What made you smile today?

[danis]

I'm sure you would and I know you are . It's nothing special, she is visiting her best girlfriend who runs a resort on one of the many Maldivian islands. Her mother was supposed to go with her but she wasn't feeling well and everything was already arranged so she went alone.

You know me, I hate flying and one week of sea is more than enough for me - 14 days of Maldives is simply to much for me

 

[Chancer]

@danis I'm sorry your MIL is poorly.

I hate missed opportunities and I've actually never been to the Maldives. We did look into going and staying on one of those open huts built on the Ocean, it looked like absolute heaven. We ended up going to the US and the Bahamas again (short cruise) instead (it worked out much cheaper). I remember the Maldives being uber expensive and having restrictions so I was worried I would get bored too quickly since I like going on adventures. I would have sacrificed to keep your girl and her bff out out of trouble (ish) because I'm nice.

So you don't even like cruises either? Wow. Do you feel comfortable travelling over land or do you just hate long journeys?

 

[danis]

Eh, MIL is all right. Problem was that she "caught covid" (mild cold) a couple of weeks earlier (but her father DID NOT), so she was a bit apprehensive about taking the trip to my surprise. At the end she bailed out. I even joked that nothing would have stopped her from going, that she would be dragging her self to Maldives with just one functional limb like terminator if needed...

I'd have survived if there would be a direct line or a line with minimum waiting periods between flights (she waited 11 hours in Dubai only, not to mention Maldivian inflights...). Or a shorter route to whatever destination.

I haven't been on a boat/ship for a very long time (if that is what you mean by cruises). I believe that would not pose a big issue since we planned to go to Sardinia a few years back...Can't remember why we cancelled that trip...

At the end I like being behind the wheel...I like driving and I like cars (I worked for some time in automotive business) and above all I like a firm ground...

 

[BlueBell]

This morning, as I already wrote to @El Grandote on another thread, I woke up to a house where Cupids and hearts where hanging in every room.

In fact, there is even a huge one at the main door, so that the mail-man and the kids going to school get to enjoy it!

I'll tell you one of my little stories. Stop yawning already

A few years ago, I went to this foreign city of Toronto for a client's meeting; a 6 hour drive in good driving conditions. I also visited a friend of mine, whom I knew had only about two months to live. A very strange and rare illness that fortunately allowed her to stay home with minimum care. She had been my boss at one point in my life.

Upon leaving for Toronto, I stopped by the florist and got four dozens of roses. Why four dozens? They were extremely charming variegated roses; I had never seen roses so beautiful; they cried tenderness.This lady had pushed me back to college and told me that if I got an A average, she would pay for my tuition; she did. She gave me a promotion and I became an executive. I don't know where I found the energy for all that.

I was no fool, I new that she was taking advantage of me, paying me a third of the salary she paid the more senior boys for the same job. (You have to realize that university tuition fees are extremely low where I live.) I resented her for for some time. I found out that resentment is like drinking poison and waiting for the other person to die. I know a PR member uses that phrase as a signature, I just don't remember who. We cleared the air and always remained in contact.

At one point, I took a break from paying work. When the kiddies got out of diapers, the lady, who was now in Toronto, started sending me contracts. I progressively established a home business and expanded my customer base over the years. Had it not been for her, first by pushing me to get that degree, then by giving me responsibilities much higher than what my experience legitimated at the time and finally, by pushing me back to work as a freelancer. I was brought up in a family of artists and intellectuals who had no business acumen.

I was glad for the occasion to tell her all that and to give her the magnificent roses. They pleased her beyond words. I slept there one night, met my client the next day and left the following morning, which happened to be February 14. The weather changed as I was progressing on the highway. Sleet became wet snow and then a full fledge snow storm with high winds. I stopped only once to gas up.

Not having foreseen those terrible conditions, I had taken the small car, to save on gas. When I arrived home, it was just on time for dinner. I extirpated myself from the car in the parking of a Szechuan restaurant to pick-up a take out meal. I was so tense that I swear my arms would not unfold from their 2:10 position on the steering wheel, which I had kept for hours.

I found my DH shovelling the driveway so that I could park easily upon my return. When I entered the kitchen with my precious bag of Chinese food, I was stunned at the sight of a bouquet of the same roses I had offered to my friend. Tears filled my eyes and the stiffness in my body melted away.

My DH, knowing that I was coming back, had gone to see Louise, our favourite florist. He was hesitating as to what to chose. This was Valentine's Day; Louise and her daughter were at their busiest. As the daughter had started preparing a bouquet, the mother came up from her workshop downstairs. She recognised DH and said "Oh, this is for SoTired. Don't move, I know what would really make her happy." She went back downstairs and came back with the last dozen of those magical roses, that she had kept especially for me.

Two days before, I had done the puzzles in the daily newspaper and the hidden phrase was a Chinese proverb: " Some perfume always lingers on the hand that offers flowers." It took a turn to a prediction of kinds and It stayed with me, as you'll notice if you pay attention to my signature.

Our darling Louise died young. She had touched so many people in our neighbourhood that her children couldn't believe the large attendance at her funeral. Since then, my DH has visited other florists, but they fail to inspire him. As I said in my previous post. Showing love is not about buying things. But then, today, he took an hour off from work to go to the grocery store for oysters, and he saw this pretty rose bush in a plastic pot. That spoke to him. Next summer, it will make a permanent home in our flowerbeds. I might eventually ask @Binky for tips to make sure it stay healthy inside.

I'm a terrible photographer, but you'll get the gist.

View attachment 51415

Let his be the day of the hundred smiles.

where ya been @SoTired ?
Hope okay wherever ya are .
You always have seemed like a kind person and smart too. maybe sharp is a better word.
anyway hope your world is okay.
thank you for all your posts about life as you know it.
regards,

 

[Chancer]

@danis So I bet you wouldn't mind speeding down the Autobahn at crazy speeds in preference to a ship/plane? I wonder which is safer? Now that questions going to bug me . You don't even notice you are on a cruise (until you look over the railings ). They are huge but the stabilisers stop them from having any real noticeable motion. I'm pretty sure they use better stabilisers that some war ships, I know the navy gripes about 'costs' for the stabilisers when building certain ships. Although they do use those tiny water planes in the Maldives so even I would be wary, although I would still definitely go.

So sad she didn't go, I would have been absolutely devastated. I hope she gets another opportunity to go another time. I even went backpacking to Asia with a broken spine, all part of my recovery.

 

[danis]

@Chancer Eh, looks like i'm getting old(-er), I was actually on river boat trip in 2008 with my coworkers. A quasy river rafting of sorts...An excuse for excessive partying...

I'll take the Autobahn 3 times out of 5...Otherwise my missis would complain. Fuck it, I like speed, but I like her too

She already was in the Maldives couple of years ago.

 

[Chancer]

I'll take the Autobahn 3 times out of 5...Otherwise my missis would complain. Fuck it, I like speed, but I like her too

Smart choice

 

[BlueBell]

my knee did not hurt as much as usual

 

[Chancer]

Trying to understand why some analogies make sense and others are nonsensical has gave me a baffling smile.

Perhaps this will help give a few more smiles;

'Don't throw stones in glass houses' makes perfect sense, right?

But...

'Its like trying to have your cake and eat it too'. How does that make sense? Why would you have a cake if you didn't want to eat it? Nonsensical, right?!? Yet, we all know it means we want it all but it's a contradiction in common-sense, why else would you WANT to HAVE a YOUR cake, you can tell its serious when I emphasis my bafflement with capitals.

Any other nonsensical analogies out there? You can tell my insomnia is playing funny buggers if I'm posting such trivia after 1am . OK, I'm taking another sleeping pill then hopefully I will magically get to sleep and one of you geniuses will have solved this to get my morning off to a caffeine free bang.

 

[Red53]

I keep seeing adverts for gummie bears that are supposed to help with pain and anxiety. Anyone know what this is all about or am I going mad and reading too much into things.

 

[Santa's little helper]

Only two things are infinite; the universe and human stupidity, unsure about the former
> more of a smirk

 

[danis]

@Santa's little helper I firmly believe (this is just about enough in these highly scientific days - believing not proving, feelings not facts), that human stupidity has no boundaries at all...As evidenced practically on a daily basis...

On the other hand, what made me smile today (ehh, a few days back), I can boast my self with the most trivial achievement - bought a pair of quality sneackers from Hilfiger for 60€ (instead of 120). They're so butt ugly that are absolutely gorgeous. The rest of the money went for gas...Win-win in my (superficial) book

 

[Santa's little helper]

quality snickers? sneakers yes, I know. Retail therapy is the best. Negotiated my first line of credit after a protracted financial tax thing
< bit of empowerment

 

[danis]

@Santa's little helper Shit, thanx. Didn't even noticed. Subconsciously thinking on food...

 

[Santa's little helper]

Sex and food are basic desires @danis; cant believe how hungry for input these days, world seems a bit shallow right now

 

[Santa's little helper]

mmm, crisps there Chancer. post coitus snack

 

[Chancer]

bought a pair of quality sneackers

Do not let our American brethren corrupt you my friend. Its trainers and those ones sound fantastic. Next thing we know you will be spelling colour wrong then I would be devastated at having to block you for the sheer blasphemy.

 

[Chancer]

I keep seeing adverts for gummie bears that are supposed to help with pain and anxiety. Anyone know what this is all about or am I going mad and reading too much into things.

I'm noticing alot of vitamins and minerals that are coming in gummy form, so it makes perfect sense. I'ts like when they used to make flavoured meds for children to make it easier to take. Whether the fillers are safer/worst/irrelevant I have no idea.

I would worry that they could be easier to abuse. The sweetner alone will have addictive qualities so it could be more dangerous with things like Paracetamol or strong pain meds etc.

 

[FTLsloth]

@Red53 Are they CBD gummies? I see those everywhere.

 

[Santa's little helper]

I keep seeing adverts for gummie bears that are supposed to help with pain and anxiety. Anyone know what this is all about or am I going mad and reading too much into things.

I'm noticing alot of vitamins and minerals that are coming in gummy form, so it makes perfect sense. I'ts like when they used to make flavoured meds for children to make it easier to take. Whether the fillers are safer/worst/irrelevant I have no idea.

I would worry that they could be easier to abuse. The sweetner alone will have addictive qualities so it could be more dangerous with things like Paracetamol or strong pain meds etc.