My Day.

This is my day.
I posted this on FB because I felt it encapsulated me pretty well during the quarantine.




I do wait until 5 or later because I am still mostly working.
Our life really isn't that different. Maybe that's why it's so hard for us to understand everyone's anxiety. We are doing pretty much the same thing only we can't find food, and other essentials.

I laugh at all my women friends ready to divorce.
I laugh because I get it.
I remember a time when Rick and I worked together - at the beginning of our relationship. (not married)
Unlike this where he goes to work and I am behind in the office.
We actually worked together. Lived together. Drove to work together.
It was all too much.
I remember hearing him breathing on the sofa and I recall saying to my sister, "Dear God he's still breathing!"  Oh, I felt that. So I love these men & women's memes that show that frustration. Thankfully we aren't there anymore!!  But it took counseling and work and as only Rick and I can do a lot of laughter. Our counselor would give us the weirdest looks when we would go from a sensitive topic and a bit of anger and then burst into laughter. Hey, it works for us. Thank God.

Today is a constant steady rain and I just love days like this.
It's quiet in the office right now. I am knee-deep in shit to do and think I will walk away anyway, make a cup of coffee, and pet my dog.
Talk to ya'll tomorrow.
Hope you are all healthy and safe!

He Did Not Say That.

It is very early morning.
As you have learned from reading this blog for awhile, I am not a talker in the morning.
Don't worry I make it all up through out the day.☺

I am petting the dog and I sit down. Rick is buzzing around the kitchen. He hands me my coffee as I try to wake.
TV is on in the background.
I swear to God I hear the announcer on the commercial playing say, "he's a selfish prick!"

Well, THAT woke me up!
I began to laugh. Rick's asks what's so funny and he looks toward the tv to see a local car commercial on.
He looks at me bewildered.
I say, I just heard him say "he's a selfish prick. And I know they did not say that on a car commercial"

"Your hearing loss is so damn funny, you may wish to not fix it. I am always amused"

Glad I can help.

Hair Clippers

Yesterday we learned that this SBA money that they keep talking about it is not always free.
They tout how you won't have to pay this back etc. 
Use it like a grant they say.
We can not get this because we no longer have employees. So we are disqualified from there. We had to prove payroll, expenses to keep the lights on etc. We had it all but no employees. So disqualified.
We are forever on the search for employees but thus far not so great.

When we applied it takes you to a lender. 
So this money is not coming from the SBAas dumb ole Margaret thought.
It also states in very very small print that this money may be asked to be paid back.
If you give someone 20K to spend to keep the doors open doubtful one can pay this back.

I don't think enough people are aware of this. Not all are grants. It is up to the lender. And while I was so dumb to think the lender was the SBA, it is not. There are several lenders.
So before you get excited about all this money, can you pay it back if they want it as a loan and not a grant? If the answer is not a resounding YES then don't take the money because you will only be worse off in the end.

Yesterday I contacted a person I know who has applied. I told her to make certain she does not have to pay this back. She called me last night to share that she found out she did have to pay it back and thanked me. She said they keep calling them grants but I was told I would have to pay this back and no one or nowhere did anyone point this out to me.  If she had not asked she would have been screwed. So she refused the monies. She would be further in debt with the money that she would not be able to afford to pay back or pay back easily without taking from somewhere else. She told me she sat down with her husband they went through several scenarios and they felt it was better to risk not getting it because the risk was higher on getting it.

My hairdresser who is on this crusade to get up and running is on FB daily annoying me to the point that I had to unfollow her. She is convinced she will get this next round of money and she has no employees. I mentioned that she may wish to read the small print and see if she has to give it back.
She said, "No trump said this was like free money" So you're using this idiot as your guide to what is correct and what is misinformation? Oh dear, she is screwed for certain.
She is also the one that told me that if I only paid my interest on my mortgage they could not foreclose. I asked where the hell she heard that because it is not true. She said, "trump said it at a news briefing"  Again if he said it, it is probably wrong. She voted for him and doesn't see the issue. The poor thing may lose her home because she is not paying her mortgage. 
I told her to check with her mortgage company to be sure because mine is not helping its customers one iota.
So what have we learned so far? An excellent hairstylist with a US-Wide following is sure dumb when it comes to seeing beyond the orange. 
But then I remember she voted for this asshole so let her listen to him and see how far that takes her. Poor dumb shit. Hopefully, she doesn't drink disinfectant or shove a UV light up her butt because when I can I will still need a hair cut. (and it's all about me) 

I finally received my hair clippers yesterday. I wanted Wahl clippers. 
Wahl online was out of them. Target, Walmart, Amazon, kohls, and a few others were all out of stock. Oh, the nice ones that were $500 and up were in stock in some places. One really nice one was $750. If I was cutting hair for a living fine, but I no longer cut hair for a living so a good solid pair for $100 was enough I felt. 
Once Rick can go see his young boobalicious blonde hairdresser I won't be cutting his hair anymore unless he really wants me to.

So this weekend I am going to brush off my rusty haircutting skills and see what we can do for Rick's hair. 
He does not wear his hair cut straight across the bottom in the back. 
That is easy peasy to do with scissors and that is what I did.  
He normally has a fade. 
I want his done like that so clippers are what is needed.
Now do I think I can do this? Oh No. Only in my mind's eye does this go perfectly how I remember doing this in the late 70s. HA. Thankfully Rick wants nothing more than to shave his head. So he thinks I will screw this up so badly he will have to. I am damn determined to not have him shave his head.

In all honesty, he has an egg head. He will not look good with a shaved head. Now if he told me this I would be livid. 
You can't tell me what to do with my hair, it's my hair I'd protest.
But the poor man when he does I beg him to leave his hair there. 
That isn't fair of me I know. But damn it, he would look so bad with no hair. Then again maybe we need to find out. No, nix that. We don't, I know. He doesn't have much hair left on his head anyway.
Let it be, it will all be gone soon enough I tell him.

I will post a photo of this, no matter how bad it is.
Hey, I am not a licensed professional.
It's been 45 years since I cut hair. So this should be interesting, or laughable. Or both. 
Oh dear, I hope if it's bad he can laugh. He says he can. We will see. 
He also has a low bar so there is that for which I am thankful. 
Now when in my chair if I can just get him to not be so handsy we should come out of this well.  How is that for optimistic?

Monday Morning

Some random items that have been said, have occurred or just went through my little old head.

Watching Jeopardy with my husband always makes me laugh. 
I admit I do learn a lot as well. He knows the things I don't normally.
I learn that he can go through a critter category like nobodies business.
I don't know my critters but my hillbilly sure does. When he does get an answer wrong he will say, "Same Thing" which always makes me laugh. 
If the answer is Nova Scotia, and he answered Prince Edward Island, he will just say, 'Same Thing' as if he is correct. But how else would I have learned about 2 and 3 toes sloths? Give me geography and I can clean out that column. But critters, nope. 

We watched the full season of After Life on Saturday. 
We were crying like babies throughout the full season. 
My God Ricky Gervais is good in this. 
The pain that is on every inch of his face just kills me. 
Rick was crying, I was crying. Izzy did not cry but came over to us both for comfort. I think she thought we were both upset. Izzy was so cute.  This is such a lovely show! Ah, but sometimes the translation.

As I have said to you before I had a boss from Ireland. He went ballistic when someone in a meeting said "fanny pack" when it was announced we were going to Vegas for our conference. Of course, Bruce took me aside, (I was his translator) and he asked what do we Americans think a fanny pack is? I explain. He whispers to me with a beet-red face what fanny means in the UK. Oops.  No, that is just a vagina here. 
And the C-word which is so nothing there, but means something so awful here. There were times when he would pull out a paper and ask me over drinks what the hell we Americans were saying and we'd go through his list. I loved this man as a boss but as a friend, he is the best. He would bring things to my attention that I may or may not have ever noticed and he would ask why we said or did this or that. It made me see things through his eyes and more often than not it made me laugh because his observations were spot on and always right. This show throws all those words out there that so fondly remind me of Bruce's first move to the U.S. and me being the translator. 

Our life has not changed that much during the pandemic. We are busy with work. Doing what we can in empty homes. It shocks me how many people will leave their homes and allow us in them just to get this done. Priorities are all screwed up but I must say it is keeping us afloat since we are getting no SBA loan or unemployment or stimulus monies. We are the little guy in the middle being screwed once again.

I am no longer watching the news except in the early morning to see if anything else happened.
You know like what asinine thing the orange leader spewed this time. 
Then no more news. Period.
I don't need it.  I am doing it all correctly. Social Distancing - ALWAYS. 
I have been wearing a mask for 3 weeks when out and about. 
I only go to the pharmacy and grocery store so we're okay with all my travels. :-)

Rick on Friday was in the town of Reston VA. He stopped at a Home Depot in this city between his jobs. He was standing in line to be let in (walkie talkies tell the guy at the front door if 1 or more people can enter by how many have left)
As Rick was about to enter he saw a man walking from to his car with a big ass amount of Charmin. 
He yelled to the man - you got that inside? 
The man shook his head yes.
Rick was thrilled he was next to get in. Of course, he got some Charmin first. They had a lot. He so wanted to take more than 1 but he felt that was wrong since we get angry at others for hoarding. 
But one big container of 16 rolls was a good find!

He got home on Friday and held it behind his back. 
He said, "Who loves you, baby?"
"What did you do Richard?"
He laughs and insists he only did something that is going to make me very, very happy.
He brings his hands to the front and proudly holds the Charmin.
I squeal of course.  I jumped up and down like I was a teenager.
For friggin' Charmin. How pathetic is my life? But I am so very happy!

I immediately took off that damn "angel soft" which I might add is anything but soft and put Charmin on the roll. We went about our day.  That evening Rick gets up and uses the powder room downstairs and I hear him say from the closed bathroom door, "Oh how I love Charmin!" 
That made me laugh. Yes, we both love our Charmin.

Here is my pandemic Meme of the Day:

What Day Is It?

I'm running away so in the meantime you can get caught up with the woman in the closet from yesterday. I love this woman.  Is this for real or for jokes?
Either way, I am enjoying her delivery.

Where Do You Keep The Spoons?

Things I heard last evening that may or may not have annoyed me.

• Everything is too organized now and I can't find a damn thing.
• wow. all my laundry is done. How did you do that?
• This is the best dinner ever.
• Where do you keep the flour?

The answers to the above.

• Good grief, keep looking, geez. NOTHING is in a new place
• Aargh. !@#$ !@#$! !@#$!% !#@$!$*&^% !!!!!
• Good because I am so friggin' sick of cooking dinner, nachos are a fine dinner, go ask any 15 year old. 
• The same place it's been the last 20 years of living here. Go find it. No, I am not giving you directions in our own home. You live here too. And don't tell me it's not on google maps because it wasn't funny the first time you said it.

Yes, I made nachos for dinner. Don't shame me. I had a cocktail and some nachos. I just did not feel like cooking. And honest to God nothing sounded good to eat. So fat and calorie-laden nachos it was. Rick was in heaven as you can see from our platter. He devoured most of it. He loves leftover nachos when soggy the weirdo, so I put the leftovers on a plate and I know for certain he will eat them when he gets home this afternoon. We should have grilled something because the weather was so nice and today and tomorrow are to be all day rains. 

Gross Finished Nacho Plate:

Last night we were on the stoop with the dog. Our young neighbors next door came out with their dogs. Staying a safe 7 ft away from us we chatted. I should say the female of the household chattered and we listened.

She works in marketing for Audi. (she drives very nice cars!)  Her dept. has stopped all marketing campaigns and all marketing period. No money to be spent for the foreseeable future. She was to hire someone for her team and they have stopped all hiring. She said that there is not much for her to do on a daily basis now. 

I asked if she felt her job was secure. She said, Oh yea I do. Spoken like someone who has never been in that situation before.

Then she went on to tell me that they are looking at buying a new home. They found one that needed some work but because of needing work it was only $650K so they are going back to look at it Friday. She went on to explain that this trip was to add up all they need to do before they move in and the totals costs. She thinks they can get by with only spending another 50-75K.  

Rick said what I never would have said to her and he asked, "Did you think you may want to wait until your job security is settled."  

She said, "Oh I won't lose my job. They have not had layovers since I was born."  

Okay, this is where Rick and I have been around this block a few times.

I too did not think I could possibly lose my job when I was number 1 on the east coast every year I was there except my first year. I had awards and commendations, I was sought out by headhunters for the competition. I too was cocky. But guess what? I lost my job, my pension, and a healthy six-figure income. So you've got to be prepared.  You may not get a job in your field again or at the same level. But she thinks she is untouchable. She works in a cubicle for a team that has been shut down. No money. So why wouldn't their next step be to begin layoffs?  I know she may be a manager or head of a team, but she works in a cubicle,. Those are the first to go. Not the guy in the glass office overlooking the Potomac and overlooking her desk/cubicle.  

(We also do not live in the dumb part of the south that is reopening and ignoring science. So we will be in lockdown for at least another 30 days or until the curve flattens.)

She waxed poetic about her job and this new house and I hope she gets to keep both. I just am thrilled after Rick asked he shut the hell up!!

Being the head of many HR depts he has seen this and he felt from his previous experience she should be concerned about her job status right now.   

She told us her parents (just a decade older than us) were trying to convince her to wait until she saw how this played out at work before buying a new home. 

She said her mom didn't understand that homes sell here in 2 days and due to the pandemic they have time but not a lot of time. She said then her father called her to try to talk some sense into her. She laughed and told her dad the same thing. We smiled and listened.

She is so excited about this house that I hope it all works out for her.

I like these kids. His job is very stable. He works for the cloud. He is the electrician who keeps it all running. We have a town of nothing but gray buildings and it is the cloud for many companies, Verizon, Amazon, etc.

She did mention that if they only lived on one of their incomes they couldn't do this. Something was said when she was discussing her conversation with her father.  Thankfully Mr. No Filter Rick said nothing and neither did I. Again we just listened.  It is none of our concern or business.  I can't imagine being the parents and watching your kids do this. It would be like watching a free fall. I hope her parents and her neighbors Rick and Peg are wrong. She finally asked if they are gone longer than expected on Friday would I walk the dogs. I said sure. 

So that ended that.  

I said later to Rick that when I was that age (30s) I am not sure what I would do. You think you're invincible until shit happens to you and you become a bit more trepidacious. It's all part of living and growing up. 

I saw that kind of stuff in my family but I still think I may have behaved just like her.   I'm not sure. So with age comes life experience. If she loses her job this will be her life experience. I just hope she doesn't. 

Lockdown meme of the week.

What I'm watching

We have YouTube as a channel on our TV line up. (ch 371)
I had heard that John Krasinski, (yes Jack Ryan and the office John K)
had a show on YouTube that was called Some Good News (SGN)

He does this from his home. I think the episodes are 30 minutes or less.
There is one episode a week. 
No news that is depressing, just uplifting news.

We watched the 1st one and got a kick out of it.
You see we will tune in to the news in the morning and then the rest of the day we don't wish to hear the same shit rehashed. It gets so heavy and depressing and it just is not good to do to oneself while in quarantine. 
So we figured let's turn this on instead of the news.
So at around 6:30 when the news is on we watch this. If it is a day that there is no SGN  on we will go to Cheers or Seinfeld or not watch TV at all. We just know for us, watching the news on a loop does nothing positive for us.

John does this show from his home. In the first episode, we giggled when he got up from his chair and he had on a tutu. From the waist up as we all look when on Zoom we have dressed appropriately, but what no one can see is usually a disaster.
Each episode we look forward to what he is wearing below the waist as the show ends and he gets up from his chair. Silly of us but it is cute. Boston Red Sox Boxer shorts I think was his 2nd episode below his suit coat and tie.

He held a live prom on YouTube this past weekend. Billie Eilish and Jonas Brothers and Chance the rapper. I tuned in but didn't stay. I got a kick out of it when I saw the mom and dads dressed to the 9's as well.

I believe there have only been 4 episodes so far. Give it a go for some good news and tongue in cheek "reporting"  Brad Pitt did the weather, he stuck his head out of the window and went, eh it's okay or some such silly thing.
Just silly stuff but not depressing.
We all need some good news - SGN.

We have watched the Jimmy's doing their late-night shows from home.
Fallon's kids interrupt and I don't honestly find that all that endearing. Especially in the middle of an interview with Halle Berry. He looks like his house in the Hamptons where he is quarantined is a hobbit house. Dreadful but the slide to the floor below I am certain everybody loves. I'd use it all the time!
These shows aren't great but I do like John's even if only 1 day a week.

In other news...
Friday is Season 2 of After Life. I so love Ricky Gervais. Season 1 was so damn good. I admit at the beginning I thought his character was such an asshole and asked myself why the hell I am watching it. He was just so angry and mean.
Rick plugged away and I watched along with him and then as you realize he is in such deep mourning over his wife's death that him being an asshole to everyone around him is how he is coping. If it weren't for his dog he claims he would have killed himself than to go on without her. But he can't bear doing that to his dog. He does make a friendship with a woman on a bench who visits her husband's grave. They sit and chat about their spouses. It is lovely. I fear we will find that she is a figment of his imagination. Rick said he doesn't think that will be the case. I hope Rick is right. This woman is perfect fodder for seeing his cranky and not allowing it.
By the end of the first season, he is being more kind to himself. We are both looking forward to this lovely show coming back on Netflix Friday. If you like Ricky then you will like this. The mailman and he crack me up.
And why is it that if a Brit swears it sounds far more lovely than if I said it.

I saw this on FB
If you don't have Facebook then I'm sorry you can't see this family.
I couldn't get this link without using Facebook. 
This father had the right idea to keep the kids busy for a while.

I loved it because it was fun but the kids are perfect.
The first kid being the oldest goes down the correct way. Type A, helps her little sister, and does it correctly. 
The 2nd child is a boy and of course, he goes down the homemade slide backward thinking he is so cool.
Then the baby. She goes down on her belly backward and with nothing to help her slide under her. She started with a pillow but somewhere along the line, it wasn't there. The typical baby of the family doing it her way. 
I thought the family dynamics were so interesting. The whole thing was fun and I wish Rick could make this for me here at our home. Having 3 floors it would be fun to slide down the steps instead of walking or running up and down the steps.

And finally, this was sent to me from my friend in Ireland who despises our orange leader and sends me some of the foulest things that even I won't share.
But he knows I am never offended. Last week I said, "Hey Bruce you were my boss isn't this inappropriate?"  He wrote back, "I'm not your boss anymore!"
I love the guy and I love how he is so ensconced in our politics. I told him if I were him I'd just be thankful I didn't live in the U.S. anymore and be done with all this crap.  I admit I love his perspective on all things American because he makes me see things through a different lens and more often than not it makes me laugh and I see what he is seeing.  When he first moved here he would whisper something to me and ask me what it meant. Words may sound the same here as they are in the UK but they sure don't mean the same thing. It was a great learning experience for us both.  His friendship means the world to me.  I wish I could go to visit him.

Here is what he sent.

Will Work For Charmin.

Sunday Rick suggested we take a ride. Izzy LOVES car rides.
She is not that dog you see with her head out the window. 
Nope, doesn't like that.
She likes to just sit and watch the cars and people go by or just lay in the back and go to sleep. Normally it's the latter.
If you say, "hey Izzy wanna go for a ride?" She will run to the front door.
I find it funny. When she was having issues sleeping after her surgery we would get her in the car and drive around and she would fall asleep. Rick would carry her in the house and just like a baby then she was down for the night. Literally our fur baby.

So the 3 of us left our little cocoon Sunday early afternoon and headed west.
We got to Aldie park and decided to go in. 
We never even knew it was there.
How have we missed this for 20 yrs? 
We drove back there thinking it'd be dead and we'd get out. But everyone thought that on a nice warm Sunday afternoon.
There were pods of people. Like a family group all masked and staying 6 ft or more from the other family group. We decided to stay inside.
There were babies there and I can still give a baby chicken pox so it's best I just stay in the car.

We took a photo of this little falls right there from the car. 
Izzy so wanted in that water.
She whimpered as she watched the falls and others going near it.  
Too many people so we headed back to the main road and continued west. We drove through beautiful horse country and had the windows down. The trees blooming, the flowers, the horses, oh my the allergies.
But it was a way to get out and do something even though we weren't "out"

We saw so many cars filled with people. We saw a lot of convertibles with the whole family in the car and hair blowing in the wind. We saw a ton of caravans or mommy mobiles as I call them. Filled with kids and parents. I am certain everyone just wanted to get outside.  We drove through my favorite little town of Middleburg. We saw a mom, dad, and kid eating an ice cream cone on a bench on a deserted main street.  It was eerie. 
We wondered where they got the ice cream since all the storefronts were closed. Yes, we even left our home and we're thinking about food. Dear Lord.

I know many many people are lonely, miserable, antsy, crabby, hating being around their "loved ones" annoyed and insert your adjective here.

But I am thankful. Thankful that Rick is still alive and kicking.
I am thankful that I like being around him and there is no drama only laughter and a Mr. Cranky Pants from time to time.
I am thankful that this really hasn't changed my life a whole lot in many ways. 
But I would be most thankful if I could get a big ass pack of Charmin.
I will work for Charmin.  

I don't want your Angel Soft or your store brand and heaven forbid no Scots. If I wanted a scratchy leaf I could save money and use the leaves outside. No to Scots TP even being sold as toilet tissue. It is scratchy sandpaper and belongs on the shelves at home depot.

I see the rednecks holding up their signs give me liberty or give me death.
I opt for them getting COVID-19 and who knows they may get their wish of getting death.

My sign reads, Give me some damn CHARMIN!!!!!
pretty please!

Peas

A lot has changed in regards to this bout of shingles.
My face and hairline and some of my head still have pain but it's easily managed with Tylenol, I surely don't need the strong drugs they gave me. So no more being high as a kite and posting blogs as I did a few days back. I still have 2 weeks more of anti-viral and 2 days left of steroids. 

My eye is one big black scab. 
This morning Rick called me Scabby Girl. As in, Morning Scabby Girl.
Nice.
I keep my sunglasses on while outside for equal parts no one sees this even from 6 ft away or the wind and cold really hurt it on my eye and hairline. Weird isn't it that wind/cold could hurt me?

My dr has followed up with me many times she was so fearful of me losing sight in my eye. She also told me on Friday that since me she has had 3 more bouts of shingles. She said you can tell everyone is under stress. I asked, "So Dr. Kate I was your first? I feel so special."  
She laughed and said to me that if it weren't for Rick and myself she wouldn't laugh while on calls with patients and she thanked me for that. She told me her dealing with all this stress has been stress-eating. 
I told her that I will remind her of that when I am next in her office and she makes me get on that friggin' scale and she yells at me.

Friday night after dinner Rick was not in the best of moods.
Rick has been working for a few weeks now at an empty hotel.
We were thankful this came into our lap at such a good time.
The contract was drawn, he signed it, agreed to terms, and sent in his deposit. We began the job.
They knew because it is stated very clearly in the contract that payment is due upon completion. 
Thursday night Rick wrote the GM an email.
Rick told him he would be done as the contract outlined tomorrow and he would be ready for the GM at 2pm to view the rooms he finished up that day and to settle up. The GM says sure, see you then.

Friday the GM thanked Rick for doing such an "incredibly impressive" (his words) job.
Thanked us for working within their schedule so easily.
Then when Rick had him sign off that job was indeed completed to their utmost satisfaction they did not pay us. 
He said that Mr. P was the head of the investment group who pays everyone not me. He said he is here in the building let me get him. 
Mr. P. showed up and told Rick that his work was the best of this type he's ever seen in any city etc. Rick waited for the smoke he was blowing up his ass to clear and said, "Per the contract today the final payment is due."  Mr. P. said no, the contract says to pay upon completion. You've completed and I will send a check. 
Rick had a copy of the contract and showed him and the man still believes he didn't need to have the money. He said the investment group has a renovation line of credit. He must get the money approved from the bank and then a check will be sent. You will probably get it by May 1st.
He assumed when it was done, he will then ask the bank for the monies. No that is not how it works, in fact the contract no only tells you, it outlines it for you and Rick of course shows him this in all 3 places. 

Rick told me he just stood there for what seemed like a full minute or two so he didn't say the wrong thing. He finally said, "Mr. P. if you knew it was due today why wouldn't you have given this to the bank so a check could have been here today?"  Mr. P had no answer. Then again, thanked us. Rick stopped him and said I am glad you are happy with the work, we have bent over backward to accommodate you during Covid-19 and work within your protocols and time frames.  I am just a small business and now I don't get paid...Mr. P. jumped in and said, "Oh but you will get paid."  Rick said nothing more.
As Rick grabbed his bag of goodies he uses Mr. P. said, "If there are any issues in the next week that the engineer may find do we call you?"  
Rick smiled and said you can call me but I am not coming back to do any more work until you honor the contract, sir. 
Mr. P. said, "Ah, gotcha".
Didn't even fuss, he knew he was oh so wrong.

So no money coming in, thinking okay after 2.5 weeks of work we'll have a nice check to keep the lights on for another day and then no money is paid. 
We can't get unemployment, we applied for the SBA loan and so far only have heard that they are out of money and no stimulus. So we are just that little guy in the middle being screwed once again.

The GM called the office after Rick left. He asked for Rick's cell phone.
Rick told me when he got home that he called him and after Rick left the GM and Mr. P discussed this and they are going to try to make this faster than May 1st. Rick explained it was the disrespect and the lack of honor to the contract that bothers him most. The GM was floored we were not paid and he was apologizing to Rick. He does believe we will be paid and he just wanted Rick to know that. He felt terrible. Not enough to pay us but it wasn't for him to pay. 

So Friday Rick wasn't in the best of moods.(he's very sore too so being physically sore, exhausted and not paid is not a good combo for Rick) 
We got the dog and decided to walk off some steam after dinner and take our dog on a long walk. Each block Rick's mood was getting better. He saw people and they waved and he saw a dog he loves so each block was bringing him out of his lousy mood.

We were now about 7 blocks from home rounding this bend when Rick says out loud, "You know we would have to have had the peas planted by now." 
I stopped walking and let go of his hand and said, WHAT?
He said "The peas should be planted by now"

I began to laugh. I mean really laugh. What the hell is he talking about?
I ask, "Were you thinking of something and then just blurted out this info about peas and didn't realize you said it out loud?"
Gee Rick that is so friggin' random. Where did that come from?
He just laughed realizing how odd that indeed was.

I asked, "when have we ever planted peas in the back 40 John-boy?"
Now that made him laugh, really laugh.
He says he didn't know he just thought of it. Okay but I've known you for 33 years and never have you planted peas or have we planted peas. 
(oh yes we did plant them when we lived in Seattle, snow peas, sorry 'bout that) 
He has no response to why he said it. 
He states it's a fact but he doesn't know why he said it.  
We couldn't stop laughing at ole John Boy and his peas.

I do not know where the hell that came from but I do know it broke his mood and the rest of the night was just fine. I thank whoever planted that stupid line in his head because it changed his mood for the better and took his mind off of not being paid for all his hard work.  

Sprinkles

Below is a funny photo of me.
Now, this is me with a hot mess of hair and sunglasses. (and pj's)

A friend and I were talking on the phone about our hair.
Her roots were showing and I told her I can hide mine pretty well. 
I also explained how I asked to have more of my natural color of white added upfront (my bangs) and my hairdresser obliged on my last visit with the caveat that I return in 3 - 4 weeks to get it finished.
The brown hair color was removed with bleach of some sort to the point of yellow and we were to pick up in a few weeks. 
Because my hair is fine she was afraid if the bleach was left on any longer it could break. So I was okay doing it in 2 rounds and walking around like this for 4 weeks, what's 4 weeks I said.  That was 5 weeks ago.

My friend sent me a photo of her roots. The jokes started. 
She kept sending me pictures through the night of her with a mullet, her with an 80s poodle perm, then a skull cap like she's bald and told me she shaved her head. These looked like something her kids used for Halloween. Her pics were funny and her commentary was filthy and she was making me laugh like crazy and it was appreciated while I waited for my pain medication to kick in. The way she fixed her hair to look like a mullet was hysterical. She titled that pic, Tiger King. 

Then she told me to send her a pic of my hair
I said I didn't do my hair today, it's bed head.  
I whined. She taunted. Then I said okay. I sent it.
She sent back, "OMG, Warn people before they have to see that black scabby swollen face will ya?" with a heart emoji of course. 

I knew she was just busting my chops. (so don't say she was mean we have known each other since 6th grade, we talk like this to one another) 
But my face has changed since you last saw it, far less swollen and now all the bumps are black scabs with a ring of red around them. Looks far worse which is odd. It is oh so pretty. Use for my Tinder photo perhaps?

So I sent her back this one with my sunglasses on.
She wrote back  - "that's better and when the hell are you going to learn how to take a selfie woman...or your hair?"  

Because business is slow and my medication makes my mind wander. 
Honestly, I was doing something and then I saw something shiny and forgot there was bread in the oven and then it was a charcoal briquette.  See I did it again....Back to my face.  
Because I have a lot more time on my hands I looked at this photo more than normal. I hate my photos and never allow pics of myself and would never normally stare at them but I did and here is what I found that I found interesting.
Note: Interesting is not necessarily the word others would probably use but again I am medicated and finding interest in lint so bear with me.

'

Why can't I do this selfie shit and smile? 

Why is my mouth somewhat open do I think I'm JLO? 

Why am I showing people this photo around the world when my hair is not styled and it is bed head? 

When do you think I will learn to use my smartphone camera like a teen?

Well, this shallow segment was brought to you by Peg, the narcissist wuss who can't handle her shingles medication. 
(Margaret makes fun of her all the time)
Blogging under the influence here.

And while we are on the word shingles. Were we on the word?
Doesn't shingles sound like a fun happy name? 
Sprinkles, shingles, tinkles, all harmless sounding.
It just doesn't sound scary like it should.

Rant

I am incredibly tired and sad about all the whining about having to be quarantined.  Yes, the memes are damn funny but the bitching has got to stop. Have we forgotten why we are doing this? 

I am finding the worst whining and bitching is coming from those most privileged.  I get it, you're not used to having to stay put, you eat out 3 or more times a week and now heaven forbid must make your own food, you have money to blow on travel more than most. 
And from what I hear worse yet is being in the house with your "loved ones"  Really? How sad is that? Maybe this is a time to reevaluate your life, your choices and how to make it all better for yourself.

I honestly understand how difficult this can be for some, but what makes you more special than anyone else?
The hardships that have befallen on those with less than you are really struggling and bitching far less.  If you wish to be busy, why not take your whiny ass to the food pantry or food bank. Donate. Get in your car, put on your mask and gloves and bring them things they need desperately. You are doing something wonderful and you are getting to leave your home. 

Bake and cook for a homeless shelter. 
Stop being so self-centered and acting as if this is only inconveniencing you. A waitress makes $2.xx an hour. So her/his unemployment is based only on her/his $2.xx an hour. Think a wait person can survive on that unemployment which is probably less than $100 a week. How do they eat, keep on the lights and feed their family?

You staying home is saving a grandmother's life, a kid's life, a young person who has his whole future in front of him. This isn't just about you!

To those who are business owners. We are scared shit less.  
You all have spent years building your business to have it stop like a faucet. I get it. I too am self-employed. I too am considered unessential. But I am exhausted from those in this group or that group who think their non-essential business should be opened first. No, you are not better than the young person who just opened their first storefront for his silkscreen business and has to feed a wife and new baby. You don't think he deserves it as much as a  plumber, restaurant owner, hairdresser? 
What makes one person think their business is more important to open before another? Stop it, it doesn't make you look like a nice person. 
Perhaps if you aren't nice, fake it until you make it would be my advice.
You'd be surprised how fast nice takes over.
Kindness is contagious, let's try that for a while because it would be a refreshing pandemic wouldn't it?

Wednesday.

Oh, how this made me laugh!

Sorry guys this shingles shit is kicking my butt. Seems silly that some bumps and a very swollen eye can be so painful. It really zaps my energy and I am still working.  Napping when I can. Thank God for the drugs.  I feel constantly buzzed and while this is a feeling I normally do not enjoy, at least not from pain pills anyway, I am thankful to feel that way and to have less pain.  

Life through modern chemistry. 😉

I just had to...

My video conference with my doctor Saturday was so she could see my face to diagnose shingles.
I imagine this will be next.

Eyes

I wrote this below on my phone at 12am. I was a bit loopy. I have a long way to go but my eye is open today and while my face and eye are still swollen it is so much better. It looks damn good compared to what it was but the pain is amazingly bad. But as long as my face gets back to normal I will be fine.

Because this happens to a weak immune system I really can't go out now. My doctor told me even wearing gloves and masks (which in our town you can't enter a store of any kind without a mask or gloves or you will be turned away) would not be a good thing for me to be out.  So until this is over I can't even go to the grocery store. Rick will have to do everything now.

Here are today's photos. It is soooo much better as I said. It actually looks like an eye. My lower lid and upper are still swollen and down my face a bit as well. I know you don't know that but trust me it is 50% better. Hey, my eye is open. The swelling is almost gone and the bumps are down. 
I hate all these drugs I am ingesting but they are working!

Left eye -    
I think it looks good here. It looks worse in person but still so much better. The drugs are obviously helping quickly. It is so swollen on the bottom lid that it doesn't show the wrinkles. Figures I would notice that right?           

Right eye - 
This is my right eye today without Shingles. 
But I can't see much with this eye due to the mass on my retina. 
So while it looks better I really need my other eye!
Now you can see all my wrinkles on my 64 year old eyes here. 
But you know what - I can somewhat see so that is all that matters right now.

I am going to let you read my drug-induced post from last night/early morning.
Not a lot different from my sober ramblings. But boy I was pissed. It made me laugh when I read it this morning.  We've talked it out and I am fine. But boy you can tell I wasn't yesterday.  And I was not overreacting to his statements, behavior or the situation. He was an ass in my humble opinion. 
_____________________________________________
It is now 12:30am. 
I am on a lot of medication and my body clock and I are all f-up. 
Izzy and Rick are in bed fast asleep.

The pain is seriously not fun.
But when I've told you how my muscles seize, that is far worse pain than this. 100% worse.
But trust me that does not mean this is not bad. It's very bad.
And the pain is in my eye!  My good eye, the one without a mass on my retina. 
At times I get a zing of pain right through my eye that brings me to my knees. Of course, everyone wants to share how I can go blind from this. 
Gee thanks. 
I know and I'm trying not to think about it. Not working.

Also for anyone who hasn't gotten the shot - get it. They say mine will be less than because I had the vaccine. Okay, I get that but if this is less than as far as pain then I don't want the full-blown pain.

I have been given antiviral drugs, nerve blocking drugs, and a steroid. 
Yeah, a steroid always makes me so hungry - I'm stuck in the house, boy when it rains it pours.

Yesterday my eye was swollen shut. 
Today it's able to be open an almost all the way.
It is still quite swollen but it's so much better. Pain is the same.
"They," say this will last 2 to 6 weeks. My doctor says she has never seen less than 21 days. I am going into this mentally preparing for the longest just in case.

Enough of the clinical, allow me to share an observation I've noticed.

On Monday I complained about the pain around that pimple. I had a headache and I was nauseous. I tell rick and say what the hell do you think this is? He says you don't have COVID-19, and laughs it off. I tell him how much this hurts and he ignores me. He went on and on about his shoulder and I rubbed his shoulder for him. 

Tuesday I have a wicked headache and bitched about it. Rick said its probably because you've cut back on your coffee intake. Hmm. could be.
Tuesday night I had chills, then hot/feverish, nauseous and a bad headache. I wonder of course if I have COVID-19 but I am not coughing and no issue with breathing. Bad, bad, night. I was up a great deal of the night. I can't sleep on the side that I normally do because it hurts that eye. I am miserable.

Wednesday has not changed much from Tuesday. But my eye was really hurting and so was my hairline and head. WTH? I noticed some small "pimples" in my hairline on the same side as my eye.  I showed Rick and he asked if I was going through puberty with the pimples. I told him about the pain and he poo-pooed me.  The pain has moved into the whole left side of my face and head. To touch my hair is so very painful. 
I have no bumps on my head though, just pain.

Thursday-Friday all was the same. The pain was joined by burning and itching to all this. I asked Rick to look at my eye and he thinks I'm overreacting. He says maybe it's eczema. The burning and itching have now reached the same point as the pain. I just want to cry.

Saturday I awoke to my eye completely shut. We discussed options. 
Who wants to go to the hospital now? He and I thought I'd just go to the pharmacy to see if they had something for this. You know from my previous post what happened at the pharmacy.
My doctor instead was called to see what she could do to help me.
I was thrilled that my dr visit was over the computer. There was still a price but at least I didn't have to leave my home. Dr. Kate told me the same thing as Rick, I looked like I was in the ring with Mike Tyson and most certainly lost.

After this diagnosis, Rick has been waiting on me hand and foot because he had this. He knows what kind of pain I'm in. So NOW I get sympathy and attention. He seriously won't stop waiting on me, asking me every few minutes if I need anything, fetching things for me, bringing me ice water and food. He is annoyingly attentive now.  NOW only because he has had this and he understands the horrific nerve pain of this. Like when I told him it hurt he didn't believe me? What the hell is wrong with him?

So because he has had this and now understands the horrible pain he is sympathetic. What an ass. I know when I am sick I just plow through and then others think I am fine when I am not really fine. So some of that is my own fault.  
I said to Rick, oh now I get your attention because you know how much real pain I'm in. He laughed. He said I didn't see anything but a pimple so I thought you were overreacting. When have I ever done that in the 33 years you've known me, Rick, to overreact?  

This from a man who gets a paper cut and whines for days.  
I asked him when I have I ever overreacted again. I wanted to know. 
I had knee surgery and worked and went up and down steps and never stopped doing everything I do daily. That is overreacting?  I had back surgery and was in so much pain but never stopped feeding you, cleaning, working, etc. I never once complained or whined about it.
Now I was pissed.  He knew he was wrong. 
He began to come over to me hug me. Nope. 
I am mad and let me stew for a while buddy. He understood that!

Can you women imagine what guys would be like if they got cramps, had a baby, had hormonal emotional peaks and valleys.  If they got them, boy, would they be sympathetic!! I finally got some help because he knows what pain I am in. Aargh.  I'm frustrated. Men.

I guess I am just overreacting now right?