He’s relatively easy to work out - if I’m eating it, he wants it. Since March, I’ve been working at home so he’s only recently become used to me being around at lunchtime, previously I’ve made something and taken it to work. Now he get to see what’s on the menu every day, and also since I can cook at home, I’ve got more options. My go-to at the moment is pan-seared salmon with some salad. He is well aware of the fact there’s been salmon, smoked haddock, tuna and chicken in the weekly shopping so come lunchtime, he’s down in the kitchen, poised like a coiled spring…
Higgs’ surgery went well and they’ll be sending her home with an inflatable collar instead of a cone of shame. We’ll be getting pain meds plus tranquilizers for the trip both ways - for the dog, not us! 
Roxy is napping. Laundry is done. I need to start gathering the non-perishable items that need to be packed. I have a list - hope it’s close to complete.
Turns out FCD will still have some work to do on the project that was canceled since he was funded thru the end of the year and they can’t do anything else with that money but pay him. So he’ll probably run some more analyses and write up a report to burn up the funds. Your gummint at work.
And our recliners are supposed to hit the warehouse next week, which means we can arrange to have them delivered as soon as we get back - yay! And that should be the end of our home overhaul, tho I would like to get the front porch repaired or replaced. We’ll talk to a contractor in the spring.
Our feline overlords free-feed - amazingly, neither one is fat. Nor do they beg, tho Taz will lick any residue from my bowl when I have ice cream. Ziva will lick me - I take it as a sign of affection rather than her getting a taste. 
This is the ship I want to take a cruise on:
Saw her through the periscope in the Med during my last deployment.
Really ought to take a shower and get dressed, then go out and do something useful. Maybe a cup of coffee will give me enough energy to do more than think about that…
FCD wants to go transatlantic on that ship. It’s on our wish list.
Happy Firday!
Was a chilly 37 degrees this morning, now is in the 60s and the sun is shining.
HFH = Houseguests From Hell or Her (His) Fucking Highness
or in other words My Mother’s Other Daughter and her spouse.
I think I should switch it to MMOD since they are no longer houseguests.
We don’t like each other, we don’t speak, however we do attend family functions together and stay as far apart as possible.
Thel, I have two of those containers already, both filled with dog food. They came with smaller containers, both filled with dog treats. I use big plastic jars that the dog treats come in to hold the cat food, and smaller dog treat jars to hold the cat treats.
Herald - being that I live very close to both PA and WV, I know many people who cross over on a regular basis for either irk or to visit family. It is my understanding that in this area, the PA cops ignore the MD and WV plates. One of my friends was afraid to go see her mother, but the others who drive into PA on a regular basis assured that nothing was going to happen.
I’m glad Higgs is doing well. I got Echo an inflatable collar so she wouldn’t have the cone of shame. We never used it because she mostly left her stitches alone.
I have a doctor appointment on Moonday in the armpit. I called and changed it to a televisit. If I do decide to go down for Thanksgiving, two trips to the armpit in one week is too many for me. I would like to see almost everybody, don’t even know who all will be there, but I hate the drive down.
For those who don’t know, the town I grew up in is considered to be the armpit of the county.
I overslept again this morning. It’s becoming a habit. Instead of meeting Lucy at the park, we went over to Buttercup’s house and sat in the yard. I’ll meet with Lucy this afternoon at the park. The weather will be nicer then anyway. Yesterday was nice, and a lot of nice dogs there.
Frustration with getting OAOASO a new phone. He is still on my account and needs a new phone.
He wants an iphone. The 11 is on special, he can get one for $10 month, but he wants the iphone 12 pro max with 512 gb storage. Is it gb? I don’t know, will cost him $57/month and he doesn’t need it, but he likes to have the latest and best to show off to his friends.
So I go out to AT&T, go through the order process and it says I have to change my plan. I try to call AT&T and have to wait. I ask for them to call me back and they never do. I order the phone anyway because I think the new plan will cost the same as what I have. They tell me I can pick my phone up in two hours… in West Virginia. I’m not driving to Martinsburg for a phone. I keep putting my zip code into the option box and it won’t let me switch stores. So I get of AT&T, got directly to my store website and order the phone, and I get the message I can pick it up in two hours… in Virginia. So I pick a store where OAOASO lives, order the phone and he can pick it up in two hours… in another place in Virginia. So I check Best Buy and Amazon. Best Buy has the phone he wants on sale, and I can pick it up in one hour. Pain in the ass to order from there because I need a security code and I can’t remember what it is. So back out to AT&T to change my security code, then as I am changing it I remembered it. Back out to Best Buy, have to call OAOASO to get a pin number that is being texted to his phone. Order the phone and I can pick it up… next Wednesday. His phone is barely irking, so that is not acceptable to him. Back out to Best Buy to change the color of the phone, I can have it by Saturday, they text the pin code to his phone. I call him to get it and he doesn’t answer. I say fuck it and cancel the order.
I’m done.
So he texts me this morning about the phone. I said you didn’t answer me so… no. He says he didn’t get the text or my call… well his phone is barely hanging on.
I told him, if you get the phone you want, you are going to have to wait. If you want one now, pick something else.
Happy Firday, Mumpers! I walked to the oncologist’s office this morning for my REAL appointment. He said all my labs were excellent and, after the exam, added that I’m looking great. Woo-hoo! You just don’t appreciate normality until you’ve lost it for awhile. The one odd thing was that my temp was 91.8. I usually run a tad low, but 91?? The nurse tried two thermometers and tested one on herself to make sure it wasn’t goofy. Doc wasn’t concerned, and neither am I, just thought it was interesting.
wordy, that IS a pickle. Is there some way you can wean her off your presence gradually? Is a home health aide who can get her to do her finger exercises a possibility? What about organizing a phone schedule of friends/family so wordymom gets a call every hour or whatever?
FCM, poor Higgs. Glad he’s in such good hands. Keep us posted.
Nettie, I, too, get frustrated that people won’t do what’s necessary to prevent the spread of this stupid virus so we wouldn’t have to shut down. I’m sure loads of people will ignore all mandates about social gatherings, which is, I think, are a big source of spread. WA has a state fund for businesses that have to shut down. Doesn’t California have one?
BooFae, you’d think ol’ BoJo would have learned his lesson after his own COVID scare, but then, I guess it’s a matter of stupidity, not ignorance.
@swampbear the preview for “Queen’s Gambit” looked intriguing, so I’m giving that one a try. Unlike you, I do not have orderly viewing habits. So far, our plucky heroine has just started flying to out-of-state matches, and has been to Hyoooston.
Just saw a meme on Facebook:
“Every night around midnight I look at the clock, and am shocked to see it’s 6 p.m.”
In the “do nice things for me” category, I took myself up to North Muskegon to follow two recommendations for delightful little gems of local small businesses: one for a bakery, and another for a cheese shop.
Spent way too much money at both. Zero regrets. Got skinny little wedges of three different cheeses to try, plus an entire loaf of fresh sourdough. Posted a super twee photo to Facebook of my charcuterie lunch.
Take that, depression! I have an Instagram-worthy brag-tastic life, too!
ETA: woo-hoo @nelliebly that is terrific news!
Howdy Y’all! Today has been a day of futzin’ around and tidyin’ things up. The pantry is now orderly, I went through drawers in various pieces of bedroom furniture. Got rid of some stuff, and moved around Winter and Summer stuff so the Winter stuff is now in the top drawers. Come warm time again, I will reverse all that. We et an early sup and now chillage ensues.
MOOOOOOM glad Higgs is gettin’ to come back home and not wear a cone of shame. Hope she does OK on the trip.
shoe The Queen’s Gambit is a good series. We really enjoyed watchin’ it. We have a few more episodes of Crown to watch and then have to decide on sump’n else. I think we’ll give Weeds a go.
I want cake. We have no cake. Life is hard!
My neighbor made us a pumpkin cheesecake.
I haven’t tried it yet because I feel icky when I think about eating something sweet, but Sah-son has assured me it is quite good.
Home from the dog park.
OAOASO called around about phones and found out that it is hard to find a 512 phone, so he called me and told me I should have just ordered him a 256 phone.
Like I can read his mind?
I’m hungry, time for dinner and then login to irk.
Turns out Higgs did have a cone of shame, and FCD had to cut it down because it was so big! But she hasn’t had it on all evening and she’s not bothering her incisions - probably because she’s still drugged. But she’s acting like her usual self, apart from lying around a bit more. She’s had supper and a delayed denta-stix and a couple of treats.
We’re mostly packed, but we can’t put anything in the car till tomorrow because the cooler has to go in first. Dammit. I’ve got a list and a bunch of bags staged by the door. I need to make a couple of sammiches and that should be it. I’ll be amazed if we’re not on the road before 5.
I set up my own account on FCD’s laptop, so I can take care of things that I can’t really do on the tablet. And we’ve got an HDMI so we can connect it to the inlaws’ TV to video chat with Roxy and Daughter. I’m pretty sure we’ve remembered everything. Of course, we won’t know till we get there.
My son called an hour ago to ask if I’d seen his aunt (my sister’s) email. I had not. She and her husband had to put their cat to sleep today. It was a very old cat (almost 21), so this was not a shock. Still, it also means even and even bigger adjustment. When they got that kitty, Bill Clinton was still President! I’ll sure miss her when I visit them post-COVID.
FCM, have a safe, smooth trip. And I’m pretty darn sure you’re going to be on the road by 5…or 4…or…when does FCD get up, anyway? Gentle hugs to Higgs!
When leaving on a trip I always have to remind myself that there are stores where I am going and if something is needed, it can be gotten. Always worked for rural Minnesota cabins anyway.
Hope you have an easy, comfortable and absolutely uneventful drive.
Keep your Mumper device charged and handy, we vicarious hangers-on don’t want to miss a thing.
BBBoo - I know we can buy what we need, but obviously we want to minimize all interactions with Floridians. Daughter does want us to get her favorite hard cider from ABC Liquors. It’s not available near us. And I may have to take MIL grocery shopping, but that should be it. I hope.
nellie - we’ve both been waking around 3 of late. I think I’ll shower tonight so I don’t have to leave with wet hair. Or not. We shall see.
Yeah, I blew that phrasing. I know you wouldn’t want to go in a store if you don’t have to. I left that sentence out. It was just a mantra I told myself to try to tamp down Mom going on vacation with 3 kids, a husband, 2 dogs and my parents anxiety. About 20 years ago.
Dashing into a store with a mask, keeping distant, grabbing what you need should be dang low risk. Especially since you’re up and at ‘em at hours when stores won’t be crowded.
I love hard cider~you’ll have to pass along her favorite kinds. Cheers!
Napped, and ran a few errands. Making baked fish with rosemary and lemon, wild rice blend with mushrooms, and spinach with garlic and olives.
Alex Catt is content with her cat food. Although she does raise her voice if the bowl is empty.
Safe travels, Moooommmmm!!! and gld Higgs is on the mend.
I actually made dinner! If you knew me you’d realize what a rare event this is.
Nothing fancy, I just found a recipe for a pasta bake that looked good. I threw it together this afternoon and it’s currently in the fridges waiting to be baked. Picked up some fresh bread from the bistro down the street to go with it. I’ll let you know if it’s any good.
Moooom, glad to hear that Higgs seems to be doing well. Safe travels!!
Safe travels FCM and FCD. See how the new wheels perform on a major trip. And yeah, if the money has been committed on contract, you need to go through the motions (probably would take to much time and money to cancel it now)
Wheelie, hope it tastes as good as it looks.
nellie, 21 years is a pretty good run for a cat. And Yeah! for the Doc’s report. As for your temperature, are you an Eskimo in disguise?
Sari, I guess we need to add mind-reading to your many talents?
Herald, that’s a beautiful boat…with, I imagine, a beautiful price. Still…
Evening meal has been assimilated and readin’ and internettin’ are on the schedule. May mow the lawn tomorrow just to get it out of the way. We’ll see.
All y’all take care.
I did it. I DID IT. I hung the stupid fucking shelf that’s been taunting me for months. Why did I keep putting it off? I don’t know. But it’s done now.
Nice & even, too. Yes, I own & can use a level.
Also put away a small fraction of laundry. If they keep givin’ me more shirts at irk, I’m gonna need a 2nd drawer. Ah, enjoyable problems.
Heating my littlest cast iron for a celebratory dinner of Hunk o’Cow, which has been bathing in Worshersher sauce all afternoon.
dot, this time of year, after the time change, the combination of cooler weather aggravating my joints and it being dark or nearly so when I leave irk, it gets to me too.
nellie, I rarely see our weekend crew, so I’ve not been exposed to any of them. The first thing that I do on Monday mornings is to wipe my desk and location cart down with chlorox wipes. With them being in quarantine until after the first of the month, I won’t be getting work from their counts. That puts me in a little better place, although, we will still be busy making up for lost time for a bit. Unlike nettie, I do make more money than they do. Not only am I an L6 reconciler (that puts me in a higher pay band altogether), but I have L1 analyst certification and keep a current forklift / order picker certification. That translates to making $5-7 an hour more than the rest of the hourlies in my group, but I make more money than the analysts, especially when I work extra hours.
wordy, I don’t have anything to add to metal mouse’s advice, but virtual hugs to you as you juggle responsibilities.
sari, it is indeed gb. We’re just now shipping iPhone12 models (we’re a mobile device insurance company). IMHO, most iPhones are overpriced (says the android person). The model that he’s looking at ~$1K-1500 buying it outright. Frankly, that’s a model that is more for business use, It tends to be a waste for most of us civilians.
Irked until a bit after 5, made an online order of pork yat gaw mein and an aigrroll from the really good Chinese takeout place (I would patronize them more often if they were closer. However, they really aren’t much out of the way coming home from irk), picked Nelson up from Miss Vickie’s and came home. I’ve gotten pics emailed to me from the dog park both days that she’s had them. 
I think she’s spoiling my dog. 
Now for sloth.
Stay safe and healthy y’all!
It was deelish! Super-simple recipe, but Mrs W was duly impressed nevertheless.