(Old) Don't Sleep On The President's Day Sales - A Mattress MMP

Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
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Morning, mumpers! It’s currently 4c/38f with a predicted high of 7c/45f, and partly cloudy. Weather app has been reading the post from metal mouse and reminds me that “This is the perfect type of weather to fucking not eat Tide Pods. Seriously, just stop with the fucking dumb internet challenges.” As if our metal mouse would do such a thing…

Oopsie sorry to hear about Bailey’s mobility issues, it really does bring it home to you when they start having trouble getting around. Our Shadow is coming up to 20 years old, he rarely goes into our bedroom now, and flatly refused to go anywhere near the soft steps we bought although 18yr old Ophelia loved the easy route to the bed. Shads prefers ‘im indoors’ office chair so we have constructed steps out of books and laptop cases which he seems happy to use. Maybe the soft steps are too soft and he doesn’t feel safe on them. Really wish that cat could talk!

Also, Oopsie and J-Bats, you’re both good people looking out for other folks.

Moooom this is the perfect place to vent, or just tell us whatever’s going on at home. A lot of what you’ve said reminds me of my mum’s last few months. She knew she wasn’t going to get better, but she also never really said much about how bad things were. She would keep trying to do things even though she knew I would be visiting regularly to do things like changing bedding, doing laundry, running the rollsuck, and picking up bits of shopping. I think the biggest challenge for her was the idea of being dependent on other people, she had always been the one we depended on.

I am also among the crowd who can’t tell the difference between diet and zero drinks. I don’t buy branded cola because it uses the wrong kind of sweetener. Our supermarket’s own-brand is just fine, but I still can’t tell a difference between the two types. All tastes the same to me if you stick a drop of vodka in it!

Just recently, I have been dreaming about my mum quite a bit. I did wonder if it was down to reading all of Mooooom’s updates that has brought up the many regrets I have about mum’s last few months, and the things that I now feel I should have done but didn’t. Can’t change it now, but I almost feel like I’ve had a celestial telling-off!

Nothing much exciting in my day today, I went to a brilliant gig last night so was out late on a school night for the second night in a row. It was pub night with friends on Wednesday and then gig night yesterday but I drove to the venue (quickest way to get there from home, 10 minute drive instead of a half hour walk) as driving ensures a beer-free night :slight_smile:

Today I have a bunch of spreadsheets to mess around with, so I am hoping for a peaceful day without any drama. What chance of that?

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Good Mornin’ Y’all! Up and caffeinatin’. YAWN ‘Tis 59 Amurrkin out and cloudy with a predicted high of 71 and mostly cloudy for the day. It rained durin’ the night. I woke up around threeish to go pee and heard it rainin’ then. I shall take care of necessary duties over to the church house this mornin’ and then we shall be bears who brunch at Newk’s. After that it will be home for sloth, nappage, and day drinkin’ as is our wont.

red yay for the payin’ side gigs! Glad things may have settled down somewhat at irk.

BooFae here’s to a drama free day.

Now I need more caffeine and to feed rumbly tummy. Then, alas and bother, I suppose I must needs purtify and don attire acceptable for bein’ amongst the great unwashed. Woe!

Happy Firday Y’all!

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I’m not at all surprised, especially based on what FCD told me about what he saw on the echocardiogram. Her heart is barely working. Unfortunately, the dozing comes with a creepy side effect - MIL talks in her sleep. Yeah, I know, it’s not a freakishly rare thing, but it’s still just a tad off-putting to be sitting in a quiet room, and suddenly hear “She shouldn’t stand that close to the window” - only to see that the speaker has her eyes closed and her chin on her chest.

I shared a room with my sister for 18 years and she both talked and walked in her sleep. It’s a rude awakening when the person in the bed next to yours suddenly sits up and blurts out some non sequitur, especially when you’re 10. Just unnerving.

Dammit, don’t tell me I can have ice cream for breakfast. I’m trying to shed these cruise pounds!! Ice cream is my absolute favoritest treat in the whole wide world! Well, most ice creams. I think Breyers is nasty, but Turkey Hill is yummerrific!! Now hush (as she finishes her toast…)

When she stands, she has to brace herself for a bit of time till the dizziness passes. And she’s not even 5’ tall, so it’s not like the blood has to go far! I suspect she has a reduced blood volume, too, since she refuses to drink more than a few sips. Something else to address with the nurse.

Is this some sort of casserole? I’m not familiar with the term in the cooking context. Do share please!

That’s what I bought. I just wish we could get her to switch from Diet Coke to something calorie-filled. But she likes the taste. Maybe fruit juice?

I’m convinced this was a large part of why my grandmother died. She’d had a stroke and was bedridden, totally dependent on my mom for everything. I can’t even imagine how that was for her, because she was one of those who almost never sat down. The very first time she visited the first house I bought, she came in and grabbed a dust rag! She couldn’t just sit and visit! And MIL is much like that, too.

Had a good sleep last night - MIL didn’t wake me so I assume she slept thru also. It’s a surprisingly mild morning - 48° - and overcast with a 50% chance of rain. I figure I’ve got 3 loads of laundry today since I emptied MIL’s hamper, but laundry is easy. Throw it in one machine, throw it in the other, take it out, fold, put away. Plus the added bonus of running down and up the stairs! It’s aerobic!!

I wanted to share the sauteed cabbage recipe I made yesterday. Both FCD and MIL raved about it. I liked it, too, but I think I put a tad too much pepper in - at least to my taste. I did add a small thinly sliced onion with the cabbage, because I lurves me some onion. Overall, it’s a keeper, and if you like cabbage, you may enjoy it. You’re welcome! :wink:

Gotta figure out tonight’s supper. I want fish, but MIL doesn’t like it. I think the only seafood she likes is battered fried shrimp. She’ll eat tuna noodle casserole also, but I think that’s it. Maybe I’ll pull a meatloaf out of the freezer. Decisions, decisions…

And so it begins - another day in paradise. One day closer to spring - can’t wait till I can throw all the windows open!

Happy Firday!!

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Mornin’ all. About an hour after sunrise, and almost time to slip down for breakfast. Leaving the hotel at 1:30pm to go home.

In a nutshell yesterday was as great as the previous day was … underwhelming. Some time yesterday the damned wind finally died down and it was a much more pleasant afternoon and evening and now this morning. I’m no longer torn between indoors to avoid the wind or outdoors to enjoy the sky.

Got to my noon tour after some delay with the transport, but no confusion. Got on the boat and off we went. Boat had capacity for 65 and we numbered just 18, so again a spacious unfrenzied event. Luck is with us. Some tweens & teens, some oldsters, a couple pairs my age, and solo me. We made 3 stops:

  1. Snorkeling for ~30 minutes in 10-15’ water a mile+ offshore just loaded with corals and fish. Totally transparent water. Very pretty. Saw a couple of ~5’ span stingrays half-buried in the sand.

  2. Wading in chest to crotch deep water also a mile offshore for about 30 minutes. No corals, just beautiful soft white sand. Along with a cluster of about 10-15 other tour boats & yachts. Probably 200 humans all told. In the company of dozens (!) of stingrays slowly flying about underwater. The smallest I saw was about 12" span and the largest about 5’. Most more like 3’.

    They’re real docile, and they understand humans here equals free food. The guides would hold onto one for a few minutes and we’d feed it small squid about the size of two adult thumbs. Their mouth has no teeth, just cartilage jaws. They don’t chew; they just suction their food in with a mighty slurp! I caught the edge of its mouth, and ended up with a blood blister on my hand from the instant remarkably strong suction. Not a crisis, but there is a pic of it. No fish that was within that mouth’s grabbing range could possibly react fast and strong enough to out-swim being consumed.

  3. 20 minutes at a small beach across the bay from where we started that was infested with starfish. Mostly red and gold, but some black ones too. Wading about in the ankle or knee deep water it was very interesting to see.

    When I was kid in So Cal, starfish were common on our rocky coasts. They were pretty well exterminated by the late 1960s by the burgeoning population of people taking them out of tide pools. They’re long since protected now, but IIRC the population has only recovered a little bit. They’re not very mobile and below a certain density they just don’t get together to reproduce. It’s been 50+ years since I’d seen more than one at a time except in an aquarium. And here they were in great number. Yaay for Nature!

During the long-ish drone back I changed into my dry street clothes and yakked with other customers about places to go and things to do.

Once done, the van would take people back to 4 hotels. Mine on the “wrong” = quiet side of the island and 3 others on the “right” = bustling tourist side. So I had the driver drop me off in the midst of tourist mecca. Saved wasted time going home, and saved a cab fare; cabs are expensive here.

Wandered into a Westin on the beach, and found a nice spot to buy a mojito and enjoy the sun, the very fine almost flour-like sand, and the crowds. The pix of a nice hotel are from there. The pix of a rather barebones hotel are where I stayed.

Found a cute 20-something in a bikini with a wedding veil tied into her pony tail surrounded by 6 other bikini chicks in matching pink hairbows. They were enjoying champagne by the pool bar. I told her to “Go back! It’s a trap!” in a scared voice as I always do when I see wedding parties, but then immediately switched to happy congrats voice and wished her every success and told her it’ll be wonderful. I’ve never had that joke backfire whether delivered to bride or groom. Although I must say that now having experienced a backfire in my own life, it feels different delivering it.

As the sun sank towards the sea I walked aways to an outdoor BBQ/Jerk joint that was well-recommended. Had a nice meal of jerked pork & cornbread, and excellent yaks with the random dude sitting next to me. An ~35yo ethnic Iranian who grew up in London, started a business there, lived in NYC for a couple years, and now runs their Pacific and far east division from his residence here on Grand Cayman.

Eventually the band started and one 30-something chick got up to dance. Nobody else was interested and evidently she had come to the venue alone. So I joined her and we danced 2 solid 50 minute sets. The band was good, she was cute but utterly wasted, and was still swigging her wine at closing time. She kept shouting how much she loved her life. I suspect she loves her mornings a bit less. She was evidently a regular there. Very little coherent conversation was had, but she was fun, except when I had to grab her to keep her from falling down.

The music ended, she wobbled out to her car and drove the “4 minutes” to wherever home is, while I snagged a cab back to my hotel. Just another day in paradise. It was midnight when I got to bed. A darn good day overall.

I’m going to hit [send] on this, go get breakfast, then comment on everybody else’s contributions in a subsequent post.

Good Morning on Fri!!

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recently, koritsa spent the day in the closet. i did not know she had zipped in, and was running late and didn’t do the usual “count noses” before i went to work. the last place i saw her was on her chair, i thought she was still there.

poor girl was in there from 8-5:30. the good thing is that she didn’t have to deal with lager, the bad things are she was away from her litter box and food/water. she did have bags to burrow in and jackets to snuggle. just super dark.

she did run right to the bathroom, and then the food dishes. luckily she isn’t the “you wronged me” type of cat.

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Of course not, Tide pods are gross…but the dishwasher pods look tempting… :upside_down_face: :smile: :smile: :wink:

Pilot, you are living the life. Great stories, hope your dancing partner isn’t suffering to much this morning (adds Grand Caymans to Bucket List).

Need to rescue the garbage bin from the street here and check the water at 9am (gave it a 12-hour run with no usage save the ice-maker in the refrigerator), then run over to the hopefully open laundromat for a couple of minor loads and then swimming and sauna with a 6pm appointment to help get the gym ready for indoor soccer tomorrow. Supposed to get near 66F today, so looks like we’ll close out February with March/April weather.

Take care all.

247

Short heave, I was in Secondary most of the morning. Looks like they cut a lot of the package car routes today. Dunno if it’s “cut so we can make our year end numbers so Carol can afford to wax her yacht” “cut to fit the current volume” or the “cut so people quit so Brown isn’t on the hook for moving expenses or UI.”

No, the boy just does so much drama, he got offered a starring roll on The Real Housecats Of Raleigh.

I knew a married couple who would shout that every time someone proposed at the hockey arena. :smiley:
And you got a hickey from Ray? : clutches pearls :

248

Well crap. I just spent about 90 minutes carefully replying to all y’alls 60+ tales of triumphs and woes since yesterday afternoon. I had just 3 or 4 posts left to address when I accidentally pushed the keystrokes that amount to “abandon post”. It’s not in my drafts, not in my browser history. Just gone. Crap.

Anyhow I did read all and tried to say useful and sympathetic stuff to one and all.

From late in the thread, here’s one teeny tidbit for Coppertone and anyone else ever reading blood work:

HDL is Happy cholesterol. More is good.
LDL is Lousy cholesterol. More is bad.

You’re all welcome! :grin:

Cheers!!

ETA:

Might’ve been Wray; you can’t really tell. :slight_smile:

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Kong would go ape if he found out.

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Skipping to the bottom…

We had our staph retreat yesterday. The big new is that El Jefe, who is 68, has decided to retire. He’ll stay on until the board finds a new CEO, and he’ll remain on the board; but he told them he would not anoint a successor. It’s the Board’s decision. Apparently he warned them a year ago they should start thinking about a new CEO, but they procrastinate.

I did get the Cobb salad at 13 Coins. I think I like the ones from Trader Joe’s better taste-wise, but the one yesterday had a lot more meat and also had avocados. I think it would have been better if they’d used chicken instead of diced (loaf) turkey, and bacon instead of ham. But it was good, and filling.

Nobody ordered dessert, so after lunch I went to the front of the restaurant and got a cheesecake to go. Not long after I got back to the room, the server came to take dessert orders. So Mrs. L.A. got two pieces of cheesecake. She says she likes Trader Joe’s cheesecake the best.

Mad magazine ‘newspaper’ headlines: ‘King Kong Went Ape!’ ‘Betty Crocker Takes The Cake!’

251

I was wondering why you had an infectious grin.
Thanks, I’ll be here all week.
Try the waitstaff, and tip the veal.

252

I was going to say that. Ninja’d! Woof!

253

Would making one of her meals soup based help that? I know that I have to drink a little more when my supper doesn’t include soup. Popscicles, jello and ice cream will also help with the hydration.

I’m sorry to hear about Bailey’s mobility issues oopsie. Is PT that makes housecalls available in your area? IIRC, you mentioned that it has helped in the past.

Up, caffeinating, breakfasted, bed stripped, a load of sheets / towels in the dryer and jeans in the wash. Fixing to do KP and houseirk shortly, then work some in the studio before picking up a MarketPlace buy and shopping for groceries. The rest of the weekend will be spent working on the album.

Stay safe and healthy y’all!

254

*sigh* I just got Microsofted. :angry:

I have folders in outlook where I save emails. I was in the process of moving an email into a folder when another email came in. This caused the Inbox list to ‘jump’. I don’t think I’d released the mouse button, but when I looked the folder I was trying to move the email to was gone. Naturally, the ‘Undo’ button was greyed out. I checked the nearby folders to see if it had gotten moved into one of them to no avail. IT Support should call me in about 10 minutes to see if they can find it.

255

If it was a ‘staph’ retreat yesterday vs. a staff retreat you’ll probably need to be checking with your wifey RN soon.

ETA: ninjaed by doggio and he was funnier.

256

One elevator is out in the building. The natives are restless, believe me. This is the main reason we opted for an apartment on the 3rd floor instead of the 13th floor. It’s bad enough when a large number of folks are trying to get back home after, say, an exercise class, but the number of people with walkers that can fit in an elevator is very limited. We can walk to and from the ground floor relatively easily from our place.

Anyway: breakfasted and otherwise ready for the day ahead. We were thinking of going to Minnesota Institute of Art (MIA) just to get a change of surroundings today, but may decide against it.

257

Did three loads of laundry at the laundromat and geez, it’s $3.50 a wash, would have been cheaper to do at home and eat the extra water usage. Anyway, my jeans are in the dryer and all the sweatpants/sweatshirts I wear around the house most days are waiting their turn, so once they are done and hung up, that’ll be it for the laundry until late in March.

As for the water, I left it on for 12 hours overnight (9pm-9am) and made sure it was not used (slept for 8 of those hours) and it’s showing about 20 gallons used, and I know the ice machine in the fridge didn’t use that much. Will run one more test this weekend and then call a different leak detection business to check things out again. It never seems to end…

Cookie, as long as the elevator doesn’t end up like the one on “The Big Bang Theory”.

Flyboy, have had slip away before, hope they can search it out for you. And

Very well played.

Pilot, been there, cussed that. Just say “tomorrow is another day” and start fresh…not like we won’t have some more things for you to comment on shortly.

Have broken fast and now need to check the jeans in the dryer. A good afternoon to all.

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IT Support looked for it and couldn’t find it, then I accidentally found it under ‘Inbox’. Neither of us noticed the ‘>’ next to it. Then he spent a lot of time looking at ‘Synch issues’ and ‘Conflicts’. By the time we hung up, I really had to urinate. And warm up some coffee. And make another pot of coffee. And make me a Vegemite sandwich (which I’m eating now).

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That just made me nostalgic for when we were little and our moms would hang clothes outside.
Well my “boss” never got back to me so no pay next week.
She hires me for Monday through Friday and in three weeks, I did 4 hours.
Supposed to be below freezing tomorrow, then 55 Monday. Ohio roller coaster weather.
What a mild winter though. I recall Feb. Around 2006 or so, when it was below freezing for 3 weeks!
Times have changed.

260

Visiting nurse is here. Last load is in the dryer. Once that is done, I need to run to Aldi.

Supper will be baked cod and twice baked spuds and something green.

Yes, it really is that exciting here.