(Old) Who's thinking about summer plans in the MMP?

Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
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3hrs one way, and it’s not a great distance either, probably 15 miles at the most. Driving is another option but it actually takes longer than the “normal” commuting time. I would need to leave home by 6.30am to avoid the worst of the traffic, and to be able to find parking on campus (which I would have to pay for).

From where I live, there are only two practical routes to get to work - one involves the M6 down to Spaghetti Junction and then the Aston Expressway which, by it’s very name, is nothing like an express. The other involves a main road that skips randomly from three lanes to two lanes, with lots of traffic lights right up to the point where I would be a mile or so from campus. Then it becomes single-lane roads which are all clogged up by parents taking their precious snowflakes to the schools that surround our campus. I’ve tried it, it’s not good for my blood pressure :slight_smile:

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Dang, your commute sounds worse than when I traveled from south Baltimore to the Pentagon, which was about 40 miles. Tho I worked off the typical hours, so traffic generally wasn’t as awful, so less than an hour each way, mostly.

Three hours to go 15 miles? You could almost walk it… almost.

Just looked up BC/BS cataract surgery info. If I got it done today, it’d cost me just under $700, but I forgot to check if that was one eye or both. Anyway, I’ve now got an idea of what to plan for 3-4 years down the road.

I’ve decided to have a go at cleaning the outside of my kitchen cabinets - was it someone in this thread who talked about that?? Anyway, off I go to scrub.

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Thank you SO much! That looks like a kitchen gadget I will actually use more than once.

If I’m able to deal with filling and properly closing a disposable K-cup, I’m able to deal with my coffee press. What we get from our Keurig is our “pre-coffee”.

Haven’t you noticed yet that I’m a special snowflake who’s far too spoiled for her own good. I would make an amazing show cat.

Finally she has a lap of her own. She deserves it!

It’s pretty much like the crappy vision insurance we’ve paid for all of our lives. Insurance will cover the basics, so exam, surgery, lens removal and standard lens replacement. That standard lens is so basic that you and I would both be fitted for the same thing despite all of our differences.

Special lenses, custom fitted with the intention of correcting our individual vision issues will be more expensive and of course insurance won’t pay for that.

Yeah, I’m pretty aggravated over this. Had I bothered to get my yearly vision checks during the plague years, I’m fairly sure I would have had this done at least a year ago. Maybe two. Being able to drive after dark would have been such a game changer when GG and I were driving across the country.

Get your eyes checked yearly folks! It really is important and a good Ophthalmologist can tell a whole lot about your general health just by looking at the back of your eyes. Don’t be me, driving half blind across the country with a protesting cat. It wasn’t a whole lot of fun.

When we first moved to AZ, we brought a St Bernard mix. She suffered with her long, thick coat so I bought some clippers and shaved her down. She was much happier even if she did look interesting.

One weekend we were going camping and stopped at the grocery store for ice and beer. Hubs went in the store and dawg and I got out of the car to stand in the shade by the store. Brandy loved people and was the very picture of friendly so she was getting lots of pets by folks going in and out of the store.

We were having a great time until a lady came by, gave Brandy a quick pet on the head and handed me a card while saying “I don’t know how much you paid for that grooming, but it was too much. Call me and I’ll do my best to fix it.” before walking into the store.

I’m glad you are feeling better, we don’t like it when our favorite ursine is under the weather.

What a lovely surprise! We used to get large donations at our rescue and had to scramble as well. Then a very lovely man donated a barn and labor to the group leader. It was wonderful, there was enough storage for years. Until the cat cages started needing more room and then storage became an issue again.

I used to have that stoopid chart memorized. If I thought about it long enough, I could probably recreate it in word. But yeah, like you, knowing doesn’t help change things. Call it what you want, it’s still a blurry rectangle.

So I’m up early today. No surprise, I used to be up before dawn on Christmas morning too. I know this is just the pre-surgery check-up, but I’m still looking forward to moving the process along.

Yesterday, Hubs had another hunk of skin whacked off his head so he didn’t sleep well (he usually sleeps on his left side but he’s got stitches in that side of his head now) and got up and moved to the recliner so I haven’t wanted to be going in and out the door because I want my driver to be well rested.

I did open the window in my room so I could hear the forest so it wasn’t a wasted dawn :slight_smile:

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i also had it memorized. i got glasses in 3rd grade, that was when the school nurse caught onto me. she switched up the chart, did not do well.

i remember seeing leaves as well. walked out of the optician’s office with the new glasses and was amazed. my mother thought i was joking around. i was the first and only in my generation (maternal side) to have myopia. it wasn’t until we were watching family movies one night, and i blurred the focus, that they understood what i was seeing without glasses.

mum only needed glasses when she hit presbyopia. then cataracts in her late 70’s.

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Good morning, everyone.

It’s 48°F and cloudy, and the clouds will produce rain showers this afternoon, with a daytime high temperature of 57°F. This hasn’t been a particularly warm or sunny May. I look at pictures from a year ago and am amazed at the difference.

JtC, I hope the pre-check goes well and you’re soon on the way to much better vision.

BooFae, that commute sounds awful, any way you slice it. Poor Muffin; it would be nice if she could start trusting you and her surroundings.

Pilot, I’m sorry your GF is struggling with her ex.

When I was a child, I lived in Bavaria for three years. That was so many years ago, but I still have very vivid memories of visiting my Oma and Opa and their small town, which, by the way, still has most of its original wall surrounding it. The house they lived in is no longer in the family, but it was built in the 12th century and had five-foot-thick stone walls. The home was considered a historical landmark and could not be altered. [Dollnstein] Dollnstein - Wikipedia)

Swampy, I’m glad you’re feeling better.

I do not have much on the agenda today. Maybe some digging in the dirt, maybe some errands, I don’t know. I should get out and do something, though.

My old boss contacted me last night, stating that someone my old agency partnered with wanted to contact me about a job. I told him I’d like to enjoy the time off, but I would likely be looking for something to do when autumn arrives. I felt it wouldn’t fit me when he described what I would do. Still, it’s nice to be asked. T told me he is in the same frame of mind as me, and is also enjoying being on his own clock for the first time in 40 years.

Welp, it’s that time again. Need to finish my coffee and tidy up the last bits and bobs in the kitchen.

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Good morning all. Slept in past 7:30am so slow off the mark today, did bring the garbage bin back into the garage, so that’s enough activity for the morning. It’s clear again and temps are headed to the 80’s so will try and get out of the house for a little while before soccer practice at 5:30pm. Outside of that not much on the schedule.

boo fae, sounds like the laborer (you) were worth her wages in foodstuffs and other feline goodies.

Glad you’re feeling better, swampy; enjoy pool time.

Sticky Buns, happy PT’ing.(every time I see PT I think of a rather well-known strip club across the river from St. Louis…not that I ever went there, nope, nope, nope…)

Pilot, enjoy the weekend. Sorry GF is having such problems, I’ve been lucky in only needing a lawyer to do my Last Will up nice and legal-like.

FCM, like you, my cruise (and other paperwork) is in a manila folder, but the idea of using a folder with pockets is a very good idea so will have to pick one up. And I leave on 16 June, so just about 1 month to go. And thanks for the cataract information, my eye doctor says, like yours. that it is likely in the future but I’m good for now.

And time to consider doing something…or not. Have a good Thorsday all.

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The outsides of the kitchen cabinets are clean - WHEW what a job! I had to get FCD to do the cabinet over the fridge because I couldn’t reach it from the little 2-step stool and I was too lazy to go get the little stepladder (which I did anyway to clean the ceiling fan.) Considering they’re 21 years old, they don’t look too bad, but you can see where I used scotchbrite pads on them some eons back. Not my finest moment.

I would love to have my kitchen redone by a really good professional team, but unless I find $75K or so under a rock in the yard, I don’t see that happening. My kitchen is OK, but I designed it and, well, I’m not a kitchen designer. There are several things I wish I’d done differently. Oh well…

Just finished lunch of leftover Polish sausage and last night’s leftover cabbage. I need to figure out a proper meal for tonight - maybe salmon? Or tuna steaks?

MetalMouse - I’m being overly nosy here, so if you don’t want to answer, you won’t hurt my feelings much. :rofl:

Did you ever consider getting married? (No, I’m not hitting on you…) Did the idea never appeal? Like I said, just being nosy about something that’s absolutely none of my business.

I need to make a run to Food Lion for 'nanners. FCD snarfs 'em down way more than I’d like, but he won’t eat apples or oranges. I can get him to eat strawberries and fresh pineapple and black berries. And when local cantaloupes come in season, he likes them. But his 2 'nanner a day habit…

And away we go!
Imgur

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Like the classic male saying has it: “If it flies, floats, or f***s, you’re gonna have trouble with it.”

There is absolutely positively a corresponding saying the ladies use about men. I just don’t know what substitutes for “flies” and “floats”.

Trouble just comes with the territory. Vive la troiuble! :grin:

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Laundry day again. Luckily we had the place to ourselves so it went quickly.

My grandson has graduated from his construction trade school. Nine students built a two story home with a finished basement when it was over. Very proud of him for doing this and for having the smarts to know that college was not something he wanted. He’ll never be out of a job.

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I wish I could get FCD to accept that college isn’t for everyone and isn’t even a guarantee of a secure future. It’s not that he looks down on trades - he’s just got this weird mindset. I dunno…

Anyway, back from Food Lion. I think I need to sit and chill for a while. It’s been a busy day so far.

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Well…I have nothing against marriage, and I like women a lot, but…I was fairly immature during high school, one of the ‘nerds’ I guess, and only had a girlfriend my senior year. She went to a different university and while we tried to keep in touch we just drifted apart (me more than her). I did do some dating via the personal ads in the weekly paper in St. Louis (thanks, Riverfront Times)in my 30’s and was moderately serious on a couple occasions, but never ever close to matrimony.

And it has caused me to think about it more than once. Best I can come up with is that I matured late (still not sure I’m grown up yet), had/have a fairly low sex drive for a teen/20-30 something male-to bad Viagra wasn’t around…, and never really understood the ‘rules’ (or never let myself understand them). By the time I had ‘grown up’ enough to be a good and stable companion I was comfortable with my bachelor life and wasn’t in particular need of seeking out female companionship (since I had had so little experience anyway). I also had a uncle who was a lifelong bachelor, so that is a bit of family history I saw for many years. Upshot is that I never grew into the ‘marrying type’. albeit I think I would have made a fairly good one.

So now that ‘True Confessions’ is over, I have done the little shopping that I needed to do, brought the garbage bin inside, and will head over to the gym here in a little bit.

FCM, I eat two bananas a day Saturday-Monday and two apples a day Tuesday-Friday, so that takes care of my fruit intake for the week. And just got a 4-pocket folder at Wal-Mart, so thanks for the idea.

Cookie, congrats to grandson, does he and the rest of the crew get to share in the profits (if any) when the home is sold?

And need to get the treadin’ and bikin’ clothes together and head off to the gym.

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Another grandson of mine just graduated with a degree in engineering, with honors. I’m equally proud of both of them. My mother pushed me into an engineering curriculum when it was clear that I had no aptitude, nor the ambition to tackle it. I failed miserably. Let them make their own choices, says I.

I would doubt it. It probably will go to the school to support their programs. I think the school partners with local contractors and helps hook these kids up with jobs when they are finished. They also leave the school with a huge tool kit, which is a major expense for some rando trying to break into the construction fields.

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Started Typing: 12:27 PM ET
Clicked Reply: 1:38 PM ET

Ahhhhh it’s good to be working from home today! Traffic was particularly bad this week – on Tuesday evening it took 90 minutes to drive 18 miles, the first 80 minutes of which were spent in first gear – so it’s nice to get a break from that. The extra hour of sleep this morning was also quite appreciated. And, as always, by this point in the week I’m missing my daytime hangs with Bailey (whose bed is next to my desk).

I just ate a banana that was still a little too green. I only bought the bunch yesterday and I knew it was too green, but somehow I convinced myself that it was yellow enough and wouldn’t be that bad. :woman_facepalming: It was edible, but only barely. I normally eat two bananas a day (like FCD and Metal Mouse), but I guess I’ll be taking a nanner break while the rest of this bunch ripens. The other part of lunch was Lean Cuisine fettucini alfredo, which helped make up for the banana. And dessert was my first Pop-Tarts in ~5 years: they now have Girl-Scout-cookie flavors, so I had to buy the Thin Mint ones! (Curse their placement right next to the granola/protein bars!) They taste like slightly minty fudge Pop-Tarts…not like Thin Mints. I’m a sucker for mint and chocolate, so they’re not bad, but I won’t buy them again.

Work wasn’t particularly busy yesterday, but between meetings and conversations and tasks it was steady. Today’s quieter, thank goodness. I had a short thing this morning, but now my boss and one of my direct reports are in an all-afternoon meeting and my other direct reports are self-sufficiently engaged. I have a meeting at 3pm, but it’s one that I only listen to…and a lot of people who usually attend are in that other all-afternoon meeting, so it might even get cancelled (or at least be really short).

Tomorrow should be even deader (:crossed_fingers:): a lot of people on my program work a schedule where they have every other Friday off, and tomorrow is that day for my boss and two of my direct reports. I can already tell that I’m going to appreciate those “catch up” days. :grin:

I got my first pair of glasses when I was 7. They were just supposed to be for reading and watching TV, but that soon turned into “all of the time.” I got my first pair of contact lenses when I was 13. I am severely nearsighted without correction. Many of my relatives also need/needed glasses. And because there’s a family history of glaucoma, I get annual Big Long Exams (they bill medical insurance) at the optometrist in addition to having my vision checked.

I have tentative plans to go to an outdoor arts festival with my BFFs on Saturday. We try to go each year. It’s held at a local town center: if WifeBFF feels alright Saturday morning we’ll meet there shortly after the festival starts, and when we’re done looking around we’ll have lunch at one of the town center’s restaurants…after which, WifeBFF and I might detour into the Talbot’s that’s right there.

On Sunday I have a ticket to a 5:30pm show at the same venue I was at last week: a different friend is having an album release, and will be singing with a big band. Should be a really good show.

HA! :joy:

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So no dramatic loss of your love in a tragic accident on the day you were to marry or anything heart-wrenching like that? I confess, I’m disappointed… :rofl: Actually, till I met FCD (I was almost 30) I didn’t expect to ever marry since no one ever seemed interested in me. Their loss - I got me a good one!

Holland America just offered us a chance to upgrade from a veranda room to a Vista Suite for only $1199 per person! Such a deal!! Near as I can tell, in addition to a little more space, we’d get complimentary mini bar in our room, binoculars in our room, fresh flowers, choice of pillow firmness, and freebie room service. Oh, and complimentary shoe shine! We’re gonna pass on that one-time good deal.

I’ve decided on tuna steak for supper. Sides TBD.

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It’s not me, it’s Hubs that’s the special snowflake.
I rarely drink coffee and when I do, I reuse his K-cup; I don’t like strong coffee. But I bought some ground coffee for daughter or her former SO for Christmas and we tried the reusable Kcup thing but it didn’t seem to work in our Kuerig machine.

:rofl:

I loved the June Taylor dancers, particularly when they would lay on the floor and do that kaliedescope thing.

Well now that I’m caught up on the mmp, I have to figure out what to do with the rest of the day. Maybe go do something with the garden bed to get it ready for planting.

Dinner will be leftover egg noodle lasagna.

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We’re presently under a tornado warning until 2:45 local. The skies look pretty black to the north of us, but it seems to be passing us up. Sirens were wailing earlier and my phone alert went off. Look out, WI.

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I can’t say that I’ve been particularly productive today. However, the husband has a new battery in his car, and I lucked out and got an appointment to get my Jeep serviced tomorrow.

The usual oil change, tire rotation, etc. But, the battery is 11 years old, and while I am not having any issues with it, that is just insane for battery life and I am worried it might leave me stranded. I am also having them look at the brakes which are also original.

Other than that, I’ve done some laundry, emptied two of the boxes from my work office, and cleaned the kitchen.

In other words, my day has been mundane.

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He could have worse habits.

Glad you’re feeling better, swampy.

Congrats to your grandson, cookie! He truly won’t ever want for work.

Well, the bad news is that I don’t get to go back to irk Monday. The good news is that the ortho finally sent the paperirk in to the :snerk: STD outfit, so I should begin to see some money. They’re scheduling an MRI for me and quite likely, a steroid shot right into my spinal column.

Parking at the ortho is atrocious. It’s in the hospital complex with PT, a geriatrics practice and a big pediatric practice in the building. Problem is, even with 40+ handicap slots, they tend to be filled up and those of us who don’t have a driver have to hoof it for a half mile. I wish they had valet parking like some of the downtown Nashville medical establishments do. I may resort to ubering for my next appointment.

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Howdy Y’all! The first quality cee-mint pond time was a success. We went out at ten a.m. and stayed out until one p.m. Three hours is about the usual. The water was a little chilly at first, but nice when I got acclimated. I floated around and snoozed for a bit. We slather ourselves with sunscreen and re-apply as felt needed and sit in the gazebo as well. We are delicate special snowflakes after all. Indoor nappage happened along with day drinkin’. Burgers and fries were also consumed. Thus is the news from swampland.

I’ll throw in a true confession just for funsies. In the mid seventies (it’s ancient history!) I was kinda unofficially engaged to one of the opposite from me sex. Then I finally admitted to myself that I prefer outies. I told her and she said she kinda figured that about me. We remained friends until she died six years ago. She did marry a really nice guy and they had a daughter and a son. We never did the horizontal Boogie Woogie, but we did make out. I much prefer makin’ out with someone who has facial hair or stubble. You all may now clutch your pearls and/or retire to your faintin’ couches as needed.

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Wait - are you gay??? :open_mouth:

:rofl:
Nope, still doesn’t get old.