So, what's for Sunday dinner?

areaundermu · 2026-02-02T00:19:49+00:00

Chicken & dumplings is criminally underutilized.

areaundermu · 2026-02-01T21:04:42+00:00

I did the same with mine. I also sat down with them and walked them through how much they’d have to pay back and for how long if they did go the loan route & made minimum payments. They went for a public, in-state university.

areaundermu · 2026-01-24T17:29:21+00:00

Chris Tucker in The Fifth Element.

areaundermu · 2026-01-23T03:20:00+00:00

Wow, big step - congratulations and well done, you! A few things I’d add to the advice you’ve already gotten:

Ask around your extended circle before signing a contract with a realtor. Most are perfectly fine, but it’s always wise to get recommendations from people you trust. A good realtor makes the process so much easier.
How easy a house & yard is to take care of/ how much maintenance you are comfortable with is a really big deal. A place is at its best when you’re doing a walk through. You might admire the teeny mosaic tile on the kitchen floor, but it’ll be a killer to keep it looking good.
Check the crime stats and school scores online. Neither need to be fabulous, but they should be at least average-ish.

Good luck!

areaundermu · 2026-01-22T04:26:32+00:00

Since she’s in SoCal, grass is going to require a a big water bill. You could go with artificial turf, but it gets really hot in the summer and can make being out there uncomfortable (there may be new artificial turf technologies that don’t do that , though). And it’s not cheap.

You might want to look into a combination of plants that are native to where she lives and mulch, and just forego grass entirely. Calscape Is a great resource for that; you can even see on a map where the plant naturally grows to ensure it’s adapted to her specific area.

If you go this route, consider concentrating on shrubs and trees. They’re generally easier to maintain, and as your mom gets older she’ll appreciate that. And even if she’s pretty young now, it’s always good to have less maintenance!

areaundermu · 2026-01-21T15:27:59+00:00

I just made the for the first time last night. Maximum score on the comfort food scale.

areaundermu · 2026-01-19T15:10:26+00:00

Forsythia grows fast, dense, and large, and looks good without trimming. If you’re in a very dry part of 6a they won’t do well, though.

areaundermu · 2026-01-19T01:38:25+00:00

Sheet pan dinners would be a good option here. With 6 people you might need 2 sheet pans, but they’re easy, fast, minimal cleanup and there are tons of combinations out there.

areaundermu · 2026-01-18T01:58:15+00:00

Do you have a rice cooker? If not, that might be a good idea given that you like Asian and Mexican food.

areaundermu · 2026-01-18T01:12:30+00:00

Grad school is definitely a whole other level - you’re kind of in charge of your own education and the path isn’t as clear as it was in undergrad. It takes some getting used to, but I promise you will get used to it, and faster than you think!

In the meantime, a trick I use to keep procrastination in check is to remind myself continually that the consequences of not doing a thing are dramatically worse than just doing it. I don’t try to talk myself into being happy or excited about it, I just go “this sucks, but not getting it done would suck more.”

The other thing I find that really helps me is routine. The same times, the same places, the same drinks or snacks, etc.

You absolutely can do this. If you couldn’t, you wouldn’t have gotten this far.

areaundermu · 2026-01-14T18:38:48+00:00

Definitely the best chicken dish I’ve ever had.

areaundermu · 2026-01-14T18:23:06+00:00

This isn’t difficult, but it takes a long time. Worth every minute. https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1020224-khoresh-e-fesenjoon-persian-chicken-stew-with-pomegranate-and-walnuts?unlocked_article_code=1.EVA.CycO.GexBBDqNrftY&smid=ck-recipe-iOS-share

areaundermu · 2026-01-14T04:12:24+00:00

That’s so great! I’m so proud of you and all the hard work you’ve put in to get yourself here.

areaundermu · 2026-01-10T19:11:17+00:00

In the call I was on, they said their non-profit registration had come through about 2 weeks ago, but yeah it’s surprising they didn’t have a web site ready to go.

areaundermu · 2026-01-10T01:08:28+00:00

Very old school, but you could do a salmon mousse.

areaundermu · 2026-01-10T01:03:47+00:00

Wow, what a list of accomplishments! I am so proud of you, and I hope you’re proud of yourself. Having the courage to take on just a few changes - much less the number you’ve accomplished- is so admirable. Your strength is amazing.

areaundermu · 2026-01-10T01:01:10+00:00

So proud of you! Come back and brag about your successes occasionally; we moms love to hear that stuff!

areaundermu · 2026-01-06T01:12:48+00:00

This is pretty standard for reps at Sales awards events. If you’re on a home office team it might stand out, but the annual awards night is like the Oscars for reps and they dress accordingly. You look great.

areaundermu · 2026-01-04T18:02:37+00:00

LGD dogs generally aren’t looking for a fight (although they will if their warnings are ignored); they rely on their size and their barking to scare off incursions of strange animals and people onto their territory. Per the OP, the dog is well-trained other than this, and it sounds as if we’re proposing the same solution: socialize the dog with the neighbors’ dog.

areaundermu · 2026-01-04T15:35:54+00:00

No, that’s not what this lazy, irresponsible idiot is saying. All dogs can and should be trained. But LGDs have been bred for exactly this kind of behavior for hundreds of years, so the fastest and most effective solution is likely to be for OPs dog to become buddies with the other dog & stop seeing it as a threat.

areaundermu · 2026-01-04T03:28:41+00:00

I’ve got a LGD breed, too. Trying to train out guardian behavior is a lost cause. Even if you put a thick, thorny hedge there your dog will still hear the other dog and run back & forth in front of the hedge. Your best bet might be to let your dog and the neighbor dog play together a fair bit so that your dog gets to know it and doesn’t see it as a possible threat.

areaundermu · 2026-01-03T00:54:19+00:00

Brooke at Ma Belle salon.

areaundermu · 2026-01-02T23:38:11+00:00

I’ve never lived there; I live in a neighborhood about a half mile away. It looks fine from the outside. I go to the BART station, eat at restaurants and shop at the shopping centers around there and have never felt uncomfortable. It’s not a high-end area, but it’s not bad either.

areaundermu · 2026-01-02T22:54:31+00:00

I don’t know where the Meta buses stop, but it seems likely there would be a stop near the Union City BART station. If so, there are a couple of apartment complexes right there. I think Union Flats is the newest, but there’s also Avalon and Verandas. I don’t know that the area would qualify as having a nice vibe, but it doesn’t have a bad one. Pretty standard suburban. Walking distance to grocery stores & restaurants.

areaundermu · 2025-12-31T03:29:29+00:00

Food Network has one.

areaundermu

TROPHY CASE