Let 'em eat cake

I made a cake for Rick's birthday. (Tuesday)
It is his favorite cake. I would think he'd be bored by now but apparently not because that is what he wanted.
It used to be peanut butter pie each year because that is all he ever wanted.
Once I made this cake he now asks for it every year.

But here is the thing it is called Aged Beer Cake. AGED.
After you make it you wrap it up tightly and allow it to sit for 7 days.
I had all the ingredients and the time so I made it last week.
(I'm still working you know)
The longer it sits the better and the more moist ( or is it moister?)it becomes.
I don't get it but it works.

It is a heavy moist dense cake with a swirl of cinnamon sugar and walnuts.
(bundt cake)
It is beer, pudding, sour cream, oil and all kinds of good stuff to make it moist.
The longer it sits the more you get the beer flavor which you wouldn't think is good but it is. (not a beer drinker either but it will surprise you)

Back in the day when Rick had just discovered this cake, I would wrap it in saran wrap. I would sit it on the counter and I thought nothing of it.
Then one day I saw the wrap wasn't on it in the same way so I walked over.
I saw the smallest slice cut out of it. So then to be a ball-buster I said nothing to Rick. I just wrapped over the saran wrap with aluminum foil so I could hear when he gets into it. Damn if that didn't work.
We had a couple of good chuckles over this.
We were living in Seattle and I heard the foil all the way in the back of the apartment. I yelled, "I hear that"  Then I heard him laughing.
I walked into the kitchen and he said, "oh that was damn good Margaret. But c'mon you can't let it sit here and not let me have some."  Yes, I can, just wait 7 days as the recipe calls for, that is all I'm asking.  He kept telling me he couldn't do this. He did it. He survived.

So then I began to make it and hide it - you know like in the pantry where he can find nothing even if it is sitting on a shelf in front of his face. I even put them where the cleaning supplies are or where the vacuum is kept - you know all the places he would never look.  Saturday, as I was coming down the stairs at 6am, I see Rick grab the cake plate from the back counter and bring it to the island.
I asked, "having cake with your coffee?"  He jumped. BUSTED.
He laughed and said, "It's my damn cake so I can eat it whenever I like I'm not a child and it's been 7 days today so it's done! So there!"  
Oh no not said like a child at all Richard. 
"Oh, you've been counting days have you? Go for it," I told him.
He moaned and ate his cake with his coffee. Again he tells me it's the best cake ever. He says that about every baked good I make him so it is not the best cake ever. He's just trying to sweet talk me so I'll bake some more.

When I met Rick on our first date he asked me my favorite food. 
I told him Cake. Favorite food group  - baked goods. He laughed at me. 
He told me he didn't like cake. 
I was appalled and then thought, oooh, more for me.
To digress for a moment on our first date to dinner he asked at the end of the meal if I wanted to share a dessert. I said I ate light so I could have dessert and I don't share dessert, I'll share my food, not my dessert if that's okay.
He laughed a big hearty laugh. I surely did not think that was funny. 
He said, "no girl would ever admit to wanting her own creme brulee and I love that you just did"  
Yep, no sharing my sweets! 

Then when I lived with him I asked one summer if he'd like an angel food cake.
He said and I quote, "OH GOD NO those are so damn dry!"
In what world? Are you eating the ones from the store - yes those are a bit dry but a homemade angel food cake or a box is not dry if baked properly.
He said no way.

I made the angel food cake. A friend stopped by later that evening and I cut him a slice with some fresh-picked strawberries and homemade whipped cream. 
He asked for a 2nd. Then Rick says, "oh let me try a small slice"
He gets his slice and proclaims, "OH MY GOD THIS IS NOT DRY"
Our friend Michael said, "why would you think that?"
Oh, Michael don't ask.

Rick ate most of that cake needless to say. He kept saying I didn't know it could be so light and moist. Maybe my mom didn't know what she was doing. He told me his mom made it a lot and it was very dark brown unlike mine just being brown. He said if you ate a piece of his mom's cakes you spit dust. 
I doubt that but I understood why he thought all cake was dry since everyone he ever had growing up was dry. So he quit eating cake and thought he just hated cake. He quit eating cake at age 18 after he left his mom's home.

He now loves cake. 
Asks for cheesecake, beer cake, carrot cake you name it he now loves it.
I used to bake all the time then I was diagnosed w/celiac. I still bake for him just not as much as before and in all honesty, he doesn't need it any more than I do.
I recall when I made him cream puffs he asked me to marry him. We were just friends then and I said, "Never, but I'll stop by with cream puffs every now and then"  HA! I haven't made pastry cream and cream puffs in forever.
Poor Rick is punished because baking isn't the same for me anymore. 
How incredibly selfish of me I know. But it's not like my potbellied stallion is hurting for food so don't feel real bad for him. 

Here is a fun quarantine recipe that is not homemade -
In fact, when we thought we were getting company just before lockdown I bought a can of cinnamon rolls. 
You see I  saw a recipe for a mini apple pie of sorts.
I thought it'd be a fun small treat. These girls like sweets as does Rick when having a couple of cocktails. You take the cinnamon rolls out of that handy dandy roll. There are normally 6 or 8. (do not use Grands, just normal size)
Take one and press it into a sprayed cupcake tin. Up the sides and press it down firmly on the bottom.  Then take apple pie filling and fill it. Bake as directed. It puffs up around the apple filling and leaves some to show on top.
Rick ate two, gave 2 to the neighbors, and kept the rest for himself. 1 a day with his coffee. He LOVED them. How easy was that?
So there you go, like a cupcake of apple pie while in quarantine. Not at all good for you but what is during quarantine?

Now I never make a pie with canned filling but I had it for some reason, probably a recipe I never made,  and thought I may need to use this before it expires. I have no idea why I even bought it but who cares, it worked out perfectly for everyone.

You're welcome.
Tip: Don't put on your jeans. Eat while in elastic waist pants. You'll feel better.

The Price Is Right.

In the past, I have shared my husband's love of The Price Is Right.
He has been watching this show since inception I swear.

When he worked from home in his white-collar world he would take lunch during TPIR. I would laugh because I too worked from home but did not wish to eat lunch at 11am. The goofball.

When we were going to California his sisters wanted to show him the Hollywood sign, Beverly Hills etc asked if he'd like it. No, it's a sign, who cares about celebrities he told them. All he wanted was to go to TPIR. They didn't want to.
So he didn't get to go.

The other day he did not work. 
His schedule for the day was around TPIR.
I told him he was crazy.  But that evening when he went for a walk with Izzy I hit the DVR to record the show each day. We both hate watching the news and constant barrage of misinformation about Covid-19 so he will be surprised that at the time of the news he can come home and watch his Price is Right.

Last night was the 1st time. The news came on and he walked across the room to turn it off. I said, "Hey wait a minute I have recorded something for you - go look at the DVR"  He did and got all excited. He thanked me like I gave him a damn gift. Silly man. 

So while dinner was in the oven he and I watched TPIR.
At one point a very busty redhead came onto the stage. 
Rick said, "Wow, That's what you used to look like" 
"What the hell does that mean?And stop drooling"
"Well, when you were younger and they were high and pert."
"I may just delete the recordings for you now Richard."
But we both laughed because he's right at 64 it ain't like when I was 34.

At one point Drew was so staring at her boobs.
Then Drew does it again.
I asked Rick, "Did you see Drew stare at her boobs just a bit too long?
Rick says, "Ah No, I was staring at her boobs."

For the love of God, even on The Price is Right.

Bubble Wrap OFF

Rick removed the bubble wrap from me today so I'm back.
Hard to type when you are wrapped up like that. I will venture to walk Izzy today and see what damage I can do to myself. I seem to have a gift.
And here I was thinking my whole life I have no talent.
Clumsiness could be my talent. I do it better than most it seems. 😛

My leg is better and I decided I was not going to urgent care. 
(yes, chicken shit to go to these places right now)
I can put weight on it now. 
Yes, still a bit swollen, yes still feel a lump in my arch but it is way smaller.
I am doing okay.  The 2nd day was killer so I was eating Aleve and Tylenol together. It really helped. I actually slept wonderfully that night.
I told Rick that was a good prescription you gave me. 
He insisted I take both and then later in the evening he had a glass of wine and asked if I wanted one. 
Sure what the hell.
So one glass of cabernet, 2 Aleve and 2 Tylenol and I slept soundly for 7 hours.
I awoke to less swelling and far less pain.  So Doctor Rick did very well.
I must admit the pain on the 1st two days was far worse than shingles and shingles is no walk in the park. (and by the way, I still have the bumps and dr said it could take a year or maybe not, it's anyone's guess. Yipee) 

Now I have to share something that happened to my husband when he went to the bank yesterday. Our bank is located in our development inside one of the grocery stores. (The hotel finally paid us yesterday. You know a month late and only after being threatened with a contractor's lien. Then we got a check.)

Rick was walking into the store with his mask on. 
A much older woman was also entering the store with her mask on. 
The elderly woman says to the two 17-year-olds, "where are your masks girls?"  
To which the blonde snotty 17 year old responded, "I'm too pretty to get sick."   (yes, she was serious) 
My husband said, "Well stupid really attracts the virus so good luck"  
Her friend laughed. Stupid Pretty tilted her head like the RCA dog and just didn't get it. The older woman sees Rick later in the store and says, "Hey young man, (that's funny) I'd pat you on the back if I could get that close to you. What a couple of brats huh?"  

I asked Rick if she was pretty. He said, typical entitled blonde brat you see around these parts so yes. 
I asked, like drop dead "model" pretty or just a pretty 17 yr old? 
I was trying to figure out the attitude. 
He said just a pretty typical 17 yr old with that NoVa attitude. 
He said when she flipped her hair and had a flippant attitude to the older woman he wanted to smack her. She was disrespectful in attitude, in not wearing a mask for the others, and just a typical NoVa entitled brat. 
I know the type and I knew exactly what he was talking about. 

I bet her parents are proud. 
Then again her parents could be part of Mango Mussolini's cult and they think it's just all a joke. 
Yep, 712 new cases yesterday in my county, just a big joke.
I'm laughing, aren't you?

Oops I Did It Again.

I am clumsy.

Not Rick clumsy where I trip over my own feet but it's getting there.

I once jumped into the open window of Rick's van and sat straight upright.

No rolling around, just in the car, twist and sat upright.

He stills talks about it. He was floored that I could do that. 

When I was young I was good in gymnastics but not great. 

I was a high school cheerleader so my two left feet seemed to do okay. 

I skied both downhill and water. 

I stunk at downhill but was a great water skier if I do say so myself.

But in all honesty, I was still clumsy. 

Don't get me started about what happens in the kitchen. 

We keep band-aids in the kitchen cabinet just for me.

Mainly it was doing stupid stuff but now it's my walking. WHAT? 

Yes, walking.

I can no longer make fun of Rick when he trips over nothing.

Yesterday Izzy and I headed out for a walk around 2:30p.

We crossed the street because my dog is nosey and there were a lot of beefcakes doing landscaping and she had to check them out.  

I got her away from all the men who fawned all over the affection whore and down the street, we went. 

It was not raining. It was sunny, cold, and windy.  

I saw the whole choreographed scene as if it was slow motion.

Izzy walked in front of me from my left, she walked over my left foot and as I tried to move my right foot caught the edge of the sidewalk. 

I rolled my right foot to the right and it twisted and turned backward into a big divet/hole in the lawn. I got my balance and stayed upright but not easily. I hopped to the neighbor's steps mere feet away and sat there for a moment to deal with the intense burning pain as Izzy loved on me because she knew I was hurt.  I sat a bit and prayed they didn't open their door to walk outside because I'd have to move quickly and I sure didn't think I could move quickly.

I limped to the corner and she did her business and we went home. She knew I was hurt, she walked slowly as I limped home. I could not put weight on my foot. I got inside and took off my shoe and sock. I felt that this was not going to swell up like a sprained ankle, this was different. The pain was different and the areas of pain were different. I knew I sprained my ankle but no big deal. It was the other areas of my foot that were screaming in pain and I knew this was different.

Rick got home around 4:45p. I was thrilled I did not have to hobble down the street again. The pain is in the bottom of my foot in the arch and back up my ankle. The top of my foot feels like a truck ran over it. It hurts to touch it. The ankle area where it rolled just feels sprained no biggie. And it is barely swollen just as I assumed. I knew this was not a strain this was more. I may never know what more is. I imagine with no medical care this will take a month to heal. At least to walk. This is not going to be fun. 

Now I just have to live with this and eat Tylenol like Pez.

I can't go to urgent care and I can't go to the ER so no Xrays. 

The doctor's office is closed and while it's great that I can talk to my doctor over the computer she can not X-ray or MRI my foot from the computer.

So now my foot/ankle/calf has a burning hot sensation. I can not put weight on my foot at all. I am going up and down the stairs on my ass or knees. 

I got down the stairs and realized I left my reading glass on my desk. 

I stared at my phone and thought do I want to try to climb this again or screw it?  I opted for the latter. 

When Rick came back inside from a walk with Izzy he asked if there was anything he could get me. I sheepishly said yes. He looked at me and said upstairs huh? I said I was sorry before I even told him. He asked, 2nd or 3rd floor? I said 2nd - just the office. He laughed and as he climbed the stairs all the while yelling,  RANCH I WANT A RANCH!

Then it's bedtime. I have to climb the stairs again. 
Izzy and Rick went first and I scooted my butt up the stairs. 
There is even a step in the hall - see below. So another step to get to the bedroom, because as you can see there are just not enough of them at my house.

(if you turn to the right at this landing/hall you STEP up into my office - yes, steps from hell)

When I got into my bedroom I was on all 4s. Far easier that way.

Izzy, of course, comes over to me because she thinks I may be playing down here. Oh, how I wish that were true. 
Rick comes out of the master bath and looks at me on all 4s and says, "Oh not tonight dear I have a headache". 

And of course, he proceeds to laugh like the nut he is. 

I'm glad he's amused.

God, he's even a pig when I'm in pain. No, he's always a pig.

I couldn't sleep. Imagine that. 

My foot has a heartbeat and it was keeping me awake.

I got out of bed and crawled to the 3rd floor landing at 2:35am. 

I went up the stairs on my knees but not allowing my right foot to touch or bend in any direction. I knew if it hit the floor it would cause shooting pain as it did earlier so I was trying to avoid that and not scream and wake up Rick and the dog.  I got to the 3rd floor TV room and collapsed on the sofa. It has a reclining side and I sat there with my foot elevated and wrapped in a blanket. I noticed I couldn't reach the remote. Damn it, just got all comfy with my foot propped up on a couple of pillows perfectly. I had to move. Then I realized I had to pee so I had to hobble to the bathroom. Honestly!

I got the remote and got back in place and just tried to not think of the heartbeat that is my right foot. I watched a lot of old sitcoms until I Love Lucy came on at 5am and I felt like I could maybe doze off so I turned off the TV. 

At 5:45a Izzy was upstairs looking for me. 

Guess that was my sleep for the day.

Rick is off today and he yelled upstairs to stay put he has the dog and just chill or go back to sleep. I yelled back thanks. 

I got up. I couldn't go back to sleep now. Who needs sleep anyway?

I am at work, foot propped up perfectly for less pain and I can still do what needs to be done UNTIL the bathroom break. Damn this bathroom walk. 

I stopped drinking after my coffee. Normally I try to drink 2 liters of water a day. No, not peeing all day and trying to hobble to the commode. 

The arch of my foot and that area feels like a big ball is there.  

A lump of sorts. Not to the touch it, but does it feel that way,

Especially when I put my foot down. Oh well.

Rick goes to work tomorrow. How will I walk Izzy? I tried putting on my boot from my Achilles issue. I can't wear it, my God it is painful to wear now with this. Whatever "this" is. So that won't help me walk Izzy. This is when a backyard would sure be useful instead of a patio.

There is it - quarantine excitement that I just didn't want.

Bet your glad your quarantine is boring now don'tcha?

Lousy Weekend

My world is small these days. 
My life isn't a lot different during this last 7-8 weeks but I admit it hit me this weekend. I kind of got the itch that everyone has been bitching about for 7-8 weeks. 

Oh no, there are not a lot of people I wish to see. My family is very far away and I wouldn't normally see them until summer anyway. But just Rick and I having some options or to even say, "no we wish to stay home" would be nice. :-)

Instead, I was lazy. I was a big fat cow all weekend. 
One of our work vehicles which was driven by Gary, whom we fired for some of these issues, died over the weekend. To have it inspected was $719. 
We picked it up on Thursday after work. 
That was such fun to learn when you are working only enough to keep the lights on.  But they told us the Nissan 200NV needed a new transmission and felt it would last about 4 more weeks tops. Rick knew something was going on hence why it was at the fleet garage for issues and inspection. But apparently Nissan 200NV's you can't just put in some transmission fluid. Oh now, they are made to not be replaced or repaired, they die, get all new. It was over 6grand.  When it rains it pours. 

We spent days last week going over options. We tried to see if we could do it to repair, then to get new, then to live with only 1 vehicle. (one is for refinishing and one is for the cabinet work - different materials and needs in each truck)

Bottom line we got a new vehicle. I want to puke.
I knew it was what was needed but at this time with not a lot of work if any it sucks. It would have been great if we could have gotten those loans but we did not qualify. I guess you need to be Chipotle or larger to get help.

I need a new car. I did not wish to buy a work vehicle. But here we are.
It is 3 yrs old and it was part of a fleet that wasn't used so they gave it back to Carmax. It only has 168 miles. This vehicle does not have the backup camera etc and that was why the former owner said his techs wouldn't ever use this car.
Rick is fine with not having it. Less money is our thinking right now.
It has everything else he needs so he'll be fine. How we're paying for this is anyone's guess at this point. Geez this gives me stress.

Hence the lazy girl. Stress makes me depressed and it comes out in bad ways. Eating or being lazy and retreating.   I did the latter.
I did see a lot of episodes of Dead to Me. I began Becoming (very good so far) 
I went to the fridge at one point and thought, I need to clean this fridge.
I said it out loud. My husband said, "great idea"  Yep, that fried my ass. I was in a mood and it did not go over well with me at that moment.

I was in that kind of mood. I turned to him and said, "if you've noticed then why didn't you clean it?"  He laughed.  I said, "don't do charming, it's not gonna work." Then he said, "well how do I know where everything goes."
PLEASE TELL ME YOU DIDN'T JUST SAY THAT LAME ASS EXCUSE LIKE YOU'RE STUPID.
He muttered something. I was not a happy gal and went outside to our patio.
I sat steaming at the patio table. 

He came out when he thought it was safe. (about 20 minutes later)
He tried to explain, "I said that because when I say that it gets you all riled up and normally you laugh and we do it together. But you didn't see the humor and I'm so sorry. I will clean the fridge"
I apologized and said how about we do it together?

That was my exciting weekend. 

While Gardening?

I read a story in Variety with the headline :

Queen's Brian May Hospitalized After Ripping Glutes to Shreds while gardening.
    (for those too young to know, Brian played in a band called Queen - look it up you should know this music!)

So many questions here.
How does one rip their butt muscles to shreds from the very easy task of gardening? When I bend over my flower beds or planters I have never planted so hard or pulled weeds so hard to have "shredded my glutes"  Your abs may get a workout as well as your glutes I suppose but ripped to shreds?

The article doesn't tell us how, only that he is in a lot of pain and can't sit.
I really wish they had asked him how the hell he gardens? Does he use his hands? Why isn't his butt just bent over? If on his knees how do his knees withstand all this yet his butt is in shreds. What exactly was used in this overzealous gardening incident? Fake news? fake excuse?

I'm sorry I laughed. I am certain this is painful.
Did he mean to say his gardener did this to him & not gardening did this to him?
I am just not getting this at all.

Anyone care to educated this dumb ass? Yes, pun intended

Meanies.

Have you ever followed something that you watch on TV on FB?
I tried that. Don't do it.

It's all filled with sad and lonely trolls who give their opinion. No matter the topic they have all the answers and want you to know it. 
99% are mean spirited. 

Season one of a show called Married at First Sight intrigued me. I HATE reality shows so it was a surprise to my husband that I would watch such crap. But I did. I watched I think for a couple of seasons then I said I've had enough of the childish behavior. Rick kept at it. I keep telling him he's too smart for this bullshit but he continues. So apparently he is not too smart for this bullshit. Noted.

I made the mistake of seeing something on Facebook so I went there. I followed the FB posts and got the inside scoop. But then I noticed that everyone had a damn opinion and in all honesty, I just didn't give a shit. But they were mean. I mean to tell you really, really mean. And the people who left these comments appeared to be less than bright and extremely mean spirited. Who shit in your cereal is what I wanted to say to a couple of them but I didn't choose to comment. Instead, I deleted the account. I didn't need the show or the dumb trolls.. My favorite comment was how can these people have sex so quickly? All the commenters sounded like my grandmother. They are married!  If they wish to jump in the sack so be it.  
Honestly, it was like I was reading 1940 comments on a 2019 show.
I had to bail on this group just as I did the show.

As I have said here many times I am an addict of HGTV and DIY television. Once again I saw a Facebook group for a couple of the shows that I really enjoy.
And once again the comments were horrific. I really thought that the above-mentioned show was playing in the dirt so you get those types of people commenting. I surely did not think a DIY show would have the same issues.

I watch a show called Home Town. A nice couple called Erin and Ben remodel homes for people.  I do not watch this show because I like their style. I watch this show because Ben is a real craftsman with wood. I love seeing the work he does. He never ceases to impress me. I learn a lot of things as well. At times he has impressed Rick. If you impress Rick, you're damn good. Then Erin who is an artist. She does lovely work. The paintings she gives each new homeowner is always beautiful. Her skills seem endless to me. (apparently, she got all the talent and this is why I have no talent, she took it all)
The homes are all lovely older homes rich with character and craftsmanship.
They are decorated in a way that brings out the home's original style. They believe in repurposing and keeping to the style of home as it was meant to be.
Now having said that the decorating is lovely, it is just not my style. 
I would no more decorate my home like they do but that's okay. We are all different. I can still see how beautifully done it is. Just because it is not my style does not mean I can't appreciate the work and the visual. I still love this show. It's not about me. It's about how they are revitalizing a town, house by house. 

So imagine my surprise when I went on to the Facebook group about this wonderful show.
Man, people can't just shut up. One wrote how the décor was dreadful. She didn't like the color of the front door. No one asked you is what I wanted to say to this person.
It just went on and on like this. All old biddies who love the doily look or the dated cabinets and small rooms vs open concept all found their way to this site to leave their opinions and while doing it berating the people on the show or another show. For example, "The Madison home was beautiful, too bad the people on show XYZ still have a show because they suck and Ben and Erin are awesome.   What are you in the 4th grade?

So I had to drop off that group too. I wanted the fun of it. To discuss how the hell he got that table in the house and bent that wood to make those curves. (I have now learned how they bend wood and how he did it was even more impressive because he made a makeshift tool because the real deal is 5 figures) I wanted it to be a place of ideas not criticizing and bitching. While that stuff was there it was buried under ugliness. To be very frank, most of the comments on this site seemed to be not too bright older people. It also had a lot of southerners who make me laugh because they think everything originated in the south. (the show is in the south)  I had a painted blue roof on my porch when I was 29. Apparently all these southerners think in the north we aren't bright enough to paint our porch ceilings. I read about 300 of those comments. "They don't have that in the north" 
Or my favorite - Oh we love flowers on the table brought in from the garden one says. The reply was, Oh you too must be southern then because northerners don't bring flowers inside or even have gardens. What the hell do these fools think goes on up north? 

My last straw was a woman who asked if anyone could give her some help and suggestions. She posted a couple of photos of what she and her husband built in their yard.
It was a wooden deck with a pergola.  It was quite large. She was so proud of her husband's first attempt and how well it turned out. 
She was asking for décor help.
So you'd think the first thing someone might say is how nice this was. 
But nope.
Why don't you just paint it and get some drapes and then furniture and the list went on.
One told her to paint all the wood because it looked cheap like this. 
Each comment was taking the air out this poor woman and you could feel it through the computer. She then asked about someone's comments on drapes. A few days later she showed what she had done. She did buy drapes but she stated she couldn't afford outdoor drapes. (they are expensive!  I bought mine in pairs until I got the amount I needed)

She had hung string lights on the pergola, she had a seating area of two chairs and a table with an area rug. She also had a lovely area with a dining table and chairs. It was so nice!
Now was it perfect? No, but who's is? This isn't Nate Berkus's home. 
It's real people who must do things on a budget. Most of the comments made were accurate but did not need to be said. One lady wrote a comment basically telling her she was stupid because these "drapes" she put up are sheers and they will mold and shred with rain and sun.
This woman told her the rug was too small (it was) and that she needed more furniture.
It just went on and on criticizing her. This poor thing was coming to share ideas and instead, she was berated. I am certain that the reason she had what she had was because that is what she could afford. I am certain she knew that rug was too small but it's what she could afford. Why do people do that? Have they not had to weight the money vs. the real need?
A few days later the woman who was so proud of what she and her husband had built wrote  "I was feeling good about all this hard work but I'm not so much anymore. We did the best we could with what we had. I am closing comments."
It was the final straw and I deleted myself from that group too. I wanted to give her a hug. 

I am slowly fading away from Facebook. I have some friends on my FB that I only keep to keep peace in my family. I do not follow them. I don't like them. I don't care for their politics so why would I want to follow them. But heaven forbid I do not allow a cousin or family member to be my friend on FB. I feel like it's so juvenile.  I can't be free there because family can see shit. Just like I can't be totally free here or I get all kinds of grief. (scary this is me not being totally free isn't it? 😉)

Do you follow any tv shows on FB? If not, do not. If so, are you finding the same mean stuff?

Food

I have never been able to leave comments to those on WordPress.
Brian, over at WordPress allows me to leave a comment one day and then not the next. His site is fickle like that. All others on Word Press I can't leave a message EVER.
It will work like this for me -
I have to get a new password. So I go through all the hell that is getting a new password and try again. Sometimes it will work sometimes it will tell me that I don't have the right password. Then if I get it to work I write down said password on my password list. I go another day to sign in to leave a comment and it tells me that is the wrong password and to get a new one. I do it again. The same thing happens. It' is a circle of hell. 
So now I give up.  No more word press for me.

What really gets me is that sometimes as I stated above I can get on Brian's blog and leave a comment and if I leave his blog and go to the other Word press blog I can't. I think I hate word press! No, I know I do.

Because you just don't get enough covid-19 news here is some more.
Here is a shot of the US number

It appears when this was taken there was only 1 more death today but look at all the new cases. We are not trailing in the correct direction to open anything yet!

Here is a shot of the state I live in.  We aren't doing any better here yet.

And lastly here is a shot of the county I butt up to but we do not live in.
But it is where we work, where we go for everything so it counts to us. (2 blocks away so it's not like it's not near.)
3 deaths yesterday and 219 new cases. Again not the correct direction to open a hair salon. When the numbers begin to go higher are they going to close again?
You're never going to get those protesting rednecks to go back inside (could we get them all in one state and let them go at one another)
so our only hope is they get sick and see why they should have stayed home. Don't wish for anyone to die but a good "hoax" as they think it is to take away their rights might knock them down a peg or two.

I read how in S. Korea they found that when they opened up those that clustered all got infections. I don't think we need to be Einstein to know that will happen. Thank God I'm anti-social. Who knew that would be helpful to me at some point.
I don't like to cluster. I hate crowds and if I'm being honest all my loved ones live far away so there is no one here in my little world that I care to see. Oh, sure my hairdresser but she too can wait and I can continue to not be sick with bad hair. I prefer that to being sick with good hair. 

Okay, enough of that shit. Here is real news.
I am sick to death of eating. 
Never thought I'd say that in my lifetime!
I am sick of trying to think of food to make for dinner. 
If I could go out I still don't know what I'm in the mood for. 
No food is appealing to me right now. 
Yesterday I had 2 pieces of bologna dipped in mustard. 
Then at 7p Rick made this mess of a casserole that emptied out the fridge with chicken and veggies and rice. It was good but I am just tired of eating.  I had a small bowl and that was enough. 

I have gained so much weight that I won't weigh myself. 
My jeans are tight as is my bra. That is a bad sign. So this lack of loving food couldn't have come at a better time. I walked 3 miles yesterday without Izzy. Since my poor dog has aged she is so slow and her arthritis just won't let her walk as much as before. I miss it actually. 

Yesterday I had a very bad day. I was in tears when Rick got home and I told him I'd talk later but I need to go let off steam. I walked a route that I knew was 1.5 miles one way and then headed back. I got to exercise and blow off steam so when I got home I didn't scream at Rick or take it out on him.  Today is pouring rain again so I may not get my long walk in. It may clear up and I'll get a shot at it. Doesn't look promising though.

I hope you're all doing well considering. 
If there is something good on Netflix or Prime please share it. 
I need something new. (don't do comic book stuff or big violence)
Dead To Me starts again on Friday.  I will watch a few of the last episodes of season 1 to get caught up again. I'll eat for popcorn on Friday TV night. 
See why I've gained weight?😊

Pat?

Remember that character on Saturday Night Live, Pat?
You were never sure if it was a woman or a man?
Well, I just encountered this.

A person emailed me by the name of Uche. 
I can't even begin to pronounce the last name. 
Normally when I call them I refer to them as Mr. or Ms. Whomever.  
I think it's far more professional than calling them Sue or Joe. 
But I couldn't pronounce that last name. It sure did have a lot of vowels in it. I practiced before I called him/her but when he/she answered I just went with the first name.  
I chickened out.   

Then when they answered I was hoping for a distinct voice of male or female to help me. I still have no idea. I was trying so hard to listen and see if I could pick up anything. NADA.  

After I got off the phone I googled the name and it came up to show it is a woman's name. So I guess I just spoke to a woman.
It only matters because I didn't wish to use her first name. 

As I said I normally refer to customers by their surname unless they tell me otherwise. But I got a bit more familiar with Uche and called her by her first name. I hope she understood and I think she did.
At the end of the call, I did ask if she could pronounce her name for me. She did. I laughed and said I am not sure I got that and she said, "Uche" is fine with a laugh. Whew!

She was very nice on the phone, a heavy accent, but very kind. 
I was asked a ton of questions and she actually listened to the answers. 
That is so rare.
I'm just glad she didn't get cranky when I called her by her first name.
I did that when I first started in my first week. 
I called a woman Mary Anne as she signed her email. 
She went ballistic on me. 
Her name was to be Miss Jackson she told me sternly! Okay then. 
I apologized, made note, and never did it again until today. 

Welcome to Monday Morning. First email and call of the day. 
It's looking like it's going to be one of those days for me!

Bike Ride

Saturday I was cleaning up the kitchen which seems to be my new endless activity. Izzy was begging to go sit on the stoop. Aside from swimming this is her favorite "activity"
Rick said he'd go sit with her.

Rick came running into the house
to share what he just witnessed & heard while he and Izzy were out front.

A couple in their late 30s riding a bike in front of our home slowed down to fight.

HIM:  But I just want to be with you.
HER: OH Fuck off!

Then she rode off. He followed.

Rick's life is so boring he said this was the highlight of the week.

Freebies.

As I mentioned earlier when discussing Rick's hair, I was a female barber in the '70s.
Only female in the shop. It was rare in the 70s to see a woman behind a barber chair. 
I was the only female in barber school. Oh, I started the traditional route of going to cosmetology school but I didn't care for it. 
My instructor discussed barbering for me.
I loved the idea because cutting was my favorite part of it all. 
I also admit that at the age of 19/20 this card-carrying feminist should never say this but working with women drove me crazy. The gossip, the whining, the baby stories, oiy vay the babies!  I never fit in with those types and didn't wish to either. The drama! None of that was happening with men at the time so I thought I would like it better and I did.  
Please do not revoke my card. 

I went to barber school and I had 2 brothers in my class. 
When we got finished with school the brothers opened up their own shop. I was out looking for jobs and finding men would spend hours wanting to talk to me but no one would hire me.
I was a novelty to them. I even had a jerk ask me out while at an interview.
Can you imagine that happening today? (Oh, the harassment back then) 
I went home crying many a day after an interview. I recall telling my boyfriend (ex husband) that they aren't talking to my face etc. I could never make men understand that my tits were not microphones, I heard through my ears and please look at me when speaking to me.
Ah, but I was 20 and not as ballsy as I became by age 25 after a few years of this shit. 
Then just as I was about to give up the brothers called me. 
They wanted me to work at their shop. 
I made arrangements to meet them at their new barbershop. 
They were getting ready for a grand opening and it looked that way when I arrived.

The one brother, Rob, really wasn't all that good at cutting hair.  
I found out that he was the owner because he put up the money. 
His brother Ron was fabulous at cutting hair, Rob was not and I always wondered if he knew like the rest of us did that his brother was very good and he was not. Anyway, they practically begged me to come on board and that was so rare from my experience looking for a job I thought I'd take it for a while. I was 20 and figured I could just quit if I wanted to. Ah to be that young and stupid again.

Rob, the brother who was a lousy barber didn't work much. 
Which was a good thing.
He took care of the administrative things more than doing hair. He only cut hair 2 days a week.  The ordering of supplies, the decor, payroll, upkeep on the place, etc was his thing. That was fine with his brother and me. 
I loved his brother. Ron, but Rob was closeted and sometimes he could be so mean. I asked his brother if he was gay. His brother told me that his family has asked him and he keeps saying no. His brother and I didn't believe him (he finally came out in the late 80s)  I also thought he was a bit depressed and his mean or rudeness could be contributed to him not living his authentic life. Then again he could have just been an A-1 jerk.
But I really didn't think so because I got warm glimpses of his heart.

I have to admit I made a killing. I had the most customers (over the boys) I got the best tips. Back in the 70s having a female barber was rare. So men loved it. At first a gimmick but then they found I could do a haircut and a shave better than all the guys.  I watched the games on TV with them and during baseball season in a city of Cleveland Indian fans, I was always getting my chops busted because I liked their enemy the NYYankees.  
All in good fun ribbing. I'd tell 'em, hey I'm holding sharp instruments be careful what you say, boys. They would just laugh. 
No matter how much they gave me a hard time they would get me tickets to ball games for tips and showed they liked me. During the holiday season, I got gifts and none of the other barbers did. I told my co-worker boys that my tits were magical and made men act stupid. The only advantage I had. We'd laugh. Ron came in one day and donned a wig and fake boobs, He said he was going to make a killing today in tips. He wore that most of the day and he made everyone laugh. Today I know, I know, it would be offensive to many. But the guys in the shop all loved it.
Once again the 70s we could talk and act like that. 

I had moms who loved me and brought their sons in to have their hair done by me. When I was off or out sick they would wait for me. The boys would tease me and ask what I was doing to everyone that they won't let anyone else cut their hair? I told them I was good, sucks to be in my wake huh boys? Oh, that got them all riled up. I find that even when men say they can handle an equal, they really can't.  Underneath they are dying to one up me. I knew it and it was fine with me. Boys/Men are funny creatures. I boosted their egos every chance I got to make them happy. We were a fun dysfunctional family at work.

I recall when perms were so in for men. (Oh dear lord, let us pray that never comes back in style) Think Bob Ross who permed his hair in the70s and they would never allow him to go back to his normal hair because they told him it was his "trademark" now. 
Well back in those days I got a lot of requests for a perm like that. 

Rob set up an area behind screens for men who wanted to have their hair permed.
Men wanted it done but did not wish to be seen. They also didn't wish to go to their wives or moms hair salon.  Looking back there were no metrosexuals per se at the time so men doing this had to be on the down-low and it was all so silly. But it was just another one of those things that men preferred a woman do so I did the majority of the perms and because it was far more money I did not mind.
The men spoiled me rotten but the job itself bored me to tears and made me go back to school in another direction. I always had a happy day at work but boredom was a big issue. I haven't touched scissors since!

Also a point I'd like to make, one of which I shared with my husband. I was so aware of what I wore to work. I did not wish to look like a bimbo. All shirts were covering all of me. No Pamela Anderson who's buttons are barely holding on.  I even wore a white barber coat over my top on purpose!  I went out of my way to be sure I was all buttoned up, nothing too short, nothing too low. It was the 70s. Men were worse only in the sense that they said and did things that would most often never happen today. So I made a very conscious effort in my clothing. One day while getting dressed for work I put a "dickie" type top under this blouse. My ex asked why I was wearing that. I said because if I don't there is cleavage and you know what cleavage is - eye magnets. He said, "Ah okay I get it. I like it the other way but I see why you wouldn't wear that to work now."
It never even occurred to him!! 
Oh, how different men and women's lives are.

But back in those days, I could go to no one's home without being asked to do their hair. It was awful. Soon as I walked in the door, the question was asked, Did you bring your scissors? As if I was, 'have scissors will travel.' Drove me crazy. I felt guilty if I didn't have them and I hated them for making a visit turn into work for me.

Remember when I went to Vermont to see my former inlaws last October?
Well the first thing my ex-brother in law said to me was that it took him 3 years to find someone who could cut his hair as well as I could and he hated his brother for doing this to us both. That made me laugh!
He then said quietly, did you bring your scissors by chance?
OMG, even this many years later people are asking if I brought my scissors. It was such a bone of contention for me for years. Now I just laugh because they wouldn't be wanting me to cut their hair today. I know I can no longer cut hair or play the piano. Those are just facts.

I worked in the travel industry for over 25 yrs. When I was working at an airline I was always asked for free trips or upgrades. When I was a travel agent (6 long months) I was always asked for the best places to go or discounts etc.
My parents flew for free for so many years and when I was downsized they were not upset that I lost my job. They were upset that they had to pay to fly or worse, pay for a cruise more than $35 a day. (yes I only had to pay $35 a day on all cruise lines but I HATE cruises so I didn't use that perk, my parents did)

This job of self-employment is the first job I thought I wouldn't have to be asked to do something for free, or cut someone's hair, or give them upgrades or freebies. Or so I thought.  We are always asked to do something for someone for free. Always. Strangers, family, friends, and acquaintances. It sucks.

I have never asked anyone that question. I am not comfortable with asking for things for free. It's just not in my makeup but I understand it to a point.