need to stop on the way to northern Utah.

[General Days]

Just now, Absolom said:

Once again my daughter and family are passing up the fine opportunity of staying at Lizzie's.  They're in Cedar City at a place with a swimming pool.  🙂 They need to stop on the way to northern Utah.

 

These Rice Krispie treats ain't gonna eat themselves.

[Absolom]

They have stopped in Parowan for cinnamon buns and once stayed in one of the regular hotels.  

[General Days]

3 minutes ago, Absolom said:

They have stopped in Parowan for cinnamon buns and once stayed in one of the regular hotels.  

I guess cinnamon buns are the town's claim to fame, right?

All of a sudden, I have the urge to call you 6-pack Abs, so this is my apology in advance. 

[Absolom]

Daughter said they did get some good cinnamon buns, but four hours in a car with two sugar hyped kids wasn't worth it.  

[Sandy W]

10 hours ago, Absolom said:

Daughter said they did get some good cinnamon buns, but four hours in a car with two sugar hyped kids wasn't worth it.  

As I recall, before rice krispie treats, Meri tried selling cinnamon buns. Probably motivated by positive response to some that her BnB cook had made.

That would not have endeared her to the locals as it was the claim to fame of the diner in town.

Meri put her thinking cap on, came up with rice krispie treats and the rest is history.

[goofygirl]

13 hours ago, Absolom said:

Once again my daughter and family are passing up the fine opportunity of staying at Lizzie's.  They're in Cedar City at a place with a swimming pool.  🙂 They need to stop on the way to northern Utah.

It'a probably less expensive than Lizzie's too.

[Absolom]

1 minute ago, goofygirl said:

It'a probably less expensive than Lizzie's too.

I believe it is and they've stayed there often enough to be in one of those frequent visitor clubs.  The rooms are larger, look cleaner, and have no dust catchers.  

[Sandy W]

4 hours ago, Absolom said:

I believe it is and they've stayed there often enough to be in one of those frequent visitor clubs.  The rooms are larger, look cleaner, and have no dust catchers.  

Amenities such as a pool, elevator, dining room/coffee shop don't hurt either. 

Plus, you don't have to make mindless chitchat with a stranger over breakfast.

I have stayed at a few BnB's and always with a sense of discomfort. They are not as soundproof as a hotel/motel and even watching TV made me concerned I may be disturbing others.

[General Days]

11 minutes ago, SunnyBeBe said:

Yaay!  Just saw the new thread for it.  That’s a nice birthday gift for me. 

Happy Birthday, @SunnyBeBe!

[Orcinus orca]

Your PSA for today....

With ads and all kinds of spam emails pouring in, I decided to try DuckDuckGo today.  I installed it about 3 hours ago and it has blocked 1,060 tracking attempts in those three hours.  Forty-four of those were from Primetimer.

Just an FYI.

Edited January 7, 2024 by Orcinus orca

[Absolom]

6 minutes ago, Orcinus orca said:

Your PSA for today....

With ads and all kinds of spam emails pouring in, I decided to try DuckDuckGo today.  I installed it about 3 hours ago and it has blocked 1,060 tracking attempts in those three hours.  Forty-four of those were from Primetimer.

Just an FYI.

I love it for making things so much cleaner.  It also has a youtube viewer that is minus the ads.

[laurakaye]

On 12/27/2023 at 10:56 PM, Irate Panda said:

Can anyone recommend their favorite brand of scented candles? I am looking for candles with good throw interested in rain, petrichor, ocean, aloe or other fresh scents.  Thanks! 

Just saw this - I am a scented candle semi-hoarder, lol.

Yankee Candle is a good standby, but I have had much success with candles from Aldi as well as Goose Creek.  I ordered one from Goose Creek called "First Autumn Frost" and could smell it throughout my entire house, even to the second floor.

[goofygirl]

I LOVE candles but with 4 cats, and living in a big OLD wooden house, the thought of fire kinda got to me.  

I went to WallyWorld and bought one of those things that just melts these small squares of candle wax with a small light bulb.  THOSE thingies work GREAT!

I have two of them.  One in the kitchen and one in the foyer that opens into the living room.  My favorite scents are "Lemon Basil" (kitchen) and depending on the time of year: "Falling Leaves", "Spring Rain", "Warm & Cozy", and "Blueberry Pie".  The other thing is, you can just open up the containers and smell them; there are 6 squares of wax, and they cost $2!

All this and NO FIRE.  Check it out!

[Quof]

Sister Wives quotes you use in real life

This may be the funniest Reddit thread ever.  I'm going to start saying "I have to go get Savanah" whenever I want to extricate myself from a conversation.  

[Sandy W]

Random thought.

Thinking about Christine finding the fortitude to extricate herself from an intolerable situation, an old adage comes to mind "a rising tide lifts all boats".

I wonder how long Meri and Janelle would have limped along in these "marriages" if Christine had not taken the initiative.

[Gramto6]

1 hour ago, Sandy W said:

Random thought.

Thinking about Christine finding the fortitude to extricate herself from an intolerable situation, an old adage comes to mind "a rising tide lifts all boats".

I wonder how long Meri and Janelle would have limped along in these "marriages" if Christine had not taken the initiative.

So true, my guess is Meri especially and Janelle probably would have limped along forever, just because it felt impossible to leave. Christine showed them it is and was possible to leave and get a real life of their own.

[Roslyn]

29 minutes ago, Gramto6 said:

So true, my guess is Meri especially and Janelle probably would have limped along forever, just because it felt impossible to leave. Christine showed them it is and was possible to leave and get a real life of their own.

I agree. I think that Janelle only left because Kody turned his venom onto her since she didn't coddle him like a toddler. She also took (and held) him at his word and not all the back peddling he did with the battle with her sons. Instead of Kody being an actual man and working things out with the boys face to face, he was a little bitch about it and threw tantrums because Janelle didn't force them all to kiss his ring, because she isn't and never will be Robyn.

If he would have kept his big mouth shut on the couch with the camera on, Meri would not have officially left. She has just been living her life her way for a long time.

[Shelbie]

I think the original 3 also worried about how the children would react if one of them left. When Christine was supported and loved it might have been the final push Janelle and Meri needed to get them away from Kody and Robyn.

[General Days]

On 1/25/2024 at 11:50 AM, Sandy W said:

Random thought.

Thinking about Christine finding the fortitude to extricate herself from an intolerable situation, an old adage comes to mind "a rising tide lifts all boats".

I wonder how long Meri and Janelle would have limped along in these "marriages" if Christine had not taken the initiative.

 

I definitely think Christine got the cork out of the bottle.

I think Janelle would have stayed forever, if Kody hadn't fallen out with her kids. I think Meri needed to be continually insulted on the TV show, and have Suki show her those scenes, before she could accept the fact that even though she and Kody had promised to be married "forever," he couldn't even make it through earthly life.

[xwordfanatik]

I've missed you all, glad to be back!  

[Pickleinthemiddle]

10 hours ago, xwordfanatik said:

I've missed you all, glad to be back!  

Same here.  

Last week was so nice here in Texas, in the 70's. I wore shorts to work everyday.  Still in shorts this week but highs are in the 60's.

[crazycatlady58]

Well the Dugger forum was red lighted. No one knows what was done wrong. Bot the shut down the Jim Bob and Michelle sub forum because they did not like the title..JimBoob and Meechelle.

[crazycatlady58]

1 hour ago, crazycatlady58 said:

Well the Dugger forum was red lighted. No one knows what was done wrong. Bot the shut down the Jim Bob and Michelle sub forum because they did not like the title..JimBoob and Meechelle.

Sorry the title is J'Chelle and Boob. Have no idea where my brain was.

[Irate Panda]

Does anyone have a favorite model or brand of a Dutch oven cookware? Is Le Creuset really worth the money or do you prefer something else?

[EtheltoTillie]

3 hours ago, Irate Panda said:

Does anyone have a favorite model or brand of a Dutch oven cookware? Is Le Creuset really worth the money or do you prefer something else?

I have All Clad cookware, which is great stuff, although not cheap either, but worth every penny. I have the original master chef line, which is not exactly what they make anymore. They call this line something else now. It’s the line that has the matte aluminum on the outside.  I have them for thirty and forty years, and they look like new. I have a Dutch oven size, which can be used to cook in the oven or on the stovetop for soup or sauce. I have a large saucepan and a small saucepan and a sauté pan also.  You can get them on sale. I bought them separately, not in sets.  They’re not as heavy as cast iron, so easier to use. 

Edited March 3, 2024 by EtheltoTillie

[Irate Panda]

41 minutes ago, EtheltoTillie said:

I have All Clad cookware, which is great stuff, although not cheap either, but worth every penny. I have the original master chef line, which is not exactly what they make anymore. They call this line something else. It’s the line that has the matte aluminum on the outside.  I have them for thirty and forty years, and they look like new. I have a Dutch oven size, which can be used to cook in the oven or on the stovetop for soup or sauce. I have a large saucepan and a small saucepan and a sauté pan also.  You can get them on sale. I bought them separately, not in sets.  They’re not as heavy as cast iron, so easier to use. 

Thank you for such a thorough description 😊   

[EtheltoTillie]

7 minutes ago, Irate Panda said:

Thank you for such a thorough description 😊   

Oh you’re welcome!  I will add that I do have a traditional black cast iron frying pan, which I use for certain tasks. I also have a good small nonstick skillet that is good for scrambled eggs. And I have a larger nonstick skillet that is good for other tasks. Both of those also have a thick construction. Ultimately that’s the most important thing. I have taught myself to toss food in the skillet the way they do in restaurants. You can pick up good buys on non stick cookware at TJ maxx.  I also have a small nonstick saucepan for cooking oatmeal, which otherwise is like cement. Also purchased at TJ maxx.  

Edited March 3, 2024 by EtheltoTillie

[Yeah No]

5 hours ago, Irate Panda said:

Does anyone have a favorite model or brand of a Dutch oven cookware? Is Le Creuset really worth the money or do you prefer something else?

If you're talking about enameled cast iron, "America's Test Kitchen" likes Cuisinart as a lower priced alternative to Le Creuset and have also mentioned a budget choice of Tramontina.  I have a 6.5 quart Cuisinart I got at Home Goods for cheap and it is excellent.  I used to see Le Creuset Dutch Ovens there for fantastic prices, and have gotten some of their ceramic bakeware there.  I haven't really been paying attention lately but I haven't seen much Le Creuset or any enameled cast iron Dutch ovens there in the past couple of years.

People online will talk about Lodge as a budget alternative but I bought one years ago and it developed a big chip right on the bottom very quickly so I avoid Lodge now except for their all cast iron pans (which I have and are very good).

I got lucky with an unknown brand called "Klok" at a local New England bargain chain store called "Ocean State Job Lot" and I abuse my little 3 quart by making French onion soup in it regularly (like I did just last night, LOL) and it's a workhorse that only cost me something ridiculous like $19.99.  I went back and got the 5 quart or only $29.99.

Anyway those are my thoughts on that, I hope this helps!

 

[Irate Panda]

2 hours ago, Yeah No said:

If you're talking about enameled cast iron, "America's Test Kitchen" likes Cuisinart as a lower priced alternative to Le Creuset and have also mentioned a budget choice of Tramontina.  I have a 6.5 quart Cuisinart I got at Home Goods for cheap and it is excellent.  I used to see Le Creuset Dutch Ovens there for fantastic prices, and have gotten some of their ceramic bakeware there.  I haven't really been paying attention lately but I haven't seen much Le Creuset or any enameled cast iron Dutch ovens there in the past couple of years.

People online will talk about Lodge as a budget alternative but I bought one years ago and it developed a big chip right on the bottom very quickly so I avoid Lodge now except for their all cast iron pans (which I have and are very good).

I got lucky with an unknown brand called "Klok" at a local New England bargain chain store called "Ocean State Job Lot" and I abuse my little 3 quart by making French onion soup in it regularly (like I did just last night, LOL) and it's a workhorse that only cost me something ridiculous like $19.99.  I went back and got the 5 quart or only $29.99.

Anyway those are my thoughts on that, I hope this helps!

 

Thank you for helping…I always appreciate the members of this forum.  You all are so informative! I don’t think I’ve ever been to a TJ Maxx @EtheltoTillie it sounds exciting!  Kody’s a goober, but I’m glad he brought me to this forum.  I’ve learned a lot!

BTW  I just got bought the Yellowstone cookbook and it is quite good, very homey American meals.

 

 

[EtheltoTillie]

38 minutes ago, Irate Panda said:

Thank you for helping…I always appreciate the members of this forum.  You all are so informative! I don’t think I’ve ever been to a TJ Maxx @EtheltoTillie it sounds exciting!  Kody’s a goober, but I’m glad he brought me to this forum.  I’ve learned a lot!

BTW  I just got bought the Yellowstone cookbook and it is quite good, very homey American meals.

 

 

Enjoy TJMaxx!  Marshall’s is a sister store chain, which has the same array of merchandise—clothing and home goods merchandise.  Home Goods, mentioned by @Yeah No, is also a sister store chain, with just home goods.  I’ve never bought any enameled cast iron, so that’s a useful suggestion. 
 

Speaking of ATK, they consistently rate All Clad as a top brand for that type of cookware. But at TJMaxx etal you can sometimes find similar brands such as Calphalon and Cuisinart 

Edited March 3, 2024 by EtheltoTillie

[EtheltoTillie]

One of my friends got some le Creuset at a yard sale!