Royal Escape from the Topic - for off topic chit chat Showing 1,501-1,550 of 2,839

[Carol She's So Novel꧁꧂]

Karlyne wrote: "Carol, what's a chilly bin?!?"

I looked it up & it looks to be called a cooler in the States.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cooler

[Critterbee❇]

Karlyne wrote: "Carol, what's a chilly bin?!?"

I second that question. Is it a type of trash receptacle for items you freeze until throwing away on trash pick-up day?

[Critterbee❇]

Susan in NC wrote: "That sounds heavenly- great kids, you fed everyone AND made her laugh, lovely!"

It was great fun, and we were all together, which is what the holidays are all about.

[Carol She's So Novel꧁꧂]

❇Critterbee wrote: "

I second that question. Is it a type of trash receptacle for items you freeze until throwing away on trash pick-up day?"<./i>

Haha! No it's mainly for taking picnics &/or booze to keep it chilled.

It's raining here & the Brother Who Likes His Own Way is still insisting it will fine up. I would be all for thinking positive, except this brother wants to organise egg & spoon & sack races. The only kid in the right age group for this sort of stuff is with her mother this Christmas.

[Critterbee❇]

Christmas☆ Carol!☆ wrote: "❇Critterbee wrote: "

I second that question. Is it a type of trash receptacle for items you freeze until throwing away on trash pick-up day?"

Haha! No it's mainly for taking picnics &/or booze to..."

Aha, a cooler!

Can you give your brother a raincheck for another, less rainy time?

[Karlyne]

An ice chest!!! I like "chilly bin" better, and I'm going to start using it, as in "Did anyone pack the chilly bin with the fried chicken in it?" Can't wait for the next picnic...

[Karlyne]

I say let The Brother organize it and then everyone quietly melt away every time his back is turned. You know, lalalalala...

[Teresa]

Well it sounds like everyone is having a cracking time from all the posts here. We'll all be well ready for 2018 and our new challenges!!

[Critterbee❇]

Teresa wrote: "Well it sounds like everyone is having a cracking time from all the posts here. We'll all be well ready for 2018 and our new challenges!!"

Do you have any resolutions for the new year, Teresa and everyone?

[Susan in NC]

❇Critterbee wrote: "Teresa wrote: "Well it sounds like everyone is having a cracking time from all the posts here. We'll all be well ready for 2018 and our new challenges!!"

Do you have any resolutions for the new ye..."

Yes! Recover my balance as much as possible (I can live with a bit of fatigue at the end of the day and chalk it up to getting older), continue reading and try more “new to me” authors, get back to gardening (hopefully - contingent on that whole balance thing), and get back to cooking, baking and knitting more, whether I have balance or not. My dear husband, son and I cooked a few dishes together yesterday, and that was fun and gratifying. They’re excellent sous chefs!

[Teresa]

I gave up on resolutions a few years back when I realised they never lasted longer than a month or two. Now I just say 'I'll try and live a healthier life and of course read more books' :-)

[Karlyne]

I tend to make resolutions every morning. Sometimes two.

[Louise Sparrow]

The Unknown Ajax is 99p in the Kindle UK Boxing Day deals, if anyone doesn't have it?

[QNPoohBear]

We didn't make it to Concord because of the ice. It was only raining here but my sister called while she was on the way and said it was too bad to continue. We're hoping to go when Orchard House has a living history tour. That will be more fun for my nieces.

My nieces and nephews liked the treasure soaps I got them the best! I should have stopped there. Next year I will. I gave them strict instructions not to put the soap in the tub all day to let it melt so they could get the toy faster.

It was our first Christmas with divorce in the family. My soon-to-be ex-brother-in-law dropped the kids off at my parents' on Christmas Eve. They celebrated with our side of the family in the afternoon and then my mom brought them back to Daddy/Grandparents' in the evening. My sister brought her new much older man to Christmas Eve dinner. My sister brought them home so Santa could drop gifts off in their new house. They came over Christmas morning again with my brother and his family to open presents.

[Teresa]

It's never easy with broken families. All anyone can do is their best.

[Critterbee❇]

It is tough when you have extra families to celebrate with, but after a while we get used to it, and just make the best of it.

Louise Sparrow wrote: "The Unknown Ajax is 99p in the Kindle UK Boxing Day deals, if anyone doesn't have it?"

That's a great deal!

[Teresa]

Yes Critterbee and there are a lot of us out there.

[Carol She's So Novel꧁꧂]

Christmas☆ Carol!☆ wrote: "Merry Christmas everyone!

We are meant to be going to Auckland today - didn't feel like it before eating half a ton of food yesterday & now quite definitely don't feel like it!"

I did enjoy Boxing Day in the end. The weather was "iffy"so we ended up at another of Marty's brother's. Jeremy's place is so comfortable & perfect for entertaining, the food was great & the little ones were adorable.

& Marty gave me a belated Christmas present yesterday. A Samsung phone with a decent amount of memory! We had talked about this but I was still surprised and touched.

[Teresa]

What a lovely thing to do. Glad you enjoyed the day. Our weather is set to turn here. It was bitterly cold today and they're saying we may even have snow!!! You never know from one day to the next here at the moment. It's weird!!

[Susan in Perthshire]

Teresa wrote: "What a lovely thing to do. Glad you enjoyed the day. Our weather is set to turn here. It was bitterly cold today and they're saying we may even have snow!!! You never know from one day to the next ..."

Teresa, we had snow here in Perthshire but it didn’t stay (except on the hills! ) this last few days have been ridiculous! Stay warm and cosy and drink more wine!

[Karlyne]

We've had a weird weather pattern, too, where the valley got 4-8 inches of snow over Christmas, and we, who have mountains right out our doorsteps, got a bit over an inch and, with it, beautiful skies which change every few minutes. (And no fog, which I detest!)

[Karlyne]

Carol, since your summer is just starting, what is your iffy weather like?

[Teresa]

Susan in Perthshire wrote: "Teresa wrote: "What a lovely thing to do. Glad you enjoyed the day. Our weather is set to turn here. It was bitterly cold today and they're saying we may even have snow!!! You never know from one d..."

I always do what I'm told Susan so I've just rolled out the Sauvignon Blanc:-)

[Susan in Perthshire]

Teresa wrote: "Susan in Perthshire wrote: "Teresa wrote: "What a lovely thing to do. Glad you enjoyed the day. Our weather is set to turn here. It was bitterly cold today and they're saying we may even have snow!..."

Good girl!

[Karlyne]

I love Sauvignon Blanc! New Zealand?

[Teresa]

Chile. It's 120 Reserva and I love it! ( Maybe too much:-))

[Karlyne]

I love Chilean - not as tongue-numbingly dry as some!

[Teresa]

Can't stand dry wine. I couldn't drink Chardonnay if it was the only wine in the shop.

[Karlyne]

I don't like chardonnay at all - tastes thick to me. I like California Pinot Grigios usually. The Italian ones aren't as light and crisp, too heavy. We have some great wineries in Idaho now, but they're a bit spendy!

[Teresa]

It's pricey enough here too but I look out for my favorites when on special offers. Nothing like a chilled white when you're relaxing.

[Karlyne]

Yes, ma'am!

[Susan in Perthshire]

Teresa wrote: "It's pricey enough here too but I look out for my favorites when on special offers. Nothing like a chilled white when you're relaxing."

Oh dear - I am not quite sure what this says about me (well, I can guess!) but depending on the situation and my mood there are very few wines I don’t like. Yesterday was our wedding anniversary and we enjoyed a fabulous bottle of Champagne (a very expensive French one from my brother and sister in law) and a beautiful Medoc with our beef. Sauvignon Blanc is a favourite tipple but I can enjoy a good NZ Chardonnay, an Italian Pinot Grigio or virtually any decent red!! All depends on my mood!

[Critterbee❇]

Happy Anniversary, Susan, I will drink a glass tonight in your honor!
...Of cheap, delicious Beaujolais nouveau.

[Susan in Perthshire]

❇Critterbee wrote: "Happy Anniversary, Susan, I will drink a glass tonight in your honor!
...Of cheap, delicious Beaujolais nouveau."

Thank you very much!! Enjoy - I enjoy a good Beaujolais nouveau myself!

[Karlyne]

I don't think I've ever tried a NZ Chardonnay, but I have had one or two unoaked domestics that I've enjoyed. I like full bodied reds, but I prefer tart, crisper type whites. And, I don't turn up my nose at much. Maybe any...

Not to change the subject, but, Carol, was it you who read Steinbeck's The Winter of Our Discontent a year or two ago? Anybody who has?

[Carol She's So Novel꧁꧂]

Karlyne wrote: "I don't think I've ever tried a NZ Chardonnay, but I have had one or two unoaked domestics that I've enjoyed. I like full bodied reds, but I prefer tart, crisper type whites. And, I don't turn up m..."

No it wasn't me.

I'ma white wine drinker especially NZ Sav Blanc, Chardonnay or Pinot Gris. Some varieties are better suited to some countries, I tried some fabulous whites in Australia & I had never heard of the varietals.

[Teresa]

Congrats Susan. Mine is in two weeks time. I can't drink red. I suffer from depression, mild the last few years TG, but red wine exacerbates it for some reason but white doesn't. My husband drinks only red so all the colours are covered :-)

[Susan in NC]

Susan in Perthshire wrote: "Teresa wrote: "It's pricey enough here too but I look out for my favorites when on special offers. Nothing like a chilled white when you're relaxing."

Oh dear - I am not quite sure what this says ..."

Happy Anniversary! We celebrated our 30th anniversariy on 12/12.

[Susan in NC]

Karlyne wrote: "I don't think I've ever tried a NZ Chardonnay, but I have had one or two unoaked domestics that I've enjoyed. I like full bodied reds, but I prefer tart, crisper type whites. And, I don't turn up m..."

I agree with you and Susan about enjoying all kinds of wines...and I hav not read Steinbeck.

[Teresa]

It will be my seventh anniversary Susan but we've been together for just over thirty years.

[Susan in NC]

Teresa wrote: "It will be my seventh anniversary Susan but we've been together for just over thirty years."

Happy early anniversary, enjoy a crisp cold white wine for me! I’ve always been a lightweight, a couple glasses puts me to sleep, but since brain surgery I’m even more unsteady on my feet!

[Karlyne]

I'm thirsty.

[Susan in NC]

Hah! You and me both...

[Teresa]

This reads more like a wine appreciation club:-) We'll be getting rapped on the knuckles.

[Susan in Perthshire]

Happy Anniversary Susan for 12/12! and in case I forget, Happy Anniversary Teresa for a fortnight’s time! It was our 38th.

[Susan in NC]

Thank you, and congrats to George, too, of course!

[Susan in Perthshire]

Susan in NC wrote: "Thank you, and congrats to George, too, of course!"

Thanks Susan! x

[Barb in Maryland]

Hi Carol! Happy New Year!! How's 2018 treating you so far?

I envy your summer weather. We are cold (20F), but have escaped the snows that beset states further to our north.

Happy New Year to All. May 2018 be a good year for you.

[Susan in NC]

Barb in Maryland wrote: "Hi Carol! Happy New Year!! How's 2018 treating you so far?

I envy your summer weather. We are cold (20F), but have escaped the snows that beset states further to our north.

Happy New Year to All...."

Thanks and same to you, Barb! Carol, be grateful if you sent a little sun our way...;) Happy New Year 🎊 everyone!

[Karlyne]

We have brilliant blue skies, and it's in the 30s. Expecting cold nights, but as long as this sun is out, I don't care!