FreeThinkingLass

Wife, mom, daughter, sister, neighbor and friend. I'm a Jeffersonian patriot - limited central control, maximum personal liberty - personal responsibility.

[FreeThinkingLass @LassFree]

@RealWayneDupree Lousy movies, excessive volume, cost, rude patrons, sticky floors . . . I prefer my own family room and I don't need first run movies.

[FreeThinkingLass @LassFree]

@Texas_Made67 I never could keep up. Stuff has accumulated and now that we're retired, we're slowly working through some of it. Some days I just ignore it and read a book or sit here on X when I should be weeding, pruning, cleaning the fridge, etc. I could work non-stop, but it's not healthy.

[FreeThinkingLass @LassFree]

@rebekahjpolder Just like carpentry - measure/position twice and cut once. It's only fabric. In the worst case, you can replace it. You've got this.

[FreeThinkingLass @LassFree]

@anttsinc I can believe an increase in foreclosures. Our house is paid off but our tax and insurance costs just gallop along. Young families are getting crushed by poor job prospects and rising cost of living, while poorly-built newer homes require costly maintenance. Death by 10,000 cuts.

[FreeThinkingLass @LassFree]

My husband does things like this, but he'd have given it a sanding and coating. We have many of his creations serving our needs around the house and garage. He builds custom furniture for hard-to-fit uses and spaces. Saves us a bundle. We grew up with frugal, practical parents.

[Maria Rose ❤️ @BhattiLaib9960]

My husband has always been the type of person who hates throwing anything away. If he sees an old pallet, his first thought is usually how he can turn it into something useful.

Last weekend he built this storage rack for our garden tools using scrap wood that most people would have taken to the dump.

I'll admit, it solved a problem we've had for years. Our shovels, rakes, and other tools were constantly falling over or getting lost in the garage.

The issue is that while it's definitely practical, I'm not sure how I feel about the way it looks.

He thinks functionality is all that matters. His view is that if it keeps everything organized and costs almost nothing to build, then it's a success.

I see his point, but part of me wonders whether some projects save money at the expense of appearance.

A few neighbors have seen it and had completely different reactions. Some were impressed by the creativity and organization. Others suggested that a proper storage cabinet would have looked much better.

Now I'm caught between appreciating the effort and questioning whether it's something I'd actually want visible in our home.

I'm curious how other people see it. When a DIY project is practical and inexpensive, does appearance still matter, or should usefulness be the only thing that counts?

[FreeThinkingLass @LassFree]

It's tempting to say she'd have been a better monarch, but we don't know how her life leading up to that transfer of power would have changed her. For decades, she went about her life while her brother waited and waited for his ultimate life's work to begin.

[Benonwine @benonwine]

Do you think Princess Anne would have made a better monarch than King Charles? 👑🇬🇧❤️

[FreeThinkingLass @LassFree]

@SketchesbyBoze We already have semi-literate, ill-informed people voting. I see them at the polls every election. Many people roll in without a clue and ask the D party greeters 'who are we voting for?'. R voters are on a mission and usually wave away any literature.

[FreeThinkingLass @LassFree]

@giveashitnature Very informative. I always figured the grumpy bees of late summer were just hot, dehydrated, or drunk from fermenting fallen fruit.

[FreeThinkingLass @LassFree]

@FrankBr05713205 This is why we sometimes appear to be hoarders. We have a hard time letting go of manufactured goods that are made well because we know they can't be replaced with equal quality. Our whole-house generator is a Honda from 2000 (Y2K). It's a workhorse.

[FreeThinkingLass @LassFree]

@favecicoria This is why we do it ourselves, even when we can't get it all done well. Our neighbor used to call his lawn service 'the marauders'. It's a common problem. I'm sorry about the peonies. If the roots are strong, they should recover, but it won't be for this year's flowering.

[FreeThinkingLass @LassFree]

@boisechampion Many years ago we rented a rustic cabin at a state park in TN. We arrived to find it filthy, infested, and generally unliveable. Fortunately, the park was able to accommodate us in a nicer unit. They blamed a state gov't shutdown for lack of maintenance $$. Politics.

[FreeThinkingLass @LassFree]

@realmikolson Two family members came to America for the first time a couple of years ago. Among their impressions of the US were that everyone was very kind and friendly. They said it was nothing like what they expected from TV coverage. They're returning in about a month with a third member.

[FreeThinkingLass @LassFree]

@ValerieAnne1970 For over a year, I've been making my own yogurt, using organic half & half from my local co-op. I'm supporting local dairies and I have more control over the ingredients and cultures. I've noticed recently that it's hard to find heavy cream without added gum. I read all labels.

[FreeThinkingLass @LassFree]

@realmikolson Beautiful singing. I needed to see this injection of patriotism and the sheer joy of our visitors from across the pond.

[FreeThinkingLass @LassFree]

@thehvacjack Our township has made it costly and inconvenient to get rid of large items. We got quite a few 'donations' when we had a dumpster out front during a siding replacement on our house.

[FreeThinkingLass @LassFree]

@shaunvlog_ I can't speak for CT or MA, but the state troopers in NY are very efficient. Watch your speed. There has been an increase in traffic cameras recently, and there are many troopers on the interstates. NY is merciless. In addition to fines for offenses, they add a surcharge.

[FreeThinkingLass @LassFree]

@SamaHoole I always feel sorry for pet cats and dogs being fed kibble. There's no telling what's in that stuff, but I doubt there's much meat.

[FreeThinkingLass @LassFree]

@SamaHoole My husband's family lost their homes during the Highland Clearances. They ultimately came to America as indentured servants. Now we pay dastardly taxes to hold onto the property we bought with over 30 years of our labor. History doesn't repeat, but it rhymes.

[FreeThinkingLass @LassFree]

@Tarynsman @SamaHoole My grandfather was sent to Albania to fight for Austria. The supply lines were terrible, and his men were hungry. From his days in Scouting, he knew how to forage to supplement their meager rations. I doubt the hungry soliders were very motivated to fight for the emperor.

[FreeThinkingLass @LassFree]

@SamaHoole My parents lived under occupation in WWII. They didn't starve, but they knew scarcity and fear. My mother is 100+ and she still keeps track of what's in her freezer and pantry to be sure there's always enough - for her and for guests. We keep extra food (& seeds) on hand.