The Happy Cheap Chocolate Day MMP

Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
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It’s cloudy and we’re supposed to get a little rain today. It’s laundry day here. I’m fighting the urge to plant the fuchsia I bought a few weeks ago for the planter on my balcony rail. We’re not out of frost range yet, but nothing frosts out there and besides, I see unharmed daffodils and violets in people’s yards, so the fuchsia would probably be OK. I’ve been taking them outside daily for a few days. How long does it take plants to acclimatize to the outdoors?

Aw, shucks, folks. It’s nice to feel cared about. And message received. If I route my walk right, I can go by a public restroom. I hate using it because it’s not the cleanest, and the cold-water-only sinks trigger the Raynaud’s, but weighing that against the idiocy of no water, I’m going to suck it up–literally (from a glass, not a toilet).

FCM, whew! You must work at breakneck speed to get done all you get done. I may have missed a post, and if so, sorry, but how is your FIL doing? Are you heading back down there to check?

Wizard, good news about Mrs. Wizard!

hippie, that looks like quite the project! They remove the stump, too, right? Are you just going to fill that in with grass seed then?

cookie, yikes! That’s a lot of money, but whaddya gonna do?

wordy, I wish all my students had had moms like you. I feel sorry for those poor girls who posted. It’s not just the dangers, though those are, of course, the biggest concern; it’s that at that age, they can’t see 10 minutes into the future, and the allure of drama and attention outweigh the future need for privacy.

Emily, wishing you smooth sailing.

Bumba, hope you get into the doc before you have a worse fall.

This is sterling.

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Oddly enough, so did we… we used to stay at Kona Village from time to time.

83

Well… I did it.

I’ve been struggling financially for years. Car repairs, house repairs, and other expenses piled up to the point where I had (virtually) zero money left out of my pay checks. I figured out that I’m paying more in interest than I would pay to tap into my 401k. So I tapped into my 401k. I paid two credit cards online, and the mailman just picked up the other one. I owed more on those than I do on the house. Now I only have the mortgage, which will be paid off in five years, and the monthly expenses. With the stimulus check and selling my ejection seat, I finally have a cushion. And there’s still more money in my 401k than Mrs. L.A. has in life insurance, so she’ll be OK if I snuff it.

84

He’s not doing well at all. He’s been having multiple episodes, sometimes as many as 5 a day. My MIL thinks they’re related to his Parkinson’s but FCD is sure they’re mini-strokes, based on what he observed. We’ll be going down on Apr 17 for 2 weeks. MIL is having shoulder replacement on Apr 19, so we’re going to take care of them for till the end of the month. Then MIL’s sister, the retired nurse, is going to stay with them for a while and we’ll come home.

Honestly, I think FIL is on borrowed time, and every time the phone rings, I expect to hear that he’s died. From what I hear second/third hand, he won’t listen to doctor’s orders - he insists on going out to his workshop. But if he falls out there, chances are it’ll be fatal. At least he’s no longer driving. For now…

85

@nelliebly

The stumps will be ground up I built a retaining wall around the base of that tree years ago. Sunflower has big plans for flowers in that spot.

86

Holy crap! For that, I could have flown to wherever you are, snaked the line, and still had a tidy profit. My main line clogs every 15 months or so, and my guy charges $100. The true fix would cost about $13,000, so I’ll suffer with the occasional snaking.

87

We’re prepared for that sort of thing; we have a bucket toilet in case of a calamity, and there’s always the RV toilet, but waiting for daytime hours for a lower rate would have only saved us a few hundred, and we’re spoiled Americans, so there’s that.

88

Afternoon all. Finally went out and mowed, not much to mow, most of the grass is still in the dormant winter stages but at least the detritus has been picked up and bagged and we’re ready for the predicted night’s rain.

talky, that’s quite a tale(s). I think your daughter did well on the first one and you did well on the second…I’m not a Tik-Tok follower, but ‘coming out’ like that at 11 years old…some serious conversations need to be had.

{{Emily}}, just because.

Bumba, actually out of the Port of Baltimore…on one of those Roll-on/Roll-off ships that usually moves cars (like this: What is RoRo? - Wallenius Wilhelmsen). It was quite an adventure and if I ever get around to using IMGUR or whatever it is called, maybe I’ll post a few pictures.

Flyboy, I think you did the smart thing, worked out the numbers and got a load off your back without imperiling your future plans. Well done.

FCM, I wonder if we will be as stubborn at that age…wouldn’t bet against it, we are after all creatures of habit.

All right, probably need to run a bath to clear off the dust and clippings from mowing. Luckily it was nice but not broiling so very little sweat from my brow. Then start thinking about dinner.

89

Howdy Y’all! We laid in provisions, achieved nappage, and cooked/et sup along with cleanup afterwards. No mowage however. Just could not motivate. Perhaps tomorrow before the predicted afternoon rain begins.

Cookie yikes on the plumbin’ woes!

Hippie yay for tree removal! That’s an amazin’ thing to watch.

wordy pre-teen/teen angst. I am not at all jealous of you as you go through all that.

flyboy I think you made a sound financial move there.

90

Supper successfully cleared some leftovers from the fridge. Dishwasher is loaded, and watering the yard is almost done. Tomorrow, I’ll start planting veggies. Carpet guy is due around 11 to measure the basement and give us some ideas of what to do down there. And Roxy’s b-day preset should be delivered. She’s getting these (did I post this link already?) I expect they’ll stay here since her house is overly full of toys.

Once I turn off the sprinkler (in maybe an hour) I’ll be in full chillage mode. I didn’t get as much done today as I’d hoped, but I’m glad to have the seed and fertilizer spread, and with the nice warm weather, I should see it starting to come up maybe by the weekend. I hope.

91

Well, for a “mental health day” (had 8hr PTO and some stuff to do), fairly productive. Instacarted some supplies, e-filed taxes (we have a very simple tax picture, I see no need to pay to have it done), got a resume out for a potential new job that would be a vast improvement over Hades Annex (even fast food or hotel housekeeping would be, granted, but this is an upgrade from either of those too), and called the credit union about some transactions that needed disputing (did not recognize merchant, was unable to ID them via Google). OK, so that last will result in need for a new debit card, but it’s still helpful.

Still haven’t been able to find an available vaccination appointment, but I’m registered with CA’s My Turn site, so theoretically they’ll give me a heads-up.

92

Well, aren’t we a chatty bunch! It’s been warm and hyoomid lately - do not like.

Trying out a new local Asian joint tonight: egg drop soup (of course) and something called “hor fun” which is super wide rice noodles with assorted stuff.

Daffodils are blooming everywhere! :bouquet:

93

metal mouse, have you ever been to the Shedd? Shedd Aquarium As far as big aquariums go, I have only to compare it to the one in Chattanooga, but it was one of my favorite field trips in school.

Yay for Mrs. Magill’s numbers! (and the medicinal Krispy Kremes)

Ouch bumba! Please do let your PCP know.

Irked, went to CVS for some prescriptions, got a house salad from Zaxby’s and took Nelson out, where he got to play with Molly, the neighbor Aussie. Now for chillage.

Stay safe and healthy y’all!

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Thank you, MetalMouse.

Congratulations, Flyboy.

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Tree removal, end of day 1

https://scontent-dfw5-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.6435-9/170489000_10218724700100780_1557233769302056189_n.jpg?_nc_cat=103&ccb=1-3&_nc_sid=dbeb18&_nc_ohc=cetpaveviFYAX-Novty&_nc_ht=scontent-dfw5-1.xx&oh=fd647607ede56b133e18afc091406222&oe=60933EA6

96

I have duly stored that recipe-I have a big bone in ham in the fridge waiting to be baked, just so I can make bean soup and your recipe looks like just what I am looking for. Thanks!

I did that after a traumatic brain injury from a car accident-physical therapy helped, especially after I was fitted for a foot/lower leg brace that prevented foot drop. That brace was great and I stopped having so many snagged toe trips and falls. That leg also gets less tired when I wear it.

Pretty sure she very much won’t be ok if you snuff it and we sure would miss you way too much so don’t. Ever. Got that?

Thinking some miniature sunflowers would be nice. Would really brighten up that corner of the yard, plus later in the fall birds can eat the seeds.

The answer to that question at my house is always ‘yes’. Go for it! Get an iPad Pro-that big screen is so much fun and the new camera is amazing. I have a Pro and a 6th gen regular size. Used to have a 2nd gen regular size but gave that to my granddaughter so her parents could load Disney movies onto it to make the long drives to Colorado bearable for all of them. That 3 1/2 year old can work it as well as I can.

overly your parenting wisdom is impressive. Deep down your kids will be glad you have your hand on the tiller.

97

Evening all. After a long, hot bath, I am now struggling to stay awake long enough to make it to bedtime. Many more Pepsi’s than are good for me are being consumed to provide sufficient caffeine to keep me alert (because America needs the lerts). Was going to fix myself some BLT’s, but forgot to get the bread out of the freezer, so went with the Big Bowl O’Sallit, which seems to have given me the serial sneezes (14 in a row and counting). The predicted rain is halfway across Mississippi and slowly heading this way.

red, used to live in Indianapolis and St. Louis, so have been to the Shedd (and Natural History, Art, and Science and Industry) many times. Just been awhile since I’ve seen much of Chi-town except O’Hare.

nettie, sounds like progress to me. Fingers crossed on the new job front.

So on to internettin’ and readin’ for the night. All y’all have a good night (and a good morning to our Euro friends).

98

metal mouse, the Museum of Science and Industry is another place where I could get lost for days. It’s been a few years, but at some point, I’ll book that.

99

Napped. I accidently stepped on Gordie. So he got extra cookies tonight.

Thanks for posting that, it was a cool read.

Yay! and : crosses appropriate and inappropriate appendages :

(((hugs)))) and good luck

I would have used the bucket, and saved the $$$

Flyboy, good job!

100

Doing my happy dance here !:dancer:t3::man_dancing:t2::dancer:t3::man_dancing:t2::dancer:t3: