Shaw - interesting about the paying for dates. I admit I hadn’t ever given it much thought with D and her fiance being together for so long and S who won’t tell anything about his personal life. Cute story about meeting that young woman at dinner.
Happy Birthday to your D, zetesis.
Don’t know if I have mentioned this before, but as of this week I will be working from home on Thursdays (except during month end close so it’s like 3x/month). Tons of changes at work, but at least this is a good one.
Good Morning! Looking forward to a beautiful Spring day here.
Z…what a trip! You must have had such a glorious time! What was your favorite part of the trip? I think I would just bite the bullet with the cleaning lady and tell her you no longer need her. Of course I wouldn’t do this until I had a new person lined up. I no longer have help because it drove me crazy that my house wasn’t as clean as it should have been. All of my friends who have cleaning help say they just have to accept that the house won’t be as clean as it would if they did it themselves. Makes no sense to me! Happy Birthday Z D!
woody…no audiophiles here but how interesting to hear about your H’s use of Corning glass. I admire people who can conceive and build new parts to improve everyday items.
missy…What! So sorry the weather was bad. I’m sure the gathering was wonderful for those who attended. How kind to take food over to the guest of honor.
RM…what a party! The menu sounds delicious. Suddenly I am craving a shrimp po’ boy!
shaw…glad that shawson is doing well. Sounds like you had a good visit.Funny story about the young woman at dinner.
FallGirl…did you get a new laptop? Yay for getting to work at home on Thursdays!
I have been helping D2 paint the outside trim at her new house and also removing wallpaper borders in two bedrooms. I also worked outside cleaning their flowerbeds and removing leaves over the weekend while H went to the lake and put docks and boats in the water. I am now refocusing on my home projects. The four season porch/sun room is almost complete. I am still on the hunt for the perfect comfy reading chair to finish off the room. I also starting lining the back side of my oak built in book cases in the family room with grasscloth. Wow! It really lightens them up and makes the room fresher and more modern.
I have book club here at my house tonight. The book takes place in Lebanon so I am having some Lebanese appetizers and baklava for dessert. Hoping for a good discussion.
Favorite part of the trip? Hiking in Cappadocia (amazing rock formations); the scenery throughout Turkey: an abundance of wildflowers, especially red poppies, with a background of snow covered mountains; all the setting for amazing archaeological sites that are of professional interest to me.
Housecleaner: so we got up at 4 this a.m. (jet lag!), and I started scrubbing our bathroom. I know I can do a better job than our cleaner – but I don’t have the time or interest in keeping it up on a regular basis. Just emailed a friend about their cleaning crew, who they really like, to get contact info.
NM: what book are you reading? We’re reading Dead Wake, about the “last crossing of the Lusitania.” A little too detailed, but very interesting.
We will be discussing An Unnecessary Woman. It started slow for me but I really liked it as it moved along. As I was reading it I realized how uneducated I am in regards to world literature. I was bookmarking like crazy to go back and find the authors and books mentioned to read in the future.
We had a great discussion of the book last night. Interesting conversation on the roles of women in different cultures/countries, the importance of literature and music and how war affects everyday life.
The falafels, labneh, toum and baklava were big hits!
in Florence now with D and H . We were here but 1 hour and the very same pizza (rectangle slides) that I ate in 1973 --and there it was, the very same pizzeria! --shared a slice ( less cheese than I remember but I was literally hungry for my 4 month stay so who knows?).
Then up on the bus to the village of San Dominico where I had a room in an old convent set up for visiting women/independent students, waving to the Institute of Psychosynthesis on the way where I was the last student of Roberto Assagioli.
How I did this as a very poor person with no family support I have no idea other than I was excaping Indiana.
I left with a one way ticket and $300.
Changed my life entirely.
Most of this trip have had little Internet. The biggest change for me in Italy is that the toilets flush. Maybe no paper or soap but we Carry our own.
Trying to catch up with you.
Will say we have a housecleaner who I could Never do what she does and I borderline OCD!
Love her. If I ask her to clean parts of the house not on hER normal schedule I take other rooms off or pay her more.
We pay for times missed when we travel.
I miss Turkey, and I’ve always wanted to visit Cappadocia. I’m planning a big trip for next May, so now is the time for thinking about these things…instead of cleaning my house for the horde of folks showing up for a party in a week!
Can you imagine looking that gorgeous just hours postpartum? Or did yall look that good too? Do you think she kept buying new sizes of heels so they would always fit?
My name choice: Charlotte Diana Elizabeth. Other predictions?
Just popping in quickly to wave hello … We have now moved to the beach “for the season,” which in our case lasts through October. It actually looks/feels more like spring here – a very long time arriving this year.
To answer your question, mp – there is absolutely NO way I looked anywhere near that gorgeous that soon after giving birth. Heck, I didn’t look half that good months after having D & S!
I think the baby will be named Elizabeth after the queen.
I have never been beautiful like Kate, but had a very easy time with S’s birth and my hair and makeup stayed intact so I did look pretty good afterward.Sorry.
It would be fun to have the bus make a stop at the lake