Reading

Saturday 26/07/2025

1) Breakfast on my sunny balcony

2) Going to a fly-in this afternoon, I love those older airplanes

3) Trying some new easy methods to clean my bathtub

Friday 25/07/2025

1) I managed to sort out an administrative problem with the government

2) Finished reading a good book and starting on a new one right away

3) Completed a pilates lesson

Entry tags:

community: thursday recs

Thursday Recs are here again, yay!

Do you have a rec for this week? Just reply to this post with something queer or queer-adjacent (such as, soap made by a queer person that isn't necessarily queer themed) that you'd, well, recommend. Self-recs are welcome, as are recs for fandom-related content!

Or have you tried something that's been recced here? Do you have your own report to share about it? I'd love to hear about it!

Two more wedding letters

1. Dear Care and Feeding,

I’m getting married next year, and my mom is helping me with a lot of the planning. She’s great at this stuff, and super excited to help (and I’m glad to have her—she’s one of my best friends!). But we’re worried about squabbling—or to be honest, yelling at each other—during the process. We’re VERY close, but prone to fighting about nonsense things. Any tips for avoiding a repeat of my (very loud) teenage years while we plan?

—My Fiancé is Very Calm, By the Way

( Read more... )

**************

2. Dear Prudence,

I am an only child and my mother has always been … let’s call it “involved” with my life, and I have done my best to deal with it. Two years ago, I met my now-fiancée, “Arista,” and we are getting married in November. Last week, my mother came to me demanding that I call off our engagement. As it turns out, she had had a professional background check done on Arista, and she really did not like what she’d found.

After her little snoop-about, my mother discovered that she used to be in adult entertainment. The thing is, Arista was up front with me about this early on in our relationship and it doesn’t matter to me. However, I had intended to not say anything to my mother because I knew she would react like this, but more importantly, it wasn’t her business.

When I told my mom as much, she blew up and told me that I couldn’t sully our family by “marrying a whore.” I told her this wasn’t her decision and that she could either treat my future wife with the respect and decency she deserves or sit out the wedding. Now she’s told everyone in the family. Many are supportive and think she’s nuts, but some have shared her reaction. Is this grounds for removing her from my life for good?

—Pilloried By the Past

( Read more... )

(no subject)

My mother-in-law, “Hannah,” is a retired pediatrician, and self-appointed captain of our kids’ health care. Whenever we take our kids to the doctor, we have to have a post-visit debrief with Hannah, who demands every detail before offering her own (unsolicited) advice. Often, her advice contradicts the pediatrician’s recommendations, and she will get upset when we take the doctor’s side over hers.

My husband, “Tom,” says it’s better to humor her and pay lip-service to following her recommendations. I get that it’s his mom, but I’m the one fielding the questions! (Tom does what he can, but I’m usually the one taking them to the doctor and talking to her after.) I’m just sick and tired of dealing with this.

—Enough

( Read more... )

Entry tags:

Carolyn Hax: LW thinks fifth bride in family's wedding is not as big a deal

Dear Carolyn: I have five children, two daughters. “Lynn” is 40, and “Emma” is 29. Lynn got married 15 years ago, and since she was the first bride of the younger generation, a big fuss was made over her wedding by me, my two sisters and especially my mother.

Emma is getting married next month, but since she is the fifth and last bride in our family, it’s not as big a deal. That’s the way it was in the previous generation, too, because this happened to my sister, the sixth bride that time around.

Complicating matters is the fact that Lynn is a stay-at-home mom of four whose husband recently left her for another woman. She is in a tailspin and requiring a lot of support. The whole family of women are pulling together for her, cooking, cleaning, taking turns sleeping at her house, etc. Except for my mom, we all have full-time jobs, which two of us didn’t have 15 years ago.

All that leaves us with little time or energy to focus on Emma’s wedding, which I thought she would understand. When she asked when we would all be making the usual desserts and decorations for the reception, no one felt they could commit.

Emma was hurt and pointed out what everyone did for Lynn, but we can’t even “do the minimum” for her. I was blindsided by her anger. I’m sorry we did more for her sister and cousins, but Lynn has the greater need right now.

I told Emma her father and I are paying for everything just like we did for her sister, and she could ask her friends to help.

Am I/are we being unfair to Emma?

— Blindsided

( Read more... )

Thursday 24/07/2025

1) Woke up with sunshine (it didn’t last long but it was a good start of the day)

2) Reading a good book

3) I’m collecting my order this afternoon ^_^

Wednesday 23/07/2025

1) Went to the market for yummy strawberries

2) The books and comics I bought for my nephew and niece were a success

3) I’ve gotten the chores on my to-do list done

Tuesday 22/07/2025

1) I love the flowers on my balcony ^_^ Ideal to drink my morning coffee amongst them

2) Lovely call with my godmother

3) Visit to my godchild in the afternoon

Current Mood: curious

Entry tags:

Ask a Manager: Hiring a coach to teach someone not to be a jerk

( Read more... )

Monday 21/07/2025

1) Breakfast and lunch on my (mostly) sunny balcony

2) Clean bedlinen for tonight

3) Reading a good book

Sunday 20/07/2025

1) The Sudden showers of rain rain yesterday and last night have refreshed the air

2) Dinner at my parents’s place

3) Enjoying their garden if it remains dry today

Saturday 19/07/2025

1) I’ve spent the evening reading on my balcony until it became too dark ♥

2) Visit to the libraries today (yes, both of them ^_^)

3) Yummy leftovers for dinner

Friday 18/07/2025

1) I’ve bought a gorgeous flowering plant in discount yesterday and this morning i’ve properly installed it on my balcony

2) Reading a good book on said balcony surrounded by colourful flowers and friendly bees

3) Picking up my latest painting at the atelier this afternoon

Entry tags:

community: thursday recs

Thursday Recs

What's this I spy? Why, it's Thursday Recs coming in over the horizon!

Do you have a rec for this week? Just reply to this post with something queer or queer-adjacent (such as, soap made by a queer person that isn't necessarily queer themed) that you'd, well, recommend. Self-recs are welcome, as are recs for fandom-related content!

Or have you tried something that's been recced here? Do you have your own report to share about it? I'd love to hear about it!

(no subject)

My 4-year-old transitioned to a big-kid bed more than six months ago. Since the switch, every time he wakes up (at night, super early in the morning, etc.), he comes into our room needing us (and waking us up). Sometimes he is crying because he is scared, but often it just feels like an automatic thing he’s doing. We always march him back to his room and don’t let him get in bed with us. We have tried what feels like everything: a reward chart for a bigger reward he gets to pick, a small reward each day he stays in his room, a light that changes color when he can come out of his room, talks at times other than when we’re dealing with it in the moment about staying in his room, some books about being afraid of the dark, a special box of toys to play with when he wakes up, a fun galaxy light, a Yoto he can listen to … nothing has worked.

I don’t want to lock him in for a variety of reasons. I feel like we’re almost back in the baby stages of being woken up at night! I was hoping it was just a phase we’d get through, but it’s really dragging on at this point. He’s also been tired during the day so he’s not getting enough sleep. Any ideas?

—Mom in the Land of 10,000 Yawns

( Read more... )

Entry tags:

Ask a Manager: Failed Religious Training At Work

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Thursday 17/07/2025

1) Breakfast and lunch on my sunny balcony while listening to the birds chirping merrily

2) Discovered a new series which is excellent to watch with headphones when my neighbours have visitors ^_~

3) Visiting a garden center in the open air this afternoon

Wednesday 16/07/2025

1) I still have lots more energy :D I’m so happy

2) Went to the market for vegetables and lots of yummy fruit

3) A couple of long awaited packages will be arriving today ^_^ Never mind that I paid for them, it feels like presents are coming my way

Tuesday 15/07/2025

1) The new way of getting my medication is a huge success, I feel much less tired than usual *crosses fingers the next days will remain the same*

2) Enjoyed the sunshine on my balcony in a deckchair, heavenly ♥

3) Starting to diet properly again but with more salt his time ^^