Newbies Nest

[wagmor]

Re: Newbies Nest

Julia - my heart goes out to you. It's never easy to lose someone we love, whether person, pup or other. Keep on doing exactly what you're doing. Sending support :hug:

Pav - sewing lessons would be fun! I hear you about the ice cream struggles too. I had a long streak over the winter without any, and then when the stay home orders began I got some as a "comfort food" with one grocery order. Now I'm back in the habit, but only for the past few weeks. I'm going to try the "weekends only" approach and see if I can do it. Honestly, I think I'll find out it's just like al and that it's better to just have zero, but I'm hopeful. Love your suggestions of an orange or even water for that sweet craving after dinner. Hoping you have a great IC-free rest of the week!

Belle - Bonnie/Snoots is just adorable. For work, did you say that things had been lighter during the height of the virus, and now picking up again? Or am I confusing your work with someone else? Anyway, sending you strength to get the work you need to do done.


Hellos and waves to Lav, Byrdie, G, Nar, and everyone else stopping by the nest. Have great days and nights!

[available]

Re: Newbies Nest

evening nesters

Byrd, i have the most tone deaf family in the world, my daughter and i are always making up songs and singing. sounds awful but gives us a laugh. Now i am working from home she puts on her headphones and sings away and i do the same. It works as we cant hear each other!

How is your new machine Lav? I have mentioned to mum a few times that some dog coats would be lovely but now looks like she has tendonitis or a ganglion in her hand which is no good. She keeps telling me it sucks to be old. I keep telling her she is here so be grateful!

Pav, i have ice cream in the fridge that i dont eat but chocolate, i just cant have it in the house or i will eat the block. was like that with al too, drank it if it was there.

G, happy 600, wont be long till you hit the 4 figures and what an achievement that will be. Great work.

Cold and windy here, not good walking weather, i dont like fighting with the wind. Carl had a hair cut yesterday and has his pj's on as he was cold.

Back to my knitting, just wanted to check in.

take care and stay safe xx

[Pavati]

Re: Newbies Nest

Hi, All:

I think almost anyone "can" sing, but we've told ourselves we can't because of embarrassment or whatever. Very few people are actually tone deaf - after all, we can hear that it sounds "bad." I'll let you know if that is true after my lessons (when quarantine is over).

Wags, I hear you on the all or nothing. So far it has been ok with the ice cream. Ava, I'm that way with Reese's Peanut Butter Cups. I NEVER have them around because I eat what I can.

Not much else to report. I hope you are all doing as well as can be expected.

Pav

[NoSugar]

Re: Newbies Nest

I don't know if this would work with alcohol (and I certainly will not be running this experiment!) but after enough time away from eating sweet foods, they quit tasting good. I'll occasionally have a bite of something in an effort not to be rude to the baker, but it isn't pleasant tasting anymore and I don't have any desire to have more. My nightly treat is a square of >85% dark chocolate. I'm pretty sure addictive properties are at work, though, because if I eat a sweeter chocolate, it is very 'more-ish'! Even the 85% has become pretty rewarding so I try to find bars that are > 90%. Someday I'll be eating baker's chocolate :haha:

[narilly]

Re: Newbies Nest

Happy Un Hung Thursday everyone.

600 days G! Woohoo!!!! Way to go GMan, you RAAWK! I am so happy for you. Your persistence paid off.

Yeah, hubby went back to work this morning because they asked him to come in 5 days early. So he will get overtime and work 12 days in a row, poor guy. He never complains though, he is the hardest working guy I know. There has been a Covid case up at the camp but it looks like it is under control. I am not really sure about the situation because they are keeping pretty tight lipped which sucks.

I am gaining weight everyday, ugh. I have to get back to eating the way I did before being quarantined with my kids- that is tough. I may just say f it and eat how I want until my daughter goes to school in Sept. We will see.

I am in a choir called 'Cool Choir' and I really can't sing but when I am in a group of 100 people I sound really good. Actually since I have joined the choir I notice my voice is Way better, another area where practice makes perfect (well it helps anyway).

Have a good one everybody.

[julia1970]

Re: Newbies Nest

i don't really know what to write.
one more sober day, at least.

[Lavande]

Re: Newbies Nest

Good evening Nesters,

Currently there’s a female cardinal hurling herself repeatedly at my kitchen window. She does this a few times a day. I have no idea what she wants, obviously it’s bird seed because the feeder is nearby.
Maybe the bird population is suffering from Covid related anxiety, who knows? Haha
We have some local Amish carpenters working on our deck, replacing the railings & steps. They started at 7:15 this morning & didn’t leave until 4:30 this afternoon. Tomorrow they will finish up, it’s looking so much better already. Spent a little time with my new machine today, yay. Frost warnings are being issue for the next few nights, believe it or not.

Julia, glad you checked in & just keep moving forward, you won’t be sorry :hug:

Narilly, I’m trying to get out to walk a mile or two each day to keep from gaining any more weight. It’s gets harder & harder, honestly.

NS, I believe my chocolate addiction started when I was a little kid. My Mom was allergic so she bought me everything chocolate, figuring someone should have it I guess, haha! One taste & I’m off to the races!!

Pav, I used to try to sing (in my car ) but just can’t any more. Having had a plastic tube shoved down my throat 20 years ago & being on a ventilator for a few days messed up my vocal chords. I’m lucky to be alive so I don’t complain about not being able to sing

Ava, I love to sew & could realistically sew all day BUT it’s not easy on aging bodies. I get stiff & have to move around a lot & my hands cramp up after a time. Your Mom is right in that aging isn’t for sissies!!

Wags & G, hello to both of you! Hello to the rest of the crew & wishing everyone a safe night in the nest!

Lav

[wagmor]

Re: Newbies Nest

NS - I think you're right about the taste becoming worse after a long period of time away, although I think if you return to a sweet and indulge even a few times that changes back pretty quickly. I say this based partly on my experience with diet coke back about 20 years ago. I was seriously addicted to that stuff for several years. I then started learning more about it, and I also read a lot about the food industry in general, and I decided I wasn't going to be one of their victims so I stopped. Maybe a few years later I had to do a long road trip halfway across the country and back within the course of just a few days, so lots of long days of driving. I don't drink coffee and was feeling the need for caffeine so I picked up a few diet cokes at a gas station. The first one tasted *horrible* but I forced it down to get the caffeine. Second one pretty bad but not so much. I think I had 5 or 6 total during that week and by the last one I probably could've resumed my habit (and was in danger of doing so). Fortunately, I was still pissed off enough at the lies of the food industry that I was able to quit again and haven't turned back since then. It was kind of scary how quickly something that my brain/body initially told me "NO gross!" about turned the corner into something that could have been a several-a-day habit. Yikes!

Ok kids, have great days and nights singing to yourselves and your pandemic companions. It's Friday or soon-to-be Saturday, but tickets to boozeville aren't worth the hidden cost. See you all tonight or tomorrow - I've got a full day of teaching today!

[Pavati]

Re: Newbies Nest

Hi, All:

Julia - what else is going on? How's your class? Is it more online than before, or was it always online. How are you doing?

Ah, diet coke. I used to love that, Wags, and now it tastes terrible to me, but I wasn't addicted. My brain like salty/crunchy things. I can easily resist purchasing potato chips, but if I DO purchase them, watch out. The same thing happens with certain types of ice cream (not all flavors), and the Trader Joe's peanut butter cups. Well, after dinner my son had some ice cream and I REALLY wanted just a spoonful. I was justifying it in my head, and then I thought about having to come here and tell you all and it stopped me! THANKS!!

Nar, I'm with you. I had a very rough year last year and started gaining weight slowly, and just never stopped. I am exercising, but I think I am eating what I serve my sons as opposed to serving myself less. Food has always been "comfort" to me, I just will continue to re-assess my relationship to it... I hope your husband is safe, and I hope that doesn't stress you out too much. I'm going to try to keep singing...

Lav, I didn't know you had that happen. I'm sorry, but glad you made it through.

I am happy it is FRIDAY! I like the weekend just to be able to sleep without setting an alarm, and maybe get some more exercise.

Take care of yourselves, and don't drink!
Pav

[KENSHO]

Re: Newbies Nest

Hi Nest birds. Another day in weird-land. I don't know if there's point to wishing it was like it was - I find more hope in taking stock of now and looking forward. What's next? What can I enjoy now? WAGS, I'm a little bleh here too. I know in 5 years, we will all be in a very different place.

Well, I can throw a little party for G-MAN and his 602 days, and we can all join in for whatever sober day we are at. Each day is worth pat on the back!

Masks. Oh my gosh. Can someone tell me why this has become such a "don't mess with my rights" issue? You are being asked to wear one so you don't endanger others. No one is trying to infringe on your life, they are saying you don't have a right to infringe on others. To protest that is to be selfish, un-informed and careless. No one is telling you you can't wreck your own life (and some people seem hell-bent on doing that), but they are saying you have no right to wreck other people's lives. I've had enough of this administration's negligent, incompetent, economy-only approach. I think I might move to New Zealand; they seem to understand how to solve problems. Is that so hard?

Julia, way to rack up sober days, especially when feeling so hurt and raw. Our feelings are amplified when we stop drinking because our nerve cells are so used to being numbed. It takes a bit to get used to the magnification. You are doing great. Sometimes a few good cries is all we can do in a day. I'm glad you called your friend for support. Here's a (((hug))).

On to today's list. I have a lot to be thankful for. Happy it's Friday because I can sleep in tomorrow! Best to everyone!

[narilly]

Re: Newbies Nest

Happy Un Hung Friday everyone!

I am off to the market today with my mask on. I am SO excited to be able to go out to the market, yay!!

I totally don't get that Ken, the "don't mess with my rights" issue. Geez, what the hell is wrong with people. We have pretty good compliance here in Canada, we are lucky.

I will try and not buy too much 'bad stuff' at the market like tarts etc. I kinda lose my mind everytime I go there. Maybe I should eat before I go

Don't drink today, its gross.

[Lavande]

Re: Newbies Nest

Evening greetings Nesters,

Cold & raining, possible frost tonight which is ridiculous in the mid-Atlantic region on Mother’s day weekend.
Speaking of that, i received a beautiful floral arrangement from my daughter & her family today that even included a package of loose green tea & cookies. Nice, right? The other kid gave me a slightly used golden retriever & a 9 yr old for the weekend, haha!!! Seems like I am always watching someone or some pet here. Lav’s kid & pet motel??

Kensho, since I’m not terribly shy I call out a mask-less person every time I see one. I’m not mean or rude about it but I let them know we all need to be wearing a mask until this shitshow is contained. I am also looking forward to a new & improved future for us all!

Narilly, funny how a simple trip to the grocery store is suddenly exciting, Lol

Wags, hope your busy day teaching was good!

I know I am consuming more food than I need but I am at least trying to make it healthy. Made a pot of vegan rustic potato soup for dinner & heated up a vegan pizza, haha. Not so bad actually
Hello to everyone & wishing a safe night in the nest for all!

Lav

[Byrdlady]

Re: Newbies Nest

I rode with hubs to Walgreens this mornings and 13 people went in, only 2 watering masks. This is a drug store, too, where sick people go! I am amazed and disappointed in my fellow man.

I made a fruitcake yesterday and it made two loaves. It was quite tasty but nowI have fruitcake coming out my ears. A little goes a long way. I froze one of them.

My niece is going to have a baby in August and my sister had wanted me to give her a baby shower in June. I was SURE the idea had been tabled with all this mess but she just called and asked how it was going?! I told her that I wouldn’t think she would want to have it! Sis said that she didn’t want her to be cheated out of it. I told her thatI can’t imagine anyone would want to go and that I would not be attending. She has made me feel extremely guilty about it. I’m not sure what to say to her, but honestly, I’m not going. I love my niece like my own, but who could enjoy such a function? Sis suggested we have it outside on July 4th. I told her that I still won’t be coming. I don’t think we will be in much better shape in July. I hope I’m wrong. Kensho, your words were comforting to me, in five years we’ll be in a much better place.
I suggested an e-shower or something, I don’t know, anybody got an idea?
Julia, I’m so glad you are sober! Are you weed free also? We are thinking of you. Big butt bumps to you.
Its only Friday, not a ticket to BoozeVille! :rara:
Byrdie

[wagmor]

Re: Newbies Nest

Friday night in Wagland and I made it through my long teaching day. It was a really good day! I'm glad to be getting my enthusiasm for teaching/working back. It was actually hardest when I had almost no work, because then it was like starting up my engine from zero each and every class. When I'm at least halfway busy I keep some momentum, which makes it easier.

Tomorrow I have just one class in the afternoon. My student wrote to me today to give me an update on how the homework went, and at the end he confided that he was feeling demotivated, largely because his wife had suggested they get a divorce a few days ago. Poor guy, my heart goes out to him. I'm glad he felt comfortable sharing such a personal thing with me, and I hope I'm able to support him well through this additional twist and turn in the roller coaster of prepping for this test (oh, and life right now!).

The whole mask protest drives me beyond crazy. As Kensho said, people are being asked to wear them to help keep others safe, so refusing to do so (or throwing a temper tantrum about it) is selfish and childish. But that's the role model we have in office and he's given people license to be their worst selves. The harder these people all try to sound tough or smart or patriotic or whatever, the more ridiculous and immature they prove themselves to be. *steps off soapbox*

Byrdie - I can't imagine attending a baby shower right now and it seems especially foolish to put the expectant mother at risk. Can you imagine being quite pregnant and coming down with Covid? Yikes! Maybe that's the way to spin it - for the safety of mom and baby? It's really about everyone's safety but that might be a good way to frame it. I'll be curious to hear what your niece thinks about it all. Virtual could be quite fun. I know a shower is partly about gifts - maybe those could be delivered several days in advance (so they can quarantine and/or cleaned/sanitized) and then opened by mom during the video shower?

Ok, I need to go reply to my poor sad student. Long distance hugs and butt bumps to you all. Hope this weekend brings you wellness and happiness. See you all tomorrow!

[NoSugar]

Re: Newbies Nest

This is my favorite 'mask explainer':