All Things EARTH... part 2

[Anita Latte]

Laurie...can't speak much to the migraines. I've had a couple. I also got a a kind of halo effect in my peripheral vision. Sound was awful. Light was awful. Moving was awful. All I could do was lay down and let it pass. These were back in Kansas. I do wonder if there isn't something to the barometric pressure that Melody mentioned? The next time I got anything close to that...it stayed in the headache zone and didn't go into the eyes/ears but it was when we were dealing with hurricanes back in NC. There is a link between hurricanes and headaches...so maybe there is a link between barometric pressure and migraines? 

 

I love blankets. We are a blanket family. We have summer weight and winter weight blankets. The summer ones are the classic "Mexican" blankets that DH and I purchased in San Antonio from when we went to school there. Then these faux fur ones (not quite as long in the fur as the one Melody shared) are winter. I have a quilt that spans both seasons. All the blankets are out all the time. I have a blanket bar that I purchased from a horse catalog. When we get settled, I usually hang that up somewhere and we hang all the blankets on it when they aren't just strewn wherever on the furniture. Sometimes, I get really tired of the blankets on the furniture? I had the idea of a large towel bar but for blankets and low and behold, the idea exists but it's for horses and hanging in the stables. Still, there are many styles of such things, just so you know, in case you get sick of the blankets on the furniture too. IDK how many blankets you are thinking of getting...I literally have about 10...I think...enough for everyone to have one if we have company for the holidays, for instance.

 

I do like having multiple blankets patterns. But I find that I am the type of person that kind of decides that things "go" when I like them. It doesn't seem to matter if they technically "go" or not...if they are close enough...or if there is a reason...like the old Mexican blankets are blue (one is green) and I've decided that they "go" enough and the green one is the bridge to the current color scheme. What I find is that the tactile nature of the blankets are the most important characteristic...so I would urge you to be able to feel the blankets if you can, before purchase, or remain open to returning the blankets. No one wants to cuddle in a blanket that doesn't feel great. We do have one "knit" blanket that has all those holes? I thought it looked nice for the more "formal" living area however many houses ago...but I seriously dislike that blanket. It's like a what's the point blanket to me? But DH likes it because he likes the fact that it isn't solid because he can get a little too warm with a blanket but he still likes them.

 

I love all the house talk. I'm excited to see your new curtains! I've stalled on the indoor projects...focusing on the yard projects right now. I've finished the blackberry length of fence...planting companions in there. Now I still need to get the blueberries into the ground. We removed the old hibiscus and can put the blueberries in that area of the yard. We haven't moved forward with the fire pit area yet though. Nor have we moved forward with the courtyard. Not in a hurry though...

 

I still haven't talked to DS yet about the holidays too. His term ends at the end of November...short 3 month terms and so the terms get busy for him and with the time difference, it can be hard. We keep having to reschedule our call...but hopefully tomorrow will work out. I want to find out what tools he has in the kitchen and if he has what he'll need to be able to have some traditional holiday food. Like does he even HAVE a pie plate? LOL. With the current restrictions in the UK, his flatmate can't even go home (his family lives in London even) because there are restrictions on people from different households mixing indoors. As in, if you don't live together, you can't meet indoors. So as it stands, no families from different households can legally get together for the holidays. We'll see how that might change...I was always hoping that DS and his flatmate could be with his flatmate's parents for some sort of Christmas celebration.

 

I've been going back and forth in my mind about whether or not to really even try to make a big deal out of the holidays this year, given that it will just be DH and I. I've finally come to the conclusion that I totally am. I went through a phase of saying forget it, why bother?, but now I've decided that with how much I love everything associated with the holidays, I need to do it for myself. That's not actually an easy thing for me to think about for whatever reason...

[awhfy]

Our oldest daughter took over the holidays about 5 years ago (yay) & I only had to bring pies & my tapioca pudding. This week she told us that no Thanksgiving this year all together, they don’t want to put Les & I in health jeopardy Because of their young adult & college kids. Hmm, guess I’ll have to cook a turkey breast for Les & I. Middle daughter was already doing early Thanksgiving as she doesn’t have her daughter Thanksgiving week. Our son is having a madhouse with his son & 3 of his AF buddies. As much as we’d love to go there we probably shouldn’t. Guess Thanksgiving is going to be by Zoom this year 😢. Les’s only comment, so how many pies will you make for us? & you’ll still make me my tapioca pudding?  2 pies & a smaller tapioca. Different times

[Anita Latte]

Melody...last year for Thanksgiving we did it a week late because DS wasn't done until the end of that week. Then we gave him some breathing room in London to pack up and do some things with friends and then come home. So Thanksgiving was a week late. Our best Thanksgivings have always been when we go very casual. We're going to do successive Thanksgiving. We won't have all the sides in one big meal. I'll parcel out the side dishes so that each night with turkey we can have a slightly different mix of traditional favorites. Including dessert. Same concept.

[Sailor_Sally]

I have done big Thanksgivings and small Thanksgivings . Several years we travelled for Thanksgiving and several years we went out to local restaurants . This year it will be just us .I usually cook but a local very nice restaurant is having a take out feast for $99 that includes a turkey ,mashed potatoes, sweet potato casserole , stuffing  ,green bean casserole ,rolls . pumpkin pie and a bottle of wine . That is what we may do .

I ought a great throw at Wayfair last year . It is a red chevron throw .

[aknguyen]

I get migraines when I've had too much MSG. Food can be a trigger. You may want to keep a food diary for a few weeks to see if there's a pattern.

[Brownie54]

Laurie, I got migraines a long time ago (39 years!) when I changed prescribed medications. The migraines were truly debilitating. Have you changed medications lately? Just a thought.

[alidor]

Thankfully, I have only had 2 migraines in my whole life and that is after having some saccharine in ice tea...  don’t even ‘now if that is still a product that is in use  but thought I would mention it

[awhfy]

Happy Halloween (love my Mr Potato Head pieces)

 

Edited October 31, 2020 by awhfy

[MJC]

Very cute, Melody. 🎃

[MJC]

 

Blue Moon over New Jersey:

 

 

[laurspag]

Thanks, everyone, for the feedback on migraines.  Sometimes I get the halo first, sometimes not.  The last time I started to get a halo was Thursday night, just before I went to bed. I immediately took the medication and it really helped a lot.  i agree, Melody...catching it early really makes a bit difference.  The medicine doesn't really dent any of it unless I take it right away.  Our weather has really been up and down, so maybe that is playing a role?  I am going to try to track as much as I can. 

 

Food wise, my diet has been no different this past week.  I am looking for the small things also.  I think it is easy to remember meals, but even something small in between could be a trigger so I am trying to make note of the food I am eating.

 

I have been thinking about the holidays, and I don't think I really plan to have anyone here, except maybe my daughter.  My younger daughter already lives at home, so us four, and then the baby, most likely.  Her husband is traveling back and forth to Florida right now, so I don't know if he will be here or not.

 

It is going to be different, that's for sure.  I am already planning Christmas to be similar right now.    Anita, I know it must be hard for you with your son.  Even chatting with him right now is hard for you, with the time difference and with him being busy and so on.

 

I will look in Home Goods and in Costco for some throw ideas.  Thank you for the suggestions.  I was thinking similarly to what you mentioned, Anita.  Having maybe one for cooler weather, and one for warmer weather.  We love them and use them a lot.  In the family room, I have a few I fold up and put in this crate that we have, so they are out of the way when we are not using them.  There is one we leave out, but it belongs to the dogs.  They are good boys, and don't chew on things.  This blanket though, they tug at with their paws and teeth all the time to get it "just right".  I wash it continually, and it isn't in the best shape.  When I drape though, the folds hide the wear so it looks decent, lol.

 

I have been thinking about a furry option.   I was thinking that something in more of a camel tone for this time of the year, and something ivory for the spring and summer in a lighter weave.

 

When I decorate for the holidays, I have a Christmas throw that I use.  I was thinking about how awful it is going to look with the new couch, lol.  I have had it for literally about 17 years, and it was cheap.  I'll probably just move it elsewhere for now.

 

I have been sewing.  The kitchen curtains are done.  They look pretty good, I just need to steam the pleats at the bottom so that they lay properly.  I was so excited that I hung them up without doing that.  My husband and I also did two of the dining room chairs.  It took us a bit to figure out how to get all the staples out, which was very time consuming until we realized we could use one of the tiny flathead screwdrivers with a hammer.  My husband loosened them up, and I went and pulled them out with the pliers.  

 

It's neat to have someone to work with.  I was overthinking it a bit but I think they came out nice.  We are looking forward to doing the rest of them.  The new foam makes them so much more comfortable.    We aren't professionals by far, but we are happy with the progress.  I have no idea why I took such crooked pictures, lol!

 

 

 

 

[laurspag]

Melody, I don't really decorate for Halloween, but I do decorate for fall in general, and that stuff stays out until we decorate for Christmas.  I mentioned the glass pumpkins I found in the grocery store, and they marked them down so I grabbed two.  I also got some mini pumpkins, but those will not make it to Thanksgiving, from the looks of it.

 

 

 

Margaret, we might get a dusting of snow tonight.  It's not uncommon, but I am still so surprised how quickly fall comes and goes.  

 

It's going to be interesting to see if we end up with all of our furniture at the same time.  The chairs were delayed until the end of November.  The coffee table is in, we just need to get it.  The ottoman for the family room we are still waiting for, ,and of course, the couch.  The couch is made in New York State, so they told us they think 4-6 weeks.

 

I don't think I showed you these, but we did try to get a better photo of the fabric for the couch when we were bringing all the samples back to the store.  

 

..

[purduemom1]

Sally, great Thanksgiving dinner plan. I’m looking for a similar offer but so far haven’t found one yet. 
 

Anita, I’m sorry that your son and his suite mate will not be able to spend the holiday with his family. This year will be very different for many of us. DH and I will order in and it will be just the two of us. As Melody mentioned with her family, even though our daughter lives near by, we won’t be with her for the day. Just hoping that next year will be different. 

Margaret, what a pretty picture of the moon over the lake!! Is that the lake where your home is?

 

Laurie, nice job!

 

Take care all,

Sharon

[awhfy]

Laurie, great job with the chairs & I love the curtains!  Love your glass pumpkins. I like my glass LED pumpkins a lot. I plan on the glass pumpkins being out 1 Sep thru Thanksgiving, then Christmas takes over. I have one Oriental cabinet that I put my purely Thanksgiving things on. 

[Anita Latte]

Laurie...your projects look great! Kudos to you! I really like the plaid window treatments a lot. They seem much lighter to me than what you had before...like a breath of fresh air to have that cheerful creamy color. The chairs seem like a nice neutral acting color...they look nice and they'll basically blend in to whatever else is going on.

 

I should get out my pumpkin! I have one pumpkin decoration that is tinted glass...with a tea light candle in it, the whole thing glows. I have other autumn themed candles...floating candles in the shape and color of changing leaves. My surfaces aren't quite clear enough to have decorations though...

 

I worked in the office yesterday. I've been slowly working my way through our stuff and sorting where it all goes. The office set up is pretty symmetrical with two desks facing each other and one bookcases on each side. I brought in a small cabinet, it's actually a midcentury record cabinet to use for office supply storage. I was able to get most everything put away in the office and that's an amazing feeling to begin to feel like there is a place for everything in here.

 

That's like the goal of my housekeeping...a place for everything and everything in its place.

 

I finally talked to DS Monday...for almost 3 hours! It was so wonderful to just talk. We're hopeful that he and his flatmate can spend Christmas with his flatmate's family. The current restrictions end Dec 2 so there nothing is sorted yet there.

[MJC]

Sharon, yes, I took that picture of the moon from my deck looking east. It was bright enough to walk around outside with no lights on!

 

Laurie, I love your new colors! So crisp and cheery looking, I hope you are as pleased with your choices as we all seem to be. 🙂 Looking forward to seeing your sofa when it arrives.

 

We had things to do at the apartment so we are in the city for a few days. I'm hoping to do an early Costco run tomorrow and stock the kitchen a bit with things for the pantry and freezer so we won't have to scrounge for meals every time we are here. My goal this week is to not cook dinner!  So far we have had Chinese, pizza, Mexican, and Italian (tonight). I cleaned the kitchen really well and am slowly making my way through the rooms. It is amazing how dusty and dirty things get when we aren't even here. Then there are the quirky things like the wifi wasn't working, and our printer was out of ink... all those small details that eat time and don't seem too important but actually are.

 

I've started my Christmas shopping list and hope to order early this year. I got a few ideas for family members and just decided to start an idea file now so I'm organized early. We are having our first Thanksgiving alone, I think ever, so that will be weird. I'm sure I'll be on the phone all day with my siblings! I usually put our tree up that weekend.

 

We were originally scheduled to be away for most of December in South America, but we cancelled back in June. I still receive the emails and even though Americans are not allowed in Chile at this time, they are still planning to go! The trip has been scaled back immensely and is basically a bus trip to the eclipse area, a few days at a resort there, and then back to Santiago and homeward. Santiago is the virus hot spot for Chile right now. I am watching to see what they do when they have to cancel the whole thing. If they give out refunds I am going to request my deposit back though I don't think I'm likely to get it. My guess is they will offer their guests a credit toward future travel, but of course that presumes their ability to survive in the long run.

 

This weekend we will celebrate our 34th anniversary. I think we will get dressed up, play Scrabble, and drink too much wine. 😀We always look through our wedding album on our anniversary. 🥰

[purduemom1]

Happy 34th anniversary to you and your DH, Margaret! Your plans sound like fun and very appropriate for this crazy year.

 

Anita, that was a really nice, long chat with DS. It must be difficult to coordinate with the time difference and his schedule. Will be interesting to see if their lock down is successful in significantly lowering their numbers. 
 

It’s a really good feeling when you can unpack moving boxes and find a new home for everything. Fun to look at your new space and feel like you accomplished something.

 

No fall decorating this year, except for a wreath on the front door and a fall themed garden flag. Love Melodie and Laurie’s glass pumpkins, they are all so pretty. 

[awhfy]

Margaret, happy 34th!  Another November anniversary!  Our 51st is the 29th. We also drag out the wedding album & toast each other & say “they said we’d never make it” & we laugh. Are you living more at the lake house now?

 

Laurie, I love your glass pumpkins. 
 

today is the last day I can go out before the foot surgery next week (pretty minor, remove the broken implants & fuse a couple of toes (can’t use more implants, my body just rejects them) so I’ll go & try to finish my Christmas shopping (except for what I get on line). Melody

[Sailor_Sally]

Congratulations Margaret ! Enjoy your anniversary !

[laurspag]

Congratulations, Margaret!  While I know things have been very different for all of us this year, I feel like there has been a silver lining.  I've learned to enjoy the simple things so much more, and to cherish together time.  I hope you feel the same.  34 years is amazing!

 

Melody, I'm sorry you need more surgery on that foot.   I hope you heal quickly!

 

I am happy with the way the curtains turned out.  They are styled like the ones that I had previously, so it's a combination of a roman blind and a curtain.  I think hanging them on a decorative rod adds a nice touch.  The color really lightened up the feel of the room.  While I have loved the Tuscan like colors throughout the home, it was time to lighten a few things up.  I can't wait to do more chairs this weekend.

 

My husband and I took a vacation day Tuesday.  We went and voted, and then set out to look at rugs.  We went to four different places so far.  The first was a huge rug store that we have  near the city, that has been there for years.  When I left there, there was one solid color rug that I thought would work.  That was it.  We then stopped at our local Marshalls Home Goods store, and we found a similar rug to what we just looked at, but for about a third of the price.  It was too small though.

 

We stopped at Home Depot and Lowes as well.  Lowes had an area rug that we thought would work, but once again, we weren't wowed.

 

All three rugs that were possibilities were solid color, and kind of fluffy.  Not big fluffy, but they would feel nice underfoot.  Two were cream colored, one was a golden beige.  My first thought with all three was how well they would vacuum, seeing that I have two dogs.  I think they would all be okay.  As a matter of fact, I would be happy with any of them, but I really want to look a bit more.

 

I was thinking JCP and Macys are options.   I've been looking online, but it is much harder to get a good feel of the color, and if they aren't right, then you have to consider if you can bring it back to the store, of if you have to ship it back.

 

I forgot to mention that we stopped at Raymour and Flanigans as well.  It is a furniture store, and I'm not sure if that is a national chain or not, to be honest.  It is not a store I usually go to.  It seems we always find what we want at China Towne, where most of the furniture in my house is from.  

 

Anyway, there was this rug here.  I don't think the online pictures are that great.  This is really, really light looking, and while I would call the background color ivory,  it doesn't have the warmth I was looking for.  In person, the green is more of a yellowy green, and it looked great with the fabric sample for the couch.

 

I'm not seeing it with the curtains and chairs, and the price doesn't feel good to me either, for a 8 x 11 size.  Sometimes, your gut just says no.  I felt it was too expensive, and it didn't feel comfortable enough.

 

https://www.raymourflanigan.com/area-rugs/transitional-area-rugs/kathy-ireland-26-area-rug-171961862

 

I have plenty of time to find a rug for the room, but for me, the hunt is on, lol.  I love the search.  It can be frustrating though when you struggle.  Here is what I am finding as the key: it has to be one of three things: 1) a fluffy solid, 2) a tonal type print or pattern, or 3) a print that picks up a lot of cream and has a little bit of the green from the couch, or something that works well with the green.

 

I'm currently on Overstock.com, and I choose green and yellow in the search.  There are 84 pages of rugs to go through.  One really nice thing is that I can save anything that may be a possibility to my favorites, then go back and weed through them later.

[awhfy]

Laurie, look at Wayfair too.  Great rugs. I think it was Sally that said she gets rugs there. I’ve bought several from Wayfair & have been well pleased

[Sailor_Sally]

I buy area rugs from Wayfair all the time . I also bought one I love from rugs usa . 

[Anita Latte]

Laurie...check out Garnet Hill and Soft Surroundings for throw blankets. I was dealing with my mail backlog and flipping through saw that both were focused on cooler weather house items.

[Anita Latte]

We've been sleeping on our Lull mattress for a little over 30 days now. It started ok...it was an improvement on our worn out Tempurpedic mattress, which we've had for over 10 years. There's a warranty on the Tempurpedic but our situation would be really hard to pursue because our mattress has been moved so many times...and if it's moved, you have to prove that you moved it properly, and we didn't every time LOL...I didn't know you're not supposed to move one on it's side? And I know that it was a couple times...not that we ever had issues that arise because of an improper move (the foam layers can disengage), BUT...it makes it not worth the effort IMO to pursue the reduced benefit after so many years.

 

Anyway, the issue we have with our Tempurpedic is that our heavy bodies have broken down the memory foam layer too much...it doesn't spring back as it should and the area surrounding where you really are is also responding so support is lacking. So the Lull was an improvement on that...but the actual support offered isn't working for us. Today was the worst, both DH and I woke up with back pain...so we're going to do the processing for the return and order a different one.

 

I've got two more mattresses lined up for trial. Next, we're going with what is supposed to be the firmest mattress on the market. It's called the Plank. It is flippable with a firm side and an extra firm side. Based on our reaction to our camping night, I think that we will benefit from a more firm sleeping surface. We were both uncomfortable sleeping actually...but when we got up, we actually felt good...so the Plank is next. Here's a funny...you HAVE to sleep on it for 30 days minimum though...and you have 120 days for the trial.

 

If that one doesn't work out, I'm going with an Amerisleep mattress. 

 

Is that too much mattress talk? LOL. 

 

The old Tempurpedic has been in the way of my progress in the yoga room...where that mattress has been living...blocking my ability to do the walls. We had a mattress cover that I rigged to try to do a vacuum seal and reduction but the cover was ripped and my duct tape didn't solve the problem completely. I could only get the mattress reduced so far, so I've ordered a vacuum cover which should be here tomorrow. Once I get that mattress out of there, I can move forward the room.

 

It may seem odd that we are keeping a mattress that isn't working well, but there are ways of recycling it and using it for other purposes, and I want to keep that option open.

 

Did I mention I cut my hair again? I used the pony tail on the forehead method this time and it resulted in significant layers all over...which has been wonderful. My hair is so much lighter in weight and the layers can frame my face in a messy kind of way which I think is in keeping with the whole "Soft Natural" look that I have. I can't pull all my hair into a ponytail...I get layers around my face and while it's slightly annoying, it looks good...and if I use little clips to pull it back, it is still a softer look. So I'm pleased.

 

My days are falling into a routine of sorts...but I find that the work I'm doing around the house requires wearing clothes that I can ruin...like working with joint compound and paint and serious dirt work with planting plants and other work. I'm thinking that I might want to invest is some coveralls or something...

[Sailor_Sally]

Mattress shopping is so weird .You go to a store and lie down for ten minutes to decide if this is the mattress you want . Last time we just went with a pillow top which has been extremely comfortable .