<p>and I can sign in on my laptop again as well !!! So what wonderful fairy visited overnight?</p>
<p>and I can sign in on my laptop again as well !!! So what wonderful fairy visited overnight?</p>
<p>I’d say the jailbreak fairy, boysx3, but your avatar disagrees. (Cool avatar!)</p>
<p>Furnace guy came out, fixed the thermostat, inspected the furnace and told me that the belt was cracked in places, but that he didn’t have time to go get one and come back and put it in. Luckily my handy dandy amazing hardware store carried the belt, and H installed it last night. Took a bit, but I feel a lot better knowing that it is done, especially since we’re leaving town Saturday.</p>
<p>The furnace guy also reminded me that carbon monoxide detectors expire, and sure enough, ours is too old. So, grabbed another one of those at the hardware store too. I’d feel really stupid dying of carbon monoxide poisoning because I didn’t replace the detector. (Well, I guess I wouldn’t feel anything, being dead and all, but you know what I mean.) D’s is only four years old since I got it when she moved off-campus. She’ll probably end up with a strange Christmas present a few years from now. First there’s mascara in the Christmas stockings (for eye health – the deal is she has to toss the old one), then a carbon monoxide detector. I already got her a car emergency kit. I might need to sign up for my honorary Jewish mother badge.</p>
<p>Pretty Funny Arabrab and welcome back Boysx3!</p>
<p>i am beginning to despise our buyers. they had inspection in hand sunday, the radon report last night…. what could they possibly be waiting on?!?! I either want them to go away or firm this up.</p>
<p>My sister sent an email today… and once again she is busy filling out paperwork at the pearly gates for my Mom. She actually sounds better every time I talk to her! I honestly don’t know why she seems in such a flippin’ hurry. Sent my other sister and I notes for an obituary!!! Seriously, she needs to CHILL OUT! But of course she has a vacation all planned for the end of April. I am assuming she’s already penciled in the funeral.</p>
<p>PS… I think I like Maisie. I always try out what the name would be when you call them or being sweet… and Maize works… and rhymes with amazing Maisie. Kinda like out cat… cool cat clyde. I hated the name at first, but now it totally fits.</p>
<p>Okay, just a quick question while I am getting up to speed on the new CC–</p>
<p>just now I tried to PM one of our crew, and accidentally clicked on her screen name–and saw in their entirety a slew of private messages to/from other posters. So, obviously, private messages are not private in the least?</p>
<p>On the pet name–maybe when you new little girl arrives you will just know what name fits her best.</p>
<p>I wanted to name our little mix Kitty Bowwow because she looks like a kitty from behind, and she sorta purrs when you scratch her. The boys would not hear of their dog being named Kitty. She ended up with the name Bandit because of her penchant for stealing things (especially shoes and dirty underwear) and then running under the bed with them.</p>
<p>@boysx3, it might be you’re not seeing private messages, which are in the Inbox, but instead some people instead of sending a private message, they sent a different kind of message that isn’t private, but visible when you click on the person’s name. I know I received one non-private message from years ago, which I don’t seem to be able to delete or hide, but I also have private messages in my inbox. So I guess to test, go to my username, and see if there’s just one message, or many.</p>
<p>And belated congrats for MCAT scores, and submitting applications ahead of the deadline!</p>
<p>Also, boysx3, your avatar looks better now - maybe you’re off double-secret probation?</p>
<p>I dunno, I think boysx3’s avatar looks so plain now without the Lindsey Lohan jailbird overlay.</p>
<p>Your buyers sound beyond annoying, Moda. I’ll offer up the straight pins if you’ve got a doll handy.</p>
<p>As a matter of fact, I just packed a voodoo doll over at the hoarders emporium formerly known as our studio 
when I find it again, which might be during the apocalypse, I’ll be certain to send it over to you, arabrab, via our puppy. She’s so well-behaved I’m certain she won’t rip the stuffing out…but even if she did that’s the point, right? :)</p>
<p>(Moda, if the stuffing should suddenly fall out of your buyers, I apologize…unless it makes you happy :))</p>
<p>Well, its the big day and its -7 below and I have no idea whether the big truck will get up our hill. We bought a dozen bags of kitty litter to spread in the hopes that together with the -15 salt that it was too cold to use last night will work. Of course, that’s many hours and many boxes from now since we’re doing the downtown studio first.</p>
<p>I’m already exhausted from the marathon packing yesterday that went almost into the wee hours, but at least my work station is packed and my phones so it probably will feel quite leisurely by comparison to yesterday.</p>
<p>I actually had a client meeting yesterday while a water cooler guy and a delivery guy were traipsing in and out disassembling and assembling things and someone else was palletizing some material. It was completely unreal. I cannot wait for this to be over!</p>
<p>I love the name Maddie.
If CBB doesn’t take it, Arabrab, maybe we should give it to OUR pup. </p>
<p>Btw, CBB, those Irish terriers have beautiful coloring! I think I want one!</p>
<p>I like Maisie and Gracie the best. Congratulations to your son on the great MCAT score, Moda. Heading on the road this morning to DC and Philadelphia . Hope the weather is okay this weekend for travel. Hope everybody has a nice weekend. </p>
<p>Ha! Well, some of you are on the same wave-length as D – her favorite 2 names are Maisie & Gracie. I like Maddie, but when I hear the name it brings to mind someone our family knows. (She’s not a “bad” person, but what comes to mind when I hear the name is all the times her parents were yelling at her when she was younger.) We may be heading toward Kenzie, but I’m not sure. And yes, the Wheatens are beautifully colored. It’s so funny - as puppies they are very dark brownish orange, but as they get older they lighten up. Our breeder has been posting videos of the litter on youtube - is it still a no-no to post links here? You’d all probably get a kick out of seeing them.</p>
<p>Good morning, all. I’ve been thinking about something all week, probably good that CC was sort of crazy yesterday, because my thoughts have evolved. Remember the movie “As Good as it Gets,” where Jack Nicholson’s character is a mentally ill author? In the iconic scene, Jack is sitting in the psychiatrist’s waiting room, full of markedly depressed folks and says loudly, “What if this is as good as it gets?”</p>
<p>Many of our posts of late have been of dying and ill relatives and friends and of other bad situations. It made me think “what if this is as good as it gets?” As we age, unless we’re the ones who check out first, we are going to have to deal with more and more serious illness and death, first of our parents and their generation, then it will catch up to our generation (already has in some cases). Even if our kids are very fortunate in love, employment and childbearing, we are going to experience a lot of loss, and probably more every year.</p>
<p>This is quite a depressing thought, but here’s where the evolution of my thoughts has perhaps become a bit too much like a greeting card. All that loss is why we need to savor everything good that comes our way…every morning of light traffic, every enjoyable meal, the flattering pair of jeans, the morning cup of coffee, the good movie, the puppy, the nap, a warm day. I think we (okay, at least I) need to be conscious of every single positive, so that the inevitable negatives don’t become overwhelming. No, I’m certainly not naive enough to think that wearing super comforable shoes to your parent’s funeral will make you feel better, but I think that being mindful of every single good thing can help in the long term.</p>
<p>I like and agree with your thinking, mp – even if i’m STILL looking for the flattering pair of jeans! The trick, at least for me, is to realize, at the time, when I’m in the middle of a “good thing.” At one point several years ago I was into the “every day list 5 things you"re grateful for” thing, writing in a little notebook every morning. I won’t say it was useless, but it got so I was listing many of the same things over and over. Although that was probably an indication of my pretty boring life, in retrospect I believe it was also an indication of me not truly recognizing the good times for what they were, at the time. (Does that make sense to anyone beside me?)</p>
<p>Yes, totally makes sense, CBB. I do think an actual list would become tiresome…for example, most every day in the summer I am already super-grateful that I have a job where it’s air conditioned. And it’s not realistic to expect to be buoyed every day by the thought that you have food on the table and clean water to drink, because it still sucks big time if your mom has cancer or is going blind. I heard one time that people who have unfortunate initials (e.g. RAT) tend to have shorter lives…the idea being that a very frequent negative just weighs on you. So I am trying to appreciate the not every day things. ( I mentioned the jeans because last fall I bought a pair of jeans at the White House Black Market Outlet that are stylish yet comfortable, have a bit of stretch without looking like Mom jeans…I may be flattering myself by saying they are flattering but it’s been a very long time since I’ve had such a great fit…and I am wearing them today.)</p>
<p>You mean you’re not wearing that cute dress and apron holding out that fresh-baked cherry pie? (Is is a cherry pie, isn’t it?) I’m disappointed, MP. But happy that you like your jeans. </p>
<p>Well, it looks like our So Cal vacation is likely to be very wet and rainy. Rats. When we went to Florida they managed to have record cold temps. Now So Cal with torrential rain. Grrr…</p>
<p>Arabrab, you must learn to use your weather mojo for GOOD ;)</p>
<p>Missy, as a “recovering journalist” few would call me an optimist by nature…cynicism goes with the territory. But somewhere along the way I seriously re calibrated my “thinking” to a place of gratitude and it has caused a quantum leap in my everyday access to joy. And I think you’ve explained it perfectly.</p>
<p>So, in that vein, I am grateful it only took the movers 12 hours even with me hauling my own butt, I am grateful that only one beautiful thing was smashed, and I’m grateful I have the health and energy to get through the next few days of getting it all squared away despite feeling like I was run over by a truck Hi ho!</p>
<p>No comment on dog names. I figure they all work once you have the dog. Sorry to hear about the rained out vacation. </p>
<p>On the old people doing well front, I visited my mom last weekend after the great play in NY. At 89, she is mentally and physically doing well. Goes to the gym several times a week. Travels to NY and DC by train. Drives (though not at night). Is making irrational financial decisions but that is not because of lack of thought – just emotional stuff.</p>
<p>And, this week, my MIL and her BF were visiting. After the car accident this summer in which her small car was hit on the driver’s side and rolled at least once, she is walking without assistance (used a ski pole in our snow/ice covered driveway). Fully there mentally. She had 3 fractures of the pelvis, one vertabra, skull (at least one fracture), … . They flew up from her winter place in Florida. </p>
<p>Back from the frozen tundra. 
We had -25 weather and blowing snow but it was so peaceful and beautiful! The dog loved running outside and D1 needed a break. She has more interviews lined up and is keeping busy. I will go back and read what has been happening with all of you. Sending out good moving mojo to those who need it, sunshine to eddieo and wishes for a good weekend to all.</p>
<p>gee Missy - just when I come online to spit nails, you go and make all kinds of sense. I know we aren’t fond of the new format, but there are a few posts on this page i would very much like to “like”… but i won’t because I don’t want to draw any attention to our ramblings.</p>
<p>if you can believe it, they buyers are taking a night to sleep on it. At 3 this afternoon we told the realtor that based on the very real fact we have not changed our position since a week ago weds at this point we are done and that our point of view now was it now between buyer and realtors to work it out or not. Let us know. And oddly, my realtor does literally everything via text and email and theirs is like their personal psychologist with face2face visits on a Sat night only to say they were taking another night to sleep on it. I don’t have a good feeling, but h does. so we’ll see who is right.</p>
<p>But it is true that we have much to be grateful for…. even if it’s not them. </p>