General Chit-Chat Part 2! Showing 2,501-2,550 of 2,680

[LauraT]

Have a nice tripp Greg!!! Lots of picts!!!

[Christine]

I got picked to be an alumni for the Make-A-Wish Foundation of New Jersey

[Alannah]

Congratulations Christine

[Christine]

Thanks Alannah

[Jenny]

Christine wrote: "I got picked to be an alumni for the Make-A-Wish Foundation of New Jersey"

Congratulations! :)

[Christine]

Thanks Jenny

[Greg]

LauraT wrote: "Have a nice tripp Greg!!! Lots of picts!!!"

Thanks Laura! I did take a ton of photos, but I haven't had time to post anything yet. I'll post some in a day or two. It was a great time.

I arrived in time to see the last day of the 2023 Taiwan lantern festival which was extremely elaborate - for instance, it had a multi-story high lighted moving mechanical dance rabbit (for the year of the rabbit of course).

And after a week there, I have to say I'm in love with the country. The people there were in general so warm and polite. Where else have I ever gotten on a subway system where mutiple people immediately get up to open up a seat for anyone elderly or pregnant or struggling with packages? I don't speak any Mandarin at all, and I had to communicate with several people who spoke no English at all, but with phones and gestures and a lot of patience and good will, we managed to make ourselves understood. I have never been to another highly urban area where I felt so relaxed and safe.

[LauraT]

Greg wrote: "LauraT wrote: "Have a nice tripp Greg!!! Lots of picts!!!"

Thanks Laura! I did take a ton of photos, but I haven't had time to post anything yet. I'll post some in a day or two. It was a great tim..."

We're here waiting Greg! Whenever you've got time to spare!

[Esther]

Greg wrote: "Christine wrote: "HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!"

Yes, happy valentine's day to all those in countries that support it today. Anyone have special plans?

Ours will be low-key as I'm preparing for the trip..."

My DH went to Taiwan for work. He was a little nervous for various reasons but had a great time. I am so envious.
Look forward to seeing the pics!

[Esther]

Greg wrote: "LauraT wrote: "Have a nice tripp Greg!!! Lots of picts!!!"

Thanks Laura! I did take a ton of photos, but I haven't had time to post anything yet. I'll post some in a day or two. It was a great tim..."

Sounds fantastic.

[Greg]

Thanks Esther and Laura! :)

[Christine]

HAPPY MARCH EVERYONE!

[Christine]

IT’S MY BROTHER’S BIRTHDAY TODAY!

[Leslie]

Happy birthday to your brother, Christine! Hope you both have a great day :)

[Christine]

Thanks Leslie

[Christine]

IT’S DAYLIGHT SAVINGS TIME!

[LauraT]

Christine wrote: "IT’S DAYLIGHT SAVINGS TIME!"

Don't know this!

[Christine]

Oh ok LauraT

[Leslie]

LauraT wrote: "Christine wrote: "IT’S DAYLIGHT SAVINGS TIME!"

Don't know this!"

Daylight Savings Time is when we here in the U.S. change our clocks (in the spring, forward one hour; in the fall, to go back to Standard Time, back one hour). The idea is to have more daylight in the late afternoon rather than in the morning - supposedly good for kids, letting them play outside more than when using Standard Time. Of course, the days will soon be getting longer anyway!

I think that there was something similar in Great Britain called Summer Time (?) - in some novels set in WW2 they talk about Double Summer Time when the clocks were changed by 2 hours. I don't know if the English still have this though.

[LauraT]

Leslie wrote: "LauraT wrote: "Christine wrote: "IT’S DAYLIGHT SAVINGS TIME!"

Don't know this!"

Daylight Savings Time is when we here in the U.S. change our clocks (in the spring, forward one hour; in the fall, ..."

Ah, I see; in Europe is the last Sunday in March and in October. In Italy we call it "Legal Hour" - "Ora legale" - opposed to "Solar Hour" - "Ora solare" of winter time. I remember reading about it in Rilla of Ingleside and loved the way it was there described:

Chap XXX

"But when the Government passed the Daylight Saving law Susan balked. There was a Higher Power than the Union Government, to which Susan owed allegiance.

"Do you think it right to meddle with the arrangements of the Almighty?" she demanded indignantly of the doctor. The doctor, quite unmoved, responded that the law must be observed, and the Ingleside clocks were moved on accordingly. But the doctor had no power over Susan's little alarm.

"I bought that with my own money, Mrs. Dr. dear," she said firmly, "and it shall go on God's time and not Borden's time."

[Greg]

That's fascinating Laura and Leslie about the traditions in the UK and Europe. I had no idea that other countries have (or had) a version of daylight savings too!

[Christine]

HAPPY ST. PATRICK'S DAY!

[Greg]

Christine wrote: "HAPPY ST. PATRICK'S DAY!"

Yes indeed, it was a great excuse for me to pick up some green desserts. There's a local bakery here that had Guiness chocolate cupcakes - so good! Ron and I split one, and now, I have to go back and get some more. :)

[Leslie]

Yum, Guinness chocolate cupcakes!! I wore green but no special foods. I guess I missed out this year.

[Christine]

Oh that’s cool Greg and oh that’s cool Greg and I don’t like chocolate Greg and I wore green too Leslie and no special foods either Leslie and lol your funny Leslie lol

[Christine]

IT’S SPRING!

[Leslie]

Finally! I can see that the daffodils are sprouting but no flowers yet...

[Greg]

Leslie wrote: "Finally! I can see that the daffodils are sprouting but no flowers yet..."

Yay, we're finally getting close! :)

[Damini]

It's been spring (and weather constantly swinging between hot and cold, bringing fevers with it!) for a bit here, and Bangalore is filled with trees with gorgeous pink flowers, I'm constantly stopping while walking to take at least one picture!

[Greg]

Damini wrote: "It's been spring (and weather constantly swinging between hot and cold, bringing fevers with it!) for a bit here, and Bangalore is filled with trees with gorgeous pink flowers, I'm constantly stopp..."

The constant swings in the weather might be a little difficult to adapt to, but the blooming of the trees sounds lovely Damini!

[LauraT]

Leslie wrote: "Finally! I can see that the daffodils are sprouting but no flowers yet..."

Some flowers on the fruit trees here - and something elese; timid, but still you feel spring!

[Christine]

I agree with you Leslie and oh that’s cool Leslie

[Christine]

Wish me luck because this is the last time I’m seeing my only pulmonologist since I was 3 months old and I’ll be 36 next week. He’s getting ready to retire and passing me on to someone knew.

[LauraT]

Good luck indeed!

[Alannah]

Christine wrote: "Wish me luck because this is the last time I’m seeing my only pulmonologist since I was 3 months old and I’ll be 36 next week. He’s getting ready to retire and passing me on to someone knew."

Good luck :)

[Christine]

Thanks LauraT and Alannah

[Christine]

I just got home from seeing my old pulmonologist and everything went well

[Alannah]

I’m glad to hear that Christine.

[LauraT]

Great news then Christine

[Greg]

I had a bad day at work on Friday Laura, and I thought of you with your work irritations. I usually love the people I work with, but Friday we were not at our best. It's been a long time since I experienced that level of frustration.

Hopefully my coworkers will be in better form today!

[Leslie]

So, was Monday better Greg? Inquiring minds want to know.

[Greg]

Leslie wrote: "So, was Monday better Greg? Inquiring minds want to know."

Yes, much better! One of my coworkers has been behind on all his projects for a while, and I have been having to pick up the slack; it finally reached a point on Friday where it was making me a little cranky.

But I feel somewhat refreshed after the weekend, and I was able to hold things together much better today. :)

[Leslie]

Glad to hear that. Just out of curiosity, is your coworker slacking off or is there some reason for his being chronically behind?

I am not good with office politics so I am not sure whether your 'picking up the slack' is you being taken advantage of or whether it's normal procedure... but my initial thought was the former.

[Greg]

Leslie wrote: "Glad to hear that. Just out of curiosity, is your coworker slacking off or is there some reason for his being chronically behind?

I am not good with office politics so I am not sure whether your ..."

I've been going back and forth on that question myself.

But I am trying to put up some healthy boundaries in terms of how much extra work I can take on at the last minute. And I think things will be improving. :)

[LauraT]

Greg wrote: "I had a bad day at work on Friday Laura, and I thought of you with your work irritations. I usually love the people I work with, but Friday we were not at our best. It's been a long time since I ex..."

Hope so too!!!
Here always the same. Pity, some years ago it was a perfect place to work: interesting things to do, nice people - or so I thought them; with the change of boss they've changed as well...

[Christine]

IT'S MY BIRTHDAY TODAY!

[Greg]

Christine wrote: "IT'S MY BIRTHDAY TODAY!"

Happy Birthday Christine! Hope you have a great one!

[Christine]

Thanks Greg

[Alannah]

Happy Birthday Christine :) Have a lovely day.

[Leslie]

Happy birthday Christine!