for fun: Do/Would you still put on all your makeup and decent clothes if you are quarantined

[cruisemom42]

It was 9 degrees earlier in Decatur but we're now in Florida luxuriating in the warmer temps. 😊  Bit of an adventure getting here, and we also saw several accidents along the way...

 

Melody thanks for sharing your wonderful pics, you look like you're having a great time. And Janet, nice to (re)meet you here.

 

Sherri, enjoy your holidays in Virginia, glad you made it there safely and ahead of the bad weather.

 

Lois, good plan to stay in and beat the crowds and the weather. 

 

Kat, hope you don't have to work ALL of the holidays and that you get some nice holiday tips or swag if you do!

 

Sharon -- hope you are making memories with your kids and grandkids.

 

Melissa -- happy holidays "Down Under" style -- any unique traditions you celebrate there?

 

If I missed any of our regulars, my apologies (on second glass of wine).  Happy holidays to everyone as you are coming or going and celebrating with friends or family!!

 

 

[awhfy]

I thought you’d enjoy the drink picture. I was able to maintain the happy face all the way to the end!  The concierge was laughing at my efforts. 
 

Hope everyone has a lovely Christmas. We’re off today for our soup extravaganza with our oldest daughter. I’m making crockpot pasta fagiole (house smells great at almost 5am). Son & grandson are making 10 lbs of Swedish meatballs (I think they’re hoping for leftovers!!!), oldest daughter will make chicken tortilla soup & middle daughter is making cream of chicken & wild rice soup & homemade eggnog (we’ll bring salted caramel Crown Royal). There will be oodles of homemade treats too. Melody

[Lois R]

Good morning...........Cynthia, glad you made it here ok.....warm? Not really but maybe compared to what I am seeing in other parts of the country........it is 25 here this morning.🙄.....one of these days we need to meet in person............

 

I am in black knit pants and a fuchsia colored long sleeved Henley styled top. 

[sjb317]

The Wildman and aI are curled up in a chair watching a Christmas video. This is the quietest we have been since we got here on Wednesday.  It is 8 degrees here in southern VA this morning but at least there is none of the forecasted snow or ice.  
 

Great pictures Melody!  And your soup extravaganza sounds perfect for cold temps!  
 

Cynthia, enjoy the Florida “warmth”.😂. I think temps are supposed to be back to normal by early next week.

 

Lois, sounds like a good idea to hibernate through the cold temps.  
 

Melissa, I hope you have a great Christmas.  We FaceTimed with our son in Melbourne last night, they had on shorts and were planning to go out for a run.  It is always funny to think it is summer during Christmas in Australia. 

 
Looks like video is over so we are now on the move.  I think he is setting up a bowling game, so I am up! 
 

Kerp warm! Except for you, Melissa, keep cool!

 

Sherri🙂
 

 

[WELDON]

Thanks, Cruisemom. I enjoyed looking at Melody's pictures to remember where I was a week ago.  Melody and her husband really do look like their pictures.

It is 46 in So Fla now but feels colder with the windchill.

 

[purduemom1]

Hi Everyone,

just wanted to stop by and wish all who celebrate a very Merry a Christmas. I hope all are safe and that the weather is not causing problems for anyone. It has been a great but very busy week here. Weather has been in the 40’s_50’s and very foggy.

 

Take care all, enjoy this season of holidays and I will catch up soon.

Sharon 

 

[awhfy]

22 hours ago, WELDON said:

Thanks, Cruisemom. I enjoyed looking at Melody's pictures to remember where I was a week ago.  Melody and her husband really do look like their pictures.

It is 46 in So Fla now but feels colder with the windchill.

 

Thanks Janet. We’ve warmed up to 20F from -16 earlier this week so great improvement. 

[Lois R]

Hi girls,

Hope all of you have a wonderful day.

[slidergirl]

Hi all!  First,  wishing all a Merry Christmas and a Happy Hanukkah!  

 

Cynthia - yes, I'm working.  I actually prefer to work the holidays so co-workers who have family can spend the day off.  I've been doing this for years.  I can have my dinner and a nice drink after work!   I did get an invite to the Owner's party on Friday night.  I could only stay a few minutes as I was still on duty and had some things to finish up.  Mr. Oliger did force me to make a plate of food and gave me a ginger beer to take back to the desk.  "Gift"-wise, I have $220 in holiday gratuities from my owners.  I never expect, but I alway appreciate it.  Today should be pretty mellow - no arrivals, no departures.  I'll just sit at the desk and play my Christmas Music - new Andrea Bocelli, Manheim Steamroller, Trans Siberian Orchestra, Mariah Carey, etc.  And, I'll be wearing my festive sweater and my "antlers". 

 

Stay warm those in the bomb cyclone.  Stay cool those in the lower half of the Earth.  

[57redbird]

[awhfy]

Didn’t expect to have almost everyone for Christmas Day (only missing one grandgirl). Remote selfie stick helped!  Melody

[Lois R]

Good morning, Melody, you have a beautiful family🙂........seriously, everyone looks so happy.

 

Thanks for sharing the photos with us.  I have 2 sisters......both live out of the country......everyone's lives are so different.

[slidergirl]

 

 

It was really mellow at the condos yesterday.  We played Christmas music all day and evening.  Only had to inspect 2 condos for arrivals today and then nada.   The two of us just sat and talked about places to go after the season.  Dangerous 😉  We got to doing Northern Italy, train to Spain, then Portugal and then fly home via Iceland with a week's stopover there!!!   My co-worker is from Daytona Beach and a surfer so she was giving me beach towns in Portugal to stay in.  On the good side of things,  I did end up with $320 in holiday gratuities - not bad.  It's enough to pay for a hotel and food for a night...

 

Melody - those are beautiful family photos!  

[awhfy]

We had a really fun holiday. Our grandson flew out yesterday (on SW) back to Offutt AFB in Omaha. We were very concerned with all the cancellations. Turns out his flight was the very last SW to depart before the shutdown. Very fortunate

[Lois R]

54 minutes ago, awhfy said:

We had a really fun holiday. Our grandson flew out yesterday (on SW) back to Offutt AFB in Omaha. We were very concerned with all the cancellations. Turns out his flight was the very last SW to depart before the shutdown. Very fortunate

Hi Melody, WOW........from what I have been seeing on the news, he certainly was fortunate! SW looks bad in ALL the airports!!!!!!!!!!!  I saw a story this morning and the woman was nearly crying telling her story. Looks like people are just renting cars and going to wherever they need to go (without their luggage)........

[purduemom1]

Hello All,

 

Melody, great family pictures! Glad your family was there to celebrate with you. 
The situation with SW is just unreal. Our DIL’s sister was supposed to fly from San Diego to Sacramento, on SW, was at the gate waiting with other  pax on the 24 th when the flight was cancelled because SW couldn’t locate the flight crew-had lost track of them. Never heard of such a thing. She ended up missing Christmas with her family as did so many others.  Don’t think I will ever book with them.

 

Nice chunk of change, Kat, the hamster wheel is turning isn’t it?

 

Lois, your next cruise will be here really soon. I bet you are in planning mode.

 

Cynthia, I hope your travels were/are uneventful but your family visit a good one.

 

Hoping all who traveled, like Sherri, are doing ok.

 

We had a really nice Christmas especially since we were all together for the first time in 4 years. After breakfast on Christmas morning we drove half way to Sacramento to meet up with DIL’s mom so she, DS and GD could spend the rest of their trip with DIL’s family. Their cat is still with us but we will take her to Sac next week so she can fly home with them.

 

Our zoo put on an amazing light show every night during the season. Beautiful lit lantern type displays. They really upped their game this year. We did as many Christmas activities as we could fit in and also took GD to our children’s park so she could run off some of her boundless energy. Did this more than once! DS and DIL made Beef Wellington for Christmas Eve. They used a recipe from Gordon Ramsay. Watched the video multiple times. It was delicious! DIL made Baklava for DD birthday, her request, waaay too much temptation happening over here!

 

Since 2023 is fast approaching, I’m wondering if any of you have made NY resolutions. As for me, I always have good intentions but then…..

 

Take care all,

Sharon

 

 

[awhfy]

I’m having an EGD  on Friday to decide what’s going to happen to my reoccurring hiatal hernia. Crummy way to end the year!  & my foot surgery is scheduled for Jan 23. My knee scooter is awaiting me in my spare room. Nough about me!!
 

Lois you leave on 5 Jan?  What is your itinerary?

 

Kat, sounds like a pretty good gig you have going on. 
 

Sherry, safe travels home to FL

 

Sharon, you’ve been mighty busy

 

Melissa hope your treatments are almost completed
 

I hope everyone has a safe & happy & healthy New Year. Melody

[Lois R]

Good morning.......Melody, hope all the medical stuff goes well for you...

 

I fly to Ft. Lauderdale a week from today and sail a week from tomorrow. 

 

My itinerary?

San Juan

St Barts

St Kitts

Dominica

Antigua

St Thomas

 

There are 4 sea days spread out too.........it is an 11 night cruise.

 

 

[cruisemom42]

13 hours ago, purduemom1 said:

Since 2023 is fast approaching, I’m wondering if any of you have made NY resolutions. As for me, I always have good intentions but then…..

 

I don't make specific resolutions, but I do think it's a good time to review overall goals and maybe think about what you want to accomplish in the year ahead.

 

2022 was a big year for me. Moving and selling my house was stressful, even though it went smoothly. I am still thinking about 2023, but at a minimum my goals are getting back to more pre-pandemic levels of travel and fitness.

 

[cruisemom42]

22 minutes ago, Lois R said:

Good morning.......Melody, hope all the medical stuff goes well for you...

 

I fly to Ft. Lauderdale a week from today and sail a week from tomorrow. 

 

My itinerary?

San Juan

St Barts

St Kitts

Dominica

Antigua

St Thomas

 

There are 4 sea days spread out too.........it is an 11 night cruise.

 

 

 

Sounds like a lovely itinerary. Are you on Silverseas?

[Lois R]

Hi Cynthia, are you still here with your family? Hope you had a good visit.

Yes, I am on Silversea......the ship is called "The Dawn".

 

I missed that entire part of Sharon's post...........I don't think I have ever even tried for those resolutions.

I know there is definitely something I need to do in 2023 though and that is to figure out what I will be doing for the next phase of my life. I know that may sound a bit melodramatic but honestly, when I retired in Dec 2019? Well 2020 and 21 are sort of a full blur for me.....this year is now gone and I really have not done anything except have major surgery and cruise. ( I don't have a very constructive life at the moment).

 

I need to start getting out of the house a bit........I keep saying a couple of hours each day, maybe volunteering or something like that........I just need to figure out what😮

 

[slidergirl]

More snow yesterday and overnight.  It wasn't pleasant.  Started out as rain then morphed into various densities of snow.  Made for vey slippery roads.  But, plenty of my guests were out there skiing despite the howling winds and snow.  When you pay for a ski vacation, you go ski regardless of the conditions!

 

One of my owners gave me my Christmas gratuity yesterday, so I made it to $420.  Into the vacation fund it goes!    Already had a "guest from H#ll" and he wasn't even part of my condo group - he's renting a unit managed by another company.  But I was the only presence, so he let loose on me.  Note to future guests - we only have ONE parking spot per unit.  It doesn't matter that you decided to rent 4 cars for your hoard.  Go park down the hill in the free parking lot.  Don't try to scam us into taking more spots - we have cameras and we KNOW when you do it.   Sigh.  

 

I'm a little like Lois - when I'm not working, I need to get out of the house more in the future.  

 

OOTD:  leggings and my Pittsburgh Penguins hockey sweater.  I have to go to the market to get the makings for my fresh Ricotta di Limone to take to our owners get together tomorrow.

[WELDON]

Lois, Is there a Newcomers Club in Jacksonville?  I belong to one in So Fla. You don't have to be a new resident. Many of the members have belonged for many years.  Some of the activities we have are  out to lunch once a month at a different restaurant, bowling league, monthly meeting at a restaurant, chat & chew  in the morning for brunch and talking. 

 

There is a Christmas party, Halloween party, Derby Day, book club, different games (mah jong, canasta, samba). The Club also supports several organizations and charities that members can volunteer. You can do as little or as much as you want.  I go to some of the activities because it gets me out of the house. I've met some nice ladies through the Club. 

[Lois R]

Hi Janet, where is South Florida do you live?

 

I have never heard of this club so I don't know if the city has one or not........I could probably call the Chamber of Commerce and see what they know.  I do know many Sr Citizens (omg that is me) do volunteer work. I will have to make a large effort when I get back from my cruise.

[purduemom1]

Melody, I’m sorry you have those issues to deal with. Hoping for good results for you.

 

Lois, nice itinerary! Good way to start the new year. I think that your “ resolve” to search out new activities could be counted as a resolution of sorts. I’ve heard of Newcomers as there was a group  here but not currently. 
 

Janet, I didn’t realize that Newcomers was for everyone even if they are  not new to the community. Sounds like a lot of fun.

 

Kat, your vacation account is growing nicely. Sorry that guest unloaded on you.

 

Cynthia, good luck with your 2023 goals. I am still thinking about mine.2022 was a busy year for you-downsizing and moving could easily be a goal for me…..I just have no idea where I’d move to and DH has no desire to sell and move. OK so maybe my goal should be changing his mind?

 

You know, I think of Debbie from time to time. She was a frequent poster until she developed medical issues. I do wonder how she is doing ok.

 

I also hope that Melissa is doing well.

 

Sharon