I’m so tired of Covid talk and the ensuing fear, anger and outrage, I just want to chat about something, anything that is not Covid related. Anything… the highlight of your week…the lowlight of your week…what you had for dinner last night…your dog’s latest trick etc.
A little while ago, a friend of mine called to tell me her internet is out - she was literally, hysterical, as if her left arm had been severed! Well, that little moment of hysteria, turned into a 45minute call where we talked about everything (and everyone!), and Covid was not mentioned. It made me realize how much I miss just ‘chatting’. For 45 minutes, our lives reverted to ‘normal’
We’re really enjoying having our daughter’s boyfriend for a visit. I had met him but DH hadn’t. The four of us just played several games of pool and laughed so hard! Then DH showed BF his workroom. BF will be here until Saturday. This is the first time one of our kids has brought home a serious SO - I’m glad we like him!
My oldest has dealt with behavioral and mental health challenges since he was little. Lots of special ed, academic help, behavioral therapy. Got him to a decent headspace and he chose to go away to a dorm at a tech school post high school graduation. He did great the first year then this summer he moved with some friends 3 hours from home. A couple weeks in he had a mental health break and ended up in the ER and then voluntary into inpatient mental health treatment. I couldnt rush in to save him. I had to let him figure it out. Hes getting weekly therapy. Hes back on his meds. Had some great heart to heart talks with me and his roommates. I have faith hes on his way to maturing. So hard to see him hurting but oh so proud that hes coming out more self aware and more able to advocate for his needs. Hes truly happier and adulting.
My budding artist started posting his oil paintings on Instagram a few weeks ago. He’s been painting a couple years now and is honing his style. Some I love, some I don’t…but he just sold one I really didn’t like much (and either did he, it was one of his firsts), for $270 today!! He didn’t even put it on his IG, just showed it somewhere else.
A friend loved it and put it on his Instastories, someone else saw it and bought it. The friend was bummed, he wanted it.
He sold his first one a couple weeks ago for $170. Another for $85 everyone’s been wanting from college. (It’s a weed picture that is actually pretty funny…he said he could have sold it 20 times at school.)
I think he has beginning talent, not quite there yet, but what do I know? I’m really happy for him.
Now, if he would put as much effort and enthusiasm into looking for a job (recent grad).
Hugs, @2plustrio. Sometimes it’s best for them to work it out for themselves. Our son ended up in the ER a couple of weeks ago. The ER nurse was about to tell me they could bend the rules so I could see S, but I cut him off. I didn’t want to! He’s 28. The ER staff handled everything very well and released him a day or so later. He’s back at his apartment and doing OK.
I’m glad your son is talking and taking meds. Sounds like he is doing well!
@MaineLonghorn Thanks. I dont regret him going. I support him 100%. Hes succeeding in his classes. He has a goal. There was much drama with his father (we are divorced). My son needed to go away. As he admits “for my own mental health”. Of course his roomies were battling their own mental health issues (one was a cutter he was trying to help both mentally and medically.) He wasnt eating or sleeping (hes had insomnia issues and he has other medical issues he needs to attend to).
My son has taken charge of his own mental health needs (now if only he could get hired for a job so I wasnt taking the financial hit on my own).
Retirement is fun to think about.
Trying to narrow down our list of places we MIGHT want to move to early in our retirement. Every place has pluses and minuses.
We loved Maine in the summer, but have no interest in being there for winter. We loved Sant Fe in the fall, but taxes in NM aren’t great.
NC has some good things to offer, but we don’t want to be in a place where we have to worry about hurricanes, and my husband wants someplace that has something “special” to offer (beach, lake view, Mountain View, things like that).
I’d love to be in a place where we can walk to things, but I don’t want to live right on top of other people. I like the idea of the 55 and over places, with all the activities they offer, but I also like the idea of a community that has kids, and some variety.
First world problem, I know, but it’s the thought of the day.
S17 finished his “internship”/summer job in WV and was offered another job next summer, housing, and some additional work with an equine surgeon one or two days a week. He hasn’t accepted yet but probably will. He is on vacation near Branson with his gf and new kitten having lots of outdoor fun! Thursday starts the big move into his apartment and then starting vet school.
D15, my trouble child with emotional disorders and an almost 5 mo old baby is trying to make a go of living with the baby’s dad. She has made it a few weeks, done some adulting, and is doing couples therapy along with her own! Now if they could figure out how to pay for things it would help!
Spent the morning searching the internet for what marmot/prairie dog/squirrel hangs out on top of a large juniper bush. Then emailed my park ranger friend for help to identify from a microscopic picture I took.
I think it’s sort of like a happy hour or chat room. I like it! Thanks for starting it @momo2x2018 . You can talk about anything you want. Except for COVID or hand wringing about politics, but there are other options for that!
momocarly - I hope things settle down for your D.
rockymtnhigh2 - we saw a ton of groundhogs near lake of the Ozarks a few weeks ago. so big. the first was cute, but by the 5th or 6th, they were almost a menace!
this is so random, but I heard today our state is the only triple landlocked state. I googled this and ended up on some website that was fascinating - filled with geography and maps. I had a geography minor . . . I love that stuff. so non-political and interesting. enjoyed learning something new.
@1214mom I was also curious, so this is what I found
‘Nebraska is encircled by three states on either side from the nearest gulf, bay, or ocean. A triply landlocked state refers to a landlocked state that is encircled by three states on either side from the nearest gulf, bay, or ocean.’
So, in this strangely Seinfeld-esque thread, we also learn things we didn’t know, we didn’t know! A thread about nothing, becomes a thread filled with useful/useless knowledge.
See you down at the coffee shop (Cafe Confidential) !
Didn’t @deb922 start a thread some time back that was somewhat beverage themed? We definitely need drinks at the fence/coffee shop.
D is almost done with her MBA. She’s been working full time and it has just been a lot. I know how happy she will be when it’s done. Speaking for myself, I am so happy Sabapuppy has started to settle down. Sabapup is happy about that too.
So yesterday my husband and I were driving home to Michigan from my moms in Tennessee.
In Toledo at the I-75, 475 intersection. Anyone who has gone by there will know this, there is an Islamic center at that intersection so a big mosque. In the center of the interstate, a car was pulled over and a guy was sitting in the grassy area. In a lounge chair with an umbrella. He was reading. In the middle of the interstate! It was memorable, that’s for sure.
There was a coffee cart kind of themed thread that was started years ago, and pops up every now and then. I don’t know if I have the skills to find it though.
Ah - guess I was wrong. I found it, but it’s closed now.
