I love credit cards so much! v2.0 (see first page for add'l details)

[PolyRob]

I had a super awful day at work, just sitting reading catching up on the thread, just made my night! I'm all for the toaster strudels I prefer raspberry, but have not had them for a few years. I try not to buy them otherwise I will eat them all!

Yes! This thread helps keep me sane. I had lots of free time this afternoon, but figured I should check on something I need for work tomorrow. To my surprise, some coworker totally messed something up and I had to fix it while dealing with a Windows update. Catching up here after finishing that is helping me decompress LOL

 

[PolyRob]

It's crazy - you guys got rain when Dorian rolled through though, lol so I think you have me beat.

It rained in Pittsburgh overnight on 9/1 and since then it has not rained...at all...once... I know this because I got our driveway re-done & a basketball court put in back and then I planted a bunch of grass the week after Labor day... and now every night I get to spend an hour of quality time with my hose watering said grass because IT WON'T RAIN!!!!! I seriously do not understand how it has not rained at all in almost 3 weeks. And our long term forecast shows no rain until Monday... This is nuts!!

I finally put in all kinds of drainage (and spent a lot of money doing it) to avoid getting water in my basement, (for those of you that recall that story from 2018 right before we went to Myrtle)...and now it will never rain in Pittsburgh again. Haha!

French drains are clutch

 

[PolyRob]

Does anyone have a luggage scale they really like? The one I had died. It did both lb and kg which was nice. I'm hoping to get it from amazon since I'm not planning on buying enough anywhere else to get free shipping

I've been using this scale for 5-ish years:

https://www.amazon.com/Etekcity-Dig...coding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=82KPEFMGJBC1DYN3QGP7
I had to replace the batteries last year and it is very accurate. Resort airline check-in is always impressed with how close I can get to 50 lbs without actually going over

 

[SouthFayetteFan]

French drains are clutch

I had a french drain and a sump pump when my basement flooded last year. The volume of water in that storm was just so immense that it filled the entire drain, overwhelmed the pump, and well...there ya go. (That particular storm flooded places that I'd never seen flooded all around Pittsburgh though - restaurants under 6 feet of water and crazy stuff like that). For us though, this was the 2nd time in as many years as we dealt with water in a finished basement. My first move after the 2nd time was to install a larger volume sump pump which also has a battery backup secondary pump that will kick on in the event of a power outage OR will kick on if the primary pump becomes overwhelmed.

Since that time, last fall I re-routed my downspout on the back corner of my house all the way across the back (in a "french drain" of sorts) which then married up to my other two downspouts on the far side of my house AND the sump pump (all encased in a loose rock "french drain" of sorts) and took all of that water all the way down to 6 feet from the road spitting out into a rock pit.

Now just 2 weeks ago, I put in a 600 sq ft asphalt basketball court behind my house which slopes slightly away from the house into a drain the entire length of the court which then diverts the water around the other side of my house (again in a loose french drain structure) and then into a pipe all the way to the end of the driveway spitting out about 6 feet from the road.

Needless to say...I've gotten serious about moving ALL of the water that lands behind my house AROUND the house and FAR away into the front yard! LOL! So now it will never rain hard again, lol!

 

[PolyRob]

I had a french drain and a sump pump when my basement flooded last year. The volume of water in that storm was just so immense that it filled the entire drain, overwhelmed the pump, and well...there ya go. (That particular storm flooded places that I'd never seen flooded all around Pittsburgh though - restaurants under 6 feet of water and crazy stuff like that). For us though, this was the 2nd time in as many years as we dealt with water in a finished basement. My first move after the 2nd time was to install a larger volume sump pump which also has a battery backup secondary pump that will kick on in the event of a power outage OR will kick on if the primary pump becomes overwhelmed.

Since that time, last fall I re-routed my downspout on the back corner of my house all the way across the back (in a "french drain" of sorts) which then married up to my other two downspouts on the far side of my house AND the sump pump (all encased in a loose rock "french drain" of sorts) and took all of that water all the way down to 6 feet from the road spitting out into a rock pit.

Now just 2 weeks ago, I put in a 600 sq ft asphalt basketball court behind my house which slopes slightly away from the house into a drain the entire length of the court which then diverts the water around the other side of my house (again in a loose french drain structure) and then into a pipe all the way to the end of the driveway spitting out about 6 feet from the road.

Needless to say...I've gotten serious about moving ALL of the water that lands behind my house AROUND the house and FAR away into the front yard! LOL! So now it will never rain hard again, lol!

Wow, very involved! You've done all that you can to prepare with backups! Hopefully everything stays dry the next time it does rain.

 

[afan]

I've been using this scale for 5-ish years:

https://www.amazon.com/Etekcity-Dig...coding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=82KPEFMGJBC1DYN3QGP7
I had to replace the batteries last year and it is very accurate. Resort airline check-in is always impressed with how close I can get to 50 lbs without actually going over

That looks like the one I had but with an actual brand on it I got mine off a groupon deal so probably not surprised it died. It did last several years though, I'd take the battery out when it wasn't being used, but all in I used it on less than 10 trips. I got it after having to take stuff out of a packed suitcase at check in once because I was like a pound over. I wasn't paying the bag fee because of a cc and I was a little annoyed that they didn't let it slide for such a small amount. It was a pair of shoes! The person also wasn't nice about it either so needless to say I made a bit of noise getting my suitcase down to the ground and back up to the scale. I know it's not the best reaction but I had Dude with me and had been dealing with him and my backpack would have been stuffed already so it's not like there was somewhere to put something.

ETA I put Dude in as part of the issue because I'm pretty sure it happened in CLT and he was always a pain when we got to the airport and wouldn't want to eat the cheese with the meds to keep him calm. At least once I ended up in the backseat with him, fun in a 2 door car, trying to force it down. It'd take almost an hour to get to the airport so I couldn't give it to him early or I'd have had to do it sometime during the flight which would never have happened. So I almost always started out hot and frustrated trying to fly home for christmas. But it was always better having him with me than not.

 

[PolyRob]

That looks like the one I had but with an actual brand on it I got mine off a groupon deal so probably not surprised it died. It did last several years though, I'd take the battery out when it wasn't being used, but all in I used it on less than 10 trips. I got it after having to take stuff out of a packed suitcase at check in once because I was like a pound over. I wasn't paying the bag fee because of a cc and I was a little annoyed that they didn't let it slide for such a small amount. It was a pair of shoes! The person also wasn't nice about it either so needless to say I made a bit of noise getting my suitcase down to the ground and back up to the scale. I know it's not the best reaction but I had Dude with me and had been dealing with him and my backpack would have been stuffed already so it's not like there was somewhere to put something.

ETA I put Dude in as part of the issue because I'm pretty sure it happened in CLT and he was always a pain when we got to the airport and wouldn't want to eat the cheese with the meds to keep him calm. At least once I ended up in the backseat with him, fun in a 2 door car, trying to force it down. It'd take almost an hour to get to the airport so I couldn't give it to him early or I'd have had to do it sometime during the flight which would never have happened. So I almost always started out hot and frustrated trying to fly home for christmas. But it was always better having him with me than not.

I have to admit, so many on Amazon looked alike that I had to actually pull it up from my order history. I like the idea about taking the batteries out! Luckily I had some sitting around from a remote timer I use for holiday stuff that fit it. WOW! That is so frustrating. Completely understand why you made the extra noise and I would have probably done the same

My family and friends all thought I was crazy when I purchased my scale. After traveling with me they have also purchased their own! I love that thing. It also lets me get an accurate count of my MNSSHP candy stash before digging in.

 

[PolyRob]

@marsh0013 I finally see award travel for 8/17 to LAX! No saver awards though and nothing at all for SNA.

 

[PolyRob]

I need to stop vacation planning during off hours



I'm going to go watch vlogs instead of tinkering with FP+

 

[Tikitoi]

Love it when this thread gets off topic...

No....Me either.....I carry the same bag at home and an old school Disney drawn string bag at Disney....

Same...I love my WDW drawstring bag from 10 years ago.

I have an offer on Amex - 15% back at Lowe’s (up to $15). I can buy a Disney gift card and it will be activated right?

Hoping for this offer too. Would love another Disney card for my collection.

I've been up all night. DH snoring awful. Ugh. #marriage

This reminds me of travels with my sister. But how do you say nicely we need separate rooms...

I had a Target card that I never used. I went to use it at Target one day and it had been closed. I didn't reopen because by then I was watching my card counts. Don't recall getting anything from Target but I was really good at not opening all my mail - stuff where I knew I didn't need to make a payment so probably tossed any notices. I'm just not a huge Target shopper.

Never got any warning letters either. Just that they closed it due to no use. Happened 2x. Very sad days.

 

[ten6mom]

Finally got around to putting something else up on eBay and it sold with the "buy it now" option! Woot! My sole proprietorship is still alive!

Also I think I am roughly 2 weeks out from seeing if I have a viable P2 in this game. I sort of want him to apply now because the "unknown" is stressing me out but if he ends up approved then we would have a challenge meeting the MSR and that is not an option!

Do the support points post when the person is approved, or after the person meets the MSR?

 

[Tikitoi]

Totally agree, except the nuts part! Love nuts in my brownies. Not a fan of Cosmic Brownies myself though. Now Nutty Bars....

Used to put nuts in homemade brownies but can't anymore since DD is allergic to them. So now I put the minnie M&M candies as well as minnie chocolate chips in them. Or sometimes go the cream cheese route. Definitely don't make them that often.

And don't eat poptarts. I'm a fan of oatmeal for breakfast.

 

[Judique]

Woah - Pop-Tarts are a universally acceptable breakfast food enjoyed by millions worldwide each day (both adults and children). Don't you come after my Pop-Tarts!!

I just bought a package of apple frosted pop tarts yesterday when I got my second set of 2 x $100 visa's from Safeway. They were calling them new but they were made years ago and then disappeared. We also like the Smores pop tarts. We eat them as if they were toasted cookies more as a snack.

 

[striker1064]

I generally only look at Dell for laptops but now that I've bought my laptop and mom got her new one using my account I've got dell rewards I need to use. I'm looking at a garmin to replace the fitbit hr I have that doesn't want to sync any more no matter what I do. So annoying considering it's not even 2 years old.

Does the non laptop stuff, like the fitness trackers, ever go on sale or should I just buy when it's convenient for me?

Every so often Garmin goes on sale, but it's not common. It will usually be the previous model shortly after the new one comes out, as well. Which one are you looking to buy? I went 645 to Fenix 5+ and now am very happy with the 945.

 

[Judique]

I believe beef tongue was one of the choices at Oyamel in DC when we went. I know I had a hard time picking something that didn’t sound too exotic or seafood. I think grasshopper was also on there. I don’t like seafood and am not that adventurous on foods. Reminds me of the picture I took last week when I was in the Pittsburgh Strip District. Dang that they were all out of Iguana, because that’s what I was going to buy.

View attachment 436964

I've eaten nine of the above, but not Iguana, and I don't care for beef tongue but I've eaten it when it was what was for dinner. Not at my home, but where I lived during school. I also don't care for liver, but I've prepared it for others because I'm an excellent cook and that's what they wanted.

 

[castormom4]

My husband has the SPG Bonvoy (back from 3/18), then a Marriott Bonvoy Biz 1/19, and Hilton Surpass 3/19. I tried referring him to Hilton Biz and it’s said he’s not eligible for the bonus. He hasn’t gotten any other cards in that time frame although he is 7/24. How long will we have to wait till he can get the bonus again?

 

[3 DD love princesses]

@wendow have you tried calling dining? I found when we needed 7 they were able to get us a reservation for 3 and 4 and then they put in the reservation that it’s a party of 7. Also they said to call the restaurant the day before to let them know both the reservation numbers and that it’s a party of 7 not 3 and 4. Worked out great and we had one table.

Careful doing the breakfast as when we did it a couple years ago the breakfast put us in the first one. Didn’t have a choice for the 2 or 3 show.

 

[smallsy]

You are my people.

I had them put in my contract for my wedding venue that the cake would be made with real buttercream, no processed oily frosting.

I fired a baker because she refused to do anything but fondant, said the buttercream wouldn’t hold up in June. My buttercream cake looked and tasted amazing thank you very much.

 

[palhockeymomof2]

Finally got around to putting something else up on eBay and it sold with the "buy it now" option! Woot! My sole proprietorship is still alive!

Also I think I am roughly 2 weeks out from seeing if I have a viable P2 in this game. I sort of want him to apply now because the "unknown" is stressing me out but if he ends up approved then we would have a challenge meeting the MSR and that is not an option!

Do the support points post when the person is approved, or after the person meets the MSR?

For Chase they usually post about 2 weeks after approval...use to be on Tuesday nights...but I have seen post lately about Wednesday’s and Thursdays as well
Amex MRs seem to post a few days after approval

 

[smallsy]

What all do you take to the parks to use a backpack? No criticism, I am a serious overpacker but I use a very small purse or crossbody, big enough for my phone, Kleenex, pain meds, and moleskin/bandaids for the parks. DH uses a drawstring backpack (a fancy one lol, not the freebie type) with pockets for water bottles. We only have one kiddo though and he’s 10, so no little kid stuff. When he was younger we did carry more stuff.

We have 3 young kiddos (6, 4, 4) thankfully past the diaper stage but not beyond the possibility of an accident, so we like to have extra clothes, along with snacks, water, wipes, sunscreen, ponchos, camera, and of course wallet and phone.