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Quarantine Tuesday Reading Kaffeeklatsch: 3/9/2021
Yay for getting to visit with your friend!!! I can't wait to do that and see family!We are making plans for our roadtrip to Wisconsin to pick up our new pup at the beginning of May, we are incredibly excited!!!
Our washing machine is starting to leak so now we are going to have to deal with that. I hate our washer and dryer so for me it is a good excuse to find something better and get rid of the ones that I hate.
Oh wonderful, Theresa , that you can socialize with friends. Have a wonderful afternoon!@ Charlotte, did you tell us if it a boy or girl pup? If so I missed that a long way somehow. And a name, have you chosen a name?
We are having some lovely weather in Michigan, in the 60's yesterday and today. However, it is Michigan and I know it won't last. Still it makes me hopeful that Spring is just around the corner.
Everyone I know is getting vaccinated, and I am still waiting. Michigan is opening up the "eligible" list to 50 and over with health concerns. I am hoping that means my turn is only a short time away.
Joanne wrote: "@ Charlotte, did you tell us if it a boy or girl pup? If so I missed that a long way somehow. And a name, have you chosen a name?..."I won't know if it's a boy or girl until closer to when I pick him/her up. Although chances are good it'll be a girl since I already have two boy dogs.
We will probably go with a Star Wars theme for a name because I feel like it will be a missed opportunity if we don't. Any Mandalorian fans out there? Mandalorian society was made up of political factions or Houses and Clans. There is House and Clan Vizsla and my pup will be of Vizsla breed. There are three guys that have roles in various shows... Pre, Paz and Tarre. Tarre is the creator of the dark sabre and the name we are leaning towards.
It seems fated... the pup's mom is named Starr and there is a Jabba in his/her hierarchy. Plus, we'll most likely be picking the pup up on May the Fourth :)
I'm leaning towards a call name of Tarre and paper name of Dark Sabre. It will entirely be dependent on the "fit" when I meet the pup and so I think Pre and Paz are good back up names.
Oooh I love that Charlotte! We talked about renaming our turtle Jabba the Hut. Django or Bobba Fett would also make cool names. This is the way! I have spoken.
March often feels very long where I live. It's as if spring starts several times and then gives up for another winter spree. But I've never known it to be 94 days ;P (header typo).
Oh and we still haven't moved on from 2020 (totally know that feeling).
Johanne wrote: "Oooh I love that Charlotte! We talked about renaming our turtle Jabba the Hut. Django or Bobba Fett would also make cool names. This is the way! I have spoken."LOVE! I have an obsession with Lando! Boba Fett is another favorite character!!
Charlotte wrote: "Joanne wrote: "@ Charlotte, did you tell us if it a boy or girl pup? If so I missed that a long way somehow. And a name, have you chosen a name?..."I won't know if it's a boy or girl until closer..."
Well, if you pick the pup up on May the fourth it has to have a Star Wars name, that's just a given ;)
Charlotte wrote: "Johanne wrote: "Oooh I love that Charlotte! We talked about renaming our turtle Jabba the Hut. Django or Bobba Fett would also make cool names. This is the way! I have spoken."LOVE! I have an obs..."
Bobba Fett and Lando are both very well voiced in the audiobook(s) he's in in the the William Shakespeare Star Wars books--before hearing them I couldn't remember them, but now when I red those to names I heard the voices in my head (not all the voices, but those two and a few others are in my memory).
Yay! to Theresa for being able to get together with friends. Love that Charlotte is getting new puppy.
I have finally officially put in my retirement papers and will start retirement June 14, 2021.
@BnB - congratulations! Tea was wonderful and so was their apartment. What a small world...as I got on the elevator, a man, masked and wearing a hat, got off the elevator taking his dog out for a walk. We pass eavh other, then I hear "Theresa? Is that you? Do you live here?" Turns out a work colleague I have not seen of course in over a year lives in the building. So I had 2 friend visits at same building!
Came home to news that NYS will, starting March 17, start vaccinating any resident, no restrictions. The State has opened so many massive vaccination sites, several drugstore chains including Walgreens, are now giving it, and the supply is so reliable, they can do that. Joanne, Charlotte and the rest, I hope you get there soon too.
Lovely to hear some good news, From Theresa, to Fran, to Charlotte, to BnB! Does feel like the world is slowly warming and lightening up. My first dose is Friday and I am trying to drink water like a crazy person!I am stressed about the good stuff. March feels like an overwhelming month, but I am so thrilled about the world slowly opening. Right now the focus is on visiting colleges and fitting that in. And ugh - taxes... Thats my day today.
@ Charlotte ... great news about the pup and potential names! @ Theresa ... Oh, what a pleasant surprise to run into your work colleague! And what a lovely afternoon you must have had.
@ BnB ... Congratulations on your upcoming retirement. I've always loved the Spanish word for retirement: Jubilación ... "jubilation" indeed!
@ Joanne ... Similar weather on this side of the pond (Lake Michigan). It'll hit 70F today! To keep things in perspective last night's weather forecast included stats on when our last snowfall (over 1 inch) has been in the last five years. THREE times it's been in April ... two years ago it was April 27th! So not getting out the flip flops just yet (well, maybe fore today ... and definitely making an appointment for a pedicure!)
Congratulations BnB, think of how many books you will be able to read ;)@Theresa, I love when you run into someone unexpectedly-So glad you had a happy day!
Book Concierge wrote: "definitely making an appointment for a pedicure! I got one last Friday! This week I need to get the hairs cut.
Booknblues wrote: "Yay! to Theresa for being able to get together with friends. Love that Charlotte is getting new puppy.
I have finally officially put in my retirement papers and will start retirement June 14, 2021."
Congratulations! I have fond memories of my teaching career and I'm proud of what I accomplished. But, it's a stressful, tiring occupation and I thoroughly enjoy retirement. I hope it will be that way for you.
Jgrace wrote: "Booknblues wrote: "Yay! to Theresa for being able to get together with friends. Love that Charlotte is getting new puppy.
I have finally officially put in my retirement papers and will start ret..."
I'm looking forward to it! I'm ready to kick up my heels.
@Fran, Congratulations for your upcoming retirement. It will be here sooner than it feels. And hopefully, with people getting their vaccines, it will be a more normal time to retire. I retired in September. I find that while I don't miss the work itself, I miss the people contact - my work friends.@Charlotte, A new puppy will be a delight (except for the normal accidents and chewing). My own home feels empty without Ace - a rescued pitbull mix who now lives out of state with my son. He is as big as me - I used to laugh and call him "Baby". I'm toying with the idea of getting a new dog myself.
Life in general: I got my 1st vaccine on Monday. My husband got his 2nd vaccine yesterday. I've been very involved in looking after my 97 year old Dad who had 4 teeth pulled out on Monday. He has confusion, which makes everything harder.
Holly - it is hard with aged parents, but how blessed you are to have had him with you so long. My father passed at 96, blessedly his mind sharp until the end but his body just kept failing inch by inch. It's a tough road - what's worse? being trapped in a failing body with little or no mobility etc. or have a relatively strong healthy body but you have some form of dementia? Hard as it is sometimes, cherish this time.
And absolutely get a new puppy!
I've scheduled a hair appointment for tomorrow -- it's been 9 weeks... I have been so busy and then decided to just wait until I was fully vaccinated - although my stylist has taken all the precautions quite seriously and I feel safe there. Hair has reached the point of requiring me to wear headband and is bothering me...time to go!If I can take the time from work...I'm also going to head into my local Indie bookstore for a good browse, then go next door to Mondel's to buy chocolate bunnies to ship to family (I would be disowned if I did not do this every year -- we are talking adults here! no kids! who have to have their Mondel's bunny every year!) and have for my Easter Sunday in the Park with Cosmopolitans. I will have to get one or two to make sure I don't eat those destined elsewhere! Of course.
@ Theresa, thank you for replying and for telling me about your dad. We are both fortunate to have them with us for so long. (I'm sorry for your loss of your own dad.) In my dad's case, he is able to walk with a cane and live semi-independently, although he is very frail. He sees his 2 great grandchildren (ages 2 and 3 months) every week.Should I get a puppy? Your emphatic YES made me smile and laugh.
Enjoy your haircut and chocolate bunnies. They sound good!
oooh! Chocolate Bunnies and Cosmos-yummy!Hair: I have not been since Late October...You can just call me "The Bun Lady"
Booknblues wrote: "Yay! to Theresa for being able to get together with friends. Love that Charlotte is getting new puppy.
I have finally officially put in my retirement papers and will start retirement June 14, 2021."
Congratulations :) !
Holly R W wrote: "@ Theresa, thank you for replying and for telling me about your dad. We are both fortunate to have them with us for so long. (I'm sorry for your loss of your own dad.) In my dad's case, he is able ..."You are so welcome. My dad passed in 2006 so it has been a while. My siblings and I have a running joke, Black Irish Humor at play, that Mom, who passed in 1979, had finally had enough vacation and was ready for Dad to join her again, and that they had a date in the next world - Dad passed on March 7, 2006 and Mom had passed on March 10th 1979 - clearly there was a date planned!
How precious that the little ones will have memories with him!
You do know that if you get a puppy or even a mature dog, your father will enjoy visits. Just thought I'd mention. My dad's nursing home had a resident dog, several cats and pet rabbits. The dog and cats made rounds every day and my dad loved their visits.
My Dad loves dogs and is fearless around them. He adored when the pit bull sat next to him (and sometimes put his head in his lap). He also likes my niece's St. Bernard. I see that your Dad enjoyed the animals too.*I get the humor. My brother and I were laughing last night about some of what went on on Monday (his oral surgery day) with Dad. Some of the craziness was so darn funny.
Theresa wrote: "I've scheduled a hair appointment for tomorrow -- it's been 9 weeks... I have been so busy and then decided to just wait until I was fully vaccinated - although my stylist has taken all the precaut..."I just got my haircut too. It was 14-15 months since my last cut and color. This is the longest my hair has been since high school. She took several inches off, but I can still pull it back, which saves me a lot of time. I have a lot less gray than I thought I did.
Have you seen the new type of pod salons? My stylist moved to a new building called Sola. From the outside it looks like an office building or doctor's offices. All the rooms are built-in salons for one stylist. They all work for themselves, but they pay rent. (In her last place she rented the chair.) It's modern, stylish and sunny.
At one end of the room is the sink and chair and everything else she needs. The other end is a waiting area with 2 seats, a table, and a fridge with small bottles of water/tea. When I was almost done, the next person came in, and I think we were at least six feet apart when I was in the chair.
I used to go to a stylist like that with her own room but she is no longer in business. Where I go now is kind of the opposite. The place is huge with very high ceilings like a warehouse and partitions between them. Since they reopened last summer, they can space people in different sections so you don't see anyone except your own stylist. They do temperature checks and clean everything constantly. Still, I haven't gone as often as I used to, maybe 9-10 weeks instead of 6-8. During shutdown last year, I had my husband cut my hair twice and he did a decent job.
We all have appointments for our shots at different places. There is a pharmacy in Springville that received 250 doses this week instead of 100, and they're scrambling to make more appointments before it expires. It's quite a distance, but a friend told him about it. We don't want to go at the same time (esp for the second dose), so my husband has an appointment for Saturday. I'll wait.
Joanne wrote: "oooh! Chocolate Bunnies and Cosmos-yummy!Hair: I have not been since Late October...You can just call me "The Bun Lady""
I think it's been 2 years since I've had my hair cut! LOL! My hair is long enough (and I cut my own bangs) that I usually only go once/year. but a year ago, things were locking down. So, I haven't gone.
NancyJ wrote: "I just got my haircut too. It was 14-15 months since my last cut and color. This is the longest my hair has been since high school..."
This is the case for me, too. Well, it's probably about the same length as in high school (almost to my waist). But my hair is thin and it tangles more easily as it gets longer, so the past decade or two I've preferred it just past my shoulders to about my mid-back. Ah, well. It may be a few more months before I finally get it hacked off again.
Holly R W wrote: "My Dad loves dogs and is fearless around them. He adored when the pit bull sat next to him (and sometimes put his head in his lap). He also likes my niece's St. Bernard. I see that your Dad enjoyed..."Dad was a dairy farmer. Animals and pets were a huge part of his life.
The humor is a sanity-saver!
NancyJ wrote: "Theresa wrote: "I've scheduled a hair appointment for tomorrow -- it's been 9 weeks... I have been so busy and then decided to just wait until I was fully vaccinated - although my stylist has taken..."Have not seen those pod salons. Prior to COVID emptying out retail and office space, I would have said that rents in NYC are too prohibitive to make such a set up feasible. But now....at least in the next few years it might happen.
My sylist has his own shop and there are 4 chairs but only 2 customers can be in the shop at one time, maximum of 5 people in entire salon at any given time. Usually, even before COVID, I would be there and was the only customer - that likely had to do with the odd hours I would go. Masks, cleaning, temp checks, gloves, all followed. In fact, he cleared the shop of a lot of stuff that sat out - it never was cluttered, but equipment no longer left out on the work table but kept in drawers.
As I said, I have always felt safe there.
Latest from Biden press conference: pressure on states to step up their vaccinations, mandating must open to all adults by May 1. With supply and its distribution to the states established, he's targeting the states.
Rightly so. If NY can open to all to be vaccinated starting March 17, there is no excuse for other states. None.
Robin P wrote: "I used to go to a stylist like that with her own room but she is no longer in business. Where I go now is kind of the opposite. The place is huge with very high ceilings like a warehouse and partit..."I go to my same hair dresser but only once every 3 months since it's up in Boston and I have no other reason to go there most of the time right now. The fact is, and my stylist said it, I have very difficult hair to cut and it doesn't do well with perms. (not a competition but it's surprising how many people make it one--I am sure I am not the only one with difficult hair.)
It's been a tough work week, third in a row. But first thing this AM it all turned around: I received a gorgeous thank you orchid from some clients! Astounding what a difference it made to my energy levels and spirits! Well, not really. It's one of the reasons I occasionally buy flowers and give to friends --- or even my hair stylist and his staff. Stopping at a flower stand in one of the local asian vegie/fruit markets and picking up an inexpensive bunch of roses or tulips or whatever is inexpensive, makes you smile, and brings such joy to the recipient, often brightening their day beyond measure. Same went for me today! It motivated me to sort laundry and put a load in that is critical. Make up a grocery and errand list. Get the movement in for my Cardinal runs that I didn't manage yesterday. Crank out some work so I can end my day a bit early. Maybe even get some reading in before I head out for a 4 PM appointment.
Now I have to figure out how to take care of this orchid...I'm really good with plants and flowering plants in general, but every orchid I have owned has defeated me. Oh well, even if this one doesn't last, it has given me great joy.
Theresa wrote: "It's been a tough work week, third in a row. But first thing this AM it all turned around: I received a gorgeous thank you orchid from some clients! Astounding what a difference it made to my energ..."It is great to be recognized. I used to keep a folder called "Good Stuff" with messages of thanks, appreciation, compliments, etc. The idea was that if I was feeling uninspired or discouraged I could turn to that to remember it wasn't all bad.
So I went this morning for Moderna #1 - and unexpectedly, I had to choke back tears! Just looking a the people there at 7:45AM, and all the doctors and nurses brightly scurrying around joyfully. I thought about all the people helping across the state and the world, the hundreds up people at Gillette stadium, and all of these people who are here to get the world reset. I was so grateful for them working dusk to dawn every single day. I was humbled with gratitude. Broke out in tears. I asked, am I the only one who cried? She said, "This is the happiest job in the world."
Just have to share this little gem from McSweeney's: https://www.mcsweeneys.net/articles/i...I took my new haircut out to a diner for breakfast all day, then a stop at my bank's ATM, ended my outing with a quick browse through my local indie bookstore, indulging major impulse shopping in the 10 minutes before the store closed.
Such a good day! Now I will watch a film streaming at the virtual Athena Film Festival followed by reading more of the mystery I started last night.
Have no worries, when I get mine I know I will cry, I cried when Ada, got his first!
Theresa wrote: "Just have to share this little gem from McSweeney's: https://www.mcsweeneys.net/articles/i...I took my new haircut out to a dine..."
Love the essay Theresa
Amy wrote: "So I went this morning for Moderna #1 - and unexpectedly, I had to choke back tears! Just looking a the people there at 7:45AM, and all the doctors and nurses brightly scurrying around joyfully. I ..."You are not alone in crying. Not by a long shot. I too cried spontaneously, both times. Many others I know said same thing.
Amy wrote: "So I went this morning for Moderna #1 - and unexpectedly, I had to choke back tears! Just looking a the people there at 7:45AM, and all the doctors and nurses brightly scurrying around joyfully. I ..."Were you able to sign up for Moderna or did you get it due to your profession?
I had my hair done, but I should have rescheduled when my hair dresser called me the other day to make sure I really booked both a cut and roots (I don't always get it cut). The roots were fine, but for the first time ever she just raced through cutting my hair, kept looking at her watch (she had another client with a really involved set of stuff. Didn't spend more than 20 minutes on the cut and I have a LOT of hair. For the first time ever I did not leave a tip; wanted to see how the hair works out. When I got home, she did a crappy job of shaping the back, apparently, so now I wait to see how it is after I wash it.
And this from one of the top rated salons in Boston. I'd love to switch to one specific other stylist I had once when mine was away, but after 4 or 5 years I just don't see how that could end up being okay.
Hot breaking news. My parents are going to get the vaccine. My father laid down the law!.Karin, I signed up back in late January for today, as a healthcare worker. Just waited a long time, for a reason I have been secretive about.
Amy wrote: "Hot breaking news. My parents are going to get the vaccine. My father laid down the law!.Karin, I signed up back in late January for today, as a healthcare worker. Just waited a long time, for a ..."
Congrats on your parents!
My husband is going tomorrow. My first vaccine is not until April 7th. I have not cut my hair since October 20th which is a long time for me. I usually go every three months. My hair is very thick and curly and needs to be shaped. I'm more concerned with the gray though. So I have been using spray on root concealer and it works pretty well.I am deliriously happy that the weather has been getting warmer.
I won't dine in but I will eat outside and I hadnt' been out to eat in months. On Thrursday I met a few friends for dinner and it was so nice. It seem likenormalcy is not too far away.
Sally, I am so happy you got a scheduled date! And that your husband got started. And Joanne's Adam too. Yet another strange Passover coming up. I haven't had a haircut either, but I think I am going to wait a little more. Do it when we are ready to be out and social. I am in fact planning an outdoor graduation party after all......
Amy wrote: "Hot breaking news. My parents are going to get the vaccine. My father laid down the law!. ..."That's great news, Amy!
Guys, I need some help. Lately, I have been getting more than a few "solicitations" instead of friend requests from strange men who kind of just want to chat. This is so strange to me, as this is not a dating site. I don't think there is anything in my profile or reviews that lends itself to my making myself available for this kind of connection. I just told yet another guy that I am happily married and not interested in this kind of connection and wished him well. So I am venting, but I do have a question from the low tech gal.So, how again can I de-friend people? What buttons do I click to get the wierdos gone? Seriously, talk to me as if you are Elmo, and I need very clear instructions. Walk me through it. How do I disconnect? I sense a grand clean out happening shortly....
He just responded to my nice rejection note. The request is somewhat imminent.
I set my user to the point where only friends can view my profile, and people have to answer a question in order to make a friend request. This and the baby avatar have stopped the strange men from soliciting me.
Play Book Tag
Books mentioned in this topic
The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue (other topics)Cold Wind (other topics)
I'm soooooo excited!
Otherwise, crazy busy with work, have some stuff relating to the family farm upstate to handle, and I'm only 40 or so pages from the end of The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue and I just want to sit down and wallow in finishing it but don't dare given the schedule I have. Unless something goes seriously awry in these last pages, this is going to be a 5 star read, is an exceptional work, and one that I need time to process. Not something to sneak reading pages here and there between meetings.
So I started the Edgar nominated Cold Wind by Paige Shelton as my read while taking bus to my high tea date.