Recent Posts

Pages: [1] 2 3 ... 10
1
Voicelessness and Emotional Survival Message Board / Re: Friendship Moments: good or bad
« Last post by Hopalong on Today at 11:54:30 AM »
In the handsome-HVACer department, I remembered a private cliche-mantra:
I may be old, but I ain't dead. (Bursts out sweating for a different reason....LOL).

I was feeling some kinda parallel empathy at B's reaction to learning A's in his home state. Curious, was he feeling uncomfortable that she might begin grifting or making unwelcome requests of him? I felt discomfort on reading it, because of my D's patterns.

I'm glad A's foibles no longer ruffle your serenity. Anchored in land, with B, and even wobbly Hol, you have sounded generally happier and more rooted for a long time.

hugs and bravo,
Hops
2
Voicelessness and Emotional Survival Message Board / Re: Adventures in renovations... again
« Last post by lighter on Today at 08:38:05 AM »
Contractor. got stung badly, while mowing, day before yesterday.  Trouble breathing, huge skin reactions, pain and itching, and general feeling of being out of sorts.

He should be here in half an hour, ready to finish mirror with legs and last 2 cut tiles. 

I'll get cracking on ordering materials for shed roof and second bathroom....maybe plumb a half bath into a closet....or just toilet, European style.

Lighter

He went to the doc, on his way here, yesterday for steroids and whatever they did. 

For me, this meant a very short, mostly dialing in details day on the bathroom.  He installed all but 2 backsplash tiles, forgot his tile cutter,vso marked and took the other 2 home, a long with the carved feet, already cleaved in two.  They needed a little more wood shaved off where they sit on the tiles.

All in all, it looks amazing,cabs I have a French cleat ready to mount mirror today.

He did get the new exhaust fan ductwork replaced yesterday.....must do a little sheetrock repair.  Blech.  Hateses patch work, but don't mind mud repairs. I'll use a wet cloth to smooth those out today.

3
Voicelessness and Emotional Survival Message Board / Re: Friendship Moments: good or bad
« Last post by sKePTiKal on Today at 08:02:02 AM »
Doesn't hurt that your A/C miracle was drop dead handsome, either!  <wink wink>

I've been hanging out in a flowy maxi dress in this heat all week. Keeping a 6 yr old company. Hol is about to explode if a feather touches her. The guys - B & two workmen - are erecting a timber-frame ranch style sign* holder for Hol out of 8x8 logs. It's extra heavy. In the sun. In the heat. Being "guys" and having guy fun. Any miscommunications are pushing the red "nuke from orbit" button...

and it's Mercury in Retrograde season again.

* She's named her place "The Roving Haunt".

I'm just happy today's high temp is SUPPOSED to be 75 - so maybe just 80.
4
Voicelessness and Emotional Survival Message Board / Re: Friendship Moments: good or bad
« Last post by lighter on Today at 07:24:02 AM »
Oh, thank goodness AC repaired, Hops.  Having recently slept in 88 degrees, I can say...... I would have rigged a roll around AC unit, into a window, with tape and cardboard.....fabric and wood. Whatever.

I will say....you sound renewed, grateful and invigorated by the experience.  A very good thing, and I loved the part where you remained in your boxers and comfy T-shirt. Sounds like humorous banter didn't melt away.

Looking forward to new friendship moments.

Lighter
5
Voicelessness and Emotional Survival Message Board / Re: Friendship Moments: good or bad
« Last post by Hopalong on July 17, 2025, 03:05:22 PM »
Thanks for the advice, Lighter.

My windows are old-school awning style. I love them because you can leave them open in the rain but they won't accommodate a window unit. Fans 'R Us.

But right now, I am joyfully luxuriating (plus Pup, doubly) in renewed central AC!

Very nice times with humans lately. A new friend (maybe two) and several invited me to come stay in their AC. Lunch with one writer pal today and one in the works.

The JOY is, the too-handsome HVAC guy spent 3 hours fixing it this morning (I wandered around in my boxers and no-bra Tshirt and he didn't care, said he'd be in his underwear if roles were reversed), and now Pup and I are just pancaking in the cool, which is absolutely sublime. BLISSSSS!

I'll never take it for granted again. Good to know I can cope with 89 degrees all night, but for now, nice to know I don't have to.

hugs
Hops
6
Voicelessness and Emotional Survival Message Board / Re: Mindfulness and codependence thread
« Last post by lighter on July 17, 2025, 05:49:01 AM »
Woke up at 2:22am with garbage/recycling day on my mind.  Nice neighbor's permission to fill their empty, oversized cans has me googling Swedish death cleaning, and not the gentle kind.

Contractor will be here around 9am.  If I could dive into my second walk in closet, I to would....but can't wake rest of the house.

The first walk in was emptied last week?  Mostly bedding, linens and suit cases.  DD24and her bf enjoying the large dresser and double overhead shelves he can reach easily.  He moved the leather chair out and to his side of the bed.....he likes it.

I'll empty bedside table drawers today, and armoire.  My sister wants me to leave the full closet, as is....overtly full.  I think it could easily be emptied, by half, at least.





7
Voicelessness and Emotional Survival Message Board / Re: Mindfulness and codependence thread
« Last post by lighter on July 15, 2025, 07:52:22 AM »
The girls are very happy right now.

Youngest had 6 friends over to prepare for Alice in Wonderland themed karaoke last night.  The loft is working well as studio space....the sewing machine was humming, her bedroom had wig fittings, bathroom has makeup..... can't wait to hear the stories.

Downstairs, DD24 and her bf are giddy with the way things are working out.  Planning a future with marriage, careers and travel.....which hasn't been spoken to me yet.  I know, bc my sister told me about the M word.   

The boy is stepping up.....more.  Yesterday, he ran errands for everyone, grocery shopped and put away......carefully noting prices at Sam's, Aldi's and Ingles.  Later, he and DD24 worked on his new website.  I think whatever spell hit the contractor, has hit the boy, and it is splendid!

My sister's a wiz with cleaning/organizing non stop.  Wiped down the large tiles yesterday and scraped ceiling where old fan came down.  Super helpful....very good timing on this visit.

Good T session yesterday. 

Lighter
8
Voicelessness and Emotional Survival Message Board / Re: Adventures in renovations... again
« Last post by lighter on July 15, 2025, 07:31:46 AM »
Vanity plumbed and working.  We've taken the huge, round and carved feet off a sleigh bed, to split down middle, and add height to the matching mirror, over vanity. will install black tiles/with stars backsplash.  It's grand!

The sleigh bed headboard was installed yesterday, while I masked off the charcoal shower floor, before glass tile got white grout, which pulled everything together.

I'm about to hunt down bidet toilet seats and maybe pick one, as we installed an outlet by the toilet. Toilet goes in todayyyy!  Maybe able to get working, but heavy glass door will be unboxed, and thought on only, today.  Need a special drill but for glass.

Contractor will pick up shed metal roofing.  Yay!

An out of the blue thing ... Contractor stopped, mid shower grouting, to thank me for "letting him take this job." That was weird, bc I needed him to take the job badly.... he's very busy!

The thing is, his wife has an ornate dresser, she wants him to retrofit, and install as a vanity, similar to my situation.  He sees how that works, how good it can be, and how to overcome the glitches..... there's always glutches.

Before, his carpenter's brain saw red when suggestions to cut up, distress or otherwise dishonor good wood came up.  It's like his brain jumped into artist mode, building and creating out of destruction, for the first time.

As of now, we're flying through the work....like a spell's been cast, and it's very good work.

Will begin gathering for next bathroom, and finishing shed.  I have insulation.  Maybe will use the rest of the green tile in the shed, but only in designs requiring no cutting. Alternatively, was thinking of meditation garden or pathways.

Lighter


9
Voicelessness and Emotional Survival Message Board / Re: Friendship Moments: good or bad
« Last post by lighter on July 15, 2025, 07:08:26 AM »
Borrow/buy/steal a window AC unit, Hopsy.

Keep one room in the house cold, and live/sleep in it, till AC is resolved.

Lighter
10
Voicelessness and Emotional Survival Message Board / Re: Friendship Moments: good or bad
« Last post by sKePTiKal on July 14, 2025, 08:10:30 AM »
Oh man, I hate to hear your AC has gone out! You must long for a kiddie pool filled with ice cubes! Can you hang a wet (stick in the freezer) towel in front of the fan? That might help. You're better off trying to fix the existing AC fan than replacing it right now. The older units are more mechanical & less digital - so less ways for it to stop working. (Lots less $$$$$ too.)

I'm sorry your D is still incommuncado. I know that must be a chasm of hurt. Even if you've gotten used to dealing with it. My short face to face with Amy was pleasant enough; I did have to overlook the same foibles I was hoping she'd outgrow by this age. But she hasn't and this is who she is now. B was not impressed and got a little freaked out when it came up he lived in the same state as her (for now). We didn't hang out long. Not our circus; not our monkeys! And everyone was loud and there were 3 large dogs to manage. Totally not our "happy place". Amy seems to be doing OK at taking care of herself; so Hol & I have been shifting our "help" to the boys - they are still trying to move out and be independent. Its one struggle after another for them.

B and I are still mostly homebodies. It just feels like there is so much to do here we can't make plans to just "go somewhere". And Hol's schedule impacts ours - because we end up dogsitting a lot for Knuckles for her. Maybe we can get out some this fall. I still want to try to get to the Cedar Creek Civil War enactment in October. I've been living in the area since 1980 and still haven't been. I mostly want to peruse the suttler's camp for period fashions & utilitarian items. Pet some horses - ha! B's interest is more personal, as he's related to one of the generals; I forget which one. I participated in the development of the Civil War Battlefield Foundations work many moons ago and I'm sure you know just how many places in Va were involved. I did drive B past a French & Indian War era Fort Site last week on one of our "hunting & gathering" trips.

It's about time for us to start topping off our wood for next winter and if it would EVER cool off & stop raining - my gardens need work too. AGAIN. But I'm hearing much the same around the country.

I'm glad you're getting out & about meeting with people. It must be helpful to feel connected to your community.
Pages: [1] 2 3 ... 10