Friday with Friends PWYC

[LadyMaverick]

I've made a big pot of beef hash for lunch. I think 6 people will be eating lunch here. Not totally sure about DD. She called and said she would drop by to visit DGD7 for a few minutes on her way to work. DD keeps postponing telling DGD7 that DSIL has moved out. When DGD7 goes to her home then she will see all of DSIL furniture and stuff are gone. DGD7 has been staying at our home since ?? I just realized that I don't know when the last time DGD7 slept at her own home. Has it been a week? DGD7 is normally here more than she isn't so its not a huge adjustment for any of us for DGD7 to be here all the time. Hopefully, DD will get her act together soon and continue to raise DGD7 the best she can.

I'm going to the YMCA this afternoon with DGS21, DS10, and DGD7. Hopefully, we can all get a good workout in.

Homeschool has been a failure today....so far. Maybe I can GMAT and get it done later today.

[Nancy]

LM Any updates on Phyllis ?

Waving to everyone.

I have vacuumed the bedrooms, and spiffed the bathrooms, sinks are clean in the kitchen as well yea me hbh is mostly done yippie!
H had to work thi8s afternoon, I had him take me to the library it is close by when he got off while the rig was still warm.Got my book returned yea!

[Harmony]

Nancy, yesterday LadyM told us Phyllis came out in the epsom salt bath! I must remember that. I have tender thin skin and I try to always put gloves on when I'm helping DH. He carries magnifying glass and mirror in his trucks because slivers get in line waiting to attack him. If he misses one that is pressure treated lumber, the skin festers and it's easier to come out. But I don't think that's healthy.

Not a lot done. Working on a Christmas present. I tried to order another one by calling in (saw it on TV yesterday) and in the time I was on hold they changed to another product and the number was gone and I hadn't written it down and the guy on the other end was no help). Bah! It was a great little gift.

Sigh... so picked up 2 things in the post office yesterday. They have a gift card rack there but only take debit or cash for them. I found some "mad money" hidden in the back of my wallet I keep for emergencies so that worked.

Dinner is simmering slowly. Was labor intensive. Making beef for the first time since our emergency with DH... but there isn't a lot, just mostly for flavor, and cutting up all those veggies took a long while. I got away with giving him 3 days of meat-free meals and he didn't complain. He surely misses his beef!

We are a bit warmer. I am wearing warm PJ's at night.

Going back to my sewing project, the never ending always annoying complicated why-did-I-agree-to-this project. Lord help me! Maybe I'll tell my saga in the thread for people who know how to do these things.

[LadyMaverick]

I use Tones Beef Base to make a small amount of meat go a long way. Of course, using the beef base might be worst nutritionally than using a larger amount of meat. Today I used the beef base in a large pot of beef, onions, garlic and potatoes. There is very little beef in the pot but it taste like there is more because of the flavoring from the base. I keep this base (chicken & beef) on hand and use it instead of bouillon cubes or the purchased stock liquid.

DD stopped by for maybe 3 minutes and gave DGD7 hugs. Then she was out the door and gone. DD told me that she isn't working tomorrow. Hopefully, DD will spend time with DGD7 tomorrow.

[Harriet]

the funniest thing about LadyM naming Phillis is Harmony actually putting "her" name in color in that post.

sewing projects chat - Harmony, I'm thinking of telling my dd that I cannot do the sewing project she asked me about. It's rather advanced sewing and it was a high compliment for her to see that I am capable of doing it well. But I just can't add anything else in. I'm happy for you that you will be able to do something for your child, though - I'm having to say no to things.

I didn't tell you guys much about the new heating and air conditioning work here back in June, except that it was being done. HRH and I had many nagging doubts, however. He had to help with common things like tools and - well - sense.

Anyway, the bedroom side went out yesterday and we had no heat except the emergency heat on that side (and with this weather coming, and HRH needing so much to stay well !). Upon opening the little doors to the interior unit, there was a snowman of ice forming. Called and got the brother of the guy who put it in and he is here now with a helper. Don't know what the verdict will be but it may be a pocketbook problem, for sure. The two brothers' companies are not affiliated. Wouldn't help to call the other brother though... .. he's in jail. (oh, landamercy) At least it is the first time for THAT. So we are very much at the mercy of this fellow. Of course, as nearly every workman who does any work around here, he's kin. So maybe he'll feel badly as he considers this situation and give us a break. He sounds very sad regarding his brother's arrest, and I hope they'll get a good lawyer and things will be okay (no idea what's wrong).

HRH is just talk-talk-talking with these two guys, about all kinds of things. I think he has been starving for guy talk. The fellow is my kin, not HRH's. Oh, how I wish it was his kinfolk who had made whatever these mistakes are. I had wanted to use HIS cousin! Harmony will remember that we could hardly get anyone to even come and look, though. In our area, they all have plenty of customers and don't need the work.

[blessedw2]

trying to stay focused - waving to you all!

got 3 xmas cards to france out - I need 6 more done
got presents mailed late yesterday
errands - great
house - 0

[Kathryn-in-Canada]

I'm home.

My word, what a day.

Left here at 12:10 and went to WM in my end of town so I could put off going to Costco. WM had a great sale on chicken thighs and while they'd be scrawnier than from Costco, the price savings were over $2 a pound so I made an executive decision. Picked up a salad for myself, some crackers and a banana. Then some McNuggets on the way out the door. Remembered on my way to the car I had a return for WM so went back and did that. Then headed to dd's.

I went to get on the freeway and traffic was backed up the on-ramp. I was stopped so connected my phone to the car and called dh to look up the issue. Three accidents over the next 1.5 miles so I stayed in the far right lane and got off at my normal exit to home. Then I sat on that road working my way to the next on-ramp. I called dd to say it would be close to when she was to leave. She had just texted that dgs was napping.

I got there 25 minutes later and can hear dgs crying on the monitor. Then I hear her comforting him so I stay quiet and pull out my salad. She calls me through the monitor and I go up. He's hysterical but can't tell either of us why. Eventually we bring him downstairs and he's still hysterical. The phone rings and I peel him off her and she goes to another room. He does a big spit-up over my hand and his front.

She comes back crying. She had to book a medical appointment conflicting with a "baby-wearing" get together she was hosting. She feels she doesn't get to do anything she's interested in. So now both of them are crying. And her time to go is getting closer.

She was to take the neighbour's car so I could leave when dsil got home but it is in the shop so she was going to book a taxi but then dgs woke up and so she took my car. Before she left, he was completely calmed down with me and we played nicely for the next 90 minutes.

But I ended up driving home partly after dark because dgs never wanted his snack so there was never time for me to eat my lunch so I ate that quickly before getting in the car for a 40 minute drive which turned into a 50 minute drive when there was an accident on the route I was to take (to go along with the accidents on the main route.)

I'm home and exhausted. Dh couldn't start cooking dinner until I got home (I had the meat in the car) and I'm not hungry anyway since I ate lunch at 3:30. I think I'll take a nap.

Oh, and the new appointment is at lunch time for dgs so I will be babysitting on Monday as well.

But first, if I can get a few things done tonight, we'll go over for their community Santa breakfast tomorrow morning. She invited me to stay for tree decorating as well, but I will need to be back here to prepare for the dinner.

[Harmony]

Yeah, Phyllis! I was trying to alert Nancy that I'd answered her question!

Harriet, don't give me too much credit for sewing for others. It's way over my head and after another trip and jaunt through 2 stores and once more to the fabric store, I've determined that I just cannot do this. No matter how I try, things just didn't work out. My whole long saga is in the other thread. I am going to make those cushions she can tie on and I will look for something nice to cover them with, and NO I am not going to try to do piping. I've done that before... not this time. These chairs have a pedestal base on them and I will put a nice wide tie in the middle of the back of the cushion and she can tie them on there. It's the best I can do.

No is a complete sentence. I need to remember that.

We have an open house to go to tonight. A bunch of us old timers get together every year. We haven't made it the past 2 years. I have my Christmas shirt on and my holly earrings! HoHoHo.

Oh, and my "beef" stew turned out delicious. I put some diced tomatoes in and some bbq sauce and thickened it with beef gravy mix. Lots of onions, celery, potatoes, carrots, a wee bit of garlic. Yum! DH had seconds!

[LadyMaverick]

I asked for a tour of the YMCA today since DGS21 and I were both there together. I would have never found all the different sections spread over the 3 floors. It is an old building that has repeatedly been built on so things are not laid out as well as they would be if the building was designed from the start. I added 3 new equipment workouts today. DGS21 and I worked out side-by-side on the equipment so he pointed out several different things that I didn't notice. DS10 and DGD7 both ran track and played basketball non-stop.

We went to Sam's to do list shopping. It didn't take very long because I scanned the purchases in as I put them in the cart and then hit pay and walked out the door. I am totally spoilt to this way of shopping because it is so fast & convenient. I would not be in a good mood if I had to return to standing in a line to check out.

Dinner was rotisserie chicken sandwiches. Not my finest menu moment but it was here and hot. Sometimes that is the best I can do.

[Kathryn-in-Canada]

I am exhausted but have to attempt the table tonight.

Dh is at the store. Thankfully he realized that halal meat would be wasted if he used the beef bouillon cube the recipe calls for. That isn't halal so he is picking up vegetable broth to use.

When he gets back he has to get the shepherds pie made and then has work to do.

I'm resting but need to get moving again now.