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Re: ComPact 2020 -- Adaptable April


@just bee wrote:

@aprilskies wrote:

@just bee, your house looks so nice. I like your kitchen. Enjoy the new. Make sure you are careful in how you fill it up again. It is an opportunity to have around you what you really enjoy. 


@aprilskies 

 

Thank you.  I really should adopt a new attitude to go along with the new house.  Don't worry about the flaws and poor workmanship -- you could contract COVID-19 today and croak.  Why spend your last hours on the planet kvetching over bad cabinetry?

 

Nah. Woman Mad

 

Right now everyone -- or almost everyone -- has it bad.  I'm grateful to have a home and a job.

 

But I still have some standards and those shouldn't go on hold for a pandemic.  I don't want to have to replace everything in the house next year.

 

I'll continue kvetching but I'll try to avoid it here.

 

We ComPactors have other things to complain about! Woman LOL

 

How have you been doing?


 

@just bee, oh no, I didn’t mean that.  Seems like you are finding a lot wrong, I would certainly have some choice words for those contractors.  That is just infuriating.  Vent as much as you like. 

 

That would annoy the heck about of me.  I am one of those people that will find a flaw in anything. And a new house should be perfect, at least for a reasonable amount of time. 

 

I just dont understand shoddy work.  No one takes pride anymore. 

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Re: ComPact 2020 -- Adaptable April


@aprilskies wrote:

@just bee wrote:

@aprilskies wrote:

@just bee, your house looks so nice. I like your kitchen. Enjoy the new. Make sure you are careful in how you fill it up again. It is an opportunity to have around you what you really enjoy. 


@aprilskies 

 

Thank you.  I really should adopt a new attitude to go along with the new house.  Don't worry about the flaws and poor workmanship -- you could contract COVID-19 today and croak.  Why spend your last hours on the planet kvetching over bad cabinetry?

 

Nah. Woman Mad

 

Right now everyone -- or almost everyone -- has it bad.  I'm grateful to have a home and a job.

 

But I still have some standards and those shouldn't go on hold for a pandemic.  I don't want to have to replace everything in the house next year.

 

I'll continue kvetching but I'll try to avoid it here.

 

We ComPactors have other things to complain about! Woman LOL

 

How have you been doing?


 

@just bee, oh no, I didn’t mean that.  Seems like you are finding a lot wrong, I would certainly have some choice words for those contractors.  That is just infuriating.  Vent as much as you like. 

 

That would annoy the heck about of me.  I am one of those people that will find a flaw in anything. And a new house should be perfect, at least for a reasonable amount of time. 

 

I just dont understand shoddy work.  No one takes pride anymore. 


@aprilskies 

 

No, I didn't mean anything like that, either.  But the problems are overwhelming and infuriating and I just don't want the complaints to overwhelm the thread.

 

Transition period.  But even the plumber was complaining about some of the things he saw.  He admits he's OCD, but he was willing to fix the fridge (it's not level) and some of the cabinetry.  He sees the same things we're seeing.  Even the adjuster was bothered by the crooked fridge.  Takes your eye off the big dents, though.

~My philosophy: Dogs are God's most perfect creatures. Angels, here on Earth, who teach us to be better human beings.~
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Re: ComPact 2020 -- Adaptable April

@just bee 

 

Have you considered that the shoddy workmanship is less from lack of caring and more from lack of knowledge?  I think a lot of times they just don't know how to do a good job.

 

Here's my crotchety old lady opinion about it: back in the good ole days, when you hired a licensed contractor the license actually meant that the guy had to know what the heck he was doing.  The "right" way to do things.  And he hired licensed subs.  They went to school and they apprenticed to an old guy that had years of experience and taught them all the finished details that they didn't learn in school.  And chances were good they also belonged to a union.  Say what you will about unions, but at one time they made you be a skilled craftsman or you weren't allowed in.

 

As for getting things fixed, I'd concentrate on all the big, obvious things that I couldn't fix myself, like a plumbing leak where you can actually see water coming out.  Stuff like leveling cabinet doors you may have to end up doing yourself.  Chances are the installers can't even see they're not aligned.

 

Much like this virus, it isn't fair, it isn't right, but it is.  And yep, you paid a premium for it, too.

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Re: ComPact 2020 -- Adaptable April


@geezerette wrote:

@just bee 

 

Have you considered that the shoddy workmanship is less from lack of caring and more from lack of knowledge?  I think a lot of times they just don't know how to do a good job.

 

Here's my crotchety old lady opinion about it: back in the good ole days, when you hired a licensed contractor the license actually meant that the guy had to know what the heck he was doing.  The "right" way to do things.  And he hired licensed subs.  They went to school and they apprenticed to an old guy that had years of experience and taught them all the finished details that they didn't learn in school.  And chances were good they also belonged to a union.  Say what you will about unions, but at one time they made you be a skilled craftsman or you weren't allowed in.

 

As for getting things fixed, I'd concentrate on all the big, obvious things that I couldn't fix myself, like a plumbing leak where you can actually see water coming out.  Stuff like leveling cabinet doors you may have to end up doing yourself.  Chances are the installers can't even see they're not aligned.

 

Much like this virus, it isn't fair, it isn't right, but it is.  And yep, you paid a premium for it, too.


@geezerette 

 

I think "eh, good enough" has become the norm.

 

I just want to get unpacked and moved in but we're in limbo until they get some of these things addressed.

 

It's funny that they (work) thought I'd just need one day off to move and get settled in.  It took the movers two days to move and us two days to clean the rental.  We also moved a lot of things ourselves to speed things up.

 

Not that much, but it still took a lot of time.  Now we have what we had in the rental: Stacks of boxes and no idea where our pots and pans are.  I can't take any more take-out food.  I made a salad last night.

 

We have to start cooking again.  And drinking that water we're paying for.  I was skeptical about the reverse osmosis system in the kitchen but we tested the tap water and the Brita water against the reverse osmosis water.  The tap water and Brita water are almost identical.

 

I've been paying for pitchers and filters for years.  Why?

~My philosophy: Dogs are God's most perfect creatures. Angels, here on Earth, who teach us to be better human beings.~
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Re: ComPact 2020 -- Adaptable April

@just bee 

Your house looks beautiful. I'm sorry to read there are issues, but I hope they're corrected promptly. To keep the kitchen sink nice, I highly recommend a roll up silicone trivet. I have two, and keep one on the bottom of the sink to help prevent scratches. It's easy to clean, and can even go in the dishwasher. I previously had a metal sink grid and hated it. Also tried a flat plastic protector, but it got too funky too fast. Shop around and check the sizes to find one that fits. I got mine in Home Goods.

 

trivet.JPG

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Re: ComPact 2020 -- Adaptable April


@Caffeina wrote:

@just bee 

Your house looks beautiful. I'm sorry to read there are issues, but I hope they're corrected promptly. To keep the kitchen sink nice, I highly recommend a roll up silicone trivet. I have two, and keep one on the bottom of the sink to help prevent scratches. It's easy to clean, and can even go in the dishwasher. I previously had a metal sink grid and hated it. Also tried a flat plastic protector, but it got too funky too fast. Shop around and check the sizes to find one that fits. I got mine in Home Goods.

 

trivet.JPG


@Caffeina 

 

I'll check these out.  I think we'll be buying a lot of bar towels to wipe out that sink every time we use it.

 

Not the best time to go into stores to shop for things because the current theme is "Shop Alone!"

 

Ugh.  More online shopping?  I'm so tired of cardboard boxes... I wish I knew someone who was moving and needed them.

~My philosophy: Dogs are God's most perfect creatures. Angels, here on Earth, who teach us to be better human beings.~
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Re: ComPact 2020 -- Adaptable April


@geezerette wrote:

@just bee wrote:

@Shanus wrote:

Being and staying healthy in April: I was "slipping" in March...eating some junky food and not feeling like exercising. I'm sure a lot of us fell off the wagon. Two weeks ago, I stopped purchasing all the chips, sodas, frozen prepared foods that were more convenient to cook. That was something so foreign for me to buy. If it isn't in the house, we cannot eat it and especially since we're not eating out or bringing in, our healthy diets are back in control. 

I'm walking every day and although my gym is closed, they're broadcasting classes on ZOOM (a Thread in itself how I never heard of it and had to learn how to use it). 

I encourage all to keep up with your good, healthy habits. YouTube is offering free videos of easy exercises, some can even be done seated just to stay flexible. 

Happy April to all!!!

 

Shanus

 


@Shanus 

 

And that's where we have control.  If we don't bring things into the house that we shouldn't be consuming, then we have a much better chance of not consuming them.

 

Moreover, we can choose what to bring into the house instead.  I don't notice a run on produce at the stores.  No one is fighting over apples or carrots.  I think the produce department is one of the safest places to be right now.  If you want social distancing, go stand by the turnips and rutabagas.

 

I went to elementary school in Chicago and what I looked forward to was our spring walk.  After a brutal Chicago winter, our teacher would push us out into the fresh air and we'd walk the streets of the city looking for signs of spring.  Buds on trees, robins.  I even wrote a poem about it and it was published in the school paper.  Something original like, "Spring is nice."  Memory fails.  Anyway, I'm 60 years old and I still wander around looking for signs of spring.

 

BH and I still take the dog out every day and I'm seeing more people out than ever before.  We have a stay-at-home order, but we are "allowed" to go outside for exercise -- as long as we don't mix and mingle or assemble.  Groups of no more than five permitted.

 

People are out walking their dogs and kids, riding their bikes and their horses.  If there's a silver lining in this pandemic it may be that people are getting outside and seeing their communities.  Walking and being outside in spring is therapy.  And it's nice.


@Shanus 

@just bee 

 

Yep, now is the perfect time to kick the junk food out the door for good.  As I mentioned previously, I used this crisis as an excuse to buy a bunch of it.  I'm about done eating most of it, so it will be time to Adapt in April.

 

I'm glad to see March come to a close.  Not only has the world been knocked off kilter, but March is when my OG bid a fond adieu.  Two years ago now.  Not an anniversary I like to think about.😢  A double whammy.

 

So, here's to April.  I wonder what else we'll have to adapt to?🤨


@geezerette I hope April will become a month you think of fondly as it reminds you of your partner that you shared so much with and hopefully the time that the world was reborn into something better than before. Sending hugs!

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Re: ComPact 2020 -- Adaptable April

@just bee wrote:


@rnmom wrote:

I am not gonna lie, I am grumpy and do not feel like Adapting at all. Everyone is stuck at home, the kids will likely be off school for the whole rest of the year, and we are already sick to death of being inside the house, all together 24/7. If the virus doesn't get us, it will be a miracle if we don't kill each other.

 

I'm tired of hearing that we need to enjoy this time being home with our families. No, it's too much togetherness and we're driving each other crazy. Being apart is good, it makes you appreciate being together. This is all too much, and we're just getting started. God help us. If you don't hear from me it's because I flipped out and am now a patient at @just bee 's hospital. 

 

The ONLY good thing that happened last month is that I am still doing well with HEP. I am still trying to make better food choices and have lost a total of 23 lbs since I started in January. I would like to lose about 15 more, but I am over halfway there and feel SO much better. My clothes are not tight anymore, some of them are downright loose, and I'm able to wear some pants that I haven't worn in a year or two because they were just too small. So that is making me feel better anyway, more like my old self.

 

I was pleased to go Aldi last week and see that all of the food shelves were full. They have set limits on everything and nothing was gone except toilet paper and cleaning supplies. What is up with that? Are you going to start eating the toilet paper? I still don't understand that at all. We have 4 people in our house and don't go thru that much. 

 

We did stockpile some extra items over these last few weeks too, but I think that we don't have to do that anymore. Looks like getting food isn't going to be a problem. I wasn't sure at first, seeing all of the completely wiped out shelves 3 weeks ago kind of freaked me out. But it does seem that part is getting back to a tiny bit of normal at least so I can but back on some grocery shopping a little. We have plenty to get thru right now. 

 

I haven't been stockpiling any beauty items per se, but I did buy a few more toiletries than usual, mostly liquid hand soap refills, bar soap, body wash, etc. I was afraid that people would buy all the hand soap too and I wouldn't even be able to wash my hands. I saw a lot of those shelves completely empty too. But I think we're okay for a while and I've always been able to find bar soap, so that's fine. Soap is soap.

 

Glad to hear that everyone is still doing okay, even if we are all at home. Here's to Awful, I mean Atrocious, er Apocolyptic, okay, Adaptable April!

 

P.S. Thanks for letting me vent here, you guys are the best Smiley Happy


@rnmom 

 

We chatted with a friend last night who has the opposite problem.  He left California and moved to Nevada.  Never really established a good support system because his workplace was awful.  So he's in a new job and really doesn't know anyone.  He goes home and he's alone -- not married, no kids, not dating.  He goes to work -- nobody's there.  He's alone.

 

He admits he feels too isolated, he doesn't like what's happening (the fact that there's more to this pandemic than a virus) and he's self-medicating.  Sounded a little inebriated when he called.

 

So this is a problem.  We're going to have a lot of unhappy, intoxicated people alone at home and a lot of unhappy, intoxicated people who wish they were home alone.

 

BH and I were practically in the same room since last May.  We started noticing the dog looking for ways to separate himself from us.  For months we've been saying the smaller house was enough space for us.  Most of that space was occupied by boxes and unusable, but it was enough.  Now that we're in a larger space, we can see and feel the advantages.

 

Yes, it will be more to maintain, but we can at least be in separate rooms.  The dog already looks more relaxed.

 

@rnmom 

 

It's good to hear that HEP is going well.  You'll come out of this cocoon and be a whole new you.

 

What's funny about being in a cocoon lately is that people used to go to restaurants, movies and malls to get out.  Now they can't.  I swear the people I'm seeing walking around this town have never walked around it before.  It's like they've been in a cocoon all their lives.

 

Look!  What's that?

I think that's a tree, dear.

 

I'm convinced that some of the people who are out walking these beautiful dogs are walking them for the first time.  Everyone looks confused, but happy to be outside.

 

And yes, I had asked the same thing.  Why is toilet paper still unavailable? 

 

Get this: The movers took the boxes and furniture to the new house but BH and I had one room closed off that held the valuables that we would move ourselves.  Toilet paper and linguine.

 

A sign of the times.


@just bee @rnmom I've commented before about wanting to downsize into a sort-of-tiny house. But being home with everyone has made me appreciate our house. I just wish we didn't have to work so much to pay for a big mortgage. Our house has enough spaces for the 4 of us to be in our own area. We have a yard and a covered patio so we can use that as a living space too. I think that is how we have not gotten sick of each other yet. Everyone retreats into their space at some point, even the dog. Only the cat has been my little shadow.

 

We have a rule that the kids can't use their cell phones and laptops in their bedrooms. They need to be out in the open so we can monitor them. However, that rule has been adapted. The kids are actually talking on their phones to friends now so DH sent DD into her room because she was so loud. LOL! She was shocked. 

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Re: ComPact 2020 -- Adaptable April


@geezerette wrote:

@rnmom wrote:

@geezerette -yes, it will definitely help to start warming up a bit. We do have some acreage and a lake, so we're looking forward to getting out and doing some fishing. Today is supposed to be pretty nice, in the 50's and sunny, so I'm hoping to get out a bit later. 

 

I am very glad that I have been able to continue dieting and not start eating again. I think the only thing that has saved me is that I had already been in this mode for a couple of months before it all hit so I had kinda gotten into a routine. Trying to start and make changes now, among all the stress, would be impossible.

 

Plus I think that I feel like it's still one thing that I can control, when everything else is so out of control. I can at least control what I put in my mouth. 

 

Thank you for your kind words, you guys really are the best.


@rnmom 

 

Aw, don't be too hard on yourself.  Everybody's under pressure now and going through unprecedented territory.  You don't have your usual outlets to relieve it, along with fewer distractions.  And heck, it's all you hear everywhere!  It's really hard not to get depressed and angry when you see and hear people that are smarter than us (or at least you hope they'd be) only talking gloom and doom 24/7.

 

It does sound like you have a handle on your diet, so you can concentrate on your success in that area.  And how much better you feel.  And how much more you'll be able to enjoy yourself when you can get back out again, compared to how you felt with all those extra pounds.  

If your kids are running out of things to do, you might want to check your local online resources.  My niece is the children's librarian at her local library and she's been doing online videos for various projects for kids of all ages.  She has a theme going: crafts using all those toilet paper rolls we have nowadays! 🤣  It's neat for me to be able to 'see' her more often.


@geezerette  That is such a good idea! I think I'll search up toilet paper roll crafts.  We are starting to use a lot more toilet paper so I broke down and bought a 12-pack from our grocery store. At least there were some packs on the shelves. That's a sign that things are starting to turn. Although Costco still doesn't have TP in stock. And what a bonus to be able to 'see' your niece!

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Re: ComPact 2020 -- Adaptable April

[ Edited ]

@rnmom wrote:

@just bee -the mantel is pretty! More pictures please! I need more distractions!

 

On a beauty note. I ordered a PUR 4 in 1 pressed powder foundation from Ulta yesterday during their 21 days of beauty because it was half price yesterday. I've heard a lot of good things about it and I've been wanting to try it for ages, so I decided to splurge and order it. Do I need it? Nope, but it's only half price once or twice a year and I don't want to spend any more than I have to on something I've ever tried before. 

 

I didn't order anything else, just the foundation, even though it meant paying for shipping, I didn't want to get a bunch of stuff that I didn't want or need just for that. Plus I had an e-gift card from Ulta from a previous order for $10 so that actually covered the price of the shipping.

 

I hope that I like it, I like my Everyday Minerals but I'm getting tired of the mess of the loose minerals flying all over. 

 

 


@rnmom Good job of getting only what you wanted. I know how tempting it is to add more nonsense to my cart just to make free shipping. I've decluttered so many things that were those nonsense-make-free-shipping purchases.

 

More beauty talk...I've been making good progress on my eyeshadow palette. I hit pan on 2 shades in 2 weeks for a total of 3 pans! I just get such a thrill to hit pan. Having the time to experiment has been helping. I've been getting some irritation on certain parts of my face. I was able to eliminate products one at a time and found out that it was the loose powder I was using. For some reason it's ok on some areas of my face but not on others. At least I know what product is the culprit now.

 

If anything, this situation has really made it crystal clear that I can really live on much less, especially when it comes to makeup and skincare. I'm happy to be using things up and am looking forward to a very curated stash of products in the future.