Arbor

Good to see you too, phoebe. I'm glad your husband is drinking less during the week. Hopefully it stays that way. My wife still drinks. There's alcohol in the house. But it's very minimally. I'm so glad the holiday season is over. I was around booze and drinking non stop. Not that I wanted to partake mind you. Just annoying that I have to think about it when it's in my presence.

Sparkos

Thanks Arbor. I'm going to attend both classes.
I'm sure the January class will benefit from my infinite and impressive wisdom. Not to mention my modesty.

venuscat

And I would imagine they are fond of cats and dogs as well.
I want pictures.

Sparkos

Yes I'll send pics

venuscat

Hello Arbor love. ♥

Arbor

Hello sweet, V.

phoebe64

Thanks, Arbor. Yeah, the holidays are very hard...I'll leave it at that.

Welcome back Sparkos!! That is a lot of animals!

Suze, Huxley is doing great! The winter is a little boring for him, because it is too cold and icy at the dog park(either for him or us, depending in the details of the weather), but he is a good dog. He adores my older one, my daughter, and is a little sad with her so busy these days. She is at school, has a job, and plays basketball. He sneaks off to go sleep under her bed in the day.

Mark1014

Well hello Sparkos, what a pleasant surprise! And as we say in my neck of the woods, 'hope you'll kick off your shoes and stay a while'

Two teens phoebe! Nothing wrong with being a 13 year old boy either. I remember (vaguely, but I remember). Seems as though both your kiddos are doing great. Something to be grateful about for sure.

We had dinner guests this evening. I wasn't looking forward to it but it was a good distraction and pleasant conversation. Got a hot shower waiting on me now though, it's getting close to bedtime!

phoebe64

I hope I did not offend! But, there is a change from the goofy, more talkative child, into a sometimes broody, grunting creature at this age. The little boy still emerges here and there, and sometimes. I enjoy all of it, and watch with amusement as he tries on his changing voice in song, and is trying to be cool, and has all these inside jokes with the guys he hangs with. It is a very different set of changes than with girls.

Yesterday I remarked to him that today, he will be a teenager. He was all like, "What?" "Whatever." LOL.

Dee and Suze will be amused that ds is often talking in an Aussie accent. Apparently there is some meme with the word, Nice", pronounced, "noice." He says that, and then we all start trying to do our best Aussie accents. If you all give me some fun phrases, I can impress him, or at least give his a chuckle.

phoebe64

So, the new schedule is finally settling on me. I feel very productive, happy, and energetic today. I am actually enjoying the light snowfall we had, rather than being my usual curmudgeon self about it. I have had a rare cup of caffeine, so that may be part of it, lol. But, I was feeling pretty good before that.

The days are starting to move in the getting longer direction, so maybe that helps. But, I have gotten a lot done this am, since I had to get out and drop hubby at 7am by the train. I went right to the grocery store, came home and made son's cake, and have played with the dog in the snow in the yard a couple of times.

Having some lazy time as I finish the cup of coffee I have nuked 3 times.

Mark, I hope I am not prying, but thinking of your daughter and the situation you have mentioned. You don't have to answer, but I was wondering how she is doing, and how you are with that. I am hoping she will come around and see the light.

Mark1014

Phoebe, I got quite a chuckle out of your description of the stage your son's in! The gangly years. I was so scrawny and shy then. 'Coke bottle' glasses. A late bloomer for sure.

You northerners would get a laugh out of the hoopla we've got around here with the winter weather. We're just not prepared for it on the roadways. The sleet is really coming down and is a slushy mix on the roads. It's about 31 now, but to nose dive (for us) to low 20s tonight. Maybe a little snow before it ends. I'm not working today but told my staff to cancel everything after two as I'm afraid of black ice etc. and want them to all be home before dark.

Thank you for asking about my daughter phoebe. I'll respond via pm a little later. It'll be nice to get your perspective.

For now, off to the gym while the goings good.

phoebe64

That's the worst weather!!! Wet, then freezing. The only difference here is that if we are well into the season, the residual salt on the roads helps slow the icing, and then, we've got the equipment and manpower dedicated to staying on top of it.

I gave a friend in the Marietta, Georgia area, and they are paralyzed by the bursts of wintry weather the get. Stay home and stay safe!

Mark1014

Good morning from a cold southland. It's 19 degrees (I think our coldest last winter was 22) and as feared the roads are pretty much covered in thin sheets of ice. The predicted high today is 32 and Thursday the high is to be 76!

It's cute to see all the scrappy little snowmen (sleetmen) the local children have made. My little one is at a sleepover and messaged that they were going 'sledding'......generally done with box tops around here. As a lad I remember using one of my mom's large sheet pans.

Mark1014

Also, I hope the big relo has gone smoothly Leigh. Missing you around here.

Time for a cuppa........

Arbor

Wow! 19 degrees in Florida! Amazing. Think it's colder down there than here. Lol.

Anyways, it's supposed to snow here today. 3-7". Such a broad range. I don't think they know anything until it happens. Living in the moment, friends!

Have a great day.

phoebe64

Wow, Mark!! That's cold! Even for here. I hope the kids have fun, though. They must cobble together some imaginative combinations of clothing to keep warm!

Arbor, Our prediction is similar to yours. We are on the line between 4 and 6 inches, with the Cape and southern coast of MA getting a blizzard, and up to 18 inches! All over the place!

Do you still plow, Arbor?

phoebe64

Mark, thanks for the reminder...the boy is having a few friends over tonight for his bday. They might have fun playing outside in the fresh and falling snow. We've got a great hill out back. Though, I'm not sure what I'd do with snow clothes and boots for 5 boys! We lack a mud room.

Daughter has to work in the middle of the storm. We'll have to see how bad it is or isn't, as we don't always get plowed often. We'll drive her if we are able to get out. It's a grocery store, so won't be busy in the middle of a storm.

Mark1014

I don't know how y'all do it! We've a rather long driveway and I can even get down it without sliding from one side to another and 'fish tailing' . If my driveway is that treacherous then I think best to stay in a bit. I did manage to get back to the house intact. Alas no gym time.

I wondered about the plowing as well Arbor.

SoberLeigh

Hi, all.

We missed the nasty weather by overnighting in Savannah on Thursday and hitting the road again early on Friday morning.. It's going down to upper 40s here tonight and people are going bonkers - too funny!!!!

Be back later; quite busy.

Stay safe, all.

Mark1014

Great to see you Leigh.