(Old) Thwarted Plans in the MMP

Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
181

Good Mornin’ Y’all! Up and caffeinatin’. YAWN ‘Tis 67 Amurrkin out and cloudy with a predicted high of 86 and cloudy with rain to commence this evenin’. We will see. Today will be a stay in da cave and be RODS day. I yanked a poke roast outta da freezer last night. It will slow cook today and along with collard greens, field peas with snaps, mac ‘ n cheese and cornbread be sup. Outside of that high sloth shall ensue.

Now I need more caffeine and to feed rumbly tummy. Then, onward into the day! Rah.

Happy Firday Y’all!

182

I am sure everyone had a recipe for party punch in their younger days. We had a designated trash can and ours was called “Purple Jesus.” It was Everclear, fruit juice, cut up citrus fruit and a bag of ice and rumor had it that one would see Jesus if they drank enough.

183

MIL voiced the same complaint almost to the day she died. Sometimes it was difficult for me to empathize because she loved to shop just to shop while I hate to shop for shopping’s sake. But I can see where having to find a driver for grocery shopping would be a royal pain, since I like to walk all the aisles and see what’s to be seen. I’d feel like I was keeping the driver from more important tasks. Anyway, ya done good!

Hereabouts, Sunday is one of the worst days to grocery shop, regardless of the time. Then again, we’ve got a huge variety of churches, so it’s not majority Baptist and the like that we encountered in FL.

And I love your cards! So creative and fun!

The snacking isn’t much of an issue (unless there’s ice cream) and we pretty much don’t drink. One of the biggest problems is all the freshly baked bread and rolls. Oh, and the desserts on the buffet - difficult not to choose 2 or 3 or 4. On the plus side, because of the package we booked, we can get fresh fruit in our cabin daily.

Our daughter took piano and the recitals were endless. The order of performance was littles to older. The littles were fun and brief. The older ones seemed to have multiple symphony-length pieces each. And we couldn’t just scoot out with our littles when they were done. Plus the venue was a church with rock-hard pews. Dance recitals were better and shorter.

My reaction to the sailors I see around the Naval Air Station here - why do they let babies in the Navy??? Surely I wasn’t that young at 19, was I?? As long as they stay off my lawn < sigh >

I slept with Mel last night and got almost 8 hours uninterrupted. My throat is feeling a bit better, tho my nose is still leaking. Being Firday, it’s laundry day, and I’ll spend it downstairs, sewing between loads. The seat cushions should get finished today, but I don’t know if I’ll get to the backs. We’ll just have to see.

The oldest of my sisters (but still younger than I am) turns 70 today. That’s the last of the sister birthdays for this year. My bro’s is in August, so I’ve got time to send his e-card. I didn’t call my mom yesterday - I’ll try to get to it today.

We had substantial rain with booms last evening, but I don’t know how long it lasted since Mel knocked me out. It’s overcast with a chance of showers and t-boomers thru early evening, but the weekend will be pleasant. No idea what those days hold for us. We’ll figure it out.

Happy Firday!!

184

i have an exception story!

i moved to a condo in 2011 and found out that there is a shopping trip run on saturday. 10 am, takes you to south phila shopping squares. the first time i went on the shopping trip, there was a little boy and his mum and “dun, dun, dun,” a violin case.

the boy was in tears “i don’t want to go! i don’t want to go!” i understood the wee lad. i had to go to lessons on saturday morning (not violin, worse, russian). he was in a suzuki group.

fast forward to now. the wee lad is a senior in high school and is going to juilliard, in september, full scholarship, musical composition. he has won awards for violin and composition.

the majority of the kids in the strings class will stop at some point (i did, 7th grade), i hope your nephew’s class has that one (or more) exception to whom the strings speak.

185

Speaking of which,…

This morning, Taz let me know quite loudly and incessantly that their dry food was empty. Of course, she is letting me know while sitting on top of the feeder. I shoo her off. She jumps back up. I shoo her off. She jumps back up. “Goddamn it, Cat, I can’t fill the damned thing if you are sitting on the lid!”. Had to toss her across the room to have enough time to open the feeder.

186

Sounds a bit like Purple Jesus that we used to mix up as teenagers. It was a couple of bottles of Boone’s Farm, a bottle of cheap vodka and a couple of 2 litre bottles of Sprite. It was definitely purple and the next morning, you’d be groaning oh, Jesus, why did I do that?
ETA: Looks like hippy’s Purple Jesus used a different recipe, but the results were similar.

And what time will supper be?

Up, caffeinating, breakfasted, bed stripped, a load of sheets / towels in the dryer, exercises done and fixing to do KP.

Plans for the day are calling the STD insurance AGAIN! and go to Kroger for a few groceries.

Stay safe and healthy y’all!

187

You have insurance against sexually transmitted diseases? Is it bundled with your car and home insurance?

188

Oopsie love the background on your flamingo card. How did you create it?

Metal mouse Ariel weighs only 900 pounds. She is a petite girl. And she loves the vet. But I totally understand your apprehension!

189

Morning all, up early and managed to get my Firday shopping done before the rugrat traffic got too bad, then came home and ate TWO big bowls of cereal just because I could, so the first 1000 calories of the day have been completed. Signed up to referee a soccer game at 5:30 this afternoon, so will have to work swimming and weightlifting around that.

Reminds me of an old Irish joke; If an Irishman has a pint of Guinness in his left hand and a pint of Guinness in his left hand, what does he have? A well-balanced diet.

And Pavo, I coach 3rd-4th graders in soccer, having 9-10 of them is enough of a struggle, but 40…I feel for their teachers…

Van Go, when you say ‘ball machine’, you mean the one with all the ‘spikes’ in it that you drop ping pong balls on to show how distribution works? Or something else?

nellie, if Ms. Dog could talk, she’d be saying “you think YOUR feet hurt…” :smiley:

boo fae, apparently England is full of Music festivals for the weekend; or maybe I just am not looking in the right places…

FCM, you had to remind me of the desserts on the cruise ships,didn’t you… :wink: :smiley:

Don’t think I ever had anything but beer at college parties, probably wouldn’t have survived some of the concoctions mentioned here.

And need to do the morning internetting then plan my afternoon. Take care all.

190

Good morning.

It’s 46°F and sunny right now. We’ll have mixed clouds and sun all day and a high temperature of around 73°F. It stayed nice all day yesterday, and the projected clouds never did appear.

[quote=“dogbutler, post:150, topic:1017892”]
Yeah, it’s time for you to get used to driving 10 under, and going to Golden Corral at 4:30p.m., and watching Matlock.[/quote]

Just how old do you think I am, hmmmm? :face_with_raised_eyebrow: :laughing: I’ll always be a frustrated Grand Prix driver, and I like foreign flicks.

JtC, traffic ALWAYS sucks around here. This area used to be pretty rural, but it’s become a suburban, strip mall hell. I live in an unincorporated county area, so development has been rampant and unchecked. It’s very frustrating, and another reason I want to move.

Pretty glass, Sticky!

I went and got my hair done-did yesterday, and after I drove down into the valley to check out another of my favorite nurseries. I purchased another hanging basket and three native perennials that like shade. I arrived home in time for lunch, ate that, went out front and weeded, and cleaned up the front walkway and porch. I scraped the soil that had migrated from the gardens to the walkway, trimmed some bushes, and cleaned everything up.

I need to put some edging on both sides of the walkway to prevent dirt and mud from washing back onto the sidewalk. The beds there are mounded, so the dirt rolls downhill. It doesn’t help that there are years of busted-down mulch/bark on top of the beds, so I will probably have to scrape some of that down. I need to bust out the pressure-washer, and the edging should prevent the dirt/mud from the gardens from piling up again when I use it to clean the porch, sidewalk, and driveway.

While at the nursery, I was hunting for something to replace the dead maple that had had to be dug out. I don’t want another shrub, I want a tree again, but I need a specimen that won’t grow too tall or wide. I found a couple of trees I liked, but I want to check out a few more nurseries before deciding which tree to purchase. The problem is that I’ll have to rent a truck or something to transport the tree home. I dunno, I might be able to talk the nursery into delivering the tree for a reasonable price.

Today, we’re thinking of taking the dogs walkies, and if that doesn’t happen, I’ll run the roll-suck and dust. I should wash the kitchen floor, too.

Time to finish the last dregs of coffee and get that kitchen tidied up. I hope you all have a good day!

191

I woke up way early this morning to a “grumbling” sound in my bedroom. Tracked it to a baby opossum (bit older than newborn, about the length of my palm just past the wrist including tail) hiding behind the trash can. No idea how it got in or why the cats showed no interest. Fortunately, due to it’s instinctive freeze in place strategy, I was able to pick it up with kitchen tongs and take it outside, grumbling all the way(it, not me).

192

Two down, six to go. I finished the two smaller seat cushions and after lunch, I’ll do the two longer ones. I’m pleased with the way they came out - pics when I’m all done.

Also first load in the dryer, second in the washer. I’ll tend to them after lunch and before I start sewing again. So I’ve been somewhat productive this morning.

We watched The Åre Murders on Netflix and I had a hard time with it. Taking place in Sweden in December, but when the characters are outside talking, you don’t see their breath. And when they answer the door, the stand there with it wide open while talking to whoever knocked. And I won’t get into how fast they drive on snowy roads… FCD liked it but I wasn’t impressed. Not only because of the things I mentioned, but because it wrapped up too tidily and too quickly. Maybe I’m just too critical.

OK, time for some lunch, then back to the basement to do 2 more cushions and 2 more loads of laundry.

193

Back from exercise. Weight day today, which is always tiring. Savory oatmeal for breakfast with a fried egg on top. The wife is making noises about a Monte Cristo sandwich for dinner, which is somewhat labor intensive. I’ve never made one, but it sounds fussy. She’s still dealing with dizziness, so I think a doctor visit is in her future.

Gotta make a grocery run for a few things. I added up our grocery bill for April yesterday and it came to $700! The store we go to is probably the most expensive in the city, but it’s convenient and they have some things that aren’t available in other stores. Also, my shopping for bargains days are mostly over. I do go to Costco for bulk paper products, bacon and butter, but that’s about it.

194

Stoopit Murphy strikes again. FCD and I decided which way is up for the cushion fabric. It’s not obvious like, say, trees, but it’s not too difficult to see, either. But, of course, I wasn’t thinking about it when I pinned the next cover together. Luckily, I caught it before sewing, but I still had to redo it.

First load of laundry is folded, second is drying, third is spinning. Back to pinning…

195

Ms. Dog and I slept late. It was almost 8 a.m. when we raised our heads, looked at each other, and said, “We’re going to have to get up, aren’t we?” I gave her a doggie massage, and she has since recovered and was quite energetic on our morning constitutional. She has a thing for the maintenance man, and by a “thing,” I mean a Play-Misty-for-Me level of obsession. She strains toward the maintenance shed even when it’s long past quitting time, cries and strains when she sees him across the complex, and generally acts like a teen at a Beatles concert when he stops to pet her, as he always does. I have to drag her away to keep her from following him. That dog needs therapy.

Today I need to clean house (usually done Thursdays, but…long walk), do laundry, and hopefully go to the garden store. Oh, and order in groceries. Tomorrow son and wife plus dogs will be here with lunch. I can’t wait!

I need to order one of those sun-protection shirts y’all recommended. Sun block isn’t cutting it. Sunshine gives me splotchy arms and petechaie. I’ve been this way for about 15 years, so I’m not worried. I do NOT want to go back on lupus meds, as I’ve had bad experiences due to their suppression of the immune system. The one kind that worked, hydroxychloroquine (Yep, same one the loonies claimed was a Covid cure.), I can’t get any more. Eye docs have said HELL no. Hmph.

Sticky, I apologize for thinking the glass was a vase. Very silly of me. It’s really beautiful. I admire your talent!

The one that’s arriving today is supposed to be one that just covers the nose. I think the hose and the idea of being tethered squicks me out just as much. If I get deep and all armchair psycholog-y, it probably ties back with being attacked and unable to get away. Thanks for the info. The APAP place said to call if I don’t like the mask, but I’ll have to continue wearing it until they send a new one. A tech coming here wasn’t a possibility. I don’t know why.

What a wonderful name! Did you call her Sin for short, or was it always cinnamon?

Cut-up citrus? Clearly, you and your young friends were quite genteel. You even had a designated trash can!

This is exactly why I don’t take up offers of letting someone drive me. Also, I don’t want judgment if some animal crackers climb the legs of the cart and plop on top of healthier fare.

This would be when my cat-loving, cat-owning sister would remind the cats that they have brains the size of walnuts. I had to grin at Taz’s antics, though. I’m sure it’s only funny when you’re not the one trying to fill the feeder.

Someone is telling me it’s time to play fetch or perhaps invade Liechtenstein. I’m not fluent in tail wags.

196

And all four seat cushions are done! And the crowd goes wild!!! :person_cartwheeling: :man_cartwheeling: :sparkler: :person_cartwheeling: :man_cartwheeling: :sparkler:

Question for crafty and DIY types - are you reluctant to show your work to people who are really, really good at whatever you did? I was thinking about that with these cushions. They’re fine, but I’d hate for a professional upholsterer to see them - someone who undoubtedly would see all the mistakes. Yeah, I know I’m not a pro, but I still like to think I do OK and I don’t want to be judged by someone who knows better. :wink:

Last load is in the dryer. Then I’ll have to make the bed. Not that I’m waiting on the sheets - I have 5 or 6 sets. I just don’t feel like it just yet. I think it’s tablet time! As in device tablet not medicinal tablet.

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Started Typing: 12:26 PM ET
Clicked Reply: 2:14 PM ET

I made the mistake of ordering delivery from Panera smack in the middle of the lunch rush: I placed the order at 11:30am, and the driver will finally be getting here in about 5 min. The Panera is only 3 miles away; I’m sure they were slammed. Usually I’d order lunch earlier, but today I didn’t make the decision soon enough. I’ll be happy shortly, though, when my 1/2 ciabatta cheesesteak, fruit, and macaroons arrive. :slight_smile:

(12:32pm update: the food is here! Yay!)

Today is overcast/rainy and kinda chilly: it’s currently 57°F, and expected to only hit 62. Too cold to open the windows, for the first time in a while. I’ve had the AC on in the afternoons all week, but I actually had to turn the heat on this morning. We’re supposed to get back in the 70s tomorrow, then bounce around in the 70s/80s for a couple of weeks – i.e., typical May weather for here.

I did wind up going to the jazz show last night (wonder of wonders)! As predicted, the drive there was a pain in the ass: the club is only 11 miles from my house, and it took over an hour to get there. But I had a chicken caesar salad and a slice of chocolate cake, chatted a bit with the musicians (3/4 of whom I’ve known for 10+ years), and ran into two friends I actually didn’t mind talking with. The music was divine, and it only took 20 minutes to get home. :slight_smile: I’ll be going back to the same club a week from Sunday, for another friend’s album release…still jazz, but a completely different type/feel.

So far, it’s been a nicely quiet day: no meetings, and I haven’t even gotten an email or chat message that I need to answer. I’ll be jumping on Teams with my new hire at 4pm to walk him through completing his first timecard, but otherwise I’ve been able to focus on drafting several emails that I’ll be sending on Monday. My boss and I are halfway through a project to streamline the program’s various document review processes, and I need to ask a bunch of people for various types of data: today I’m carefully wording the requests (aiming to be as clear and straightforward as possible), and prepping reference info.

I’m happy that I went out last night, but I’m also really happy that I have no plans this evening. :grin: I hauled the biiiiiig trash can to the curb this morning: the truck came through a while ago, so at some point I need to haul it back to my patio. That’s the only thing on my “to do” list.

Bailey can definitely still see and hear, but those senses are definitely not what they used to be: on Sunday afternoon she stood at her feeding station and calmly ate during a thunderstorm – with loud thunder! And the windows were open (including the kitchen window right next to her)! She’s always been one to slink off to her “safe spot” at the first distant rumble. I couldn’t stop watching her, and got several “what?!” looks. I still can’t believe she didn’t react to the thunder. Silver lining of being an old doggy, I guess?

As if I’d buy nuts when there is year-old candy and stale chips! Think, woman! :wink:

Ooooooo flan… :slight_smile:

Me, too!

Local friends designed the DC mural; they aren’t likely to do the Vegas sign. But I’ll mention it if they ever ask me for suggestions. :slight_smile:

Those two are all I need! :grin:

We called ours “Pink F***ers”: grain and frozen pink lemonade.

That was missred. :smiley:

(but no worries at all: a lot of people confuse “missred” and “misnomer”!)

Do report back! :joy:

198

Finally Friday.

Doing some irk. I’ll take a lunch break in about 20 minutes, and go to Rite Aid for a prescription. I got some ground beef from the BIBIR bin at the supermarket, and it looks good. When I get back, I’ll parcel it out into one-pound portions and put them in the deep freezer.

I got CWO2 Wifey a Gulf War Veteran hat a few/several years ago. We were in one of those strip mall ‘dollar shops’ owned and run by a guy from Afghanistan. He gave her a veteran’s discount on the already-inexpensive stuff she bought. Anyway, I got her some US Army pilot wings, a 101st Airborne pin, and CWO2 bars for her to put on it. She put the 101st Airborne pin on it, but the full-size wings are too big. So she got the miniature wings she wore on her dress blues, and put them between the embroidered ribbons and the ‘GULF WAR’ banner. I don’t know where (or if) she’ll pin her rank.

199

Apparently we’re shorthanded enough we got to hire a fresh crop of Blueberries. Which they were teaching to load. So I was sorting on the 300 Table, then loading Bottom Blue on the 200 North, then cleanup. And since the Blueberries got sent home after 3 anna half hours, we ended up with a lot of Left in Building stuff. As far as the rewraps went, if you are gonna fork out cash for Next Day Air to ship 69 pounds nice of canvas thingys, why would you ship them in a used TP box, taped up with red duct tape? Adn there was the 100+lbs metal nice rack, in 3 20x20x20 boxes taped together. By the time they brought it to me it was banged and twisted into a shape I can only describe as “M.C. Escher drawing a Mobius strip while tripping on a metric buttload of mushrooms”. Also 114lbs. of speed bumps, which the box was so FUBAR, I just said “sod it” and shrink wrapped it for tomorrow. I stopped at Teeter after work to grab a hunk of fish, and the Likker Sto for some brandy and congac.
Me: < opens bathroom cabinet door to grab fresh towels >
Spot: < climbs in, starts yowling >
Me: “It’s not The Void! Stop screaming into it!”
But laundry is done, so it’s naptime.

I also like.

Raleigh, being the state capital and a major research hub has two.

The current fad is the Blackout Rage Gallon(B.O.R.G.), vodka, water, and re-hydration powder in a gallon plastic jug.

I wanna see Flo and Jimmy sell that in a commercial.

missred is Nelson’s human, Misnomer is Bailey’s human

200

I can certainly emphasize with that reaction to being tethered. I’m supposed to wear an oxygen cannula hosed fastened snugly under my chin. For very similar reasons I cannot tolerate anything fastened around my neck, not turtlenecks or scarves, so I fasten it under my hair at the back of my neck up at the hairline. It’s that or not at all. PTSD does indeed take prisoners.

The techs don’t come to the house with a range of masks to try because that cuts into the company’s bottom line, it’s not ‘efficient’ from their point of view. The time it would take you to travel to and from their office they have no costs for, their employee they have to pay $25-35 dollars an hour to drive. plus all the vehicle costs for the tech to transport themselves and all the supplies in. So they just won’t and we can’t make them. Being there and doing that myself three times over (CPAP, home oxygen and portable oxygen-I guess four times over if we count my back up emergency tank). Plus there are dozens of styles and permutations of masks and accessories, each in two or three sizes so cumbersome to keep a van stocked with all the choices.

Here’s a good company site that shows all the styles and varieties of CPAP masks. Tiptoe around and identify a couple that seem acceptable to you and insist that your supplier provide one style for you to try. If that one doesn’t work, you are within your rights to at no extra cost to you to try another slightly different style or brand. If the supplier balks, have your doctor send them a specific order to provide that style of mask. It behooves them to follow doctors orders.

This is the one I finally settled on. Minimally intrusive on my face, absolutely leaves my mouth alone and free and the hose coming off the top instead of the front makes it much less cumbersome-mostly I’m unaware of it.

ResMed AirFit N30i Nasal CPAP Mask : 30-NIGHT Risk Free Trial : Ships Free

The brand of mask you like doesn’t have to be from the same brand/supplier as the actual CPAP machine that sets on your nightstand. Your local respiratory company may have a deal with a company that benefits their bottom line, you don’t have to be limited by that.