Wednesday, December 17, 2025

I think we have 6 times as many crystal shops here as grocery stores! And 20 times more woo-woo establishments as grocery stores (psychics, aura photos, salt rooms, chakra cleansers, mystics, crystals, reiki, drum circle leaders, etc). While it's very true the Native Americans view Sedona as a sacred, spiritual place, the new agers have absolutely distorted all that for their gain. Someone in the 80s wrote a book to try to drum up tourism and started the nonsense about vortexes here. One of which was "moved" because it was in the middle of the airport runway. If you can move it to have tourists not gather on the runway, is it really a spiritual vortex? And it's just grown from there.

I dislike all the woo-woo ridiculousness. It's one of the most beautiful places in the world so I understand why opportunists would want to make it mean more than that to try make a buck from the tourists who eat up the crystal stuff. But it's a waste of money in my opinion.

I noticed all those shops! I find that stuff to be nonsense as well. Sedona is spiritual in its pure beauty.

I love how you interact with your dad! Such a simple way to bring him and you both so much joy.

I so enjoy hearing your stories of your Dad! Makes me miss mine even more! I could have done better in going with his delusions instead of trying to correct him!

I love that you worked with your Dad on his "fantasy". Being able to keep him happy and in the conversation is so good for both of you.

122.4. The weight can stop going up at any time now! I have been very snacky lately so I guess the increase is deserved!

Finally made it to water aerobics today. It was fun. They do it to a tape most days but have a person leading it twice a week. They said they brave the cold to 50 degrees. Not sure I am that hardy! DH and I also took a bike ride around the community and checked out the lot that we had chosen to build on. I'm so glad we bought an existing place. Mature landscaping, pool already in place, more distance between houses, mailboxes in front of the house instead of a bank of mailboxes!

Leftovers for dinner. Still deciding if I am going to check out "lanai ladies " tonight. It is essentially happy hour at the Clubhouse. I guess they used to meet at people's houses but maybe it got too big. The "garage guys" still meet in resident garages!

Hope you and Justice are adjusting to the snow and cold Liz! Sounds like a nice warm up is on its way for you! Have fun visiting friends and family.

I agree, you made a great choice buying an existing home. You can tweak this one as time and desire allow, while still enjoying all of it right now.

I have never built a home for some of the reasons you listed. I'd rather have it all in place and work on decorating it to my taste.

50 degrees?!?! They do it at our place down to 55 and I think even that is crazy. 60 without much wind is my limit.

I hope you went to "Lanai Ladies". Sounds like a good way to to meet more people.

Greetings all

Big time sun today! It is calm here even though there are high wind warnings in Eureka. The weatherman keeps saying there will be 5 inches of rain but it keeps getting pushed back. So Humboldt. Nothing is ever on time here.

So I barely slept last night for some unknown reason - maybe because I ate dinner late. Won't make that mistake again. It makes me think I really need to address my eating habits since they have kind of been off the rails. Too many carbs. So this morning my eggs were without an English muffin and it is fine. I realize I can whine and ***** all day long but in the end it is in my best interest to be mindful about what I eat and it won't kill me to defer on a few carbs.

So the plan is to make chili for tonight and I will try to refrain from stuffing crackers in a bowl. We shall see.

Liz hope your snow melts soon. Justice will appreciate it.

Paula the club event sounds fun. Good way to meet neighbors. It can be hard to make friends in a new place so that club sounds idea. And garage guys! Good idea.

Peps love your account on your Dad. You really hit the sweet spot in talking with your dad about what interests him and not arguing. Motorcycles! Fun to look at but only look at.

CC those cookies are works of art!! Great job. It is hard to ice those cut outs. Do you have the fancy icing bag things? I think it is fine to keep trying new hobbies - much of the fun is in learning and mastering. Thinking back about spritz cookies I recall part of the process involves chilling the dough so it has the right texture to be pressed in addition to right amount of flour. No chance of me trying any of that soon though I still want to do the almond slices.

DD my sleeve came first. A year or so after I called my brother and suggested he investigate it and he took it from there. A good thing all around.

Well not much is going to get done today due to poor sleep but there is always laundry and picking up.

Diane S

I KNOW I feel more energetic and better overall if I keep on top of the protein, but it's rarely my first impulse. Thanks for the nudge to remind me eating more protein and fewer carbs is not some kind of punishment, it's actually taking care of myself.