The Chit Chat Chit Chat Thread

[Cesar R M]

You could be a tour guide. The explanations of everything is so interesting! I love the painted buildings, and that "ceiling" of umbrellas is so pretty!

I would need to get informed way more to be a tour operator lol.

But thank you anyway!

 

[21stamps]

That is awful! They need to see where their money goes. I know private school teachers do not get paid as much as public school teachers do. Is there a minimum amount they want for the envelopes?

No, just a contributing member. I think every church expects that, I’m ok with it.. but we go less and less often to our parish weekend mass, their times don’t mesh with T’s sports... Sunday evening work best for us...but really it depends on the weekend. Other times we do Sunday morning at our parish.

Our pastor has been talking about the budget for close to a year now. I know the church has made some changes, but it’s a relatively affluent parish, so I never really took it to heart beyond a guilt factor for people to give more.

Apparently the school changes are due to the way tuition has been set up, not raising enough year after year, but mostly with multiple children. There was a huge discount for 2 children, same with 3+.... .they have adjusted those as well now.. and 4th or 5th child will not be charged base tuition. I’d say most families have between 3-5 kids, 3-4 being the most common.

Here’s a few excerpts from the email to the entire parish last month. This might help explain.













The school email came separately on Friday, only to families with students enrolled in the school.

Here’s an excerpt explaining the multi student discount, and “new” payment plan available for the 19/20 school year (it has always been one payment in June, or 2 payments 1 in June and 1 in December, now they are offering a monthly plan for 11 months)




This one came the day before..



I will give our school a lot of credit, especially compared to public.. we have a much smaller staff than public schools.. and we have a lot more volunteers. I do not think any of the positions are wasteful. I’m shocked though because we also do a TON of fundraising for the school.. I just didn’t see this coming. High School sounds far off, but 5 years isn’t that far away, and high school tuition gets more obnoxious by the year.. I have a special savings dedicated to high school.. the grade school tuition hike was a curveball though., I look at what I’m now spending on school and sports these days and it makes my head spin, especially since I know it’s going to continue to get worse.
I guess I’m just whining, so much has changed in such a short time.

Thank you! A parent recorded the result ceremony for their division after 4th place was announced and they hadn't been called. When 3rd was called and it wasn't them, the area where us parents were sitting started getting a little loud. We knew at that point they were going to US Finals with a 2nd place bid. ( You need to be invited to go to compete.) Then when second was called and it wasn't them, we were even louder out of shear shock. I am thinking maybe a bit too loud??? Then when they called first we were out of our seats in a jiffy. Tears on everyone's faces. A day to remember. They were the second or smallest team. Only 9 girls. The other teams had way more kids. I thought we had no chance, but apparently the coaches know how to put a routine together. They just about maxed out the difficulty points.

This is so amazing!!!! I’m excited for you!!!

 

[Santa Raccoon 77]

That is certainly different!

Its a small cardboard puzzle. Only about 10 mins assembly time.

 

[ajrwdwgirl]

It might have been covered before but I just missed it. How many have seen Mary Poppins Returns? I saw it back awhile ago and even though it started out seeming like sacrilege, once I let myself get emotionally involved, I found it to be very good. Some of the songs were as touching as in the original, and the ones that were light hearted and fun (The Cover is not the Book) and some very moving (Place where lost things go). There isn't the degree of acceptance that the original received, but, if some stayed away because it was not going to be the same missed out on some good things not to mention some of the prop used in the first movie. The scene with D ick Van D yke was amazing to see a 90+ year old man doing a little dance on a desk and the original Jane in a cameo.

I saw it twice in the theater and I can't wait to buy it on DVD when it comes out. I actually enjoyed it more than the original. I think Emily Blunt had a little more edge to her that I liked.

 

[MinnieM123]

My local news said 3 - 6 even when the storm started last night. The weather channel said 8 - 12. I think the weather channel was right. I also think I'm not going into work at my regular time.

So, the stats are in: officially 13.3 inches for my area. Nice.

After shovelling the front steps this morning, I then left after 6 AM, and it was still snowing heavily. Walking to the bus stop was a bit of a challenge, because the plows hadn't quite cleaned up the intersections of roads (I was walking in the streets--too early for any sidewalks to be cleared). That was a bit dicey in a few spots, because sometimes the plows would come around blind corners, and I had to bolt to the other side of the street. But what's life without a little excitement?

Took me about 25 minutes to walk to a bus stop, and then I waited about 15 minutes for the highway bus, at 6:40. There were only 5 people on the bus all the way into the city! Then I had a 25 minute walk to get to work from the financial district.

All in all, it was fun! I was hungry when I got to work, and detoured to the cafeteria and had scrambled eggs with melted cheese, and home fried potatoes, and orange juice.

 

[MinnieM123]

Trust me when I say that that Jealousy would not exist if you knew what winter in those areas are like. 63 years of experience talking here!

Different strokes, my friend. Mr. Ferret and I like a good snowstorm! Winter is fun.

 

[ajrwdwgirl]

So, the stats are in: officially 13.3 inches for my area. Nice.

After shovelling the front steps this morning, I then left after 6 AM, and it was still snowing heavily. Walking to the bus stop was a bit of a challenge, because the plows hadn't quite cleaned up the intersections of roads (I was walking in the streets--too early for any sidewalks to be cleared). That was a bit dicey in a few spots, because sometimes the plows would come around blind corners, and I had to bolt to the other side of the street. But what's life without a little excitement?

Took me about 25 minutes to walk to a bus stop, and then I waited about 15 minutes for the highway bus, at 6:40. There were only 5 people on the bus all the way into the city! Then I had a 25 minute walk to get to work from the financial district.

All in all, it was fun! I was hungry when I got to work, and detoured to the cafeteria and had scrambled eggs with melted cheese, and home fried potatoes, and orange juice.

Sounds like an adventure getting to work although the breakfast you had sounds good. I hope you reveled in your 13.3 inches. Did you make any snow angels or make any snowballs?

 

[MinnieM123]

Surprised that Snow White was only 14.

By the way, good to see you back here--I realize you've been very busy. And Happy Birthday to A!!!

 

[MinnieM123]

Sounds like an adventure getting to work although the breakfast you had sounds good. I hope you reveled in your 13.3 inches. Did you make any snow angels or make any snowballs?

No, there was no time for snowmen, etc. On the way home, I did see a bunch of snowmen, though! All the schools were off today, so lots of kiddos were out playing and making snowmen (for me to enjoy)!

 

[SteveBrickNJ]

No, there was no time for snowmen, etc. On the way home, I did see a bunch of snowmen, though! All the schools were off today, so lots of kiddos were out playing and making snowmen (for me to enjoy)!

Thinking back over this winter @MinnieM123, how many times was school closed for the entire day?
We've amazingly had only 1 full day closing this year!

 

[21stamps]

So, the stats are in: officially 13.3 inches for my area. Nice.

After shovelling the front steps this morning, I then left after 6 AM, and it was still snowing heavily. Walking to the bus stop was a bit of a challenge, because the plows hadn't quite cleaned up the intersections of roads (I was walking in the streets--too early for any sidewalks to be cleared). That was a bit dicey in a few spots, because sometimes the plows would come around blind corners, and I had to bolt to the other side of the street. But what's life without a little excitement?

Took me about 25 minutes to walk to a bus stop, and then I waited about 15 minutes for the highway bus, at 6:40. There were only 5 people on the bus all the way into the city! Then I had a 25 minute walk to get to work from the financial district.

All in all, it was fun! I was hungry when I got to work, and detoured to the cafeteria and had scrambled eggs with melted cheese, and home fried potatoes, and orange juice.

I admire you. I can hear the happiness in your voice...

...I would still be defrosting and cursing under my breath.

I am sooooo over the cold!!!

 

[21stamps]

Thinking back over this winter @MinnieM123, how many times was school closed for the entire day?
We've amazingly had only 1 full day closing this year!

Wow that is great! We’ve had more this year than ever before. I think 3-4 closings.

 

[MinnieM123]

Thinking back over this winter @MinnieM123, how many times was school closed for the entire day?
We've amazingly had only 1 full day closing this year!

I think there were a few days, but more so out in the western part of the state. In the Boston metropolitan area, there were some late starts (like 2 hour delays) on some school days, but maybe just a very few all-day closures this winter. Odd, actually--we usually get more sizeable snowstorms.

 

[NateD1226]

Hey! I am Nate! You probably have seen me throughout all of the forums but I haven't been here! I love to chat with people and make new friends!

 

[93boomer]

Its a small cardboard puzzle. Only about 10 mins assembly time.

Better than that 5000 one!!

 

[ajrwdwgirl]

Thinking back over this winter @MinnieM123, how many times was school closed for the entire day?
We've amazingly had only 1 full day closing this year!

We've had 9 closings and 1 two hour delay.

 

[SteveBrickNJ]

We've had 9 closings and 1 two hour delay.

What happens to make up all those days? Teach until June 30th?

 

[21stamps]

We've had 9 closings and 1 two hour delay.

Oh my gosh. Is the school year being extended as a result?

I feel like that happened to me once when I was a child.

 

[21stamps]

What happens to make up all those days? Teach until June 30th?

Ha! Jinx!

 

[CoreNovawarAMM]

Surprised that Snow White was only 14.

Yes, that is an interesting thing about most of the original fairy tales...how young the princesses were. I think Snow White may have been even younger in the original.