|
Post by tallgirl on Aug 9, 2021 2:37:30 GMT
Allison Anderson was just showing recliners she was considering for her new house from Crate and Barrel - very modern, non-recliner-looking recliners.
|
|
|
Post by tallgirl on Aug 4, 2021 21:25:28 GMT
My kitchen garden is still looking good. I took out the cucumbers that were getting mildewed, and have just planted some kale in the bald spots. I’ll probably do some more lettuces as we head into fall. My biggest problem right now is the tomatoes I didn’t go a great job of pruning. They’re getting top-heavy and I fear they may topple if we get high winds. In a few more weeks I’ll top the indeterminate varieties to ensure the fruits ripen before our first frost date (which is around mid-October).
|
|
|
Post by tallgirl on Jul 30, 2021 13:19:53 GMT
This is a great question. I'm also in Ontario, and have the two receipts I received when I received my two shots. But they are just flimsy little paper receipts. They won't last forever. We plan to fly to another province within Canada in a couple of weeks, and need to be double vaccinated in order to do so. But I can't seem to find anywhere what proof they will require. Is it both receipts? Is it just the second dose receipt? Is it the email receipt I got after my doses, which is slightly different than the hard copies? I would also love it if there were a digital passport or even a card issued to us as proof.
|
|
|
Post by tallgirl on Jul 26, 2021 17:34:54 GMT
Everyone I know has been doing GoCleanCo's laundry stripping with amazing results. It's great for stinky workout clothes, and lifted long-term stains from our bed linens. It's pretty miraculous, really. The recipe they give is what was mentioned above, though without the Calgon.
|
|
|
Post by tallgirl on Jul 13, 2021 13:51:15 GMT
I won't rain on your parade - in fact, with yesterday's announcement of Disney's Very Merriest After Hours at Disney World in December, we're trying to figure out which day to go, too.
I would actually pick the last day of the trip, especially if you are rope-droppers. I would be too tired after a late night event mid-week to then fully enjoy the rest of the week. I would make the late night my last hurrah and then sleep on the way home. Granted, the Boogie Bash ends at 11 p.m.; the After Hours event is later, ending at 1 a.m., so it's not entirely an apples to apples comparison.
|
|
|
Post by tallgirl on Jul 5, 2021 17:56:31 GMT
The Martian has an awesome soundtrack. Is it all disco? Pretty in Pink is my very favorite non musical movie soundtrack. Some Kind of Wonderful is great too (except for the horrid version of Can’t Help Falling In Love). My favorite musical movie soundtracks are Grease and Xanadu. I'm the opposite - I loved that version of Can't Help Falling in Love so much that I used the instrumental as the opening credit score for a Celtic music radio show I used to host! I have to agree though, these are probably some of my favourite soundtracks of all time, along with Empire Records and Singles.
|
|
|
Post by tallgirl on Jul 5, 2021 17:52:50 GMT
I like a mix of both. Mostly we eat at local places, but we seek out some familiar experiences so we can compare them. For example - McDonald's in China. Their Filet o Fish is quite different, they have a giant chicken wing on the menu, and pineapple and taro pies. We also went to a KFC on that trip to try their egg tarts. It's the same reason why we visit the Disney parks around the world when we travel. We're not looking for the same experience we get in Florida - we're looking for what makes each location unique.
|
|
|
Post by tallgirl on Jun 29, 2021 14:08:08 GMT
After we had an infestation a few years ago (despite the fact that I put flour etc. in the freezer when I bring it home from the store), I invested in some of those sticky pantry moth traps and leave one on the top shelf of our pantry. They have caught an odd moth here and there and we haven't had an infestation since.
|
|
|
Post by tallgirl on Jun 19, 2021 19:56:46 GMT
It sounds like your hearts are in Australia/Japan. Go there and see what *you* want to see. There is plenty to see and do no matter what time of year you go.
We have young teens and all of our trips are scheduled around school holidays. Yes, that means we went to China in impossibly hot and sticky July. We loved every minute of it and have zero regrets. Thank goodness we didn’t let anyone dissuade us from going, because it will be ten more years before we could do a trip at another time of year, and who knows what will happen by then. If anything, I think the pandemic has cemented my “do it now!” mindset even more firmly!
|
|
|
Post by tallgirl on Jun 19, 2021 2:44:58 GMT
|
|
|
Post by tallgirl on Jun 11, 2021 14:56:56 GMT
We're at 73% of adults vaccinated with one shot/12% with both shots here in Ontario, and I think the 12-17 year olds have a similar rate with the first dose but are behind on the second. They're saying we should have 80% with both shots by the end of July. It's been tough watching others in the US and UK gain their freedoms so much sooner; for example, we'll still be wearing masks here for months. But then I stop and think about what a first-world problem that is, since so much of the world won't be vaccinated for years, if at all. This pandemic has really highlighted geographic inequalities.
|
|
|
Post by tallgirl on Jun 7, 2021 13:40:54 GMT
Not at all. My family is all 1-dose vaccinated but won't get the second for another couple months. Kids aren't in school or sports, we're working from home, nonessential retail and gyms and theatres and restaurant dining are all closed, major quarantine rules still in place if you need to travel out of province. It boggles my mind that this is 'over' in some places.
|
|
|
Post by tallgirl on May 25, 2021 23:37:19 GMT
We might be open by end of summer, but it looks like 50-50 odds at this point. They’re saying we should maintain restrictions until 75% have one shot and 20% have two. Right now we’re about 60% with one and 5% with two. First doses are increasing at about 1% per day but second doses I think are growing more slowly than that.
We are in Ontario and hoping to go to Manitoba in August. Some days I think we’re going and other days it all feels hopeless. It’s a rollercoaster, for sure. I would hope interprovincial travel is allowed before international.
|
|
|
Post by tallgirl on Apr 28, 2021 16:57:02 GMT
I'm not sure that we'll be able to do anything. Still waiting for our first vaccine doses, but we won't have our second before end of summer, and my DD (14) is unlikely to have either shot before the fall. If cases plummet and we feel safe enough to travel by air this summer without being fully vaccinated, AND our interprovincial travel restrictions are lifted, we plan to go to Churchill, Manitoba to see the belugas and polar bears. Which would be wonderful, but with every day that passes, I lose hope that it will happen. Of course, that trip was meant to be a replacement for our trip to Japan, and a family cruise to Alaska... Covid sucks.
|
|
|
Post by tallgirl on Apr 25, 2021 20:11:13 GMT
I just did a balloon garland for my daughter’s at-home covid birthday to make the day a bit more special. It turned out beautifully and I think the kit was only about $18 from Amazon. Having said that, the balloons were terrible quality and kept spontaneously popping. The trick is to get ahold of the balloon garland tape - it’s plastic, about 1 inch wide, and has slots to hold the balloons for perfect even spacing. My kit came with the balloons and tape; I’d use the tape again in a heartbeat, and just sub out better quality balloons.
|
|
|
Post by tallgirl on Apr 20, 2021 13:53:01 GMT
Breaking Bad - just a perfect storytelling arc, and a show that ended at exactly the right time.
|
|
|
Post by tallgirl on Apr 15, 2021 12:43:17 GMT
I have also been to Tanzania, Botswana, Zambia, Zimbabwe, and South Africa. I think the time of year you plan to travel factors into it somewhat, but generally I would recommend Tanzania (and probably also Kenya, since the parks system there crosses the border) as a first or only safari. In my experience, the wildlife is quite similar, but I think the scenery of East Africa is more stunning. The Ngorongoro Crater is just breathtaking.
|
|
|
Post by tallgirl on Apr 6, 2021 19:07:52 GMT
We are hoping to stay in-country and go to Manitoba in August, but I think it's iffy. Three of us are 16+ and should get first shots by June, but won't have 2nd doses by then, and my daughter will be 14 and unlikely to have any shots by then. Manitoba is currently closed unless you quarantine, and we won't be able to do that. So although it breaks my heart, summer might be a write off for us.
We think we'll all be vaccinated by the end of the year, and have 2 trips we're planning for December. Before Christmas, we are heading to Disney, a trip postponed from last year. And after Christmas, we're currently planning a trip to Egypt. If we wind up feeling like Egypt isn't a good choice at that time, we may do Galapagos instead.
|
|
|
Post by tallgirl on Apr 5, 2021 17:34:36 GMT
I agree with the others about the expense and the need for good rainwear - including rain pants. We didn't have rain on our trip, but needed these when visiting waterfalls (assuming you want to get close up.)
Pay attention to sunrise/sunset times - at that time of year, you are going to have shorter days. Be realistic about what you can fit into your days with less daylight.
|
|
|
Post by tallgirl on Mar 31, 2021 15:09:18 GMT
That's a bad check. Here's a relevant story: when I finished university nearly 25 years ago, I sold my computer to another student before leaving campus. The computer was left behind the reception desk in our residence, and I told the residence desk I would instruct them to release the computer to the buyer once the check cleared. Of course, the check never cleared, despite multiple attempts on my end to cash it, and by now I had moved back to my hometown. Coincidentally, the buyer was also from my hometown. I went to the bank where the buyer held his account, and on their advice, I made a small deposit to the buyer's account that bumped their balance up to the total needed to cash the check, and then cashed it. To give perspective - I sold the computer for $300, and had to deposit $25 to make the check clear. By now I was living 6 hours away. It was worth $25 not to have to go back to pick up the unsold computer and try selling it to someone else. I do recall wondering whether the bank broke any privacy rules in telling me how much I'd need to deposit to get the check to clear, so YMMV. They didn't tell me exactly how much was in the account, just that a 'small deposit' would cover it, and then there was a bit of a guessing game - $10? $20? - until I landed on the right amount. It was a little bit terrifying when the angry buyer then showed up on my doorstep the next day. But it all ended well when I told them I had simply followed the bank's advice.
|
|
|
Post by tallgirl on Mar 30, 2021 17:24:18 GMT
My DH and two kids are April 3, 9, 13. We are always having Easter birthdays around here!
|
|
|
Post by tallgirl on Mar 23, 2021 13:36:39 GMT
My condolences to you, your daughter, and everyone who knew your DH.
|
|
|
Post by tallgirl on Mar 17, 2021 15:29:42 GMT
I know nobody has a crystal ball, but I'm wondering what the Canadian Peas think will happen with interprovincial travel in our country this year. Some provinces are still open, but many have limited access. I'm in Ontario for example, and we can't travel to the east coast or Manitoba.What do you think will happen as the year progresses and the vaccines roll out? Do you think that travel across the country will be possible by summer? Do you think some of the provinces will hang onto their c losed borders longer than others, or that they will all open up around the same time? Do you think that time will come when all eligible adults have access to their first shots, or not until the second? We're not going anywhere yet, but it's fun to daydream. And I admit, we're hoping to go to Manitoba at the end of the summer, if all goes well. I'm curious as to how this works - are borders between provinces actually "closed"? Like, there's an official presence that stops you from moving from one province to the next? I ask, because I am in SWFL right now and we are AWASH in Canadians right now lololol I should have been more accurate. We could travel to Manitoba right now, but would be subject to a 14 day quarantine upon arrival, which makes it impossible with the limited vacation time we have. For the Atlantic province bubble, yes, I believe there are physical checkpoints at the provincial borders (in addition to the ones in airports) - though maybe somebody from that area with firsthand knowledge can chime in? Canadians are still able to fly into the US, though I think now they need a negative Covid test to do so. That's a recent change though, implemented long after the snowbirds all left for the season. Somebody please correct me if I'm wrong - I've kind of stopped paying attention to the travel restrictions now, since the possibility of going anywhere feels so very far away for us.
|
|
|
Post by tallgirl on Mar 17, 2021 14:55:22 GMT
That's a good point. The Atlantic bubble was also around for most of last year. The Manitoba border closure just happened last month, and I'm hoping it's lifted as we head into early summer and case counts drop (fingers crossed).
Seeing travel restrictions start to lift in the US, I'm hopeful that we are just a few months behind seeing similar events happen here.
|
|
|
Post by tallgirl on Mar 17, 2021 13:52:45 GMT
I know nobody has a crystal ball, but I'm wondering what the Canadian Peas think will happen with interprovincial travel in our country this year. Some provinces are still open, but many have limited access. I'm in Ontario for example, and we can't travel to the east coast or Manitoba.
What do you think will happen as the year progresses and the vaccines roll out? Do you think that travel across the country will be possible by summer? Do you think some of the provinces will hang onto their closed borders longer than others, or that they will all open up around the same time? Do you think that time will come when all eligible adults have access to their first shots, or not until the second?
We're not going anywhere yet, but it's fun to daydream. And I admit, we're hoping to go to Manitoba at the end of the summer, if all goes well.
|
|
|
Post by tallgirl on Mar 9, 2021 14:36:56 GMT
Even though the OP isn't here any longer, I feel her pain. I'm in Canada and it will likely be several months before I get my first shot. Then, it sounds like we'll be spacing the second shot out four months after the first. So while the potential for illness should be reduced with everyone having their first, shot, none of us will quality as 'fully vaccinated' until much later in the year. Which means all the immunity passport freedoms - travel, etc. - won't be available to us anytime soon. It's hard to watch others get those freedoms sooner. I can only imagine what it would be like to live in a part of the world that is even further behind. This really is widening the gap of privilege.
|
|
|
Post by tallgirl on Feb 28, 2021 21:14:35 GMT
Anything exotic. I love cities, mountains, beaches, fancy hotels, rustic camping - any of it, so long as I’m completely out of my element in a new culture or far off place.
|
|
|
Post by tallgirl on Feb 26, 2021 12:58:29 GMT
Oh my word. Easter Creme Eggs are about my favourite food in all the world - it’s a good thing we don’t have all these treats here - I’d probably try every one!
I’ve had the cookies, which I also deem to be good but not great. And McDonald’s usually has a seasonal McFlurry flavour, which I don’t like at all.
|
|
|
Post by tallgirl on Feb 22, 2021 22:01:43 GMT
Avoiding these sorts of conundrums is exactly why I use the online chat tool wherever possible, rather than speaking to an agent. I say thanks and goodbye, and then disconnect immediately.
|
|
|
Post by tallgirl on Feb 16, 2021 18:46:43 GMT
I am also in Canada, and also don't know anyone who has been vaccinated. I'm good with what supplies we have being reserved for LTC, for the time being.
We keep hearing that the majority of our Q1 vaccine deliveries have been pushed to March, and that deliveries will really increase starting early in Q2. For now, I think most Canadians are OK with the current state of things. But if we don't see those deliveries materialize in March/April, or if our governments can't get the vaccines distributed once they are on our shores, we're going to have some very upset citizens. It hasn't been bad thus far because even those US/UK citizens who have been vaccinated haven't been given that many more freedoms than the unvaccinated. But once those freedoms come - immunity passports for travel, for example - it will be tough to have to wait our turn. And I know we're still in a very favourable position compared to much of the world's population.
|
|