Let's Talk About Anything Other Than COVID19

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Mia6

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Oh yes Mia6 Mia6 . One of the best memories of my Sicilian grandfather was him frying potatoes and onions for us to eat after midnight mass in Christmas. It wasn’t a complicated recipe but no one could make them better than him.
Oh yes, I wish had some right now! On Easter morning he would make a frittata, usually two, with eggs, pancetta, sharp provolone, and two other cheeses that I can't remember. I made them after he passed but they didn't look like his or were quite as good. DId your family eat only fish and seafood on Christmas Eve? My f.i.l. made angel hair pasta with garlic and anchovies. My husband and m.i.l were the only one who would it, ha!!
 

susanm9006

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Oh yes, I wish had some right now! On Easter morning he would make a frittata, usually two, with eggs, pancetta, sharp provolone, and two other cheeses that I can't remember. I made them after he passed but they didn't look like his or were quite as good. DId your family eat only fish and seafood on Christmas Eve? My f.i.l. made angel hair pasta with garlic and anchovies. My husband and m.i.l were the only one who would it, ha!!
No my family never did what is called “the feast of the seven fishes”. I don’t know if it wasn’t a tradition in Sicily or whether they couldn’t afford it. But some of my Italian friend do the meal and it is quite a production.
 

Katie M

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So I just watched the Cats movie, out of morbid curiosity. I was ready to hate it, but . . . I can't. It's no masterpiece, to be sure, but I kind of enjoyed it. I'm aware I'm in an extreme minority, even if it's a minority of one, but I don't care.
 

Elphaba09

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My son and his fiancee are officially looking at houses. They had been "looking," but he just started looking into financing--they likely qualify for a USDA loan--and has contacted a realtor. I think what really sparked it was when he expanded the search area a wee bit, he found the ideal home that fits everything they want and more.

Their checklist: under $150,000, a yard at least as big as ours, so about 1/2 acre, rural but not too far out there, no more than 20 minutes from us, 2 to 3 bedrooms, under 1600 sq ft, preferably with a basement and attic access, pre-1950s, and not in a super conservative area.

The one they are currently hopeful about is $110K but could be talked down to $85-90K pretty easily given the research I have done. I think they could come in with a really lowball offer of $77K and barter from there; however, I told them to take the realtor's advice when she gets back to them. (It is an inherited home with a "motivated seller" that needs some maintenance and has been on the market for 200 days. Also, they are late paying the first half of the year's taxes.) It is a 5-minute drive to the closest town in one direction, and 12 minutes from us in the opposite direction. Built in 1888 on a slightly wooded lot 0.8 acre lot with a small brook. Three bedrooms, 1,300 sq ft with an attic and a partially finished basement with a laundry room.

The "extras" they like are the brook, one of those kitchen passthrough windows, a newer roof, updated electrical, and an apartment over the garage that has a long-time tenant who would like to stay on after it is sold. The rent would cover their mortgage payment. The yard is really pretty and backs up into a more densely wooded area. Oh, and it has tall ceilings.
 

susanm9006

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My son and his fiancee are officially looking at houses. They had been "looking," but he just started looking into financing--they likely qualify for a USDA loan--and has contacted a realtor. I think what really sparked it was when he expanded the search area a wee bit, he found the ideal home that fits everything they want and more.

Their checklist: under $150,000, a yard at least as big as ours, so about 1/2 acre, rural but not too far out there, no more than 20 minutes from us, 2 to 3 bedrooms, under 1600 sq ft, preferably with a basement and attic access, pre-1950s, and not in a super conservative area.

The one they are currently hopeful about is $110K but could be talked down to $85-90K pretty easily given the research I have done. I think they could come in with a really lowball offer of $77K and barter from there; however, I told them to take the realtor's advice when she gets back to them. (It is an inherited home with a "motivated seller" that needs some maintenance and has been on the market for 200 days. Also, they are late paying the first half of the year's taxes.) It is a 5-minute drive to the closest town in one direction, and 12 minutes from us in the opposite direction. Built in 1888 on a slightly wooded lot 0.8 acre lot with a small brook. Three bedrooms, 1,300 sq ft with an attic and a partially finished basement with a laundry room.

The "extras" they like are the brook, one of those kitchen passthrough windows, a newer roof, updated electrical, and an apartment over the garage that has a long-time tenant who would like to stay on after it is sold. The rent would cover their mortgage payment. The yard is really pretty and backs up into a more densely wooded area. Oh, and it has tall ceilings.
That sounds really great. Nice to have someone else covering the mortgage payment!
 
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Mia6

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My son and his fiancee are officially looking at houses. They had been "looking," but he just started looking into financing--they likely qualify for a USDA loan--and has contacted a realtor. I think what really sparked it was when he expanded the search area a wee bit, he found the ideal home that fits everything they want and more.

Their checklist: under $150,000, a yard at least as big as ours, so about 1/2 acre, rural but not too far out there, no more than 20 minutes from us, 2 to 3 bedrooms, under 1600 sq ft, preferably with a basement and attic access, pre-1950s, and not in a super conservative area.

The one they are currently hopeful about is $110K but could be talked down to $85-90K pretty easily given the research I have done. I think they could come in with a really lowball offer of $77K and barter from there; however, I told them to take the realtor's advice when she gets back to them. (It is an inherited home with a "motivated seller" that needs some maintenance and has been on the market for 200 days. Also, they are late paying the first half of the year's taxes.) It is a 5-minute drive to the closest town in one direction, and 12 minutes from us in the opposite direction. Built in 1888 on a slightly wooded lot 0.8 acre lot with a small brook. Three bedrooms, 1,300 sq ft with an attic and a partially finished basement with a laundry room.

The "extras" they like are the brook, one of those kitchen passthrough windows, a newer roof, updated electrical, and an apartment over the garage that has a long-time tenant who would like to stay on after it is sold. The rent would cover their mortgage payment. The yard is really pretty and backs up into a more densely wooded area. Oh, and it has tall ceilings.
The house sounds really nice! I like the brook and slightly wooded feature
 
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Mia6

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My new quilt is arriving today! The new mattress pad came on Monday. I have a sleep
number bed, so with the new mp it will be soo soft!! I can't believe how expensive mps'
are! Some are $150.00 and over. I was able to find one for about $50.00 and with the
quilt, free shipping! 🛌
 

di and bob

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If the mortgage payment is covered, it could be a dump and you could afford to remodel. Overlook all the cosmetic flaws, anything on a house can be changed and made to look nice. There are plenty of internet sites to show you step by step how. If it has a good roof, updated electrical, and the land to add an addition, shoot them an 85,000 offer, 75,000 might make them mad. If they get it good, if not, they can always place a higher offer. We have offered on a LOT of houses and never got them, but there are always others out there. Being on the market so long and back taxes are an incentive, go for it!
 

Elphaba09

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If the mortgage payment is covered, it could be a dump and you could afford to remodel. Overlook all the cosmetic flaws, anything on a house can be changed and made to look nice. There are plenty of internet sites to show you step by step how. If it has a good roof, updated electrical, and the land to add an addition, shoot them an 85,000 offer, 75,000 might make them mad. If they get it good, if not, they can always place a higher offer. We have offered on a LOT of houses and never got them, but there are always others out there. Being on the market so long and back taxes are an incentive, go for it!
That is what I have been telling him. My husband and I have spent the last five years working on our house fixing a couple of not exactly major things but not exactly cosmetic things as well as cosmetic things. He knows that if he needs help doing it I will help him if it is something I am capable of doing.
 
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Mia6

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I decided to paint again yesterday. This is the outcome. It's called "Community" because I'm feeling lonely.
View attachment 326953
Oh that is so beautiful!!! I think a lot of us are feeling lonely. I heard another psychiatrist on the radio yesterday talking
about anxiety and depression during these times. He said to live in the moment, don't think long term.💖

I have a 1,000 piece jigsaw puzzle but no surface large enough so I think I should buy a smaller one.;) :hellocomputer:
 
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Mia6

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It was 68 when I got up yesterday. It got so warm that I turned on the ac in late afternoon.
I was dozing with Cal and the Severe Weather siren went off. It rained hard, lots of wind,
and hail. This morning it was in the 20s!! Forty degree drop in 24 hours, crazy.

I saw a robin on the first day of spring, I took that as a good sign.🐦

It's so quiet around here with no one being out and about. I guess I'll have to blast some music!🎶🎹🎸🎺🥁
 

Elphaba09

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It was 68 when I got up yesterday. It got so warm that I turned on the ac in late afternoon.
I was dozing with Cal and the Severe Weather siren went off. It rained hard, lots of wind,
and hail. This morning it was in the 20s!! Forty degree drop in 24 hours, crazy.

I saw a robin on the first day of spring, I took that as a good sign.🐦

It's so quiet around here with no one being out and about. I guess I'll have to blast some music!🎶🎹🎸🎺🥁
We did not have the siren go off, but it was the same for us. High 60s with a drop to the low to mid-20s. We more wind than rain, but when it was raining, it was a hard rain.
 
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Mia6

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I've been seeing more and more birds. My little deer family even dropped by a visit. I went to the frig and
got apples but they were gone by the time I got back to the deck. Can't wait for warmer weather. Sitting
on the deck will be so nice.
 

MoonstoneWolf

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I'm an ID addict and so I usually find shows from ID Go and binge watch. Funny though the feral cats like listening to the shows as well (they don't like the other talk shows or podcasts) so I run ID Go on another device and bluetooth outside for them. I think that doing this last year is what got them used to me and hearing voices and house sounds.

Although I should be up cleaning the basement.
 

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No long drive for me, and the weather doesn't matter. Something pleasant while we're all sequestered at home.

The New York Botanical Garden is doing a Facebook Watch Party: Video Tour of NYBG’s The Orchid Show: Jeff Leatham’s Kaleidoscope on Wednesday, March 25, 2020, at 12 p.m. EDT
Tour highlights include: purple vandas suspended above a 10-foot-tall mirrored orchid sculpture and fountain; a kaleidoscopic tunnel of lights; yellow orchid arches evoking sunrise and sunset, and more.
 
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