Vignettes and Pets #6 Three Degrees of Separation

[Miscanthus]

Welcome to the new thread!
In the last thread we discussed life and death, sickness and health, moving house and staying put, new clothes and shoes, new furniture and rugs, travel, relationships, reunions, car trouble, delivery companies, films, books and music.
The Shitpuffin Award went to deserving individuals and we agreed that we all needed an Emily in our lives .

 

[Milking Keynes]

Welcome to the new thread!
In the last thread we discussed life and death, sickness and health, moving house and staying put, new clothes and shoes, new furniture and rugs, travel, relationships, reunions, car trouble, delivery companies, films, books and music.
The Shitpuffin Award went to deserving individuals and we agreed that we all needed an Emily in our lives .

Thank you, beloved Capitán, for our shiny new thread

We really discussed all those topics?? We are an amazing trio.. we are the Three Degrees of - not the academic type per se - but chat, dance, sequins, heart to hearts, love, life, disappointments, joy and vocal harmonies! As you were, Supremes!

 

[Oops...]

Thank you so much for taking the initiative Captain! I remain Resolutely Luddite which sounds like an Indie band but sadly isn’t. Are we one degree under I worry, since we are usually four? The Four Degrees With Occasional Visitors doesn’t sound right though does it? I am looking forward to the sequins…In fact I can’t wait. I have been rehearsing in the library where my music stand is. I’m doing hybrid songs like Stop In The Name Of See You Again and This is The Year of Baby Love. Am I a Degreme ? Do I need

a) a singing teacher
b) medical intervention

So many questions!

Is me frock ready yet Dear Havisham?
---

 

[Milking Keynes]

Thank you so much for taking the initiative Captain! I remain Resolutely Luddite which sounds like an Indie band but sadly isn’t. Are we one degree under I worry, since we are usually four? The Four Degrees With Occasional Visitors doesn’t sound right though does it? I am looking forward to the sequins…In fact I can’t wait. I have been rehearsing in the library where my music stand is. I’m doing hybrid songs like Stop In The Name Of See You Again and This is The Year of Baby Love. Am I a Degreme ? Do I need

a) a singing teacher
b) medical intervention

So many questions!

Is me frock ready yet Dear Havisham?
---
View attachment 2785818

Patience, Madam, patience - I’ve just managed to thread the needle. Yay! Result!

 

[Milking Keynes]

@happyforest How are your daughters? What have they said about your upcoming adventure trip with DH and your selling the house?

My architect student has been offered an Erasmus place at Virginia Tech. It was her number one as it has the most progressive architect faculty globally. She will be living in Chicago during the summer, returning to Uni in Dublin Oct ‘24 and then embarking on the Erasmus, VA Tech Jan -June 2025. It’s a great opportunity. We will pay her accommodation and living costs which will be significant but it will be a great achievement for her n her resumé. My darling bro sent her over $1k as a congrats gift. Considering he is just over eye surgery, it was very thoughtful.

 

[happyforest]

@happyforest How are your daughters? What have they said about your upcoming adventure trip with DH and your selling the house?

My architect student has been offered an Erasmus place at Virginia Tech. It was her number one as it has the most progressive architect faculty globally. She will be living in Chicago during the summer, returning to Uni in Dublin Oct ‘24 and then embarking on the Erasmus, VA Tech Jan -June 2025. It’s a great opportunity. We will pay her accommodation and living costs which will be significant but it will be a great achievement for her n her resumé. My darling bro sent her over $1k as a congrats gift. Considering he is just over eye surgery, it was very thoughtful.

That's a huge 'get' for the architect!! Congratulations to her, and to you and Mr MK. What a wonderful opportunity!! Your brother is lovely.

Eldest is a bit frazzled about our plans, not liking the upheaval of house showings that begin tomorrow (EEEEEK!). She doesn't like being inconvenienced at all. Messes with her OCD. Yet she is excited about a new city, a new region.

Youngest is so deeply in la-la-land, in love with her boyfriend and her plans to leave America in June that she hasn't said much about our move. She is doing really well in school. I don't have teachers calling me to complain about missing or late assignments anymore. I took them both to their GP for a mental health check this week. Since they're both on meds they must be seen every 90 days. Youngest was chatting up a storm to the doctor about her plans, her degree choice (ecological biology), which was news to me. She is usually quite shy, so this is new behavior. She had spoken of pursuing pharmacy and then switched to general biology, but now there's ecological something being stated as fact. I haven't had a moment to read up on what it entails, or what specific jobs it would qualify her for. I feel very out of the loop honestly. She told the doctor she wanted to get off her meds, that she doesn't feel she needs them anymore. So she was given a lower dose to step her down over the next months. Her boy comes back in May to attend her high school graduation, and then they leave together. Her plans are still to live with him at home until both graduate uni. I'm so worried that it won't end well, that his parents will tire of her. Ugh. We aren't close really, and this kills me.

Eldest is doing exceptionally well in her schooling. Her professors all seem to adore her, and she's at the top of her class so far. She's on track to graduate with her Bachelor's earlier than expected which has been a nice turn of events. She's decided to get work experience done before pursuing her Master's, instead of during the Master's program. Her chances of attending a more sought after Master's program is far higher with 1.5 to 2 years work experience in the bag. The new location has way more job opportunities for her to intern so she's pretty pleased. The meds have helped her OCD a great deal. She is a different girl. Less fidgety and angsty. Still has zero interest in dating, she is solely focused on being successful and getting on with her life.

 

[Milking Keynes]

That's a huge 'get' for the architect!! Congratulations to her, and to you and Mr MK. What a wonderful opportunity!! Your brother is lovely.

Eldest is a bit frazzled about our plans, not liking the upheaval of house showings that begin tomorrow (EEEEEK!). She doesn't like being inconvenienced at all. Messes with her OCD. Yet she is excited about a new city, a new region.

Youngest is so deeply in la-la-land, in love with her boyfriend and her plans to leave America in June that she hasn't said much about our move. She is doing really well in school. I don't have teachers calling me to complain about missing or late assignments anymore. I took them both to their GP for a mental health check this week. Since they're both on meds they must be seen every 90 days. Youngest was chatting up a storm to the doctor about her plans, her degree choice (ecological biology), which was news to me. She is usually quite shy, so this is new behavior. She had spoken of pursuing pharmacy and then switched to general biology, but now there's ecological something being stated as fact. I haven't had a moment to read up on what it entails, or what specific jobs it would qualify her for. I feel very out of the loop honestly. She told the doctor she wanted to get off her meds, that she doesn't feel she needs them anymore. So she was given a lower dose to step her down over the next months. Her boy comes back in May to attend her high school graduation, and then they leave together. Her plans are still to live with him at home until both graduate uni. I'm so worried that it won't end well, that his parents will tire of her. Ugh. We aren't close really, and this kills me.

Eldest is doing exceptionally well in her schooling. Her professors all seem to adore her, and she's at the top of her class so far. She's on track to graduate with her Bachelor's earlier than expected which has been a nice turn of events. She's decided to get work experience done before pursuing her Master's, instead of during the Master's program. Her chances of attending a more sought after Master's program is far higher with 1.5 to 2 years work experience in the bag. The new location has way more job opportunities for her to intern so she's pretty pleased. The meds have helped her OCD a great deal. She is a different girl. Less fidgety and angsty. Still has zero interest in dating, she is solely focused on being successful and getting on with her life.

Gosh, they are well-educated, savvy, smart girls. I reckon you don’t have much to worry about with either. I agree v much with your eldest girl - a placement before the Master’s would carry weight. So glad to hear that she is less anxious now and is single minded and focused.

What a surprise with the younger one?! We thought she was soo loved up that she wasn’t too bothered on the academic front and here she is .... ecological biology!

Methinks you and DH can go forth on your adventure with peace of mind. What a huge relief to both.

On the minus side - showing of house My head would explode at the thought but you have got this, girl! Hopefully, your fence will hold up - just kidding - we know it will! Best of luck with the viewings

Ps My dear pal who used to live opposite me was selling her house. She was distrustful of intel from the estate agent so she would have me - each Saturday - take pics from my couch of potential buyers and text the pics to her. Me, once a week, hanging over the back of the couch taking pics looking out the window and posting to her in a café down the road

 

[Oops...]

Well, I watched the Sayer Ji webinar and it was good. I’ve now sent off for his book Regenerate. Big things are organic flaxseed and turmeric (with piperine). I already do both but it was good to hear how good it is for you again. He explained how important it is to detox your liver after chemo and how to do that. Blueberries and Kale etc etc. He explained how beneficial beta glucans from certain mushrooms are , he mentioned not drinking dairy products rather coconut milk and why that is. He mentioned morninga, hemp protein, the central stalk of pineapples. He also recommended going to Green Med Pro and researching under chemo sensitiser. He recommended organic resveratrol, quercetin, green tea and organic apples. He talked about fasting, recommended reading up on autophagy, vitamin C, UDO oil and the polyphenols in really good olive oil,
---
Glad I watched it. Hope it can be watched again but not sure if they will make it available. X

 

[Milking Keynes]

Well, I watched the Sayer Ji webinar and it was good. I’ve now sent off for his book Regenerate. Big things are organic flaxseed and turmeric (with piperine). I already do both but it was good to hear how good it is for you again. He explained how important it is to detox your liver after chemo and how to do that. Blueberries and Kale etc etc. He explained how beneficial beta glucans from certain mushrooms are , he mentioned not drinking dairy products rather coconut milk and why that is. He mentioned morninga, hemp protein, the central stalk of pineapples. He also recommended going to Green Med Pro and researching under chemo sensitiser. He recommended organic resveratrol, quercetin, green tea and organic apples. He talked about fasting, recommended reading up on autophagy, vitamin C, UDO oil and the polyphenols in really good olive oil,
---
Glad I watched it. Hope it can be watched again but not sure if they will make it available. X

Thanks so much for the summary, @Oops. I hope our Capitán finds it helpful too. I am always hearing about turmeric and always forgetting to buy it. I really am not one for dairy at all but I never have been. I always use olive oil in everything - and the good stuff, kale I adore, intermittent fasting 6pm - 3pm is the norm for me. Zero processed food - no sweet stuff, really. I’m sure we are all pretty much the same. Also, like mushrooms.

Very interesting. Let us know more when you get the book. X

 

[happyforest]

@Oops... I've been told by my specialists to load up on magnesium, vitamin D, B12, turmeric (golden paste especially), blueberries, spinach, olive oil. Avocado apparently is really good for you too. I can't stand avocado unless it's guacamole, so I have that at least once a week with crackers. I've not heard of the other things you mention, so thank you very much for taking the time to list them out. I know dairy is terrible for humans, shame cheese is so seductive. I've been fasting for about a year now, waiting to eat until after 4pm. I then snack until bedtime if I'm still hungry. Not ideal, as it's better to stop eating several hours before sleep, but I've found when I fast until 4 or 5pm, I have more energy during the day. I've managed to stop coffee all together, only drinking water all day. I stagger my supplements throughout the day. If I have brekkie then I crash, no energy. I expect everyone is different. Fasting is so important though. Even animals in the wild do it naturally.

@Milking Keynes your pal sounds like my DH. He wants to sit in our car in the vacant house's driveway to watch what happens during showings. The realtor told us that showings will only be between 9am and 7pm and that they suggest a 30 minute limit per viewing. I've never been told there's a time limit when I viewed houses, but seems things are different right now. I told them I'd like a 2 hour notice, and they said that was great because usually occupied houses demand 24 hours notice. We'll see, 10 houses have sold in my neighborhood in the last 30 days, all at or above asking, so fingers crossed.

p.s. We reinforced the fence this morning! Just in case...

 

[Milking Keynes]

@Oops... I've been told by my specialists to load up on magnesium, vitamin D, B12, turmeric (golden paste especially), blueberries, spinach, olive oil. Avocado apparently is really good for you too. I can't stand avocado unless it's guacamole, so I have that at least once a week with crackers. I've not heard of the other things you mention, so thank you very much for taking the time to list them out. I know dairy is terrible for humans, shame cheese is so seductive. I've been fasting for about a year now, waiting to eat until after 4pm. I then snack until bedtime if I'm still hungry. Not ideal, as it's better to stop eating several hours before sleep, but I've found when I fast until 4 or 5pm, I have more energy during the day. I've managed to stop coffee all together, only drinking water all day. I stagger my supplements throughout the day. If I have brekkie then I crash, no energy. I expect everyone is different. Fasting is so important though. Even animals in the wild do it naturally.

@Milking Keynes your pal sounds like my DH. He wants to sit in our car in the vacant house's driveway to watch what happens during showings. The realtor told us that showings will only be between 9am and 7pm and that they suggest a 30 minute limit per viewing. I've never been told there's a time limit when I viewed houses, but seems things are different right now. I told them I'd like a 2 hour notice, and they said that was great because usually occupied houses demand 24 hours notice. We'll see, 10 houses have sold in my neighborhood in the last 30 days, all at or above asking, so fingers crossed.

p.s. We reinforced the fence this morning! Just in case...

Our diets and fasting times are similar @happyforest. I do need my coffee but it’s black, zero sweetener or milk. I love avocados and could live on them. I need to stock up on blueberries - again, I like them but forget to buy them because the family tends to snack on apples, pears, bananas, etc. If anyone wants my kale salad recipe, I’ll post it. I used to love cheese but have pretty much eliminated it except for a little goats cheese in salad. I definitely don’t drink enough water - I need to improve.

Intermittent fasting is key to me also for both weight maintenance and energy. Like you, my energy levels soar while fasting. So interesting to learn about diet and lifestyle. Thanks for the heads up on supplements - I will follow through.

Ps Look what I woke up to this morning! Merry Christmas!

 

[Milking Keynes]

Hope everyone warm and dry this snowy day... bloomin’ ‘eck.. a flopping blizzard the meteorologists were blindsided by, can you imagine? The experts did not predict it.... truthfully! I tried four times to get the car out of the drive but the wheels were a-spinning. The world is gone mad, waking up to snow on 1st March? I was up to my fibulas in dense snow. I eventually drove her out and had a hairy drive to Aldi and back. Glad to be home without incident Phew, ladies!

Hope the viewings went well and that DH had binoculars, telescope and zoom camera on the peeps who were peeping. Can I just mention that a half hour view is long - I always say we spend more time viewing a car than a house. Estate agents tend to cough and loudly take business calls to remind you that you are a trespasser before ushering you out the door... certainly the way it is here. The opinion being - don’t you have the description/measurements in your brochure/online?? What more do you want from us??

 

[Oops...]

Thanks so much for the summary, @Oops. I hope our Capitán finds it helpful too. I am always hearing about turmeric and always forgetting to buy it. I really am not one for dairy at all but I never have been. I always use olive oil in everything - and the good stuff, kale I adore, intermittent fasting 6pm - 3pm is the norm for me. Zero processed food - no sweet stuff, really. I’m sure we are all pretty much the same. Also, like mushrooms.

Very interesting. Let us know more when you get the book. X

Sayer Ji has also done an interesting thing on Green Med Info explaining how it’s possible for breast cancer with secondary metastasis can go away itself by the body doing what it’s supposed to do. It’s all very interesting. He explains how the chemo will get rid of what’s there but it doesn’t treat the stem cells. This totally banjaxed me as I never realised that was the case.
Anyway, I have read so many of his articles now on the value of saffron, flaxseeds, on and on and on…I’ve now sent off for organic shed loads of stuff. I only hope I will be able to remember what they’re all for. Big thing btw was NOT using deodorant if it contains aluminium. I haven’t for years but some don’t know. I also threw out all my baco foil and have never cooked with it for years because of the aluminium. I filter all water too to get away from the fluoride if possicle. It’s a complete lie that it’s good for your teeth. They used it in concentration camps to dull people down. One of my biggest rages has always been we are given fluoride whether we want it or not! Grrr.
---
Happy Christmas dear @Milking Keynes! It’s come round sooo quickly. I’ll get our camels ready so we can traverse afar again asap!

 

[Oops...]

Right! Clara, Starer and Sarah are all saddled up. BRB when I‘ve found the star in the East…Horatio! Pass me my gum boots…Yeah, ok I may as well take the wretched snow-plough too…

 

[Milking Keynes]

Right! Clara, Starer and Sarah are all saddled up. BRB when I‘ve found the star in the East…Horatio! Pass me my gum boots…Yeah, ok I may as well take the wretched snow-plough too…

Good morning, all! No more snow and the sun is shining! No need for the snow-plough today, @Oops - we can get out and about and see the world. Yay! Hope you all enjoying the week-end. Does nobody want my kale salad recipe? Nobody? Nobody, really?? Not a single one of you? Final decision? Wanna phone a friend??

 

[Oops...]

I am waiting (somewhat patiently) for your kale salad recipe. I have been doing so since yesterday! If it’s ok could you write it soon please because I have to walk all the way to the kitchen to feed Teddy Bear but don’t want to miss anything…

 

[Milking Keynes]

I am waiting (somewhat patiently) for your kale salad recipe. I have been doing so since yesterday! If it’s ok could you write it soon please because I have to walk all the way to the kitchen to feed Teddy Bear but don’t want to miss anything…

Ah yes @Oops we know that you and Teddy love nothing more than a kale salad ,,...

 

[Oops...]

Teddy just hang on a bit longer please. She is bound to give us the recipe today if not sooner. The minute she sends it over we can eat…

I promise…

 

[Milking Keynes]

Kale, Butternut Squash, Feta and Pecan Salad


Ingredients -
Kale
1 x small block Feta
1 Butternut Squash
Pecans
Sugar/powdered sweetener
Olive oil
Balsamic
Salt & Pepper

Method -
Preheat oven at about 185, peel, score and cube butternut squash, blast a small bit of olive oil, salt and pepper, toss and roast for half an hour and let cool. Fry pecans with small splash olive oil and add sweetener or sugar til coated and candied or if you can’t be bothered, honey roasted nuts would do.

Make your dressing, whatever you like but I use olive oil and balsamic. Here’s the important bit - after you have finely sliced the rinsed and dried kale, all stalks removed, you must massage the dressing into the leaves to tenderise the kale. Then assemble on a platter - leaves, butternut squash, crumbled feta, candied pecans, season et voilá... enjoy, Teddy Bear!
---
Note - If you do NOT massage the dressing into your kale leaves - you will be left looking like this -

 

[Oops...]

Yes Teddy! We have to massage the leaves. Yes, you are right it”s more up my street to leave the massages - but, I will try anything once (apart from boiling an egg which is just beyond my capabilities).
Promise you wont tell anyone I massaged kale Teddy…
Teddy?
Where are you Teddy?
Duh…