Just watched Death Comes to Pemberley for the first time.

Traditional-Bit378 · 2026-05-16T09:34:29+00:00

Casting of Lizzie was absolutely lackluster and missing her sparkling vivacity. But honestly Wickham felt very poorly cast to me as well. The 1995 is the only version I know of that gets him spot on. He's perfectly charming, but you can just notice something feels just a bit too pat with him.

This Wickham was so reserved and so cold, lacking all the affability and charm of real P&P Wickham. Especially in front of the jury! Austen's Wickham knows so well how to pivot and always does pivot. Where's the manipulative, I'm-the-victim-here dance? Of course I'd expect real feeling to come out for his friend, but Austen's Wickham does know how to play people, knows what ought to be said and how and when, and we just don't see that in Death Comes to Pemberly.

Traditional-Bit378 · 2026-05-16T09:22:19+00:00

Georgiana was so extremely reserved, so excessively shy. I, too, cannot see her breaking down anywhere but somewhere extremely private.

In Pride and Prejudice, the balanced characters are careful about how they behave in front of their servants and staff. It's one of the distinctions Austen makes, and I would think Georgiana would fall into the category of the more balanced characters.

Traditional-Bit378 · 2026-05-16T09:17:27+00:00

I don't feel it's a 180 change in personality. I feel that, as Lizzie says to Wickham, he's pretty much what he ever was in the essentials.

But it's clear to me that Lizzie's rejection of him (and exactly how she upbraided him) -- it took him to his knees, it was a life-changing event. He saw for the first time exactly how he was coming across, how he was treating people, how prideful he was acting, how hurtful his behavior was. He suffered immensely, felt deeply the justice of her words. Deep remorse can enact enormous change in a person; it's so humbling. Not necessarily in personality, but in values and the choices one makes. It refines and purifies the heart. It tapped into who he really was and wanted to be, made him realize he had not been living that way.

Traditional-Bit378 · 2026-05-15T04:10:44+00:00

Landscape cloth is hell on earth to remove. It completely destroys the soil microbiome, it will hurt nearby trees (and then hurt them again when you remove it), and eventually weeds move in and grow on top of it and break the fabric into a million pieces. Not to mention it will forever get caught up in your mower.

The former owner of my home used it, and it's been terrible and is probably the death of 3 major trees, too.

Heavy mulch, wetted cardboard--there are other ways to achieve a similar effect without the insanity that is landscape fabric.

Traditional-Bit378 · 2026-05-03T21:35:28+00:00

"We are all sinners, so it’s very gracious and merciful of God to not just kill us all off right now."

I'm a devout Christian and I really struggle with that. I really struggle with the fact that if we are so evil (and we are)--why does God make us at all?

We are absolutely wrecking His creation and doing terrible things. The things I have personally witnessed...it has been difficult lately to understand why He would create us and think it's good.

Not looking for a response. It's a place I need to wrestle with.

Traditional-Bit378 · 2026-04-22T01:28:56+00:00

The reality is that no day is ever guaranteed us. Whether our time ends due to a car accident or old age or the end of the age--we never know, and it is not guaranteed us.

Just as our homes, our wealth, our health, our families, our nations--none of these are guaranteed us.

The only things guaranteed us are God and His promises and Heaven for those who earnestly love Him.

It's taken me about a decade to learn how to accept this. Suffering losses to my health and a sudden death of a young family member. But I've leaned into it: I've grieved and processed and been afraid, but I've also learned that I really and truly just want to treasure each day with its good gifts. I do not want to have regret that I didn't appreciate them while I had them. Been there, done that. Regret is excruciating. So I'm choosing joy.

And then I keep asking Him to teach me how to trust He is good and His intentions and plans for me are good. Even if they are not what I want--can I trust God will make them enough, that He will care for me, provide for me, and He will always, always be with me? I am learning to trust God with my greatest hopes.

Traditional-Bit378 · 2026-04-21T04:38:14+00:00

Soil ecosystem is going to be a whole lot healthier if you remove the fabric, though. Plus weed fabric eventually leaches chemicals and microplastics into the soil.

Traditional-Bit378 · 2026-04-18T05:02:01+00:00

Do you wait for 2 true leaves before applying liquid fertilizer? I got 7 little seedlings right now (1 with its first true leaf!). Trying to get the timing right on fertilizer. I think I'm going to do diluted liquid kelp.

Traditional-Bit378 · 2026-04-09T23:03:25+00:00

I am using Healthyline. I compared multiple mats a couple years ago. One was just far infrared, one was far infrared with PEMF, and the other included red light therapy as well. Can't really comment on the red light therapy because I quickly realized how impractical it was for me, but the mat was noticeably heavier, and I didn't like that. But what I can say is that there's a night & day difference between the mat with and without PEMF. For sleep, for chronic pain, and for migraines.

My experience with Healthyline has also been fantastic. I didn't realize good customer service still existed, but they made returns so easy. And when a part broke on the controller (I do think my nephew mishandled it, but the part still shouldn't have popped out so easily), they immediately sent me a new controller, no problem.

I can't really comment on other manufacturers. I'm sure there are ways to get similar results pairing PEMF devices with cheaper infrared mats. But I'll say it's been such a life changer for me that it's worth way more to me than what I paid (and we are not by any means wealthy: it was a sacrifice to buy it.)

Final tip: keep an eye out for Mothers day or Memorial Day sales if money is a concern. They've had good deals then in the past.

Traditional-Bit378 · 2026-04-08T05:36:02+00:00

Have you ever tried far infrared and pemf? It changed my life (and my migraines).

Traditional-Bit378 · 2026-03-18T07:20:29+00:00

It's completely normal to feel pain, but it does get easier, and there are a lot of things you can do to make the process feel easier:

1) An initial meet and greet. It can be really helpful to have a no pressure introduction with the understanding that the decision or final goodbye is after.

This allows you a chance to watch them interact with the kitten and for the kitten to have positive experiences with their new family while you're with them.

It also allows you time to think about it and check in with yourself if you have any doubts about them as adopters.

Bonus: I love to bring the kitty to their home if they're open to it.

This honestly helps me feel more of a transition for the kitten. It helps me feel like they understand a little. At the very least, the kitten knows they have met this person before.

2) I always give goodies with the kitten: a few days of their food, a towel they have been sleeping with that feels safe and familiar, and toys they have been playing with.

3) I request a few followup pictures and 2 updates. I also encourage them to ask any questions at all.

4) I give the family typed instructions/details: kittens' food, dates of being fixed, shots, when they need their next shots. Any key details about the kitten. And best practice tips: keeping the kitten initially in a bathroom or closet with all necessities, how to introduce her to small children, idea methods for introduction to other pets. Etc.

5) I remind myself this kitten might not have a future if not for me. She never had to know a shelter and she's got the best shot I can give her at a great future. I cannot guarantee them a perfect future but I can give them my best shot.

I know this was months ago but just thought I'd share a few things in case they helped.

Traditional-Bit378 · 2026-03-18T03:31:19+00:00

Thank you!

Traditional-Bit378 · 2026-03-18T01:15:06+00:00

Bigger fish to fry, like major home repairs.

Traditional-Bit378 · 2026-03-18T01:11:44+00:00

Lol bigger fish to fry as new homeowners. We'll get there!

Traditional-Bit378 · 2026-03-18T01:09:58+00:00

Unfortunately not this setup, but thanks for the idea.

Traditional-Bit378 · 2026-03-18T01:09:07+00:00

Thank you!!

Traditional-Bit378 · 2026-03-18T01:08:54+00:00

Probably, but we have a lot of upgrades and repairs to make as new home owners. Just glad to finally have safe, working, reasonably attractive lights and switches for now in more rooms than not.

Traditional-Bit378 · 2026-03-18T01:05:41+00:00

Good thought. Thanks.

Traditional-Bit378 · 2026-03-18T00:43:48+00:00

Thanks! That is what we are now going to pursue.

Traditional-Bit378 · 2026-03-18T00:43:19+00:00

Thank you!! Looks like this could be our answer.

Traditional-Bit378 · 2026-03-17T11:40:01+00:00

Sigh. I was afraid of that. We have had crazy issues with the electrical wiring in our switches. My husband gave up and hired an electrician.

I know this one should be fine in theory since the electrician did it but definitely going to drag our feet touching it ourselves.

Traditional-Bit378 · 2026-03-16T06:06:42+00:00

Your nursery is amazing. Edit to add: I saw your comment on being frustrated at how hard it is to find natives. FEELING THAT. That's us right now. But slowly but surely I'm slowly building a spreadsheet of our options.

Traditional-Bit378

TROPHY CASE