Pages

Monday, August 15, 2011

It's a beautiful day in the neighborhood

Morning sunshine! We've had a lot of morning gloom lately, sometimes stretching for most of the day, so this is nice.

The other excitement in the neighborhood is that the new Big Fancy Supermarket opened, replacing two small ones. Everyone is checking it out, saying Ooooh Ahhhh about its features: Asian food in the deli; an actual butcher counter; huge produce section; pharmacy; a whole row with bins of every dry good you can imagine. And all my favorite workers from the old market -- the union protected them.

We've been winding down from the crisis last week involving a mentally unstable relative. She is a train wreck, has been for the 30 years I've known her, and she is definitely deteriorating. But she thinks she is fine, everyone else is wrong, and we've had pretty brutal experiences trying to help during the crisis du jour. So, this is not going to play out well. And we are not going to get in a position where we let her severe, toxic problems ruin our lives again.

On to the funny: daughter called and said she has a problem with lots of tiny flies in her studio apartment. Dr. Google backed up my advice (actually a topic of past Whines) about building a non-toxic fly trap with vinegar, orange juice, or a mixture. Further interrogation revealed that she eats in her room, and hadn't taken out the trash for a really long time. (Cue Alice's Restaurant.)

And now, for the big AW: I've installed Firef0x, and am about to see if it will let me post to WW on the main computer! So far, it is a lot less glitchy than IE.

What's new with you?

34 comments:

kathy a. said...

Squeee! Firef0x works!! For months, I've needed to go to the laptop to post, even though it also has IE.

Sue said...

Yay for Firefox! Yay for supermarket and good, strong union representation.

Lol re: Le Garbage.

AW: I fly out tomorrow for the concert in Nashville! I'm so glad it's indoors. I've been praying for all of the horrible stage accidents this summer. So many have been injured or killed - it's so sad. Anywhoo, I'm all set to go, complete with dress code info from my son.

W: (sort of but not really) Visit with doc today re: breast ultrasound a few weeks ago. Apparently, the radiologist saw the cyst, but also a tiny "something else". It's about the size of a navy bean, so they want to repeat mammogram and ultrasound in early October. I have zero family history so I'm not too concerned, but even so, I expected to get the "all-clear" report this morning.

AW: beautiful day here. I heart August.

kathy a. said...

heh -- "dress code info from my son." have a great time!

sue, the mammo followup does not sound dire at all. they just want to see if there are changes over time.

Sue said...

Ya, that's what I thought too. Back in the day when I worked at the hospital, the radiology techs always said they were aggressive about checking and checking again. When the doc mentioned it today, I wasn't surprised.

As for the dress code - apparently one must NEVER wear the band t-shirt TO the concert. This would be a huge red flag for geekdom. Because I worry about that stuff.

Of course. (eye roll).

Anonymous said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Liz Miller said...

Thank you spammer, for your comment, which I have deleted.

kathy a. said...

Thanks, Liz. Shoo, spammer.

Yesterday: three bizarre and confused calls from the unstable relative, plus a long heart-to-heart with her first ex.

Was proud that I kept things calm and factual, kept re-focusing her on needing to get a lawyer. She hung up on me after I advised that we would not be able to help her if she moves nearby. I think I've been fired for insufficient enthusiasm.

Liz Miller said...

Yay Kathy A!! That's the kind of job it's good to lose.

Sue said...

Applause applause kathy a - I agree with Liz.....that's a great job to lose!

AW: I'm in Nashville!!

kathy a. said...

Yay, Sue! When's the concert?

Sue said...

Tomorrow night!

I'm so excited, I'm not sure how much sleep I'll get tonight. Tomorrow I think I will see a few local sites and relax in the afternoon. Show time is 8:00 with two opening acts- "Fools for Rowan" (love them) and "Art of Dying" ( meh).

The fan sites say that Evanescence generally plays for about an hour and half to close the show. Best part: a lot of it will be new music. The new release doesn't drop until October 11th. It's like being in on a secret!

AW: thank you Air Canada - today you were awesome.

AW: my room has a beautiful view!

kathy a. said...

Where have all the Pixies gone?

Sorry for blathering on about my relative problem. Surely there are more fun whines than that.

Liz Miller said...

Whine: Bad haircut.

Bad, bad, bad haircut.

I asked for a trim, for the basic blunt bob I had.

Instead, I have helmet hair. Lopsided helmet hair. And a DA.

Sue said...

Oh Liz. Helmet hair makes even happy puppies cry. So sorry. The good news? It will grow back.

AW: took some bottled water over to the die-hard concert fans. I love feeling like a Mom, especially when I get to meet such lovely young people.

AW: someone in the crowd knows my son from his work in University radio. Can you say Small World!????

Days said...

Ugh to helmet hair and relatives from h-e-doublehockeysticks but yay to thorough and caring health care professionals and being fired from those jobs you never wanted anyways.

Today, my 5 year old had to be carried, kicking and screaming, from her group tennis lesson and stuffed into the car to scream herself out after she spoke rudely to and then scratched her instructor. Meaningful apology still pending although the threat of losing her beloved tennis lessons looms.

In other news, my son has been asked not to return to day camp due to his poor attitude.

Yes, the whole family deals poorly with stress. Anyone want to borrow a kid or two until school starts?

kathy a. said...

Oy, Days! That sounds very stressy all around. I'd be happy to see your kids, if they weren't so far away!

Liz, so sorry about the hair. It does grow out, but sucks while it's in transition. I'm about to get a haircut since my hair looks like it was styled by rodents, and time's running short if I want it to look respectable in a month.

esperanza said...

Oh Days, sorry about the stress and its ill effects.

kathy a, if you weren't hosting, you'd get a Mullet for "my hair looks like it was styled by rodents."

AW: we are back from "vacation."

W: which was interrupted by one funeral. Hubby left to come back home and work on "vacation."

W: which left me and the girls with the grandparents. Which was fine for a while but then deteriorated into the usual "I am a grownup but you act like I'm an idiot." Srsly. Here's a quote: "well, if the milk doesn't stay cold enough in the cooler, just throw it out when you get home." Really? I shouldn't make the children drink the spoiled milk?

AW: but there was quite a bit of free babysitting

AW: Mini is talking like you wouldn't believe..."Ready, Set, Go!" is my current favorite. And "Yes, MA'AM!" She also is pretty close to swimming. And she loves to use the potty. Sweet likes her usual routine and has trouble rolling with the changes. But she did tell her sister "Sleep in Peace" the other night, which is what we tell them when we put them in bed. Unbearably cute.

It's good to be back with the whining pixies.

Andy said...

Liz: I haven't had a haircut in 10.5 years now, so while I can't relate to getting a bad hair cut, it turns out there is a very large segment of the population who thinks my hair looks ridiculous.

Esperanza: I stick to a hard and fast rule that I throw milk out a week after the "sell by" date. Unless it doesn't smell bad yet. Or isn't lumpy. Or if I really really need that bowl of cereal. I'm sometimes amazed I haven't poisoned myself by now.

My whine: My dryer has stopped working, leaving me with two less than desirable alternatives: 1. Go to a laundromat and shell out cash I hadn't really budgeted for, or 2. Take it to my mom's, which would normally be fine, but lately she is Very Very Concerned about me and is calling me every. single. night to tell me about how concerned she is. A trip to my mom's is going to turn into a 3 hour interrogation, after which I will be a little more stressed than I need to be at the moment.

Yes, my whine is that I have a caring mother who wants to talk to me. There goes my Son of the Year Award.

Oh, and I'm sort of back to blogging again, unless I have to give up the internets next month.

Sue said...

Hey Andy! Good to hear from you, despite the Concerned Mom thing.

Esperanza: I'm with Andy on the "best before" dates. I'm all about the smell test. Yay for Mini and the uber-talking!

Days: sorry about the School-Can't-Star-Soon-Enough woes. I remember those days all too well.

I'm in favor of kathy ad Mullet recipient!

AW: bucket list item now Seriously Checked Off the list. The Evanescence concert was beyond amazing. I kept sitting there thinking "I am so thoroughly blessed to be here!"

What an amazing night! I took my usual migraine abortive meds (like imitrex only stronger, but similar in make-up) before the concert. I figured the loud volume, bright stage lighting and strobes werena perfect migraine storm.

I'm glad I took the meds. Even with them, my head is hurting, but this time it was totally worth it.

Anonymous said...

I am posting this anonymously, mainly because I don't know if I'm making much more out of something that's not there.

I have been feeling bad for a while now. By "while", I mean about 2 months. And by "bad", I mean random symptoms that come and go. One day, I will have cold-like symptoms, such as a runny nose and sore throat due to drainage. Then, a day or two of feeling "normal" may pass, and when I think it was just a freak summer cold, I will be hit with other random symptoms, such as nausea, sensitivity to heat or cold, tingling in the feet, and headache.

Today, it was vomiting for no reason. I have eaten very little, because it all comes back up. The nausea ebbs and flows, but with no predictability. I've been sick about 7 times today, all at random times, with no real precipitating factor.

I'm really starting to worry. I have never felt this off for a protracted length of time, but money is a factor, and I don't want to go to the doctor to find out that I just have a summer cold. I am not pregnant, and I have nothing that I can point to say to a doc -- "Hey, I think I might have X disease." Dr. Google is less than worthless and a terrible alarmist to boot, so that's not an avenue I wish to follow.

I'm tired of feeling like something I scraped off my shoe, but I really can't afford to waste money on what, in all probability, could be absolutely nothing.

Sue said...

Oh Anonymous, how awful! I just read something about CVS or (I think) Chronic Vomiting Syndrome. It sometimes follows menstrual cycles, but the worst part is the fatigue and ongoing nausea.

I'm no doc, but have you checked out Dr. google on that oe? Apparently there are good treatments once it is diagnosed.....finding the right doc to diagnose it is the rough part.

On the other hand, it doesn't explain the cold-like symptoms either.


Sorry, I'm probably not much help here. I just hope you feel better really soon.

esperanza said...

Andy, good to have you here. And I completely understand the Overconcerned Mother avoidance.

Anonymous, that sounds miserable, especially with the money factor. Hugs to you.

Liz Miller said...

Andy! Glad to see you!

I often will let my hair grow for years (with just trims to keep the ends tidy). Right now I'm in one of my periodic "cut it all off" phases.

My son LOVES your hair. He hasn't cut his since Halloween of last year...when his head was shaved.

Anonymous: I'm so sorry about your illness. I'm wondering if you are experiencing food-related allergies? Or air-borne allergies leading to post-nasal drip into your stomach leading to the vomiting?

Does your county have a free clinic you can go to to get checked out? Or is there a Planned Parenthood nearby?

kathy a. said...

esperanaza -- so, a little button-pushing with the vacation?

hi, andy!

oh, anonymous. a cold might be a cold, and a headache might just be a headache, but nausea, vomiting, tingling in the feet, etc. don't sound right. and feeling bad for 2 months doesn't, either.

liz has some good ideas. you might also see if a doctor or nurse could talk to you on the phone about whether to come in -- maybe they'll say wait and see on the vomiting. they might also offer a lower rate if you are uninsured. (our doctor and the hospital group did when my son was uninsured and very ill, needing tests.)

Anonymous said...

I agree about seeing a doc or at least talking to one, and the idea of allergies is a good thought. Having just come off kids having strep, which is going around, I can say it comes sometimes with headache, (sore throat), nausea and sometimes vomiting, but maybe not as much as you are dealing with. Sounds like it worth be getting checked out though. Hugs for you!

--Neighbor Lady

w: kids had strep
aw: had awesome vacation and then a great day at the beach
w: i am usually the over anxious slathering on sunscreen mom, but yesterday I eased up and just let them have more uninterrupted fun, and --of course---they are sunburned. Note to pixies: even with a sunscreen stick, 7 year olds will NOT adequately cover their face, and may cover what they get ina zig zag design if not supervised. Yeah, didn't find that out until the sunburn appeared. D'oh.
aw: it's their first sunburn, so I guess that's not so horrible for almost 10 years of slathering....sigh

Sue said...

Hey all,

Sorry, didn't mean to sound like imwas cyber-diagnosing you Andy. I'm al about seeing a doc or NP to see what's up. Food allergy had not occurred to me. Given all of our pixie friend PKs troubles with that, it is definitely worth checking out.

AW: another lovely day here in Nashville. Off to check out some museums!

JenR said...

While we're playing Dr google, try this one out: polyhydramnios ... apparently I have escaped the pre-term labor complication. But the possible causes and complications of such a word are scaring me. 9 days to go until c-section. I can't sleep comfortably anymore. I am ready to be done. Dear baby - please come out (but with plenty of warning so mommy can get herself safely to an OR). Not only do we have that scary unpronounceable diagnosis, but baby is sideways - not head down. Actually going through with labor would be a bad bad thing.

Hugs for all of you pixies.

Liz Miller said...

JenR: Sending hugs, love, and well-wishes. I have all possible crossable appendages crossed that it is being caused by the most benign of those causes.

kathy a. said...

NL -- no worries, you are a good slatherer. Stuff happens.

JenR -- everything crossed over here, too! My first was butt down, legs up, so right with you on the need for c-section.

Keep 'em coming. Awards friday.

Sue said...

Sending good thoughts for a good c-section and healthy mom and babe.

Not sure whether this is Whine or Anti-whine: spent a few hours at the Country Western Hall of Fame. I honestly thought I would go in, look around quickly and move on to other tourist sites fairly quickly. But it was really interesting, so I hung around.

I now know more about the history of CW music than I ever imagined I would. Hm.....

I guess the only whine part is that I'm now the proud owner of three lovely blisters. :)

esperanza said...

Ouch on the blisters.

Hugs to you, JenR, and peaceful, uneventful waiting.

W: after riding 4 hours across state yesterday and then going 1.5 hours in another direction today, I think I can definitively say that our state is crispy. Dry, brown, crunchy grass everywhere that it isn't black and burned. We need rain, Universe. Get on that.

amy said...

AW: back from a lovely vacation, visiting an old college friend at her up north cabin.

W: I cannot get the musty smell of the cabin out of our stuff. I've washed two loads of clothes over and over and over, but they still smell. We had to pull out our guest pillows to use when we got home. I'll probably have to throw our old pillows out, and I have another load clothes I haven't even started on.

We usually use a perfume-free detergent, but I broke down and bought T1d3 with Febr33ze, but it didn't work AND now the perfume smell is making us all head-ache-y. What a disappointing end to a lovely trip.

esperanza said...

ew, Amy. Not sure what else to suggest. I've had the same experience switching back to perfumey detergent though. It's totally overwhelming after not smelling it. I wonder (really. I have no idea. Check it out before trying) if you could launder with baking soda somehow?

In a somewhat-related whine, hubby and I are itchy in our bed. Naturally, we suspect bedbugs. But they aren't making bite marks on me, there is no sign of bedbug poop or anything on the bed. Any other ideas? I welcome ideas that do not involve bedbugs.

Liz Miller said...

Amy, vinegar and baking soda. Bleach for the whites.

Esperanza, are you using a new detergent? Could it be dust mites?