Yes, but he has a shop full of machines and a fancy computer so he can design and build whatever he wants. Premade, indeed…
And now, it’s time for sleepy-bye. 
It’s been an odd day. The eye clinic called: the new contact lens arrived. Usually the docs want to see it on you. Not this time. They said to take it home, try it out for a week, and let them know how it goes. I admit that I let myself get hopeful. But the lens is very uncomfortable, and any improvement in vision is minimal. The old contact (same kind) that didn’t quite fit was better. It’s so strange: she didn’t use the special device to measure my eye for this contact lens, and she didn’t want to see it on me. I’m an old hand at this, and I can’t figure out why this approach. Hopefully I’ll get some answers from the doc at some point.
The itch persists. Hopefully I’ll get a call about an appointment with the allergy clinic (even though it’s not an allergy) this week. I’m considering putting myself on the devil’s drug (prednisone).
But I’m happy to report the birthday glow lingers and makes everything else a little rosier.
shoe, I sure hope you’re feeling better when you read this. You really need and deserve a looooong stretch of good tidings and no problems.
Moooom, I have this vision of Roxy in helmet and goggles careening along the path. She’s going to be a force to be reckoned with, just like her gramma.
YAAAAAAY for Pixel!
Cheddar, you say? 
I like her anyway.
Hitting Walmart for car needs wound up being disturbing. They did not have the right oil filter (DH insists on Mobil1) in stock, although the Jungle came through for me when I was able to get to my laptop and order 2. Also ordered 2 oil changes worth of the specific variety DH is adamant about, plus more canned and dry cat food. If you wind up handling this, @dogbutler, sorry about the heavier stuff.
The cat supplies, I admit, were an anxiety response to a lot of bare shelves at that Walmart. Ramen was GONE and supplies were unnervingly low in canned vegetables and soft drinks (I’m in California, so I doubt the UK issues with CO2 were relevant here). Also saw less worrisome low-stock conditions in other aisles, including paper goods. Yes, I bought a bulk pack each of TP and paper towels, plus a few boxes of Kleenex-equivalent. Got home, found when putting away that I’d already had more of the latter two than I had remembered. NBD, I had room and it’ll get consumed eventually. I do feel comfortable with my stock of Lysol, disinfectant wipes, and other cleaning supplies. I have good inventory on canned/frozen/shelf foods, but couldn’t resist acquiring a few canned hams, even with Spam already in stock.
I may need to consider addressing my anxiety issues. News coverage on things like Costco warning of paper goods shortages probably doesn’t help.
you couldn’t get ramen either? it’s been 2 weeks I have kidlets and some family that are kidlet aged mentally (disabled) and I’m running out of lunch ideas because they want their noodles …
LOL, I have this image of fcm and family on CNN explaining why roxstar is the youngest person to get a speeding ticket in MD… and rox saying “grandpa did it” on tv …
I only went to one store, so I’m not saying this is a general condition. Still a distressing look back in time.
Up. caffeinated, and sheveled. Off to heave.It’s 63 and raining, so false Fall is definitely here.
It’s not the weight, it’s the lack of strong tape that annoys me. Although Da Jungle just started using decent strong tape on their packages. And I hear you about the shelves. Around here it’s canned cat food, soda and sports drinks… And gin.
Happy Thorsday!
My son got off irk 2 hours early today.
It’s pouring rain and I decided no dog park today. I know nobody else will be there except Lucy, and if I’m not there she can do a poop and go.
She won’t potty on a leash and has no yard, so no matter what, she goes to the park 3 times a day.
I’m debating going back to bed for a few hours.
I have a lot to do today though. I didn’t do anything yesterday.
Good Mornin’ Y’all! Up and caffeinatin’. YAWN ‘Tis 58 Amurrkin out (BRRR!) and clear with a predicted high of 81 and N.O.S. for the day. Perfect False Fall weather! The big item on today’s agenda for both of us is to get shorn, as we’re startin’ to look shaggy. One must keep up appearances after all! Other than that sloth shall abound. Sup will be leftover chikin alfredo with some sort of vegetation, perhaps peas 'n carrots and maybe rolls.
Sari I vote for goin’ back to bed. Then again, I am a retired drain on society, so I would.
I have not noticed any shortages of stuff in the stores. However, when I go food gettin’ I tend to just go to the aisles where the stuff I need stays and ignore the rest of the place. The goal is always to be in and out of there ASAP.
Now I need more caffeine and to feed rumbly tummy. Also, alas and bother, since gettin’ shorn means bein’ about the public I suppose one should purtify and don appropiate clothin’. Life is hard.
Happy Thursday Y’all!
There have been randomly empty shelves in various stores around here of late. Like in Food Lion, the Land o’Frost cold cuts display was stripped bare! When I was in WalMart a couple of weeks ago, all the large eggs were gone. And our local DQ has been out of onion rings and chili for a couple of weeks. I know there have been other occurrences, but at the moment, I don’t recall, tho at the time, the empty shelves caught my attention. The nation’s supply chain has gone whacko!
I woke around 4 to a full bladder and the sound of wind and rain. We’re at today’s high of 72° with temps predicted to drop steadily thru the day to the mid 50s tonight. The rain is supposed to continue on and off till midnight. All in all, a great day to stay inside. Unfortunately, I have to fetch the RoxStar from school today, so there’s a fair chance that I’ll get rained on. Dammit.
When I picked up Higgs from the groomer yesterday, I got the number of someone who grooms cats. I need to find out what she’ll charge to de-mat Ziva. My vet wants $160, and I feel like that’s just a tad steep. I’ll contact this woman today and with luck, we can work something out.
No plans beyond that. Maybe I’ll do some laundry. Whatever happens happens.
Happy Thursday!!
heck if you can find someone who will groom a cat don’t quibble too much cause that’s like finding a leprechaun these days … we have a long hair cat that if she ever gets groomed they’ll have to knock her out because she likes her fur the way it is thank you and if anything needs pullin she will do it her self … and if you try to “help” you get teeth and claws …
Wow, was this ever a mistake. I friggin’ fainted at work - had just made it to a chair, because I suddenly felt Very Not Okay, and my manager told me I faded in & out of responsiveness.
Ambulance was called, I panicked harder, aaaaaand the muscle cramps started up again. Got taken to the hospital, got a bag of saline & was told to breathe long & slow, then discharged.
They transported me without my purse, so I was stranded without car, phone, wallet, or really any idea of where the hell I was. A sympathetic nurse googled my workplace phone number - I had to call my boss for a ride, because I had no one else I could call.
I do have a couple of local friends, but I communicate with them mostly via FB mssngr so that wouldn’t work.
I was - and still am - so HUMILIATED that people I work with saw me in this state. I kept apologizing to my boss, over & over.
Got myself home, and actually ate something (a whole TV dinner! more than I’ve eaten in days, probably) and got a surprisingly decent amount of sleep. Windows open with a cool, rainy breeze probably helped … or that I was utterly exhausted, whichever.
It’s still cool & rainy, so imma sit & watch the rain for a while.
shoe, glad you made it home and it sounds like you’ve got a good boss to work for, but YOU. NEED. TOO. TAKE. CARE. OF. YOURSELF. And I say that as a friend who does care about you. Be better.
Seanette, FCM, so far I haven’t seen empty shelves around N. Ali-bama yet, will be on the lookout for them.
nellie, hope you adjust to the new contacts, I concur that the docs not seeing you is strange.
Late posting today as the internet was out for about an hour for unknown reasons. Supposed to be cool (high of 70F) and dry today, so might finally have a soccer practice this week. Had my instant breakfast mix, the milk tasted a little odd on Tuesday, so I sniffed it today (expiration date was the 26th) and wow…right down the drain with it. The new half-gallon (expiration 3 October) is just fine, but I’ll be checking it from now on.
OK, onward into the day. All y’all take care.
Had some Frosted Flakes along with a palmful of sesame seeds - not together, that’d be weird - and have now fixed myself some instant soup. Says 20 g of protein (it’s some “bone broth” concoction) which would help me out a lot.
It’s still raining, so kitties have cabin fever. I, however, do not. It’s nice to kick back & listen to the rain. Gonna go peruse the “comfort food cafe” thread for more food inspiration.
ETA: thread linky
So the SSLAWs kept alternating breaking all shift. Other than that it was better.
shoe! You listen to MOOOOOOOMMMMM!!! and take care of yourself!
I’m doing that after brunch. 
Took Swampy’s advice and went back to bed.
Didn’t get up until almost 930 and feel alive for the first time in weeks.
I might actually get some stuff done today.
I should be busting my ass off as the place is a mess and we are supposed to have company tomorrow. My ex-neighbor is supposed to come for a visit.
He would also like for me to buy the house that is for sale two doors down from him, but I don’t want to live on a busy street.
House hunting is on hold for a bit anyway.
Shoe, you need to take care of yourself.
Since I never go inside the store, I have no idea if shelves are bare up here or not. I know a couple of my friends have been saying they are having some trouble finding things. I’ve been able to get most of the stuff I’ve ordered.
Today I need to go through the fridge and do some sorting. I have some stuff in there that I forgot about and want to use it before it goes bad. That doesn’t happen often, and I can’t stand an unorganized fridge.
Ripple is being a brat. He brought me the mail and dropped it just out of reach. I gave him a treat for bringing me the mail. Then he picked up the mail and handed it to me.
I’m so easily played.
When he brings me the mail, that is the only time he will take a treat before Echo. Any other time he holds back and lets her take it first.
Comfort food is mashed potatoes.
Sick food is wonton soup and eggrolls with hot mustard.
I have to call the car place sometime today. They said my hood would be in in two weeks, and that was yesterday. I’m sure they’ll call me but I should check anyway.
For some reason, Medicaid? Medicare? is sending everything to my mother’s house. Assholes. I need to find out what is going on as they are telling me to sign up now/
I need to pay the state for going through the tunnel in April. There were no toll takers, so they sent me a bill. With a nasty note to PAY IMMEDIATELY. Like wtf? I just got the damn thing and it’s not due until October 14th. One nasty note deserves another, and they are going to hear about it.
According to our car guy, getting parts is a crapshoot these days. Stuff he used to be able to get overnight is now taking weeks. When FCD’s car needed some major work, they couldn’t even get the part from the dealer and they wound up getting a used one. So if your hood isn’t in, it’s not necessarily that they lied to you or screwed up. Just be glad you didn’t need an electronic part!
FCD just left for his meeting. I’ve got the first load in the dryer and the second in the washer. I emptied, then reloaded, the dishwasher, and I’ve got the ice maker going. I need to leave around 2:30 to fetch the RoxStar at 3. Not sure how long my daughter’s appointment will take. I should ask.
shoe:
Seconded and thirded and on and on. Don’t make me come over there, dammit!! I’ve got enough worries, I don’t need you added to the list.
OK, gonna sit and knit till the dryer is done. Maybe I’ll go sit downstairs. Nope, the recliner is up here…
shoe, I’m so sorry to hear about your health. I’m so glad you managed to get some food down, though. Definitely keep it up.
Yesterday’s reorg has turned into today’s corporate bloodbath. Delightful. And I’m getting pulled into meetings for an opinion by people I’m honestly a little scared of - they’re at a way higher pay grade than I am. I just wanna keep my head down and do my job, dammit.
Anyway, it’s gorgeous and bright outside. I went for a walk before more announcements started coming out, which was good. At least I didn’t have anything for my brain to chew on at that point. By the time I got home my phone was blowing up so much I couldn’t take a shower. Hopefully that will happen later, 'cause I didn’t have time to shower yesterday and I’m thanking the powers that be that I haven’t had to show my smarmy self on video yet (now that I say that I’ll be pulled into a video chat).
Afternoon, mumpers! It is 22C/70F today and mostly sunny which is why the sh*tbag neighbours are out playing (c)rap music full blast and have been doing so for the last couple of hours. I suspect it’s one of the teenage kids and they’re without adult supervision but can’t be arsed going round to bang on the door to find out.
shoe sorry to hear your health woes, it does sound quite horrible for you. I hope you’re taking care of yourself and giving yourself time to get better.
We have been having intermittent shortages in the supermarkets for a while, but they are inconsistent and random. Having said that, we’ve not been able to get diet cola from one place for months, so I used to call in at another supermarket at the weekend to pick some up from there. Tinned tomatoes have been scarce, but this week were plentiful. One week there was almost no fresh salad veggies but that was fine this time. Sometimes it’s pasta and rice, sometimes it’s tinned fish.
This week I got most of what was on my list, fish-based cat food has been in short supply everywhere for months but every week I’ve been able to buy a 40-pack box of poultry-based pouches for older cats. There’s plenty of 1+ age range cat food but I buy either 7+ or 11+ for mine as they’re well into their teens (Whisper’s only 10, he’s the whippersnapper). There was no packaged beef mince at all but plenty of chicken thighs so we stocked up on those instead. And now we are being warned about potential petrol shortages, again blamed on the lack of haulage drivers to move stocks from the refinery to the pumps. Fun times ahead in brexitland…
I had a chat with my boss this morning, she asked how I was and I replied (as usual) “knackered and stressed”. She’s decided this means I need to have a day off tomorrow and a referral to Occupational Health…neither of which makes me feel any better. I’ve had to dump a load of work on someone else who’s not in great health and is still recovering from covid after a month, and now have to face seeing an OH person, plus I’ve now got a summons to a meeting with the Big Boss. Really not what I need just now…it would be much better if they left me in peace to get on with the really stressy job and then things would not be so bad. I am sure they think they’re helping, but they’re not.
Here endeth the grumble, there’s a cup of tea with my name on it!
Maybe it’ll help! But I understand that it feels like yet another task for your plate.
Workin’ on it!
The instant soup was quite yum; I’ll have to look out for that brand again.
Got a bunch of trash taken out and cleaned the litter box, so I’ve been somewhat productive. The rain let up but it’s still super cool out, so I went for a short drive-around and wound up getting one of those cheapie bean burritos (with extra onion, naturally) from Taco Hell. It is assimilating at this very moment.
See, I’m eating! Nyah!
Well, poop. I better get on that. Ramen is one of 'Beamer’s 4 foods. He doesn’t eat many things, so I better not run out.
Well, that’s 'cause I have all of it. 
I better get some more tonic though…
Shoe sending hugs and sympathy. I hope you’re feeling better.
Sari I’m late to the party, but I vote nap. 
boofae I hope OH isn’t too hideous. Try to enjoy your day off despite the circumstances. Have a beer for me.
I got some of my paperirk done - yay me! I walked Pixel over to my mom’s house and had a nice visit. I’m hoping to make more of a habit of it. I’m now done for the day. So much to do, and so little stamina. Still, I did some things and I’ll take my wins where I can.
Happy Thorsday everyone!