The easiest way to avoid regrets is to ask yourself this question, "If not now, when?" It's a powerful way to put life and our decisions about how we spend our time into perspective"

Sunday grats... Posted by Joan on 8/10/2025, 9:17 am Share here!

Sunday Grats Posted by Delta on 8/10/2025, 5:31 pm, in reply to "Sunday grats..." My great-grandson's second birthday was yesterday. It doesn't seem possible. We couldn't have a party yesterday as planned because he got sick and couldn't be around people until tomorrow or the next day. The party will be next weekend, and he will never know the difference. My son's anniversary is tomorrow. So grateful he brought his sweet, kind wife into our family. I have made great inroads into getting this house cleared out. I still have to find a location for a few crafts and unfinished quilts, but I have lots of empty dresser drawers and closet shelves in the guest rooms. It has already lifted a burden I didn't realize I was carrying. Our grandson was talking to an old friend that moved away. They still play internet games sometimes, and when they were playing the other night, he found that the guy will only be about 50 minutes away from where he moved to, so he said Forget getting movers, since he has brothers to help him load here. He said he would show up at their new house and help them unload. They don't have a lot of heavy stuff because appliances are furnished, and they are getting a new dining set and sofa delivered when they get there. I am grateful that they will have someone they know close enough to visit occasionally and that they have help that will save them almost $3000. Even though they make friends easily, I hated to see them so far away from anyone they knew. We found a house that we both really like, so we are going to schedule to see it to see if it holds up. It has been so hard to find what we are looking for, where we want to live, in today's market. During COVID, housing was scarce in the local so people started doing a DIY update and throwing wild prices on them. Then a bidding war would start, and they might get $50,000 or more over asking. The prices are just crazy still, but I am noticing houses sitting there, so maybe they will come down to something realistic soon. There may be two identical houses side by side, and there may be $600,000 difference in price, and even the less expensive one might be above appraisal. I don't want to be upside down as soon as we buy. In the meantime we have found a starting place.

Delta Posted by Cindyh on 8/11/2025, 1:22 am, in reply to "Sunday Grats" I hope you like the house and it’s reasonable. Is it in the same town you are in now?

Delta Posted by Joan on 8/10/2025, 7:21 pm, in reply to "Sunday Grats" How nice your grandson will have an old friend to help him move, and in this day and age, 50 minutes away is nothing! It can take me 50 minutes to get across town during season when the snowbirds return. Good luck with the house hunting!

My five… Posted by Cindy on 8/10/2025, 12:10 pm, in reply to "Sunday grats..." 1. Being able to mow and do the yard. Remember when I said our friend was going to have one of his guys come and mow for us? Well he never showed up and Ken and I decided that he was only going to be doing it that one time while his boss (our friend) was on vacation. Since he never showed up, I am going to tackle the yard today if it doesn’t rain before it gets any taller! So grateful to be able to do this! 2. We are getting close to getting our peninsula done. I think it will be finished up and installed this week! So exciting! Ken and j have been looking at new hardware and I am getting ready to order it. WAYFAIR has nice, affordable hardware!! Our kitchen is actually a kitchen/dining room (think one room that has the kitchen on one end and the dining room on the other) and we have bead board running on the lower half of the dining room. I am thinking about taking that same type of bead board and using it for my backsplash. I have seen pics online of people doing it and it looks really cute! Not sure-just thinking about it. 3. Curbside pickup for groceries. Love the convenience! 4. Weekends with Ken. 5. A busy week ahead of me at work, but that always makes Fridays come faster! Love you girls.

Cindy Posted by Joan on 8/10/2025, 7:12 pm, in reply to "My five…" How exciting you are getting close to getting your peninsula done! Finally, right?!? You're going to love it, I know!

I am sorry that the mowing Posted by Delta on 8/10/2025, 5:01 pm, in reply to "My five…" was just a one-off. I am glad that you CAN do it now, though. Excited about the peninsula being almost ready! You know that we want pictures. I have seen beadboard done well as a backsplash. I have been considering either bead board or shiplap for the kitchen at the lake when we redo it, because it just fits there. Go with what fits you guys and the house, and you will always be happy.

Mine Posted by Paula on 8/10/2025, 11:27 am, in reply to "Sunday grats..." Another former client reached out to me to get back in my schedule. It is so reassuring and affirming that, after being gone since the beginning of November, my clients want me back!! Beautiful day Reminiscing about Evanston and my life in Chicago with Cindyh above. Have not been getting enough protein so drank half a Premier Protein. I don't like the taste anymore so I will dump the other half. I ordered a ton of them from Amazon. I mean, like 2 or 3 cardboard boxes of them so this way, I'll get the protein and deplete my stash! Also returned to nearing an apple in the morning. It serves as a reminder that I am eating healthy. My choices lately have had too much fat. Remembering to get my Miralax in! Not being able to move a lot makes this a necessity.

Paula! Posted by Joan on 8/10/2025, 7:07 pm, in reply to "Mine" Of course your clients want you back! What are you thinking, Girlfriend?!?!

TMI Posted by Delta on 8/10/2025, 4:20 pm, in reply to "Mine" My husband has a small bottle of Miralax that he usually refills from a double pack of Sam's brand lately. He puts it near the coffee maker with a jar of collagen powder, which also helps the go as well as adding protein. He has a scoop of each in his coffee every morning. No taste, no smell, no problem. It was easy for him to make it a habit that way, too. Our favorite collagen was the Trim Healthy Mama brand from their store, but during COVID, they were out a lot, so we started buying Native Path. They almost doubled their price, so we ended up with the blue Vital Proteins from Walmart. There are a lot out there, but I found that some of them did have a smell, and that bothered me, so I am happy with the price and lack of smell with Vital Protein. It helps the nails, hair, and skin, too.

I do the same thing Posted by Cindyh on 8/11/2025, 1:03 am, in reply to "TMI" W the little bottle. That’s so funny. And blue vital proteins also

Also, have you Posted by Delta on 8/10/2025, 5:12 pm, in reply to "TMI" tried Fairlife protein drinks? I haven't tried anything but chocolate yet because I can't even gag down the vanilla and strawberry in other brands, so I am leery, but I can drink Fairlife chocolate because it is not so sickly sweet. I can drink it at room temperature or cold. I order them from Sam's. I can't drink Premier or Equate or any of those other protein drinks on the market these days. I wish places would sell some of these individually, cold, like they used to do Slim Fast, so that we could try just one and not have to buy so many to see if we liked them.

I second Fairlife Posted by Cindyh on 8/11/2025, 5:40 am, in reply to "Also, have you " It’s the BEST

But be careful choosing Posted by Delta on 8/11/2025, 7:39 pm, in reply to "I second Fairlife " My husband picked up Fairlife chocolate milk once instead of the protein shake. I think the colors are the same but reversed or something so read.

Paula…. Posted by Cindy on 8/10/2025, 11:58 am, in reply to "Mine" What flavors did you order? The trick to any protein drink is to shake, shake, shake them! I swear they taste better that way. I don’t care for the strawberry premier protein and they have a seasonal Root Beer Float one that I don’t like -but love the caramel and even the French vanilla to use as creamer in my coffee. And I have even heated the chocolate ones up and drank them like hot chocolate. Just a thought for you depending on what flavors you got. If you are wanting to send them back and have a Kohl’s near you, they will send back things to Amazon for free and even give you $5 Kohls cash for doing so! I love that service!!!! It doesn’t surprise me at all that people want to get back in to see you!! Every time I see a show set in Chicago I think of you living there! Lol Do you have HBO/Max as a streaming service? They have a show on there called The Guilding Age or something like that-which is set back in the renaissance era and I bet you would like it. Love you!!

I've had the PP for months so no returning. Posted by Paula on 8/10/2025, 12:35 pm, in reply to "Paula…." I've tried most of them and settled on chocolate pntbtr and pumpkin. I don't like sweetened coffee unless it's a Starbucks treat. I know I would love the Guilded Age!

Five for me... Posted by Joan on 8/10/2025, 9:20 am, in reply to "Sunday grats..." 1. Sunday - Going to Church! Praise the Lord! The parishioners at my Church are so kind and caring, just like all of you! 2. Daily reminders from Cindy to slow down, stay positive. 3. Treat Day - my husband's choice, and he has chosen a new Irish pub. Looking forward to it! 4. Preparing to teach my first Religion class of the year this week. 5. FSF family and friends! I pray for all of you, your families, your friends in my daily prayers... and thank you for praying for me! Maintenance is a forever endeavor!

I makes me happy to Posted by Delta on 8/10/2025, 4:43 pm, in reply to "Five for me..." hear that you are about to start teaching Religion class again. I know how you love teaching children and that you really enjoyed it last year. An Irish pub is an interesting choice. Let us know how it was.

Delta... Posted by Joan on 8/10/2025, 7:00 pm, in reply to "I makes me happy to " The food was perfect, but the place was LOUD! LOL!

An Irish pub…. Posted by Cindy on 8/10/2025, 11:48 am, in reply to "Five for me..." Sounds interesting! You will have to tell me what they offer on their menu! Enjoy! Love that you are going to be teaching your first Religion class of the year!

Cindy Posted by Joan on 8/10/2025, 6:58 pm, in reply to "An Irish pub…." Along with the beer and ale, a typical Irish pub can offer: Bangers and Mash: Sausages (bangers) served with mashed potatoes. Shepherd's Pie: A baked dish of ground meat (usually lamb) topped with mashed potatoes. Irish Stew: A hearty stew made with lamb or mutton, potatoes, carrots, and onions. Corned Beef and Cabbage: While not strictly traditional to Ireland, it's a popular dish in Irish pubs, especially around St. Patrick's Day. Cottage Pie: Similar to Shepherd's Pie, but made with beef. Irish Breakfast: A full Irish breakfast is a hearty meal with eggs, bacon, sausage, black and white pudding, grilled tomato, fried mushrooms, and toast, often served all day in pubs. Pasties (Pass-teez): Puff pastry And my favorite, of course, is the Irish soda bread served warm and freshly baked! Oh, yes! It comes with sweet butter, jam, and honey... m-m-m-m I had a pastie with ham, turkey, and cheese. I wanted to tell you lox is nothing like sardines which are yucky to me. I will admit that until my husband talked me into trying lox (salmon) I thought the same as you. Now, I can't wait for it to go on sale, so we can have them for dinner. Right now, I have 2 packs in the refrigerator calling my name.

Thank you for…. Posted by Cindy on 8/11/2025, 12:36 am, in reply to "Cindy" Telling me what’s on the menu at the Irish pub! Your meal sounds yummy! And thank you for explaining what lox is!

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