# I'm Up too Early so May as Well Start the MMP **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Tags:** mmp\ **Created:** [August 24, 2020, 9:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-up-too-early-so-may-as-well-start-the-mmp/918872 "2020-08-24T09:09:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2020, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-up-too-early-so-may-as-well-start-the-mmp/918872/21 "2020-08-24T17:55:11Z")
> [@Buttercup\_Smith](#): > > I know I am a horrible wife but I just can’t anymore. No, no. Not that at all. You’re clinging to your sanity with bloody fingernails under multiply trying conditions. Your reactions are 1,000% understandable. 🙁 Update from ThelmaWorld: I went to stock the pantry this morning and two customers were there! A woman probably my age with her daughter (35-ish). They thanked me profusely for doing this. I was humbled, embarrassed, and almost cried in front of them (but I waited til I got back in my car). The mom said she doesn’t have enough income to get through the month. Damn. This is about 10 blocks south of my modest house. If you go east from my house and cross a busy street you will find multi-million dollar, 8,000+ sq ft mansions from the 1900s through the 1930s-- used to be called Cattle Barons Row. This is within a circle whose diameter is probably one mile. Holy fucking crap. I’m doing this 3X per week and will keep on indefinitely. The [BirdBeSafe collar](https://imgur.com/iMIRgNp) on EC was an epic fail this morning. I was sitting at my desk when Sweetie (dog) came into the office squealing and squirming in alarm like Paul Revere on his ride. Then I heard the tell-tale BID (bird in distress) chirr-EEP sound. I ran in the kitchen and quickly shooed EC into the dining room and shut both kitchen doors. _(Craftsmen houses from the 1920s have lots of rooms and doors, which I like. How do people in open-plan houses corral lost birds?)_ I turned off the light over the sink and the bird flew straight to the window glass in panic. I captured it in a dishtowel and released it outside. It was a not-quite-full-grown cardinal. The whole caper didn’t take any more than two minutes. Sigh. I’m going to leave the collar on EC anyway. Maybe she would have brought more birds in if she weren’t wearing it. ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2020, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-up-too-early-so-may-as-well-start-the-mmp/918872/22 "2020-08-24T18:01:25Z")
> [@SurrenderDorothy](#): > > ECT is messing with my brain in a billion different ways. I begged the doc to slow the treatments down. She asked if I could promise to keep myself safe. I can’t. Or I sort of can. I don’t know. The thing I can’t get around is that someone would have to find me and that’s not okay to do to anyone. But tbh if I can figure that out- a way to put in a delayed call to emergency services or someone who is generally equipped to handle it- I’m out. Oh, Dot. This worries me to read… Other MMPers… help… ---
**Author:** ![purplehorseshoe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/purplehorseshoe/32/2996_2.png) [@purplehorseshoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/purplehorseshoe)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2020, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-up-too-early-so-may-as-well-start-the-mmp/918872/23 "2020-08-24T18:06:50Z")
> [@Old\_Wench](#): > > finally got to see one of my aunts on Saturday. I haven’t seen her since late last year. She’s in a convent and they were totally locked down for quite some time. They’re still not allowing visitors Thank you. You reminded me of an old friend from high school who joined a completely cloistered nunnery. She was our salutatorian at graduation, and her older brother was my year’s A.P. physics teacher; intelligent girl from a bright family - then she utterly cut herself off from the world. I used to write to her once or twice a year, even knowing she could not write back. I dropped off as life got busy (hey, it’s not like I could notice any difference) but what the hell. I got postcards, now I got stamps. _adds “Write to Julie” to to-do list_ Thinks a minute. _adds "Remind self of Julie’s ‘Sister’ name!_ to to-do list. * * * I thought ahead and started the wash before heading to The Office Of Post today. Returned home to clean (wet) laundry ready to hang, which has all afternoon in the hazy breeze to dry before the slim chance of rain tonight. Bow down before my efficient planning-ahead skillz! * * * That just leaves lunch and dinner. I have determined the former - quick cooking snack & long cooking entrée - both courtesy of Le Freezer & Le Oven. Dinner shall be … hmm. I have some bacon, a few onions, and a small red potato. Dinner may likely be a hash of ^^ unless I thaw the last boxed pierogi. _sniff_ Anyone got a _babushka_ they can lend? I want real pierogi, like my mom and aunts and every old lady in Poland makes. With nothing but minced beef inside - wtf is this “cheddar” nonsense? ---
**Author:** ![Buttercup\_Smith](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/buttercup_smith/32/473_2.png) [@Buttercup\_Smith](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Buttercup_Smith)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2020, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-up-too-early-so-may-as-well-start-the-mmp/918872/24 "2020-08-24T18:23:38Z")
Dots. Ignore the mess. It ain’t going anywhere. Please hang in there and give the treatments time to work. You’ve come this far it will be better soon I promise. Curl up in a ball and take a nap. This too shall pass. PM me or anyone of us if you want to chat. I am not doing anything in between waiting on hubs. BBBoo has experience with these treatments and can probably tell you more specifics. Call your parents. Go to the ER. Anything. ---
**Author:** ![FairyChatMom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fairychatmom/32/21906_2.png) [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2020, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-up-too-early-so-may-as-well-start-the-mmp/918872/25 "2020-08-24T18:25:33Z")
My grandmother’s pierogi recipe used potatoes and cottage cheese. Well, farmer’s cheese, but cottage is the best I can do. Plus she used mint, which I love but husband hates. One of these days, I need to make a batch again. Except the damned things are so addictive, I’d risk regaining every pound I’ve lost! 😮 We shall see… Back from erranding, altho the main errand didn’t happen. I have an order to pick up at Lowe’s. I parked in the curbside pickup area, dialed the number, and listened to it ring for _four-freekin’-minutes!!!_ So I decided to just go inside, but the line was stupid long. I left, and I’ll try again another time. SIL has Roxy, **FCD** is at a meeting, and I think I’ll build a cuke-onion salad for tomorrow. Or not. Maybe after a bit of a rest. ---
**Author:** ![gotpasswords](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c57346/32.png) [@gotpasswords](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gotpasswords)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2020, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-up-too-early-so-may-as-well-start-the-mmp/918872/26 "2020-08-24T18:29:29Z")
Greetings from smoky California. Last week, I was about three miles away from the edge of a “You might want to start thinking about what you’ll grab if we tell you to evacuate” zone, which was about five miles from an “Evacuate!” zone for the “LNU Complex” fire northeast of San Francisco. Air quality is nearly 300 now, which is pretty much terrible for anyone with lungs. Some sad news is that a friend in Santa Cruz lost everything in the CZU Fire. He got out with the pets and whatever he could cram into the car. Now he’s jobless and homeless. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2020, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-up-too-early-so-may-as-well-start-the-mmp/918872/27 "2020-08-24T18:32:36Z")
> [@SCAdian](#): > > My sisters told me I did that with _The Story of Ferdinand_ – they thought I was actually reading it out loud until I forgot to turn the page but kept on “reading”. 😃 Mama Plant was caught at that because she was holding the book upside down. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Stainless\_Steel\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_stainless_steel_rat/32/5727_2.png) [@The\_Stainless\_Steel\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Stainless_Steel_Rat)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2020, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-up-too-early-so-may-as-well-start-the-mmp/918872/28 "2020-08-24T18:49:45Z")
Afternoon all. Milk and bananas have been procured and Jersey Mike’s sub and chips have been assimilated. Waiting to see if the rain from the storm/hurricane makes it up this way today or not (it’s still south of Birmingham). **Dot, Butters** , stay strong…and I really can’t help anymore than that, but if I can lend you strength in the saying, then… **gotti** , sorry to hear about your friend, you stay safe now. **Thel** , I guess some birds are color-blind, or just not very smart. Or EC is a primo hunter. **talky** , hope the tech problems settle down (probably 20 million kids all trying to use the same service) and the teeth settle in. **Sari** , didn’t know that dishwasher detergents smelled. Never even thought about it. OK, speaking of that, need to get the dishwasher loaded and running before it gets too late in the day. All y’all take care. ---
**Author:** ![BippityBoppityBoo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bippityboppityboo/32/5745_2.png) [@BippityBoppityBoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BippityBoppityBoo)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2020, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-up-too-early-so-may-as-well-start-the-mmp/918872/29 "2020-08-24T18:59:00Z")
**Thelmalou** See your PMs ---
**Author:** ![Sahirrnee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sahirrnee/32/13937_2.png) [@Sahirrnee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sahirrnee)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2020, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-up-too-early-so-may-as-well-start-the-mmp/918872/30 "2020-08-24T19:03:18Z")
Fence guy was here, fence guy has left. Lots of tree trimming got done. The posts are here but not in place yet. He ran a string where they need to go, which is probably not something he should have done yet seeing as how the dogs keep running over it. The dogs are driving me nuts. There is irk going on out back, somebody out front is sawing and hammering, they are beside themselves running from window to window and door to door trying to see what is going on. I wasn’t going to take them to the park this afternoon, but I may take them just to wear them out a bit. It’s an awfully hot 88 degrees out there, and we have a severe thunderboomer warning. According to my phone it raining now, according to my window, the sun is shining. I really want a nap, I got up at 3:30 and the sleepies have caught up with me. **Dot** , hang in there. It does get better. Sorry for your friend **Gotti**. I think a nap is going to happen. I have a sensitive nose I guess **MetalMouse** , I can smell the dishwasher detergent all the way into the living room. This brand stinks. ---
**Author:** ![purplehorseshoe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/purplehorseshoe/32/2996_2.png) [@purplehorseshoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/purplehorseshoe)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2020, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-up-too-early-so-may-as-well-start-the-mmp/918872/31 "2020-08-24T19:03:59Z")
> [@SurrenderDorothy](#): > > I just sort of want to curl up in a ball and hide. I can sympathize with that part. I can see darkness down my road & I know that’s right where imma be soon. Hold my hand @SurrenderDorothy squeeze as hard as you can/want. Maybe we’ll get through the next days together. ---
**Author:** ![SCAdian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scadian/32/3292_2.png) [@SCAdian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SCAdian)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2020, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-up-too-early-so-may-as-well-start-the-mmp/918872/32 "2020-08-24T19:07:32Z")
{{{{Dots}}}} {{{{shoe}}}} ---
**Author:** ![ASL\_v2.0](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asl_v2.0/32/3525_2.png) [@ASL\_v2.0](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ASL_v2.0)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2020, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-up-too-early-so-may-as-well-start-the-mmp/918872/33 "2020-08-24T19:24:15Z")
Today I started law school (orientation (sort of (via Zoom sessions (because COVID)))). ---
**Author:** ![BippityBoppityBoo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bippityboppityboo/32/5745_2.png) [@BippityBoppityBoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BippityBoppityBoo)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2020, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-up-too-early-so-may-as-well-start-the-mmp/918872/34 "2020-08-24T19:43:20Z")
> [@SurrenderDorothy](#): > > am sure my roommate was here while I was at the hospital today Get a locksmith out and change the locks so you have peace of mind when you are out. It is what I have had to do twice, with two different roommates. If he/she has stuff there they need back, they can make a time specific appt with you to get it and you make sure that you have a friend, church member, neighbor there with you so you aren’t taken advantage of or pressured. Change the locks right away, you have more than enough to worry about and you need peace of mind and freedom from that stress. > [@SurrenderDorothy](#): > > are things I can’t do on my own, so I just sort of want to curl up in a ball and hide. Been in this spot too. Gonna brainstorm here a bit. Look on Craigslist, Next Door to see if a handy person advertises-if not, you put in a post asking about someone doing the work for you. Ask neighbors who have someone they pay to do yard work for contact info for their worker-they are often looking for a piece of work to fill in on rainy days or between big jobs. My yard guy does a lot of that and is very $ reasonable. If you have an area agency for the aging, they have handyman services-towns or counties have aging agencies. If you have a church connection, call and ask if there is a scout troop, bible study group or a men’s group that would help out in exchange for you donating to the church or a cause of theirs-I did this with a Boy Scout troop at a church in Boston and it worked great, the hard part was getting them to take the donation. I have used all these solutions myself at one time or another. I’ll be back when I think of more. Keep ‘talking’ to us, there are lots of caring, warm-hearted and smart people here, we want to listen. **been there, done that Boo** ---
**Author:** ![BippityBoppityBoo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bippityboppityboo/32/5745_2.png) [@BippityBoppityBoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BippityBoppityBoo)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2020, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-up-too-early-so-may-as-well-start-the-mmp/918872/35 "2020-08-24T19:53:20Z")
> [@overlyverbose](#): > > trying not to throw my daughter’s chromebook through the window. Got a 7th grader in my house, her mom and I have the same feeling at times, fortunately my house is so old very few of the windows still open so we have to settle for gnashing our teeth. > [@ThelmaLou](#): > > How do people in open-plan houses corral lost birds?) Or bats? Or cats and dogs when they won’t let your dinner alone? If not for all my doors I would never get a cat in the carrier for a trip to the vet. > [@purplehorseshoe](#): > > Anyone got a _babushka_ they can lend? I want real pierogi, like my mom and aunts and every old lady in Poland makes. > With nothing but minced beef inside - wtf is this “cheddar” nonsense? Maybe not a babushka but Trader Joe’s sometimes has tasty pierogi in their freezer offerings. ---
**Author:** ![purplehorseshoe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/purplehorseshoe/32/2996_2.png) [@purplehorseshoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/purplehorseshoe)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2020, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-up-too-early-so-may-as-well-start-the-mmp/918872/36 "2020-08-24T19:56:27Z")
> [@BippityBoppityBoo](#): > > Look on Craigslist, Next Door to see if a handy person advertises-if not, you put in a post asking about someone doing the work for you. > > Ask neighbors who have someone they pay to do yard work for contact info for their worker-they are often looking for a piece of work to fill in on rainy days or between big jobs. > My yard guy does a lot of that and is very $ reasonable. > > If you have an area agency for the aging, they have handyman services-towns or counties have aging agencies. > > If you have a church connection, call and ask if there is a scout troop, bible study group or a men’s group that would help out in exchange for you donating to the church or a cause of theirs-I did this with a Boy Scout troop at a church in Boston and it worked great, the hard part was getting them to take the donation. (All I did to ^^ quote was add line breaks - I hope that’s OK and humbly ask forgiveness if not.) I had to do similar when **Coolio** the window A/C showed up in a box on my front step. Not a chance I could pull off installing it myself - I could barely drag it inside. Local elderly dude who mows and such helped me put it in. Yes, I had a semi-stranger in my home. I stayed alert, and frankly, had no other viable option available. ---
**Author:** ![BippityBoppityBoo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bippityboppityboo/32/5745_2.png) [@BippityBoppityBoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BippityBoppityBoo)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2020, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-up-too-early-so-may-as-well-start-the-mmp/918872/37 "2020-08-24T20:01:04Z")
> [@purplehorseshoe](#): > > Hold my hand @SurrenderDorothy squeeze as hard as you can/want. Maybe we’ll get through the next days together. **@SurrenderDorothy** I have two hands ✋🏼🤚🏼 too. Just waiting. PMs are just fine. **beenthereBoo** ---
**Author:** ![FairyChatMom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fairychatmom/32/21906_2.png) [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2020, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-up-too-early-so-may-as-well-start-the-mmp/918872/38 "2020-08-24T22:00:41Z")
When daughter got home, I heard some rumblings outside. Then the skies opened. That’s how 15% chance of rain is defined here. 😃 Supper was yum, and no leftovers - SIL ate fully half of the pasta bake. He has quite the appetite. Dishwasher is washing and I’m about to assume the chillage position. ---
**Author:** ![Buttercup\_Smith](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/buttercup_smith/32/473_2.png) [@Buttercup\_Smith](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Buttercup_Smith)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2020, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-up-too-early-so-may-as-well-start-the-mmp/918872/39 "2020-08-24T22:45:01Z")
Doc made house call and gave two lidocaine/cortisone injections on either side of the spine down low. Also ordered muscle relaxers. Said if he was at his office he would x ray it and scolded him for not calling sooner. Then left the chart and his sun glasses here. I think I am done for the day. Still blowing pretty good but nothing we don’t get on a normal summer storm. Power is still on if I didn’t just jinx it. Gonna find something to binge. ---
**Author:** ![BippityBoppityBoo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bippityboppityboo/32/5745_2.png) [@BippityBoppityBoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BippityBoppityBoo)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2020, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-up-too-early-so-may-as-well-start-the-mmp/918872/40 "2020-08-24T23:10:06Z")
Have a nice easy meal, relax. Be good to the both of you, you’ve earned it. Don’t know what your doc suggested about the muscle relaxers but I always suggested to my nursing clients taking them _before_ the pain gets bad. Much easier to prevent pain than knock it back. Following all driving, etc instructions of course. Wishing him fast healing. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-up-too-early-so-may-as-well-start-the-mmp/918872.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-up-too-early-so-may-as-well-start-the-mmp/918872.md?page=3)