Unplugged Chit Chat Thread

Very happy and healthy birthday to a one-of-a-kind gift - @WebmasterPete !!


I also totally forgot to put happy birthday to Mr. Walter Elias Disney yesterday. My bad.
 


I'm quite sure she'll never see this, but I would feel remiss if I didn't wish Miss Madelyn Werner (Pete's Mom, not sure how to spell this sweet lady's name, hope I didn't butcher it too badly) a very happy, healthy, and magical pixiedust: birthday. Guess they'll be enjoying their usual tradition of Candlelight together tonight, with dinner at Chefs de France, as he mentioned on a recent show.
 
:wave:
Hi y'all. We been working on transferring files to our new main laptop and I been trying to see why there is a pop up screen escaping multiple blockers (shows up only when reading the Disboards.
Dh has been fighting a virus or allergies or both really for the past week. He has been extra careful on otc with his heart medicine. DH walked to urgent care Sunday and got his lungs x-ray and have a professional check his lungs and heart (doing good). He is changing his workouts this week after consulting his trainer.

I think that we are almost got our holiday meals planned out. DH has to work on the holidays so we doing easy stuff like steak and turkey (last month sales). I got a lot of no salt added and low sodium options the past week or two to balance the holiday favorites. This week had been the week to stock up on sales on some fresh produce. I am pushing the vitamin C and other good nutrients to strengthen his immunity levels. It is a good thing that dh has always love salads and fresh fruit (have to watch the dressing and toppers). I wish that we had a better fridge size to fit the fresh foods. I do like having a pantry that I have a shelf dedicated to our seasonings, olive oil, and vinegar selections. It helps in home cooking to have that stuff at eye level.
 


@SorcererHeidi, I hope that you are doing well. I hope that you get to chill soon after your moving is done and you get settled in.
It was hard to enjoy last year's holiday season for us with the moving and other stuff. Our dog loves our little fiber optic tree and she is loving Christmas tv shows like Frosty and Rudolph and the word---Santa.
 
Thank you SO much for reaching out to check on me, @disneyland_is_magic and @NC Belle, my friends! I SO appreciate it!

The actual move itself (this past Mon, 12/16) went fairly smoothly. Found a small, family-owned local moving company, and they were very nice, and professional. I was also fortunate that a longtime friend and her boyfriend drove me to the new place, which is 2 hours away from where I was, so a WHOLE different world.

That being said - I'll say it again - it is a WHOLE different WORLD. It's also VERY cold right now, and even though no snow on the ground, I haven't been outside much in the last 4 days, and neither is anybody else. So I will say I am having a bit of loneliness and depression, since I don't know anybody for 2 hours in any direction, and not driving, I am not even all that familiar with where I am, and not about to meet many people anytime soon I will say the ComCast tech, UPS man, PeaPod delivery man, and maintenance man from the village were all VERY nice. :) I am hoping to feel much better in the spring, when I can get out, start going to the clubhouse to meet people and doing activities, etc.

It is also a LOT for somebody alone, and dealing with physical limitations. Seems like everything takes SO long to do, doesn't work out or feels wrong/has to be changed, and I'm always in pain, tired, and frustrated. I also think I've been dealing withe a case of bronchitis, which does't help.

I knew all these factors (except the bronchitis, of course) before I did this. But knowing, and KNOWING are two different things sometimes, you know? <small grin>. And I am still VERY grateful to have the opportunity to check out another way of life, and hopeful getting settled in more, TRYING to be gentle on myself with doing so, and better weather will make it all seem less trying. Just having a "down, and feeling a bit sorry for myself" time right now, but wanted to let you both know how MUCH I appreciate the reach out. It's people like you, and others here, that let me know I'm NOT as alone as I feel right now. BIG HUGS!!!!!!!
 
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Thank you SO much for reaching out to check on me, @disneyland_is_magic and @NC Belle, my friends! I SO appreciate it!

The actual move itself (this past Mon, 12/16) went fairly smoothly. Found a small, family-owned local moving company, and they were very nice, and professional. I was also fortunate that a longtime friend and her boyfriend drove me to the new place, which is 2 hours away from where I was, so a WHOLE different world.

That being said - I'll say it again - it is a WHOLE different WORLD. It's also VERY cold right now, and even though no snow on the ground, I haven't been outside much in the last 4 days, and neither is anybody else. So I will say I am having a bit of loneliness and depression, since I don't know anybody for 2 hours in any direction, and not driving, I am not even all that familiar with where I am, and not about to meet many people anytime soon I will say the ComCast tech, UPS man, PeaPod delivery man, and maintenance man from the village were all VERY nice. :) I am hoping to feel much better in the spring, when I can get out, start going to the clubhouse to meet people and doing activities, etc.

It is also a LOT for somebody alone, and dealing with physical limitations. Seems like everything takes SO long to do, doesn't work out or feels wrong/has to be changed, and I'm always in pain, tired, and frustrated. I also think I've been dealing withe a case of bronchitis, which does't help.

I knew all these factors (except the bronchitis, of course) before I did this. But knowing, and KNOWING are two different things sometimes, you know? <small grin>. And I am still VERY grateful to have the opportunity to check out another way of life, and hopeful getting settled in more, TRYING to be gentle on myself with doing so, and better weather will make it all seem less trying. Just having a "down, and feeling a bit sorry for myself" time right now, but wanted to let you both know how MUCH I appreciate the reach out. It's people like you, and others here, that let me know I'm NOT as alone as I feel right now. BIG HUGS!!!!!!!

Sorry I haven't checked in with you lately; I was out of town last week (New Orleans).

The weather can definitely have an impact on moods. I do recall how the winter was in the NE and how it just shut me down for months.

It sounds like the clubhouse will offer you many activities and a chance to hob-knob with some folks. Can you share what activities they offer and perhaps ones that you would be interested in? Are there some new local eateries that interest you?
 
Sorry I haven't checked in with you lately; I was out of town last week (New Orleans).

The weather can definitely have an impact on moods. I do recall how the winter was in the NE and how it just shut me down for months.

It sounds like the clubhouse will offer you many activities and a chance to hob-knob with some folks. Can you share what activities they offer and perhaps ones that you would be interested in? Are there some new local eateries that interest you?
Hi @hertamaniac - Hope it was a nice, enjoyable trip to NOLa. Have always wanted to go there. I actually had a whole trip planned there with a friend the April Katrina hit. But my friend backed out of the trip for financial reasons, I didn't feel like going alone, and never planned another one. :(

A lot of the problem is I don't drive, so anything and everything around here is MUCH further apart than up in NE NJ where I was. So taking a Lyft somewhere/back is MUCH more expensive, (even though I tried not to do a lot of that before either). I do have access to disabled traans, but you have to know where you're going ahead of time, and when you want to go there, and be picked up, and of of course that's also only during limited daytime hours. I will eventually be doing that for medical appointments, etc., but it's not like going out in a private vehicle, looking around yourself. I also had only been down to this area very briefly twice before, so I'm very unfamiliar with what's even around. All research is done on Google (maps) pretty much - hard to even figure out what bank's even closest when you have no reference points, you know? There is also a minibus thing that comes around on Mon and Fri and takes you to local shopping, but when I called the office to ask questions (can I bring my Rollator vs. my cane, how long do they stay out, etc?) they didn't seem to know much, I guess since it's an outside contracted vendor, paid for my HOA dues. And I know one of the local "shopping centers" they go to I've been to a couple of times, it's all outside, and a lot of hte stores looked closed down, so not great in cold weather either. There is a decent Italian place there that I've been to a couple of times - so I "treated" myself the other night, and ordered a pizza - took TWO AND HALF HOURS to get it. :eek:

The club house is about a 4 bock walk from where my house is. So again - not really doable in this weather (I have some physical problems related to the cold , and also now have the bronchitis, besides just being uncomfortable, otherwise I' might brave it). I might eventually join a singing group, they have a some "senior" exercise things I might get into, they have bingo on Sundays (those bingo groupies an be NUTS though!!!!!!), and they used to have a travel club that would VERY much have interested me, although haven't seen it on the calendar in a long time. They have a movie night once a month too, with some pretty current movies that already happened this month. Be interesting to see what kind of wildlife I might encounter coming home after dark in this area too. :)

I think this is just a case of not being able to access activities right now due to the cold, this being a HUGE change of lifestyle for me, not knowing a single soul, neighbors not being "out and about" to yell hello to due to time of year, wanting everything to be "in its place" with unpacking right away, and just being alone. A lot of it too is still dealing with losing most of my social connections when I had to retire, the mental consequences of having to retire at such a young age, and trying to feel "useful" in some capacity. I am also still struggling with a pretty intense and draining personal issue.

I apologize - I don't want to feel like "poor me". I am very hopeful this will all change for the better with time, familiarity, and better weather. It's just tough right now. And I am SO grateful for the opportunity to try this out (that's why I felt I HAD to do it when offered), and also grateful for modern technology - cell phones to reach out for friends, getting groceries and Amazon Prime deliveries, and great cable and Disney Plus to watch tons of content. And - like i said - all of you guys here. Thank you for your concern and support. Always means a LOT!!!
 
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Hi @hertamaniac - Hope it was a nice, enjoyable trip to NOLa. Have always wanted to go there. I actually had a whole trip planned there with a friend the April Katrina hit. But my friend backed out of the trip for financial reasons, I didn't feel like going alone, and never planned another one. :(

A lot of the problem is I don't drive, so anything and everything around here is MUCH further apart than up in NE NJ where I was. So taking a Lyft somewhere/back is MUCH more expensive, (even though I tried not to do a lot of that before either). I do have access to disabled traans, but you have to know where you're going ahead of time, and when you want to go there, and be picked up, and of of course that's also only during limited daytime hours. I will eventually be doing that for medical appointments, etc., but it's not like going out in a private vehicle, looking around yourself. I also had only been down to this area very briefly twice before, so I'm very unfamiliar with what's even around. All research is done on Google (maps) pretty much - hard to even figure out what bank's even closest when you have no reference points, you know? There is also a minibus thing that comes around on Mon and Fri and takes you to local shopping, but when I called the office to ask questions (can I bring my Rollator vs. my cane, how long do they stay out, etc?) they didn't seem to know much, I guess since it's an outside contracted vendor, paid for my HOA dues. And I know one of the local "shopping centers" they go to I've been to a couple of times, it's all outside, and a lot of hte stores looked closed down, so not great in cold weather either. There is a decent Italian place there that I've been to a couple of times - so I "treated" myself the other night, and ordered a pizza - took TWO AND HALF HOURS to get it. :eek:

The club house is about a 4 bock walk from where my house is. So again - not really doable in this weather (I have some physical problems related to the cold , and also now have the bronchitis, besides just being uncomfortable, otherwise I' might brave it). I might eventually join a singing group, they have a some "senior" exercise things I might get into, they have bingo on Sundays (those bingo groupies an be NUTS though!!!!!!), and they used to have a travel club that would VERY much have interested me, although haven't seen it on the calendar in a long time. They have a movie night once a month too, with some pretty current movies that already happened this month. Be interesting to see what kind of wildlife I might encounter coming home after dark in this area too. :)

I think this is just a case of not being able to access activities right now due to the cold, this being a HUGE change of lifestyle for me, not knowing a single soul, neighbors not being "out and about" to yell hello to due to time of year, wanting everything to be "in its place" with unpacking right away, and just being alone. A lot of it too is still dealing with losing most of my social connections when I had to retire, the mental consequences of having to retire at such a young age, and trying to feel "useful" in some capacity. I am also still struggling with a pretty intense and draining personal issue.

I apologize - I don't want to feel like "poor me". I am very hopeful this will all change for the better with time, familiarity, and better weather. It's just tough right now. And I am SO grateful for the opportunity to try this out (that's why I felt I HAD to do it when offered), and also grateful for modern technology - cell phones to reach out for friends, getting groceries and Amazon Prime deliveries, and great cable and Disney Plus to watch tons of content. And - like i said - all of you guys here. Thank you for your concern and support. Always means a LOT!!!
 
I am so eager to lift you up to tomorrow. I am out tonight, but want to give you 100% assurance, good projections trumps all! Chin up my friend....the best is yet to come.
 
Hi @hertamaniac - Hope it was a nice, enjoyable trip to NOLa. Have always wanted to go there. I actually had a whole trip planned there with a friend the April Katrina hit. But my friend backed out of the trip for financial reasons, I didn't feel like going alone, and never planned another one. :(

A lot of the problem is I don't drive, so anything and everything around here is MUCH further apart than up in NE NJ where I was. So taking a Lyft somewhere/back is MUCH more expensive, (even though I tried not to do a lot of that before either). I do have access to disabled traans, but you have to know where you're going ahead of time, and when you want to go there, and be picked up, and of of course that's also only during limited daytime hours. I will eventually be doing that for medical appointments, etc., but it's not like going out in a private vehicle, looking around yourself. I also had only been down to this area very briefly twice before, so I'm very unfamiliar with what's even around. All research is done on Google (maps) pretty much - hard to even figure out what bank's even closest when you have no reference points, you know? There is also a minibus thing that comes around on Mon and Fri and takes you to local shopping, but when I called the office to ask questions (can I bring my Rollator vs. my cane, how long do they stay out, etc?) they didn't seem to know much, I guess since it's an outside contracted vendor, paid for my HOA dues. And I know one of the local "shopping centers" they go to I've been to a couple of times, it's all outside, and a lot of hte stores looked closed down, so not great in cold weather either. There is a decent Italian place there that I've been to a couple of times - so I "treated" myself the other night, and ordered a pizza - took TWO AND HALF HOURS to get it. :eek:

The club house is about a 4 bock walk from where my house is. So again - not really doable in this weather (I have some physical problems related to the cold , and also now have the bronchitis, besides just being uncomfortable, otherwise I' might brave it). I might eventually join a singing group, they have a some "senior" exercise things I might get into, they have bingo on Sundays (those bingo groupies an be NUTS though!!!!!!), and they used to have a travel club that would VERY much have interested me, although haven't seen it on the calendar in a long time. They have a movie night once a month too, with some pretty current movies that already happened this month. Be interesting to see what kind of wildlife I might encounter coming home after dark in this area too. :)

I think this is just a case of not being able to access activities right now due to the cold, this being a HUGE change of lifestyle for me, not knowing a single soul, neighbors not being "out and about" to yell hello to due to time of year, wanting everything to be "in its place" with unpacking right away, and just being alone. A lot of it too is still dealing with losing most of my social connections when I had to retire, the mental consequences of having to retire at such a young age, and trying to feel "useful" in some capacity. I am also still struggling with a pretty intense and draining personal issue.

I apologize - I don't want to feel like "poor me". I am very hopeful this will all change for the better with time, familiarity, and better weather. It's just tough right now. And I am SO grateful for the opportunity to try this out (that's why I felt I HAD to do it when offered), and also grateful for modern technology - cell phones to reach out for friends, getting groceries and Amazon Prime deliveries, and great cable and Disney Plus to watch tons of content. And - like i said - all of you guys here. Thank you for your concern and support. Always means a LOT!!!

The trip to NOLA couldn't have gone better. We went to a Saints NFL game Monday night and my ears are still recovering from the noise. Moving on to you......

I was thinking about delivery options to your new residence. I am not sure if that is an option, but with the delivery landscape changing rapidly, I thought it might be available to you. But if it takes 2.5 hours to get a pizza, then delivery might as well be for the next day. Did you scour TripAdvisor and restaurants based on a map view? That is what I do anytime I am in a new environment (business/personal).

The travel clubs are usually a big advantage with HOA based communities (my Mom lives in one). She took advantage of it for the first few years and really had nothing but accolades for them. I wonder if the one in your community has a calendar setup for the next few months? Bingo clubs are rumored to be vicious (just kidding). It might be more fun than you think and I surmise that a few friendships can be born out that experience.

Oh, I don't feel that your casting a net of sympathy, but rather expressing how YOU feel at this time. To me, that's brave and something very few posters do.

ETA: I re-read your comments and it appears that the travel club is currently MIA. Now, that makes me think if you could be a pioneer and spearhead a/this group (if applicable) as, since I've "met" you years ago, is something that appeals to you. I get the sense that you would enjoy researching options for a travel experience while seeing others benefit from your diligence.
 
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The trip to NOLA couldn't have gone better. We went to a Saints NFL game Monday night and my ears are still recovering from the noise. Moving on to you......

I was thinking about delivery options to your new residence. I am not sure if that is an option, but with the delivery landscape changing rapidly, I thought it might be available to you. But if it takes 2.5 hours to get a pizza, then delivery might as well be for the next day. Did you scour TripAdvisor and restaurants based on a map view? That is what I do anytime I am in a new environment (business/personal).

The travel clubs are usually a big advantage with HOA based communities (my Mom lives in one). She took advantage of it for the first few years and really had nothing but accolades for them. I wonder if the one in your community has a calendar setup for the next few months? Bingo clubs are rumored to be vicious (just kidding). It might be more fun than you think and I surmise that a few friendships can be born out that experience.

Oh, I don't feel that your casting a net of sympathy, but rather expressing how YOU feel at this time. To me, that's brave and something very few posters do.

ETA: I re-read your comments and it appears that the travel club is currently MIA. Now, that makes me think if you could be a pioneer and spearhead a/this group (if applicable) as, since I've "met" you years ago, is something that appeals to you. I get the sense that you would enjoy researching options for a travel experience while seeing others benefit from your diligence.
Thanx for your encouragement and suggestions. I'm glad your trip to NoLA went well, hope you had at least one beignet for me! :) And a Saints game? Awesome! Who dat? :)

Yes, I have been stalking the calendar of activities for this place on and off for about a year now, and several clubs (the travel club included) have gone "under". Another one I would have been interested in is the Pet Club. I don't currently have one, and don't know if I'd allow myself to get one (due to mobility concers caring for one, and also cleaning - I may change my mind later), but I wanted to maybe joint to hear about (and possibly "met" - that had me very excited!) othrs pets. I'm still hoping to meet some when the weather gets betters, and I'm out and about, rolling around on my Rollator. :) They also used to have at least one a month bus rides to Atlantic City, but haven't seen that in awhile either. :(

I actually considered starting a travel club, or at one point they had been looking for somebody in emergency management to liaison with the local authorities, which would probably be perfect for me. But - right now - I have decided to do neither. I would like to get "the lay of the land" first, and feel people around here out. Being a renter (which is NOT encouraged!), and being a newbie, I'm kind of looked at with a side eye as it is. I do not want my first contact with folks to be in "I'm in charge" role - despite my good intentions, and want to help, not lord over people, if that makes any sense (does in my head). Again - I may change my mind down the line.

I have spent more of my life living "alone:", but surrounded by other people, than I have actually "with" other people - meaning that I've always been single, never had any kids, etc. But I've pretty much always had people around - whether n a barracks, a rooming house, renting rooms in house, apartment complexes, etc. This is the first time in a very long time I've been in a house, by myself, and don't know anybody for several hours around. Like I said - I knew it was going to be kind of like this going in, but it just FEELS so lonely and isolated. And i'm not used to feeling this way, or to feeling "down". I'm usually the one picking everybody else up around me. And again, I am VERY glad to have you all here - thank you!! I think my thoughts that I want to be back in therapy again (have been in/out a lot of my life, due to childhood traumas) are good ones, and I will definitely be escalating doing that right after the first of the year. I think that will help too. And I sincerely hope that anyone that sees that here will see that there should be absolutely NO stigma or bad feelings attached to seeking mental health support. It's not that I (or anyone else) NEEDS it, it's that I/anyone else DESERVES it, and you don't have to STAY feeling down, you CAN do the work, and actively help yourself feel better. I don't LIKE feeling like this, I am not USED to feeling like this, so I acknowledge I need to DO something to CHANGE it.

Again - thank you again, @hertamaniac - for your understanding, and friendship. And thank you to others here who have reached out. I love and appreciate you all, and am SO grateful we have this forum, and each other!!
 
It's not that I (or anyone else) NEEDS it, it's that I/anyone else DESERVES it, and you don't have to STAY feeling down, you CAN do the work, and actively help yourself feel better. I don't LIKE feeling like this, I am not USED to feeling like this, so I acknowledge I need to DO something to CHANGE it.

Not to pivot the conversation, but I'm going to pivot the conversation. Your statement above made me think of the movie Joker. Did you see it or have a desire to see it? It delves into this issue IMO and really enjoyed it from a character study standpoint.
 
Not to pivot the conversation, but I'm going to pivot the conversation. Your statement above made me think of the movie Joker. Did you see it or have a desire to see it? It delves into this issue IMO and really enjoyed it from a character study standpoint.
No, I didn't see it, but will keep it in mind for the future. :)

I am currently giving myself a few days "off" form unpacking (yesterday and today) and trying to catch up on all my YouTubers. Watching them usually makes me feel better. It's also a little bit warmer today, so planning to go out later, take out the starts of TONS of recycling with all the moving boxes, etc. (even the recycling here is different, and frankly WEIRD! LOL), and I want to sweep off the front stoop area. I want to limit being outside until I'm totally over my bronchitis, but with it warming up every day this week, I also want to get out/about, and start walking again. :)
 
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Took out 5 trips of recycling, then used my new broom to sweep the front. Coughed up a lung afterwards, but glad it's all done. Found out my Rollator can - and WILL - run by itself down the I-guess-it's-not-level driveway I musta looked like a fool, running unevenly after it - or as best as I can fake running these days,. :)

Also just had an unexpected pleasant experience. Caught most of the movie DreamGirls - I still remember the surge of excitement that went through my body the first time I heard the song "And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going":. Pretty much that whole soundtrack just speaks to me, and my love, and taste in music. And the whole story of Effie White (Jennifer Hudson) being overlooked, and the reason why, etc. has always resonated with me. And what a set of PIPES on that lady!! Emotional, but extremely cathartic for me. Really enjoyed it.
 
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