Aaaand, there was a fire at overlygirl’s middle school. Everyone’s okay, but dammit.
The commute was very good this morning… for a given value of ‘very good’. I mean, it’s still 126 miles; but traffic was light. Once I hit Seattle, I heard reports of crashes south of Bellingham. The radio voice said roads were slick. I had no trouble a couple of hours previously.
I’m expecting a white Christmas.
I think both can be explained simply: Really bad taste
Many hugs to you and yours - I’m so sorry you’re having to deal with this. Sometimes life drops big ol’ suckbombs and there’s nothing we can do but deal our best.
I did my good deal for the day. As I was about to go into Food Lion, there was a lady coming out struggling with 2 loaded carts, so I pushed one for her. She was picking up Food Lion’s donation to the local food bank, so she had lots of baked goods and it looked like some deli items. And for whatever reason, she’d parked as far as she could from the store! Not that it’s a huge parking lot, and it’s not like I was in any kind of hurry. She did offer me one of the desserts, but I figure folks who go to the food bank need it more than I do. So there’s a gold star for me. 
One of the trash bags leaked in my trunk - I should have gone with my first instinct and put the plastic sheet in there. Oh well, I’ll hose off the carpet pad and let it dry outside - no biggie. And that pretty much concludes my required chores for the day. Yay! 
@overlyverbose all I have to offer is {{{{{ whole family }}}}}. Will be thinking of you and yours.
{{{ Wordy }}} 
Sadly, I know what it’s like.
El Jefe came down to the basement. I don’t know why, but I mentioned to him that the big-screen TV in the basement conference room was mounted upside-down. He knew, but said he’d seen a ‘flip’ icon before. He couldn’t find it this morning. I googled and found instructions on how to access the service menu (kept hidden from users) and flip the screen, but the instructions didn’t work. So we took the TV down so that we could invert the mount. Unfortunately, the office tools are a joke. There are four or five Allen wrenches that appear to be the same size. So El Jefe is off to the hardware store to get a set of Allen wrenches. When he gets back, I’ll help him put the TV back on the wall.
Oh, and he gave me my Christmas bonus. Half a kilobuck, which isn’t bad for a non-profit.
Afternoon all. Teeth have been inspected and passed, but the dental technician with the tooth polisher kept touching it to my gums and lips, which are quite sensitive to spinning things touching them, had tears in my eyes from not crying out. Still, done until June (they’ve already made the appointment).
Also paid my last (I hope) bill of 2021 and got some cash out of the bank for the trip up to my Brother’s. Dishwasher is finishing washing, so I’ll eat out tonight and gas up the car for tomorrow.
{{{Wordy}}} and family. That’s the way my aunt went. Much caring and compassion for you and yours. And hope Mom’s report is OK–she doesn’t need any more stress either.
flyboy, hope the TV gets mounted right. And a boss that helps re-install a TV and gives you a bonus…that’s a keeper.
Ya done good, FCM.
OK, onward into the afternoon. Take care all.
{{{Wordy}}}
Happy solstice! You missed that one off the list for the week…
The campus is almost deserted, it feels quite odd. I needed a book from the library -that’s usually heaving with people during the day, and pretty busy at night, and the lights came on when I walked in. I’m just keeping fingers crossed that everyone’s able to come back after. I don’t think they can stop me, as I don’t have an alternative residence listed, but…
I’m on a quest for chocoflan for Christmas Eve dinner. One of the local Mexican groceries had HUGE chocoflans in a size you might expect out of Costco. There’s only six people, so a monster suitable for an all you can eat buffet would be ridiculous. The young lady at the bakery was similarly puzzles why normal size ones weren’t available this year.
I’m giving serious thought to making one myself. Doesn’t sound terribly difficult.
We had our Secret Santa exchange. Coincidentally, the cow-orker I drew, drew my name. She got me a dozen Community Coffee K-pods (Dark Roast) and a New Orleans Saints travel tumbler. 
She liked the big-ass tub-o-Red Vines, she looked like she was ready to dig into the Trader Joe’s Boozy Little Truffles, and she was inhaling the fragrance of the high-end truffles so much another cow-orker told her to stop because she wanted some. 
Solstice.
I got to play in my own poop yesterday and the test results came back negative, so yay me.
Went out and got the clams, mussels and scallops for the xmas paella. Also a quart of seafood stock. I also got a few slices of ham for the NYD eggs Benedict breakfast. Took some holiday cookies to the neighbors who seemed both surprised and grateful. Do people not do that anymore?
I usually don’t check my phone, but I did and there’s a message on it from about an hour ago. American Jury Research [spoiler]https://www.americanjuryresearch.com/[/spoiler] wants me to participate in an online legal research project (using my computer and Zoom) and give me $225 for my time. Amazingly, an actual person left the message rather than a bot. So I looked them up (blurred link, above). They gather people for mock trials. It sounds interesting, and it would be an experience. And 225 clams isn’t bad. But I don’t really wanna.
Last week, they did pics at Roxy’s school and sibs were allowed to participate. Here’s the one I think is the best:
I love her school!!!
Looks like we’re going to the marina again tomorrow - FCD wants to get some photos and measurements. Just hoping we can fit the ladder in his car.
Meanwhile, ham with pineapple, peas-n-carrots, and steak fries for supper. Yum!
talky I’m so sorry about your dad. {{{hugs}}}
wordy, I’m so sorry about your father. Sending virtual hugs and the hope for a serene journey for him and comfort for you all. {{{{{wordy}}}}}
I have the new contact lens in. I think I’m seeing better, but when I printed out the eye test, I can only guess at the 20/70 line, and anything smaller than that is too blurry to guess at. I’m going to hope it’s just the difference between an eye chart taped to the wall and a real one at the eye doctor’s office. I want so badly for this to work. If it doesn’t, I’m screwed. No other possibilities for better vision.
I called pharmacy A this morning, as yesterday they said they might get more COVID tests in today. They said they had only 1-2 left and expected to be sold out within the hour. It’s a little over a mile away. I got dressed and hoofed it over there, but a man who JUST got in ahead of me asked for a test, and it was the last one. I said, “Oh, no!” and this very, kind man turned to me and said, “You can have it.” Wasn’t that kind of him? I thanked him profusely.
I’m going to wait until later to take it, as I’m having a hard time reading. Don’t want to mess it up!
FCM, the pic of Roxy and Tobias is just too adorable. Her school inviting younger siblings to be in photos is so sweet!
I can’t remember other posts I read before putting in the contact. (If I keep this one, I’ll need cheaters.), but a round of hugs is on me, friends! Hope there aren’t too many errors in this post.
Those are two gorgeous grand babies and I would know, having two of my own that are almost that cute. I can’t wait to hear your Christmas grandma stories.
FCD risks driving himself nuts futzing around with that boat before he can get his knee fixed and take her out in the spring. I don’t suppose chilling his jets is in his nature. Roxie and Tobias do need little captain’s hats in their stockings though, just so Grandpa understands who is really in charge.
That picture is BEAUTIFUL!
Yay RoxStar! Moooooom, that pic is absolutely adorable.
{{{wordy}}} I’m so sorry about your dad.
Keeping fingers crossed on the contact nellie.
Irked, came home, loaded the car with the tote with prezzies and a week’s worth of clothing, took out the trash, made sure Nelson’s travel bag was complete and in the car and et. Now, I need to do KP and get the overnight bag as packed as I can before I finish up in the morning (I only have one BG monitor, so I have to wait until I test before throwing that in). I’m hoping to be on the road by 0600 tomorrow. That will make it daylight by the time I get west of Nashville and into deer country. Hopefully, city traffic won’t be horrible at that time.
Stay safe and healthy y’all!
Howdy Y’all! Nice lazy day today outside of laundry. Been cold and rainy most all day so we were most happy to be inside, warm, and dry sloths. Sup got made and et. Night time chillage ensues.
{{{wordy}}} just no words except I hope your dad’s passing is peaceful. Hope all is well with mom as well.
Nellie appropriate/inappropriate appendages crossed re the new contact.
Cookie had a do it yourself colonoscopy did ya?
MOOOOOOM the keeyooteness is overwhelmin’. It almost made a grumpy old man consider smilin’.
red and MetalMouse y’all have good trips and be safe out on the road.
gotti I want chocoflan. I may even need chocoflan now that I know what it is.