Everyone who has my number knows I do not answer calls, though I’m great with texts. So, last night I got a text from my daughter’s boyfriend. They’ve been together through college, then his medical school and residency. She is now a nurse, and he is an MD. He is a great guy and they make a great couple.
His text read: “Hey kayaker. Sorry to interrupt dinner, but would you answer your phone if I call? Important” I replied yes, and began thinking of all the horrible news that he would not feel comfortable imparting via text.
Turns out it was good news. He was calling before my daughter got home to tell me he has purchased a ring and is going to propose at the Grand Canyon in early May during their vacation. Because he knows how close we are, he actually wanted my blessings, which I enthusiastically conferred. He was very happy to hear my enthusiasm. I am the only one who knows his plan. He won’t be telling his parents until after she says yes and they set a date. Likewise, that is when my daughter’s mother will get the news.
When my son planned on proposing, the same sort of thing happened. He texted me about his plans, and I asked how everyone else had handled the news, only to find out that I was the first one to be told.
I got to give good news the other day. A customer wanted to build a new garage but zoning regs said he could not have an accessory building in front of his house. He was shaking and stressing out so bad when he met with me about it, I thought he was going to cry. I told him I’d do what I could and get back to him. When I called later, I told him what my manager told me and which I should have remembered on my own: that regulation did not apply to garages or carports. The guy was so relieved you’d think i’d have told him the tests came back negative.
And yes, getting a call saying the test results were negative is a GOOD call. Trust me on this.
My big toe seems to be healing well, but I won’t know for sure until I get the follow-up X-rays. I’ll be getting them Back Home, taking advantage of the vacation I’d already planned. Sent Mom to ask for the appointment, because one it makes her feel useful, two it makes her feel superaccomplished (as she had never gone to that particular medical center), and three it works particularly well when the request is for a very-specific time (“my daughter is coming to visit” as said by a lady of many years is somehow more powerful than “I’ll be in town visiting my family” as sent by email). I asked the factory nurse to check that I was redoing the bandages OK and she said that I was and that it was going well.
1.Bro offered to come pick me up from the airport, will be picking me up from the train station instead (I’m flying to BCN and then taking the train).
The Littlest Nephew had been having a lot of ear infections, which would often shift further down. Eventually it was decided he’d have surgery. It was the kind of thing which just fifteen years ago would have meant a hospital stay, but this time it was just a couple of hours despite involving full anesthesia. As far as his parents can tell, the only thing he’s noticed is that “inthide ear don’t hutt no more!”
Dirty Deck Dog wasn’t around when I went out to walk my pups. He left a gigantic pile o’ poo for my edification, on the grass below the deck. Stupid dog. When we got back, I fed my girls and ate a little myself. Looked out the French doors and Dirty deck dog was looking through the glass at me. I texted Mr.Wrekker and told him to get up here and take care of this.I can’t stand it. He really needs a bath.
(The dog not Mr.Wrekker)
Got a call from my son earlier, had to decide between two job offers after his graduation from Texas Tech in May!. What great news after a shitty start of the week!
Well, actually, last week my tests did come back negative. Not a huge surprise, but a relief none the less.
Two plus years ago, a CT scan for an entirely unrelated reason picked up a lesion in my lung. Anything under 5 mm they disregard. This was 6 mm.
“Ever smoked?”
“Yeah, for about 10 years. Stopped thirty years ago.”
Actually, I forgot to mention to the doc that for 15 years I used to work part of the time in dusty pharmaceutical processing areas with, back then, respiratory protection that would get you closed down on the spot these days. But having smoked (ever) is itself enough to get you into the imaging protocol which, in my case, was follow up CT scans at 3, 9 and 24 months. No change at 3 and 9 months, and same last week at 24. So now, pending the formality of ratification by the “Nodule Committee” (I’m not joking) I’m off the program.
I think that meets the criterion of getting good news lately.
I had a wisdom tooth extracted today. After waiting a few minutes for the freezing to take, the dentist came and poked around in my mouth for a couple of minutes, then stuffed a bit of gauze in. I waited a minute for him to start the extraction and he said if I had any problems to come back. Wait, that was it? Easiest tooth extraction I’ve ever had.
Great news yesterday. We put our house on the market and it hit the MLS Sunday night. We had had a long discussion with our agent and her partner (both as an agent and IRL) over the asking price and we priced it higher than I thought prudent, but I decided to test the market. Tuesday, no fewer than 12 people visited. Yesterday, four of them produced offers. The first one was a real lowball that I probably would not have even bothered to make a counter-offer to had I had the chance. But then the second, upon being told about the existence (but not the amount) of the first modified their offer and increased the amount significantly. When that was presented we saw that the original offer was at the asking price and this was higher. But it was presented at 6PM and there was a deadline of 7PM to respond. My wife and I knew that two other offers were to be presented at 6:30 and 7:15 so heard the 6:30 offer, which was higher, but not that much, than #1. So we signed #2 and gave each other high fives. Then came #4 which was even higher. Our agent said that a verbal confirmation of #2 had been given, but only the signed contract itself would make it official. Still, I gave my word and we stuck with #2.
Bottom line: we got substantially above what we expected. It doesn’t become official until the bank formally confirms the pre-approval of the mortgage.