And after 2 weeks, FCD has decided he’d rather remain an independent contractor than an employee. So tomorrow, we’ll move all his stuff home again. He said the company still wants him to do the work he’d been doing - no hard feelings and all that. So there we go.
Two loads of laundry on the lines, one in the dryer.Roxy and I are having some lunch, and when we’re done, the dryer load should be done so I can get all our unders and socks folded and put away. Exciting, huh?
It was 88 and a heat index of 96 when I got off. It was a touch hotter inside.
A life is merely an accessory to produce content for the MMP.
: looks up from sharpening axe :
Nothing to worry about at all..
I am TICKED. Went out to my balcony, and the squirrel-preventing pointy bamboo stakes are scattered about, and there are holes in the soil of the big pot. Those little #$@%!'s! I think bumba recommended some spiky stuff. I held off on getting it because bamboo was cheaper, but now I’m ready to buy a Howitzer if it’d keep those little creeps out of my plants.
I don’t remember if it was me or not. It might have been. I do know they won’t chew through this stuff. They just found another way around it. I couldn’t afford to wrap the entire cabin in it, so my final solution required a .22 pistol. 
You’d want to find something like it locally and make a cage for your plants.
I noticed that besides being Firday the 13th, it’s International Left Handers Day. Figgers that the rightys would put the two together. Bigots.
I got the bigger part of the closet torn out (the part that we wanted out) and most of the bits and pieces of wood (that stuff’s like gold these days) moved into the basement. I woulda gotten it all in, but the sprinklers came on and I didn’t want to move wet wood into the basement, so left it. I may finish up today before I leave.
I’m going back to the valley today. I miss Wifey and Vinnie. Also, Vinnie’s going downhill rapidly and I feel bad about not being there. I need to get after it though. Rush hour is not a good time to drive through Portland. I need to get out of here in the next hour.
Ta!
Just discovered one of Ariana Grande’s cousins is in one of my Econ. classes.
Just thought everybody should know so you have a new entry in “6 Degrees…”
I started tossing bird netting over EVERYTHING, and I have to tie it down or they find a convenient tree to hop off of. Best of luck…I’m about ready to go Caddyshack on the little gremlins in my yard.
Felipe and some kid came over with gravel, and filled my four-by-eight-foot foundation frame for the six by three woodshed I’m going to build. He charged me $100, including the gravel. Not bad. I also showed him the issue with the wooden awning over the front door his brother put up. I didn’t have a stool, but the more limber kid was able to show him it’s tilted the wrong way.
It’s supposed to be hot today. Weather-dot-com says it’s 76º Merkin, and it’s supposed to get up to 83. Tomorrow, when I’ll start building, is supposed to get up to 81. It’s smokey outside, and everything has an orange cast.
I saw a guy coming up the driveway, so I went out to find out what he wanted. He and his partner were looking for tree-related work. I showed him the dead dogwood in the back yard and the pine tree that had fallen across the path. Both have been taken care of, and all I had to do was write a check. 
Roxy has gone home. FCD is here. Life is good, and quiet…
It was prickle strips someone recommended. I couldn’t remember the name. Anyway, I ordered some. In the meantime, I’m going to spray some tabasco water on the soil. I hear that won’t hurt the plants but will deter squirrels, hopefully until Monday, when the prickle strips arrive.
I went to the gym and discovered they’re requiring masks again. I’ve been expecting this but hadn’t thought to bring one with me, so they gave me one from their diminishing supply. As I was leaving, maskless people were getting turned away. I’m so sad and frustrated that we’re back to this. Foolishly, I thought the vaccine would save us all; I didn’t factor in human folly.
That looks super, but holy frick, $180! Of course, it’s 100’ of the stuff, but I only need about 2’.
It’s also National Blame Someone Else Day, so I’m pointing at Herman K. Shimmelfrutz of Turnip, Oklahoma. And it’s National Prosecco Day, so maybe I’ll invite him over for a glass to make up for scapegoating the guy.
Hugs to you and skritches to Vinnie bumba. It’s hard to watch our pets begin to go downhill as they age.
The apartment is cleaned, laundry is done and groceries are bought. No dog park today, as it’s been raining on and off all day. I have a couple of errands tomorrow, but nothing else planned except farting around.
Just found out the niece who gave birth a month after Roxy was born is due in Feb - she’s such a copycat! 
We went to Cracker Barrel for supper. I was disappointed - their Friday Fish Fry used to be haddock. Now it’s cod. Not bad, but not as good. Oh well.
The sky is darkening - maybe we’ll get rain??
That would be moi. I think they will work for you.
First weekend of the new school year. It’s Margarita Time!!
Howdy Y’all! I did the church janitor Junior Warden stuff early and then resumed sloth for the balance of the day. I need to be more careful lest I forget my slothful ways! We had some quality cee-mint pond time, swiped The General’s sup, and binged some Netflix. All in all not too shabby of a day.
quietly I am all in favor of schools havin’ a margarita cart for teachers on Firday after all the young’uns have left for the day. Matter of fact I am in favor of tellin’ all the young’uns they must clear out within five minutes after the last bell. Then again, when I was in high school I could not wait to get outta there at the end of the day. My senior year (yes, I can remember back that far thankyewverymuch) my last class of the day was within fifty feet of the front door. I go from there to the parking lot across the street from the school in under three minutes.
Nellie you get those tree rats! Nasty little boogers they are.
Oof. I’m stuffed. I had 6 hot wings and two fish tacos. Mi Esposa had an Express Burrito: Flour tortilla filled with rice, beans and tender pork, and covered with a special salsa, tomato, green onion and sour cream (Sprinkled with parmesan cheese). (Yeah, that was a copy-and-paste.) She had a couple of grande blackberry margaritas, and I had a couple of grande Cadillac margaritas. We saw the owner’s father. There’s a picture of him looking quite handsome in the '40s (?) sporting a large safari hat, hanging at the cash register.
Is there a zoo anywhere close @nelliebly ? I’ve had good luck with big cat poop keeping javalina out, squirrels might be smart enough to be scared of the smell. A friend swears by ammonia, but she lives in bear country.
I have a headache. Not surprising because I also have a positive COVID test. My next section in my current project has a new twisty stitch I’ve never done before and I’m just not feeling mentally up for that sort of challenge tonight. I really miss in person classes.
I had to get a new doctor because my old one retired. My new one wanted me to get a bunch of tests and the imagine clinic’s phone has been broken (something about not being able to get the write chips for their computer system), so I finally went in today and got everything scheduled for next week. I’m not sure what to do about that, I’m quarantining, but can’t call them to reschedule.
I’m surprised hubby still lives from what you’ve posted in the mini rant thread …
I found out my doctor wasnt actually supposed to be treating me due to my age and the new insurance rules he just did it as a favor to my mom
Evenin’ all!
I really need to get smart about basic plumbing stuff. My toilet was running intermittently and the internet said “it could be several things,” so I had Roto-Rooter come out today: $50 for new parts, and $350 for 30 min of the guy’s time. I knew that plumbing calls are never cheap, but $400?! {sigh}
We had a weird string of storms tonight: thunder, lightning, wind, and rain, at varying times/intensities over the course of a few hours. This is the third night of storms since Monday; it’s been a tough week for my poor doggy! It seems like the thunder is finally fading, though. The lightning seems determined to linger, so I’ll close the blackout curtains in the bedroom later.
Speaking of the dog, I’ve decided to get rid of my bed frame and put the boxspring and mattress directly on the floor. My hope is that lowering the whole shebang a little will make it easier for Bailey to get up on the bed in the morning. She’s 13, and her hips have started getting a little stiff: after sleeping in her dog bed all night, it takes her 5-7 tries to make it up on the bed in the mornings (I hear her take several runs at the bed before finally jumping). And sometimes she hits her back paw on the edge of the frame on her way up…that has to smart a little. I need to line up some help to take the frame apart and have it taken to the dump (it’s too old and scratched up to give away), so it’ll probably be another week or two before I can make the change. But I really hope it will help her. I definitely won’t mind not having a frame for however much longer I get to have her with me. And I won’t miss having to get Milk Bones out from under the bed (or the accompanying “OMG HELP ME” barking)!
My only plans this weekend are to have lunch with my best friend tomorrow. Her husband and son are out of town: I love them both dearly, but it’ll be nice to have some quality time. 
We’ll get some Panera and then hang at her place for a while.
I’ll probably turn in soon, so I can do some reading (Stephen King’s new one, Billy Summers) before I fall asleep. Have a good night, everyone!
If I didn’t have him to bitch about, I’d get really bored and lonely!
He figured out that while getting vaccinated might not stop him from catching the next version running around, it would protect him from paying over 2500 for another kitten, and got his first Moderna shot today.
He’s also promised to get the recommended boosters when/if needed until the pandemic has been officially declared to be over.
He gets to live a little longer.
Thank you! I’m sorry I couldn’t remember it was toi. I can’t wait for them to arrive. The tree rats, as swampy called them, have me ramping up my inner Rambo. (Full disclosure: I’ve never seen Rambo. Probably never will.) I went out there and sprayed heavily with a tabasco-water-soap solution. I started coughing, so I’m hoping the fumes drive the critters away.
flyboy, I love the Friday dinners you and Mrs. Flyboy share.
Alas, no, not within walking distance. The nearest zoo is almost 60 miles away.
I hear computer chips have been in short supply since the pandemic started. I hope this all works out for you. You’ve sure been a trouper!
Oopsie, you’re a compassionate pet owner. Bailey must worship you.
We are finally getting a proper monsoon storm! Thunder and lightning enough to wake me up and enough water to overfill our rain barrels.
I actually saw this before I went to bed and thought about it while drifting off.
Troopers slog on against all odds. Troupers slog on against all odds while acting like things are all OK, they like wearing masks when its triple digits outside and they still haven’t pulled all their hair out because their hubs is an idiot. I like being called a trouper better!
Being quarantined isn’t the same as being grounded. I can still use my phone, and now I have the magic of the interwebs.
Would you be highly offended or highly amused if you found a package full of poop in your mailbox?
I’m not sure I can have it shipped, but our local rescue zoo has a tiger who’s idiot owner set free to fend for itself (which it couldn’t do because it was declawed and defanged as a kitten), and a cougar with an equally sad story. I can call and find out if I can arrange for it, or if you haven’t fixed your tree rat problem in a couple of weeks, I can go and buy some for you.