Watch out with that dongle! If you’re using it with a local provider, you may be all right – I got one from work for one of my trips, and ended up burning through **several hundred $ **of company money in just a few hours of use… :eek: To be fair, however, I think it was mostly the roaming charges. In my case, it turned out to be cheaper to pay the ~$30 / 24h the hotel charged for internet access than to use the dongle.
Good to see you too I see Bobbio’s “how you doin’?” and raise you a wolf-whistle
If I hadn’t known any better, I would have said you sounded quite interested in the ladies’ illuminatory features
Does hubby know who you’re looking at when you’re away at work?
Sorry to hear about the lost luggage, gt. It happened to us too, but thankfully the bags turned up twenty minutes later on a different flight. Looks like you had tons of fun despite the clothing situation, though, and most women would happily jump on any excuse to go shopping in Paris.
Also, that strawberry torte looks insanely delicious. I’m half-tempted to lick the screen. Please tell me there were more desserts than this, though?
Nava, did you seriously expect any better from Renfe? This is a company whose “customer service” staff in the train stations (quotes used to denote that the use of these words is questionable, to say the least) seemed incapable of communicating in much beyond grunts and jabbing their finger at a paper. Given that most Spaniards I’ve met seemed like lovely and helpful folks, I’d imagine they work very hard to find employees with just the right blend of surly and uncooperative.
In other news, I’m still sick. Less sick, but not enough so to qualify as well.
I’ve managed so far to avoid losing my voice, though, which apparently is one of the most common consequences of this particular flu bug… though I’m not sure how long that will last, since I spent most of the morning yelling at Israel over a bad phone connection, and will have to do so again on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Why am I not allowed to just quit my job again? Oh right. I’m not independently wealthy.
I’ve been able to buy tickets from their webpage before without too much trouble (too much considering it’s Renfe, ie, it may have required a phone call but it worked eventually). My suggestion about new signage in Atocha was well-received by the guys at the desk and got implemented. On the other hand, apparently no amount of suggestions can make TPTB get BIG SIGNS for the toilets in any new or renovated station: apparently, their 60+yo mothers don’t pee (mine has to go any time she stands up, for example after an hour in the train).
One of my calls led to them letting you buy tickets without registering. It was a bit silly: if you registered, there was no way to recover a lost password… except calling the ladies at customer service and asking for it. You gave them your national ID# and username, they gave you the password. Very secure, yap! (But you couldn’t use old CC info, eh)
Nooner, what “local provider”? I have one for Spain and one for the UK. The one I’m using is the one for Spain. Thanks for caring, though Oh, and in Spain I get “self-employed rates” (same rate as an individual person, but 24/7 instead of “outside office hours”).
Technologically, the “Dongle” is essentially a data-only Cellphone. Which means it has a number and all, even though it can’t make or receive voice calls. But Cellular (data) charges still apply, and if you are “roaming…” Og help your bank account!
But I see you have that bit covered
I am struggling to suppress my envy of our little world traveler. You lucky duck!!!
Grand experiment in progress - I’ve got a meatloaf on the grill. Either it’ll be great or a waste of 2.5# of ground beef.
I did get a really cool charcoal starter and it works great! Two pieces of crumbled newspaper in the bottom and a pile of charcoal in the top. Within 10-15 minutes, the charcoal was flaming!! No chemicals. Yay!
Work was boring, but I got thru the day. But stoopit rain is forecast again this evening and into tomorrow.
**FCD **took the day off and had a rude awakening. When I left, I made sure to close the bedroom door to keep the animals out. Apparently, Taz and Ziva were not pleased. They were outside the door yowling, then Taz hung on the door handle (it’s a lever) and got the door open. Both cats proceeded to help **FCD **wake up. He was not impressed. He shoulda gone to work.
Judging by this description alone (and backed by some pictures of both cats in the past) I nominate Taz and our Silly for first prize in the Separated at Birth department! :eek:
I have supper all done. It was such a chore after a gruelin’ day of pool loungin’. Pity me.
Ol’ y’all know who will be here shortly so consumption may begin. I’s hongry! All that floatin’ around really works up an appetite let me tell ya!
In other news, I’m hopin’ to have twuck sold by Wednesday or Thursday. Then I shall take the cash from that and trade in Big Red the Blazer and buy a new truck. I’m leanin’ toward a Ford Ranger. Havin’ three vehicles is dumb I have decided. So I shall have 'Stang and a new truck. What? I live in the southern USofA. I must have a truck!
The concensus is that meatloaf on the grill is good. If you wish to benefit from my experience, I offer this:
*Make the meatloaf thinner than you normally would
*Have 2 spatulas ready
*Flip every 5 minutes or so, lest it burn
*If it’s still not quite done, nuke it for 2 minutes on high
*Eat!
I had the charcoal sitting at the lowest level and I closed the lid to make it oven-like.
So there ya go!
So far, I like my new grill. We’ll see how well it lasts. The reviews on the website are less than stellar. Of course, some people will complain about anything.
Back from dentist after starting yet another root canal. They want to put a bridge on that molar, because the tooth next to it was extracted last year, but I’d rather wait and have an implant next year. So I will go back next Thursday to get the rest of the root canal done and ask for just a filling, since I maxed out my dental coverage on the two root canal/crowns I had put on the other side of my mouth in the spring and have to pay for it out of pocket. Good thing I already paid for my Anime Expo registration and my cosplay materials, or else I’d be SOL.
Now I’m going to take the Princess to her pediatrician for an eye exam, as she has complained of trouble seeing the board at school. I think she’s going to need glasses also. Let’s see how that goes. (watches wistfully as the money in her purse grows wings and flies away, like in a cartoon)
Isn’t that always the way, Lucky? Just when you think you’re on an even keel or even gaining ground, *something *happens. Teeth, cars, pets, glasses, appliances - they all conspire to denude your bank account.
The secret is to never never never say anything like “Hey, I’m gonna be able to pay off this credit card in a couple of months” or anything similar.
So I leave work early so I can start recovering and relaxing from Monday. I’m planning to reheat the pot of beans and make cornbread for dinner. No sweat, right?
All is well until I enter the house, to find a little bit of poop - looks like Ernie was feeling poorly. No biggie, it wasn’t that bad. I watch a little TV with Dad, and notice that Blaze is stinking a bit of piss, as he tends to get all wet when he wets the floor. (Last night he had an accident - at least it was on the tile!) I wash him with a little dog shampoo and a wet washcloth. (He is too uncooperative to give a real bath to.) He only growled a little bit.
Then I went to turn on the TV, and I Spy a pile of vomit behind a chair. Great. Looks like Lucy ate too much. I don’t know how I know, but it was her. I cleaned it up.
So much for relaxing before dinner! Did I mention that Friday the carpets were freshly shampooed?
I love my dogs, but we’re never getting new carpet, are we?
I tried coffee without sugar over the weekend. Bleh. That’s the last time I assume my dad will have some sort of artificial sweetener hidden away somewhere. I know him better than that.
I had a good time at the reunion yesterday. Bruised myself up good when I fell off a log playing with my nephews & niece. It’s about five inches long and dark purple. I think I bounced when I hit the ground. :eek:
There’s always a fun bit of family drama right before a reunion and this year it was my great-aunt H being stupid around a fire. Her house caught fire somehow earlier this year and she ran back in to get something. She got a severe case of smoke inhalation which landed her in the hospital for four weeks during which time they discovered a few other health problems. My grandma, her sister, is not impressed. My grandma’s doing the best health-wise out of all the old people in her family. I attribute that to her cantankerous nature. I aspire to be like her one day.
I see Bobbio’s “how you doin’?” and raise you a wolf-whistle 
