(Old) Halfway through the month - Midway in the MMP

[rocking_chair]

Went on my usual shopping trip jaunt. I reckoned with a playoff game and snow forecast thing might be a bit crowded.

Target is my last stop and at noon there were no carts inside the store. Good thing I had clackity with me. The acme was not crowded through they disappointed me. They did not have football brownies. They had cakes and cupcakes. I was planning to take brownies to the playoff party tomorrow.

First we hit a bump when there was a huge crane blocking market street. This lead to someone on the shuttle getting abusive because the driver didn’t just plow through the blockage so she could go where she wanted.

Second there is some sort of protest march blocking the parkway. As our building is just off the parkway the shuttle couldn’t get to the building for the noon pickup.

Third the shuttle came to pick the shopping crew up and had to detour like mad to get us back to the building. I got to see parts of the city I haven’t seen since 2018. The amount of new construction was amazing. The 5 of us on the bus were just amazed. The old streets department depo, garage, and incinerator are now a huge apartment complex. Just bizarre.

The schuylkill river is frozen over fairly well. The Delaware just has ice floats. The Delaware is more tidal and has a lot more traffic. The schuylkill is tidal but smaller, and not much traffic. The next few days should really harden up the ice.

[Misnomer]

@The_Stainless_Steel_Rat

And yes, I’m home.

Yay!!

@liirogue

Most newer gas ovens also won’t function without electricity.

You pointed this out a few weeks ago, and it was a big “DUH” moment for me then…but, I actually managed to keep it in mind while buying some “just in case the power goes out and I can only cook on the stovetop” provisions for the upcoming snow/freezing weather! I was so proud of myself.

Most shelf-stable cans of soup/stew would make too much food for one sitting, and I know that in a power outage I’m not going to be super inclined to want to heat up leftovers (you’re not wrong, it makes no sense, but I know myself: in my brain, heating up leftovers is waaaaay more effort than heating up the food in the first place!). So, I decided to go for “instant” food where I only have to add hot water: Lipton noodle soup, Cup O’ Noodles, and ramen. Single servings, and dead easy. There’s also the nostalgia factor: surviving on those for a few days would be like being an undergrad again.

[liirogue]

@Misnomer

You pointed this out a few weeks ago, and it was a big “DUH” moment for me then…but, I actually managed to keep it in mind while buying some “just in case the power goes out and I can only cook on the stovetop” provisions for the upcoming snow/freezing weather! I was so proud of myself.

The first time my power was off and I went to cook a frozen lasagna because “yay I’ve got gas, I don’t need no electricity!” I just stood in front of it in dawning horror as I realized that no, I could not cook that frozen lasagna.

I don’t know if it’s from older movies and TV shows or what, but everyone thinks gas = no electricity needed. My sister lost power one time but proudly declared she didn’t need to stay the night at anyone’s house because she had a gas heater. She realized real quick that the blower was electric and had quite a frigid night.

Edit - also, I am so glad I was actually useful for something for once haha

[susan]

There’s Dutch oven-style cookware that can be used on the gas stovetop. Look for “Perfect for camping!” in the description. My range has a never-used griddle that ought to be good for something in a power outage. I think I’ve said before that we switched to an electric heat system because I didn’t like having a pilot light in the attic, but the range, water heater, and living room fireplace are still gas.

[JaneDoe42]

@Misnomer

The pharmacist – and JtC – warned me that sometimes people develop flu-like symptoms after the second shot: they could take a day or so to appear, but so far so good ().

I’m so happy your experience is so much better than mine was. Everyone reacts differently and I’m a weenie anyhow.

@susan

There must have been something in the water yesterday–my mother’s husband fell and fractured his femur.

I really do not want to join this club, I think I’ll just stay in bed for the next week or something.

@purplehorseshoe

I have found that the more anxious I am about trying to prep for something over which I ultimately have little control

Do what you can to prepare if it goes out and then don’t think about it. You like it cold, you have lots of warm clothes and knitted things plus you live in a small home with low ceilings which is easier to heat. You and Monkey will be fine, I’m a little worried about your sniks. But you are an experience snik owner and have been through times of no heat before and know what to do so I’m not even that worried about them.

@susan

I think we’ll be looking for the next brace of cats soon, in any event.

There are so many delightful homeless cats available, I’m sure you will easily find the purrfect companions. They might not be as cute as GG and Jolene, but they are a hard act to follow!

@Aspenglow

The first time I went to visit him in Aus and we were getting ready for an outing, he took one horrified look at my feet and said, “Why don’t you just sport a pink track suit while you’re at it?”

But you still married him. He must have been a very special man!

I’ve never considered them to be high class or high fashion. I wouldn’t have worn them when I was “dressing for success” but those days are long gone.

I was surprised to learn that Uggs are actually a West Coast sort of thing. I am new here, so I’m paying much more attention to what other folks are wearing and haven’t seen anyone wearing Uggs. Probably because they are good when it is cold but they are not waterproof so very not good for slogging through snowbanks.

@Aspenglow

I got my first injection yesterday. I wish the first shot had been without flu-like symptoms, but typical for me, it wasn’t.

I’m sorry your round isn’t going well, but I am positive that the shots are easier than the disease. I once nursed a he-man Marine through a bout that was so bad I rigged up a tent over his bed because the air movement from the AC was hurting his skin so badly.

@Aspenglow

Ollie the Dachshund says, “Can’t we just snooze and play instead?”

Ollie sounds like a very smart doggy! Are there any recent pics to share???

@Northern_Piper

When we went metric, the highway speed limit went from 60 mph to 100 km/h

That is so stinkin’ sensible. Us Yanks would never do something like that, LOL!!!

@susan

I’m pleased to say that there’s no condensation inside the spendy windows.

I also think our windows was money well spent. I know that the temp is much more even through the house and the heat pump hasn’t been working full time.

@The_Stainless_Steel_Rat

And yes, I’m home. Took awhile to get released, I was ready to leave by 9am but the doctor and the paperwork took longer than that, so it was about 1pm when I got back.

That paperwork always takes so long when you are ready to go. I’m glad you are home and chatty. Drink a bunch of water to help flush the drugs out of your system and get as much rest as you can.

@rocking_chair

Third the shuttle came to pick the shopping crew up and had to detour like mad to get us back to the building. I got to see parts of the city I haven’t seen since 2018. The amount of new construction was amazing. The 5 of us on the bus were just amazed.

Look at you making lemonade and all!!!

Our river hasn’t appeared to have ice on it, not even on the edges. Hubs says the rivers here don’t usually freeze, it doesn’t stay that cold long enough. It’s when the ice melts in the spring that our river is going to be interesting.

@Misnomer

(you’re not wrong, it makes no sense, but I know myself: in my brain, heating up leftovers is waaaaay more effort than heating up the food in the first place!).

You have to keep your leftovers cold so they won’t go bad. You don’t want to open your fridge more often than necessary so you can’t put hot food into it until it has cooled a lot. Then you will need to heat the food more because it is cold. It makes a bunch of sense to not want to deal with leftovers when the power is out.

If you have time, you can buy a kettle that works off your car’s “power port”.

@liirogue

My sister lost power one time but proudly declared she didn’t need to stay the night at anyone’s house because she had a gas heater. She realized real quick that the blower was electric and had quite a frigid night.

I was pretty shocked when I learned that as well!

So besides getting groceries, we made Swampy proud with our RDOS activities. I spent the afternoon stitching, drinkin’ mead and watching the fog roll in. Most of the snow melted off today and it is raining now. I’m hoping it will stay warm enough to not ice up the roads but at least we won’t be going out on them.

[Aspenglow]

@JaneDoe42

But you still married him. He must have been a very special man!

Oh, he was wonderful. < sappy grin > He didn’t make his comment in a malicious way, just a gentle nudge to let me know it would be a faux pas to wear them out and about in Australia. Like you, I never considered them high fashion – but I didn’t think of them as low class, either! Just goes to show how different things can be perceived in different parts of the world.

@JaneDoe42

I’m sorry your round isn’t going well, but I am positive that the shots are easier than the disease. I once nursed a he-man Marine through a bout that was so bad I rigged up a tent over his bed because the air movement from the AC was hurting his skin so badly.

Completely agree. It’s why I finally talked myself into getting the jabs. A bit of suffering now against a lot of suffering in the future made it an easy choice. I’m already much better.

@JaneDoe42

Ollie sounds like a very smart doggy! Are there any recent pics to share???

I have been remiss in taking photos of him, especially since he is at the pinnacle of his youthful natural beauty. I will endeavor to remedy this oversight and snap some new ones. He’s hard to photograph, because unlike your delightful GG and Jolene duo, he is never, ever still. But I’ll try!

[FairyChatMom]

@The_Stainless_Steel_Rat

Took awhile to get released,

That seems to be pretty standard - several hours to get all the paperwork done. But glad to hear you’re home.

Daughter, her spawn, and Trevor left a bit after 3, and FCD went back to nap, so I watched a few episodes of Death in Paradise while crocheting. I just finished a less-than-typical supper of cereal with yogurt because I was hungry and didn’t feel like cooking. Oh, and Daughter was delighted to get my old tablet, plus the cover for my “new” tablet came today, along with the bigger pot for the monster peace lily. I’ll transplant it tomorrow.

Rain/snow/sleet forecast tomorrow into overnight, so Moanday may have a slippery beginning. Ick. I predict school will be closed.

So, that’s all of today’s excitement. I’ll crochet the rest of the evening away.

[nelliebly]

@susan

Nice! I wasn’t an English major, but won college writing prizes judged by authors (Raymond Carver, for example).

I’m VERY impressed!

I don’t know what got into me last night. I have a firm rule against talking about my writing, past or present, and not only did I violate that, but the “You might have to be an English major” bit, which I meant to be sort of a “Don’t feel bad if…” line, came off as snooty and, even worse, somewhat insulting to Ms.Welty. I’m appalled at yesterme and have taken myself firmly in hand so it shan’t happen again. I’m very sorry and apologize to all of you.

It’s a lovely, sunny day here, so I’m going for a walk as soon as I finish here and water my thirsty plants. I was going to go to the gym, but it’s too nice out.

Old Flame said today, “It’s been a mild winter here. Yesterday was the first time it’s gotten below zero.” I had to chuckle at the relative definitions of “mild” here, there and elsewhere. Speaking of which, those of you in the path of Old Man Winter’s frigid breath, bundle up and stay warm! May your power stay on and your pipes stay thawed.

Coppertone, be careful out there. Sounds like it’ll be icy under the snow.

MetalMouse, yay for solid food! And a bigger YAY for being home! I’m shocked the hospital let you drive yourself. They’re usually such sticklers. If you’ve had general anesthesia 24 hours before, they won’t let you drive. I drove myself to the ER when I had what turned out to be appendicitis (I was in pain but thought I was just getting a CT due to the pain.), had surgery that night, and they wouldn’t let me drive myself home. One friend drove me home, and another drove my car home. Glad you made it OK, and I hope you get a good rest now. What restrictions do you have?

@FairyChatMom

the Bob Dylan movie - I might like that

A friend of mine just saw it and said it was good, and she’s not much into Dylan.

@Kitten_Mitten

Probably not if your city observes MLK, Jr holiday.

Mine does. However, I lived long in a state that refused to do so. The official line is that it’s The Equality State and doesn’t need another holiday to recognize Dr. King specifically, but back when it became a federal holiday, one of the state legislators, speaking for many who opposed it, said the state didn’t need to recognize it because “we don’t have many Black people here.” I was furious. (The “Equality State” nickname refers to when Wyoming was the first state to give women suffrage and nothing else). The teachers on the district calendar committee were eventually able to get the district to make it an inservice day instead of a day off, and that’s where it stands.

@Taters

That’s just how my mind works

It works very well, indeed. I never thought of early meetings that way, but I should have. I got to work at 6:30 a.m., and when we had 7:30 a.m. meetings, I always grumbled, but you’re right: better to get them out of the way. I do admire your attitude!

Sticky, I hope you feel better!

Charm, Pretzel, and Shoe, I hope your power stays on and you stay warm! I’d include Monkey in this, but I suspect he’d burrow into a Cave of Warmth in the blankets and stay put. He’s no fool.

Oopsie, sounds like the perfect weekend!

Boo, how you?

@Aspenglow

You reminded me of winters in north central Montana.

Oh, my gosh! Were you on the Hi-Line? I lived in Havre from 1979-1990.

[susan]

@nelliebly

I don’t know what got into me last night. I have a firm rule against talking about my writing, past or present, and not only did I violate that, but the “You might have to be an English major” bit, which I meant to be sort of a “Don’t feel bad if…” line, came off as snooty and, even worse, somewhat insulting to Ms.Welty. I’m appalled at yesterme and have taken myself firmly in hand so it shan’t happen again. I’m very sorry and apologize to all of you.

I imagine this was much more significant for you than for any of us. Now let it go!

@JaneDoe42

They might not be as cute as GG and Jolene

How could they be?

ETA: I think my NEXUS pass is in the mailbox!

[Aspenglow]

@nelliebly

Oh, my gosh! Were you on the Hi-Line? I lived in Havre from 1979-1990.

I lived there from 1983 to 1985. 'Twas a tough time to be there, so we fled.

To think, we may have been neighbors! Or both having breakfast at the 4Bs some morning. My ex and I spent many a Saturday night dancing at the Elk’s Lodge there in Bullhook Bottoms.

[SuntanLotion]

The maintenence guys said the woman above me let the water go on her floor few days ago when it was dripping from near my showerhead.
She took a shower today and the same clanky noise was heard and water was on the tiles under the shower, on the wall.
Maintenence will be by Tues to see what is causing this.

[susan]

Sorry.

[Northern_Piper]

Was out and about on my Saturday rounds and saw a sign outside a pharmacy that flu and Covid vaxes were available, by appointment or walk-in, so went in and got both. No charge, covered by Sask Health.

[peedin]

I was going to ride today. Not my own horse Ariel. She is waaaay too spicy in this weather. I was going to ride lesson horse Astro. Got him all tacked up, went to the mounting block, and realized I could not get my right leg over. I haven’t worked out or stretched since December 10 and the sprained ankle. So, another week or two to get my muscles back. I will definitely be mentioning this to the PT.

[JaneDoe42]

@Northern_Piper

Was out and about on my Saturday rounds and saw a sign outside a pharmacy that flu and Covid vaxes were available, by appointment or walk-in, so went in and got both.

Wow, your flu season starts so much later than ours, I got my jabs (no charge but I went to my doctor because Tracy is so good with a needle that she makes me wonder if she used to be a junky) in the middle of September. Is that because of the colder weather?

Back when I was working in AZ, the state would bring a nurse to the office to do shots and that always happened before it was dark by 1700. That’s the best I can pin that to time, it’s been a while.

@susan

I imagine this was much more significant for you than for any of us. Now let it go!

Just like everyone else, I went back and read it again and was all ??? at the idea that it was at all offensive.

@susan

@JaneDoe42

They might not be as cute as GG and Jolene

How could they be?

Actually, yours can be the cutest rescue cat duo because while Jolene was homeless, GG’s breeder had a waiting list for kittens. After all, ALL of us have the cutest pets in the world!

@nelliebly

I’m shocked the hospital let you drive yourself.

I suspect some untruths might have been spoken and some things might have been left unsaid. I used to work for an ophthalmologist’s office that specialized in cataract surgeries. There were so many people who arrived with their non-driving spouse who would slowly drive into the parking lot next to ours and switch after surgery.

So the news about JoAnnes has inspired me to make a list of needed notions and lace to shop for while waiting for Hubs to be released after his procedure on Friday. I am assuming it will go well and that as usual, he’s just going to sleep it off and won’t need me to sit next to him in the recovery room.

If it doesn’t work the way I have planned, I don’t need anything on my list enough to stress over it. I have an online friend who likes to sew cat costumes and wear them to Cons. She is devastated and I sure do get it. It would be like all of the needlepoint stores closing and only being able to buy things online forever.

@peedin

I haven’t worked out or stretched since December 10 and the sprained ankle.

I am so sorry. We lose it so quickly when we are this old. A week without swimming put me back to the 300 yards I did when I started.

And more weather next week means I have GOT to get motivated to do online Tai Chi classes.

[SuntanLotion]

In just the past few months, its much harder for me to get up out of the bus seat!

[missred]

@The_Stainless_Steel_Rat

And yes, I’m home.

Yay!

I’m sorry about your mother’s husband and your uncle lily.

Picked up my new-to-me manual die cutter (an upgrade from the one I’ve been using) and will be playing with it shortly. I also got the new battery in the car done. They had estimated that it would take an hour, considering their workload and available employees, but I was in and out in 20 minutes and they even made sure that my clock was set. Plus, Nelson got plenty of skritches and a treat (I was also shown pics of 3 employee’s dogs ). Off to play!

[swampbear]

Howdy Y’all! We outdid ourselves with RDOS inactivities today. OYKW managed one productive thing by walkin’ to the mailbox and back. I managed one productive thing by grillin’ some hotdawgs cause I had a gnawin’ and a cravin’ for dawgs with cheddar cheese, onion and mustard. Now I shall look at teh intartoobz for a bit and then go sleepy bye.

MetalMouse yay for bein’ back home!

[JaneDoe42]

@Aspenglow

Oh, he was wonderful. < sappy grin >

Missed you and too late to edit.

I already knew he was an amazing man. You choose to marry him and your taste and good judgement told me all I needed to know. (even though it was slightly questionable when you choose to buy a juvenile eating machine.)

@swampbear

OYKW managed one productive thing by walkin’ to the mailbox and back.

I spoiled Hubs by opening the front door and bringing our mail. The mailman put it on the table by the door instead of in the mail box. Before grabbing something out of the thank-you box, which is probably why it didn’t go into the mail box.

[Johnny_L.A]

We had leftovers for dinner. Mrs. L.A. said she took a bite, ‘a big bite’, of my lamb. But that’s OK because I love her. Besides, she gave me about half of her leftover filet mignon. I also had an avocado with ‘salad dressing’. (She had leftover creamed spinach.) Goo got her tribute from both of us. Anyway, The Spousal Unit says she’ll get the lamb next time. (She likes the beef at Black Forest better than CJ’s. CJ’s owner, as I said, owned Black Forest. So we’ll go to Black Forest for our birthdays.)