Paranoia

Ah, the best laid plans.

Remember those hinges I was to do on Tuesday?

Well, one door was 1/2 done.

Tuesday was so glorious.  I got up at 5:15am.  I went to the back door in the kitchen and opened it. OMG, it was cool.  It was drizzling.  It was a perfect day for me.  I made some coffee.  I sat under the gazebo and just stared off into space. It was a light drizzle, like every damn day I had in Seattle. 😀

I sat there until 8:30a a.m. when Rick showed up.  

He said he couldn't find me.  We downsized to a small ranch-style home. Where could I go?  He thought I must be at my desk.  Nope.  He looked in every bed and bath.  Then he said he looked out the back door and saw the car was still there, so where could I be?  

All he had to do was turn his head to the right when looking at the car, and he'd have seen me. The goofball. 

We sat out there for a good while, and then I said I must get started on the hinges. He went to his workshop, and I heard the lathe start up. 

I went into the house, with a big sigh, I might add. It was so nice, I just didn't want to be inside. I mean, it was under 95 degrees, and it was fall-like.

We don't normally have this kind of weather until late October, so I wanted to sit and enjoy, but I had to get my butt moving.

I started with the skinny linen closet door.  

I had removed the bottom hinge and replaced it with the new hinge.  

As I got to the 2nd one, Rick came into the house and said, "I have to go to Cary."

Why?

A guy is going to buy my Festool Sander.

Why isn't he coming here?

Says he wants to meet at the stop and grab in Cary. He prefers not to go to people's homes. 

Hmm....

Rick, I'm not comfortable with this. I'm going with you.

Why? What could all of 5'1" of you do?

Dial 911.  I knew what to do when you were driving into oncoming traffic and you had a stroke.  Don't underestimate me, buddy.

He laughs and agrees.

He shakes his head and heads to the car, knowing I'm not changing my mind, no matter how stupid he thinks I'm being.

We drive the 35 minutes to Cary. We sit.  He emails and texts the guy.  Radio silence.  We sit some more. I so want to say something, but I know he will not take it well, so I play the conversation in my head to make myself feel better.  This way, no arguing.  But I honestly hate hate hate him meeting strangers to sell his shit.  He is not the big man he was. He thinks so.  But one swing and this guy is down.  His ego won't let him hear this, so I keep it to myself.  It just scares me when people sell their belongings online. 

Old Rick could certainly handle himself, and being a big guy has always been in his favor. But now he's different.  In his mind's eye, he is still the strapping 6'2" gym rat.  I wish I had that ability.  Because then I am really only 110lbs, you know, like in high school. :-)

We waited an hour, and I finally said, "Do you honestly think he is going to show up, Rick?"  Silence.

Finally, he says, "Let's go."

We drive home. As soon as we pulled into the driveway, the guy texted.  Can we do this after 4pm he asks.  NO.

Rick said he was not driving back to Cary. If he wants it he can come to our home.  Believe it or not, the guy showed up and gave Rick the $450 and apologized for the miscommunication.

By this time, it is after noon.  I got the linen door finished.

Then Rick tells me another guy is coming.  OMG.

So I did hinges where I could see the guy pulling in.

Yes, I am a paranoid shit. Go ahead, laugh at me, Rick sure does.  

Every day on the local news here, there are horrific stories about this.  

So I take a picture of his license plate from my window as he gets out of the car.  The guy was creepy-looking. But he bought the sprayer Rick was selling, and he left. I kept the kitchen door open to hear them in the garage.

I walked out to the garage to speak to Rick after he left.  

He said, "Yes, I know. He was a scary-looking dude

He never smiled until he picked up the sprayer and spoke. Then he wasn't so scary."  

I told Rick I got his license plate.  He told me I was one paranoid woman.

So be it.  I've watched too many Datelines, I guess.

I got half the door hinges done.  Best laid plans, right?  I will finish this weekend if it kills me.

When driving back from Cary, we saw all the workers on the main drag to our home digging and laying whatever needs to be laid for fiber optics.

We received a note on our door that this construction would be taking place.

I look forward to being able to have fiber optics again.  I loved FIOS.

That afternoon, Rick saw that our internet was down.

It was off and on all day and night. I couldn't watch the baseball game on Prime due to this.  

It's been sporadic internet ever since this construction started.  

Coincidence?  New fiber optics is going in, and our Spectrum internet is down.  It's been up and down, mostly down, since Tuesday when construction began.  It has to be connected somehow.  Or I'm paranoid again. LOL

I think it's a big gain for fiber optics. I know that we will probably jump to fiber optics over spectrum when we can.  And if the construction has nothing to do with it, it's just another push to fiber optics, don't you think?

My baseball game is on Apple TV tonight.  I hope I have internet by then.  

It's been one helluva goofy week.

One A Day

 I need to accomplish one big thing a day I had decided.

Then I did said big thing and decided small things work too. 😀

I chose to do something where I did not need to wear my back brace.

I decided to clean our car out.  OMG. For only two people, it was awful.

Mulch was everywhere. We cleaned it up so many times, yet it was still there.

It stuck to the rug, and vacuuming only teased it.  

I went over one area so many times.  I swore I heard it say, Nah, nah, nah, nah, nah.  So there I was picking it up with my fingers.

In the backseat were 6, count 'em, 6 baseball hats of Rick's.  

2 bathing suits of Rick's. Rick's swim goggles, Rick's beach towel, and a pair of shorts and jeans, which he told he was taking to goodwill.

The odd items - a box of rubber gloves, two halo kits (I love these, but we only need one per car), two umbrellas, and a snow brush. One box of Kleenex, 110 receipts, and Rick's inhalers.

That is only a few things.

Other than the halo, nothing was mine.  NOTHING.

Because we only have one car now, we must share.  I get in and complain about his shit all the time. He laughs.  I seeth.

So I spent a good portion of my day cleaning the car.  Removing the back seat covers and washing them. (I used those fun good smelling beads that everyone says are bad for you in your laundry) The smell in the car is fabulous.  Not only is it clean, it smells clean.

I took out the floor mats, I armour all'd everything.  I do need some fabric cleaner for a few spots on the fabric.  Otherwise, it is complete.  Well, until Rick uses the car.  Why can't he blow his nose and put the Kleenex in the bag in the car?  I put a small garbage bag and attached it to the passenger seat so he could just put it in there easily. No, not gonna work. He throws it on the floor, in the small console, anywhere but in the garbage bag.

The car will remain nice until Wednesday.  Rick goes to the gym on Wednesday.  Who knows what will end up all over the car?  At least the pool is closed until spring now, so he won't need the swim trunks.  

Last night I was hurtin' a bit, but overall just fine. Today's job is finishing my doors. You see, when we moved in the crazy lady who lived here painted her door knobs silver.  I removed them all and replaced them with black and now I need to put on the hinges.  Years later, and the hinges are still sitting in the garage waiting for me.  So Tuesday it will be.  He's in the garage, so he won't be underfoot. 

If you recall, I did this once before.  

In our last home of 21 years, we were the first residents.  

I liked moving into a blank slate.  

This home has had two.

They liked what I call bad colors. Like diaper poo yellow/brown. That room was painted first; it was so damn icky.  When we toured the house, Rick said, "Oh, this reminds me of my kid's diaper." The realtor not only agreed but said to Rick, I thought the same thing!

She loved the fluorescent colors of turquoise and lime green.  

And dark gray.  

I am not a fan of dark gray.  I did not understand that trend.

I'm trying like hell to move my body and not think about shit.  

Not working yet.

But it will damn it. It will. 

The weather is perfect right now, so if I don't do hinges, it will be something outside. Drinks at noon on the patio?  Nope, not drinking right now. I know who am I?  It's wine weather!  I need to get my head straight first. But if you wish to offer me drugs to forget my problems, I'll take 'em. 🤣

For those who don't know my grandmother would have yelled Puttana too.  

OMG, that made me laugh out loud.  It basically means Whore. 

hey better than RFK Jr.

Boring Week

Good ole Rick asked me last evening why his favorite storyteller hasn't been on her blog.

I told him nothing was going on in my life.

What?  C'mon did you ever tell them about Pit Hole City. That cracks me up.

Yep

Your family alone is a funny story - pick one.  

Nah

How about the time I told the folks on the island we were just married when we weren't, and everyone bought us drinks.  Oh, you were in rare form that day, Margaret.

Why? Because I made you buy them all drinks for lying to them?

No, but when they got on the ferry with us you about flipped out.  

I didn't want to continue this charade. But you were a hoot.

Nope.

Okay then, I'm sure I've done something stupid recently.

Oh yeah.

Well then.

But it's not funny, you were pissing me off.

Oh

Did you ever tell them how I make up stories and you always believe me and then you repeat them and look like a damn fool?

Yes, I have, and it frustrates me that you think that is so damn funny.

Oh c'mon you do too.

Okay, but the funnies don't always have to be at my expense.

Oh, but they do Margaret. You're a funny woman and yet so gullible,

Hmm....

So here it is Friday, and nothing new and exciting happened to me.

I strapped on my back brace and power-washed the walkway to my front door/porch and the steps.  It took it all out of me.  How damn pathetic. My spine will be the death of me.  I was hurting when I finished and when I got to the end, I collapsed on the grass for a minute.  I got up and put things away.

I had planned on power washing my driveway, but I couldn't do it.

Not all in the same day, I realized. 

Instead, I came in and took two Tylenol and began scratching all the fire ants that bit me while I collapsed in the grass.

I HATE fire ants. I totally forgot about the fire ants. As I mentioned, I had never seen fire ants until moving here. 

I never lived anywhere where this was an issue.

No sitting on the grass here. They are so gross. The bites that is. 

So no story here - just a bite-infested boring week. 

Hope yours was more fun.

Holiday Weekend

Hi Blogger Friends.

I'm hanging in there. 

To address a comment or two.

Yes, vitamin D does cause depression, but I take a vitamin D3 supplement and just had my blood work done, and it's A-okay. But thank you.

Yvonne said I'm resetting. I liked that.  That's what it feels like in a way.

I talked to my doctor and had my blood work done as I mentioned, and she gave me some happy pills.  Eh. 

I am strong and I will get through this. I am trying to be active.

When Rick is going to the gym. I am going with him but I don't go inside.  I walk the outside trail since the humidity and temps are down. Everyone goes into the gym. The walking trail winds through the woods behind the gym.  It's lovely. I like walking, and it's good for my back too.  I used to have sidewalks where I lived, but I don't here, and walking on the road is treacherous to me.  The doc seems to think exercise is also key.  While I do enjoy nature, I love the solitude.  

Doc also suggested a therapist but none take insurance and I honestly can't afford $250 an hour or more.  

So there you have it. You've been updated😏

I must admit, I was embarrassingly guilty of watching too much TV during this time. Nothing great, just staring at the tube.  

Although I admit I enjoyed the Thursday Murder Club with Helen Mirren, Pearce Brosnan, and Ben Kinsley. (This was filmed in the UK)

I had never read the book, so I can't say if it's close to the book.

I enjoyed it. Not great but interesting. And gosh, Pearce is good-looking at every age, isn't he?  Damn!

Like The Great British Baking Show, I have to Google words to be sure I know what the hell they were saying. Chuffed got me.  Is that good or bad? 

"I'd be chuffed,"  I assumed, pissed, but looked it up anyway because she didn't look pissed.  Ooh, very wrong assumption.  

It means pleased, happy, etc. That is for all of you out there, like me, who didn't know. Also, on  The Great British Baking Show, they made something with suet. Geez, I have no idea what that could be, but it sounds dreadful. As does kidney pudding and schoolhouse pudding.  What the hell are they eating over there?  Kidney pudding just sounds YUK.  

Back to the movie - I had to laugh when one woman said to another that she had on a nice jumper.  Rick said, "She's not wearing a jumper."  I told him in the UK, that means sweater.  All he said was, Huh. 

In other news.  I made Rick dinner, and I lost my balance as I pulled the rack out of the oven.  My arm hit the rack and I burned myself. Ouch.  It's amazing how much a burn hurts, and this one is small.

I've done worse.  Think I'm accident-prone?  Rick suggested putting me in bubble wrap. He may be on to something.

During this time, I also watched The Price Is Right with Rick. He records it, which is funny in itself.  Anyway, I watched a young person who was a big dufus win and make it to the showcase showdown.  He won a fabulous sports car, but it was manual, and he said he didn't know how to drive it, so he passed on it. C'mon. I'd learn if I could win a 50K car.  Okay, that generation can not write in cursive, read an analog clock, or drive a manual transmission. Blows me away. They make tik-tok videos.

I'm losing hope in that generation said this old person.

There are a lot of car thieves around these parts. It's a big problem we see daily on the Ring app and the news.  

I told Rick we should buy a standard next. No fear of them driving off in it. 

I didn't learn until I was 18, but I learned. 

I drove a standard until we moved to Seattle. The hills were a killer at a stoplight/sign.  I came home one day after a terrible day of hills and said that I may have to get an automatic car for ease while living here. I told a person I worked with about this, and she laughed and said she had to do the same thing after she moved there.  That made me feel less like a loser. 

I'm leaving you with sad and funny Memes.

To all my American readers - I hope you all have a fabulous holiday weekend.

The Ghost of Peg

I know it's been a while since I've been here. 

Things are out of whack right now.

It seems that finally, all that shit, the move, stroke, chemo, surgeries, pain, and caregiving is all over. I just fell into a puddle.

I have no energy, no motivation, no real pleasure in anything.

Not my typical Type A personality. I think it's called depression.  

But I will work my way out of this.

I don't like it here.  For a woman who is a bit of a control freak, I don't like that I can't fix or control this. But I'm gonna sure try. Where did this come from?  Why now?  It's going to be brighter, I know it. Please?

In the meantime, I've got a husband who does all he can to make me laugh.

I honestly thought I hid it well. But this man knows me sometimes better than I know myself. He doesn't like "quiet Margaret/Peggy"  It freaks him out he said to me yesterday. I did laugh at that.  

Sunday at lunchtime, he wanted to go to our favorite fruit and veggie stand.

It is on a farm.  Attached to this place is an awesome ice cream shop.  

I LOVE their orange sherbet and vanilla shake.  I have been known to only go to the ice cream shop, which is 100% different than Rick. He prefers the veggies and fruits.  To me, that is just damn weird.

We walked around the stand, and after we paid, Rick grabbed the bags out of my hand. I asked what he was doing.  He said, "I'll put them in the car and we can get a sherbet/vanilla shake."

"I really don't want one, Rick. I'm sorry."

He puts his palm on my forehead and asks, "Who are you and what did you do with my wife?"  He got a smile, and he just sighed.

Later that evening, we talked about this. 

I get it, he's worried about me. 

He reminds me he doesn't know what is on TV at any given time and needs to ask what channel. I can't live without you, he says. Who would do all my medications, I could die.  You don't want that on your head, do you?  Besides how will I be able to drive anywhere without your co-piloting skills?  How will I know when I do anything wrong? 

I admit he was making me chuckle.  

What can I do to help you?

I told him to not take this personally if I am withdrawn and quiet. Hug me and be patient. This feels like it did before my thyroid was diagnosed.  I'm just off. If I'm not out of this soon, I will see Dr. Alison, fair?  He agreed.

So please bear with me. 

I'm still reading y'all.   

Crime Shows in the Car

 I have shared with you many times about my love of crime shows like Dateline, 48 Hours, 20/20, and the like. I especially like Dateline. 

Knowing that about me, imagine my surprise when I saw this was on Sirius radio. How did I not know this?

I got in my car to go to the eye center last week. It appeared that Rick changed the #7 channel to Hair Nation.  yuk. #7 was a NYY station.

So as I get a slowdown on the highway, I begin to look for my channel, and on the way there, I come across Dateline.

Yes, the Dateline on TV.

To say I was thrilled to listen to this for my hour drive is an understatement.

By the time I got to the Eye Center, I didn't want to get out because I wasn't sure of the killer yet.  Damn it, I had to get out of the car.  So I will never know.  

But on the way home, I listened to another story.

I wanted to ask Rick why he didn't use a channel number that was unused instead of deleting mine. But once inside, I forgot all about it.

Then this morning, Rick had to have an Echo test.  

He got into the car, and Dateline was on.  

He texted me when he arrived and said, "Really?  Even in the car?"

I knew immediately what he meant.  I just sent him back a smiley face.  What can I say?  I'm addicted to Keith Morrison and Dateline. 

When Rick got home, he told me he hated to admit it, but it was nice listening to ole Keith on the radio, and he added, I also knew it was the neighbor who killed her.  

Oh, that made me chuckle.  

I think I have created a monster because now I find him watching Dateline when he can't find anything else.  

Smoke On The Water

Saturday, my 'alarm', better known as my bladder, went off at 4:50am.  

I tried to talk myself out of getting up. Don't think about it, I tell myself. 

That makes me think about it. 

I'm whining to myself, 'I don't wanna get up!' That is not helping.

My bladder won.  Honestly, I am beginning to dislike my parts and organs!  They just no longer function at the level to which I have become accustomed.   

My mechanic (Dr.) seems to think there is nothing wrong with me. 

But she is wrong.  

I digress - I got up and went into the hall bathroom so I didn't wake Rick.  Normally, I would not turn on the light.  There is a tiny light on the bottom of the receptacle cover in the bath, but it wasn't helping me.  

I couldn't seem to find the soap container/pump to wash my hands. 

No glasses, it's dark, I even laughed out loud.  Then I remembered I took it apart to clean it, and it is drying in the dish rack. I turned on the damn light. 

I got soap from under the sink. 

Well, now I am certainly awake. I might as well get up for the day.

Just as I entered the living room, there was an enormous boom that shook the house, and then the living room lit up like all the lights were on.

I ran to the window. I saw sparks and smoke across the street coming from one of the poles. At first, I thought all of this was caused by the street light, but then I realized it had to be the electrical pole. Just as I was about to turn from the window, the boom sound hit us again, and I saw the sparks fly this time from the pole to the ground. Then smoke.  I was wondering if all that heavy rain the night before was what was keeping this from catching fire.  

I looked up the number to call our electric company. I sure didn't think I should let this go.  Then another boom/strike. This time, the sparks and lights were like fireworks. Many more sparks were flying now, and for some reason, that concerned me. I hoped they didn't think I was crazy, but better crazy than cremated alive.

I got a voicemail from the electric company. They told me to leave a message.  This was the 24-hour emergency line. So much for emergency service. I did leave a message, but I figured I'd never hear back on a Saturday.

By this time, Rick is coming into the living room and says, "The bedroom is lighting up like crazy. Do you know what is going on?"  I point to the window.

He knelt on the sofa to look out the window, and boom!!  Rick jumped.  

He saw the sparks and the smoke on the ground.  

When I couldn't reach the electric company, I called 911 and said, "While this is not an emergency, I think it could be a fire in the making.  

I explained. Within minutes, a firetruck was outside our home, and just as they pulled up, another boom, the sky lit up, and sparks went off.  As they walked around the pole, sparks came flying down, and the firemen scattered. And here I was, worried it'd stop and they would think I was a prank call or something.

The firefighters did what they could and waited until the electric company arrived. They spoke to one another, the firemen left, and the linemen did their jobs.  They were here for 1.5 hours, but it's fixed. All of this was done before 7:00 a.m.

Because the heat dome left us, it was a nice morning. We were sitting on the porch, drinking our coffee and watching the linemen.  When they were done, one of them walked up our driveway just a few feet and yelled, "You are the ones that called, right?"

We said we were. He thanked us for calling and just turned around and walked back to his truck. Rick wanted to ask him all kinds of guy questions, but he didn't seem to want to talk. 

The two poles.

This is from the porch, showing the puddles and how wet it was. I still think that was good because that smoke scared me. But what do I know?!

Saturday afternoon, I stopped at the grocery store. Rick was out of his favorite cereal, which he refers to as Colon Blow.  Lovely isn't he?  

There was one box left on the shelf.  It was all the way in the back of the shelf.  

The shelf was a bit high. I went across the aisle to jump and see if there was a box in the back that I could not see. Yes, there was.  I looked both ways - no one was coming. So I tested the shelf.  Yep, it'll hold me. I began to climb when this cute red-headed freckled-faced boy, all of 13/14, said, "Here, let me help you, ma'am."

I thanked him a million times.  I asked if he was the superhero for old short ladies as his mom came around the corner. 

He laughed and said, "I guess I'm going to need a cape."  Cute, cute kid.

 

I'm normally like the girl in the pink sweatpants.  In fact, this is the exact shelf that Rick's cereal was on, and I had to reach all the way to the back. I couldn't reach it.  I jumped down, and that is when the kid saw me. 

Oh well. If I bring Rick, he can reach all those things up high. But if I bring Rick, the grocery bill will be double. No exaggeration!

What's Going On?

I had another shot in my eye on Tuesday.

"Betty" isn't cooperating.  

In October, he would like to give me a shot right into my corti - somthing, basically, directly into Betty.  

Currently, when this steroid goes into my eye, it is absorbed by Betty, but it doesn't go right into the mass. It's been doing it's job until now.

This time, they want to try this new injection. It will hurt, he tells me.

My regular shots, I don't even feel.

I asked, What will you do for my pain?  

Hold your hand, the nurse said.

Fuck no.  

Apparently, I am given nothing except the numbing of my eye as they do currently.  I want drugs.

This time, Rick is definitely driving me. 

He kept talking about the pain, so that scares me. He also mentioned chemo again. I said NO.NO.NO.

When I got home, my eye was swollen more than it ever has before.

It was closing as I was driving. Not good.  I got home and lay on the sofa with an ice pack on my eye. It had a pulse.  I had a sip of gin and fell asleep. Which was what I was going for.  I awoke to a swollen eye and mild pain, no biggie.  By the next morning, I was fine again.

I wish they could just remove this mass, but I would lose my sight completely, so they won't do it. I don't want to lose my sight completely either.

Then I asked my doctor to check my new eyeglasses because I am certain the new RX is wrong. I can't see shit out of the bifocals.  So the doctor checked them and indeed they were wrong. They were a 2.00, and I need a 2.50, which is what my Rx said.

I've been using my $20 readers from the drug store. I will have to take my new glasses back and have them fixed.  It should be free.

Duke is a teaching hospital, so there is always a resident with my doctor.

The resident he had on that day removed my scar after the cataract surgery.  

On Tuesday, Dr. S walked into the room and said hello & then said, "So the Bitch is back"🎼 🎵 in a sing-songy way.

The resident gasped.  

The dr. and I laughed. 

Dr. S explained, "She has named this stubborn mass as Betty.  Then we decided the song by Elton John, The Bitch is Back, should be played each time this happens. So, it's okay, Dr. C.  You okay, Margaret?"  

I laughed and said, "I started it, Dr. S just goes along with me to keep the patient happy."  

The resident had no idea who Elton John was, I swear. He nodded his head and said,"Okay."  Dr. S and I had a laugh.  Dr. S doesn't appear to be that old, but Dr. C looks like a baby.  I honestly don't think Dr. S is 40 but close.

So let's add these up shall we?

Can't hear

Can't see

Can't spend a lot of time bending over in the garden.

Can't reach shit because I am shrinking.

Now they are playing hair bands in the grocery store, and I'm singing to Dead or Alive and then Here I Go Again by White Snake. I was never a big fan of White Snake, but there I am in the grocery store in the canned goods aisle singing to my happy self. 

What The Hell is Happening?!

         Yep, I was singing this song from 38 years ago.

High Brow Conversations

 All in the U.S. that are currently under this heat dome have been miserable for weeks. 

Every day they say, "heat advisory, stay indoors."

The news last night said, "Heat advisory. The elderly should not go outside for any length of time." (The heat index was going to be 114 the next day)

Rick: We're the elderly, right?

 

Me: Sadly, I think we are.

Rick:  Maybe they should add that the elderly shouldn't go outside and just stay inside and take a nap.

Me: Oh, wishful thinking.

Rick: Maybe they will say Heat Advisory. The elderly must stay indoors, hydrate, take a nap and have sex, not necessarily in that order.

Me: So, since the news media didn't say any of that, I don't have to partake, then do I? 

Rick: No, no, that isn't what I meant!

Too late - Gotcha Rick.

Boring Around Here.

I called a few companies for some work we needed done.
I power-washed the house, but I couldn't do the two sides with the peaks. The one facing the street didn't look bad at all. 

The side facing the driveway was horrific. Black and icky. Yes, that is the professional term. It doesn't get any sun on that side, and it looks terrible.

Since neither of us could do the high part, I decided to see what it would cost to power wash these two areas.

I got all the rates. Most of the people I spoke to were men, and all but 1 were short and rude on the phone. I made appointments anyway.  

1 showed up with an outrageous bid, so I assumed he just didn't wish to do this. No one else showed up.

Then I called this woman I saw on Next Door. OMG, she was fabulous. Super professional and kind on the phone. We went through what I wanted. The sq footage of my home, etc.  Her rates start at $99 for the entire house!

The others wanted 3x that amount for just the two areas I asked about.

None of them offered a price for the whole home, which, if you're in sales, you at least have to put that out there. But no one did. She did, and I took her up on it. $99 for the entire house and garage was fabulous to me.

I gave her my address and she showed up on time.

She sent me a text telling me what she would like us to do before she gets there.  It was already done.  (Well, you know me)  

She wanted to start at 8am.

I didn't really want that, but I also know with a heat advisory and temps at 102, she probably wants to get as much done in the a.m. as she can.

I don't blame her. 

She was a small woman, and I wondered how she was going to do this, but she was kick ass.  I honestly thought she might have been in the armed services. She was very precise, hard working, and nice.

I did ask her if she had been in the service when she was finished. Her husband is, but she never was. Having worked in DC for so long and all around military bases etc, they just have a way about them.  

I happen to like that for an employee or company.

 

Our movers, when coming to North Carolina, were a company built by all retired service men and women.  Oh my, were they good.  

She seemed like that to me.

At one point, she was doing the front porch and was at the front window as Rick walked past. He said, "Good thing today isn't naked Tuesday"

The nut job.

Rick went outside to see her work and say hello. When she left, he said, "Ooh, high cuteness factor."  

That made me laugh. Yes, she certainly was a looker.

We have an area of 5 x 5 at best that needs to be cleared.  

I'm afraid of the snakes, so I am not doing it.  Rick is not getting back there with machetes and/or saws. This butts up against a fence. My neighbor told me to watch out for the copper heads. Oh geez.

So I called a few people. Again, out of 5, 2 showed up.  One gave me a price of $700, and I was told it would take 3-4 hrs. Wow, that's a lot of money, I thought, but I wanted to run this by Rick when he got home from the gym. I could be way off.

Rick felt it was crazy high as well. We waited for the last guy to show up.

We figured $300/350 would be where it would land.

The last estimate was 1-800-Rent-A-Teen.  Levi shows up on time and walks back to the area with me.  He said, "Afraid of snakes?"  Yes.  

He assumed that was why I didn't wish to do it. He was right. 

He showed me his boots; he said they can't get through these.  

He asked a lot of questions, and then he recapped everything I wanted done to be sure we were on the same page. We were.

That evening, I got my estimate. It was $125. 

Gee, that is better than $700.  

He said it would only take 3 hrs.

I booked him for August!

I am also going to ask him for a price on removing the gardens.

He's so cute and young. My God, freckled face, strawberry blonde.  But once you get him talking about bull riding, he just lights up.  Is there a future in bull riding?  

The kid was cute.  He was only 18.  He graduated at 16 he told me.  He is a bull rider.  This is his business/work, but he loves bull riding. He showed me a video of himself.  That is just another thing Peggy will never do, sit atop a mean ole bull. Nope. (Oh there is a dirty line in there which is killing me not to cross)

His reviews were all 5s.  He had over 80 of them. So hopefully, he is as terrific as his reviews on NextDoor.  I'd like him to do another project if this works out.

I miss my free handyman!😣 It kills Rick to pay people for all the things he did easily before.  I told him to win the lottery, and you won't care. He plays weekly.  He won a whopping $40 the other day. He got gas. Woo-hoo.

That has been the excitement around these parts. Pathetic really.

It's hotter than hell to all of those under this heat dome. 

We can't do anything outside for long. It's a killer out there. 

Each day, around dinner time, it storms. Horrible storms with winds etc. 

Last night it was much later than dinner time. It was just as Rick went to bed at 11p.  I wanted to finish this show I was watching, and I was wide awake. 

I kissed Rick goodnight and settled in to finish the show. Then the crack of thunder and the lightning. It was a light show outside. It was so loud, and it lit up my front porch like the lights were on.  I closed the draperies. I do not like thunder and lightning.

Then the lamp began to flicker, and then the TV flickered. Then, a very loud clap of thunder and the lights and TV went out. I went into the bedroom because Rick could not be asleep that fast.  I opened the door, and he said, "I wondered how long it would take you to come in here after hearing all that thunder"

Oh, he knows me so well. But I wasn't tired.  I'm talking to him and he is already out like a light. He sleeps best in thunder and lightning storms.

I am wide awake in them.

The lights came back on as I was leaving the bedroom.  

I finished the show, screamed at the TV because the ending was stupid!

I went to bed and tried to sleep.  I lay there for an hour.

I got up and went back into the living room.

I turned the TV back on, and I don't even know how it happened, but I fell asleep on the sofa within minutes. Why can I sleep on the sofa, but I lie awake in my bed for hours, staring at the ceiling and listening to Rick's breathing? 

I'd pay someone for a really good, accurate answer to that.

Random Thoughts

I can type a bit. This will teach me to stop holding my phone.

In the evening, when Rick is watching some testosterone movie or show, I will play a couple of games I have on my phone. Both are used to help with memory, so they state. I think they are just addictive. They are free, and when an ad comes up, that is when it's time to pee. That's what the ads are for, right?

Rick has been watching a lot of those lousy movies, and I have been playing a lot.

I have a condition called Phone Hand. My thumb is really painful, so I must not hold my phone in that position anymore. However, it has also helped me quit playing games on my phone...for now.

______

We watched the Billy Joel documentary Part 1 on Friday night. Did you see it?

This Friday is part 2. I love Billy Joel, and I enjoyed the documentary so far. 

I had all his albums (yes, I'm old, I said albums). His music was a soundtrack to my life. I saw him in concert once, and it was a long time ago (1983)

I think they are parading all of his wives out for this. His first wife got him where he is if you ask me, and you didn't. She is a damn fine-looking woman of 83.  Classy woman. (Billy is 76) I wouldn't use that term for his next wife.

Should be interesting.

________

I'm wearing my hearing aids a bit more. Each day is longer but it's not better.

I hear my feet walking across the floor. I have it at the lowest. I contacted them. They told me that all I'm experiencing is normal. My brain has to learn this connection.

I think I may take a refresher course in American Sign Language. Rick and I still will use it from time to time. Just remember, just because someone may sign me something, it does not mean they can't hear. 

If I have learned anything since taking ASL is that if you see someone or a couple or a group of people gathering, all speaking in ASL, don't talk about them. Someone could hear you.  Remember that story about my shoes?  

________________

Rick has always had an issue with being on time. But since the stroke, it's worse.

His appointment on Thursday at the doctor was at 2:20p. He left at 1:20p p.m. after pacing for an hour.  He can't be still if he has to be somewhere.  It's a 15-minute drive, so he'll be early, and he will flirt with the women at the desk as he loves to do.

I have now begun lying to him.  Telling him we have to be somewhere at 3pm when it's actually 2pm. He's ready anyway, and I don't have to watch him pace and be antsy, as well as make me antsy from his pacing. Not nice, but I'm going to give it the ole college try. 

______________________

I hate my hearing aids.

_______________________

We have an area by the back fence that needs clearing. Saws, things that I can't use.

I also don't like standing in there for fear of snakes that are everywhere here.

Rick is not using his saw and other big tools like that either. So I called a company.

Oh my goodness, it was a $700 quote. A patch of 5 x 5 with a few things between the two fences. Nope. I will take a chance on losing a limb first. 

My neighbor suggested I call Rent a Teen. Levi is coming to give me an estimate on Friday morning. He did great work for her and was reasonable. She told me he had to have overpriced this because he didn't wish to do it. Perhaps.

Monday morning, I am having my home powerwashed.  I did most of it. 

But I can't do the one side of the house that is very high and above the garage. 

I can't hold those things and be on a ladder.  I am clumsy first of all, and then add my other issues of health, and I think it's best if we both stay off the ladder with the power washer.

The woman who owns this company also does the work. It's $99. She insists the whole house, and Rick said to let her. But what about what I did? He said, "Let her do it again." She is not going to go under $99. But when she gets here, I think I will ask about just the one side and see what she says.  If it's $99 either way, go for it. 

I think that is so fair. I found her on the NextDoor App and everyone raved about her. We shall see.

I will do the driveway and sidewalks because I love power washing. It's the ultimate for someone who is a bit anal retentive, as Rick likes to say.  

It truly makes me happy.

I'm sure there is a 12-step program for me, and I'm game. Will they show me crime documentaries while there? Oh wait, that's another addiction. Oops.

________________

The other day we both saw this meme and a commentor said to watch this guy talk about male brains vs female brains. So Rick was making dinner and it was my turn to do nothing.  So I got the YouTube app on the tv and began looking for this.

OMG, it was funny to us. It starts out a bit slow, but my goodness, he is spot on.

Rick yelled into the living room, "What are you watching? It sounds good?"

So I paused it.  We ate dinner and then we watched it. It was a marriage retreat or some such thing. Sounds dreadful, I know. But it was so funny. 

It was like a stand-up talking about men and women and our differences.

At one point, when he talked about men doing a certain thing, I looked at Rick and said, "So it's your whole damn species then?"  This made sense to him now, too.

Oh my goodness, it was interesting.

It's a long show, like a stand-up comedian special. It may not be for all, but Rick and I found it funny. But then you all know we are twisted and weird.

____________

Monday, Monday

Oops I did it again.

Struggling to type or hold anything. Nothing serious, just phone hand.

I'm also struggling with the new hearing aids. I wore them for 2 hrs. I'm to slowly get used to them. 

I was told the first week would be difficult. Oh it is.

I'm beginning to think missing out on conversations is far better.

I have to rest this left hand. Thankfully I'm  right handed.

Friday

Today is a heat advisory here.

This morning on TV, we heard them tell us nonstop not to go outside if we didn't have to.  They kept talking about that dog gone 'feels like' temperature of 102-110, depending on what suburb.  Guess where I'm at?  

Again later, they interrupt morning TV to yell - Stay inside today if you can.

Rick and I said, "No problem." 

It's too hot for him to work in the garage, so he is underfoot. I think we went outside more when we lived in Erie, PA, with 100 inches of snow!  Ah, that sounds good right now.

Last evening as we were watching television I noticed that Rick had on his wedding band.  When he works in the garage he takes it off. So I may not see it on him for a few days. I shared that I noticed and his new ring looks good.

Rick and his ring went to the dermatologist yesterday.  His doctor is a knockout. She is a tall, thin blonde. Her skin is like porcelain. But then, a skin doctor shouldn't have a face of acne and warts now, should she? 

When he told me she was gorgeous, I did believe him. But then, when he had the melanoma surgery, I went with him. I saw for myself that he underplayed how gorgeous she was.

I digress - He made a remark last night about her and his wearing of his ring, which included how the whole body skin exam went.  

It was funny as hell. I burst out laughing, and when I caught my breath, I said, "I've got to write this down. This is blog fodder." 

My phone was dead, and I was being lazy.  

He said, "Oh, you'll remember or I will, don't worry."

Famous last words. Oh, I'll remember.

Neither of us can remember what he said when I asked him this morning.

He said, "We laughed about this. How the hell could we forget?"

"Old Age," I tell him.

So you see, I had a very funny story to tell you, but it's gone now.

Instead, I'll do some Friday memes

This poor man!

Please note my restraint of not one  meme of the Evil Mango Mussolini.