Current/Former UPS employees: < Nods in understanding >
Everybody else: < drags dogbutler to Betty Ford >
My exact thought. 
@Johnny_L.A What did you end up wearing for the Christmas party?
Naw. Between you and Ruble, it made sense. Poor little blueberries.
Thus endeth the Thanksgiving turkey. I made Mrs. L.A. a plate of turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing, gravy, and cranberry sauce. I had turkey w/Pick-A-Peppa sauce, smoked salmon, cheddar cheese, and parmesan crisps. She had white wine, and I had red.
Blue trousers, a nice patterned blue shirt (w/o a pocket, which I didn’t notice when I bought it), and a Trump tie. I knew it was a Trump tie; but the memo said to wear red, and SWMBO wouldn’t let me wear a bow tie. (I have a red-patterned bow tie.) Two things: My Haggar trousers say ‘Haggar Khaki’, even though they’re blue; and I’m inspired to wear bow ties more often.
I need advice. The people downstairs are apparently out again. Their dog has been crying and howling nonstop. I’m sure it’s well-fed and OK, physically, but it’s hard to listen to such misery. I can drown out the noise out with music, but as soon as there’s a lull, I hear the canine crying again. Leaving notes on doors, no matter how nice, hasn’t been entirely successful, so I hesitate to do so again.
This has been going on for over an hour. People can’t stay home all the time just because their dog gets lonely. OTOH, that’s clearly a miserable little pup, and judging from past experience, he can go on for a very long time. It also makes it impossible for me to sit and read. I don’t want to be That Neighbor and complain to the office.
Not sure what to do. Any suggestions?
Poison the neighbours and adopt the dog.
Oops… Did I say that out loud?
Nellie have you been able to talk to them face-to-face? If not, maybe try that. They may be easier to communicate with in person. Good luck.
Ha! You did and it gave me a chuckle.
I’ve never laid eyes on them. We seem to operate on different schedules.
Oh joy. Apparently the Ever Given is taking another run at the Suez Canal, says Bloomberg (article paywalled, I could only read a paragraph or two).
Well, it would have been better if he was dressed like a surfer dude, but that works, too! 
Thirty-eight years ago today at lunch time, my sweetie and I went to the courthouse in Green Cove Springs, FL for a license, then immediately found out one couldn’t get married in the courthouse - they didn’t do that there. But the nice clerk directed us to Norris Bookkeeping and Accounting where a nice notary did the deed and two total strangers signed as our witnesses. And for those among you who don’t know, this was after we’d dated four whole weeks. Yep, a bit of impulse there, but apparently a good impulse - so far so good. 
And as in many years past, we have no plans. Our anniversaries have been mostly as low key as our wedding. We used to go to the Japanese Steak House shortly after we moved here, but even that got old and boring after 6 or 7 years. Maybe I’ll ask if he wants to go there tonight…
But first, I’m going to Annemarie Gardens with my daughter and Roxy - SIL doesn’t want to go and FCD can’t handle the walking. There’s a light display at the gardens, and they’re supposed to have animals tonight. So we’ll see how it goes.
And even before that, I’ve got laundry to do! WOOHOO!!!
Happy Thursday!!
Early morning awwwwww - big sis:
Looks like she’s OK with them keeping him. 
Good Mornin’ Y’all! Up and caffeinatin’. YAWN ‘Tis 44 Amurrkin out and foggy with a predicted high of 70 and N.O.S. for the day. I have a doc appointment at three-fifteen this afternoon. I’d rather it had been this mornin’, but it is when it is, I reckon. Other than that 'twill be a day of leisure as we retired drains on society are wont to do. Sup shall be beastloaf, green beans, squish casserole, mac 'n cheese, and cornbread. We shall feast.
Happy FairtChatAversary!!! The pic is a way cute overload first thing in the mornin’.
Now I need more caffeine and to feed rumbly tummy. Then, onward into the day! Rah.
Happy Thursday Y’all!
Good morning everyone.
Happy anniversary to the Fairy Chats! I hope you have many, many more! I love the pic of Tobias and Roxy; so cute!
Yesterday was both busy and long. Usually being very busy makes the day go by quickly, but yesterday was really a slog. I hope today is better.
I contacted my stylist to see about getting an appointment to get my hair done. The soonest she can get me in is the 30th. I specifically said I would prefer a morning appointment, but the appointment would be for late afternoon/early evening. This is unfortunate. First I will confirm that she was looking at only Fridays or evenings, and if she still can’t get me in, I guess it’s time to break up. I’ve told her over and over that I want morning appointments and even when I book way in advance she just can’t seem to slot me for the morning. Her appointments ahead of me always run over into my time and then I feel like she’s rushing through mine. Additionally, she is tired and frazzled in the evenings and I just feel like I’m not getting her best work. So, much as it bothers me, I need to seriously look elsewhere. Trying to find a slot elsewhere during the holiday season is going to be difficult, so we’ll see what happens.
Although today is filled with training, meetings, daily work and the ever-present MUST DO NOWS, it’s my Friday, so that’s a good thing. I’ll have the weekend to finish shopping and decorating.
Why the 
do I always wake up early on my lone Blessed Day Off?!?
Happy anniversary FCM!
I feel your pain.
Happy 'versary FCM + FCD!
I’m up to chivvy the boy onto the bus. Today he was already up and dressed when I went to go check on him, so that’s a nice change. I’ve got a dentist appointment at 10:30. Wheeeee! I think that’s it for the scheduled events. I feel wiped out, so I will probably be napping soon.
Happy Thorsday everyone!
Morning all. A balmy 37F outside heading for 62F later with no rain today but a 75% chance of rain tomorrow.
Happy Anniversary to FCM/FCD. Glad things worked out so well. And beautiful picture.
shoe, I sympathize; days that I have been active and go to bed real tired are the mornings I wake up at 5am…bodies are weird…
Seanette, hopefully they have a different Captain and Pilot this time…
Nellie, is there a ASPCA or something like that nearby? Maybe they can contact the neighbor (an ‘anonymous’ tip).
OK, pills taken so need to start considering breaking fast. All y’all take care.
Freezer Repair Update: guy showed up an hour early AND called ahead. 
Initial diagnosis: lots of ice has been blocking various fans/vents. Freezer is on the mend, guy is currently working on fridge compartment. (Apparently they have separate cooling systems; both were having problems.)
Freezer issues likely stem from an ambitious grocery trip a while ago that overloaded the compartment, e.g. I bought too much stuff. I didn’t notice for a while that it was juuuust barely cracked open - not enough for the “Idiot Sensor” to start beeping, but enough for everything to get a nice frosty coat of, well, frost all over everything.
Happy Anniversary, FCM & FCD! That picture was freaking adorable.
Today is my Friday. Suddenly I’m in a hurry to use up my time off so’s I won’t lose a bunch of it in the new year. I dearly hope I get time to fart around tomorrow.
I’m well rested today, only because the cold has moved into my head, so my ears were so stopped up last night while I slept I couldn’t hear my husband’s snoring or my alarm. My muscles are so stiff from getting over the fever that when I couldn’t bend over, so I forced myself onto the treadmill this morning (very slow walk for 10 minutes to loosen things up). It was successful and not awful, but I was actually sweating, which was disconcerting. Oh, well. Objective achieved. Tomorrow will be better.
Now to work. These Very Important Discussions will be the death of me. There are enough of them that after a while, none of them seem particularly urgent, just mildly annoying.
Yay … d’oh … d’oh … (well, one outta three ain’t bad.)
Final verdict on repairs: $200 smackeroos. FUCK. 
Final breakdown: freezer was essentially my fault, but fridge was a clogged drain pan vent that was NOT my fault - y’all shoulda heard the repair guy mutter about Samsung & their bad design flaws.
Part of the extra cost was replacing the vents with a new leakage kit, or whatever he called it. He did show me the difference - it’s clear the replacement has multiple vents, the original is prone to immediate failure at a single weak point.
Currently laundering my towels (there was significant seepage to mop up) and tossing milk, chicken broth, and a few other “un-trustables” from the morning’s repair carnage.
Highly salted sausage, cheese, and semi-thawed TV dinners have been deemed salvage-worthy. I also had a turkey breast that was still mostly frozen - and no doubt provided a thermal sink for the smaller stuff.
Ate an ungodly amount of ice cream last night (hey, that coffee Häagen-Dazs was not gonna go to waste) and though I am by no means lactose intolerant, the inevitable G.I. backlash to 3/4 pint in one sitting, in the early pre-dawn hours was … you know what? Worth it.
Okay, now that it’s 1 p.m. I guess I could start being productive.