Groupthink

 Well Happy Monday gang.  The countdown to Thanksgiving is upon us.  How are you fixed for things?   And how's your week looking otherwise? My U.S. kitchen is sparse so I've ordered a pie.  I picked up a turkey breast and some veg.  We'll be going to dad's and cooking together.   Other than that, I have no idea what the week will bring.  But I am hopeful. 

Long ago and not so very far away, teen Phoebe was invited to a Halloween dance.  I had just transferred from my sheltered private school to a public school.  I was super excited, and a little nervous about attending with my cool new friend.   My life had been pretty sheltered prior to high school. I had heard about the annual dance from friends in the neighborhood whose older siblings had attended years before.  Their costumes sounded so creative and fun- a bag of jelly beans, a rain cloud, a baby with a giant pacifier.  My costume wouldn't be as cool.  Between my closet and my mom's, I pulled together a cow girl outfit that I thought was pretty good though- a vest, a prairie skirt and boots.  I got a toy sheriff's star at K Mart and borrowed a cowboy hat to finish my look.    Cool friend was going as a Playboy bunny.  She had to leave the house wearing jeans over her fishnets & body suit with her makeup & bunny ears h...

 Happy Wednesday gang!  It's bbq day here in the shire. Brisket, chicken, tater salad, beans, cornbread and key lime pie are on the menu.   I have been busy AF with the kids and the grand-dog here.  He is a sook and smart as a whip so I am enjoying my time with that very good boy.   Last night we went out to supper.  I ordered one of the two salads on the menu- a house salad with candied pecans, dried cranberries and maple dressing.  OMG if they didn't just add maple to the Caesar dressing for this abomination.  Garlic, maple and anchovies are not  a delicious combo.  I'd be interested to hear what memorable combos (good or bad) you've encountered.   What's new in your world today?

 Hiya people!  It looks like we may see a bit of sun today so I am off for my walk before it gets too gross out.   After that I'll be perusing the sale ads for tomorrow's trip to town.  I am certain that the world will end if I pay 50 cents more than I need to for something.   What's your shopping technique?  Are you a stock-piler or grab as you go kind of person?  ETA-  And what's going on today?

    Happy Thursday y'all!  What's going on? We're coming up on the holiday weekend here in Canada and also my 33rd wedding anniversary.  I have exactly zero plans for celebrating any of it.   After my Wednesday morning spilled coffee fiasco, I grabbed my keys and went off into the hills.  I wound up a couple of towns away wandering the shops and then I had lunch- all by myself.  It was kinda nice.  I think I'll work on my plants today. It's time for what's left in my window to get outside and do or die.  And I think it's time to swap out the hats & gloves drawer and get my swimwear in there!   Is anyone gardening/growing anything this season?   *Full disclosure- I'm composing this late Wednesday night.  I cannot get my sleep shit together lately.

 It's Windy Wednesday here in the shire.  I think the seedlings will be staying inside today.   I made the mistake of continuing Finn's service training without talking with Mr.  While I have been working on the "table" command to get him to place dropped items on the surface in front of me, Mr has been telling him to stop putting stuff on the table. Oops.  Of course, every time Mr removes object, he says "Get away from the TABLE" or something similar, prompting poor Finn to think he's getting the "Table" command.  Poor lil guy and LOL. Speaking of stupid dog tricks- Volume up! You won't regret it 😊 https://t.co/uJ7gghGS2G — Fabiola De la Cueva (@Fabiola31416) June 13, 2023 So that's the morning news here. What about you?   

  I don't see an open thread scheduled, so here's one quickly posted.  Monty was feeling icky yesterday, which worried me, since he's 17 with a number of health issues. He stopped eating and drinking and hid behind the couch last night. He does seem to feel better this morning and has accepted some Fancy Feast for breakfast.

 Good morning Monday.  I am watching a news story on taking ice baths?  It is (apparently) the newest way to  change your life. IDK what it would take for me to submerge myself in ice water, let alone soak  in there for  a while.  Yikes.   Just once I'd love for something totally comfy and slothy to be touted as "the answer".  Wouldn't it be great to hear some medical expert advise eating fries in bed or binge watching a ridiculous show?  Or both?   Doesn't  this look better?   I don't have much else today.  The rest of the news feels way too heavy atm.  What's going on with you?

Hello Thursday.  Where did this week go?   Today is date day.  We're going to the dump!  Honestly, I find it fascinating.  I could roam around the dump or a junkyard for hours.   Tonight is Chase the Ace at the fire hall.  I am glad to be back into my shire groove.   What unusual (or not so unusual) places do you like to visit?  And how are things looking for you today?  

 Well here we are at Monday again.  And it's nearly May?   I did the Sunday trifecta of bed, snacks and tv yesterday while Mr handled the rest. He woke me up around 1130 pm telling me I need to get up. Not a fire, not my folks in trouble- the aurora borealis was in the north sky. It was so big! Sitting out on the deck watching that was a great way to end the day.   I am much restored in both body and mind. Did anyone else catch it? I've had a new dough in the fridge since Saturday. I'm looking forward to baking it up today. Aside from that there's some meal prep I'll pick at and hopefully get a few more things out of the camper.  I can't believe how much that little thing holds!   What's on your plates today? 

Good morning and Happy Thursday. Have you shaken off the Hanukkha and Christmas buzz? NYE is around the corner and I feel a little like Anyway, today I am packing up to leave the shire for a few weeks. I am woefully unprepared but have no fucks to give. What's going on with you today? Any New Year's Eve plans?

  Good morning, GT! Sorry for the late post, but I've been absorbed by this Argentina vs France match. I usually don't watch soccer, but I always tune in for the World Cup and end up becoming a little obsessed. I'll be a lil sad when it's all over after today.  Anyway, how is everyone doing today? I'm cold and lazy. I need to pick a bunch of citrus today but I think I'll do it a bit later once it warms up a bit. Other than that, I'll just be doing a bit of reading and maybe some cooking.  How about y'all? 

  Good morning, GT. Happy Sunday! I was awoken this morning by the wonderful sound of rain and it has put me in the best mood. It's supposed to rain most of the day and I'm going to enjoy every minute of it. I love when it rains on weekends and I can actually enjoy it without the distraction of work. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that today will be nothing but lounging around and reading. Oh, I also need to do my nails since they are a chipped disgrace at the moment. Anyway, that's all I've got for now.  How are all of you doing today? What's on your agenda for the day and upcoming week? 

  Good morning, groupthink! It's day two of my self-declared staycation & I'm so sleepy. My brain decided sleeping wasn't a thing last night. I don't have a blueberry pie, but there is a funfetti cake I baked around 2 am. 😂 It sometimes pays to keep weird shit in your pantry. So, I'm having cake for breakfast while I watch some Housewives. Not too shabby for a sleepy morning! There's another January 6th hearing for later. No going outside due to hitting 100°. No thanks! Here's some cute for your Thursday. Taka is one very good puppy. :) This is Taka. He suffered severe burns in a house fire in 2018. Made a very miraculous full recovery and was adopted by the vet who saved him. Now he works as a therapy dog in a local burn unit. 14/10 pic.twitter.com/zr1nlat9UB — WeRateDogs® (@dog_rates) June 15, 2022 Finally, here's an interesting question. I'd recommend not reading the real article unless you need some rage to help you through today, though. ...

  Good morning, groupthink! I woke up early & was able to meditate outside in an attempt to center myself for whatever today brings. Our humidity is still low & it makes mornings so nice before the heat moves in. Today is SCOTUS opinion day & I have a hunch they're going to end Roe this week. The clock is running out. Hence, the meditation & if that doesn't do the job, there's meds. There's also another Jan. 6th hearing today. Swinging in a wildly different direction, huge thanks to Beyoncé for releasing her single. A most happy distraction from gloom. :) One more thing, tell an onion you appreciate it today. ;) After the French Revolution, saints' days were replaced with days honoring important items in rural French life. June 21 was the day to honor the onion. pic.twitter.com/ktvBMKzCEZ — Quite Interesting (@qikipedia) June 21, 2022 Okay, your turn. How's Tuesday going? 

Good day to you, groupthink! How I wish it was Friday, but apparently we have to make it through Thursday first. That was disappointing to realize, lol. It never hurts to have cute animals handy. Inhale the positive 🐺 pic.twitter.com/FZp8ZM9Nes — Wolf Conservation Center (@nywolforg) June 16, 2022 All inhaling is inside here again, but some relief from humidity is on the way soon, thank goodness, because I am exhausted. I got so little sleep last night that I should have given up & done laundry or something constructive. Part of it is on me because I forgot to turn off the screeching alarm for alerts when I upgraded my phone. Whoops! My plans are postponed & I'm having an easy day. There's another January 6th hearing to watch & a big batch of pasta salad to make & absolutely nothing else. It's too hot! ;) How about you? 

  Good morning, groupthink! What Brad said, lol. Good grief, it's already miserable here in Nashville & I hope you're staying nice & cool today. Our heat index will top out around 110° this afternoon. If you're in the hot zone, please be careful out there. It's already so humid outside that breathing hurts. I'm hanging at the grocery waiting on my order so I thought I'd throw up a quick OT. Congrats to Jennifer Hudson on her EGOT last night. That's always exciting. And here's an extremely cool collection of plants in the succulent family, I think. These are gorgeous but apparently difficult to keep alive. No, this is not a bowl of cereal! It's actually a plant called Dinteranthus. It looks a lot like pebbles hence it's known as the pebble plant or living stones. pic.twitter.com/Pe3Szi7r45 — Riversong 🇨🇦♉♿😷🐈‍⬛☕🏳️‍🌈 (@Lumeena) June 11, 2022 The second January 6th hearing is this morning as well. Hopefully, I get my groceries in time ...

Good morning, groupthink! It's another cloudy day here & I'm struggling with motivation after a stormy day of snacks & television. One great benefit of those torrential downpours is the pollen has been vanquished. Hopefully, they'll head towards Phoebe next. 🤞 It's so pleasant outside. Sadly, my streak of sleeping well ended but that was expected. It's definitely not helping with my energy levels, though. I did manage to get my least desirable job of the day handled--wishing my problematic cousin a happy 60th birthday. Milestones & special occasions are huge triggers for him & my fingers are crossed he makes it to his surprise party this weekend without any trouble. It seems like a terrible idea to spring this on an alcoholic who struggles with aging & big events, but, hey, what do I know?  To end, here's some cuteness. Our spare room's television is still covered in stickers from when our niece was this age. And one of Pal's guitars...

   Good morning, groupthink! I woke up way too early this morning & am trying to figure out my vagenda. It's also a SCOTUS opinion day which means any plans might get thrown out due to rage. Honestly, it would be nice to get rid of the sword of Damocles vibes we currently live with, you know? We'll see what happens but, in the meantime, we're expecting storms today & I really want to dig into a book & chill, but also need to adult a little first. Maybe. ;) Here's some cute content for your Monday morning. These kids found a theme & stuck with it, lol. i will never be funnier than our preschool naming its turtle: pic.twitter.com/x0EN9ZidO4 — priyanka mattoo (@naanking) June 2, 2022  What's happening with you today? Tell us about here.

  Good morning, groupthink! It's an early one here it's going to thunderstorm later. I'm ready for a change of pace plus the lower temps & humidity. Probably no singing in it, though. ;) Here's a mid-week laugh at Tuckum's expense. So not ready. 🍿 Oh he is NOT ready https://t.co/6SuiekFUCP — Jorts (and Jean) (@JortsTheCat) June 1, 2022 Speaking of not ready, I was actually sleeping really well this morning until one of Pal's coworkers who lives near us lost his keys which meant Pal had to drive him to work waaay too early. I feel badly for Pal bc this guy is new & also racist. Long story short--he invited him to play video games with some work friends last weekend where he shouted racial slurs & got booted. Now, Pal has to be trapped with him on the way to work & the guy is getting fired today but doesn't know, obviously. Will Pal also have to bring him home? That's gonna be so uncomfortable. So, that's my morning so far, lol. It...