Stores that allow dogs include Ross, TJ Maxx, Marshall's, Lowe's, Macy's, Nordstrom's, Home Depot, Tractor Supply Company, Bass Pro Shops/Cabela's, *any* pet store (PetSmart, PetCo, etc.), many Barnes & Noble stores...
I've gone to off-leash parks and they'll have a porta-potty or public restroom, depending on the park. My favorite dog park has REAL restrooms conveniently located (as well as a dog wash but that's not relevant.)
You can also use restrooms at rest stops. Either keep him in the car with windows lowered and sun roof open with a note saying you're taking a quick potty break or bring him in to the restroom with you. I've dragged George into restrooms any number of times (I've used handicapped a couple times, which totally goes against my grain but he's a big dog and can be reactive so it's easiest when we're walking or meandering to keep him in a stall with me.)
ETA: I'm reading about your rest stops scenario. Living in Ohio and driving the turnpike, I know the ones you're talking about. Forget what I said about the rest areas. They're nothing like we have in WA with lots of trees and grass and even dog walking/potty areas.
Congratulations brooke77 ! Paying off SLs is an amazing accomplishment, and it feels great when that last check is signed, sealed and delivered. We still celebrate (and mourn that we didn't do the in-person delivery and flip them the bird as we drove off into the sunset, lol.) Best of luck with your plans. Except for the heat and humidity, I really liked the area. I *loved* my daughter's house and development, and there are a lot of opportunities in the area. Sad that she moved to Jax, although there *are* beaches and she lives basically in a resort community now and there's less traffic.
We're debating on getting a weekend/second home. It's a lot easier to just be able to pack up and go "let's head out to the weekend place" and just head out without needing to worry about stuff like who takes dogs and the like. Problem is, we can't decide between a cabin in the mountains or a place at the beach. They both have their positives and negatives. I'm not really a beach person, but there's one town that has a *lot* available and is on miles of canal, with the beach on one side of town and bay on the other. Or there's mountain cabins near two lakes we like...which are also a mid-point between us and my son and grandkids. They'd drive eight hours to stay at the beach with us though, if we had a beach house. lol. Both are within 2.5-3 hours from us. Also, do we go now, even with a hot sellers' market, or wait until it cools off a bit, probably next year? So many questions.
I'm so sorry to hear this. And you as well @alex011
If you don't mind me adding to the F Cancer, my kids' little brother (half-brother, actually since he's ex's kid with his current wife, but...BROTHER) was diagnosed with testicular cancer last year. He's 24 and on the spectrum so didn't know there as anything wrong until it was really, really wrong. They actually took him to the hospital for a lung x-ray because he was having trouble breathing and his ox levels were low, so they feared COVID or pneumonia. They found the cancer because it had traveled to his lungs. He's the baby of the family at 24 and is undergoing chemo and radio.
I'm hopeful they found your H's early enough, and you have the contacts and wherewithal for treatment and care. I can't imagine what you're going through and I'm praying for you and yours.
My kids are 13 and 14. They both want the vaccine. Their Dad is vehemently against it (he's a T*%$p supporter if that tells you anything). We have shared legal custody so neither of us can make this decision alone. Unless I take him to court, I'm screwed, aren't I? Any suggestions? Has anyone successfully converted an anti-covid-vaxxer?
The kids are 13 and 14. In WA, they have a say (or actually in many cases *the* determination) in their medical care and treatment. Mine had to sign waivers for their medical care as well as authorizations granting me permission for release of information. They don't even have to tell their dad they're vaccinated if they get one because HIPAA. Not likely the direction you want to go since it keeps their dad out of the loop, but if they want to get vaccinated, it's an option open to them here.
Is going out with a couple friends on the rebound to a sports bar and the friend of my friend was wanting to hook up with a guy in this other group a random meet cute or an "other" type of meet?
Great room/open concept for good flow and no unnecessary wasted space. Kitchen requirements would include island, pantry, double oven and plenty of storage and counter space.
3/2 Bdrm/bath. (One bdrm/bath would be master suite.) Split floorplan so that master is on the opposite side of the house from the two bedrooms. Bathrooms would need adequate storage.
Walk-in closet with organizers in master. Reach-in closets in other bdrms, also with organizers.
Office space.
Laundry with laundry sink (laundry sink is an absolute necessity. I never realized how much I would miss mine until I didn't have one.)
2+ car garage with storage.
Covered rear lanai/patio for outdoor living (the ones we have here are open on 2 sides with a gas fireplace for winter/rain) Front porch.
I have a very common name (you see it on the internet all the time now when racism is called out) but with a very uncommon spelling. I've met only two other people with the same spelling (though I've seen it several times elsewhere) and they both happened to be within two weeks of each other, about thirty-five years ago.
DH is WFH since the pandemic but the firm is talking about phasing in a return to the office starting at the end of the month. Which is totally reasonable with our COVID numbers rising and our region very likely moving back from a phase 3 to a phase 2. Some of the employees are talking that they want a hybrid at the very least, or to continue to WFH at this point in time.
And of course this is the first place I came to see if it was posted. I’m surprised as everyone else. I’ve always thought of them as rock solid as any couple could be. I don’t think we’ll ever know the reasons. They’ve always been pretty locked up, and they won’t expose their kids to anything either.
I know it’s easy to say and hard to do when it’s” be the bigger person.” If he doesn’t take the kids to get the present they wanted to get you, or if he talks them out of it and into something cheap and impersonal, then express appreciation, but honestly your oldest is/are old enough to have “the talk” later, about how gifts are personal and buying something impersonal and not thoughtful is not considerate and does not show the care and feeling you would hope they would show to those they care about. You give them money and let them shop for their dad because THEY love him, regardless of your feelings. I think that they are in some way trying to bring that feeling to their dad, that it’s your birthday and THEY love you and part of that is their dad being involved in the celebration, no matter how small that part might be, and whether they even realize they are doing it. Your generosity to your ex, as their dad, is showing and they want it reciprocated. If he’s an ass it will show, and it will only harm their relationship with him. Even though it hurts, you are doing the right thing. If he’s a jerk about it, next year it the year after, they’ll simply shop without him there ruining their joy at shopping for you. (I hope this makes sense and lacks stupid typos. I’m on my phone tiny screen and old lady eyes.)
Food and my discretionary income. I get more than enough to spend/save/etc. but end up mostly on the spend part of the equation. On food, shopping for the heck of it, and so forth. I'm a "toss it in the cart" at Costco and "sure, we can get that little item, and that one too, since it's only a couple bucks, why not?" which can add quite a bit each trip, but since COVID I've cut the number of trips way down. DH is good at the saving, knows how I am at the spending and is fine with it, so with what we're still saving I suppose I can be fine with it as well.
The biggest irregular expense is helping my kids when they ask for or need help. My son just moved and needed help covering something since he'd paid for his wedding and the move, my other son had a plumbing issue just after he'd paid for another home renovation, etc. My "discretionary" covers these types of sudden impulses and expenses but then I have to tighten my belt at Costco for a week or so.
Not political political but on the good news front, a Black police officer from Buffalo had her pension reinstated and backpay ordered after she was fired in 2008 for stopping a white police officer from using a choke-hold on a restrained, handcuffed detainee. She's been in litigation for the past decade trying to get her pension reinstated, as she was terminated one year before her 20 year pension was effective. (I hope she got backpay to thirty years, not just the one year missing, and her entire pension was recalculated to make allowances for termination versus staying on the force, etc.) The judge stated that George Floyd and Eric Garner, et al. show why it was imperative that Officer Horne react as she did and her termination showed why others would not step forward in the same situation.
For many, tasers are worn on the same side as the gun (see in video the other officer had it on the same side) because it's used by the dominant hand, or it's cross-body but holstered to be grabbed by the dominant hand. But you'd think that even muscle memory would tell you that if it's on the opposite side, you reach cross-body for the taser. So apparently the gun is the automatic muscle-memory device she's accustomed to reaching for.
H is finally willing to take more vacations now that he's older and realizing that it's better to do it now. We make enough now that the kiddos will have college paid for since our other debts are paid off. (We planned that way rather than 529s due to the ages we adopted them - they weren't babies but were too young for adoption credits/scholarships.) We ramped up savings and are updating the house, inside and out.
We live in the same house we purchased sixteen years ago, rather than upgrading as our income rose. (We're more than triple the income of when we purchased the house.) It's a suitable house and with the grands approaching college we don't *need* anything "bigger and better" and we are approaching retirement as well. We have reasonable cars that are paid for and don't trade them in for fancier versions that we don't need at this time.
For the most part it's simply that we don't have to worry as we used to. We can go out to dinner when I don't want to cook, we can buy what we want (within reason) when we want. We can blow far too much money at the casino just for fun (DH likes to gamble, I stress if I lose $20 at the slots, lol) if we so desired, without feeling a pinch. (And I spend/give way too much to my kids still. lol.)
It's all in the priorities. Ours is getting the grands through college, having a decent retirement (we started our retirement savings late) and not having to worry about money now or in the future, with the ability to finally relax at times during the year.
Ok cool so Citizens United was decided wrong and he will no longer accept any money that is coming from corporations,right?
Oh no! Of course not! Corporate money is good. Corporations are people when it comes to giving money. They're just not people when it comes to taking action. McTurtle said so. "Oh, no, Coca-Cola. We want your money. But we want you to shut up and just give us the money without giving an opinion beyond what your money buys from the Republican party."
At one point when I was 18 that was actually what I wanted to do. I would be able to work on boats but have a dedicated home base, which was sort of my goal. I then realized I would be working crazy shift work (lots of ships arrive at midnight) or could easily have 16 hour days and nah. @@@ Even at a very young age I realized that navigation work was not going to be conducive to family life.
BIL is a NYC area harbor pilot. Basically on call at home 24/7 most of the month, waiting for the call that a cargo/cruise ship is coming in soon. He went to the merchant marine academy for college, and then a full-time apprenticeship for 7 years before he could become fully licensed for the Hudson River.
It was a much faster process for DH to become an airline pilot 😂
SIL is basically commercial vetted because he joined the military and flew Boeing aircraft for patrol. It took nowhere near 7 years to get him into the pilot's seat. ;P
I don't but a friend of mine has...three currently. Her driveway looks like a Mini dealership. She just picked up a convertible and has two roadsters. The roadsters are daily drivers and weekend racers; she takes them to the race course and runs them. They are a blast.
(Not relevant info but I wanted to add because THREE minis...that she races. Fun stuff.)
I'm not familiar with the details, but did Matt Gaetz accuse tucker Carlson of a sex scandal on Tucker's show? I thought I saw something referring to that.
He said in an interview last Tuesday that Carlson and his wife went to dinner with Gaetz and a date...and that date was apparently the girl who is making the claim so basically "but you met her, Tucker!" which Tucker says he doesn't recall happening.
It looks like Major needs muzzle training and some intensive socialization. He needs to learn when he needs to be and not be protective, and to not snap when startled. Because he's going to be in the news all.the.time as a Biden.
I think the guns argument in this is a red herring. Sure the initial argument is about guns and seizure, maybe something close to the "red flag" laws we're seeing crop up. Overall, though, the argument isn't about guns at all, but the ability of the police to enter houses without a warrant.
Yup. The article starts talking about guns...but then loud music, arguments, and other "reasonable caretaking" means the police can basically use *any* justification to conduct a warrantless search and seizure of property, whether it be guns or money or other items. (Think of all the cars and money confiscated and sold for profit or kept for budget from searches and seizures, even after the defendant is acquitted, for example.)
I think I've posted this before, but when we drive to Cannon Beach, we stop in Astoria and watch the ships change pilots. A container ship takes at least *3* pilots to navigate the different waters out here. There is the pilot that navigates across the ocean. Then they stop at the mouth of the Columbia River and that pilot is replaced by one that is licensed to navigate only the mouth of the Columbia, where the waters are challenging because you have (fresh) river water meeting the (salt) ocean water, going different directions and creating eddies and complex currents. Once the boat is brought into the Columbia River they stop and then that pilot is relieved by one who will navigate it up the river to the inland ports. There's a restaurant on the river in Astoria where we would sit and watch the pilots exchange. It's really interesting to see all these freighters stop in a line to wait for the change of pilots.
(I used to also have an office just at the bend of the Cuyahoga River in Cleveland and it was pretty impressive watching the smaller freighters navigate the 90-degree turn just below our conference room windows, coming down the Cuyahoga from Lake Erie
We decided to not uproot and move. We have two adopted granddaughters and when they moved in with us we didn't want to leave the school district or the local friends they developed. That was more important than more house than I wanted to keep clean. The grands are in high school so technically we could uproot and move, but we are closer to retirement than a move would warrant. But there is a *lot* we would like to improve about this house...and so now we are, with 10-15 years left to live in it before we sell.
We're considering instead a second/weekend home rather than upgrading the one we have to bigger, shinier, flashier. We're in a good school district, good part of town, good quality of life, etc. Not moving or upgrading has afforded us the ability to pay off our current mortgage, set aside money for the grands' college (we adopted right at that time when it was only a few years out but they don't qualify for older-adopt scholarships, etc), put a lot more into retirement than we otherwise would have (we got a late start due to school loans and smaller incomes in days past) and so forth.
You're in a good place but when your kids move out, what are your plans for the big house? That was what kept us in the smaller house. We didn't want to upgrade, only to downgrade a few years down the road, which is what weighed into our decision. (We'd move into a one-story in a nicer neighborhood with a water view or a mature lot, but that's pretty much the only scenario in which we would consider moving...in four years after they're both out of high school.)