Daughter and I just picked a place in Gatlinburg for April when Roxy is on spring break - we can take the ashes then. We’ve got a 2BR apartment at a place with an indoor pool. And we can cancel before Feb 14 without penalty. So time to look around more.
Always look ahead!
Well I guess here’s my first MMP post (someone tell me if I do it wrong!).
Came home from work and closed all the blinds. I hate how early it gets dark - I feel like everyone can see in if I leave the blinds open and there’s usually a lot of dog walkers out and about. But in good news it was the last day in the office until after the New Year. I already get to WFH two days a week but ever since COVID the office has started closing before Christmas and reopening the first full week of January. A wonderful little perk.
Flip side of that unfortunately is a lot less human interaction as I live alone, and less physical activity as I’m no longer wandering around the office building to refill my water jug, etc. I’ve been thinking about getting a walking pad to set up in the living room to do some strolling in the evening while I watch some TV or read. If anyone has any suggestions on a good one please pass it along!
The cats little monsters that I live with are feeling particularly frisky this evening, so off to entertain them…
I also enjoyed the tribute that you wrote, FCM.
I’ve been cruising around the house trying to get reorganized today and I accomplished some things, but not all that I wanted to. I ordered a new desk chair and it took my mom and I forever to put the thing together. The instructions were terrible. I hope that I like it once I get some time to try it out. I certainly don’t want to have to disassemble it and send it back!
MusicMan wanted to order Chinese for dinner, but the local place was closed today. That was completely to my advantage as we ended up ordering Hibachi instead! Yum!!!
About the only “do it wrong” around here is being a jerk (which I’m sure you won’t do) or discussing pets you haven’t posted pictures of. (hint hint)
It’s kinda hard to do it wrong, but if you do…someone will tell you so. I think I’ll be first! You forgot the mandatory cat tax!
Behold our fuzzbutts! Gormless George is the black tux and Jolene is his thinking brain cat. I caught her in the middle of a stretch! (The lil green eyed, red haired beauty just strutted into my home and stole both my men, she’s got Hubs wrapped around her paw as well)
Have you walked out to the street and looked in your windows? It’s possible that it’s harder to see in than you think. (I kinda figure that anyone who walks into our yard to look in our windows deserves whatever they see.)
We just had new windows put in and they have some serious UV film on them. They look black from the outside during the day, but sure do let the light out after dark.
I’m with you, I won’t sign his name to Christmas cards, especially the ones going to his family!
Between the plumbing issues and the windows, I am so far behind 
I did get my Secret Santa shopping done so I’ll be mailing that out along with a package for Mom. Mom has never had a pepperoni roll, so I got her a couple while I was out. (they are such great driving food, I’m amazed that they aren’t found in Love’s country wide.)
Aren’t you glad he’s almost well enough for you to kill him?
It’s good that you have plans, something to focus on.
I had spent so much time caring for FIL his last year that after he was gone I felt lost and unfocused. It was over a year before we had them interred at the VA cemetery. I kinda wish we had brought their ashes back to West Virginia, but I didn’t know hubs would agree to move back then.
(And now I’m going to have to fly back to AZ with Hubs ashes when it is time, there is room in the vault for both of us as well. I probably won’t end up there, I don’t care enough to make the final arrangements, a potter’s grave is just fine with me.)
So, it snowed almost all day today. It was beautiful! GG spent most of the day watching it snow, he’s never lived in a snow globe before. I wanted to, but I had things that needed to be done, so off we went. One stop was the dispensary and I won 20 bucks off my order (they have a spin-the-wheel for points thing and I won the jackpot).
I bought some potato candy at the bakery, one piece each for Hubs, Mom and my Secret Santa. Hubs thought they were all for him (I told him, he didn’t hear me and/or forgot) and he ate them all at once! I’m amazed he’s not in a diabetic coma, there was probably half a pound of powdered sugar involved.
What’s a walking pad? You don’t mean a treadmill, do you? Would something like this work? Small and easy to tuck out of the way, unlike most treadmills.
The only reason I pull down our front blinds is before sunset - the bow window faces west and since all the trees are leafless, the sun coming into the living room is blinding. Once it’s dark out, the blinds go back up. Then again, we’re better than 100’ from the street and there are assorted trees and plants between the road and the window. Plus no one walks after dark and those who are driving most likely are headed home - they don’t have time to try to peek.
We got a call from Nurse Cathy this evening, checking to see how we’re doing. She’s going to arrange for a grief counselor to call BIL - not sure if he’ll want to talk, but he might. He certainly won’t talk to FCD unless he’s got a problem. Anyway, I’ll miss seeing Cathy - she was great thru this entire time.
Anyone here ever had any problems with booking dot com? I used them to reserve the place in Gatlinburg, then I got nervous. I went to the specific hotel site and their prices were waaaaay higher than what I was quoted. Like triple. I don’t want to show up to an unpleasant surprise. I’ve got plenty of time to cancel without penalty, so I’m going to look around a little more, but if booking is trustworthy, then no prob. I hope.
OK, back to crocheting. Got some nervous energy to burn off.
Good evening all. Spent a lot of the afternoon at the gym, both in the gym and in the pool, and I guess it paid off, the scale read 199.8lbs and I have the picture to prove it (once I get it downloaded). Thinnest I’ve been in quite some years and to be honest, a little thinner than I’d prefer, will be trying to stabilize my weight between 210-220lbs where I feel the most comfortable. Down to 41F outside but warm and comfy inside, so that is where I will be staying.
Coppertone, hope the tests help with the diagnosis.
flyboy, some extra cash is always a nice thing.
I still like Imp52 as it contains both the posters ID’s and is still pretty short, but it is not a hill I will die on. Swampy, you are one of the Old Masters of MMP naming, what do you think we should call liirogue?
FCM, at least you and FCD were able to get out for lunch and the boat and a couple of other places on this day, so not sitting around the house. And red is a master with the cards, isn’t she? And reading farther, I like that under-the-desk pedaler, may have to look for that post-Xmas.
Cat Glove, pretty full day you had. And need to keep an eye out for deals on apples at my local Kroger; thanks for the tip.
Just booked a cruise out of England to the Shetland Islands and Norway for June 2025, so I’m trying. And I’ve never used booking.com, hotels.com and expedia are my go-to’s when I travel.
Imp52, my blinds are closed almost all the time, same with most everyone here in N. Ali-bama, so not unusual. And yay for being a homebody for a couple of weeks. As for exercise, are their gyms near your location? Some are not that expensive and working out can help and you can make new friends. IMHO.
Sticky Buns, I agree, instructions on how to put things together are not that easy anymore…I blame China since a lot of stuff is produced there and sometimes the directions seem to be by someone using a Chinese-English dictionary…
JtC, close as they are, it’s a good thing both felines are both fixed… And you should have bought a lottery ticket, sounds like you were on a roll…
Whew, think I’m caught up, apologies for anyone I missed. Need to get things done
Howdy Y’all! We’ve been back from the Wednesday doin’s over to the church house. The official name is Wednesday Gathering, which I like cause folks can come just to eat, hang out, or participate in one of the activities. We had baked chikin in a herb sauce, rice, ginger carrots (I need to find out how to do that cause yum), rolls and red (N.O.R.) velvet cake. All tummies were very happy.
MOOOOOOM that is a great tribute to MIL. I covet that table! I’m pretty sure that breaks a commandment even though it doesn’t say thou shalt not covet thy neighbor’s table.
MetalMouse I’m kinda minimalist so 52 works for me, but I will abide with the Mumper consensus.
I love it!
(Also: ‘Gormless’.)
I’ve been craving olive pizza. I happened to have picked up a package of cauliflower pizza crusts from Trader Joe’s, so I bought some pepperoni slices and olives when I was at the supermarket. Since there were two crusts, I made one of each. (The pepperoni one did have half a dozen or so olives on it.) Not bad.
Happy Hump Day!
It was pouring rain when I woke up, and it has rained all day.
Even though it was 55 degrees, I still felt cold all day.
Poor Misiu was soaked through, and not himself this morning. I think daycare wears him out.
I opened the drawers in the desk I cleaned out Sunday and found mousie turds again. I cleaned them out and put lavender sachets in some of them as I heard lavender repeals mice. Today the drawers with lavender in them were clean, the others were not.
I’ll put lavender sachets in all of them and see if it continues to irk.
We started in the back room today, and found evidence of mice in there. I was expecting that.
Fortunately, I keep the zip lock backs that stuff comes in as well as the zipper bags that sheets and comforters come in and store stuff in those. Mice got into the bags and boxes but most of the stuff in them was still in plastic. I found wrapping paper and random Christmas cards, but all that got trashed as it wasn’t in plastic. We got it cleaned out in about an hour. It wasn’t as bad as I expected. I thought it was going to be an all day job. It looked like a lot because everything was just thrown in there all willy-nilly.
I’ll put everything back in an organized way tomorrow.
No blinds here. The living room curtains stay closed. They are sheers only, I guess people can see in as they drive by. The house across the street is pretty far off the road, I doubt he sits and stares in my window. My son has black out curtains in his bedroom and bath, I know he never opens them. The kitchen window has no curtain, I like the sun coming in. I suppose my neighbors can see in if they are outside, but it’s not like I’m running around nekkid in there. Poor things would go blind if they saw me like that. One office window has no curtain because I like the sun. The other one has a sheer because the sun comes in too bright to handle. My bedroom has doubled sheers because even though I doubt anybody is out in the cornfield staring in, I feel exposed sleeping without curtains.
I’m waiting on mousetraps and the electric blanket to be delivered.
I’m dreading pulling everything out of my closet, although I’m in there a lot and haven’t seen any sign of mice. I haven’t seen any signs of them in my bedroom, the bathroom, or laundry room.
I’m still cold all the time. Every night I turn the heat as high as it will go. I can’t sleep otherwise. Sometimes I wake up hot, but I stopped turning the heat down as then I’ll wake up in an hour freezing again. I need to talk to the doctor about this I think. The last time I was this way, I needed iron. According to my blood irk, I’m good there.
I’m surprised the dogs sleep in bed with me as warm as it gets in my room, but they seem to like it.
{{{FCM}}} I am so so sorry to hear about your MIL. She sounds like she was a remarkable woman. I’m glad {{{FCD}}} was with her.
The table is beautiful.
The card is too cute Red
My three front to back Echo Misiu Rayleigh
I walked into the bathroom this morning and stepped in water, never a good sign. It looks like Plumbing Week has been extended, and my apartment is finally participating.The leak is from the sprinkler in the ceiling. Apparently, the last people up there plugged up the toilet so it overflowed, never told anyone, and just let many gallons of water sit on the floor. My bathroom ceiling now needs repairing, and I don’t know when that’ll happen. (In all fairness, the people left on Sunday and probably didn’t know who to contact.)
BUT the mystery of the upstairs apartment has been solved! When in doubt, ask the maintenance guy. A company that deals in some kind of traveling/temporary workers has rented the apartment and uses it for those folks. They’re generally only in town for a week or so. Now why couldn’t the manager have told me that?
Shot day today, which, with walking and busing, takes up a good 4 hours. I have one more gift to wrap before sending boxes to each kid, plus my sister. One gift to each was funny bookmarks. I didn’t want to wrap them as is, so I made boxes, which took a lot of time. I am NOT good at that stuff. Measure twice, cut once? More like measure four times, cut once, and mutter, “How did I mess THAT up?”
I have no news on the housing front. My financial friend lives back in Wyoming and wants me to move back there, but you really can’t live there without a car–no buses, Uber, taxis, or trains, plus it’s not walkable–and besides, it’s become kind of scary, politically (which of course I won’t go into). I know I need to decide and soon, but I can’t find a solution that’s both affordable and practical.
FCM, your eulogy of your MIL brought tears to my eyes. What a beautiful woman, inside and out, and I love the love you can see in that photo. I think I speak for all of us when I say we knew you were venting and that your MIL was someone you and FCD would miss dearly.
Also, thanks for the recommendation about proofreading jobs. I’m looking into it.
liirogue, welcome! I don’t know if IMp52 is official yet. My first thought was 52Rascal, but “Imp” is certainly shorter.
I have a pounding headache. I just realized I haven’t eaten anything today except for a few crackers just before I headed out, so heading off to do that.
I have something similar. For anyone thinking about such a thing, measure under your desk and measure your legs from foot to top of the knee then add the top height of the pedal to see if it will fit.
I am vertically disadvantaged and my knees hit my desk drawer when I use mine. My desk chair is on wheels so I have to prop my chair against the wall so I don’t push myself away from it.
However, I totally recommend one for watching TV or sitting on a non-wheeled chair to stitch.
I was kinda hoping that BIL might not be your problem anymore. He has a social worker he likes better than FCD, I was hoping he would start asking her to do stuff for him.
Yeah, I saw what you did! 
See how you are? You got stuck on the wife thing and didn’t read all the way to the bottom of the list, LOL! (Thou shall not covet your neighbor’s goods)
Unless the cathlik commandments are different, wouldn’t surprise me.
I covet the table as well, but I’m a lapsed cathlik so that’s OK.
NOOOOO!!!
At least the mystery has been solved. Sadly, the folks staying there will treat it like a motel and not like an apartment where people actually live full time. Dangit.
Plumbing week also included the lady who will be teaching my next needlework class. Her basement flooded and she lost her cutting table/ping pong table to water. My kit will be delayed. I am full of sympathy despite really wanting something new.
MetalMouse - I got to spend a day in Lerwick, Shetland 10 years ago and I wish it could have been longer, but the cruise just stopped there for 1 day. I loved it and I’ve seen a few travel shows about the islands - so cool! I envy you!!
I think I should mosey back to bed. Busy day tomorrow.
Up, caffeinated, and sheveled. Off to heave.
Indeed.
Cat pics?
Spot(who is also running around like a maniac)
[Bizzaro SDMB]Today Shar Pei Lady spent 6 hours chasing mice…[/Bizzaro SDMB]
More importantly, does OYKW who swampy is stuck to a wife?
Morning, mumpers! It’s currently 5c/40f with a predicted high of 6c/43f, and cloudy. Weather app says “Cloudy as fucking shit.” I’d agree with that, today it was foggy when I left home and still foggy when I got to campus. It’s drizzling too, so definitely a dreicht kind of day.
Not personally but I’ve had a few friends who’ve had issues with them. One of them booked an apartment that didn’t exist, other people have turned up to hotels thinking they’ve got a room booked but the hotel’s given it away to someone who booked direct with the hotel themselves. I stopped using them for anything other than a reference tool.
I saw the pic on farcebook - well done! The trip to the Shetlands and Norway sounds good, I went to Norway for a visit and ended up staying for a couple of years 
Fun fact - one of my school friends is on the Shetland Islands Council!
I hope some food helped with that - you do need to look after yourself. I’m glad the mystery of the upstairs apartment has been solved although it’s not a very satisfactory solution if people are going to leave without reporting maintenance problems.
Yesterday was another day of travel misery with delays and cancellations, and having to use the bus instead of trains. Today was better, the bus turned up when it wasn’t supposed to and I got on a later train that I’d expected to (it was 11 carriages instead of 9 so much better than yesterday), and the train to campus was actually running today.
I’m only working half the day today, we have our hexmas party this afternoon at work. It’s being held at one of the campus hotels so we haven’t got far to go. I am not particularly excited about the whole thing, but the uni is paying me to do some day-drinking and I’m about to turn that down.
Well, MetalMouse, it appears I am winning at this game…*
*I weighed myself this morning and my scale decided to go insane. It said that I weighed 181.9! 
Of course, I don’t think I’ve weighed that little for at least the last 15-20 years! I guess my scale must need new batteries or something.
I have to work today, but I’m not sure that Annie is going to let me get out of this chair. By the way, I loved all the critter pictures!
Good Mornin’ Y’all! Up. and caffeinatin ‘. YAWN ‘Tis 33 Amurrkin out and clear with a predicted high of 55 and N.O.S. We shall have N.O.L. at the hog trough GC for today’s main need to feed. The rest of the day will be spent in high RDOS inactivities such as nappage and day drinkin’.
Now I need more caffeine and to feed rumbly tummy. Then, onward into the day! Rah.
Happy Thursday Y’all!
Mornin’ everyone.
It’s 37F, and a light rain is falling. The rain will continue throughout the morning, but the afternoon will contain off-and-on rain showers, with a high temperature of 44F.
Metal Mouse, I saw the pic on FB, too. Congrats!
Yesterday’s work day went as expected. Our Christmas party is next week, but it’ll be a potluck. I’m not overly excited. I’m never enthusiastic about office potlucks. Tables are set up, food is set out, people scarf their food, and an hour later, it’s back to work. Then everything has to be broken down again. I’d rather go to a restaurant, but that’s not done in this organization. First, we have to have an online meeting/Christmas party to include the staff from the other offices in the state, who, frankly, would much rather not attend another online meeting.
I would love to visit Norway one day, just not via cruise. I know some of you like them; it’s not mine.
Nellie, I’m glad the mystery has been solved, but I’m sorry to read about the water woes. I hope that is repaired tout suite.
This week is a week of service visits for me. Yesterday was the oven (finally repaired!), today is pest control, and tomorrow is furnace service.
I need to put my coffee mug in the dishwasher and run it. I hope you all have a smooth and easy day.
20 degrees, not counting wind chill.
Another sad and boring day.
More importantly, does OYKW know swampy is gay?!?!?!?
I know, old joke, but we haven’t done it in a while…
OK, that’s what I was worried about, especially with the huge difference in cost. Must think…
Do the guys expect the women to do all the set-up and clean up? That’s the way it was at one of my jobs. We also had the guys (always guys) who brought in a bag of napkiins or some generic store-bought cookies but always managed to be at the front of the line to load their plates. Yeah, I got to hate potluck office parties. Last place I worked, they supplied almost everything, but you could bring a side or dessert if you wanted. THAT was nice.
Just woke from one of the best sleeps I’ve had in months. I know FCD got up some time in the middle of the night - I heard him come back in - but he’s asleep now. Good for him!
I have busy plans for today. Gotta run into Leonardtown for CVS, the credit union, and the post office. And I just noticed that FCD is out of cereal, so a stop at Food Lion will happen. Then back home to attack MIL’s room - specifically the dresser and the closet. Or maybe I should do that first so I can drop off the clothes in the donation box. That makes sense. And I need to figure out what to do with the incontinence pads, the diapers, and the depends - I hate to throw them out but Hospice wouldn’t take open packages, and I doubt the local nursing home will either. I can’t even save them for the day I might need them because I doubt I’ll ever be as tiny as she was. I dunno…
We’re going to swap bedside lamps between her room and ours. The lamps we cleaned up for her use are much nicer than the ones we’ve been using for the last 20 years. Plus we’re going to put our bedroom lights on the smart plugs - having Alexa turn them on and off is pretty nice. I also need to find a home for the wheelchair (it folds up) and the 2 walkers (they sorta fold) in the basement. I fear if we put them in the attic, the heat will ruin them. And I’m pretty sure FCD (if not yours truly) will need them some day.
Daughter will take all of her grandma’s jewelry. Some of the photos will be sent to TX SIL, but not till after the holidays when it’s less frantic at the post office/UPS store. The rest of the photos - I don’t know. I’ll leave that up to FCD as most of the albums are full of people I don’t know. Similarly, I’m going to let him decide about the knick knacks. Daughter will take the recliner from that room - and since it can be broken down, I can move it myself, so I will.
Yep, busy day ahead for me. Mostly inside which is good because it’s going to be cold and windy. FCD has to go to the funeral home to sign some papers and listen to sales pitches which he’ll decline. His parents didn’t want any kind of service, and since their ashes will be spread at the park this spring, we don’t need urns. I’ve often wondered what happens to urns of ashes several generations down the line when everyone who knew the deceased have died themselves. Or do people tend to put them in cemetery niches? My family was a casket-in-the-ground type, and I know my mom wants her ashes on Dad’s casket. Does anyone have great-great-great-grandpa in the mantle in a dusty jar? OK, enough weird for now.
Today is flush-the-septic-tank-stuff down the terlit - thank goodness for Outlook reminding me of such things. On Saturday, we’ll get our gutters cleaned and I have to clean the ice maker (which involves flushing vinegar thru it a couple of times, then running it with water a couple more times.) And did I mention the chocolate chip cookies that would last maybe 2 days? Yep, they’re gone. But I’m not baking any more.
But first, I’ll finish my morning computer time, then shower, dress, and start my various chores. Happy Thursday!!