(Old) Be-Labor-ing a Point. An End of (Meteorological) Summer MMP

Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
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Started Typing: 9:33 AM ET
Clicked Reply: 12:07 PM ET

Befitting the first day of meteorological fall, it’s currently 70°F, partly sunny, and breezy with low humidity…windows are open!! :smiley:

I, too, have mosquito woes. There are more of 'em than usual (I heard something about the reason being the hotter-than-average summer), and – in addition to threatening Bailey and me when we’re outside in the mornings/early evenings – they like to zoom inside when the door is open. Today’s breeze is quite useful in that regard. And thank goodness for hydrocortisone!

Yesterday I was able to put a good dent in both of the proposal sections that have an “11:59pm on Wednesday” deadline: it’s just for an outline review, so there doesn’t have to be much of anything in the sections at this time, but I know that tomorrow and Wednesday will be busy-ish. I’m glad I spent a couple hours on them. The rest of the day was spent in sloth mode on the couch, watching TV and intermittently coloring.

Something else I did yesterday was poke around my SDMB settings a bit, and while I was perusing my profile and stuff I revisited some old PMs. Back in July 2021, I wrote the following when another Doper and I did some kvetching about the state of the boards and the antics of a few posters:

    I recently decided to try to look for “normal” pockets here. I jumped into the ridiculously chatty MMP last week and so far those folks seem to be OK to hang out with…

So far… :crossed_fingers: :joy:

(And I stand by “ridiculously chatty”! LOL!)

A week ago, I got notified that my Google Voice number hadn’t been used in “a while” and would expire in 30 days unless I used it. It’s the number I’d set up for my volunteer work, and I was happy with the idea of letting it go…but in the past week I’ve gotten calls/texts from two members of that organization (including one just a little while ago), so the Google Voice number will live on for a while longer. It’s like they knew! :rofl:

I have no plans for the rest of today, which means more coloring…and a lot more TV. I’m making my way through the original Leverage series for the first time, after discovering/watching the reboot earlier this year. I was gonna have a personal training session this afternoon (moved from tomorrow evening at my request), but very early this morning my trainer texted and asked if we could do a different day instead. When I saw the message I told him my options – which include sticking with tomorrow’s usual session – and I’m waiting for him to be between clients and respond, but I won’t be going to the gym today. Can’t say I’m too sad about that. :grin:

That part of my arm is almost always covered by a t-shirt (or other) sleeve, so I’ve actually never seen/noticed it very often: even after 25 years, it won’t be a “doesn’t look like my arm without it” thing. Maybe that’s at least partly because my arm already looks different after my bariatric surgery…? Anyway, the fade has been quite gradual over the past two years.

That happens to me in a slightly different way: my father will be turning 76 next month, and every now and then I’ll think “how is he that close to 80?!”…and then I realize how old that means I am!

Excellent!

Oh man, that happens to me all the time: I’ll think of something I should do/look up when I’m not in a position to make a note about it, which means I will promptly forget whatever it was. Sigh.

22

I’m spending the day with a creature who keeps flipping back and forth between “cuddle buddy” and “murder death kill beast” Although hunting might be more successful if he didn’t try to eat a being that can jum his mouth open with a thumb.
And he just hornked. On the litter mat.

Funny thing is Spot gets weirded out when I start pacing.

23

I’m off this afternoon, but had to irk this morning.

Retired teacher Sis’ contracts for most of her career in HISD stipulated that the school year couldn’t begin until after Labor day.

Well, I irked until 0930 today, then came home. When I took Nelson out, a bigger dog from across the fence came through the hole and got curious about him, which he didn’t take well, so I had to pick him up and carry him back into the apartment. Good thing he had already done his business. Now, I’ll have to check outside every time I take him out to make sure he doesn’t get his furry little butt kicked.

Stay safe and healthy y’all!

24

Had to put on my leather jacket to walk to the store.
When it starts getting cool like this, I feel all pumpkin pie, the new almanac, long johns kinda niceness.
But my favorite season is summer.

25

Celebrating the beginning of meteorological fall with a broken blower fan in my old car. Started making an obnoxious, loud tapping sound when I turned off the AC while parking at the store to get food and supplies (I was on my last slice of bread).

It sounded like a spatula battle under the hood lol.

At least where I live we are having much cooler temperatures now as of today. It’s quiet as long as I don’t turn on the HVAC fan.

Will need to call the mechanic tomorrow morning.

Why do these things always happen on holidays and weekends?

26

Ouch. But beats having your rig make weird noises when the nearest service station in 250 miles away.

27

The cabin fan is a pretty easy replacement, if’n you’re a bit handy and flexible. Usually behind/under the glove box. My 07 Tacoma had 3 screws and 1 electrical connector. The hardest part was getting my head to where I could see what was going on. And don’t lose the 10mm socket. They like to go wandering.
If it’s the A/C compressor in the engine, I got no advice.

28

Oh man sounds like a nightmare!

29

Had a good visit and tacos with my daughter yesterday. She was regaling me with stories of her acting out as a teen when we were posted to Germany. Stories I’m hearing for the first time, and believe me, 35 years is not enough time to go by before finally hearing them. Her older brother referred to her as “twisted sister”.

My youngest son has been going through first the misery of his wife walking out on him to cheat with someone else, and now the horror show that is the divorce courts of Wisconsin. It’s a 50-50 state with no consideration as to fault, and not much consideration as to circumstance. She demanded and got half the value of the house they lived in, which means he’ll have to liquidate his 401(k) to pay that, plus pay child support even though he has them half the time and she’s employed. What a mess.

A decent week of cooler weather ahead, and not much going on with us other than a tooth filling for me. I still have to take a megadose of antibiotics right before it because of the knee surgery over a year ago.

30

It’s a 2013 Chevy Impala and I suspect it’s one or more of the actuators but I am definitely not handy beyond doing fairly simple things with a car. It also made the noise when I turned on the heater.

I am due for a new car but have been waiting until I retire next year. That might change depending on how this old flivver responds to intervention.

But good advice. Thank you.

31

that is one of the nice things about living in this drought-infested pile of dirt …we don’t really have mosquitos and if we do it’s not for long because it gets too hot for their eggs to hatch in what water we do have

I just have discovered an occasional annoyance when ordering gardening/plant-related stuff

There seem to be items that for some reason have to be grown in CA for you to be able to buy them … for the plants and trees I understand because of fruit flies and such … but for things like bagged soil or fertilizer, etc it gets old …like a few minutes ago I was buying ant stakes via amazon and aunt decided to get some of the Diatomaceous Earth…Now I’ve purchased a specific brand a dozen times at Lowe’s Walmart etc … So I add it to the cart only to find out it can’t be delivered here …and I’m not knowing why …so now I have to have 2 different orders …

32

Glad to hear it. Don’t do it again, okay?

Last night my phone started pinging, to tell me that a storm was coming. On a scale of 1-5, with 5 being really bad, we were in a 4 zone. Hail, thunder, lightning, rain, and wind. Ripped the one tomato plant off the supports and the other one didn’t do much better.

When the rain slowed down I managed to get both plants arranged better, but I don’t think we’re getting many maters this year. It’s been pretty wet until the last few weeks, and we were getting sun and heat, but I think that’s about done as well.

Did get a good handful of raspberries. I wasn’t expecting much the first year, so anything we get I’m happy.

No long weekend here, so I had to work today. To quote Bill the Cat, “THBBFT!”

33

No, really???

Daughter et al are back in Merrylande. They opted out of Skyline Drive due to traffic - it’s a trip for another day. I’ve got a London broil marinating and I’ve set a timer for getting supper started. Plus we need to add a leaf to the table since it doesn’t really accommodate 7 without it.

MIL got up, ate some toast, then fell asleep in her recliner, occasionally saying things that sound pretty random to those of us not in her head. Something about money, and then about rice and green beans.

I watered my planters on the front porch - that should make the coleus happy. So I can say I accomplished something productive. :rofl:

34

Its beautiful weather here. 65, less humidity.
I am looking forward to tomorrow when I can take a bus again.

35

Howdy Y’all! Quality cee-mint pond time, shower, nappage, day drinkin’ and sammich eatin’ have been the order of the day. All fine RDOS inactivities. Also, the biiiiiig trash can has been hauled all the way down to the road for pickup tomorrow. We had some rain a little while ago and maybe more on the way. YAY! Next up, Netflix, chill, and popcorn!

MetalMouse glad you feel better today. Heat exhaustion (sounds like what was ailin’ ya) is tough.

MOOOOOOM I had heard about vitamin E and biotin for hair growth before. Glad it’s workin’ for ya.

CupCakes I was a little worried as well. Glad you’re OK.

36

Last week at this time, we had hit triple digits for the first of four days running. This week, I’ve thrown on a sweat shirt. Oy!

I puttered around and assembled the valentines that I cut and inked yesterday.

37

It’s a cool 68 here in western PA. We had 22 days of 90 degree or hotter weather this summer which is extremely rare. So happy for the cooler temperatures.

I am also happy to don sweatshirts! (I hate summer.)

38

Good afternoon all; Did make it to the pool in time (turned out I was wrong above, they closed at 4pm today), but the heater to the whirlpool was broken so the water was tepid at best and the pool was crowded, so only got 1000 yards in today. May make the supreme sacrifice and not get French Fries with my Burger tonight (gotta count them calories). 88F outside so maybe just as well the kids (and coach) are taking the day off from soccer. And since Direct TV is feuding with Disney, about 40% of the channels I usually watch have disappeared..they’d better get it negotiated fast or I’ll be looking for other options.

FCM, hope the hair treatment helps, I have so little left it would be a waste of my money.

“An Irishman is never drunk as long as he can hold onto one blade of grass to keep from falling off the earth.” (50% Irish here).

shoe, you are many, many things, but weird is not one of them…

Taters, hope the gravel/storage/meds decisions were all accomplishable.

Cupcakes, you take care now.

Oopsie, nice to know that we are “OK to hang out with…” And we take pride in being ridiculously chatty, don’t cha know?

Because Murphy is a soulless M**********. But the description of the noise being “like a spatula battle under the hood” deserves to be immortalized.

And welcome Ellecram, hope you decide to stick around for a while , as mentioned above we are a chatty group, looks like you’d fit in just fine. As for MMP name, I don’t have one off the top of my head, will leave that to wiser folks…

Cookie, sounds like the divorce laws in Wisconsin could use some attention…

Dicey, I will keep refereeing, just space out the games a little smarter next time.

OK, onward into the day. Jack’s will provide the evening repast (not Jack In The Box, this is a regional chain).

39

@The_Stainless_Steel_Rat

Thank you for the warm welcome! I do enjoy playing around with words. You all seem like an enjoyable group and I hope to be a happy participant.

40

I agree - 'tis poetic!!!

The house is quiet. The dishwasher is washing. FCD took SIL, Trevor, and the crate in his car. Daughter just left with her spawn in her wreck of a car (wreck as in OMG how can you fit people in amongst all that crap?!?!?) I left our bedroom door open, hoping Ziva will realize it’s safe to venture forth. I will be removing her kibbles, water, and litter box from the bedroom so she’ll kinda have no choice.

MIL got dressed and came out for maybe half an hour, then went back to bed - she didn’t eat supper. Her weight is down to 95. Not a good sign. Three people from her church sent her cards and one, I swear, was a kinda poetic “Well you’re close to death, so here’s a Bible verse to comfort you.” I’m not sure how it affected her, but I thought it was in really poor taste. Then again, I’m not comforted by Bible verses.

One can’t truly appreciate silence till one experiences total cacophony! - Someone needs to embroider that on a pillow!

My recliner beckons…