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Tuesday Kaffeeklatsch 6/6/2023
We are getting ready to move again. Headed back to Texas. I'm excited because I'll be closer to my daughter again. Then I've got friends from when I worked still there, too. I just dread the long drive. We are making a pit stop in Alabama, so it'll take us nearly a week to get from here to there.
Theresa, there was a link on Book Riot yesterday to some book-related stitchery projects. They were simpler than the type you do but if you are interested I can look for the link.We got reconnected on Facebook to friends we haven't seen in something like 40 years and they invited us to visit them in Montana, where they even have an Air B&B apartment in their home. We are supposed to fly out on Friday and today we found out that a couple of people we had lunch with at church Sunday have Covid. I think it's too soon to test but I'm a bit paranoid. The last 4 trips I was supposed to go on had to be canceled at the last minute due to health of myself, my husband or a family member!
Later in June, I plan to drive to Ohio to meet a friend I knew back in elementary school in the rural area where Theresa and I grew up. We have been in and out of touch over the years but got reconnected a couple years ago.
Kim, safe travels and so nice you will be close to your daughter again! Robin, good thoughts to you so that you are healthy for your trip! You have a had run of bad luck, it is time for fate to smile your way!
I have been tending my container garden and enjoying the back porch. Anticipating a visit from my best friend who is driving up from Virginia in a few weeks. It has been since before Covid that we got to see each other so really looking forward to the time we can have together.
Robin P wrote: "Theresa, there was a link on Book Riot yesterday to some book-related stitchery projects. They were simpler than the type you do but if you are interested I can look for the link.We got reconnect..."
I found it Robin and shared with my stitching group. My personal favorite and I may just get it and stitch it, is No Shelf Control. Could be PBT motto.
Lordy Robin, I really hope you get to go! Montana is stunning. Where are you headed? I spent a week in a friend's condo in Big SKy, allowing several visits to Yellowstone through the Western Entrance. If you haven't read Blind Your Ponies, give it a read. It's based on a real place, real people and real events.
~*Kim*~ wrote: "We are getting ready to move again. Headed back to Texas. I'm excited because I'll be closer to my daughter again. Then I've got friends from when I worked still there, too. I just dread the long d..."Kim - that's great news, even though there is a long drive to get there. Just think of it as a Road Trip and plot a few fun if brief stops along the way. I recommend downloading one of the travel ebooks for Roadside Attractions that exist.
Joanne - that sounds lovely! You want that back porch at its best as you know you two will be out there gabbing and laughing for hours.
Robin ... I hope you can go on your trip! Kim ... safe journey back to Texas. Will you be in SAT again? If so, maybe you can join us for lunch again when I go down in December this year.
We started June with a mini trip to Chicago for niece Bianca's graduation from U of Chicago. We lucked out, weather wise! About 30 family members attended, so it was quite the celebration.
Our nephew, Paul Steven, who is in the Army, came a couple of days early to spend time with Hubby and me before we all headed to the graduation. He was a big help, loading up the car and even taking over the drive down to Chicago.
I hate the heat. It's been so dry and so hot (well, almost constantly above average in temp for the past two months). Ugh! The only good thing is less mowing of the lawn. I did twice so far this year, and that's it.
This is supposed to be our rainiest time of year. News tonight said last June we got almost 140 mm of rain (I think) and it was a particularly wet year. This year, so far, we've had all of 2 mm. I think in May (not sure what our usual is), we had about 8 mm.
The Saskatchewan fires are affecting OUR air quality. Some alerts (relatively low level - mostly for people with compromised breathing such as asthma or COPD) have even been issued, and the haze in the air was visible as we drove into Milwaukee county on Sunday.
Haze has reached NYC - lots of early AM photos of haze reminding me of my first days in NYC with pollution. The sun had a red rim today. I was glued to my desk all day so have no idea of air quality.
Your trips all sound lovely. I hope all our members in Canada are safe with the wildfires - it’s truly alarming. @Theresa, one of these days I’ll meet up with the Metrostitchers crew in person. They’re such a cool group. I’m very honoured to be a distance member (a very very long distance!) I’m sure your stitching session will be amazing. Please give them all my very best.
It’s cold, rainy and windy here so we are all hiding inside as much as possible, but at least we have no snow (at least here - there’s been a decent amount down South though). Even the central North Island volcanoes had no real snow when we drove past last weekend for our mini-break in Taupō. Very little growing in the garden but I need to think about spring preparations. At least it is good weather for making progress on stitching. Last class tonight before the RSN goes into its long summer break - starting work on the design for module 3, panic panic …
LibraryCin wrote: "I hate the heat. It's been so dry and so hot (well, almost constantly above average in temp for the past two months). Ugh! The only good thing is less mowing of the lawn. I did twice so far this ..."
Has not rain here since May 20th, so I feel ya Cindy-though I love the weather it is not good for my garden
Aargh, the curse continues! Tested positive for covid. Hard to know when symptoms started because I had dental surgery on Thursday that affected the sinuses. When I had a low-grad sinus headache on Sun-Mon, I thought it was from that. Yesterday my nose started running a lot but just on the side with the surgery, so I thought maybe it was an infection. Still because I knew I had been exposed on Sunday, I did a test today and it was clearly positive. I have avoided it all this time. I am waiting for a call back to see if they can give me Paxlovid. So we have to cancel the trip, makes 3 this year we had to cancel for various health reasons and 2 before the pandemic we had to cancel for health crises of family members. At least we got to go to St. Louis for my daughter's celebration 2 weeks ago.
Oh Robin, that truly sucks! Here's hoping that this is the 3rd and last cancellation this year and that you arein the final days of COVID.
Theresa wrote: "Welcome to June! Time for some event updates - and if those dresses are fitting for them! Let's hear what's happened, what's still to come, and oh how do your gardens grow - or for those in the Sou..."Are you going to the Finger Lakes? We used to go there a lot and I miss it.
Robin, so sorry about canceled plans and hope you get well and Covid free soon.Kim, happy travels and hope you get settled happily.
Our weather this year has been cooler than usual and we actually had rain, just a sprinkle, yesterday. Our garden is far behind last years, but so much healthier. We did get our first tomato although it was a cherry, Sungold.
With the cooler weather and rainy winter we have a big crop of California Valley Gnats. They are just horrible, insect repellent doesn't bother them and I am allergic to them. I already had both of my eyes swell up, so only go out for short periods and I bundle up with long sleeves and hat.
Robin P wrote: "Aargh, the curse continues! Tested positive for covid. Hard to know when symptoms started because I had dental surgery on Thursday that affected the sinuses. When I had a low-grad sinus headache on..."Oh no. I’m sorry to hear that. I keep forgetting it isn’t really over.
Theresa wrote: "Haze has reached NYC - lots of early AM photos of haze reminding me of my first days in NYC with pollution. The sun had a red rim today. I was glued to my desk all day so have no idea of air quality."It’s getting bad in Western New York too. It started to get hard to breathe last night, but the smell didn’t hit until this morning, I guess the fire retardant chemicals are making it even more unhealthy.
My husband wants to go sailing tonight. I just hope they cancel the race.
@Robin, I'm so sorry you had to cancel yet another trip. I hope this is the last time this year.Not much time for reading this week. We're busy rearranging the house and putting furniture together. 8 days until my fiance's son moves in. I'm happy he's coming but I'll be very glad once we've got him settled in and the house back to it's normal level of clutter (there's currently boxes of stuff everywhere).
Theresa wrote: "Kim - that's great news, even though there is a long drive to get there. Just think of it as a Road Trip and plot a few fun if brief stops along the way. I recommend downloading one of the travel ebooks for Roadside Attractions that exist"I wish we could make extra stops, but we have to be there by a certain day because of my boyfriend's job. Plus we're pulling an RV (I follow in my car), which makes it hard to stop at a lot of places.
Book Concierge wrote: "Kim ... safe journey back to Texas. Will you be in SAT again? If so, maybe you can join us for lunch again when I go down in December this year.."
No, we are going to be in Bastrop, but it's only 2 hours from SA. I don't know if we'll be there in December or not. I'd love to join you if we are. My boyfriend's work assignments are 13 weeks long, so we'll be there at least through September. But sometimes he can extend if he likes the clinic and they still need help. But he also wants to get back near Tennessee after Texas because his oldest son plays football in college and he wants to see at least one of his games. So I have no clue where we'll be in December. LOL!
Oh Robin, what an awful run of bad luck for you, hoping it is mild and you are feeling better soon.Air quality alert here too, and also high chances of Forest fires-feeling sorry for those who are Up North and cannot enjoy their camp fires
NancyJ wrote: "Theresa wrote: "Welcome to June! Time for some event updates - and if those dresses are fitting for them! Let's hear what's happened, what's still to come, and oh how do your gardens grow - or for ..."No though my hometown where the reunion will be is Owego, NY on the Susquehanna River and about a 45 minute drive along country highways to Ithaca which is on southern tip of Cayuga. My friend has a place near Bethel NY on a lake that is really a reservoir for an electric power facility. I can visit the original Woodstock site (I was just a couple years too young to attend it - so nice to be able to say I'm too young to remember something from that era!). Unfortunately, due to both drought and dam damage, her 'lake' is really low and no boating allowed. Not a problem. It;s a cabin style in a preserve - woods and wildlife abound. She's sent me videos of mama bear and her 4 cubs (4!!!!) that have been hanging around her cabin this spring. There's a fox den nearby too.
Booknblues wrote: "With the cooler weather and rainy winter we have a big crop of California Valley Gnats. They are just horrible, insect repellent doesn't bother them and I am allergic to them. I already had both of my eyes swell up, so only go out for short periods and I bundle up with long sleeves and hat..."How awful! Have you looked into getting a ski-mask style hood with netting to wear? The Celebrity Chef Host of Restaurants at the End of the World, Kristen Kish, has a similar issue and on one episode actually wore one and covered up completely in order to go and explore harvest something in a very buggy area. Not a big thing like beekeepers have. Show airs on National Geographic channel and a repeat of the series is airing this week or next. It's a great show btw.
I know how much you love gardening. This might help.
@Kim and Rachel - both of you have 'home changes' - all very exciting but definitely will be best once all settled down. There is something comforting about familiar clutter ... although if boxes linger too long, you adapt to them! I know from experience. Kim - too bad about having a deadline. I did needlework trade shows for a few years when actively designing cross stitch (never my day job) and drove between NYC and Nashville - always on a tight schedule, never able to stop and smell the roses so to speak or look at tacky tourist sites (which I love). Overnights were just that - arrive exhausted, pray someplace for decent food open, then leave at some ungodly hour in the AM. Plus with an SUV filled to the brim with inventory no leaving car in just any old parking lot.
Supposedly the air quality here was the worst last night - danger level - though I didn't experience it directly as I stayed in. But right now I smell it and the color of the sky and light outside is eerie - horrible. Can't capture it in a photo either. My apartment now smells of fire too - I've closed most windows but it's hot and stuffy so some stay open since window A/C pulls air in from outside, not an option. There was also a short rain fall and a weather front is above the haze somewhere probably making it worse. I seriously have trouble believing the news when it says the air quality today is not dangerous just hazardous (orange not red or magenta like last night). One of the recent years of the worst California wildfires I was in Montana in September and you could not even see the Grand Tetons from the haze of smoke from California -- but it wasn't this eerie color.
I also was in Paris, France when the Iceland volcanoe exploded and the ash blew across Europe - I don't remember it being as bad as this at ground level. Crazy.
My brother in NYC was out in the last hour and said it got really dark.
Robin P wrote: "My brother in NYC was out in the last hour and said it got really dark."It's lightened up considerably and the light/sky are a less weird scary color...
I'm staying in. No need to deal with it.
I was in the city today for a job interview and it was so eerie. It’s just as bad in Bayside. I’m staying in for the rest of today.
Good excuse to stay in bed and read-not that I need one🙂
Sallys wrote: "Good excuse to stay in bed and read-not that I need one🙂"OH I so wish. Right now I need to crank out a contract for electrical work.
@Theresa and Sally, what you describe is frightening. I hope you can stay inside. I'm getting pollution alerts here where I live, but so far at least, outside doesn't look/smell any different than normal.@Robin, I'm so sorry to hear that you have covid. I hope it's a mild case and that you feel better soon.
Life here is slow-moving and fine.My house-hunting is on hiatus, as I can't find anything that I like better than where I'm living now. The housing market here is inactive with few homes for sale.
My sister and brother-in-law hosted a Movie Night recently in their home, which is the first time since before the Pandemic. They invited ten friends for a pot-luck dinner first, with Italian food as a theme. It was a fun evening.
Holly R W wrote: "@Theresa and Sally, what you describe is frightening. I hope you can stay inside. I'm getting pollution alerts here where I live, but so far at least, outside doesn't look/smell any different than ..."It actually cleared quite a bit in late afternoon. I think the cloud cover moved on and so the smokey haze isn't pressed downward. And either I have acclimated to the smoke in the apartment or wind has shifted. Maybe a bit of both. Though the evening bird social hour is raucous and bothering my concentration!
Theresa wrote: "Holly R W wrote: "@Theresa and Sally, what you describe is frightening. I hope you can stay inside. I'm getting pollution alerts here where I live, but so far at least, outside doesn't look/smell a..."I'm glad the situation there has improved! You made me smile about the birds and their chatter. Here, the birds start singing at 5 am. Just like a clock.
Holly R W wrote: "Theresa wrote: "Holly R W wrote: "@Theresa and Sally, what you describe is frightening. I hope you can stay inside. I'm getting pollution alerts here where I live, but so far at least, outside does..."Oh get the other end too. Actually there are those at 3 AM, another chorus as thecsun comes up and early AM. I live across from Central Park, hence rowdy birds. I do usually think of Shakespeare and Romeo & Juliet in those hours - tis the Lark, not the nightingale ...
Book Concierge wrote: "The Saskatchewan fires are affecting OUR air quality. Some alerts (relatively low level - mostly for people with compromised breathing such as asthma or COPD) have even been issued, and the haze in..."I've also seen pictures of New York today with smoke from the fires in Quebec (I assume), or maybe Ontario?
Joanne wrote: "Has not rain here since May 20th, so I feel ya Cindy-though I love the weather it is not good for my garden..."Oh, yikes!
Theresa wrote: "Holly R W wrote: "Theresa wrote: "Holly R W wrote: "@Theresa and Sally, what you describe is frightening. I hope you can stay inside. I'm getting pollution alerts here where I live, but so far at l..."@ Theresa, 3 am!! Wow. The birds are busy. ;0)
At times, I read about the different and unusual birds that show up at Central Park and how they capture New Yorkers' interest. I like watching birds, myself. Just don't ask me about the pesky crows...
I'm going to amend the amounts of rain I mentioned earlier. Well, maybe there was over 100 mm of rain last June... Looking up averages:
Wettest Month June (58.2 mm avg)
May apparently normally gets:
Precipitation: 30.7 mm.
There was actually 18 mm of rain in May. So far in June, the Environment Canada website only says we've had T of rain (that stands for a "Trace" of rain) on three different days. Not enough to even provide an amount.
Robin P wrote: "Aargh, the curse continues! Tested positive for covid. Hard to know when symptoms started because I had dental surgery on Thursday that affected the sinuses. When I had a low-grad sinus headache on..."Oh no, Robin. I'm so sorry. :-(
Theresa wrote: "One of the recent years of the worst California wildfires I was in Montana in September and you could not even see the Grand Tetons from the haze of smoke from California -- but it wasn't this eerie color. ..."Maybe about a month or so ago (when the fires were at their worst here in Alberta), the air quality index was a 10+ (as high as they rate it) and the colour when I looked outside was eerie. Sort of a post-apocalyptic yellow/orange. And the fires were no where near Calgary. But I guess that's similar in NYC.
Oh Robin, that sucks so much! We can’t even blame Ursula The Rampant Randomiser - it must be another Disney villain…
KateNZ wrote: "Oh Robin, that sucks so much! We can’t even blame Ursula The Rampant Randomiser - it must be another Disney villain…"
Cruella de Virus?
Robin ... sending good wishes for a speedy and uneventful recovery. So sorry you have to cancel your trip. I'm back to wearing my mask religiously ... having cataract surgery next week and don't want to have to cancel / postpone.
KateNZ wrote: "Oh Robin, that sucks so much! We can’t even blame Ursula The Rampant Randomiser - it must be another Disney villain…"
🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
Book Concierge wrote: "KateNZ wrote: "Oh Robin, that sucks so much! We can’t even blame Ursula The Rampant Randomiser - it must be another Disney villain…"
Cruella de Virus?"
😂😂😂😂😂😂
I had oral surgery last Thursday, so when I had some sinus pressure a couple days ago, I thought it was from that. (They said I could have some symptoms.) It turns out that at least 12 people from our church have tested positive since we gathered on Sunday and had a lunch (we have been having them for months with no issues.)It looks like we can reschedule our trip in a couple of weeks, working on that now.
For me, I have my 50th High School Reunion in July. Cannot believe how expensive hotels in my rural hometown are, nor the cost of renting a car for a week. Ridiculous. I'm hooking the reunion into some family business upstate as well as a visit with a friend who has a lake house between NYC and my hometown. A vacation you could say.
However, I did have an event recently. My stitching group, Metrostitchers (because based in NYC area and a play on the name of the subway metrocard) had its first official IN PERSON stitching event since 2019 last Saturday! It was lovely - outside in the backyard in suburban NJ - hosted by a NJ member. We are planning another in person event for July at the Cloisters Museum - one of the actual cloisters has a small cafe with tables and chairs - outdoors but under cover so we can stitch rain or shine. It was a lovely day with a good turnout and lots of hugs.