Administrivia in the MMP

[missred]

Here’s hoping for a speedy recovery for your roomie and new fuzzbutts doggio.

I’m sorry about your aunt and uncle flyboy.

BooFae, my lunch prep for the week tends to be making salads for each day and putting yogurt into individual containers (I buy the big cartons of yogurt). Throw in some baby carrots for a mid-morning snack, and I have a low effort, healthy lunch.

Up, caffeinating, breakfasted and fixing to do KP. Working on my current studio project (this year’s edition of the family cookbook), organizing the utility shelving in the laundry room and transferring a few more CDs to MP3 are about the only things on the agenda. I’m thinking about hitting the cheap Chinese down the street for supper.

Stay safe and healthy y’all!

[Taters]

Good morning everyone.

It’s currently 36 degrees and dark outside. The expected high is 45 and a rain/snow mix is supposed to fall throughout the morning. The afternoon will contain a mix of cloudy skies and some rain showers.

sari, I’m so glad you had good news for Ripple!

doggio, I’m glad you will soon have some furry friends filling a spot in your heart.

I had a super busy workday for a Friday with a multitude of crazy things going on. I’m not really looking forward to Monday at all due to a couple of issues. For now, I shall concentrate on the weekend.

I’ve had my toaster for probably over 20 years now, but I’ve noted the smell of burnt stuff the last few times we’ve used it, and, like nellie, the crumb tray is clean, and I can’t seem to shake out whatever is causing the issue. It seems a shame to throw out a perfectly serviceable toaster, but on the other hand, I don’t want things burning down either.

I haven’t decided what I’m going to do today. Maybe some retail therapy, maybe some reading, probably a load of sheets.

Okay, on with the day and a third cup of coffee. Last night was a restless night.

I hope you all have a great day!

[Misnomer]

Uncles (and aunts, and people in general) need to stop dying. Hrmph. (Mine is still alive as of this morning, which is longer than anyone expected him to make it.)

Happy National Grammar Day! Here’s what I posted on FB a little while ago:

What better day for this professional writer and editor to get a little pedantic? 🤓

A common mistake – one I used to make, myself – is to conflate spelling or punctuation (i.e., orthographic) errors with grammatical errors. There is still some debate about this among my people, but I agree with the distinction that grammar applies to the language whether it’s written or spoken; however, spelling, punctuation, and capitalization (etc.) are strictly for writing.

(The Chicago Manual of Style defines grammar as “the set of rules governing how words are put together in sentences to communicate ideas”: it relates to how words change form [when they become plural, change tenses, etc.] and join together to communicate information via sentences.)

So, march forth and write AND speak correctly!

Yesterday’s tattoo removal session, glasses dropoff, and grocery store run were all successful. Regarding the latter, I like some of the pre-made Boar’s Head sandwiches available in that chain’s deli and was happy to find that two “good ones” were still available (after 5pm): I got a chicken ceasar wrap, and some roasted chicken sliders. I ate half of the wrap last night, and am looking forward to having the other half for lunch and the sliders for dinner. I typically decide what to eat one meal at a time, but it’s kind of nice to already have today’s decisions made.

At 10:30 AM ET it’s sunny and in the upper 40s, but quite windy! I’ll take this over yesterday’s rain and grey skies, though, as I can enjoy the sunshine from indoors.

I still have some volunteer-related administrative stuff to do this morning, and I want to send an email to one of my aunts (technically she’s my mom’s best friend), but I should be done with everything by lunchtime. I’m looking forward to an afternoon/evening of sloth.

@The_Stainless_Steel_Rat

glad your prescription is working well for you; I go about every two years and so far they have been mild upgrades

Because of my personal history of diabetes and my family history of glaucoma, I get exams + medical testing at least once a year. Blood sugar levels can affect vision, and I think my prescription recently changed a little due to both my improved health and being 51 (heh). The new glasses script improves my distance vision but can make mid- or close-range text hard to focus on, but I figure I can always just raise my glasses and bring things up to my face if needed (when I’m wearing contact lenses, I use reading glasses). I’d rather have the better distance vision for driving…and, it turns out that it also helps with watching TV.

[Johnny_L.A]

@Misnomer

Uncles (and aunts, and people in general) need to stop dying.

My dad died in 1998 at the age of 71, some years after having a traumatic brain injury in a car wreck. An aunt, who was born two years after he was, died in 2019. My remaining aunt (dad’s older sister) is 96. A cousin visited her two weeks ago and said she was ‘spry and amazing’, and would like to hear from everyone. My older uncle is 92-ish and has Alzheimer’s. The uncle who texted is the ‘baby’. He turned 81 in early December. My paternal grandfather lived to be 93, and my paternal grandmother lived to be 86.

[peedin]

sari. happy to hear good Ripple news!

Susan, why lily? Did I miss a story?

JtC, the ahole you whomped with the cane never did anything stupid like file a law suit?

[Die_Capacitrix]

@Misnomer

So, march forth and write AND speak correctly!

I do like a bit of phonetic punctuation:

Phonetic Punctuation

After lunch, we went for a long walk (2 hours), and only needed a jacket for the first 20 minutes. March has come in like a lamb, and the weather forecast predicts more lamb-like days. We did see some sheep and calves, but no lambs.

As it is the beginning of the 2nd quarter, the mattress got flipped. We also take the opportunity to wash the mattress cover, which is currently is waiting for the dryer to be done with the sheets. Then we get to make the bed. So much excitement on a Saturday evening.

[dogbutler]

A quiet heave for a change. Laundry is going, breakfast was eaten(scrambled eggs, bacon, toast, sauteed asparagus).

@The_Stainless_Steel_Rat

doggio, sometimes I do worry about you in that nuthouse of a place. You take care now.

Ha! I don’t know the meaning of danger!(Gordie ate everything in the dictionary between “caltrop” and “xylophone”).

@FairyChatMom

And how can you be sure that he’s not the head nut??

< reroutes LIVE BEES and ColoGuard return boxes to FairyChat Estates >

@Die_Capacitrix

As it is the beginning of the 2nd quarter, the mattress got flipped.

Mattress flipped, water filters switched, and a shiny new toothbrush.

[Misnomer]

@Johnny_L.A

My dad died in 1998 at the age of 71, some years after having a traumatic brain injury in a car wreck. An aunt, who was born two years after he was, died in 2019. My remaining aunt (dad’s older sister) is 96. A cousin visited her two weeks ago and said she was ‘spry and amazing’, and would like to hear from everyone. My older uncle is 92-ish and has Alzheimer’s. The uncle who texted is the ‘baby’. He turned 81 in early December. My paternal grandfather lived to be 93, and my paternal grandmother lived to be 86.

All of my aunts and uncles are still alive (at the moment): the oldest is 86 and the youngest is just 63. The one whose death is imminent is 75. I have three uncles in their 80s, and all three of them have significant and worsening health problems; they’re frequently in the back of my mind (especially the 86-year-old with prostate cancer that recently metastasized). From youngest to oldest at time of death, my paternal grandfather was 61, my mother was 67, my paternal grandmother was 77, my maternal grandmother was 83, and my maternal grandfather was 92.

@Die_Capacitrix

I do like a bit of phonetic punctuation:

Classic!!

[rocking_chair]

Not motivated today. Went out errand running and the wind was wicked crazy. I am now considering a totally reading and snacking day.

[peedin]

My idea of a perfect day. Books and snacks!

[Johnny_L.A]

We have entirely too many cans of Campbell’s Cream of Mushroom Soup. I’ve decided to use one of them to make ‘dad’s recipe’ pot roast for dinner tonight: Beef with Lipton’s Onion Soup Mix and Cream of Mushroom soup on top, surrounded by potatoes, carrots, mushrooms, and onion. Pop it in a 325º oven for three hours or so.

[susan]

Susan , why lily? Did I miss a story?

Susan means lily.

[LH75]

My wife’s name is Suzette, which translates to Little Lily

[susan]

I posted this elsewhere on the board today:

I just disembarked from a 14-day cruise, my 22nd cruise. This was a Hurtigruten Expedition cruise to see Northern Lights, round trip out of Dover and up the Norwegian coast. We had a cabin with a large round window; in fact, it was the same ship and cabin as I had when I went to Antarctica. Our first port of call, Loften, was cancelled for poor weather, but we stopped in Finnsnes instead. Our other ports were as scheduled, incuding Alta and Bergen. We paid for some excursions, such as a trip to the Polar Park and a walking tour of the Hanseatic area of Bergen. Others, such as the Northern Lights Cathedral and daily marine watches with a naturalist, were free; in other ports we walked around watching for birds and drinking coffee. Most ports were alongside, but some required Zodiacs, including a short trip up a fjord to look at waterfalls. We saw Northern Lights 3 nights from the deck, met and ate several meals with a hilarious British couple, compared bird lists with a young man and his aunt, attended lectures or watched them later on the television (plankton, Sami symbolism and customs, cetaceans, Norse mythology, ecosystems, permafrost, geology, etc.), and took a bridge tour. There was a walkable wooden deck and an open deck with hot tubs. There was a sauna. There were aerobics/exercise classes, Norwegian folk dancing lessons, movies, weaving lessons, a science boat, citizen science actvities, kayaking, snowshoeing, and hiking on offer. The food was varied and excellent, including house-made sorbet every night. The choices were the main restaurant (buffet breakfast and lunch, served dinner), a fancier restaurant wth a fee, a pub-style restaurant, and a take-away menu. Hot chocolate, coffee, tea, and soda were gratis, as was wine with lunch and dinner. Cookies and cake were available at teatime. There were 300 guests and 175 staff aboard.

[Seanette]

Just an update: the job fell through. Apparently, it was a scam.

[JaneDoe42]

Many bad words just happened.

[Seanette]

Same over here.

[susan]

Shit!

[Seanette]

Delightful. As if I don’t have enough to be stressing about, there are weather forecasts calling for at least one more atmospheric river storm this month. That’s the type of storm we got hit with a series of in January that caused a lot of trouble. Seems to be a grouchy day over here, chocolate is on the agenda.

Warm atmospheric rivers in California forecast could spell trouble for...

[Chefguy]

The wife is starting on the taxes today, so I’m trying to make myself small to dodge flying objects. This year’s taxes are more complicated because we moved to a different state last year and have to pay taxes to both of them. MN and OR treat Social Security and military incomes differently (MN taxes both, the bastards). To keep things simpler, I think we’re just going to bite the bullet and not itemize this year, even though we have some medical and quite a bit of charitable contributions.

My job in all this is to make dinner, so I’ve got some country-style pork ribs in the oven doing the low/slow thing. I’ll throw together some baked beans to go with.