Missing Everything

I miss everything.

I miss my friends and family. I miss that I can't go anywhere. I miss having a good president. I miss harmony. But I don't leave my bubble.

As we head into the abyss of winter and everyone being sick again and the numbers going up what are we doing differently? 

Isn't the definition of stupidity doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result?  It's so disheartening. It makes me weary.

To get the guests we had they took a test. They were quarantined and the tests all said no covid. So they headed north to visit us. We are of the same ilk so they are in their bubble and we are in ours and we gave it a shot to try. I think it worked out perfectly. I also think having guests, Friends, that we laughed with and broke bread with, made me miss people. I didn't even realize it. Normally I don't enjoy people, strangers that is. So feeling what I've been missing really hit us both actually. 

But now I have a cousin who called and asked if she can stop here on her way back to VA Beach after her trip to PA. PA is a hotbed of rednecks who won't wear masks, who congregate in groups and do not social distance. How do we tell her we don't want her to come here after them? I don't know what I will say but I have to call her back this evening. Rick is not thrilled by this person coming here after PA. She said on voicemail she was so tired of being in the house she just has to get out. Well, we are all tired missy, suck it up and wait it out like all the rest of us who do not wish to die with pre-existing conditions.

Why is this so difficult to wrap their head around?  A 10 year old gets it.

I just shake my head.

I did go out yesterday and I dressed. I had to put on a bra, real pants with a zipper and button, not leggings and a pair of chunky heeled boots.

Now that I have a Covid uniform that was painful to do. I had on these clothes for 3 hours. I came home and Rick began talking and I told him I'd be downstairs in a minute - hold that thought.

I had to rip off the bra for a comfy sports bra, take off the nice jeans and put on leggings, took off the pretty top and put on a big oversized sweatshirt and heaven knows I took off the heels and back to bare feet in slippers.

Aaah, that felt good. But it's frightening how quickly I was able to conform to a Covid wardrobe. For a gal who never went out without makeup or shoes and bra and nice clothes I have done a 180. I fear I won't be able or want to ever go back. 

In other news...

Blogger is nutso. I now can do things I haven't been able to do for months or most of this year. Now I can do them BUT a new thing is that my reading list will not post my WordPress blogs anymore that I read. 

Is blogger part of the white house? Messing up things all over the place with no plan, no structure, no good outcome? 

I still can't get emails telling me about comments and it feels like I never will but then again I never thought I'd have that damn pencil at the bottom to make a change or update. I am not a patient person so of course, this annoys me. 

BTW, Rick's knee was doing pretty damn well after his last day of steroids. He then had an orthopedic dr. appointment. The dr insisted they should drain the swelling around his knee. They stuck a needle in the poor guy's knee and there was nothing. So he tried another spot, then another. 

Rick said he told the doctor he was sadistic because you are getting nothing and this is hurting like hell, can you please just stop?  He did after the 3rd one. He said I really thought there would be fluid in there I can feel it. Rick said, "are you sure it's not fat?"  Dr. M laughed and told him no, it's not fat. So they stuck him 3 x and moved that needled around a bit after each stab. The poor guy came home in such pain. Again, no drugs because he may be an addict you know. Nothing to stop the pain. He was told to put heat on it.  This not giving pain meds to me is ridiculous. I get that you don't want to give a patient an unlimited amount of Percocets (oxy) but it's inhuman not to give them something. 

So Rick poured himself a stiff drink, got in the ugly chair, and put the heating pad on his leg. I rubbed some CBD cream but I knew that really wouldn't help much. He was still hurting this morning. He was almost done with the pain until the damn dr. took a needle to his knee.

He worked Friday and he was happy he only had one job. The 2nd moved to November 9th. After they moved I didn't put anyone in their place to give the poor guy a break. Whew, that helped his knee. Saturday, he is working as well. Hopefully, this will subside. So much for going to the doctor for relief eh?  Next up is an MRI for his knee.

But you know what they did tell him? - he has the knees of a teenager.

He has a great deal of cartridge between the knees that is usually deteriorated by his age. Well, it's nice to hear, but honestly, it's not helping any for this poor guy.

Halloween Part Deux

 I am bringing you a ditty from 2010. Another Halloween adventure.

Take a look at how Peg handles young men in a gang - hey she didn't know!

😋 Sometimes it's good that I am clueless. 

Halloween

Halloween being canceled and all I thought I'd go back to the archives.
Halloween used to be my favorite time of year and a fun holiday. Not this year.

For all my newbies you haven't probably seen these posts so I will post one today from the older days of the blog.

This one is how Rick tells me the wrong thing yet again and he is surprised that I never believe his information is accurate. I can't understand why it's a surprise, he is never correct and he knows this.  I like the details, he is oblivious to details. We are so alike in so many ways but we are complete, 180 degrees opposite on this. 

Here ya go

I Voted

This is what I did on my afternoon break yesterday.

In my development was a location to early vote. (senior center)
I originally had a mail-in ballot but with all the shit going on I felt I wanted to be sure my vote was counted and I was going to do this in person. I was not putting it in any box. I was not driving 45 minutes away to stand in line to hand it in at the gov't office you must do that at. I wanted to see the green light accept my ballot so I knew it was counted. 

BUT because I had a mail-in ballot I had to contact my county gov't to get a letter stating I lost it (even though they knew it was not lost) and I was voting in person. As I checked in with my voter ID card and license I handed them the letter. This man scolded me like a child. "You know you can't vote again don't you?" He was upset with me and I didn't understand his anger.

He was probably 70ish and an attractive man when he smiled. 

But after he said hello and smiled he was not a happy man with me.

 I finally said, "Joe (he had a name tag) I have been voting since I was 18 I think I understand what you are saying, we are okay. I will not be voting twice! I know that is wrong. I promise to only vote once."
But he just kept telling me to only vote once. I know Joe! geez.

The line when I pulled in was long. I saw the long line of cars and thought this is going to take forever but if it is like this today imagine the 3rd of November. So I parked and got in line. It moved surprisingly quick.

They give you a clean booth. Then when you are done you leave the pen on the table. That lets the person cleaning/sanitizing to know the pen needs to be cleaned as does the table for the next person. They had a system down. 

There was a young girl that someone announced, "First time voter"  

Everyone turns to look. So this is what Rick was talking about.

The young girl was adorable and she was so excited so everyone was helping her. 

She voted and put her ballot in the machine waiting for the green light.

She was next to my table. Once it turned green she put up both of her arms overhead (like a touchdown) and everyone in the place applauded. 

She turned around and with her arms still in the air she says, "Go Joe" and smiles. Everyone laughed and off she went.

Now I know this just happened to Rick and when he told me I thought it was so cool. But to see this girl's excitement was a picture I needed to see. To remember how important this all is to do. Not just the stress of it.

I recall the first election that I paid attention to. I was in the 11th grade and McGovern was running against Nixon. In our psychology class, we discussed the election and then we had debates. We were so off our normal psychology class topics but the teacher took us to the election. 

I was all involved. We had to do so much research and we were put in groups. Remember research without the internet? 

One group had to support Nixon and one had to support McGovern. 

After all this, I couldn't even vote. I felt more informed than my parents at this point and so wanted to vote. Half the class was old enough because it was a mix of juniors and seniors, but sadly I couldn't vote yet.

So my first presidential vote was the following election with Gerald Ford & Jimmy Carter.

Even with all my moves around the country over my lifetime I always made sure I could vote. I also found it interesting to see all the different ways each state votes.

In PA you get these booths with a curtain and a lever you push/pull

In Seattle, it was paper as it is here. I don't recall Ohio when living there.

I never voted when I lived in Maryland, I wasn't there long enough. But when I got here I admit I was shocked that it was paper because so much tech here I thought for sure it would be more advanced.

Why don't we have a national method of voting? Too logical I suppose.

So if you can vote early I surely would encourage it so you aren't waiting online for hours. I was in and out of there in 15 - minutes from parking to leaving. Not bad.

Get your vote on!

Cold Tuesday

I no longer receive emails telling me I have comments.

I also don't see how I can change this under my settings as we could before.

Here are a couple of shots to show you. I am unable to put an email there. It will not allow you to type an email. Every one of these is like that.

You can see how most of this is gray'ed out so I can't add or change anything here either. Are any of you having this issue? On blogger support, there are 100s of people unable to do this and no answers are there either. 

God this platform is frustrating.

Today I have a full page to post a blog so each and every day it is something else that doesn't work. 

Rick voted yesterday and there was a young person voting for the first time. When she handed them her ballot they rang a bell and everyone in the joint applauded. She was beaming. Rick said it was really cute. So when he gave them his ballot he said, "no one applauding for me?" 

She looked at his ID card and said, "Sir, you've voted before" 

He whined, Aaah.    Then they applauded for the fool.

He thanked them and left them all laughing.

He's a nut job.

I will not be doing that today.

Rick is seeing the orthopedic surgeon Thursday because his knee is still a big issue. It makes him cranky. I get his wrath of cranky because I work with him. My God, I was ready to kick his ass to the curb today. And it's only 10:30am.  He began to yell. I get it, you're in pain, you're frustrated with traffic, etc. But do not yell at me! He would not yell if the woman on the other end of the phone was his employee. I deserve the same respect if not better. So I just hung up. I will not tolerate yelling. Period. He knows that. If you can't be an adult and talk civilly then don't talk to me. Yep, I'm upset with him. It should be fun when he gets home huh?

Nothing worse than working with your spouse. Nothing!

This weekend our visitors asked how it was to work together and we both at the same time went, Aargh!  They laughed. But it's difficult and not funny.

The fact that we do it well most days is amazing but there are days, weeks, years where the fact that we didn't kill one another is also amazing. July can't get here fast enough. 

We have given ourselves that deadline to be retired and in the south.

For the love of God, I have no idea how we are going to do this financially but we are just going to jump. We may end up living in a box under a bridge but we're not going to be doing this shit anymore.

I did get a nice review I saw on Yelp yesterday. 5 stars. I think we have all 5 stars but 1. The ass gave us 4 stars because he wanted to see how it would hold up. He said he'd update it. He never did and it's been 13 years. So I'd say if he was unhappy he would have bitched but when happy they tend to forget and nothing gets written.  Most people only take the time to complain and never compliment. I wonder why that is.  I leave reviews when things are good because it's so rare sadly.

Do you leave reviews when things are good or only when they are bad?

Catch Up

 Hi Everyone. I'm back.

Wow. I think I ate, drank, and sat more this weekend than ever before. My blogger friend arrived with her significant other and adorable teenage daughter.

It was a great weekend. I just felt bad about doing things with everything being closed.

We went to the District and they wanted to see the White House. As you may or may not know ole Donnie built a fortress around the white house. It is no longer The Peoples House. I knew this but then to see this made me so fucking angry!

Sorry, it's the only way to express my disgust. This is what a dictator does, not a standing president of the USA. Oh please vote out the turd on November 3rd.

Then on Sunday, we went to Middleburg my favorite charming little town that is a hustle and a bustle this time of year. It was sad as shit. I have not been out there since lockdown in March. My favorite Olive Oil store was closed for good and there were many more vacant storefronts than ever before on main street. It was dead and the sidewalks were dead it was just a big ghost town. 

Not having ventured out I was unaware except what I saw and heard on TV or the Washington Post. Seeing my favorite town like this broke my heart and it's only going to get worse. yippee

So in that sense being out and about was sad. But we couldn't go out to dinner or go to any museums or just do most things we would do. So we ate a lot, drank a lot, laughed a helluva lot and it was very nice to me. I just felt bad that they couldn't come and see all the sights. When this shit is over they must come back!

I cooked and baked for a week and Rick made fun of me as he is prone to do all day long.

But when we returned from Middleburg yesterday everyone was saying how hungry they were. I had already made beef stew. So I took it out of the fridge in the garage, put it on the stove to reheat. Cut a big ass baguette and made a salad. Dinner done. That is why I made food ahead of time.

I made a french toast breakfast casserole out of challah bread and everyone talked about it for days so I guess that was good. Another thing you make the night before. So the day they arrived I made it and the next morning I just put it in the oven. Breakfast made!  So after all the grief he gave me after they left he told me how great an idea it was. We ate like kings. I can't eat most of what I made so it was what it was. I don't need food anyway. 

I saw a neighbor this morning walking Izzy and he said whatever pasta we made on Friday sure smelled good (our windows and doors were open it was still warm) I told him it was stuffed shells, meatballs, and the works. He said the smell was killing him. If I had some leftover I would have brought it over to him. I know when they make bacon on the grill it kills Rick and me so I understood what he was saying. 

Rick's knee is getting better slowly. He is able to get up from a sitting position with far less difficulty. He still walks like an old injured man but he's getting better. He overextended these tendons and boy his leg was swollen from his knee to his ankle. It is beginning to look normal now. So we think in time he will be okay thank goodness. They gave him pain meds so that helps him sleep so all is good right now as far as his leg is concerned. Then again, it's only Monday!

We went from 80 degrees to winter overnight. Yesterday was a high of 48. 

I think today is only going to be in the 50s-60. And the same all week with rain and dreary. I like rain and dreary. It's the 48 I don't much like. We had our air on, on Saturday. Sunday we had to turn on the heat. That was too fast of a change for my liking. In fact, I'm going to find myself a pair of socks right now!

ER Visits

Rick was reclined in his ugly chair on Thursday evening when I heard a very loud pop, crack. Like a rock hit something. 

I turned to him and asked, "What the hell was that?"

"My knee." he winces.

"Oh My God does it hurt?"

"Yes, but not more than before.

"Maybe you should try standing up Rick. Try to walk. That sound that was made sounded like something big just happened."

I walked over to him to see if he needed help. He got up and limped as he was before. Great. No better, but as is our life, what now?

Friday morning he awoke to a knee swollen 2x it's normal size. He went down the steps on his buttocks. I made him go to the ER and not wait as he is prone to do. My lord that man will fight me on such things. He is so stubborn but foolishly so.   

I don't know what the hell the man waits for. A new leg to arrive? What is the point of waiting? You do physical labor, should you really wait? Wait until your leg falls off? I don't get him and his waiting. Nothing is ever better after waiting. I asked him once if when his ex-wife was in labor if he told her to wait. He just had a good laugh at that one.  

But it's his m.o. to always say to wait and mine is to be frustrated with him.

We have company arriving in a few hours.  The only thing left to do is make the meatballs. That is his job. But he can do that sitting down. Everything else is as done as it's gonna get. Or he can tell me what to do. My Grandmother taught him not me. :-)

Can 2020 just be over already?

Do Watch This

I watched this documentary,  The Way I See It, last week. While it is a movie, they did free streaming with no commercials on MSNBC.

I can't say enough about this movie. Pete Sousa, for those of you who may not know, was a white house photographer for Pres. Reagan and Pres. Obama. I like learning how they must be behind the scenes to capture moments of our history. Like a fly on the wall he makes himself small to capture the history and emotion of the situation and I think he does a fine job of that. I have some of his books and the man is a truly gifted photographer.

They do explain how our current dictator will no longer allow a white house photographer to do the same thing. And I found it humorous how Reagan had to direct the photos, always an actor I suppose. He was cute with his wife as were the Obamas. That was nice to see.

This movie made me cry. God, how I miss class, smarts, integrity and empathy in the WH.  This is streaming again for free on Peacock. Peacock is a free channel by NBC. you can sign up for the free channel/app on www.peacocktv.com.

I think it will also be on demand but then you'll have to pay so watch it while it's free! Mike, I do think you'll enjoy this one!

Do yourself a favor and check it out. You'll thank me for certain if this administration sadly disappoints you.

Busy Week Ahead

I have a big week.

I have company arriving in 4.5 days.  I have not seen outside people in a long time. Can I wear a real bra and not a sports bra for 3 days? Must I have my face made up for 3 days. Covid-19 Peg is unfamiliar with that.

A blogger that I connected with many, many years ago is coming. So long ago that she hasn't blogged in 7 years or so. She has been in a bubble-like Rick and I so we decided to give this a go. 2 adults and one 13-year-old.  I feel badly for the 13 yrs. old. I know there is going to be lots of laughter and silly adult behavior, and I am certain she will escape to the 3rd floor TV room. We have a small college size fridge on the 3rd floor so she will probably enjoy that while we adults are playing games, eating, drinking, laughing and connecting.

I feel like we've met before. We have talked on the phone. We email. We just connected from the get-go. She has been married, divorced, moved across country. She is now with the love of her life with her youngest child living in a city she is not thrilled to live in. What a woman does for the man she loves!

I am cleaning, cooking, baking, and working. So, I won't be around here much.

I do have 2 blog questions.

1. How the hell do you get a full page to write your post vs this stupid scale on the right?

2. Why can I now leave a message on some if I use IE but some it doesn't matter what browser is used, I just write something and then it flashes and then is gone - poof! (Olga you are one of 'em...sorry! but I am reading you)

Okay kids, I will check in when I can. I have a lot to accomplish in the next 4 days.

Let Me In

This story makes me so sad as well as mad as hell.  

I do not like being hated by Canadians.

This saddens me so. You see my blogs, you know my love of Canada. 

When cable was introduced in the early 70s in my hometown all my cable channels were Canadian. I was ensconced in Canadian talk shows (Alan Hamel and Alan Thicke) Game Shows (it's how I learned the letter Z(ee) was actually Z(ed) up there) Shows that introduced me to a kid named Michael J Fox before he came to the US.

My music was from there as well. Because they have to play a percentage of Canadian music on their airwaves, I heard so many more bands in rock 'n roll that I wasn't exposed to yet or ever exposed to while living in the U.S.

All my trips were to go play in Canada. Ballgames, weekend getaways, shopping trips with friends, concerts and of course what I wrote about on Thursday - The CNE. (throw in a few hundred fishing trips for Rick as well)

It was never like this. People were always nice to us. People asked a lot of questions at times but we never minded. We were happy guests in their wonderful land.  I recall a trip in the 70s while we were in line for gasoline in the US due to a so-called gas shortage. We were now in the Toronto area getting gas and these 2 young men also getting gas for their vehicle saw our PA plates. 

The one said, "Hey you're from the states? Are the lines as long as we see TV?" 

Yes, they are, unfortunately!

They shook their heads and said, "Fill up before you head back. Have a safe trip!" And off they went smiling and waving at us. Today we'd be run out of town and certainly, with no gas fill up.

Once in the 90s Rick and I got caught in a surprise rain storm. We were running as fast as we could and getting drench! A couple on their covered porch yelled at us to come up to their porch and wait it out. We did just that. We chatted and they said, American eh? 

I guess our accents (what accents?) They had chairs and we all sat a spell and shot the shit under their covered porch.

The woman who lived there brought us all out some pop and we made new friends.  The clouds broke as fast as they arrived and we thanked them a million times for their hospitality and left. How nice right? That won't happen again. 

This story made me angry. 

Angry that the orange ass in charge has done this to us.

Will we ever be able to return? Not likely while he is president.

If so will they treat us like shit like we do everyone now that Mango Mussolini is in charge?

God how I hate that evil bastard.

Uniform.

Because I was speaking this week about back surgeries and my first fall that caused the beginning of it all. I thought I'd share a funny one about females.

You see I had an operation on my back while I was working for Piedmont Airlines. (anyone remember them?) 

The surgery was on L4-5. I was in the hospital for a few days.  This was back in the early 80s when they didn't kick you out with your leg dangling behind you to save money.

The nurses were okay. They would feign interest and ask where you worked etc. The people who came to the hospital were family and friends. 

Mostly family. Then one day a girl from work came with a guy from work. Their shift was over at 2p so they headed over to the hospital to see me that afternoon. I loved the company.

Now as you know working at the ticket counter means a uniform. So my friends arrived in her uniform as did the male friend. 

But the problem was he was a pilot.

The nurse was in my room and she got a glimpse of him and began acting like a twit. Giggling and asking him about flying. Hello! The patient over here!

We gals looked at one another and rolled our eyes because this was something we'd seen many times before. 

A few days later I had hit my buzzer for the nurse. No one arrived.

I hear people walking towards my room and I am excited because I think it's going to be the nurse to help me into the bathroom. 

Nope, it's 3 guys from work. Pilots. 

Nurses walked by and looked into the room. I heard all the scurrying going on while talking to the guys. A nurse came in and said, "you rang your buzzer?"  I said a long time ago, this isn't a good time now. I'll call you when they leave.  She begins to fluff pillows and things. I ask her to leave. 

I knew why she was there, for pilots. Now another nurse comes in and another. They are all talking to the pilots. I wanted to vomit. I finally said, "Hey ladies, I could push you down a flight of stairs and you can lay in this bed and talk to these men if you'd like"

They laughed and left the room.

I said to one of them, "don't you guys get sick of that?"  They just laughed.

No, their egos would never let them be sick of this adulation.

We all had a nice visit and they left. 

A nurse came in immediately after to say to me, "Why didn't you tell us you worked with pilots?" 

Ah, I told you I worked for an airline I figured you could figure it out.

They laughed, I was just annoyed.

I asked if she could help me out of bed now. She said, "I'll be right back"

I yelled, "pilots are coming back so you better hurry"

She was back in a flash with fresh lipstick and combed hair. 

She helped me get out of bed to shuffle to the bathroom.

When I came out she was still there - "What time are they coming back?"

At first, I wasn't sure what the hell she was talking about then it hit me.

I told her they were coming back - I was just messing with her - they weren't coming back. 

I said, "I was joking I'm sorry. You guys were only attentive if they were here so I thought it was funny. I can't wait to tell Dr. Anderson I'm sure he too will find it funny since he teases me about flying for free."  

I was laughing. She laughed along with me until she said, "you aren't really going to tell him are you?" 

No, again I was just joking. 

Well, I think it's best she says, not to bother him with that sort of thing.

Hmm... 

Yep, I guess that was bitchy of me all right. I may have only been 28 years old but I wasn't stupid.  I had pilots visit over 3 days. These were just co-workers and friends. They came from work. The women co-workers came in their uniforms too. They are just like everyone else. But, the only time anyone at the hospital paid any attention to me or would come if I rang the bell is if those uniformed dudes were visiting me. I had no intention of saying anything to Dr. Anderson who they feared. But now when I rang they came, with or without pilots in my room. That was a nice change.

I don't get the big deal of pilots. No different from any other man. 

(but yes Andy Garcia is oh so yummy and swoon-worthy in his uniform in the movie When a Man Loves A Woman!)

We met a couple in our neighborhood that we made friends with until they moved. He was a pilot for United. She used to work in the industry but then she became a designer. He was the stereotype. He only flew internationally. One day she said to me that a co-pilot that her husband flies with had another wife in Europe. The wife called her and was crushed as one can imagine.  I said, "Isn't that just like the book The Pilot's Wife?"  

She told me she hadn't read it. Hmm...exactly like the book so far. 

Anyway, she said she knew her husband would never do that. 

I was happy she was so certain. I am not sure 

I told Rick if you think about it 2 weeks a month is almost a perfect marriage isn't it?  You get two great weeks and then he has to leave to work. 

You get a few weeks of not having to share the bed or the remote control. LOL 

In all seriousness, I hoped she was right but he said a few things to Rick that made Rick think what I talked about was his situation. I did not want to know. She was my friend.

Yes, the uniform is nice. But boy oh boy the stories I can tell. I have yet to meet one who doesn't have a side piece in another country or city.  

There was a guy we worked with who a co-worker and I looked up to and really respected. We thought he was the good one. We met his wife. 

We met his kid. Then we found out he was just like the others and we were crushed. It hit me to my core. Almost as if I was married to him. 

I made a rule, never date a pilot. Ever!

I stick to my rules. Unless of course, I need another surgery, I may need to rent a uniform and a man to fill it so the nurses will be attentive.

SLEEP!!!

The other night (Tuesday)I slept for 12.5 hours. 

It.was.glorious!

That is more sleep than I have accumulated in 2 weeks.

It felt so good to have the pain at this level that I could fall asleep.

I felt sleep coming on at 7:15pm. Rick was sitting on the stoop with the dog.

I opened the door and I said, I am so very tired and I think I could sleep now so I'm heading upstairs. He said he'd be inside in a few minutes.

I went upstairs, put stuff on my face that isn't helping a single wrinkle, and slowly crawled into bed. I felt like I could watch jeopardy for a bit and then fall asleep. 

I propped myself up with all the bed pillows and slowly got in a comfy position. 

I recall answering a jeopardy question and then it went to a commercial.

That is all I remember until 7:30am.

Rick came back into the house and he came directly upstairs to see if I needed anything and I was already out like a light. He went back downstairs like a normal person at 7:30 in the evening.

Rick came back upstairs just shy of 10p with the dog and they both watched the show Transplant in bed. I slept through it all.

But allow me to share with you how great 12 hours of sleep is when you haven't been able to sleep. I even got up once to use the bathroom and on my way back to bed I thought, oh boy, please let me get back to sleep. Yeah, no problem, just put my head down and I was out like a light again. 

It was tremendous. 

Sleep never meant all that much to me until I couldn't get sleep. Insomnia had been a side effect of everything for me it seems. I don't think I appreciated sleep enough before. 

I used to work at the airport. My shift was 5:30am - 2pm. I never slept. 

I normally got home around 3pm. I also had a 2nd job 8 months of the year. 

But let me tell you when there was something I wanted to do, sleep went by the wayside. There were many a day where I'd get home at 4am and set my alarm for 4:30a. I'd sleep for a full 30 minutes, shower, fix face and hair and drive to the airport, and be on time. And do it again. That is where your age makes a difference. As someone over 30, I can tell you that when I was 30 and doing this it was so damn easy but as an older woman, I can no longer do this and sure as hell don't want to. Now sleep is like money. I want it all!

Another tidbit - It seems you all thought my spinal injection was for the issues I have been dealing with Mold. (CIRS) Nope.

You see I've had a few back surgeries over the years. This is an issue that sometimes happens after this many with scar tissue and in the area of which this is located. I was dealing with the issues but as I have mentioned I have someone coming to my home next Friday. I did not wish to be hunched over, unable to bend or sit or to have fun in general. So I had the injection to relieve the pain and to be able to be upright when they arrive. It takes 2 days to 10 days to have the full effects of the shot. I am doing so much better but it is still not 100%.  I hope it continues.

In 1979 I went to Toronto to go to the CNE (Canadian National Exhibition)

Sue and I went to this yearly. We both enjoy Toronto and this was always fun for us. We always drove home with a treasure trove of goodies we bought and had to claim in customs. Our last night was a concert at the old baseball stadium or Exhibition Stadium I think it was called.   

I had been there for many a ball game but this was the first concert I was seeing here. It was Burton Cummings, the lead singer of the Guess Who from back in the day. 

We got to our seats and we watched one after another fall on the concrete steps that were wet and there was no railing. Just before the show was to start I decided I should go to the bathroom. Sue said, "be careful"  

I should have removed my shoes and gone down the wet steps in my bare feet.

But instead, I kept my Candies on. Remember Candies? Rick calls them Dolly Parton shoes. They were wood and clog like except with heels. (I've seen them on that 70s show worn by Jackie...LOL)

I got to the end of my row and as I stepped out my feet went straight out in front of me, I bounced on my tailbone. I sat there for a minute. It was instant pain. A security guard came up the steps to help me. I thanked him and hobbled to the restroom. I got inside the stall and just cried. I pulled myself together and sat uncomfortably through a concert. 

I drove to Canada but I knew I couldn't drive at the end of the concert. 

I was hurting. I tried in the parking lot but to extend my right leg was painful. I begged Sue to drive. She could not drive a standard.

I had a 1979 Datsun 280Z. Remember those? Yep, a 4 speed that no one could drive but me at this moment in time. I explain to Sue that if she put in the clutch when I yell "clutch" I'd shift. We practiced in the parking lot. We made it back to our hotel. We had a fridge and I grabbed the chocolate out of it. She grabbed the wine. I was wearing my T-shirt and panties. When I bent over she shrieked to go look at my backside in the mirror.

It was dark purple and black. Yep, it was bruised and I hurt. Pour that wine!

In the morning it was far worse. 

She drove us home to Erie PA from Toronto. Only 3 hours thank heavens.

We had a great system down. We only needed to shift when slowing down or when we went through customs etc. Otherwise driving 65 and higher on the highway, she was fine. She has decided at this point she loves my car and she can do this. What a way to learn to drive a standard. She was now clutching AND shifting without me. A few jerks that were painful after customs. She jerked, stalled the car, and the young man who had interviewed us said, "you know how to drive this car?" 

Sue laughed and batted her beautiful eyes at him and told him he made her nervous and he accepted that answer with a big grin. We laughed. 

Sue was tall stacked blonde with the most gorgeous green eyes that everyone mentioned to her. She was a big flirt as well. She would use her eyes to get whatever she wanted. She would turn to me after asking for something that was not allowed and wink and by God she'd get it. She used to say, with your boobs and my eyes, we've got it made. I just couldn't be as free as her back in those days. Today, yep. But too late the cute is long gone!

Nothing fun would have happened to me for years if I hadn't lived with Sue. We became best friends in 6th grade and even today if I call her it's like no time has passed and we laugh like hell and our husbands just shake their heads.

She was always making me do things I would never do. Or as my parents said, "She is a bad influence on you" HA. She was where I learned the facts of life. She is the one that convinced me pot wouldn't kill me. She was the first one to have me take a sip of Cold Bear wine. (oh my god it is putrid!) She was the one that convinced me to not die a virgin. She had sex and couldn't understand why I was such a hold out (I was only 16 for Pete's sake - she was always ahead of me) When we lived together she would say, c'mon let's just go to the concert, the rent will work itself out. Yep, I was afraid of everything and she allowed me to soar. She hated books, I always had my nose in one she claimed. We couldn't be more different. But it worked.

Today she turns 65. 

I called her last night to wish her a happy birthday and of course say, nah, nah, nah, nah, nah, you're older than me! 

We talked for a long time. We laughed a lot and bitched about old age.

I've been friends with her since I was 11. She got me through my mom's death at age 13 and for years later. She has always had my back and she still does.

I don't know a lot of people I can call in the middle of the night and with no questions asked and who will just come to help me. We should all have at least 1 friend like that in our lives. I've been blessed to have a few. I wish they all lived closer to me.

Warning - This could offend some -

As I have said here before when I am in pain and no one will give me pain medication other than Advil I will smoke some pot. It is what I describe as taking the sharp edges off. It doesn't work as long as a Percocet but since they think we are all addicts and they won't give them to anyone anymore it is the only choice I really have. Because Advil does nothing at all for me. If you think of the shards of glass as my pain, for me smoking a bit will smooth those glass shards and while not perfect better than nothing!

I haven't been sleeping much with pain so I lay there in the dark begging whoever can help me to help me. Yet sleep doesn't come, at least not for long before the pain awakes me.

So last night I am so tired. I am sitting with pillows surrounding me for some comfort (but not really) Rick is watching me struggle. 

I say to him that "I am just so tired I can't lift my arms to get the pot to my mouth."

"What? You're so tired you can't lift your arms to get my cock to your mouth? I can come over there" ...as he gets up. 

Knowing full well I did not say that, I began to laugh, laughing really hard now that I even peed a little in my pants. He knows he heard it that way but he also knows damn well I did not say that. 

But he came over and hugged me and it helped!
My God this man is crazy. He is deaf but what he will manage to hear is a sexual innuendo. Only him. I just shake my head at him. He's 65. It won't change now.

Update

I must admit I found it fascinating that you all thought we were too nice or that we did too much.  So I ask you this; if you'd paid 6K to have your cabinets refinished and it was the wrong color what would you do? Would you be able to suck it up and have it bother you forever? Would you ask to have it done again per your signed contract? Who cares who's fault it is, the contract states the color Snowbound and that's what you paid for.   I honestly think I'd do the same things as they did. I would hope I would behave better than the female at this home and more like her husband. We hated having to do it again 100% but we felt we had to.  

I know I'd be upset but I also know me and I would have noticed it FAR sooner because I am anal retentive. But I also know I would have been nicer. I do think Rick's solution was the correct one.

In other updates -

He wrote an email to the chemical coating company. 

The company we buy our cabinet coating from is just one of their U.S. Distributors. (the one that services our area of the U.S.) 

We felt they needed to know who is representing them. Rick wrote a very nice letter explaining the issues as well as his displeasure that we were treated like this. He explained that we understand mistakes happen, we are all human, but it is how you resolve them that speaks volumes about your company and your integrity.

Well, that did it apparently. Rick received an email with an apology and credit for 2 free gallons of coating in the color of our choice. We just must order the freebies through them instead of the distributor for the freebie. We imagine that this company will reach out to the distributor to discuss this. Because we did not point fingers per se at the person who took the order or anything like that, but that we were just upset that the service wasn't what we hoped for.

So there is that good new.

Need to leave it here for now - not functioning on all cylinders today.

Here are a few memes that caught my eye this past week.

Not sure I agree with this being easier as you are older. But if it means you say what you wish to say vs. saying just to please them. Yes, that is easier  by the time you are 40!

There are so many women and men who need to hear and practice this one!

I know so many who I could send this to but they are so dumb they wouldn't understand it. 

This one below made me laugh out loud. Yep, no country offers these things except the US and 3rd world countries. Lucky us.

Be Back Soon

I am having an Epidural Spinal Injection Monday morning. 

Be back Soon

Work for Free.

Rick did a kitchen and I believe I posted the photo of the before and after.

It was an average size kitchen. After the homeowners purchased this home they proceeded to make a slew of changes. They removed the island in the kitchen and ordered a new one. So that meant Rick was only doing the cabinets all around the kitchen.

The woman chose a white. She was very particular about her white. 

I get that. She went to Sherwin Williams and picked out a color. 

We use an Italian coating made for wood cabinets and furniture. 

It is HARD like you need in a kitchen. After she made her decision on the color I contacted the Coating company and ordered what was needed in the color she wanted us to match.

The coating was delivered, the can said the right color, and Rick spent 5 days at their home refinishing her cabinets. Each day she and her husband would walk into the kitchen when Rick was finishing up and he talked about his progress and she looked at everything through a picky lens. She kept saying everything was beautiful.

Fast forward 2 weeks and she had her husband call us. 

The color he says is not right. 

As I am listening to him be so polite I can hear her bitching in the background.

When he was done I told him we would make this right. Then she screamed it is not the right color we went to Sherwin Williams and they said you didn't use the right color.  I told him I heard her. I could tell he was embarrassed. 

I said no matter what happened we will make it right. But please allow me to look into this further. In the meantime let's get you on the calendar so Rick can come out to view this as well as schedule a time to have it redone.

I immediately ran out to the garage to see the can. (it has their last name on it so we know who's color is who's should they need a touch-up or something similar)  The color on the can said, special order SW 7004 Snowbound.   That is what it read and what should be inside.

I then called the coating company. He said he saw the special order was to be SW 7004 but he went further and said I will look up the order that sent it to the mixing dept.   Ah ha - they did not write a special order. He asked to call me back.  Oh, so not good.

It appears that they indeed wrote on the can the color it should have been but that is not what was put into the can (apparently this is computerized and that helped us find the problem) 

So what does that mean to us? 

It means Rick had to do the kitchen all over again for free.

That meant 3.5 days of work with no money. That is always fun.

Now that we no longer have employees it sucks to not have someone making us money while Rick is busy doing something that is not making us money.

I called the customer and I asked if we could come to their home before their scheduled appointment to show them this color, to put this color over what they had (and wipe off) so that they were comfortable that this time the color that arrived is correct. Rick went to their home when it arrived on a Saturday so she could approve the color that arrived and that it was indeed the color she wanted. She said it was. When he got home he told me if she hates this she will be on her own. I laughed because I know my husband. He wouldn't do that. 

In the meantime, as I am making everyone happy Rick is bitching a fit that this company did this. The coating company only gave us a 50% discount on the new order, I felt it should have been 100% and I fought it. I lost. 50% is surely better than nothing but....this was their fault. They made us look bad.

The small detail that bothers me is that every day before Rick leaves he likes the homeowner to know of his progress and what they can expect. She came in every day, went over every detail, touched what was not wet. Always was happy. Raved about how good it looked. I guess it just took 2 weeks for her to see the color difference. And I get it, if I were her I'd want what I want so I get them calling us back. I see both sides. 

The newer color that she loves does clash with her new gray and white quartz. It looks horrible but if that is what she likes that is all that matters. When you have a cool color on your counters and a warm undertone on the thing next to it, one will look more yellow or dirty if both the "same" color. Warm color and cool colors can be good in contrast but this wasn't a contrast enough it just looked like the cabinets had a yellow hue. Like I said Rick and I found it awful. Her husband said he couldn't see a difference which made us laugh. He would roll his eyes while facing Rick with his wife behind him.  Rick said he was funny. 

They were both nice about this. She was a bit cold at first. Totally a 180-degree difference from how she had been. Bubbly, cheerful, and perky is how I would have described her before all this. But by day 2 she was nice again. I think we had to prove to her we were going to provide her with good customer service and take care of her. But why they think they must be mean to do so is just absurd to me. 

So on Monday Rick arrived at their home at 8am. He worked a very long day so he could finish this up early. Because he didn't have to sand off kitchen grease and grime from the cabinets that saved a day of work. But he still had 4 days of work ahead of him. He worked on Monday from 8a-6. T-Thurs he only did 8-4 because he would be at a spot where everything needed to dry (primer or paint) and he couldn't go further. 

Since doing their cabinets we have put together a packet for customers using our service. Once they decide to go with us they are given this packet with instructions and what needs to be done before we get there. (cabinets cleaned out, items removed off countertops and appliances, etc) The packet includes a copy of their contract, receipt for deposit, how to care for their new cabinets, and a door dash gift certificate.

The door dash gift certificate of $200 is for them to buy and have meals delivered during the week we have their kitchen down. 

Because we began giving customers this packet right after we did their kitchen we sent them a $200 gift card for door dash for the inconvenience of their kitchen being down a 2nd time. 

We had it arrive the day before we begin.

No matter if it was her fault or the companies we just felt it was the right thing to do. It made Rick chuckle when on Tuesday the male customer came into the kitchen and said, "We're ordering lunch from door dash can we get you something on your dime? 

Rick laughed and said, "I brought my lunch but thank you!" The customer laughed and Rick said as long as they were laughing all was good.

On the 3rd day, Rick had to leave around 3:45p because everything left to do was dry. He went around the kitchen and viewed everything. He found a spot that was a bit light, he put his yellow frog tape there, he also saw something he didn't like in another spot and put his yellow frog tape there. 

Normally on the last day, all he has to do is put the hinges back on, door hardware back on, and put the doors back up on the cabinets. 

He always walks around to view the work and to be sure everything is perfect.  At the end of day 3, he asked the female homeowner to come into the kitchen. 

He told her where he was in the process, he explained the yellow tape and handed it to her. He told her to look around and if you see anything you aren't happy with please put the tape on it and I will follow up tomorrow. She was so happy to do this Rick said it made him laugh.

On day 4 he arrives and sees no more yellow tape than what he applied. Did she even look? Being so anal-retentive he was certain she didn't look. He asked if she had a chance to look everything over and she said she did and the only spots I saw where the two you put tape on. Whew. So Rick finished up his day and called them both into the kitchen. She squealed with delight and it startled Rick. She actually said, "If I could hug you I so would!"  Rick just told them he was pleased they were happy.  Then they handed Rick a thank you card. 

The card was so very nice as you can see below. What you can't see is the $500 (cash) they gave him for his time. Wow. Rick said he couldn't take it. They insisted that he take this. 

While normally in 4 days he would have made thousands $500 was better than nothing and it was the thoughtfulness that meant a lot to Rick and me. 

It wasn't our fault. I was happy to know they really understood the issue  It wasn't the customer's fault. But Shit Does Happen! 

What else could we do but make it right? It was the right thing to do no matter that. We were bummed when the week started because we knew what this meant but we had to just accept it because what else could we do? Be mad?  Sure, but that wasn't going to change anything. 

Here is a photo of the kitchen. Top Before, Bottom After that was the horrible mistake. We did not take a photo of the newest white. It looks like this anyway. 

                                                    Isn't this nice of them?

Nice right? Nice that they mentioned me too being I have never met them only talked to them on the phone. AND they think I am an office manager and not his wife. (no one knows that tid bit) 

The male customer asked Rick a lot of questions every day. They somehow bonded which I find funny. When Rick told him he will be retiring in spring/summer the man told him he couldn't be old enough and that it must be nice to retire so early. Rick said, "Flattery is nice but the price is the price." And they both laughed. 

Rick said he was probably in his early 40s. Rick is 65.

Then Rick told him his age and he about fell over. He told Rick he thought he was maybe 50. Rick told him all the fumes of these chemicals have preserved him well. (rick looks his age I think)

They both bonded each time he went there. So that is how he knows that Rick is planning to retire next year IF the world doesn't blow up! 🤞

I Just Had To

Ah, C'mon I just had to. 

 

Losses

You may recall me sharing with you my horrific experience driving to IKEA with a neighbor friend, Lorri. At the time as I mentioned I was beginning to think she was having difficulties. I brought it up once to her daughter and I was made to feel as if I was insulting her. So I backed off. But it was true, she was having difficulties and they finally had a name for it. Alzheimer's. 

Once she was made to move into assisted living she had more tests. Her daughter told me she had a working diagnosis of Alzheimer's/Dementia with Parkinson's or (Lewy body dementia) Gee that about covers everything!  Technically an official diagnosis can't be made until an autopsy so that was all I was told. 

I hadn't been in touch for a long time. The last time she could barely talk and I couldn't visit her so I wrote to her. I was thinking about her yesterday and called her daughter to see how she was doing since I couldn't visit due to covid. 
Her daughter told me she passed away during the lockdown in late March. 

She couldn't even go see her mother. By this time she was non-verbal as well.  The funeral has been postponed and it worked out well because Lorri was donating her body to science. Because of her issues, some of her body is not suitable for donation and since Lorri always said if she can't donate her organs then she wanted to have her body used for science. She indeed got her way and I am certain helping others. This would have made her so very happy.

It is my understanding that her body will be used up to a year before they get word they can bury her. I had a family friend of my parents who went through this. They notified the family when they were releasing the body. 

I recall when I first met her. She would walk down to my house with a bottle of red wine and knock on the door. She would come in and love all over Izzy and make herself comfy. I just love it when people make themselves comfortable at your home. She would take off her shoes and put her feet on the sofa and help herself to pop in the fridge or whatever it was she was looking for. We became friends quickly.

She forgot words from time to time but I didn't think much of that. She was a good 9-10 yrs older than me so I just never thought much about it. 
Then one day I said something about the awful smell that was annoying me and she laughed and said that is the best thing about not being able to smell. I asked her if that was a temporary thing. She said, "Oh no, I can neither smell or taste anymore and my dr. says it's normal at my age"  Alarms were sounding in my head - No, it's not normal, something is wrong. 

The first thing I thought of was Alzheimer's but did not mention it to her.

But doesn't everyone know that is a sign of Alzheimer's?
She was not always easy going but again not all people are. But I found over time she got cranky and irritated more easily. Some days I would just say, Lorri why are you acting like this? She had no stresses in her life according to her or her daughter or from what I saw. I envied that. She had money, she was retired and had no stress of money (lucky her) she had all these female friends and she was a part of a group that traveled and she went to the philharmonic and she was always busy. Museums, lectures, continuing education. Her life was so full. 

One day at her book club she said something so off the wall we all just looked at one another. One woman who I seriously disliked made fun of her. Lorri turned to her and slayed her up one side and down the other. 

We all sat in horror. This was not Lorri. Trust me the woman deserved it but this was so out of character to who Lorri was. 

She would never speak to someone like this. It was not only uncomfortable but worrisome to me. Everyone began to leave after that. Because this was at Lorri's house and less than 2 blocks away from mine I stayed to help her clean up. I asked her about what that horrible woman said and she acted like she didn't even recall. It was so damn odd.   I went home and told Rick I do believe Lorri has either dementia or Alzheimers. 

Then she got a boyfriend. He was a real big fat gross pig. She was upset because he was going to vote for trump and she said to me, "I think I need to dump him but I like having sex"  I laughed. I was so grossed out by the creep that sex with him would make me stop having sex!  She complained over time how he never wanted to go anywhere always wanted to sit in his recliner and just watch TV. Once she asked if she looked bad in what she was wearing. No, in fact the scarf is adorable and you look hip and fresh and cute. She smiled and said, "He thinks I look foolish so I don't dress nice around him"  BIG SIGN TO ME!

One day on a walk with Izzy towards her home I saw and heard the creepy boyfriend yelling at her like she was not human. I could hear him down the block. She was having difficulty getting into her little car. When I got up to them with the dog she got all excited about seeing Izzy and got up and came over to her. He grabbed her arm and whipped her around. I told Izzy to sit.  I walked over to him and grabbed his arm and told him to let her go - don't make me hurt you old man is what I actually said. He let her go. (don't ask me what 5'1" of me could do to an over 300lbs big tall man.)  

She looked at me and began to cry and she said he does this to me all the time. WHAT?

But interestingly he did not balk at her statement. Then I knew it wasn't a lie, he was treating her poorly.

Lorri not being in her right mind was taking this and if he is doing this in broad daylight in public what is he doing being closed doors? They left and I called her daughter and stuck my nose where it didn't belong but I was not going to let my friend be abused. Thankfully her daughter was having some doubts and thanked me ever so much for calling. Whew. That could have gone the other way just as easily.

Shortly thereafter is when they sold her house and she was moved. This event made her daughter expedite the move. I recall Lorri being upset but then we went to look at her apartment and she became excited. She asked me to come to visit and help her decorate. That helped that she was forgetting why she was moving. After this incident with the creepy boyfriend, her daughter asked her to stay for a few weeks at her house to help with her girls. (a lie, but it helped to get lorri away from him) During those 2 weeks, her daughter hired someone to help her to catalog her mother's things and an estate sale took place. They moved fast. The boyfriend kept calling lorri and when she took a nap the daughter blocked his number from her phone. 

The daughter made it very clear to the people at the assisted living that they were not to allow this creep to visit her. And I heard he tried but then gave up. He was an A number 1 creep. If you looked the word creep up his greasy face would appear.

It was very sad for me to learn that she passed. I also felt terrible that it's been over 6 months before I found this out. Apparently, her daughter put this all on Facebook which I no longer use or I would have seen it.  

She was also a bit smitten with Rick. I always saw it. But when her Alzheimers got worse she verbalized it. It was cute how she flirted with him and was always hugging him. He teased her a lot and she loved it even more. Rick knew but just played along. In the end just as she moved into her new apartment she told me that if I died she was marrying Rick. I told her I was okay with that. She said, "oh good." She was so serious it was cute. I also knew it was the disease talking so it wasn't something to get upset over at all.

So many of my peers are passing away. 

Eddie Van Halen has suffered from tongue and lung cancer for years.

He was only 65. Yesterday I found out she passed and that Eddie had passed. Boy if there is a heaven she and Eddie are rockin' out. She loved Van Halen. We would drink wine, listen to classic rock, and make jewelry at her house. I should say she tried to teach me to make jewelry. I was only good at the wine-drinking part.  We would laugh and just have a great day. 

She loved the song Jump and she and I would argue why it wasn't or was their best. Hmm, that just made me smile as I typed it. 

I hope she and Eddie are listening to some good rock 'n roll.