I planted a bunch of iris and ran the sprinkler for a bit to get them settled in. I’ll put some more in tomorrow - I decided enough was enough today. Then I ran to the landscaper’s place to pay my bill and (finally) get the instructions for caring for my new plantings. Came home to FCD’s tales of the latest Adventures of Otis.
Idiot dog chewed up one of the plastic spring clamps. Then he stole the doorstop. And somewhere along the line, he killed a turtle. I’m starting to wonder about his bloodlust. I have learned that if I carry my Ruler of Enforcement and let Otis see it, he won’t attack me… so far. I hate to think that he was beaten in his past, but I will take advantage of his reaction to the ruler. He tore another piece on my arm earlier, so I’m sporting another bandaid - and just when most of the other spots were clearing up. Dammit.
Supper will be easy - FCD wants red beans and rice, so that’s thawing. I decided on pulled poke and a baked sweet potato (which will be the most involved part of the meal - wrap in foil and put in oven for an hour…) Till then, I’m going to play some stupid tablet games and relax.
Started Typing: 3:07 PM ET
Clicked Reply: 3:31 PM ET
I’m happily back in Northern Virginia! I woke up earlier than I thought I would, and wound up hitting the road at 8:30am. I only made one quick stop at around 11am, to pee and get some Auntie Anne’s pretzel bites, and traffic was good until riiiiight before the bridge from MD to VA: I-495 construction and lane closures slowed everyone to a crawl for the rest of my trip. I think I only lost 15-20 min, though, and I pulled into my driveway at around 12:45pm. I spent the next hour unpacking, then I sat at my computer to file/scan all of the hotel and dealership receipts and catch up on personal administrivia. I just finished with all of that, and decided I’m too tired to go buy bananas – and I’m done being in the car for today – so I have Wegmans coming via Instacart. Once the groceries arrive I’ll relocate to my couch for the rest of the day/night.
Tomorrow I’ll do laundry, and I think I might finally gather up all of the shoes I haven’t worn since before the pandemic started and prepare to donate the ones that are still in decent shape. I have a big rolling shoe rack that’s completely full, but I only wear maybe 1/3 of the pairs on it and it’s time for some culling…and time to admit that I’m never again going to wear the gorgeous heels I bought for a fancy benefit dinner in 2011 and only wore that one time.
War Requiem broadcast recording is up. If you want to give it a listen, you might want to give the review I posted a read just to put the thing in context. It’s a complex piece.
I’m not sure if I posted about my snow tires woes.
Last year, I had a problem with the car making funny sounds, but it would only do it when coasting. When accelerating or breaking it was OK. After a week of this, I took it in and was diagnosed as loose lugnuts. Ooops. I changed the tires myself and didn’t get the nuts tightened sufficiently. The shop overtightened them and now I can’t get them off. I may have to take them in. Grrr.
Quick afternoon note. Prescription was filled and picked up, then spent about 90 minutes at the gym and am now home and have finished a mid-day snack, so all is right with the world.
Coppertone, just take care, hope things settle down, body-wise.
Taters, hope you can avoid the flu bug. Take care of yourself.
Good point and no evidence of residence (might have a couple small lizards residing there but they don’t bother me and I don’t bother them)
FCM, I’ll take my Brother, SIL and their kids to dinner Saturday after Thanskgiving and that usually runs into a couple hundred, but I think the most I ever paid for an individual meal was in the neighborhood of $70. And nice work on the swimming deck, can’t wait to see the finished product installed.
Bright Tree, thanks for the background info, I’ve had the rare household invasion by mice, but never in the car. Hope they stay away now.
Cookie, well done on Sadie’s approval.
Indeed!
Welcome home, Oopsie.
Sensei, they do tend to tighten them good at the shops, hope they can get them off without a major hassle.
And time to watch some TV for a bit and then plan my sloth campaign for the evening.
First thing this morning, I applied for a ‘Commercial Deposits Coordinator’ position at a bank. Minimum pay is $6/hour less than my current pay, to $5 more than my current pay. I have a feeling I’m overqualified (possibly code for ‘too old’).
La Jefa sent out The Announcement. She had nice things to say about me.
ETA: I signed up with that temp agency yesterday, why not?
A cow-orker just called to say she’s sorry. I fear she wept some. She says that if I ever need chicharrones, to let her know. (She was born in Mexico.) I told her I always need chicharrones!
He’s not living up to his dachshund lineage then. They were originally bred to hunt badger.
I hope not. Feel better soonest.
Today was one of those days that I was achy and couldn’t get warm. 82 freakin’ degrees out and I had a sweatshirt and the heat on.
On the good side of things, the adjuster came to check out my car today, so that will be fixed soon. I did get a little assembly done on the mini posters, but not as much as I should have.
I was inside irking all day, only venturing out to get the mail. It’s 46º Ferret Height right now. I don’t know if it got up to 50. It was raining so much when I went to get the mail that I actually used an umbrella.
Howdy Y’all! The doc said I’m still alive. The vampire told me I am one of a very few people who watch their blood draws. She said most people turn away and close their eyes until she says she’s done and by done she means the vials are put where they can’t be seen. I got a covid booster as well. So far, my left arm feels like it’s gonna fall off, but no ick symptoms. Think I’ll sleep with Ty as a precaution. We did lunch instead of sup. Since I couldn’t eat before my appointment I was starvin’ when I got back to da cave. So, I had a snack and then made lunch. OYKW contributed by goin’ to get the chikin and cleanin’ up. We then achieved nappage. The temp was mid seventies this afternoon, so we sat out by the cee-mint pond under the gazebo and warded off malaria and scurvy three times.
Taters feel better soonest. If it’s flu, may it be a very mild case.
redJtC gives good advice. Do write down questions for the doc, so you can get this figured out.
Coppertone glad you are followin’ up with your doc. It’s worth the effort to do so. We want you all better soonest.
Oopsie glad you’re back home safe and sound. I purged a bunch of shirts recently. They all still fit, but I used to be a shirtaholic back in my irk days. Now that I am a RDOS and grumpy old man, not so much.
Daughter invited her family to a family dinner here on Saturday - the day Tobias actually turns 4. We’ll order Chinese delivery. And I won’t change the tablecloth till after, because spills.
Before then, tho, is laundry day. And maybe some more planting. Envy my exciting life!
Careful with that. Last winter I had a slow leak that eventually resulted in a completely flat tire in the morning. I tried to get the lugs off, but couldn’t, even standing on a breaker bar. I dropped the spare from up under the bed of the truck and called AAA. Dude came out with an impact driver and got the flat off and installed the spare. That night I was driving along and suddenly couldn’t control the truck. Managed to pull over and the wheel had shed its lugnuts and was just sort of perched on the lugs. Friggin terrifying.
Was a long day. Left the house at 8, to the museum at 8:15, opened, did a bunch of stuff, back home to let Ms Peach out for a quick romp, back to the museum to build some more prototypes, then Family Science Night at one of the local elementary schools to show off some other prototypes. An hour of small loud kids trying to break things.
I’m terrible at interacting with the kids, but I like seeing how they’ll break it (cuz we all know they’re going to break it) and what they find fun. How they use something in a completely unexpected way and then figuring out how to make that a part of the exhibit.
Bodies. Can’t live with 'em, can’t live without 'em.
I had a meeting in Tacoma today. Long hours driving both ways, lots of hard rain, nearly invisible white and silver cars without their lights on in white-out rain on I-5, multiple accidents. The meeting was not useful. Now I know.
My lovely wife is recovering well from breaking her nose in two places. She tripped over a parking block at a wildlife viewing area. We went back to photograph it and in the couple of weeks since she tripped, the block had been painted bright yellow. Yay for whoever assisted us and reported it. Quite the dramatic bloody mess.
I appear to have had tamoxifen discontinuation bleeding and, we hope, not endometrial cancer bleeding (tamoxifen doubles the incidence of the latter; nowhere had I read, nor had anyone told me, that it can cause the former). Still watching.
I certainly do hope that it is just the tamoxifen and not cancer!
Dang about the meeting and horrible drive, but happy that you returned to your lovely wife safely.
I gave mine to BFF when I left. As far as I know, they haven’t been worn since 2015.
Sometimes being a woman isn’t as much fun as it could be. At least its getting cold enough that you can just go outside and cool off (or into the freezer) when needed.
You are perfect for your job, I’m so happy you found it.
You are always so nice about that, thank you so much. I’m not really that smart, its just that I’ve already made most of the mistakes and have sometimes learned from them.
I’m so happy that you are still alive. I didn’t have much soreness after my covid shot, I’m thinking my immune system has finally gotten used to them.
I really do hope you get this figured out and fixed soon. I hate being cold like that, you can’t ever get warm no matter what you do.
Only because they might want you to start picking up jobs now instead of after you are officially unemployed. I think you would be a wonderful bank employee, you are so reliable and self motivated.
Thank you, John!
John has been a valued member of [company] since April 2007 — over 18 years! His prior experience at [BMCRA] provided a strong foundation for his work leading our data contribution program. Over the years, John has shown unwavering dedication, attention to detail, and a commitment to expanding our data contributor network. His sense of humor, quick wit and cat pictures have brightened many of our days. He will be greatly missed!
Oh, I agree, but you applied at a bank and I was being encouraging.
I think you would an awesome food stamp worker. I would never it because you wouldn’t be able to make enough money, but you have all of the skillz AND cat pics.
I was behind an old hoopty on a town street once when a back wheel came rolling off. Three guys hopped out and chased it down. I’m assuming that they pulled a lug nut from each of the other wheels to get them to the next garage.
I woke up earlier than I thought I would, and wound up hitting the road at 8:30am. I only made one quick stop at around 11am, to pee and get some Auntie Anne’s pretzel bites, and traffic was good until riiiiight before the bridge from MD to VA: I-495 construction and lane closures slowed everyone to a crawl for the rest of my trip. I think I only lost 15-20 min, though, and I pulled into my driveway at around 12:45pm. I spent the next hour unpacking, then I sat at my computer to file/scan all of the hotel and dealership receipts and catch up on personal administrivia. I just finished with all of that, and decided I’m too tired to go buy bananas – and I’m done being in the car for today – so I have Wegmans coming via Instacart. 
Once the groceries arrive I’ll relocate to my couch for the rest of the day/night.
