Up, caffeinated, and sheveled. Off to heave. At least Thursday is a slightly lighter volume day, so I won’t be tired when I have to do my job and half of Shaggy’s today.
And I did send an email, so I can find out all about Paula.
She’s listed as a hound, so probably not. 
April 15th. Although he didn’t adopt me, it was more like “KGB guards drag sullen political prisoner to new gulag” for the 1st 2 weeks. 
Sounds like it {{{{nellie}}}}
Amazon informs me that various globes are an option, but I’d hafta unscrew the current light to put them on. Will hafta take some measurements in daylight & fiddle with it to see if it’s something I can unscrew myself.
The prodigal Monkey has returned - eventually - and while he was tomcattin’ around earlier, I boiled myself a coupla eggs. Was shooting for “soft boiled” but the results would have made decent deviled eggs. Dammit.
Now having a tapioca pudding cup by candlelight so’s I can start winding down. And cuz I’m super classy like that.
Basement light is still on, mostly as a reminder to retrieve laundry. But that’s Tomorrow Shoe’s chore to address, as is the growing list of things I need/want from Wally World, specifically items that I know are way cheaper there than off Amazon.
I’m lazy, but also a tightwad. So once the list gets long enough, I gird my loins put on pants, and sally forth.
You got a Tax Day cat? 
Good Mornin’ Y’all! Up and caffeinatin’. YAWN ‘Tis 65 Amurrkin out and clear with a predicted high of 81 and partly N.O.S. for the day. Outside of maybe gettin’ sheared, no big plans for the day. Good thing we are such big fans of sloth. Sup shall be sketties 'n meatballs, sallit, and cheesey garlic bread.
doggio Paula looks like a sweetie. Hope it all works out and she comes home with you.
Now I need more caffeine and to feed rumbly tummy. Then, onward into the day! Rah.
Happy Thursday Y’all!
And just yesterday, I got an email from my mom wanted me to make a couple of gnomes - the fundraiser isn’t for 2 more weeks and already I’m making sales! 
Here’s hoping it’s a good sign!
53° this morning - coolest since early spring. We’re promised high 70s thru the weekend, so windows will stay open. There’s a 40% chance of rain tonight, but starting Sunday, we should get several days of sun, so that’ll be a nice change.
My car goes into the shop tonight for its 210K service, not that there’s one scheduled at that mileage - I take it in every 5K for an oil change and a once-over. That way, with luck, Paul and his minions will catch problems before they get too big. Have I mentioned how much I love my car guy??
FCD is taking his mom to her PT appointment today, and I’m taking her grocery shopping tomorrow. BIL is still in the hospital. MIL wants him home - she’s really lonely - but we’re hoping they keep him till his meds/mental state are straightened out. This episode has further convinced me that should I be left in the unfortunate situation of being responsible for him, I will find a home or something to take him. I’m not going to deal with his suicidal swings. I know it’s not his fault, but I also know I’m not equipped and I don’t want the responsibility. Neither does FCD, but he feels obligated since it’s his brother. How heartless does that sound? But one gets tired…
Anyway, today will be return to Wiggle Giggle time - it stopped with COVID and Roxy was in her preschool before it restarted. We’ll be going to the new library and I hope Tobias is more cooperative than his sister was. She didn’t like sitting for story time. But then, it’s for ages 1-5, so the leaders know what they’re in for. It’ll give me a bit of a break before lunch.
And so the day begins. Happy Thursday!!
Morning, mumpers! It’s currently 14c/57f with a predicted high of 15c/59f, and cloudy. Weather app says “Best day ever! Oh wait. I was remembering another fucking day. Forget I fucking said anything.” Fair enough, it’s kind of average out there.
Storm Agnes has blown herself out into the North Sea and is heading towards northern Europe now, we didn’t have anything much apart from some strong winds last night but nothing really damaging. Since I wasn’t going out with my friends as usual, 'im indoors suggested a curry at the local pub which has a fantastic Nepalese menu. Thus curry and beers were had, it was very quiet in the pub so they closed up at 10pm and we moved on to another nearby one that’s recently been taken over by Craft Union and has some decent real ales.
Got home, checked kibble and litter trays for the mogs, and was in bed before midnight. I need to go into town for a couple of errands today, and have this morning found that someone’s digging up the road outside. That means we have temporary traffic lights, right outside our house! The lights are on one side of the drive gates, and the sign telling everyone to stop is on the other side of the gates. That will make getting on and off the drive awkward, plus it means I can’t just park on the street outside either. Botheration!
Sensible me says walk into town instead, but that puts a spanner in the lunch plans so may have to rethink the idea. Anyway, not a massive problem for me, I can still get in and out of town courtesy of Shanks’ pony.
doggio Paula looks like a sweetie, I hope she passes Spot’s inspection!
Mooom I don’t think you have any need to feel guilty about the BIL situation. It’s not a problem of your making and although he is technically family, he’s more than either of you are prepared to take on. If he is the kind of person who deliberately stops taking his meds, and is liable to suicidal swings, he’s far better off in a facility that’s equipped to cope with that, and can provide the right help at very short notice. From all you’ve said about him, it sounds like this is the kind of place he should have been in years ago.
red good to hear that Nelson has a diagnosis and it’s something relatively easy to deal with. Fingers and paws crossed for a quick recovery for your pupper.
nellie I don’t suppose there’s any chance you could move to a better medical practice? Honestly, that level of incompetence would drive me crackers.
Since I am on strike again today, I’ll go back to intensive tea-drinking and console myself by booking some more gig tickets!
Remember I mentioned the weird credit put to my credit card? Well, I figured it out this morning. It was to correct and overcharge. For 2¢. They credited back $74.10, then charged $74.08. Yanno, I’d have forgiven the overcharge. Heck, just the other day, I tossed a penny I got back in change into the cup by the register…
Uh, no. She has the same first name as me. I guess you could change it. Seriously, says she needs a slow intro to cats. I see hound in her and she will probably make Spot’s life no bueno.
I told you I had the winning Powerball ticket! OK, so it’s just for $4, but a win is a win. And I’ll turn it into 2 more tickets for Saturday’s drawing!
Morning all. Have broken fast while catching up on my MMP reading. Another day just like the others, cool (65F) in the morning, heading to 86F for the afternoon and no rain in sight. Would be a perfect June day, but nearing October it’s a bit too long a summer, IMHO. Will bank and gym today, may do my October shopping today or wait for Firday, depends on timing and my level of slothage. Soccer practice for the boys at 5:30pm, we’re starting to run out of light at 6:30 or so, but we’re on a lighted field so shouldn’t be a problem.
However, Fall Break (the kids get a full week off, why, I don’t know) is 2-6 October and a lot of folks take short trips during that time, so my soccer game has been cancelled since the other team was down to 5 players…this week I have plenty, but next Saturday I’ll only have 5-6 players (normal is 9), so we might go 2 weeks without playing, which is not so great. Hopefully I can get a couple of scrimmages in to keep the boys involved and active. Not a big problem, but why do kids need a whole week off (and they get another week off in the Spring).
Just looked and the Powerball is up to $925 Million, so may have to make a short trip up to Tennessee this week for my forlorn hope.
FCM, I’m with boo fae, if it comes to that with the BIL, you are doing the very best you’re able to, it’s a problem not of your making, and a facility may be his best hope. But that may well be years into the future, so think about it but don’t let it consume you. And hope car is behaving; mine has been fine since I got it back (and I only have 1/3 of your miles).
doggio, cute pup, hope things work out for the best for both of you.
{{nellie}}, I just hope this slow-poke method of therapy doesn’t impair you long-term. Keep after them.
JtC, I know how you feel, I think I mentioned above I got all the way to the bank yesterday, even in line at the teller, before realizing I had left my check at home. Guess we’re getting old… And hope you’re doing OK after your close encounter of the GG kind…
Pilot, good luck with the dental insurance; I suspect the American folks could be about as helpful as the SE Asian folks were, but hope springs eternal…
Oopsie, dang, I got tired just reading the list if things you did on a ‘not super busy’ day. Look at you go!
OK, I think I’m mostly caught up, anyone I missed yeahs, boos and hugs as required and in whatever amounts necessary. Take care all and have a good Thorsday.
Going to give Costco a shot this morning. The wife wants me to use one of those motorized carts, but I’m refusing to concede. Seems too much like giving up to me. Push come to shove, I’ll just go out and wait in the car.
Before I left the clinic post-op, I was given a few gentle, easy exercises and have been doing them. OK, there are no gentle, easy PT exercises after a TKR, but I’m doing the ones I know. I also added in recumbent exercycling, as I read that’s good. But these are really insufficient. I need more guidance from someone who can tell me if I’m doing them correctly, who can prescribe exercises based on where the greater need lies, who knows when to push me and when to keep me from overdoing it. Thanks for the suggestion, though!
I love this expression and will be borrowing it. 
As far as ortho goes, this is it, as it’s so big, it’s driven out competitors for miles around. The other branches of medical practice tend to run the same. When I had cancer 5 years ago, it took pushing on my part to get from lump discovery through various tests and appointments to surgery. My friend in Wyoming who had the exact kind/stage of cancer a few months later got the exact same tests and appointments and had surgery 2 weeks after lump discovery.
And it IS driving me crackers!
FCM, does BIL tend to resist hospitalization, or is he OK with it? Just wondering what the plan might be after your MIL passes if BIL refuses to go.
I should get stuff done ahead of the “wellness checkup.”
They left Big Mark in the dumping station, so things went smoother. apart from a late running Air, but that’s just hours for me. 
Yeah, he works for the In-purr-nal Revenue Service.
You’ve been dealing with 3 generations of this, plus FCD for how many years? You need that cruise, it’ll be the first time you won’t be worrired about some crisis. unless there’s an iceberg
What, you don’t want to log into the MMP and read
“Paula and I had a nice walk on the greenway.”
“Paula’s not a big fan of walnuts.”
“Paula got her head stuck in the couch trying to get a Cheeto. Again.”
And I’ve done hound and cat before, it just takes time.
“Mary got her head stuck in the couch trying to get a Cheeto. Again.”
[/quote]
Feel free to name her Mary. I’d love to read about “our” adventures!
Wow - Yakky mornin’ w y’all.
It’s just past noon here post-shevel & breakfast.
I called the dental people this morning and
Damn, do you work there?
I called shortly after they opened and got India again. Booh! Who couldn’t help me but transferred me to a department back in the USA. Which was open this time. Yaay! But of course she’d made no notes or passed along my info, so I got to explain my issue again. Booh! Of course this nice person wasn’t the right department, but helpfully transferred me to the right department and even explained the whole situation first so I didn’t have to say it a third time this morning. Yaay! And just twice yesterday plus 3 times when I first called in 2 weeks ago. I guess 7 times is the charm. 
Turns out when I’d ordered coverage 2 weeks ago, the clerk had forgotten to click step 10 of 10 on her computer, so my application was just idling there. The third guy today clicked [submit] and now I’m moving again. As proof a few minutes later an email appeared with the enrollment advertising info. Which will also appear by snail mail in 2 to 3 weeks. He says he flagged my application for priority action, but since they don’t use email for anything coverage-related, the first I’ll know I have coverage is when a snail mail welcome kit arrives in a month or more. Or I can check the website every day.
Of course when I applied two weeks ago the worker said I could backdate coverage to my mid-Sep retirement date, or have it start Nov 1; we’d already missed deadline for an Oct 1 start date. The latter would leave a 6-week coverage gap that encompasses appointments for both myself and Her Ladyship. Who has worse teeth and a much more scaredy-cat attitude to not being insured than I do. So I chose the former option.
This guy today says the backdating to retirement was never an option, but an Oct 1 start date is available. Great. I don’t know who to trust any more.
Anyhow, that’s no help for my cleaning appointment this afternoon. But should be good enough for Her Ladyship’s appointment in early Oct. Should. I’m damned glad that this insurance is nice-to-have, not need-to-have.
Gaah!
Compared to Nellie’s horrifying tale of slothful incompetence in medical providers, this is tiny, tiny pinpokes with a very blunt pin. But stupidly frustrating ones.
Jane I’m sorry your RSV is giving you fits. Mine yesterday seemed to be no big deal overnight. I first awoke today with the sensation of a hard golf-ball welt in there, but that has since subsided. No systemic symptoms at all. 3 down, TDAP/TDAP to go. Pin meet cushion.
As to paying FCM, the smart kids nowadays use something called Zelle. It’s operated by the US banking industry in much the same way as Visa or MasterCard are. It’s not some flaky website run by spoiled 20-somethings.
If both your banks subscribe to it, all you need is your payee’s email or cellphone number to send them money instantly. Your bank’s website or app will have all the info; there’s no separate app or website or login you need to use Zelle. I’ve switched all my paying of personal services or friends or relatives to that method.
My art print was actually a gift from the union.
The company provided a glossy multi-page gift catalog lovingly printed on heavy stock with a few dozen choices, most of which were company branded tchotchkes of one sort or another. But nice tchotchkes. By some mistake of Nature, there were also a couple of useful things in there, so I selected a set of earbuds. Which arrived last week and work great.
The best part about the catalog was it came from the 3rd party vendor in an envelope along with a “signed” letter from the CEO thanking me personally for my many decades of fine service. Which personalized letter, and the envelope’s mailing address, had misspelled my last name. Which is not as simple as “Smith”, but isn’t some complicated 12-letter furrin’ name neither.
Makes you wonder how my giant employer transmits this info to the tchotchke vendor. Which they also use for all sorts of other employee awards and branded merch for patriotic employees to buy with their own money. This looks totally like a typo, so somewhere along the way some poor clerk is reading a screen or printout and hand-typing the info into a different system. Sheesh, how positively 1960s!
But, along with my 3-day sojourn to/from Newark as a useless passenger for my final trip, this final misspelling is just one more bit of the poetic “don’t let the door hit your ass on the way out” send-off.
Shoe: if the lamp in that fixture is replaceable, you can almost certainly find something less bright and with a warmer “color temperature” = CT. Lower CT numbers are more orange, the painful blue-white ones are the higher CT numbers. A more appropriate lamp will probably work better than using a different colored globe to try to hide the lamp color or dim the excessive lamp output.
Completely understandable. There is an upper limit to how much how long you can care about and care for anyone.
I was near the end of my rope when my first wife died, and I had several people in the biz comment that I’d outlasted the vast majority of spouses they’d seen go down that road. Not that I’m some kind of a hero; just that yes, care capacity is absolutely positively finite, so knowing that boundary exists is an important part of locating where it is for you.
There is also an upper limit to how big a job an untrained older person can take on. As MIL demonstrates, trying and failing doesn’t do the patient any favors either. His recent hospitalization and medical follies could have been prevented if he was already in professional care and reliably receiving his meds.
Damn. Now I’ll have to check too. Congrats!
Time for quick lunch here, a thorough amatuer teeth-brushing, then off to the dentist for professional cleaning. It’s the easiest way I know to lose 5 lbs!
When I retired from the university, my department had a good Zoom (COVID era) appreciation, and sent me a substantial bookstore gift card. When I then taught for another several years in a different department, I didn’t even get a goodbye/good luck note. When I retired from my practice, I got a “yay” from my lovely wife.
You oughta be reported for that one.
Yeah, you’re probably right. I fiddled with it enough last night to confirm that the bulb can be unscrewed easily enough … all further investigation was delayed until daylight.
Which it now is.
Sorta.
The Oracles insist there’s almost no chance of rain, but I dunno, it looks mighty damn overcast out there.
Damn, dude, how much plaque and tartar do they scrape off your teeth?
All of it. 
Well, the MLB conspired against me one last time this season: last night I finished my committee meeting and gleefully fired up Amazon Prime, only to learn that the game being shown was suddenly not the Yankees game. Last night’s was a good 'un, too; we beat the Blue Jays 6-0. Ah well. Pitchers and catchers report for next season in about 5 months, so I have time to determine if I’ll have any better options in 2024 (I definitely won’t be renewing the utterly useless MLB.TV subscription).
This morning I had one more low-key stressor added to my load…
I’m always as flexible and accomodating as possible when it comes to workers needing to get into the house, but I do have a dog and I work for a living and that shit needs to be coordinated with me! I let him know that I have meetings today and there’s no guarantee I’ll be able to answer the door (or the phone) whenever someone gets here. He said the guy would just look at the outside work if needed – and then he asked me for a photo of the inside, which I’d sent to his brother in early August (and why didn’t he take any when he was here??). I sent it to him, but *sigh*. Luckily, my afternoon meetings got cancelled (hence this post); no sign of anyone so far, though.
Separately these things aren’t hard/much to deal with, but combined I am now properly stressed. I never thought I’d type these words, but yay for working out twice a week! It’s been really good to have those appointments: for a solid hour I don’t think about anything other than what my trainer is asking me to do*, and I have no trouble falling asleep those nights. Plus, I know I’m doing the right thing for my overall health.
*OK, I’ll admit that I do spend time thinking about – and sometimes commenting on – just how out of shape I am. 
Ahhh, gotcha! Thanks!
Coming up with good user names/handles is never easy for me. I was kind of pleased with myself for thinking of “Misnomer” back in the day; when I registered here in '04, I was surprised it was available.
I’ve been toying with getting back into the online dating game, and I actually have a Notepad file on my desktop with possible user names – really just various spellings and abbreviations of one name. If all of the variations I can come up with are already taken, I figure I’ll take it as an omen.
Good luck!! 
Ugh, I’m sorry.
It’s good/important that you recognize this. Sometimes it’s hard to be honest with ourselves about having limitations, especially when it comes to dealing with family, but acknowledging – and planning around – them is nearly always best for everyone. And it’s not heartless at ALL, on either your part or FCD’s.
Well, I did say that work wasn’t super busy…not that I wasn’t!
Happy Thorsday!
Cool 50 degrees at the park this morning. The sun was shining and it warmed up quickly. We didn’t leave until after 9, but I think I could have sat there another few hours.
It was perfect dog park sitting weather.
I typed up a post last night and it went POOF!
I was not in the mood to retype it.
Echo and Misiu went to daycare yesterday. Rayleigh threw a fit at first, but he came home and was great all day. He didn’t get depressed like Misiu does, and we had a nice time just the two of us. I asked for vet checks for the other two, Echo was due for her annual checkup and I suspected Misiu had an ear infection. I also needed to know if the other ball had dropped and his weight.
Both of them have ear infections. I’m a little surprised that Echo does, she is more of a bone mouth type and doesn’t have many wrinkles, and she doesn’t have such tiny ears. She has never had a problem with her ears. The vet thinks Misiu may need surgery to widen his ear canals. He also thinks they may have entropion, although neither of them shows any outward signs of it. No squinting, no tearing, no rubbing, etc.
I expect to hear the same about Rayleigh next week when he gets a checkup.
I need to find a Shar Pei savvy vet near here.
At least the other ball dropped, and while I didn’t get his exact weight, he is still in range for the Heart Guard we have now.
When my son went to irk Toosday night, he could have left right away. He didn’t take the offer because he thought I would have just gotten home and wouldn’t want to go right back out. He got off at 1230. Last night he asked me to wait and see what happens. He texted me that he would be leaving, he just had to fill out some paperirk. Well, not only was he leaving right away, he was laid off for the next five weeks. Perfect timing for us to move.
He’s still not feeling well though. He says his back hurts all the time. I yelled at him yesterday and told him to go soak in the tub with Epsom salts. He said that helped. I told him he needs to go to the doctor; he is only 28 and his back should not be hurting. I know he does a lot of lifting and bending at his job, but this is recent. He’s been sleeping a lot too.
My dining table has been delivered. We need to head over and take it into the house. Then we’ll pick up groceries on the way home. I think if I follow the road past my house and go out the other end, I’m near the store we order from.
Quite honestly, FCM, I would not take on the responsibility of BIL.
My ex, Wayne the Pain had a mentally challenged brother, and I know the challenges.
i wouldn’t feel guilty about it, well okay I would, but I could live with the guilt.
Also, his father had had several strokes and there came a time when his mother could not give his father the care he needed.
His poor mother had a lot to care for, it’s no wonder she was so bitchy all the time.
I loved her so much. She used to yell at me all the time, just like I was one of her own. But she could and would talk to me, because she knew I always had her back. She was worn out from caring for her husband and her son, but her kids just expected her to do all of it. I told her, anytime she wanted to put either in a home, I was with her.
AWWWW! I like Paula, Doggio.
She is adorable, I hope you get her.
I hope you feel better soon Nellie.
What a mess your medical system seems to be.
Ooopsie, I totally understand the buildup of bullshit.
You just want it to end, but then something else plucks another nerve.
JtC, I hope you feel better soon, too.
Adam is being a jerk, and he’s getting worse too.
Poor Misiu, you got to love him, but damn will he ever catch on.
He had taken a liking to Barky. She knocked him on his ass a few times. Today I saw why. He really really really likes Barky. Now that he has two balls, he is feeling it.
She was a breeder dog for a puppy mill, she is having no part of it.
I took the bedroom with the door to the back yard. My son took the master bedroom with the walkthrough closet and master bath. I do have a walk-in closet, but it’s no bigger than the closet I have now. It’s just a different layout.
I already want to add onto this house, and what a surprise, my son said to me the other day, we need to add another room onto the back of the house.
I’m not sure what he is thinking, but I am thinking of a bigger bedroom with a big closet and another bathroom. Or just a closet and a bath.
We’lll think about it.
s