Very foggy morning here - it was somewhat nerve-wracking going to pick up Roxy, then driving back here. Combine fog with my astigmatism, and it makes for a real driving challenge. But we’re home safe, so there’s that.
Misty and drizzly here today, I have been out (twice!) today. First trip was to the gym at 7am for an hour, then home for a restorative cup of tea before a half-hour walk into the sprawling metropolis to get my hair cut. As I was there, I went to the cheap toiletries shop for cotton wool and a box of hair dye then decided I was worth the price of a bus ride home again.
Pottered around a bit, bought some more gig tickets and am now contemplating another jaunt into town (this time with 'im indoors) for lunch at our favourite Indian deli. The shop bit is only open Monday-Friday so I have missed out on her awesome chicken tikka wraps because her husband doesn’t do them from his food cart. Oh, the sacrifices!
shoe we have many recorded episodes of Springwatch that get played for the benefit of the cats, they seem to like watching birds on the big screen 
Miss Owl I hope the date goes well and he appreciates the “real” you.
@nelliebly that sounds like utter paradise. Dunno what the catch is - there must be a catch! - but oh, my, what a blissful dream.
Shaking myself awake: it’s raining, it’s pouring, my old cat is snoring. 
Off to work in half an hour - gods, I hope people take pity on their soggy budtenders & tip us for our bedraggled trouble.
Last shift was bad.
I think local folks are as badly off as we are - so many people were willing to wait around for us to go back in, ring it all up, then jog back out with … a buck-fifty change, rather than waving off the wait (and us trotting back & forth) with a friendly “keep th’change!”
That’s a lot of time on your part, and effort on mine, for a buck fifty. (I call it “taco money.” As in, someone will bitch about having to run out $0.75 to someone and - if I’m in a gentle mood - I may shrug it off as, “Hey, they still need a taco!”)
Anyway, sorry for the bait’n’switch on my non-salacious story. I was mostly just really out of sorts about the whole thing, and trying to re-frame it for delicate Mumper sensitivities … I really did wanna take that episode to the Pit that day.
Miss Owl take it away! Go do all the naughty things we’re dreaming of lately. Well, I am, at least.
Morning all. 50% chance of rain today and 70% tonight so Saturday soccer is in jeopardy. Life in N. Ali-bama. Still, headed for 80F today so there is that. Need to make myself presentable and head off to Target and the Docs office and drop off mail, so will accomplish something this morning.
shoe, like you I tend to sleep au naturale, can’t remember being caught out by contracotors but there was that one time in Amsterdam…(despite the location, not salacious, BBBoo…).
OK, newspaper has been brought inside, so need to begin getting active so brain turns on. All y’all take care.
Good morning. It has been five weeks since my retirement. This is the second “payday” that there was no paycheck. I just balanced the checkbook and paid bills. All of a sudden it got real. I worked the numbers very thoroughly before Sunflower retired and I knew we would be OK, but it is still a very surreal feeling. With the exception of a nine week layoff in 1972, I have been continuously employed since I was fourteen years old
What “delicate Mumper sensitivities”??
We’ll see what happens – just don’t tell FCM about anything naughty. 
I’m debating if I want to tell him what a small world it is. I discovered that he and my one aunt have 4 or 5 FB friends in common (which didn’t totally surprise me, given his occupation and both of their interests). I asked my aunt about him and showed her his photo but she’s pretty sure she never met him although they may have been at an event together in 2015 (she was there, doesn’t know if he was). Got all that? However, she did ask one of their mutual FB friends about him the other day and his response was that “P is a sweetheart” – which I had already figured out. 
So, I’ve got good news and bad news, but I’ll start with the bad news first because I like to end on a good note.
The bad: overlymom will likely need surgery to remove her throat cancer and probably radiation and maybe chemo thereafter. She’ll also need physical therapy because her surgery will require that she have a tracheotomy and a feeding tube, so she’ll need to re-learn how to swallow and speak after leaving the hospital.
Also, my daughter just started hybrid learning, so no grandma for her for quite a while; depending on how the numbers trend in her school district, she may need to be virtual whether she likes it or not, but we will see. I’ll also consider myself contaminated, but since overlymom has said she doesn’t care, I’ll wear a mask around her. I’m worried that this is an unnecessary risk, but I’m also worried about her mental health if I don’t make sure she has someone to talk to in person.
The good: It’s treatable. It hasn’t spread (yet) and the doctors sound confident it can be removed. And if they’re successful enough with the surgery and radiation combination, they will consider not doing chemo so as not to affect her shiny new(ish) liver.
Overlymom is relieved and considers the surgery a small price to pay to get rid of the cancer. She may think differently later while she’s going through it, but even though when I think about it, I want to vomit a little, I’m happy for her (as I could be), and marginally less vomit-y.
Now, to drink some coffee and settle down a bit. Just a bit.
My thoughts also - somehow those words don’t look right together…
The RoxStar is bored. We’ve colored and played and some other stuff and I’m tired of playing with a toddler. She, on the other hand, is boundless energy that wears me out! I just gave her a banana - at least she’s quiet while eating. I need a break.
I filled out my ballot and I’ll drop it off today. FCD is having second thoughts - he’s thinking he wants to vote in person. That’s something about him that makes me crazy - he says he wants to do something/go somewhere, so I make plans, then suddenly he’s changed his mind and I’m the one with the problem. It’s especially maddening when he asks me to make an appointment for him for something, then when the time comes, it’s a bad time and it’s my fault. So I don’t make his appointments any more. No good deed goes unpunished. 
Meanwhile, 5 more hours with the toddler - hoping she takes a nice, long nap after lunch.
Happy Friday, y’all. Looks like our chance at rain this weekend is rapidly disappearing. Bummer. Light rains would be good right about now. Big task this morning was giving Caelan (the big orange male) his meds. He has a sinus issue so the vet gave me antibiotics and antihistamines for him. The antibiotic is administered with a oral syringe, so I can make him take it. The antihistamine, however, is a half a pill twice a day and he’s having none of that. Had to hold him down, shove it into his mouth then clamp it shut and massage his throat until he swallowed it. Caelan is not happy right now.
I’d put everything in his food, but he eats with the other cats and they shouldn’t have his meds. Kids!
That is a mixed bag indeed… but overall positive. Holy crap, the stuff we human beings (and the people who love them) have to endure. 
Sorted, and as usual, Green had late misosrts. At least I get paid by the hour to clean up their screw ups.
“Porn gives young people an unrealistic and unhealthy idea of how quickly a plumber will come to your house.”
Quaaludes? 
{{{{{wordy and mom}}}}
Chores are completed for the morning and the early meal has been consumed (it’s still assimilating, it was a big one). Cloudy but no rain (yet).
{{{talky and Mom}}}. At least the long-term looks good.
quietly, better check your shoes before putting them on in case Caelan leaves a ‘thank you’ gift…
FCM, hope naptime comes soon…for both of you.
hippy, know the feeling after 32 years with the government. Not having to be
somewhere or do things on a regular schedule–takes some getting used to…
Up to 75F now…and up to a 60% chance of rain…we shall see.
It’s nap time. Peace reigns! FCD and I both completed our ballots and we will drop them off at the board of elections after we give Roxy back to her mother. I checked over and marked up our wills and medical powers of attorney (the financial one was fine) - we’ll drop them off before heading to our financial meeting. Very efficient afternoon ahead!
Tomorrow I’ll do the carpet in the guest room since the bed is being delivered next week. Sunday, we’re going over to daughter’s place - FCD will help SIL do some electrical work and daughter and I have assorted chores to attack. So our weekend is well-planned.
nellie, I kinda thought whomp biscuits might come into play on that. 
My late sweetie’s granny was an old west Tennessee farm woman who discovered a shortcut to flat dumplings: flour tortillas cut into strips. Not quite the same as her dumplings, but not bad either.
{{{wordy and mom}}} I’m glad that the prognosis looks good.
I over did it yesterday. I was up all night coughing and when the alarm went off, I had a total of maybe an hour and a half of sleep. I texted my boss to tell her. 
I just made an order for the Pubic Sto’ to deliver groceries again this week. Included is a bottle of chloraseptic to maybe get rid of the itchy throat that’s causing the coughing.
Stay safe and healthy y’all!
Evening all. {{Wordy 'n Wordymum}} {{Anyone else what wants one}}.
Booooring meeting all day at irk today, but I now have a week off, so that’s OK. I have also managed to drop out of this 2 year long training course, and should instead be signing up for a much more reasonable 12 week one which is earlier in the day starting in January. I an very relieved; the course was meaning I had to drive an hour home after being at irk for a normal, fairly physical shift, then sitting in a warm room for 3 hours listening to someone drone on. I was practically falling asleep at the wheel, really not good.
I do have a minor sulk about the week off though- plan was to go up to Bristol to meet up with friends (in a distanced type manner) but the person I was most bothered about seeing is currently not well and waiting for a covid test result, so the trip’s being edited down. Should still see some other people, but even without covid this was going to be the last chance of the year to meet up with said friend. Boo.
I’m channeling my inner FCM and getting ready to scrub the kitchen floor and apply polish. I rented this place sight unseen (long story) and really lucked out in most ways, but the floor wasn’t one of them. The complex said “hardwood floors,” but those are only in the townhouses; we get “luxury vinyl” that looks kind of like wood. So I use a high-gloss polish that makes it look a LOT like wood, but the polish has to be scrubbed off every so often and reapplied. Today’s the day!
Are you still awake? Hello?
shoe, the catch is it’s cloudy and rainy 5 months of the year, and in the winter, it’s only full daylight for > 8 hours. If you have S.A.D., not good. OTOH, no snow to shovel. Also, I decorated in sunny colors, which helps. Also, I love rain.
Oh, and the story was great. Maybe we should start a Mumpers collection of salacious story titles. Yours could be “Two Men and a Naked Lady.” MetalMouse’s could be “That One Time in Amsterdam.” Miss Owl’s could be, “Wait 'Til He Finds Out.”
wordy, it sounds like a tough road ahead, but I fully understand your mom’s relief. Knowing there’s a cancer growing inside is a horrible feeling. Please let us know how she’s doing. Fingers are crossed she won’t need chemo.
Miss Owl, a little Facebook Sleuthing is not only OK but expected these days. I did it with every guy I dated post-divorce. (COVID and cancer put an end to those days. Sniff.) They did it with me. It saves a lot of “Looking for Mister Goodbar” worrying.
Moooom, I hope your mom called 'em “chicken-and-whomp.”
nut, hope your friend’s OK.
red, sure hope YOU’RE OK.
hippie, I had that feeling, too, at first. Maybe sunflower could present you with a check for a dollar once a month.
Well, that floor isn’t going to scrub itself…
Roasted some peppers today. Gotta skin 'em and gut 'em. Sealed up some gaps in the basement with expanding foam, so the Ms is happy now. Got the RV mostly winterized yesterday, so check that off my to-do list.
I think dinner will be skeddies with homemade walnut pesto sauce and maybe some shrimp.
The smoked salmon is supposed to arrive today, so tomorrow’s breakfast will be a bagel with cream cheese, bacon, salmon, tomato and red onion. You know you want it.
Oh, my god, when can I come over?
And crap, this just reminded me I was planning on chucking some homemade meatballs and sauce into the slow cooker and I completely forgot, so it’ll have to wait 'til tomorrow.
Happy Firday!
Another pretty day in the works.
The park was nice except Echo was showing her ass again. She got into a fight with Stormi. Those two get weird with each other, shortly afterwards they were running and playing and having a good time. I think the problem is, Echo doesn’t like Stormi to come near me, and Stormi doesn’t want Echo anywhere near her mom.
The a new dog named Mack came in, young pit bull. He and Echo were having fun and then they got into it. Echo started it too. A lot of noise, but no damage. Then Ripple, who mostly stands around, jumped into the fray, only he IS playing. I don’t know if he thinks that by jumping in and playing he can break it up, or of he is one of those who thinks fighting is fun. Kind of like those guys who think bar fights are fun.
Echo got her ultrasound yesterday and the good news is that she doesn’t have amyloidosis.
However, they don’t know why her nose is still swollen, and why her blood counts are off. They want to do more blood irk in three months.
The bathtub guy is here. He didn’t come yesterday because one of his other customers’ hot water heater flooded their house. Annoying for me, but I get it. When my toilet was leaking all over the floor, he came right out and fixed it, which meant he had to put somebody else on hold.
So my new tub has been unpacked and is sitting on the deck. I got in it to try it out and I think I am going to love it. I’m glad I got the longer tub even though it means he has to tear down and rebuild the wall where the plumbing lives. Although I suggested he tear down the wall behind the tub and take the extra few inches from the hall closet. The shelves are deep and I won’t miss the space. If I had the money I’d just get the closet redone now too.
Maybe i should just make that happen, although at the pace he goes, my bathroom probably won’t be done until Christmas.
I took a nap, now I feel more alive.
Barely.
Pizza will be delivered for supper. We’ve talked to our money guy and we’ve got a plan. We dropped off our ballots. We dropped off the changes to our wills and Medical Powers of Attorney. We were productive. Now we shall slug.
