Whew! So glad you surfaced, shoe. I’ve been concerned for a few days but didn’t want to seem like a worrywart. I’m sorry to learn you’re having problems. I hope you’re finding solace in cats and rats and snakes and birdsong and whatever minor miracles surround you, as well as knowing we care.
Today is being spent getting ready for the trip.
FCM, glad you got cooler air indoors and out.
Sari, I hope the pup shows up.
when I was between real jobs my central air went out so I lived in my bedroom with a window unit and ate cold cuts.
When I got back in full employment the central got fixed and I added a 2nd window unit as a backup. I don’t like hot. not even a little.
as for the thread, I love a good fire works show but I’d like a nationwide ban on the loud ones sold privately. And I mean a ban at the store. They’re dangerous and are regularly abused for the sake of pure assholery. I think people are setting them off at ground level.
I made a run to an Amish veggie stand and got pulled over by a state trooper. Apparently, the driver’s side brake light is out. So I have 10 days to get it repaired and signed off, then send the citation in. Not a huge deal, just a small hassle. I think I have a spare bulb in the trunk - I’ll mess with it later when FCD is awake and can verify that the replacement works. Then I have to find a trooper to sign it off for me or take it to my car guy and get him to sign off. Pain in the butt!!
On the plus side, I got sweet corn and 'maters!
Actually, I’ve been such an emotional mess that both cats are done with me, just sick of my shit, and lately won’t put up with me grabbing one randomly for snuggling time anymore, and have been trotting away at the sight of me reaching my arms out.
I have snuggled with Pretzel before (yeah, really!) and got pooped on for my reward - reptile 
is some nasty stuff, in case you needed to know that fact - and the ratties are feeders, not domesticated or handled beyond the bare minimum.
But … a local friend said I could come chill with her tonight after work. Some human contact will doubtlessly help my mental state.
Also, she has, like, six or eight cats, so I’ll get my feline therapy tonight for sure. They fall over each other for visitor attention. 
Also, I have now - thanks mostly to y’all - felt better enough to eat some soup. With croutons! That counts as solid food, right?
Cuz I haven’t really eaten in days. I’m putting this in the “progress” category.
Shoe, you are not a snek, please do not copy Pretzel’s eating habits 
I am extremely dozy today- new guy upstairs turned out to be nocturnal, and was doing what sounded like rearranging furniture at 2.30am- and the floors here are really creaky- then somehow set the fire alarm off at 3. I am counting the freakin’ hours until I can move out.
Another new guy moved in today- seems OK (by which I mean he said hello, and immediately commented on the mess, but not in a way that implied he was expecting me to do anything- it’s really bad, but I am *not* cleaning up everyone else’s mess, I am no-one’s mother, and I am outta here next week). The guy downstairs is gonna freak though, because I’m pretty sure both new guy and his mate helping him move in were wearing uniforms with a police logo on. I don’t personally care what downstairs guy smokes so long as it doesn’t stink the place up, but it’s not legal here.
Regarding fireworks, I like the big display stuff, and I must admit I do have a definite pyro streak, but there is definitely a limit. I have no clue what people have been celebrating here, but someone has been letting some off at about 10pm almost every night the last few weeks.
Around here, November 5th is the big fireworks event- they were mostly off last year, but the year before the local town had a really surreal appallingly thought through one, where they dedicated the show to the anniversary of Armistice day. It was complete with aeroplane
and air raid siren sound effects and remixed Churchill recordings, segueing into Black Sabbath. No-one else there seemed to think it was messed up, but it was somewhat uncomfortable.
I mean, the whole November the 5th thing is pretty screwed up anyway- when I was a kid, we alternated who hosted the firework party with my Catholic cousins, which is also pretty odd, now I think about it.
I just received a (spam) text asking about purchasing my home from me.
I’ve been a tenant all my life, ya dummies. Doubt my landlady would be OK with me selling you her house.
I got spam letters about getting a conservatory a year or so back. I lived in a rental flat on the top floor at the time.
I know some of you won’t believe it, but apart from loading the dishwasher, I’ve done NOTHING today. No cleaning, no vacuuming, no tidying, no painting, no sewing, no nothing. I played with my tablet and bought some Amish veggies.
I did just ready the corn for the steamer, and in about 15 minutes, I’ll start to pull supper together. But it’s been a zero motivation day.
At least it’s cool and dehumidified in here now.
Enjoy the coolth (that’s the opposite of warmth) and your slothage!
I discovered I needed to get to the pharmacy, so halted trip prep to do so. It’s 80º out but feels hotter when you’re hoofing it, so am cooling down now. No doubt about it, I’m a heat wimp.
shoe, listen to your ol’ Aunt Nellie. As loathsome as food seems during anxious/depressed states, not eating exacerbates both. Think of food as medicine. If you can manage those packaged yogurt smoothies, have one every two hours. Or soup, as long as it’s got protein in it. Also, get yourself some B-complex vitamins and force one down every day. Your nervous system needs care and feeding, even when it insists it doesn’t.
Have a great time at your friends’ house. And when you return, talk VERY LOUDLY about how sweet and loving her furry friends were. 
FCM, zero motivation looks good on you.
Scream door is installed. The destructions said it should take 30 minutes. Since I’d never done it before and didn’t have anyone to hold it for me at times, it took me about 2 hours. But it fits, the piston seems to work (hard to tell because of the breeze), and the latch works. It even has a lock on the inside latch.
Who screams?
The kitty when it wants out or back in, yet again?
Or you when you once again have to get up and be a feline door valet?
That door is not the kitty door.
Making some cod with Old Bay, and herbed rice, and having a sazarac for cocktail hour.
Moooommm! has been replaced by a Pod Person! 
Listen to Nut and Nellie and keep eating, please. 
All packed and clean and waiting for my ride to the airport. Unsurprisingly, traffic is supposed to be awful, and I expect the airport will be chaos, so we’re leaving almost 4 hours before my flight for what should be about a 45-minute ride. Fingers crossed for smooth sailing.
Howdy Y’all! I accomplished church janitor Junior Warden stuff, we went to the Chinese hog trough buffet, then back to da cave for nappage cause no use in pullin’ two all dayers in a row. Then we cooked and prepped stuff for tomorrow. Also it rained pretty much all afternoon. We had cocktail hour out on the back porch cause ‘twas nice out and we enjoy watchin’ the rain. Such party animals we are!
{{{Shoe]]] glad you checked in. Take care of yourself and eat. Have a good time at your friend’s house and check back in when you feel like doin’ so.
MOOOOOOM yay for fixed a/c! The two units that got replaced at the church house were installed in December of 2006, so we definitely got our money’s worth out of ‘em. This makes four our of five units in the Parish Hall replaced. I am expectin’ the one for the kitchen/pantry area to bite the dust anytime now. The ones in church proper were installed in November of 2013. So far there have been no problems. Of course I have no doubt jinxed that by writing this very post.
Nellie enjoy your trip. I imagine you are at the airport now if not already on the way.
Sari here’s hopin’ Ruby is now safe and at home.
We had a couple of ‘Manhattans’ (Crown Royal, because that’s what they have) with dinner. Now we’re having margaritas.
{{{shoe}}} Listen to your Aunt Nellie and cousin nut and jeść!
I hope that Ruby is found and comforted sari.
Glad that your AC is back in business Mooooooooom.
Irked, got off closer to regular time than I have all week and took Nelson to the dog park. I thought I was going to have to take him out of there. A terrier mix named Oreo kept pestering him. He usually doesn’t get snarly with other dogs unless he knows them and they are both playing, but this dog just wouldn’t leave him alone. He was an unneutered male who was trying to hump everybody (humans included) and Nelson didn’t consent. Once Oreo was gone, he had fun playing with another terrier mix and a young lab.
Picked up some brisket and a salad for supper and now for chillage.
Stay safe and healthy y’all!
Ruby, get your furry butt home.
@purplehorseshoe, if you insist on emulating Pretzel’s eating habits, maybe you should try a rat? (giggle)
Next week, the Princess will be a rather irritated kitty. Starting Tuesday, I move to a different shift (11-8), so the royal supper will be several hours later than she’s accustomed to (she could eat earlier if she’d condescend to eat a supper served by DH, but NOOOOO, Mama must be the server). At least I switch supervisors, which will be good, and new sup will really need me. Pretty sure I’m going to be the only veteran on her team, which will otherwise be hapless newbies who’ve just endured what is by all reports abysmal virtual training (no real reason for that, IMO).
TVCTPMO was doing the transit division today, with two out of three vehicle operators apparently having only learned to handle brakes, oh, about last week, or so it felt like. The other vehicle featured a yammermouth (another passenger) who seemed to think the whole bus needed to hear his voice nonstop (must get personal audio with much better outside noise cancelling).