We are in the midst of a record-setting drought here (this will be familiar territory for Kathy). It's doing weird things in my city, which sits on an ancient lake bed, with clay soil that is usually a sponge full of water. Usually, we have problems with the moisture content of the soil (cracking foundations, water in basements, sump pumps), but it turns out that this long drought is just as tricky: without the ground moisture, all the houses are shifting in new ways (half of our interior doors aren't latching right now, and the other half of them stick shut so hard that you have to hip check them to get them open). There have been electrical fires all over the city, as shifting soil and underground power lines have caused things to go askew. I'm keeping a close eye on my house, because our structural engineer warned us that a severe drought, followed by a really wet year, could worsen the tiny foundation crack that we have.
The forecast keeps saying that it'll rain in a few days. Meanwhile, the sidewalk chalk from late June remains untouched.
How are things where you are?
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Oh, yikes QWP! Here's hoping some rain heads your way soon! Those kinds of changes from the norm, weather-wise, are obviously unsettling in physical ways (as well as things just being off, viscerally). Not liking the electrical fires!
The packing and sorting saga continues. Movers arrive for pickup Aug. 1 -- only 8 days from now!!!!!! -- but the delivery date remains uncertain. This will be a small load on a big truck. Sigh. Now there is a focus on separating the [limited amount of] stuff that definitely needs to go in the car, just to tide one over.
The estimate is 2 to 14 days for delivery, which makes the travel planning difficult, but maybe we'll hear more soon. Dad plans to drive up with her, then fly back; Mama plans to fly up to help her get settled, go power shopping for essentials. We hoped those dates would overlap! But if the delivery is on the late side, daughter might already be in the [required] orientation, and so I should be there to take the delivery.
Spent the morning cleaning my room and getting my son to at least clear a path from the bed to the door, and to excavate the drift that was threatening to overwhelm the chair in his room.
Mission accomplished.
High five to Liz. xoxo
I am two months and six days out from being officially in Menopause. So of course, I got a splitting headache that is unaffected by medication, hot flashes and stinking sweats, zits, mild nausea, fatigue, and chocolate cravings for the last several days. Despite these harbingers, Aunt Flo has not yet made an appearance (and hopefully won't).
Flo is a bitch. She taunted me for a long time. (Knocking wood so as not to jinx anything.)
Yikes, QWP! I hope you get some much-needed rain soon.
Good luck with the ongoing packing adventures, kathy!!
Good work on the cleaning project, Liz! Ugh for the menopause-y symptoms. Bleh.
W: I've injured my shoulder and it's quite sore. It's definitely muscle pain. I've been switching out ice pack and heating pad and that helps a bit, but mostly it just hurts.
AW: It's been a quiet week here, so lots of time sitting on the balcony reading good books.
Oh no, Sue! I'm so sorry about the injured muscle. I hope it heals up quickly, and that it doesn't add to any neck tension/further migraine symptoms.
Kathy, I hope that the delivery window for daughter's move is narrowed! 2-14 days is nonsensical.
The sky got cloudy this morning, and we held our breath, hoping for rain...and then it cleared up. The forecast keeps saying that the rain is only a couple of days away, but it's been saying that all month.
Stand by for future tired-and-frazzled whining: the time for our long-awaited fence project has arrived! We're tearing down the whole fence, removing most of our back hedges (particularly those that are an invasive type of honeysuckle, deemed noxious for our province, which has done most of the fence damage), acquiring a giant pile of lumber, staining said pile of lumber, digging the posts ourselves, and then (with family help on one weekend), building the whole dang thing! (I keep having dreams wherein we acquire a financial windfall and hire someone to do this for us.)
Today's job: pick up the stain that I got on sale and bought online, and then go to a lumber yard to do some price comparisons. (I have the prices from all the big hardware stores that have online shopping, but I have heard good things about a local place, and so it's time for a fact-finding mission!)
Ouchy, Sue! Hope the shoulder heals up, pronto!
QWP, best with the fence project! My husband adores that kind of thing and has personally built the fences around our back yard -- a piece at a time. I believe the electric screwdriver is your friend, for attaching fencing to the supports! For post holes, you might consider renting an auger (kind of a giant drill to use on the soil).
Well, my husband and daughter have made their travel plans, but I need to hold off until we find out when the movers might be delivering her stuff. The packing and clearing of donations is not going at the fastest pace, but I'm working really hard to back the fireplace away.
Auger rental! Thanks for the reminder to add that to my cost list. (Mr. Q originally wanted to get a manual post-hole digger, and I convinced him that the extra $20 is worth it, to save his back.)
I hope that the moving plans come together well (and good call backing away and letting her get things done at her pace).
We have a hearing today. I'm having trouble sleeping.
Also, my purse went missing. Looks likely it was stolen, but I'm still hoping it will turn up somewhere.
(((pk))) Sending good thoughts your way and hoping you were able to get some sleep. I hope the hearing goes well for you and that your purse turns up.
Sorry about the ongoing moving drama, kathy. This too shall pass, right?
QWP, that's a big project!!! Here's hoping all goes according to plan and on budget!
(((PK))). Keeping you in my thoughts.
(((PK))) I really hope the hearing goes well, and that your purse shows up safely.
((( PK ))) Double whammy! Everything crossed for the hearing today. And hope the purse does show up -- or at least that you get replacements swiftly, are able to cut off the cards, yadda. xoxoxoo
Old Skool: I am sitting in the waiting room at the radiology department, bladder full of 1L of water, and I just heard the woman at the desk tell someone that ultrasound is running behind. I think, for me (with my over-active bladder), the full bladder wait (and the over-tummy with full bladder) is rougher than the internal scan.
QWP, I hope that you have had your US by now, but if not, can you whisper to the receptionist that you will explode if not seen ASAP?
Oh, that is so not acceptable, QWP. I mean, a person can only do so much without the call of nature being urgent.
Guess that all was a while ago, and hope there wasn't an incident on top of the indignity of the whole thing. xooxox
W: Certain political things continue to get on my last nerve. AGAIN.
AW: The makings for chicken noodle soup are in the crock pot, the noodles to be added later in the process. This is what I want a lot, lately. Plan to freeze some for future use.
W: I am craving some chopped liver, but some greedy pig ate up the last of it a couple of days ago.
W: No one else in the house likes chopped liver, so there is no one to blame but myself. I am a greedy pig.
AW: I thawed some chicken liver yesterday, so I can make more tonight.
AW: I was called for my US right after I whined!
W: after saying that the internal exam isn't so bad, because at least I get to relieve my bladder first, this internal was longer and a lot more thorough than ever before (and required near-gymnastics, as the tech needed more images). This was a follow-up, since the cyst looked funny (but smaller!) two months ago. I'm hoping that the tech was just being thorough, and that there wasn't any cause for concern. I'm sore after all that.
Can anyone explain the latest healthcare news? Is there anything still up for a vote, or was that all (or at least the current attempt) voted down today? Is there more spaghetti that they can throw at the wall, to see what sticks?
The hearing went pretty well. We didn't quite get what we were asking for, but pretty close. STBX has to do the DV assessment and toddler gets a more gradual transition to the next stage of her residential schedule than STBX was asking.
Eeeks, QWP! All that and gymnastics? Ugh. xoxo
A second proposal came up for a vote, and went down in flames. This was for full repeal of the ACA. So far, so good. But tomorrow is another day, and nobody knows what's up next, so far as I can tell. Probably something with amendments that aren't public yet.
Hugs all around. Passing the adult beverages. And chopped liver. xoxo
Dear Miss Demeanor,
May I bop someone who has chosen styrofoam packing peanuts to enhance a gift, thereby festooning my household with stuff that can hardly be contained, and can't even be recycled?
PK: I'm relieved that the court is still holding STBX to do the DV assessment, and that they're allowing for a gradual transition for toddler. Hugs about not getting quite what you were asking for.
PK! Sorry, missed your post, but that's great! He really, really needs to do the DV assessment. And your toddler is protected, too, from the unreasonable schedule he had in mind. xoxo
Nonnie: call around to your local shipping companies, and see if any of them will take clean packing peanuts (I hear rumor that You-Pee-Ess does). Barring that, a lot of private recycling companies take them, even though curbside recycling programs rarely do.
Thank you. I did hear that You-Pee-Ess re-uses the peanuts, once they are corralled and driven there. But I still want to bop someone. That might not be my most gracious thought ever.
Understandable! They are almost as bad as glitter, in terms of containment difficulties.
PK-- glad that the hearing went pretty well, and you have prevailed on those two really important things.
Kathy a. hope the need for soup wanes soon, and you are feeling back to 100% quickly!
mmmm..... chopped liver sounds good!
--Neighbor Lady
Hooray, PK!!! So glad you got the really big things you wanted even if you didn't get EVERYTHING.
(((QWP)))
ANM, I totally agree about packing peanuts. They are the work of the devil.
Crossing things off my list!
Freaking out a little because daughter's movers are coming Monday, and omg there is so much left to do. Breathing deeply.
Daughter is taking this chest (low and long with a fold-up top), which will be very useful. But to my horror, it turns out the thing is filled with MORE of my SIL's mountain of hideous clothing and accessories, which I thought had left the premises a few years ago. Tissue sized see-through tops (both animal print and paisley)! Red patent leather leopard print clogs! Black and white checker formal pumps! And ever so much more, some pieces still bearing price tags! Apparently another trip to donate is in order.
So your husband hid them in the chest rather than donate them?
I realize that my last comment came out pretty negative...but I'm kind of sticking with it.
On the up side, my endocrinologist is happy with my numbers, and wants me to stick with exactly what I'm doing, but mayyyybeeee add a little cardio? Maybe?
Yeah. Maybe.
He also really listened when I told him that I'm still leaking milk (irregularly. It's very much more apparent during what used to be That Time of the Month). He is prescribing that I take a half a dose once a week of a pill that may stop that. I'm all for that.
Liz, no offense taken. Fair observation. I'm pretty sure he stuck those things in the chest to get them out of the way, meaning to donate, and forgot all about them. He had this great idea last night that they should be donated to a particular thrift shop in a nearby town, but my plate does not allow for fighting traffic in that town, and so sometime soon they will go to our local donation station instead.
Yay about the "keep doing what you are doing" visit! Good news.
Sorry for the radio silence. Baboos and I have been at the grandparents house this week, with a midweek trip to visit extended family in the countryside. There were goats and cows and a recalcitrant horse that did not wish to be caught nor ridden. There was insufficient sleep and internet. We're headed home tomorrow.
Sounds perfect, Esperanza!!!
Oh, that's my favourite kind of trip, esperanza. I hope you all have a safe and happy trip home tomorrow.
Oh, great trip, Esperanza!
We had a nice belated b-d dinner with my DIL and son. Really good to see them.
Should we be contacting state representatives also about the Healthcare thing, or just senators at this point? I contacted my senators.
I woke up to good healthcare news! (Is it really over now? I know I'm a broken record here.)
QWP, it seems to be over for now -- they are not getting something rammed through before teh summer recess. Some people promised to support a bipartisan effort later, but it's unclear if that will actually happen.
PK, you can take a short break! But as news comes, keep contacting Senators and members of the House.
If your state hasn't expanded Medicaid yet, contact your state general assembly members and your governor to get moving on that NOW. The more states who've expanded, the safer it is.
You can also contact them to put pressure on the Congressional folks.
If your members of Congress and senators voted no, send them thank you notes.
Liz gets the Politeness in Politics Award, for suggesting thank you notes!!
Also a great idea to be talking about the importance of health care at the state level. I agree, medicaid is a particular target, and the more expansion, the better (for residents of the states, as well as the general national population).
I'm thinking of writing a song to the tune of "Rawhide." But the lyrics will be more along the lines of, "Packing packing packing, keep those boxes stacking, tape 'em up real good, they'll get where you'll reside." Yee ha....
AW: Great dinner with the kids last night! Last time they'll visit before daughter's move; but the real reason was DIL's birthday a couple weeks ago. Then we got to go pet the grand-guinea, who is extremely cute, especially when a carrot is involved.
And Kathy wins for style!
Old Skool entry, visiting someone else's house edition: one pillow is too flat. Two pillows are too tall. I missed my perfect pillow.
AW: my mom cooked supper last night, all with ingredients that did not come from the grocery store (excepting seasoning): venison backstrap on the grill; tomatoes; cream zipper peas; and fried squash and okra, in cornmeal, as the good Lord intended. So. Good. Peas, tomatoes, and okra from my church gardener. Squash and venison from the country cousins.
Yay for mom and the bounty!
Went this morning and got more boxes, more packing material, more tape. Already ran out of this giant roll of tape. Have only packed a few myself so far today, but taped up and marked all the ones that daughter packed -- it appears I have strong opinions about proper markage and tapeage, no doubt due to deeply traumatic moving and shipping experiences in the past.
We've leaned toward small banker boxes in the box acquisition department, because they are easier to carry. Which is good, because a lot of her boxes hold books (wonder where she gets that?), and they weigh a freakin' ton anyway. The larger items are a headache, but do-able. Off to see to more tape...
Oooh, Esperanza. SOOO jealous of the food.
I bring my pillow whenever I'm going to stay overnight anywhere. My TMJ thanks me.
The giant ornate mirror is cushioned to a fare-thee-well and boxed. Victory! Next up: framed posters. Then a lot of small framed things.
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