<p>Bracing for our first winter storm. Predicting 8-12 inches of snow tomorrow. We went to to lake this morning and made sure everything was fine there and then came home and got all of the outdoor furniture and flower pots put away. Placed all of our plow posts along the curb of our yard so the plow doesn’t tear up the yard. H taught me how to start the snow blower since he can’t do it while he is recovering from his back surgery. Should be very interesting! 
I think we are ready!</p>
<p>I hope that snow isn’t as deep as they predict, NM. We in Chi are bracing for the upcoming cold, trying to get the yard work done - spent 6 1/2 hours out doors today working on one yard, still not done - and enjoying the last golden leaves. They have torn out so many trees around here. I guess it is mostly due to the ash borer, but that awful last winter seemed to kill off a lot of trees too. It is so sad! I’ve been following all of your interesting posts, rooting for your kids and thinking of your losses.</p>
<p>NM and treetop, please keep the snow on YOUR side of the lake if possible 
I’m just not ready!</p>
<p>Good Morning,all.
Hi treetop. Hope that you, NM and the others end up with less snow than expected. My parents are not far from Chi. so they are also in the path for this.
shaw- I also would have loved hearing Kissinger speak. And congrats to your D.</p>
<p>Spent most of yesterday helping with and attending a memorial service. Lots of people attended as the person who passed away touched many lives in a good way. I feel a sense of well needed perspective about some of the things I have been worrying about lately.</p>
<p>I too am left handed but so was my mother. She is actually the one that taught me to knit and sew. As I was an only child and she was a teacher she had to find something to occupy me with during the summer. 
I didn’t take home ec. Told the teacher that I didn’t need it as I already was doing the cooking/cleaning at home along with the grocery shopping. I already sewed and knit so what was she going to teach me? I wanted to take another math class (what a geek) so they let me. :)</p>
<p>Found out this weekend that a friend of my H’s daughter passed away of a stroke. She was 24. So sad. </p>
<p>On a better note - the shower is slowly coming together. Finished baking and freezing the cupcakes this weekend. I’ll take them out on Friday and thaw and decorate them. </p>
<p>H made a cradle for the baby that is gorgeous. DILs grandmother bought them a bassinet. Not sure what they are going to do with both but they can’t return the cradle as I don’t think the wood shop will take the wood back now that it has been turned into something. I did tell DILs mother that he was building it but… Oh well… I’m sure it will all work out. I think for Christmas I’m gong to tell them that I’ll buy them the crib and mattress when they are ready for it.</p>
<p>So sorry to hear about that young woman, RM.</p>
<p>I am right handed, but never caught on with sewing. I could knit as a child, but tried to take it up again a few years ago and just could not get it. My grandma tried teaching my sister and me to crochet - guess which one of us didn’t get it?
I had to take Home Ec in junior high, but an extra math class would have been much easier for me.</p>
<p>Snow is manageable at the moment but I worry about H and the girls on their commute in to work. D1’s Diva Dog won’t go out in the snow! I hope she changes her mind soon before her bladder bursts! ;)</p>
<p>Hope all is well at your end Treetopleaf!</p>
<p>I did take wood shop for half of the school year along with 1/4 of a year of sewing and 1/4 of a year of cooking as our mandatory Home Ec classes for both boy and girl students. Guess Pittsburgh schools were a bit progressive for the time! When D1 and D2 were in middle school both boys and girls had a quarter of cooking, a quarter of sewing, and two quarters of industrial tech which included wood working and some engineering software design to build a project.</p>
<p>I can knit but never tried crocheting. Haven’t made anything except scarfs and that has been several years ago. I can sew but haven’t for years. I used to make all of the girls’ costumes for school plays and Halloween. I also used to make matching American Girl dresses for them, too! My old Singer machine is broken but I do miss making pillows, curtains and stitching on scrapbooking pages. I think I will be inspired to sew again if I am ever blessed with grandchildren.</p>
<p>cq…glad your fly through was last week instead of this week! Thanks for the wave!</p>
<p>shaw…congrats on D’s pinning ceremony! As an old poli sci major I would have LOVED to hear Kissinger speak! What an experience!</p>
<p>DIL was told that the baby is in position already. Seems early but then I have been saying that I think she will go early. Still 9 more weeks until her due date.</p>
<p>Has anyone opined on why Kissinger speaks (diction) as he does? I find him almost impossible to understand, and feel like I am at the edge of my seat and at full attention to get anything. I have decided that he must want people to labor to listen to him. But maybe he can’t help it?</p>
<p>As for how things are hereabouts, the elder care has finally taken a breather, with good health for Dad and wife lately. What an awful year for them both. But good right now, and may it last a while. I gave his Dr offices a piece of my mind though on the incredible delays associated with getting a second stent surgery scheduled. But I had to laugh at another situation they had with the GM ignition recall. They have called to schedule that service several times with no action, and now they will give a gift card if you schedule. They called the dealer again, and were told they had the part, and will get that replaced this week. So while they SAID that they did this to get owners to get the job done, I have to wonder if it was actually to get the dealers moving.</p>
<p>NM, I think we had 4 1/2 hours of conversation with Kissinger. It was recorded by the local public TV station, so I am sure it will be available at some point.</p>
<p>@Treetopleaf, regarding his accent, Wikipedia says that he moved to NY from Germany via London in the late 30s when he was, I think, a teenager to avoid the Nazis. He was very shy about his speaking and thus his German accent didn’t change as it might have for others of his age. Given his low voice and his accent, I found I really had to concentrate on listening to him.</p>
<p>Not sure how I did it but missed shop altogether. I did take typing for secretaries and, along with the HS football quarterback, was one of two males in a class of about 30. I learned to type quite quickly. Perhaps when I was in grad school, I visited a large company in the area and the receptionist who was a pleasant-looking woman about my age, said, “Hi. Do you remember me? We were in typing class together. I’m XX but in high school they used to call me Bubbles.” What do you say to that?</p>
<p>At my HS, girls were not allowed to take shop and no boys in Home Ec. (Not that I wanted to take either ). I remember there was a girl in my class who wanted to be an architect and she was not even permitted to take Mechanical Drawing. Glad to hear that Dr Kissinger is still “with it.” About 10 years ago I worked with a trust officer who served on a board with him, and he said that Dr Kissinger fell asleep at the meetings. Must have just been boredom. </p>
<p>A pinning ceremony is where the student nurses receive their pins. The ones we have but rarely wear. I love mine.
I would treasure the cradle RM I am sure they will love it. My kids were both in position from 32 weeks on, they said they could turn but they never did.
I never took home ec, nor did I ever pine to take more math classes.
That is so interesting to hear HK. I would love to hear him.
I met my group of BC friends at our yearly spa retreat we had a great time. Although I was entertained (not)by an loud amorous couple one of the nights. I have never had this happen and I was stunned.
Planning to visit family in the vicinity of NM and Moda around Christmas. I hope I don’t get snowed in. Kind of nervous about it. </p>
<p>But dt–think of how beautiful the snow will be and if you are with NM or Mod how much fun you will have!</p>
<p>DIL has her first intervew (and quite frankly her most important) this Wed. So send it on!
She did get our flowers and sent lovely texts (her main way of communication). S will not say anything but then again he is pleasant in the flesh.</p>
<p>I spent $350 plus tips and pumpkin bread (they had to smell it for over 8 hours so only seemed fair to give them some mini ones) to have 46 windows washed today. They needed a plus 42 foot ladder and (first time with them) did an amazing job. H and I are walking around looking at our reflections. Our house is not that huge but, as we lived in a house for 17 years that I found gloomy before this one–well, in the summer you need sunglasses at times.</p>
<p>Since I was stuck here I made 21 loaves of Pumpkin Bread–which I moan and groan about every year as I HATE baking. H nicely cleaned up a lot of the mess. He was rewarded with pork chops with a lemon caper sauce and sauteed green beans and mushrooms and pine nuts. Also Contessa’s (new to me) Baked herbed potatoes with a feta whip. I love to cook but hate to bake. I find baking so boring…not good at anything but simple math either.I think people who love math make much better bakers.</p>
<p>CQ–waiting to hear what your new housing looks like and if you are happy!</p>
<p>Hi, oregon101! It’s been very busy, but yes, are very happy and our new housing is fabulous! We keep thinking we’re dreaming and are going to wake up from all of this. H is heading back home Wednesday morning to get ready for the movers. I am flying out Friday morning (have to work until then) and will drive the second car to D in Chicago, since we only have room for one car here. </p>
<p>Since we don’t have most of our furniture yet, I started working remotely yesterday morning on the dining room table. We have a fabulous view out french doors on a terrace, which I discovered got very sunny and warm in the afternoon. Had to pick up my laptop and move to a different spot. Such problems.</p>
<p>I changed my profile avatar to a photo I took last night from our terrace at sunset. Just to give you an idea of the view from the penthouse!</p>
<p>I’ll be sending the good vibes for your DIL, oregon.
c_q I am jealous!</p>
<p>Day off today. Was hoping for a day “home alone”, but H has some use it or lose it time, so he is home too. And my in-laws are driving out and will be here this afternoon. </p>
<p>Oregon - hoping that your DILs interview goes well! </p>
<p>I LOVE to bake but since H is always trying to loose 5 lbs (at 135 he’s fat?) I could loose his entire weight and still be healthy! Like to cook but I HATE to clean up! </p>
<p>CQ - love the pict! Hope you enjoy working remotely. </p>
<p>I believe I’m going to take thurs and fri off to prep for the shower and get a few more things done. I just don’t want to be too tired to enjoy it!</p>
<p>Sending good karma to oregon DIL.</p>
<p>c_q - To same I am jealous of that view would be an understatement in the least.</p>
<p>dte - I love my pin too! I don’t wear it at work but always did when I was I was working at the hospital. I just remembered… my ‘big’ reunions are coming up this year - both grad and undergrad. c_q, if I go, I’ll be in your neck of the woods. Would love to meet up!</p>
<p>Good luck with the shower roch mom!</p>
<p>I have off today and am going into the city for lunch and a museum tour with S and then some after work shopping with D. She is hosting a cocktail party for a friend from school. The guy did a semester abroad at her college - he’s from Australia. He is relocating to NYC and she’s getting a bunch of friends together to celebrate. How they will have room to breathe in her apartment is another question…</p>
<p>D spent the weekend with her BF’s family, hours away. She got the nicest text from the Dad of all people thanking her for making it such a fun weekend. Too cute!</p>
<p>Now I know that I cook too much. Friend just emailed me wanting a couple of appetizer recipes. She did not indicate for what but off the top of my head I was able to give her 5 different recipes. Only thing she told me was she wanted easy. :)</p>
<p>Do y’all mind if I whine for just a minute? I have such a hard time adapting to change. I just can’t seem to get my phone-laptop-desktop situated so everything is comfortable. It is all backwards but that is where all the ports and cables and outlets are so there’s no flipping the entire office around. The headache is starting to set in. I hate being the one who doesn’t know what she’s doing. Hate not having buddies. Hate the fear that they are all disappointed in me. There is a reason I have stayed at my job for 29 years, been in my house for 28. Yes, I know it will get better. No need to console me. I just hate the dread I feel each morning until I get settled in. The end. Back to happy talk. I enjoy baking a lot more than other cooking. Nurses, do you ever miss wearing your cap?</p>
<p>I guess it is time to dish, RM. What recipes did you share? Easy is good. (Though Oregon and ShawWife’s not-so-easy dishes sound amazing.)</p>
<p>I am browsing through a new cookbook from the library - Prune. It is a restaurant cookbook, but written by a chef with a sense of humor and definite likes and dislikes. There is a recipe for shrimp toasts which includes the annotation: “Do not bring back any other brand than Pepperidge Farm Original White sandwich bread even if you have to walk to three different grocery stores! …And don’t use anything better – no brioche! no pain de mie! – in some attempt to make this “gourmet”. We are not that kind of restaurant.”</p>
<p>Not sure I’ll be making anything from it, but it is lots of fun to browse. And I might try to go there next time I’m in NY. (East 1st Street, in the East Village.)</p>