All Things EARTH... part 2

[awhfy]

Pacruise, glad you’re finally cool!  
 

On the debit card only. If you are only using a debit card only for travel Be very sure that it isn’t tied to your checking or savings accounts. Debit cards don’t have the same protections from loss that credit cards have. 

[Anita Latte]

Laurie...answering about paying for cruises in other ways...we always use a cc. My family uses our Delta AMEX for absolutely everything that we possibly can in order to get the miles. Also, the AMEX has travel coverages when you use them to pay for the entirety of your purchase, like cruises, car rentals, etc. DH traveled a lot for work (obvi since he was flying down every week to Orlando from MC for 6 months LOL) but not always on Delta...but still all his work travel combined with all our household expenses has given us miles to pay for family trips to AK and multiple London flights. My bank activity has reduced so much...there is hardly anything that comes directly from the bank...everything is filtered through the AMEX.

 

And in such news...DS is flying back to London in 3 weeks. He'll be in quarantine until the end of August and then should be good to go for his second year at RAM. Flights from MCO were horrendous, but flights from ATL were more reasonable. So he's got a cheap hopper flight on SW to get to ATL and then a nonstop to Heathrow. We have to fill out paperwork and give notification 48 hours in advance of his arrival where he plans to quarantine. I'll give everyone the scoop on how this all goes down when it happens.

 

I can tell you that if I could have afforded to buy first class, I would have. The difference between Comfort + and Main was only $89 so that was a no brainer to get him closer to the exit and also around fewer people on the plane. The plane in Comfort + has the 2-4-2 set up in seats. Delta has blocked off the two middle seats in the 4 section to reduce capacity but it appeared that you could end up sitting next to a stranger in the 2 seats as both were reservable. IDK if that is for people who are traveling together and if you reserved one as a single they would take the other out of commission? Didn't chance that, we took one of the aisle 4 seats for DS.

 

I had this exact seat for our last flight to London. I also happened to be blessed with an empty seat next to me. I can tell you that this is one of the best seats in the house for an overnight flight. You get the row to yourself because the other aisle person doesn't come your way...so no stepping over anyone or having someone have to step over you. When you recline back for sleep time, the empty seat next to you becomes the perfect head rest...so it's like the best of the window and aisle seats rolled into one.

 

NO. I am not thrilled about this at all. I wouldn't say that I'm scared or have fear...but there is a bit of anxiety. I get the Delta newsletters and they said that they have been working with the Mayo Clinic on improving the filtration system on their aircraft. I'm praying that the other passengers will readily comply with the mask rules and will not play the games that you can play to avoid having to put a mask on. Basically though...we're going to be laying hands on DS and praying and remaining hopeful that he will stay healthy as he does what we think he is supposed to do.

 

His school is moving forward. They are well set up for such things. It's just the nature of being a small conservatory. And the study...DS has a different schedule every day of the week and there are days where he doesn't go to RAM at all. There is a high expectation that you are practicing or writing or otherwise doing work outside of the classroom and that time actually takes up the bulk of your study.

 

We're so fortunate that he has the ability to quarantine with his future flatmate's family who lives in London's outskirts. It would be better if they actually found a flat before DS travels but the pressure if off that since the family is cool with DS being there.

 

The thing that I'm most unhappy about is that because of the nature of this situation, I'm not sure that DS will be able to come home at the holidays. Since he will be leaving in a flat and basically setting up home in London, if the travel restrictions are prohibitive, he may have his first holidays without us...probably with his flatmate's family. We bought him a one way ticket.

 

I think it may be a little too hopeful to believe that he would be able to come home, for real. But in the event he can, it makes more sense for that travel to be RT from London...arriving before and leaving right after the holidays. London should be his "home base".

 

Anyway...that's my big news. 

Edited July 21, 2020 by Anita Latte

[awhfy]

Anita, prayers outbound that all goes well for your DS in this university venture. 

[Anita Latte]

Meanwhile...Adventures in home ownership...

 

The struggle is real for putting a new texture on the master bedroom ceiling. DH scraped that popcorn off in just a couple hours and we've been researching a skip trowel technique to add texture. It's a very popular technique in Arizona and I like it. It looks a bit like stucco but it isn't a deep as a typical stucco...the texture is much more subtle than that...but that's the "look". 

 

So much drama in making up the joint compound for this texture!! Add sand? Thin it? Topping? Green lid? OMG... The first trial was an epic fail as we used a sand that was supposedly filtered but wasn't really. The bigger grains of sand got caught on the trowel and effectively made huge lines in the texture. It. Was. Awful.

 

So we scraped that test run off the ceiling and hit the research AGAIN.

 

Today I'm going for another attempt.

 

Meanwhile...in the saga of ceiling fans. DS came out from the back room to say that the fan back there quit. DH was ready to scrap the fan, but it's a brand NEW fan! Really? So this uber fancy remote controlled fan was installed "professionally" on May 20 for $90...and it was installed incorrectly. To quote DH...This guy should be SHOT. This is DANGEROUS. Someone could DIE if they were under this fan. I would punch this guy in the FACE if I could. LOL. You seriously would have seen the comedy as my little arms are holding up this stupid fan with the blades still on it as DH is trying to make all the electrical connections and we're trying to get this thing back on the mounting bracket...but the wires and the popcorn ceiling and it Just. Won't. Go. And my arms are shaking and DH is RANTING because he knows that I'm in distress.

 

Good times.

 

Finally the fan is functional again. It had a fail safe on it so that when the 2 out of 3 screws installation started to fail...the fan itself stopped working so that it WOULDN'T fall down and kill someone. OMG.

 

Then DH, saying that he is aglutten for punishment decides to replace the horrid squealing bathroom vent fan in the secondary bath. After making use of the crowbar that we purchased years and years ago to remove a kitchen cabinet in Cypress, TX...that misshapen piece of metal housing finally released from the ceiling joists and we discover that the fan was a vent to NOWHERE. It literally just vented the bathroom air under the attic insulation and right above the drywall. Which in the end wasn't so dry...and THIS explains why the ceiling in that bathroom is in such bad shape...

 

More good times.

 

We don't really have attic access on that side of the house...it's basically impossible to get past the vaulted ceiling that separates the attic access in the garage and the attic space above the bathroom...so in the future we're going to have to basically open up the dry wall ceiling to make the connection to the vent that we THINK we can see in the roof that is where a hose should connect from the bath vent fan.

 

So there's now a lovely piece of cardboard and duct tape sealing the hole in the bath ceiling...

 

And DS will just have to vent with an open window...hooray that there is one!...but that seems a bit lacking considering the heat and humidity currently outside that window? Sigh.

 

On the plus side...the new shower head with possible hand hold does raise the shower head so DH doesn't have to stoop over in the shower. The new washer assembly for the master bath sink faucet made the water pressure "normal" so the water doesn't dribble out. There are two lovely working ceiling fans in the screened patio! The wallpaper wall and all the washed walls in the master look amazingly better...

 

And overall we are totally in like with our home...

[laurspag]

Anita, I never wish to be a Debbie Downer with things, but being in the mortgage business, I am always very wary of people doing improvements on a home they are selling.  They will go the cheapest route to make the most money, since they aren't staying there.  It probably wouldn't hurt at all to check some other things, especially where electric and plumbing come into play.  

 

I hate that all that happened to you!  venting into ceilings seems to be a common thing, since a while back, out of sight, out of mind was popular.  I hear about this a lot.  One option you may have is to vent out of the side of the house. It may save you the trouble of trying to figure out the attic venting?

 

The ceiling fan....OMG.  We had something similar happen to us when we were remodeling.  We found ancient wiring they never replaced, and live wires not hooked up to anything in the ceiling.  It's good you were able to fix it!

 

Our mini vacation is going good.  I'm just waiting for my husband to finish picking his clothes to pack for dinner tonight.  

 

Saturday, we ran errands and ended up in downtown Syracuse for lunch.  They have a street blocked off where they are promoting outdoor dining, and it was fun to do.  It turned out we were very close to a bakery called Glazed and Confused that I have always wanted to try....it was worth it!

 

Sunday was odds and ends, including using our lounge chairs at night to stargaze...it was very relaxing.

 

Yesterday we went to the outlet mall and stopped a winery on the way home.  The setup for social distancing and the like was pretty fun.  You go in wearing a mask, picked your wines, and they create this whole kit you bring outside where they have tables.  We found a cute area under a tree with Adirondack chairs that was perfect.  They included a bottle of water, oyster crackers, popcorn, chips, salsa and fudge!  All was small scale, and fun to do.  

 

I will post my outfits soon.  I made a change or two.  I love the fun process of choosing.

[laurspag]

I forgot to add that I hope all goes well for your son.  These are scary times.  I was thinking about your parents too, as they are in Texas, right?  That state is being hit hard as well as a bunch of others. I think technology is on our side right now, in that we have phone plans that let us call state to state without long distance, we can Facetime, Skype, Zoom, etc.

 

As a banker, I don't want to use a debit card for a big expense such as a cruise, and there are limits as well.  Prepaid debit cards are not really a better choice for me personally.  I probably need to think everything through.  My final payment is due September 1st, so I have some time to think.  Since my final payment isn't due, I think I really only need to choose another date, and move my reservation.  If I pay in full, then there is both Lift and Shift and FCC at 125%.

 

So much to think about...

[Sailor_Sally]

Anita, I hope your son has a safe trip back to London. We  worry about our kids forever .When you own a house it is always something . We bought our house from a country singer . She had a black recording studio . It took a lot of paint to get rid of that . They also had foil wallpaper in the bathroom . That was a beast to get down. Eventually your house will be perfect for you and this will all be a distant memory .

 

 

[Anita Latte]

Laurie...looking forward to seeing your outfits. Your winery outing sounds like a lovely little thing to do. I think filling up our days with such things can be nicer to bring a bit of that vacation spirit into our everyday. 

 

DH's parents are in Texas. My parents are in Arizona. We're in Florida...so we all live in a hot bed of virus activity.

 

We don't have cable...I don't watch "normal" tv...I stream what I want through the Roku...but I read the news. The portrayal of what is going on here isn't really around me...I think it is more in southern Florida. By the same token...I don't think that where our collective parents are have really been personally affected. Everyone is on the outskirts or the suburbs and so the hullabaloo associated with seeing the effects of the virus on the day to day is far removed. For all intents and purposes, it feels like business as usual where I live...with the exception of the mask (and sometimes gloves) wearing...and the new stickers everywhere marking off 6' increments and trying to establish one way traffic in shopping aisles...

 

Thanks for the well wishes for DS...I'll take it. Anytime thoughts of me and him hit you like popcorn, I'll take that happy, hopeful, well-wish...fill that proverbial bucket on his behalf...with my gratitude.

 

OMG Sally...covering black. I can only imagine. And here I was thinking about painting black LOL. Seriously though, our covered, screened porch (it's under the roof of the house) are wood frames with screen. All the wood is painted white, but the screen is black as it should be. I remember seeing a write up about the color of railings for decking and porches, etc., and how black railing disappears in your eyes and lets you focus on the landscaping while white railings calls attention to itself and fights with the distant view. As we were eating dinner out there last night...I was seriously contemplating painting all the wood framing the screens black and painting the screen door black as well.

 

Foil, UGH. IDK how others take off wallpaper but I've removed several rooms and my methodology is multi-step but relatively painless. I peel off the decorative layer. Usually it peels off fairly well...and it leave behind a kind of fuzzy paper with the adhesive. That paper takes water well and so you spray down that paper and can peel that up fairly well. It's like a challenge always to see how big a piece you can get. Any little bits that are left behind come off easily with a Dobby style sponge scrubber. I can only imagine that the foil would shred and not come off in strips at all...simply awful. DH said, while helping me, wallpaper should be outlawed. LOL.

 

And the journey and the process of home improvement is something that I have been looking forward to. I put off thinking about it too much because in the renting years...it would have made me too unhappy...but now that we are at this point...I find all of it to be very satisfying. I don't mind having the projects in process. It'll be nice to see them as they get completed but I'm not in a huge hurry. I do want the master finished before we bring over the furniture though...so that is the one room with a deadline.

[Sailor_Sally]

Laurie , That winery trip sounds like fun. We really need to plan something . I am getting antsy .It is hard to know when to rebook  your cruise for .They keep on moving the starting date back . I really doubt there will be cruises this year but maybe a vaccine will be found. I am concerned that some of these cruise lines will go belly up . They all seem to be selling ships. 

[pacruise804]

2 hours ago, awhfy said:

Pacruise, glad you’re finally cool!  
 

On the debit card only. If you are only using a debit card only for travel Be very sure that it isn’t tied to your checking or savings accounts. Debit cards don’t have the same protections from loss that credit cards have. 

 

My understanding and experience has always been that if the charge is processed as a point of sale transaction the protections are those offered by our financial institution but if through the Visa system (selecting credit vs. debit) that protections are the same as Visa.  We use an account with a relatively low (but enough for holds) balance and transfer funds as needed.

 

1 hour ago, laurspag said:

 

 

As a banker, I don't want to use a debit card for a big expense such as a cruise, and there are limits as well. 

 

What limits do you find?  We have a daily purchase limit, but it can be waived on request for one day large purchases.

[awhfy]

Anita!  Oh my goodness. I can just picture you & DH with that fan!  We had a bathroom vent to nowhere when we bought this house, it literally was vented into nothing. We did as Laurie suggested & punched a hole in the siding & vented it directly outside...guess it worked, it’s been 34 years. 
 

I have a postop appt tomorrow & I’m hoping he’ll drain the seroma that’s developed on my long incision. Everything feels great except that. I can’t bend over (getting in & out of bed, especially, is quite comical).  Melody

[purduemom1]

Anita, I can feel your anxiety over your son’s return to school. Sally said that we worry about our kids forever and I agree! Good move to book his flight on Delta. I think that Delta is really trying to mitigate as much risk as possible-as long as his flight is in Delta metal and not a code share. Delta has increased the air filtration and frequency that fresh air enters the system.  They are now also requiring pax to undergo an interview with a physician if the pax claims that they can’t wear a mask because of health issues. Just to be fair, I don’t know much about other airlines so I’m not comparing here just saying that I feel that Delta is a good choice in light of the need to exercise as much caution as possible. I wish him a successful second year and I do hope that soon he will be able to fully enjoy his adventure.
 

Sounds like you and DH have lots to do to keep busy! The bathroom exhaust fan situation is really common. I’ve also heard that also happening with a kitchen exhaust fan. Can’t imagine all the residue collecting in an attic space over several years. Your DH seems as if he knows how to tackle a lot of these home repairs and I really admire the two of you taking on the ceiling texturing project. We had popcorn removed from our ceilings a few years ago. The texture that was then applied sounds like your description and matches our walls. No, it wasn’t a diy project. We’d still be working on it if it had been! 

 

While  we have lots of local wineries with tasing rooms, wine clubs etc, none are open currently. No telling when that will change. We miss the different activities that each offers throughout the year.
 

CA is now going to allow salons and barber shops to reopen if they move outside! Not sure how many will be able to manage that and comply with the rules. Could be expensive if plumbing is involved. Can’t imagine having to move the set up inside each night to keep things safe. 
 

Melody, hope your post op goes well. 
Sharon

[laurspag]

Good afternoon!  I'm back!  I'm going to try and post some pictures later.  I did not get pictures of me wearing any outfits, but I got some quick pictures before I packed, so you will at least be able to see my thought process, and then imagine me wearing the outfits, lol.

 

I will say that it has been very, very enjoyable, I am wishing I had more time.  We kept the weekend like a fairly normal one, so three days off from work is a great thing, but it has gone by fast.  On the plus side, I go to work for two days, and then the weekend is here!  I really can't complain.

 

I think our timing has been good, because it has been warm and dry.  A few days have been extremely hot,, but most have been comfortable.  Tonight will be a usual night, since we have work tomorrow, but I may squeeze in a trip to Home Depot to get an estimate on a deck.  We aren't looking at this until next year, but you can get estimates there for doing it yourself so they itemize everything you need - right down to the screws.    We are mostly doing this for planning purposes.

 

I'll get some random pictures up soon!

 

Anita, i love working on our home, so I can understand where you are at right now.  The main thing with me and DH is that we both have been spent the past couple of years working at our jobs a bit excessively, and this year, while the virus has limited his overtime, it has coincided with his schedule for getting his 1970 Challenger back together.  I feel like we have not been working on any projects together.  We are in a bit of a rut with the house and a few other things, and we hope to get out of that soon.  

 

All is good - we are happy.  We are just talking a lot about where we are headed in the near future with the house and finances, and where our retirement plans are and the like.  We have worked hard over the years, many times with being much farther behind where we needed to be.  I am very proud of what we have accomplished, but I think that what I planned on for now and the next 7-12 years before retirement is not where I want it to be, so I am trying to figure it all out.  Those things can be mental, physical, financial,  work, home, etc.  

 

You start to realize that life is short, and sometimes we spin our wheels a bit.  

 

Well, I think our timing for everything for the past few days has been good, because it is overcast and they are calling for rain!  It all worked out well.

[laurspag]

oooohhhh, I forgot to mention Anita....textured ceilings can be a ton of work.  When we redid each bathroom, we used sandpaint with a roller to create a subtle texture.  Even just cutting in was a chore.  I can't imagine trying to do what you are doing.

 

We bought paint with sand already in it, by the way.  It's a lot of work to create texture, especially over your head.

[laurspag]

Okay, here I am...back already!  

 

Anita, this is an up close picture of our ceiling.  It isn't fancy, but I like that it has some texture to it.  This is one of the rooms I did myself.

 

 

Now for some outfit pictures.  First, here is what I was trying to decide between.  I decided against the red jumpsuit because we discussed eating in the tavern, which is casual.  It also felt less summery to me.  You know how that can be...you just pick based on mood?  Now the cold shoulder top is brown, with some nice colors added.  It isn't 100% earth, but it is a really good choice.  I had a mood again, and decided not to wear that top, but I stuck with the ivory cropped jeans.  They are nice and comfy, and felt summery.  I don't like the high waist.  It isn't a good look or fit for me, but I went up a size since they were stretchy.  I know they would have looked nicer one size down with a normal or slightly below waist rise.  The buttons are neat though. 

 

I realize I don't have a picture of the shirt I wore, other than a selfie, so I am including that photo, along with a picture of the bracelet I wore with it.

 

 

Here is my going home outfit.  I have another pair of ivory pants that I just got on Monday at Loft Outlet.  They were having a great sale - even better than what was online.  I think I got these for $20.00?  I have them in olive green also.  I debated about what to wear with them, and grabbed an old faithful shirt.  

 

This is the necklace I chose to wear with the maxi dress for dinner last night, and also my sandals.  It was casual, but I felt like it was a nicer casual outfit, you know?  The dress I took in a while back, so it isn't fitted, but it isn't big and loose.  There is something about really loose dresses where I just don't feel neat and tidy.

 

 

 

This was my shopping outfit from Monday.  Does the shirt look familiar?  I think a few of us have it!  I've taken it in twice, and still wear it regularly.  It's more the colors than anything, since the pleat in the front doesn't really do me any favors.

 

This is a better picture of the dress color.

 

And a few more pictures, just for fun!

Edited July 22, 2020 by laurspag

[awhfy]

4 hours ago, laurspag said:

oooohhhh, I forgot to mention Anita....textured ceilings can be a ton of work.  When we redid each bathroom, we used sandpaint with a roller to create a subtle texture.  Even just cutting in was a chore.  I can't imagine trying to do what you are doing.

 

We bought paint with sand already in it, by the way.  It's a lot of work to create texture, especially over your head.

We have two walls that are sand paint texture. Upstairs is a blue (ocean) & downstairs is a burgundy with gold mica in it. Les said he’d move before doing another sand paint job (& he hates moving 🙄)

[awhfy]

Laurie, I sewed the pleat down in “our” shirt & I like it a lot better, it doesn’t ‘billow’ on me any more. You & DH look comfy & relaxed

[Sailor_Sally]

5 hours ago, purduemom1 said:

 

CA is now going to allow salons and barber shops to reopen if they move outside! Not sure how many will be able to manage that and comply with the rules. Could be expensive if plumbing is involved. Can’t imagine having to move the set up inside each night to keep things safe.
Sharon

That is so crazy of all the places I have been during this pandemic I feel the hair salon was the safest .

[awhfy]

15 hours ago, Sailor_Sally said:

That is so crazy of all the places I have been during this pandemic I feel the hair salon was the safest .

Me too!

[Sailor_Sally]

Laurie , Glad you had a nice mini vacation.

[MJC]

Laurie your mini break sounds just wonderful! Thanks for sharing your outfits. I especially like the turquoise and brown top with the bracelet. That is one of my favorite color combos.

 

You made me realize that I don't know which closet I have "our" top in. Hmmm better go look! I hope I didn't leave it in the city, but i think if it were here I would have worn it given our hot weather.

 

We had two good nights of comet viewing. Tonight it's supposed to rain AGAIN.

 

I've been looking at some short getaways for us in the fall. I would love to go to Niagara but the border situation eliminates that for now. So, we are thinking of touring Gettysburg, though that would mean staying in a HOTEL! Yikes. DH hasn't even been out for dinner yet. He barely leaves the house.

[Sailor_Sally]

We also are looking at a small fall get away .We usually do a short cruise in the fall but that is not happening .It is hard to know when to move forward . Florida is doing so poorly .We have several friends that take no precautions and go everywhere  and they have not gotten it . Crazy ! I really want to visit my daughter but that involves flying and I am not ready for that

Margaret , Isn't your husband going stir crazy ? I can only stay home so much and then I have to get out and just drive .We do go out to dinner twice a week but only to restaurants that take precautions. 

[awhfy]

Les has gone to two restaurants, grocery shopping (twice right after my surgery) & that’s it. He has just started riding his bike & is doing research on converting his full face snorkel with a carbon filter to use as a mask. He could stay home & be very happy...not me!

[purduemom1]

18 hours ago, Sailor_Sally said:

That is so crazy of all the places I have been during this pandemic I feel the hair salon was the safest .

Yep. I agree. The gov decided that outdoor businesses are safer. Just not sure how salons can accomplish that given all the equipment that is involved all of which would have to be secured or moved inside when not in use. With our hot days, hours of operation would be limited. This personal service industry will most certainly have many going out of business. 
 

Then, while a one on one service With both parties wearing masks is having a difficult time operating, some restaurants are setting up huge open tents and even though tables are distanced, people are sitting about 2 feet from those across from them and of course no masks because they are eating and drinking. Lots of laughing and loud talking. Dining parties  are not always from the same household. Seems  that setting is much more likely to spread the virus than the salon setting. 
 

Our numbers are terrible so I wonder what the governor’s next move will be?

[purduemom1]

Looks like Coldwater Creek msy be going out of business based on the message included with each sale email I have received over the past few days. Another COVID casualty?