It's A Shiny New MMP!

Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
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Still have not read. Found suitable clothes. Funny thing i had asked daughter to bring extra. One day when I got home from irk there was a black dress and a couple black blouses. I wore one of the blouses Still new with tag. So after the service we came back here cause they drove me. I told her I would change so she could take her blouse. They were not hers. My regular hairdresser left me a voice mail last week that she couldn’t remember which house is mine but she’d find it. I assume it was her.

All my staff had gotten permission from new boss and closed my shop today. I was so surprised to see them. Church was well attended.

Army honor guard came from the Space coast area. Daughter was told to pick up a flag from her NC post office. She got the last one. We saw them in the lot and she gave them the flag which they folded into the triangle. At that time they asked what I was wearing so they could identify me. They unfolded the flag, played taps and re folded it and presented it to me on behalf of the President of the US. Trump. Frowning face. It didn’t burst into flames so a friend is going to made a box to hold it.

Live music played Amazing Grace and will the circle be unbroken. Son Tommy wearing his Fire Chief uniform spoke at length. He choked up once but had everyone laughing too. The pastor read a letter from the parents of the 18 you old boy that is an employee of the A/C company I now own.

Place cleared out pretty quick. I felt safe. Every one was masked and the church was big enough to distance. There was a slide show with just a few pics of me since I hate photos (steals a piece of my soul). The ones of me were when I was early twenties, hair to my ass, beautiful skinny girl.

Now I just have to figure out my new normal.

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Well, I got A walk in. It wasn’t the walk I wanted. I wanted to go to the path that led to a street that led to another part of town, but they’re paving paradise and putting up a subdivision, so it’s blocked off forevermore. :frowning:

Also, I got a later start than planned because my cousin called. He’s tiring because I spend so much of the conversation trying to steer him away from jingoistic rants. I did pretty well for 45 minutes, but then he started in on Hillary’s emails, and it was either scream, “OH, MY GOD, SHUT UP, YOU FREAKIN’ IGNORAMUS!” or cut him off, so, keeping my sainted mother (who loved his mother) in mind, I said, “Oh, ___, no. I’m not discussing politics with you.” From that he deduced that I didn’t share his venomous views, so he said several times that he believed I was entitled to my views, and he was entitled to his. This, you see, constitutes being Very Tolerant. I’m the only one in the family he talks to. He’s never even tried to contact my siblings. I wish he’d share the joy, but I wouldn’t do that to my sibs.

Butters, big hugs to the beautiful, grieving you now and that long-haired skinny girl who had so much ahead of her. The flag was not from Trump, no matter what was said. The flag was from the People of the United States. That’s what we were told when we got the flag when Dad died. May your new normal be easy to find.

Boo, I know it’s not the same, but you’ll Zoom with Harriet, won’t you? It’d be good for her as well as good for you. She NEEEEEDS her Gramma Time, especially now that she doesn’t have the comfort of familiarity re: her preschool schedule and friends. Also, now I want to go to TJ’s and get yummy stuff.

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Thank you for telling us about it. Been thinking about you. So glad it felt like a good day and you got to see how he enriched the lives of others. That will never go away.

{{{ }}}

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And I am absolutely sure you are still his rock-his-world beautiful girl.

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Good on the check up nellie.

doggio, were you knocked off the lift or was it the other guy? :stuck_out_tongue:

Welcome back emily . You were missed.

butters, the service sounds like a lovely tribute to your hubby. The songs are both ones that I’ve performed many times over the years and love.

I didn’t wake up until ~8 this morning. While walking Nelson, we stopped to talk to the neighbors who were out with their great Dane / boxer mix pup. He and Nelson look like Scooby and Scrappy Doo. I came in, threw a load of jeans in the wash, showered and by the time I was dressed, they were ready for the dryer. After putting the rest of the clothes in the wash, I took off in search of breakfast and then to the 'Boro for errands that I’ve put off long enough.

Got the car washed, went to World Market for coffee beans and stopped at Bed, Bath and Beyond to exchange the CO2 cartridge for the soda stream. The woman at the exchange desk was an @-hole, so I took the empty cartridge on to Staples. Once that was done, I crossed the street to Joan’s fabric for a gift card for Sis (the one who makes all of the masks). One of my cow-orkers asked if he could give her some money for supplies, since he loves the masks so much. I figured that he would hand me $5. No. He handed me a $50 bill. When I protested, he told me that this was what he wanted to do (this is a retirement job for him, since he went stir crazy six months after retiring from running his own business. His wife is an executive at Dell, so money isn’t an issue). I kicked in another $50 in appreciation and put it all on a gift card where she buys a lot of her fabric.

After a side trip to Tar-jay for some toiletries and OTC meds, I bought groceries, a biiiiiiig iced coffee and came home. Nelson got about half an hour at the dog park before darkness was upon us.

I got a turkey wrap and a tea at Arby’s (there was still too much blood in my caffeine system), we came home and are chilling.

Stay safe and healthy y’all!

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I’ll hope to FaceTime with her, her mealtimes are good for that since she is presumably holding still in one place to eat. She loves it if one of my kitties strolls into view. I’m planning on ways to connect-picking up book bundles from the library to Marco Polo ‘read’ to her or draw some pictures for her on FaceTime, etc. any ideas are welcome. I can drive by her house and leave little surprises on her doorstep, sort of a reverse trick or treat~she’s only 5 miles and 12 minutes away. Just need to come up with ideas that don’t involve me going into stores to scrounge up things, that extra risk exposure for me seems against the whole point. I might hide some Easter egg hunt/scavenger hunt things in her enclosed back yard, for instance. She loves French fries and doughnuts-I could get those drive through and drop them off in the back yard. Her mom is severely Celiac so food items that may have gluten have to stay outside and be eaten outside but her dad is game for food adventures on the deck (as long as I bring French fries or doughnuts for him too!).

She will miss school and her friends. She flourishes in the rhythm and social richness of it. All of them are at home in two weeks of quarantine also, so it should be quite a celebration when they can be together again. This was extra disheartening because I had been asked to do Grandma Basement School this upcoming Monday and Tuesday because her school was closed for staff development and I was looking forward to three full days with her and had been assembling crafts and art and activities she and I were going to do together. She likes it that her ‘Grandma is silly’. I kinda like that too. There were some Disney movies we were going to snuggle up and watch together. Guess that tells you where my name Bippity Boppity Boo comes from. The secret is out.

Funny, I had grabbed two Advent calendars for their house the last time I was at Trader Joe’s, with a different shaped little chocolate behind each flap, so those can be one days worth of dropped-off doorstep surprises. One is a kid one, one is grown-up, but her mom can eat chocolate usually, so at least there is that.

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Evening all. Cleaned myself up nicely and had Steak at the Texas Roadhouse, so belly is quite happy. Not much else to report.

{{{Butters}}}, sounds like you made it though OK–and I remember my Aunt-in-Law (married to my uncle) getting a military funeral and flag when my uncle died (he served in WWII). Very solemn and meaningful.

BBBoo, sorry you’re missing time with the young’n, but sounds like you have a couple alternate plans ready to go. Hopefully the 2 weeks will pass without any issues.

We don’t have a Trader Joe’s yet, but one is building and due to open sometime in 2021…will have to give it a look when it gets here.

Red, that was a good thing your cow-orker did, and you doubling it was even better. Positive waves to both of you.

nellie, I avoid conversations with my brother and SIL on politics as they are Fox-watching, strongly conservative Republicans…and I’m not. Doesn’t leave us a lot to talk about, so there is that. And he is entitled to his views…and you’re entitled to think he’s an idiot and not listen to them…and yes, I do miss working with the kids, but with Indoor soccer starting up in December, I’ll be working with another bunch in a little while. Mostly I miss getting out and getting some exercise and fresh air…can’t mow the lawn every day.

FCM, glad to hear your safe and (more or less) sound in FLA. Take care.

Bumba, is that the new Dresden Files book? I read the first 3-4 but never could get interested in the series. Hope it doesn’t disappoint.

Dot, can’t you just put the phone on some type of speaker so you can go about your business without having it in your ear?

Ah well, no nappage so it’ll be an early bedtime tonight. All y’all take care.

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Just got home. I’z tahred! Stopped at Taco Hell on the way home for two soft tacos, because I don’t have the wherewithal for anything more ambitious.

Irk again tomorrow, then five whole days yawn empty ahead of me. Not gonna lie, I’m disappointed my I.T. Guy is working so much (even over the holiday!!) and can’t whisk me away again, or hell, come here to visit for a change.

I’m trying not to be too sad about it, but … darn.

Oh! One of the ladies I work with invited me to her home for Thanksgiving Day! :slight_smile: We physically work so closely that we’re all part of each other’s “bubble” anyway.

She has two teenagers, who are apparently good kids, and anyway they spend half the day with their dad, so she’ll be rattling around alone for a few hours. I’m thrilled to see someone else’s home - not in a snooping kind of way, just literally the change of scenery.

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I can’t seem to wash that phone conversation with my cousin out of my mind. It’s not that he’s conservative…I have conservative friends, and unless they’re over-the-top, I can handle those conversations. It’s the ugly, awful, disgusting racism I can’t handle. It’s so bad, his racist sister can’t handle it. I haven’t argued with him about it because it does no good. I think that’s what’s bothering me. I kept trying to defuse and distract, and I feel like I let him smear my Pakistani, Chinese, Latinx, and Black friends. Next time I talk with him, I’ll have to try to cut him off at the pass and tell him that stuff is off limits and why.

Ugh. I’ve seen too much of the dark side of humanity lately.

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I got something between 6-7 hours of sleep, so whew! The biggest issue, apart from sharing a queen rather than a king bed, was Higgs sharing with us… mainly me… mainly against my legs. She’s the reason I got up just after 5. But she’s been tended to and I’ve had some breakfast, and I’m thinking I’ll spend much of my time cleaning. Like I noticed how dirty the stove is. MIL would be mortified, but she can’t see. So I’ll do what I can.

This - it is an honor from a grateful nation and something to be cherished.

Some time today we’ll figure out how to hook up this computer to the TV so we can video chat with Daughter and Roxy. But we won’t be chatting today - Roxy is with her other grandmother. And tomorrow FCD is taking his dad to the Dr with instructions to ask questions and get info for MIL because FIL’s short term memory is close to crap. It’s really sad to see how he’s declined. He was such a sharp man in his prime. Sometimes aging sucks. Parkinson’s sure does.

Caffeination shall continue. Onward! Happy Sunday!!

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Good Mornin’ Y’all! Up and caffeinatin’. YAWN ‘Tis 53 Amurrkin out and partly cloudy (mostly moony?) with a predicted high of 78 and mostly N.O.S. for the day. The big plan of the day is to deheatenate, we shall attend the nine a.m. service, and then back to da cave to make and partake of N.O.L. Actually not much to make as most of it was made yestiddy and just needs warmin’ up. The only cookin’ involved is to bake up some rolls. After that much sloth shall ensue.

{{{Butters}}} glad the service went well. The songs are good ones for a funeral. Amazing Grace and Will The Circle Be Unbroken seem to be kind of staples at a lot of funerals, at least hear in the southern U.S.ofA. The flag is from the people of the United States, at least that’s the way I’ve always heard a flag presented. Glad you have someone to make a special box for it as it is a nice keepsake and remembrance of your hubs.

red nice of you and your co-irker to do that. I’m sure your sis will love the gift card.

Boo that sounds like some good plans to keep in touch with your COTU. I am sure she will love all of it!

Nellie sometimes you just have to say no, I will not listen to that. If that hurts his feelin’s, well tough.

MOOOOOOM glad y’all made it safe and sound. Just think, in a week you’ll be back home and in our own bed!

Now I need more caffeine and to feed rumbly tummy. Then purtification for deheathenization must commence.

Happy Sunday Y’all!

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Morning all. Double nickles (55F) outside and we’re up to a 70% chance of rain later today, so probably a good stay-at-home day. Will continue to forage in the refrigerator leading up to a Wednesday departure for Brothers’ house, need to make a list of things to get done before then, lest I forget.

shoe, nice of your work-friend to invite you in. Enjoy!

OK, need to check if the Sunday paper is in the driveway yet. All y’all have a great Sunday.

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Well, swampy can go deheathenate, and I’ll go sling drugs at the locals. Prolly balances each other out. :slight_smile:

Chilly day, currently mid 30s and not expected to warm up much past mid 40s.

I’m sorry you’re looping mentally over his ugliness. For what it’s worth, you didn’t “let” him smear your friends - your diffuse/distract techniques were your very legitimate attempts to protect them.

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Back from a 53 minute walk. The roads in this community meander and it’s easy to lose sense of direction with no sun. But I made it back. It helps that there are a lot of road signs and I know the rough configuration of the neighborhood.

So now, I sit. Boredom shall ensue.

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Happy Sunday!

Overcast today, I think it’s supposed to rain.
A not so bad 48 degrees outside.

A nice morning at the dog park, although I think Urban is getting to the point of wanting to give Echo a good smack down. Every time he tries to play with Lily, Echo runs up behind him and nips him in the ass.

The cell phone saga continues.
So OAOASO called around and found out that if he wants 512 gb he is going to have to wait. Most stores don’t have it in stock. He decided 256 is enough and he called around to see where he could get one. Told me which store had it, I order it and it won’t be in until after Thanksgiving. He forgot to tell me what color. The color he wanted is not in stock and he hadn’t tole me to switch to another color.
Yesterday, I went online to a Best Buy near him, kept him on the phone, ordered his phone. There was a $5.99 charge to pick it up, he said he would rather pay the charge than wait. Get everything ordered, my card was charged $5.99, submit the order and get told the phone is being shipped and will arrive at my house in Tuesday. WTF! I say fine, he says fine, I will call Best Buy on Moonday and dispute the $5.99. Everything is settled.
No it isn’t.
I get a message later yesterday that there is a problem with the order and it has to be addressed by such and such date or the order will be cancelled.
The phone cannot be shipped, it has to be picked up, and gave me some zip code that I have no idea where it is. So I changed the zip code to where I live, I need to pick it up at the store today, and they charged my card another $5.99.

I will not consider this whole mess complete until I hand the phone over to OAOASO, getting it activated is HIS problem, and I get one of the $5.99 back. Oh, and I have to get the money from OAOASO for all the upfront charges.

Bathroom is almost done, and I HATE! HATE! HATE! the color. It is darker than I expected, and has more blue in it that I expected. I’m debating letting it grow on me or choosing something else. I bought enough of the paint to do the bead board in the kitchen. It may not bother me so much there as the kitchen is fairly big and it will only be on half the wall.
I may as well face it though, I, who has always hated white walls and always had a boho style of decorating, now want all white walls and a bare minimum of furniture and decoration.
Maybe it will grow on me.

And when did FCM and Swampy start sharing a bed?
Inquiring minds want to know.

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Morning. Yes from the People of the United States. Not Trump. I will cherish it. He was proud of his service even though he was drafted to join not volunteered. He spent his entire time in Thailand and never fired a shot. That is where he learned that he was good at fixing things. My motto for him was “ if he can’t fix it right he will fix it wrong”. It’s called Brogan maintenance when you kick something and it starts working. His specialty in the Army was radios. The very old tube kind. He liked it well enough to stay six years.

Today I shall clean a bit and as much as I hate to I need to go buy food. My work has suggested I get a telework agreement in place and work from home for two days a week. Right now I have about 30 online trainings to do so that will keep me busy for a while. I brought home my irk computer on Firday to see if I could connect and it worked. My job really doesn’t lend itself to telework but all the training is for 2021 and is due the 9th of December. It will be nice to have it out of the way early. Then I suppose I can do 2022 after the first of the year. It will save me two hours a day in commute time, gas and money that I would pay a dog walker.

I have found a dog walker that lives right here in the hood but we must meet and walk him together five or six times until he knows her as he doesn’t take kindly to strangers. I warned her he is less than friendly. When she found out who my hubby was she knows him, of course. He never met a stranger.

I have been invited to the neighbors house for Thanksgiving and I suppose I shall go even though I am a smidge worried about the virus. Not them but anyone else that may be there. I hope they will serve outside. This will be my first alone Thanksgiving and I shouldn’t be alone. I make a pretty good cornbread dressing but I am taking the plates and plastic ware. I shall cook for myself the next day.

I hope all of you have a great distanced Thanksgiving and hope all this mess will be behind us by next Thanksgiving.

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metal mouse, does your park system have a greenway? I use ours for exercise and fresh air here. It meanders from the lake, a couple of miles up the road from me, down through the wooded area between the National Guard base and the industrial park and has entrances to both the municipal golf course and Lee Victory Park (the biggest park in town). It picks up on the other side of that park and connects with a couple more. Just off the greenway are places that you can put a kayak or canoe into Stewart Creek and take a (slow) trip downstream.

Glad you all made it to Florida OK Moooooooom.

nellie, there are a few racists in my circle and I have to put the kibosh on some of their rants. It sucks, given that in some ways, they aren’t horrible people.

shoe, you can balance swampy out most Sundays but one Sunday a month, I’ll give you a break and heathenate . :stuck_out_tongue:

butters, I’m glad that you have someone to walk Buddy Boy for you. Having a neighbor who can watch Nelson when I work crazy hours is a big relief to me and knowing that your little guy is in good hands is likely the same to you.

Up, caffeinating, a load of towels in the wash and am fixing to do KP and fold the clothes that were washed yesterday. Cabbage and kielbasa is on the menu for supper. Other than that, just the usual Sunday chores and resting are on the agenda.

Stay safe and healthy y’all!

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Up, caffeinated, and sheveled. Off today. it’s cleaning and handegg day! :football: :beer:

Oh, go ahead and silently judge. :wink: But glad you have somewhere to go.

{{{{Butters}}}} Glad you have somewhere to go.
Gordie also needs to get to know strangers. But it only takes 10min and 6 cookies to become his new best friend.

I had the high ground! < insert Jedi smilie here >

Glad all y’all made it safely to the Unsafe Zone, Moooommmm!.

:moyai:

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Glad it’s not just me that picked up on that :smiley: the MMP is getting all swingery instead of singles bar-y!

Awake at a slightly more sensible time today, and so far I’ve got most of the little jobs that I was planning on doing done- I still need to clean out my little hydroponics unit (I grow stuff like tomatoes, chillies and salad in there, if you were wondering) 'cos it’s getting a bit overgrown. I did nip to the local garden centre to get some stuff for irk, and only accidentally spent £10.50 on houseplants, and £10 of that was a voucher, so it doesn’t count. Got some N.O.F’s (Not Our Flytraps), which I will probably accidentally kill by underwatering, but they were on clearance and I’ve been eyeing them up for ages…

Happy Sunday all!

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Swingery? With OYKW, FCD, and Higgs, it’s practically a Roman Orgy!

Also when I went to Aldi’s yesterday, I bought bread, milk and eggs. So I dunno if I’m preparing for Thanksgiving or flurries.