COLD DARK ROOM

Cathie G

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I have a busy few days coming up with lunch with one of my nephews and his family on Sunday and then in the evening my sister has bought us tickets to see a very talented musician and music show presenter called Jools Holland. Then on Tuesday evening I'm meeting up with some of my colleagues from school for dinner. I'm really looking forward to it all, the only trouble is my car is having problems. It started making a high pitched whining noise on Tuesday, so I took it to my garage and has to go in next Weds. It could be the fan belt or alternator or bearings -they won't know until they have it in. They said it is driveable if I stay local but wouldn't recommend going further or on motorways in case something seizes up. So I'll be taking the train to Cardiff on Sunday and hoping one of my friends can pick me up on Tuesday.
They say problems come in threes, so after my laptop and roof, the car has to be the third. Hopefully that will be an end to my recent run of bad luck. The car is 15 now so it's bound to have wear sand tear issues - if only it could have waited a week or so! Not so much bad luck as bad timing!!

I hope all your Xmas preparations are going well. I'm struggling for ideas this year.
That's been the Christmas story this year for me too. One repair after another and visitors 😉 and this and that too. It'll turn out the way it should 🎄🙏🐢
 

Lyn W

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Today we've had a really warm day. The back yard was 70°f in mid December for heavens sake. By Christmas it's supposed to gradually cool down to 20°f through the day. If it rains we'll have snow ❄️ the rest of my country is having deep snow in the northern parts now. You'll be getting my warm weather blowing your way.💨 then my cold snap after 😉
Wow that is warm for December - better than our usual summers! Although this year our summer was also not its usual self and was too hot and dry. Our winters used to be this cold but because of climate change we've been used to them being milder. My garden birds all queue up for breakfast in the morning and for the water dishes to be defrosted. A little wood mouse also rushes out to look for a few seeds in spite of me standing there - he must be hungry too. The frog pond has frozen in spite of my layers of covers - I hope the frogs are OK. Not seen any hedgehogs yet but maybe they'll be looking for a good meal when it gets milder so will have to get his feeding station ready.
 

Ray--Opo

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That's a gorgeous place Ray...
You pick nice places, VERY nice! I never realized that you were such a party animal? A few lifestylers I knew in a past life live down on the Keys. Apparently, The Keys....it's like one 500-800(?) mi long "college party town" but with older folks...LOL I've thought about it but it's probably a good thing I don't live down there.....No question that I'd be "the creepy old guy" now and that's just an embarrassment that I'm unable to handle .....yet. I have never been invisible before....even in my 50's.....maybe it's the clothes?? Maybe it's the "domesticated" sign scrawled across my wrinkled forehead written by my former owners? LOL

2 referring to 1: He's not right you know, just something "off" about him
3: Yeah, but he lives in here too
#4: Shush you guys!
Tammy??? Look familiar my friend?


I have "Genuine", "War", "Beatles", Nelly, Creed & a wrap-up with "Paul Revere and the Raiders" and a song by Jim Stafford playing on the monitor(it has good sound) in the next room here at the office as I seek to wake the heck up. Nothing pressing here so it will be a long day...it's the Christmas season.....my work for the year is complete, no need for me to be swinging for the fences in mid Dec. It's a double-edged sword though for the hyperactive folks.....it'll drive me nuts if I let it....I'll read a lot today......


enjoy the day guys...
It was quite the resort. Next week the room we stayed in. Goes up to 1600.00 a night compared to the 330.00 it cost us. Then the holiday week it goes up to 2200.00. But they have alot planned with entertainment, food and even a skating rink. But all that's way above my financial situation. But once a year gives us something to look forward to.
 

Maro2Bear

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Glenn Dale, Maryland, USA
It was quite the resort. Next week the room we stayed in. Goes up to 1600.00 a night compared to the 330.00 it cost us. Then the holiday week it goes up to 2200.00. But they have alot planned with entertainment, food and even a skating rink. But all that's way above my financial situation. But once a year gives us something to look forward to.

Yes, you’re right about the rates. I started to closely look at some dates in March. Plugged the week in March that i was interested in & the “calculated” rate was about $ 900.00. So, i think, well that's not bad……..UNTIL i realized the $900 was the NIGHTLY rate. 😩
 

jeff kushner

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Glad you guys had fun Ray...even though you didn't land the big fish yet.....guess that isn't what's it's really bout anyway...so glad you were able to spend time with the grand kids!

Everyone seems to be settling into the holidays, when I picked Kerry up, she was 'mule-ing" for a friend-huge duffle of gifts for NY. We'll drive up Christmas morn in Supermans white "sleigh"! Kerry and I shared a pizza last night & caught the latest Ghost episode (no, the Xmas special didn't come on till 8pm and we weren't gonna make it-LOL) before I sent her home, she has to work today too. She was dragging bad though and it's a 1.33hr trip so I called her 45min after she left, and "talked her in".

I'm going to stay home this weekend and wrap stuff up downstairs and get ready to be gone for a week so I'm not racing over the bridge today....ahhhh.


Food corner review
You guys know I love beef...
Everything "USDA Prime" sold in the US is labeled "USDA Prime"...if it isn't, it isn't. MANY sites now will show the label on their site to infer....but they don't actually state it in the product descriptor, just a general banner at the bottom or top of their website. One of those sites "got" me once. I don't care how much they love their animals or if they read a story to the cow in the mornings, massage and hooves at 4pm everyday...if it's not graded Prime, you aren't getting it!

The steaks I used to buy went from $26 to $44 ea., too much for even special times and a bit of gouging I suspected so I searched for a new place. Most grocery stores today carry Choice as their best grade followed by Select, the lowest grade of beef. I ordered Wed from Wild Forks food, a Brazilian owned HUGE food distributor (like 278bil) but with brick and mortar stores here in the US. The stuff will arrive at Kerrys today to go into the freezer.....so we'll see how it compares.

Their 16oz Prime boneless NY strip steaks, are $20 bucks each there! It's like I found treasure!!
I ordered some Prime steaks but also 2 Choice steaks to do a direct comparison.....(I don't want to spend anymore than I have to in the future, cause I'm cheap like that...LOL) and a huge Cowboy steak for fun. As you can imagine, their roast selection was pretty weak only because they are sold out.

BTW- they have Alligator, Yak, Ostrich, Bison, Elk, Venison, Goat, Duck, folli grais(I spelled it wrong & Spellck doesn't have a clue-LOL) and probably a few more that I'm forgetting. Thankfully, I saw nothing related to our little friends....I began to worry as I saw all the different animals you can eat there......well, that's what it is! LOL
 

LJL1982

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Yes, you’re right about the rates. I started to closely look at some dates in March. Plugged the week in March that i was interested in & the “calculated” rate was about $ 900.00. So, i think, well that's not bad……..UNTIL i realized the $900 was the NIGHTLY rate. 😩
Can't think of anything nicer than a night away in a posh resort!

No holidays for us though for a while...our house exchanged and completed...at the last minute too as someone else had viewed it!!

We now have a very tatty house and need to get the old rental house emptied and gone and tortoises moved over!
 

Lyn W

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Good afternoon evening all. Only one more night of below freezing temps for us and then we'll be back up into the 40s by Sunday and even mid 50s F for next week - the weather will be positively balmy - as well as barmy!!!
I've been wracking my brains to think of Xmas pressies for my sisters and their better halves but not had much luck. I think I'll just give them a gift voucher for Virgin experience days and then they can choose what they want to do rather than do something of my choosing.
I'm not sure if I'll be cooking lunch this year or if I'll take my nephew out for a meal. Although most places are charging about £70 per person it will be easier than having to worry about shopping and cooking and then all the washing up - and it should be more edible than mine 🤢 which is a bonus so I think that would be for the best. I was hoping my sister would invite us to join them as there's only 3 of them this year but she's not mentioned it yet so probably best if I go ahead and book.
Do you all have big family lunches in the US?
To be honest I'll be glad to get Xmas over and done with so that I can get on with my repairs.
Well Friday is here again and because I'll be quite busy I'll wish you all a good weekend now just in case I don't have time to pop in. So TTFN and take care!
 

Lyn W

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Can't think of anything nicer than a night away in a posh resort!

No holidays for us though for a while...our house exchanged and completed...at the last minute too as someone else had viewed it!!

We now have a very tatty house and need to get the old rental house emptied and gone and tortoises moved over!
Congratulations on your purchase - sounds like you have a lot of hard work ahead of you too, but I'm sure it will be worth it in the end. I hope you and the torts will be very happy in your new home!
 

Warren

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Let me take a shot a what I thing a Virgin experience is. You pay alot of money for many promises of a good time and at the end of your evening, you end up going back to your room by yourself. That's the Virgin experience. LOL
 

LJL1982

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Congratulations on your purchase - sounds like you have a lot of hard work ahead of you too, but I'm sure it will be worth it in the end. I hope you and the torts will be very happy in your new home!
Thank you Lyn! I think we have about as much work as you now...and no electric either!
 

Lyn W

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No Jeff, you DON'T want to know what that is..........yes I do!


If I were in Rio again in 1983, I would know exactly what that meant but Ms Lyn is a classy woman, so pray tell....please!! Before I burst!

LOL
Yes maybe I should have clarified what I was talking about 😂 - these...........
1671233343705.png
.........anything else would be far too late ;)
 

Cathie G

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Wow that is warm for December - better than our usual summers! Although this year our summer was also not its usual self and was too hot and dry. Our winters used to be this cold but because of climate change we've been used to them being milder. My garden birds all queue up for breakfast in the morning and for the water dishes to be defrosted. A little wood mouse also rushes out to look for a few seeds in spite of me standing there - he must be hungry too. The frog pond has frozen in spite of my layers of covers - I hope the frogs are OK. Not seen any hedgehogs yet but maybe they'll be looking for a good meal when it gets milder so will have to get his feeding station ready.
Today we had a really cold day and supposed to get snow tonight. We'll see. It's supposed to get colder and colder and maybe even snow on Christmas. At least that's what they say 😉 yesterday it was so warm and nice. Today it's freezing. I wish mother nature could make up her mind in Lancaster.🥶
 

jeff kushner

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That was funny Lyn.......and thanks guys....it made my day!


Tonight/morning I've been texting a guy that used to work for me years ago...he got ripped off by his latest girlfriend of a substantial combination of goods/cash. After initially feeling bad for him because he's a guy with a ceiling, know what I mean? I asked Steve, "where did you meet her?"

His response was where I stopped applying empathy to his situation...sorry, can't help "stupid" but I like the guy so I'm having fun with him over it.

He said "I met her at my sisters, she was really cute, she had just gotten out of jail"

Wa wh wha WHAT???????

LOL
 

Lyn W

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Good morning/afternoon all, it's just getting dark here again and we've had a slightly warmer day but not enough to defrost the ice that's still about. Lots of rain on the way tomorrow :(
I've just taken Lola out of a very long warm soak which he's had to try to encourage him to poop. He's not had one in over three weeks!! That can be pretty normal for him at this time of year with eating less and definitely moving less but I do start to get worried once we're in to week 3. His urates are looking normal though. I haven't been able to get any opuntia recently - that usually works a treat.
I had to use the fake tortoise to lure him out of his hide which he hasn't moved from for 3 days - otherwise he would have stayed in again, but thinking he has competition spurred him on to investigate. I've also blocked off his door so that he can't get back in and has to have some exercise before he settles down again. Now it's getting warmer we'll be having a little car trip if he doesn't produce something soon.
I hope you're all having a good Saturday!
 

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