Hey Remember....

I was sharing with Rick that I told the bloggers about how we tried to get cool when we lived in the flat. 

"Oh my gosh, but did you tell them we owned a cookie company and I was in front of ovens all day and then went home to that sweatbox?"

No, not today but I told them at some point over the years.

Hmm..
"Hey remember the time you went out on the back porch and bent over for such and such and you only had on my T-shirt? Then the neighbor whistled and you stood straight up so fast. You thought the wall was high enough - oh that was funny."

"Not really funny to me Rick. I remember that  - he  caught us in a few compromising situations shall we say over the years.  
Yeah and then after leaving that city I was in Manhattan waiting for a friend to come out from the restaurant and I am leaning against the wall and he and his family come up to me and ask if I lived on Plum St above Dee. Yes that was me. You lived with your boyfriend. Yes and I was thinking dear lord you mention anything further and I'm going to die right here in Times Square. I mean what are the chances I'd see this guy so many years later in Manhattan? No I didn't tell them that, I don't think!"

"Did you tell them about how I'd make a picnic in winter with plastic ants on the blanket in the living room and have a picnic basket filled with goodies?" No Richard I did not. Then again I may have it's been years I've been sharing. You are still very proud of those picnics aren't you? (shit eating grin on his face)

"You must have told them about our themed winter Sunday dinners for our friends." Yes, I think I did because I would have shared the fortune cookies we made with all the personal and on-point fortunes for our friends that freaked them out. Yea that was fun. I'm sure I told them at some point. Sunday dinners for friends. Our ghosts etc

"Did you tell them how mean you were to the kid with the big wheel?" Probably, but who wants to hear a damn big wheel under your window while taking a nap? I had to move my car so he would stay by his house. You make me sound so mean.  "you are" 

As if he never did that.

"Did you share the story of your missing ring in the sun porch? 

I know I must have under ghosts somewhere along the lines.

Did you share how we'd walk to the Double-A ballgames (for the Tigers) so we could drink beer and eat peanuts and not worry about driving home?"

Yes, I am certain I did. How about that kid you gave a $5 to at the start of the game so he would keep climbing the steps to our seats and bring us beer. He was so damn cute because you gave him the money for him to keep before we ordered. He even said to you, but you haven't ordered. We said it's a tip to not forget us. Every 2 drinks we'd tip him (not 5's) and he was very attentive and thankful. He kept thanking us until we told him to stop, we appreciated his hard work. 

"Did you tell them how we would walk to our favorite restaurant in a blinding snowstorm and once when we did it I proposed?"

Heaven's yes I did. That's a classic. You put your fork down and stopped eating - That is how I knew you were serious. Ricky doesn't stop eating just for anything!

"Did you share how you used to walk to the Dairy Queen so you felt better about eating a Flurry?  And how I saw you once when we were just friends  and I pulled over to ask if your car broke down. Nope, just like to walk you told me. I offered you a ride and you said, "No I want to walk why does everyone stop and ask to give me a ride. It's not that far from my apartment." I thought it was foolish but you would walk to DQ once every 2 weeks for your flurry and walk home eating it. 

Yep. I enjoyed the walks and I am certain this too was shared over the years. Mike used to stop me too and once he just yelled out the window - going to DQ? I nodded and he laughed and went on his way. But not before saying, Sure you don't want a ride?

Anything else mister? You don't even read my blog what is up with you giving me ideas? If you stopped by and read it you'd have known I shared these.  

"Yes, I suppose some would think a good husband would read his wife's blog, but I think of it as 'your space' so I don't read it unless you mention something to me." 

Oh, it is all fine with me that you don't come around these parts much. I know you and you will correct my spelling, my grammar, tell me I swear far more than I write in my stories and I'd have to make you leave the room so I don't hurt you.

"It's so cute that you think you can hurt me, Margaret".

See? You're frustrating me now - go  - leave the office.

Oh my God, I think I see my retirement right before my eyes. 

He is going to be underfoot every stinkin' day isn't he? 

Pray for me.

Warm Are Ya?

I feel for those in the Pacific Northwest. I know from living there that not many have air conditioning. I never understood why. People would say to me when I'd ask, well we don't get that many hot days. Well you don't get that many cold days either but it's nice to have heat when they show up.  We never understood it. It's not like in late July early August you wouldn't use your A/C. We always were thankful our apartment had one.

We left in 1998 I believe. We looked at a home that is probably over a million now but it was only $495,000 at the time and it was brand new. We thought we were buying a new home until I was sent back east for work. This house was beautiful and when you looked out the windows you could see the snowcaps of the Cascades.
A gorgeous location and gorgeous home. It was on the plateau if any are familiar. We were shocked to find that they didn't put in air conditioning in this big fat brand new home we were touring. 3,000 sq ft of no air. Unbelievable. They talked about granite etc. Rick and I asked why no air and can that be an add-on. We were adamant about not buying with no air. We've lived there at this point for 2 years so it's not like we didn't know what the weather was like. Icky and damp and then in the summer hot. Summer is only 6 to 8 weeks but nonetheless.

There was no way we were going to buy something without air or heat. That is just silly. And what is cold to them isn't really even cold like here in the east. So again, you have heat when you never need it, at least we didn't. (took the chill out if it were cold in the am. with the fireplace) And come August you will die from the heat and no air. So imagine how they are feeling right now with 107 + degree temps.  These poor people!  One can't sleep in that kind of heat!

When Rick and I were very young we lived in a 2nd floor flat. (like a duplex but not side by side, on top of one another instead)  We did not have air conditioning. It was so damn hot and humid in our apartment in July and August we would go to the movie theaters, eat out - ANYWHERE there was air conditioning. Sometimes just sitting in our car helped. 

We actually would take a shower and did not dry off. We then stood in front of a fan with our feet in ice water and just cool off like that. Crazy kids. But we were so miserable in the summer on the top floor. We vowed we would never live without air again. And we haven't. 

Since we are going to be retired and poor I told Rick even if we live in a pretty box under a bridge we need air somehow. He laughs. I can't take the heat as well as I can the cold. I'd rather freeze than be hot.

I hope this breaks soon for those out west. Their water supplies are drying up and they are burning up. Have you seen this?  This is darn right scary to me. But hey, it's not global warming, according to the right. That is fake news to them.

Enjoy your cool home if you have one.

To those in the PNW, stay cool as you can. I pray this breaks for you all sooner than later!! But hey, my home is cool, my food is warm, you can come here, you just have to help pack 😁

Performance Reviews.

I screwed up a phone number last week for Rick. 

As is the case I transposed 2 numbers. I hate that I do that to him but c'mon it's the last 4 days he won't have to deal with this again! (geez I hope not!)

He called me and said, "This is going on your job performance review before we leave missy" 

I said all while laughing, "well won't it be my exit interview so why do I care?"

"Well if you ever wish to be employed again."

"I don't sir, I'm retiring"

"What about all that talk about working after we move?"

"I don't need to tell them I ever worked here."

He just laughed.

It's bad enough working with your spouse. Can you imagine if we gave each other job reviews? He'd be fired for his attitude most days. His grumpiness when he returns to the office. I don't care about your traffic, be nice to the people running your company! Oh yea, if he can play this game so can I😛  

This came up on my Facebook feed.

I went back to Facebook to get some info and to message someone. 

I used to be able to use messenger without having facebook activated but not anymore. This popped up into my feed from a memory.

This is from the way back machine - 1987 at Fort Myers Beach.

This is Rick and Me of course. Please do not tease me about the awful hair at the beach.

I already know!!  I like how Rick is looking at me and he likes that he can be without his shirt. 🤣🤣🤣  Ah youth, We were just 31 yrs old here.

8 Years Ago

JuSmftnoSartpgoe n2soer8, t2ec01ht3dgg  · 

Shared with Your friends

We found this from 1987 - OMG what the hell was I thinking with those big red glasses?...and that hair? Rick's porn 'stache is a damn hoot!!

Okay, giggles over - go out and make it a fabulous day!!

You Knew This Was Coming.

Well, you knew this would happen.

Had to get a new realtor.

Pam was an awesome salesperson. 

She promised the moon. We then were ghosted.

Now in her defense, she is getting married. She was in Wyoming once when I called her. Now she is in the throes of getting married in a week. Come on. She wasn't going to be here for our open house until the last day. I asked if we could meet the person who is going to be in our home before she leaves. Crickets.

I text her, emailed her, and left VM's. My last email stated that I certainly understood her wedding keeping her busy but we have not heard from you. We are in limbo. The pictures have not been a date put in stone. We are hanging out here waiting to get info from you.

I went on to say that if she wanted to give me to another realtor in the office I understand that. While we liked her, we know she is busy, and now neither of us is getting the best of Pam because you are being stretched too thin.  You need to focus on your wedding and I so get that. 

Then I got a VM and an email saying thanks for understanding about the wedding but everything is still a go. (what is a go? you haven't even had us sign a contract.) She kept saying, no worries, I can do both.

It was all the right things to say but with no follow-up once again. 

She had mentioned giving us a Redfin agent in Raleigh to move us along down there. That also gives us 1% back after the sale for using another Redfin agent. But she kept promising that info but we never got it.

Last night while having a glass of wine and talking about what to do today I got a call. I'll be honest I don't normally answer my phone when I don't know who it is because I get so many robocalls all damn day. But I grabbed this one.

The man introduced himself as Yama from the Redfin office where Pam works. 

I thought it was Pam's assistant. I said, "oh you are Pan's assistant"  

He laughed and said, "No, I'm her boss. Yasmine is her assistant"  Oops.

He said we like to do follow-up and see if you're happy. I said that nothing has happened yet to be happy about we are sort of in limbo.

I was afraid to say anything real bad until he said, "Peggy, Pam has a busy schedule and I want to be sure you are being taken care of"

That opened the flood gates. I did not wish to get her in trouble. But I also know they get a salary and do not live off only commission so she would be fine or at least I assumed as much.

He asked questions and I just answered them. It felt better to respond honestly to his questions than to vomit my list of grievances. It accomplished the same and I felt better not venting. 

Rick and I were trying to figure out why he called. We do not think this was a random Redfin call as he made it out to be. Was Pam angry because I wanted attention and she said, "get rid of her?"  Or was he hearing it from others like us that she was non-responsive? We later saw all 5-star reviews but when she didn't get 5 stars she got 1 or 2 for being unresponsive a lot. She had 85% positive but when it was negative it said the same thing we were going through. And she was Presidents Club no less. 

I don't know what started this call but Yama said he wanted to give us someone else in the office.  That person has already set up an appointment.  The manager, Yama, of the office who called us already got us in contact with someone in Raleigh and she and I have made an appointment for Monday at 5:30p. This all happened within a 30-minute window. It's been weeks with Pam and nothing.

The new realtor will be here on Monday to meet us. Everything is going on the dates that we originally had. He will be here to solidify it all. (fingers crossed)

Rick has a good feeling about this man.

Me, not so much.  We shall see. 

To me he's still a realtor so...

We both are not one bit surprised. 

I have written here many times that I don't care for realtors. 

I do not think the majority work that hard and I do not think they are good at their jobs. I hear about good ones but for some reason, we have never had that luck. 

To me, a good realtor is a Unicorn. Rick said last night we could have called and bitched a fit. We didn't. We handled it politely and professionally. Yet we again got the short end of the stick. Perhaps that is why our customers would start out angry and bitchy because they have been dealing with shitty customer service elsewhere.'Maybe you have to be loud and bitchy to get service. I don't want to think that though. 

 I heard a realtor tell a prospective buyer that the patio from the house to the garage was just a walk space/wasted space. Instead of talking about how beautiful it was and additional living space. (we were on our patio when the house next door was being sold and we heard it while sitting on our 'wasted space 'on our outdoor sofa - idiot realtor) You've all seen photos of my outdoor patio - I would hardly call it wasted space!

That guy who was selling the house next door was horrific. We heard the things he said and the things he pointed out and would ask, "Do you like that?"  

It was a flaw - why the hell if you are selling would you point out a flaw? If they point it out then you overcome the objection to the best of your ability or you don't, but to point it out? Crazy. 

So while we hoped for the best, we saw the worst of realtors yet again.

Did You Hear?

Did you hear about the woman who killed her husband and then she cut off his penis and fried it in soybean oil?

Before I found the article to this I heard it while in the car on Sirius Radio.

The DJ said, "Well she was being healthy using soybean oil"

Okay, I admit that made me laugh out loud alone in my car.

When I got home I found this story and sent it to my girlfriend.

She said, "Oh he probably deserved that."

WHAT? 

No one deserves that. Leave him. Walk away. If threatening you leave and get help. No one deserves this.

Now there are 2 kids involved. 8 and 5. So Daddy's dead and Mom goes to prison. What the hell was she thinking?

Oh, I do understand that kind of anger but I have never ever felt the need to kill or disfigure. That is insane.

She could have gotten off probably claiming self-defense. 

But cooking his cock doesn't look like self-defense.  

This is so Hannibal Lecter creepy.

I mean what kind of wine do you even have with that? 

Okay, that was bad Margaret. 

Margaret is being punished now and can't write anymore!

Stairs and More Stairs

Stanley Steamer came out to clean my steps, hall, and master carpets.
They arrived on time. Go figure.

The main man looked into my eyes like we were dating. Creepy.

The first thing he asked was, "Are you Middle Eastern, like Lebanese or Italian perhaps?" Since when is being from Italy the middle east? I asked.

He laughed and said, "Oh no, I meant one or the other sorry"

I said I am 100% American, but my ancestors are from Italy.

He said I knew it. Your eyes give you away.

Now I am wearing a mask as the two gentlemen were so you can only see my eyes. What an odd question and odd situation. He was so very nice.

He was from Israel. I asked how he came to be here. 

He said "One guess."

I said, "The woman of your dreams was American and you followed her here."  

"Yes, ma'am."

That's always how it happens I tell him. 

This man was built. My God his arms were nice. His forearms were that of a baseball player which you know I like. My Dad had forearms like that when he was young.  And Patti, his butt and arms were like your man Stanton.

He was a good-looking specimen.  The other man looked like Paul Rudd.

Cute and so very personable. They were very nice and neither had been vaccinated. One didn't believe in it and the man built like a Greek God said he hasn't the time and he has to because he wants to visit his family in Israel soon. They are very strict if coming from America he says. 

So I was glad they were wearing their masks and I put mine on when the doorbell rang.  

So my floors are done. Can check that off my realtor list. He told me not to walk on them for 24 hrs. How do I do that? I need to go to bed, it's on the 2nd floor. My office is here on the 2nd floor. The only thing on the first floor is the kitchen, great room, dining room, and powder room. We can't stay downstairs for 24 hrs. 

But I see my future.

Margaret, can you fetch me (insert thing)

Margaret, it's easier for you to run up can you get my (insert thing)

Oh, I see it coming.  You can do this faster, your feet are smaller and won't hurt the steps like my big feet will. Oh, I know him well. He will laugh as he asks me this knowing full well he is full of shit but I will do it while he is working.

It's great that I can run up the steps. It sucks that I am the only one who can RUN up the steps. I can't wait to not have steps. Rick can fetch his own stuff then. Oh, he goes up and down all day for work but once he gets home I think he becomes allergic to steps.  

Yes, I know I could tell him to do it himself. I have a few times. 

But I also know what steps he climbs daily so I let it go. 

But trust me, beginning July1st, his first day of no work, he's on his own. 

No more fetching for The Big Guy unless he breaks a leg.

I'm a mean wife, aren't I?

I know how to make him climb those stairs - I will call him from upstairs when he's on the 1st floor and say, "Oh Ricky, feel like foolin' around?"  

I would bet the farm he'll run up that flight of stairs! 

Suddenly he'll be saying, what knees? My knees don't hurt.

He will be up those stairs in record time. Wanna bet? 🤣

All I Got Today

Egg Rolls and Boxes

Well, Rick had his beloved egg rolls. 

My God that man can eat them. 6 leftover. He ate 6 of them and then rubbed his belly and moaned happily. 

I put them on a plate to cool and thought I'd put them in a zip lock bag later so they don't get mushy right away. They will either way but when I have done this and they are warm it is far worse.

Oh but Rick had other ideas. We were watching a movie and he goes to the island and gets another one. 

I say, "that's 7 buddy. I think you have to cut back, we don't have enough life insurance on you!"

He laughs. He says they are so @!#$! good though and you can't help me eat them. I don't want them to go to waste. 
What about all that, "Oh I like these cold Margaret so I'll take them for lunch tomorrow, okay?"
He has a shit-eating grin on his face. This man and food!

A plate of food or margaret is drowning - it'd be a tough choice for the old coot!

Tonight I am feeding him fish and roasted veggies. That'll fix him. (who am I kidding he loves that too) 

This morning Izzy and I watched as they put a Pod-type box in my driveway. Izzy and I sat under the tree from the driveway and watched how they got this from the flatbed truck to my driveway. Man, it was slick. I said that to the young man using the controls that were around his belt. He just laughed at me. I can't parallel park for the life of me so of course, I was impressed.

It is an 18' box. My driveway is only 14' (we thought 15' but they insisted we measured wrong) so they put it sideways to the garage. I made my neighbor on the right the french bread casserole he has talked non-stop about since having it here for brunch. I made the compote and put it in a container. I made the french toast casserole and told him to let it sit overnight in the fridge and then the directions to bake it in the morning. Heat up the compote and pour it over and devour. You'd have thought I'd given him money. 

I so wish I could taste it.

The young man on the left I made beer cake for him. He loves cakes and cookies and I'd much rather bake cakes than make cookies. Both said it was unnecessary - which maybe, but I wanted to thank them for not being dicks about not being able to see easily when they leave their garages. I know it's a pain in the ass. Thankfully both just moved so they get it.

I told them it should only be here for a week. Kevin (french toast guy) said if it's here the 2nd week I'll take whatever you are making. Dear Lord I made this for the length of time it's here, not just for the 1st week. I think I may have spoiled them.   

I had to get permission from the HOA but they are getting jack shit because I despise them so much. I will not miss them.

Rick finished the week-long job at the "invalid's" home. They went over things with a fine-tooth comb and then said it was great and paid him. Whew. It never ceases to surprise Rick when they get out a big light and a magnifying lens and look over everything as they do. Then when they act surprised when they find nothing wrong it really makes him laugh. It's like they just want to find something wrong. This was the last big job of the company. I thought it was 2 bathrooms + kitchen but when Rick brought me the paperwork I saw it was the full kitchen and 4 bathrooms. He was so exhausted on Saturday when he got home. He said as he fell into his ugly chair, "I am not moving anything or my body until Sunday afternoon. You are going to have to be okay with that."

Of course, I was. He is 66 and I know all this up and down staircases and physical labor is really getting to him. 

(and if he didn't eat a slew of egg rolls he may feel better! just sayin' Ricky) 

He has work all week but nothing huge. We had a man beg, called me 3 times to do a small job for him. We just didn't have the time before the 30th. He said he understood but kept calling back. I had given him two other companies to call. He called me again and said if someone cancels please call me.  I went along but truth be told I assumed if someone canceled Rick would have the day off to load up this Box in the driveway. Then the man called me at 5ish last night and I was still in the office so I answered. He asked if anyone canceled and I did have a cancellation earlier. The house sold so they didn't wish to have this done now - okay that makes sense no issue, I canceled it. (at least they called me to tell me)

The persistent man then told me he was 2 minutes from our house. I gave in. Rick is not getting the day off Thursday but doing something small, so small he will be there at 9a and be home by noon. He knows we won't be here for any warranty etc but this man insisted it had to be done by us. He was throwing compliments left and right. It made us both laugh. So we are doing it since Rick doesn't have to drive far.  I did call Rick to discuss and he was okay with it. A 2-minute commute with traffic sealed the deal.😊

I've been asked for the french toast casserole recipe.

So here ya go...be prepared for everyone to beg you to make this again.

Also, did you read the story about an IT department in a government building in the crazy state of Florida that had the variant Delta Covid spread through it? 

2 died, 3 hospitalized and ONE had a vaccine and is fine. Easily avoidable sadly. 

I wonder how the 2 that died family members now feel about the vaccine. 

Is this natural selection perhaps?

I couldn't get this to load yesterday.  I had to resize it to make it work.

Here is what I saw fall over from the wind on Sunday. 

Random Items

This morning at 9am there was to be a carpet cleaner at my home. 

I promised the realtor I was doing this. We moved all the furniture in my master bedroom for them.

At 10am still no floor cleaners. So I called. I asked if we had an ETA. I told her I did receive 3 emails saying you would be here today. Could you please give me an update? She puts me on hold. She said someone will call me back.  Oh, this is never good.

5 minutes go by and I get a call from Kenny, the owner. He says he tried to reach me all weekend. I gave 2 phone numbers. 1 my office where I am the majority of the time. I wrote on the paperwork this was the best number and it is my business so should you call after hours I will get the message. I also left my cell phone and we already know they have my email because they sent me 3 emails reminding me of the appointment.

Kenny says I must have typed the wrong number instead of area code 703 I typed 709. Okay let's say I did do that when the numbers aren't even close on the keyboard, but I might have had a bad day, a pineapple may have fallen on my head and I forgot my own phone number. Who knows, but let's go with the idea that I did indeed type the wrong number. If you couldn't reach me and it was very important why wouldn't you try the other number and the email address?

His response was we don't usually use email in that way. 

In what way? You sent me two for confirming my reservation. 

You sent me 3 for reminding me. You couldn't send me just one to ask me to call or to cancel me? Crickets.

He said he could do it another day. I said thank you for calling me back today but I think I'm going elsewhere. So now it's Stanley Steamer, the only company who could get me in this week. My realtor is coming on the 28th and everything is supposed to be done for photos videos and other awful things. I think this may be why everyone thinks we have good customer service. We show up. 

She is moving things around my house and I find it looks worse but whatever. I have to move my block of knives on the counter. I asked where she wanted me to put them? Her reason is for safety. Never even occurred to me to not have the knives on the counter in their block of wood. So if someone is going to stab the realtor couldn't they just go in my drawer? 

Lots of big knives in there. Or if they have the proclivity to stab someone wouldn't they have their own knife?  I mean c'mon if I'm a stabber I may have my own stabbing utensil that I think fits my hand best. 

I also have to remove the blender off the counter. She said my counters had too much clutter. Remove the toaster too. Who the hell lives like this? This is a picture from a few years ago. But it's pretty much the same - she said my counters were cluttered. I beg to differ, she has never seen my family's or my friend's countertops. I know you can't see the toaster here but it's just a toaster on the side of the stove. I find this weird.

In our master, I have to remove the bench at the end of the bed and put it by the window. She thinks it will make the room look larger. Seriously? It's a big room with a king and lots of space to walk around. A bench is going to make it look smaller? It's just a bench. It will look stupid under the window. But we are doing it. She wanted our closets to be emptied to look larger. Oh for the love of God we have 4 very large walk in closets where 2 are used as storage. Very organized and you can still see the size and you can still walk in and spin with your arms out. So it's not like someone can't see the size. If they can't tell how large they are too bad, they are too dumb to buy a house. I have removed all winter coats, boots, and winter items and packed them away so the hall closet looks empty.

But there is only so much I can do in the guest bedroom's walk-ins. She will have to live with it.

The weekend and all weekends from now until I am in a new home are all about fixing, sprucing up, painting, packing etc. Fun times.

This weekend I did eat a fresh corn salad. I knew this would probably bother my tummy and boy oh boy did it ever. It was so good. I love corn salad. The doctor kept telling me certain food shouldn't bother me and that was old school. Try to eat everything. If something bothers you don't eat it. Okay then, corn ripped up my tummy big time. Or it was the cherry tomatoes, red onions, peppers etc. Doubtful, I will assume the corn. Bummer!!  It was so good I had a 2nd helping - shouldn't have done that I see. Oh, this diverticular colitis is fun. ☺

In other fun weekend updates. I was sitting in Rick's ugly chair. I came downstairs and just wanted a minute to sit. No packing, no climbing stairs, no carrying anything downstairs - just sit you know? Rick and Izzy were at the ole swimming hole so I took a minute to sit. As soon as I sat down I see the table do this - oops, it won't let me put the photo here. I give up. But the table and open umbrella toppled over and knocked down a chair on the way.

I went outside and picked it up. Dear Lord that was heavy. I wasn't expecting that.

But like all things here - nothing happens when Rick is here.  Things like the ceiling collapsing from water from the washing machine on the 2nd floor, or the flood in the kitchen from a pantry, or the time the umbrella flew across 2 neighbors and landed in their yard without piercing anyone thank goodness. Nope, Rick is never here when that happens. I came home to my glass table shattered into a million little pieces and on its side with no sign of my umbrella. Then I look over the fences and see it 2 doors down. Thankfully no one there was home or this could have been a very bad scene.

After I got the table upright I sat at the table until Rick came home. Good excuse as any to just be still and not be working. I actually fell asleep out there and Rick came home and saw me out there and woke me. How I can fall asleep sitting upright yet can never sleep in bed is a head-scratcher to me.

Then last night we sat and shared some wine and Rick mentioned when he met me and how he asked me if I cooked. I told him, "No, when you asked about my last name you said, you must be Italian so you can cook,"  I told you, "No, I eat"

You insisted I must be able to cook something and I told you I did about 5 things really well. Yes, and egg rolls were one of the 5 he excitedly remembered. 

You haven't made them in a really long time! I took the hint. He's oh so subtle.

Rick's right. I became celiac and I don't make them often. Not nice just because I can't eat them. So I told him I'd make them for him on Monday.

I made the insides at lunchtime. I can eat all things inside because I used Tamari which is GF instead of soy sauce which is wheat. So I may eat some of the fillings in a lettuce wrap and he can have the wonderful deep-fried egg rolls.  (damn!)

Then this morning he said well if I'm having your top 5 list can I have cream puffs for dessert then? I laughed. I thought you were trying to lose weight, do you really want both? I see what you're saying he says but I don't care right now. I think both would be great. 

Oh, he has a way, doesn't he? I told him over the weekend or when my niece is here July 2 - 5th. No time before then and besides if no one else is here to eat them, he will eat them all. I told him I was helping him. He stuck out his lower lip as if to pout. I just laughed.

Besides food this weekend I made him watch a baseball game yesterday when we were all down working. I recorded it so we could watch it later. Sat down and watched a thrilling game and another triple play that ended the game. My team made the triple play that ended the game in a win for us.  Double and triple plays when done well to me are like ballet. Beautiful thing.

Verizon is heartless

I called Verizon to cancel our office lines. I was informed there is a cancellation fee for businesses of over $1,200.00. WTF is that about?  There is a switch they hit to turn off our phone. They don't have to send anyone here. Oh my God - they can bill me. I will not pay for this. Take me to collections. At this point, I don't friggin' care!  I am so pissed by this.

I first tried to do a lot of this online. But each link said bad request. So then I went to another browser. The links there said no such site or something to that effect.  So I called. When he told me this charge my head exploded. Of course, when I told them I was getting these messages they said it was me. They suggested I try a 3rd browser. Do you think that you may wish to fix this instead?

There are no Verizon FiOS services where I am moving. So I imagine if I cancel the fios internet there will be another $1,200.00 fee. Currently, I am on hold. I got routed to fios technical support for which I do not need. In fact, we will be here for another month or 2 so we will need the internet, just not a business landline. 

But this woman in the wrong department was so nice and she speaks English and I didn't want to let her go. She has me on hold to find a person who speaks English in the department I need. Imagine that will take a while.

It's not like I am leaving Verizon's landline and going to another company. I am closing my doors. Why are they charging me this? Argh!!  Nowhere has it ever stated on bill or verbally that there was a renewal time. I got a bundle for our business. While on hold I went through all my Verizon paperwork. It does not state anywhere that it would "renew" every year. I've had this bundle for 15 yrs. I've changed it at times. Would they not have told me about a contract? I have one with wireless. 

I'm typing in real-time - someone just came on the line - sending me to someone else. Wanna bet I get disconnected?  I'm stressed and I just want to crawl under the covers and cry. Why must this simple task be so difficult? Why must corporate America try and screw us every @#$! chance they get?

So my choices are to pay it or else.

I may go to 7on your side on TV I'm that pissed off.

She just came on and I will quote - 'Verizon made a corporate decision at the beginning of Covid to not make any exceptions in billing or cancellation fees due to Covid or any other reason.'

How very nice of them. This is from trumpy's business school, where hearts are removed and cold callous orange people take over.

It's been 2 hrs now where I am still on hold. One dept to another. 

Welcome to verizon hell. 

In other news -

Our website did not come down for some reason. So I need to look into that today. Without advertising, you can't find us so it doesn't make a big deal.

 you might as well go see it before it's gone. Click on each picture to get you before and after photos in that group. Click on the tub and it will take you there. Click on cabinets etc.

I think right now there is a black cloud over my head. I'm going to take Ms. Izzy for a walk and maybe drive off a short pier.

Wanna Go For A Ride?

Thursday, Friday and Saturday of this week. 

Then 8 more days after that.

Ooh, we're down to the wire.

I've had a tough week of concentrating on what is needed to be done in the house.

The dog has been needy and I really hate when she is like that. Yesterday I drove to Middleburg VA for Izzy to chill out. (24 miles) She loves car rides as I have mentioned. She was super hyper yesterday. I took her swimming for an hour. She kept bugging me in the office, herding me downstairs. She just wasn't napping. She was acting like a puppy, not a 12.5-year-old dog. When she came to the office I'd think she needed to go out but she wanted to sit on the stoop. I had no time for that. Then I realized it was lunchtime. I was going to UPS at lunch. 

I got ready to go. As soon as she sees me grab my keys and purse she runs to the door. She thinks she is going for a ride. And this time she was. I took her with me since the weather was cooler and lower humidity. It's been nirvana after our storm on Monday night. 

We went to UPS and then I drove out to Middleburg. My phone was ringing off the hook due to the Facebook posting I talked about earlier. Because I'm driving I have a message that says I'm driving and I'll get back to you. 

It is a godsend. 

So Izzy and I drove to Middleburg with the sunroof open and the radio blaring. 

She began to snore and I knew it did the trick. By the time we got back home (1 hr) she was still sleepy so she came inside, and plopped down on her bed and crashed. Whew. I could get some work done. I love how the car calms her down. But seriously driving and wasting gas isn't good.

I love the phones not ringing off the hook. I've played some hooky. What are they gonna do to me now? I'm outta here. This happens because we are no longer on google or bing. Website still up too. Big difference when no advertising dollars are spent. 

I can barely watch baseball these days. The showboating, the cheating, my team playing like they are 2nd string, high school ballplayers. It's weird because I actually skipped last night's game. Rick came over to me and touched my forehead and I asked what he was doing. He said making sure you aren't feverish, not watching a game that is televised? I laughed and said I recorded it I may check in on it but no, it makes me sick and I've had enough of that feeling this week.

Instead, I watched some wood porn with Rick. He gets so excited about this or that lathe or this or that wood. "Oh, Margaret look at this bowl and how he turned it."

I'm thinking, "do I have to?" But I do because he is so damn cute how excited this makes him and I know he wants to talk to me about it. But seriously it's not my thing any more than baseball is his. But like him, I will watch because I love him just as he does my games.

Right about now I think I could turn my own bowl or vase. If only the tools didn't scare me. I almost lost a digit when using the saw once and now I'm afraid of his tools. Pitiful I know.😂

Found

There is a lot I am unable to say. But I will share my feelings. It has been a harrowing, painful, tear-filled, scary, angry 4 days. I have had every emotion imaginable. 

Here is what was on Facebook. Since this is public knowledge I can share this much.

The woman missing is my sister Ann. Last seen on Saturday night.

Thankfully late yesterday she was found and is now home, well, our mom's home. There was no way she could stay alone in her apartment after this. Thankfully through social media, she was found. I so wish I could say more but police are involved and if you ever watch Dateline you know I must be careful about what I saw here. I don't want to jeopardize anything here.  My niece posted this late yesterday. I feel these can be posted here since they saved her life and it was all over social media.

I knew she was headed to the hospital and police and then to my mom's. Maybe not even in that order but you get it.

I did not call because in all honestly we've been communicating so much over text, calls and social media that I was happy she was found, somewhat safe, and home with her loved ones. I have not called there because I wanted them all to have some space.  Her daughter called me to let me know the situation and that she was headed to the places I listed above.

I have never been a fan of facebook as you all know but through FB she was found and the reason she was found. When I can tell you everything I will certainly tell you how FB made this possible and how I will be forever grateful.

I have not always been as close to this sister as I would have liked. 

She went through some really bad times as she was growing up with drugs etc. Because I am 15 yrs older than her I was out of the house during most of this but I still saw it and felt the repercussions of her behavior. 

In and out of rehabs and making horrific choices that caused a lot of pain for our family and then hers. But even through all that grief, you don't stop loving your sister. I saw her a few weeks ago when I went home. She came up to mom's to visit. Then last week we had the best conversation and after this happened I replayed it over and over again in my head. I was praying that wasn't our last conversation.

I have not spoken to my mom during this whole ordeal. I didn't wish to add any more pressure or make her talk about it. I just spoke to my sisters and Ann's daughters, my nieces. Because they were all staying at my mom's home I knew she was being well taken care of. 

No one can do stoic like my mom. :-)

So there ya go. It's all I can muster for today. 

Not that any of this is about me, but after I got word she was found I was able to sleep.  It felt wonderful. 

Let's Start with a Giggle Shall We?

 

Bad morning, night, day My family is currently living an episode of Dateline.

I will write and explain tomorrow if I can. I am turning off comments for now. 

I just can't write today, my head isn't in it.

Brunch

We had some neighbors over for the first time in over a year.
We had brunch on the deck. Nothing fancy. One had a date in the afternoon so he took off. Another had a social engagement and left about the same time. But how nice to not wear masks, everyone vaccinated and mimosa's for all.

Today I have to take care of Skipper, the dog across the street.  His owner went out of town and 3 neighbors are all taking turns with Skipper. I don't know what kind of dog he is other than smart and cute. I also forgot how fast a normal dog walk used to be for me with this little one. He sure moves quickly for such short legs. Izzy lumbers these days. It felt good to walk faster.

I fed the dog after his 7am walk as I was instructed. Then I brought him over to my house. He had a ball, but my goodness was Izzy spastic. She did not like him being here. Skipper kept cuddling up to me and Izzy literally would move him aside and sit in front of me. "Cock blocking" shall we say. It was making us laugh and she was so upset. She herded Rick and me together and then sat in front of us. We were howling. Poor thing. So I took Skipper home. I felt terrible leaving him alone but I'll go back at lunchtime and take another walk and play with him. Izzy will be upset but she'll just have to deal with it.

My niece posted this picture of my Dad yesterday for some reason. 
It is a picture we just love of Dad on one of his birthdays. He was a jovial sort.

If you recall I had a customer who called his wife an invalid. It struck me as so politically incorrect. Most of you agreed but some said it was still used. I would never ever use that term. But then I got to thinking maybe it's just me. I'm being overly sensitive. So I looked it up.  Here is something that pretty much explained it as I thought.

There were several articles that expressed the same thing but this was shorter so I posted this one. So basically it is an outdated term that is no longer acceptable but because the person who used it is older than me I assume that it is fine with him. As an adult, I can truly say I have never heard this used except by my Grandparents so that was my concern. Oh well, while we are there all week we will not be referring to his wife as an invalid!

We watched the Westminster Dog Show this weekend. We watched the agility tests on Saturday. I just love watching these dogs do the course. They all look so focused it makes you smile. Then on Sunday we just tuned in for our favorite "sporting breeds". So retrievers of all kinds, of course, others as well. The Labrador was a big fat chocolate lab like Izzy and we howled. How did that dog get in the mix? I even think it was fatter than Izzy.

My vet's head would explode. 

I have to run - dogs await.

When I get back with one I take the other. I wish I could take them at the same time - but The Diva we know as Izzy, hates me paying attention to other dogs. And Skipper is a jumper and he jumps all over Izzy and she gets so annoyed. While it is funny to see because she behaves like an old man, the curmudgeon, and she just hates little dogs. She becomes the equivalent of "get off my lawn"

This lady can't get home soon enough.