On The Road Again....

I have friends that recently rented a camper/RV and took their kids camping for the first time. 
She said that since they couldn't take a vacation this year and her husband has lots of vacation time they looked into renting an RV. 
She made me laugh when she said she couldn't sleep on the ground so it had to be an RV. 
I very much understood that sentiment.

Her kids went kicking and screaming until they got there. 
They did not like this idea.  They were social distancing from others and wearing masks. Mom cooked meals in the RV they rented and they had an outside TV which is what the kids loved more than anything. Like this below only it was a bigger TV she tells me. (stock photo)


There was of course a big TV inside the RV but the kids loved the idea of watching a movie under the stars.was  She said they watched movies (Netflix) under the stars and around a campfire eating s'mores. They also had jiffy pop popcorn over their firepit. I didn't know they still made Jiffy Pop. 

She said the kids raved about this trip. They swung from a tree on a rope and fell into a creek or lake. They learned to fish, they played softball with a stick and  I told her I think that is stickball and we laughed. (Neither of us knows for sure just joking around)

Her kids did things that we older folks did all summer long as kids, but today's kids don't do because it is not technology. At first, she had to tell them to put down the phones. She said by day 3 it was less phones until the end of the week they were hardly using their phones but instead playing games in the camper and laughing and couldn't wait to learn to fish or explore a new place etc. She said it was the best family vacation they have ever had. 
Wow, that is some endorsement.

That gave Rick and me an idea. Why not try this? 
It sounded like fun to us.
We looked at prices and something small was about the same price as an average hotel night. We didn't need large for just 2 of us and a dog. 
We called all the companies within 40 miles of us. All rented out.
So everyone had the same idea as us. We just wanted a change of scenery but we don't want to be around people so we thought this was a great idea. (it was $100 to covid clean they all stated - hmmm..racket?)

We have a boat moored at Smith Mountain Lake and we can't even go. 
Don't wish to rent a home, just all of it too risky for us  But renting an RV sounded perfect, no hotel, no restaurants, just the 3 of us having some time, not in our home.  A change of scenery. A home on the road I guess. 

We tried all the way through the month of September and the only things left were these big RVs that sleep, 10-12 people. We don't need that much room or wish to spend that much money. So much for what we thought was a great idea. 
Maybe in fall. But that is our busy time so we'll see. Now I can't stop thinking of this idea. Darn it!

Would you rent an RV? 

Covid Peg

I have had people ask me this before yet it never ceases to stop me in my tracks. I find it to be a nosey and rude question. 
This is a perfectly normal question to ask when you are sitting with friends. FRIENDS. or even if someone said, "may I ask you a personal question?"  I can be ready for it. But these questions always come with such sneering judgment, attitude, and tone. This time was no different. 

I was very recently asked why I didn't have children.
I wanted to respond in kind with, "with that nose why haven't you had rhinoplasty?"
But I didn't.

I just smiled and said I did not feel the need to. I hope she'd let it go.
I normally say I couldn't have kids. That stops them in their tracks. But this one asking I knew would then want to know why I couldn't. 
She was that kind of nosey wench. We knew of one another but we didn't know each other. I don't even know her last name.

Then she pursued, oh she pursued.
"Were you more interested in a career? Just selfish, huh?"

Now I am steaming because I want to say so much but won't.
I don't think she needed to know that my mom died at 13, I raised a sister and my father until my stepmom came into my life. I did not have any romantic ideas of all that work. So yes, I chose to have a career because I am a woman who does not feel you can have it all. To me and only me I feel that something gets less and I know it ends up being the kids. I see it daily. I saw it in my career. I chose a career so to this woman I am selfish. Okay, not as selfish as most moms I know who give their kids so little of their time or spend it all on their cell phones and never with their kids.  Nope, I said none of this.

I responded with yes, "I was/am selfish. I wish more people would make that decision."
She then excitably said, "well I am sure you really regret that decision."
Oh my God, I was about to explode. 

The gloves were off.
I asked with a smile, "Oh heaven's no, why do you regret having children?  I know your son is in jail, right? I am sure that is a lot to deal with and you're raising one of your grandchildren,and that is a lot for Pete's sake. 
That all must be so very difficult, does it ever make you regret your decision of having children?"

She just stared at me and dropped this subject like a hot potato. 
The conversation went to something else.
Yes, this was wrong of me. I know it yet I don't feel as badly as I should.
I saw the woman she was with the next day, who I know from the neighborhood/dog walking. 
I know of this smug woman who badgered me but I don't know her well. 
I've never spoken to her or even waved hi. I don't know her.
I know OF her. She is just a topic in the neighborhood gossip because of her children. So I have heard about her shall we say.

The woman who I do know apologized to me about the woman she was with the next day.  
She said, "I couldn't believe her tone to you and it took me so off guard." 
I replied, "well that's because you have children. I get it a lot so I wasn't shocked, just a bit p.o.'d."
She said, "you responded so nicely I wasn't sure how to take it. I would have laid into her"
I thought I did.
Yes, but when snarky is not met with snarky they don't know how to take it. What I said was not the nicest of things to say but I was not snarky at all. 
Hopefully, she knew how to take it and doesn't do that to anyone again.

What if I couldn't have had children and that was painful for me? Why do people think they can ask those things of strangers. I had a new sister in law ask me that one. But without judgment. Just curious. No problem to me at all. I even get the question, "do you regret that decision?'  
I really do understand it. But don't judge me and say it. It was so clear what she was trying to do and I wasn't having any of it. 

I honestly don't mind you asking me anything if you aren't all smug and judgey like most are to me when it comes to this topic. I will share most anything - as ya'll know from reading here, and if I don't wish to I'd say I prefer not to talk about this or that.  But if you're smug and trying to shame me, well Covid Peg is not biting her tongue and that can be dangerous.

The week is finally over

Voicemail is back for now. Yippee.
Email issues still hanging in there. I am not certain they will ever be fixed.
And I did not explain myself apparently well since you all thought this was a washer thing.

It was the HVAC. The HVAC pipe connects to the drain in the laundry room. When the condensation had nowhere to go due to the line being clogged it was bubbling up at the drain point in the laundry room. The floor was not flooded like last time. It was just beginning to go over the laundry pan onto the floor so some of the floor was wet by the washer. 
I hadn't done laundry since last week so the washer wasn't ever on.

So Jean, while shut off valves are not mandatory in our state, it wouldn't have helped one bit since it wasn't the washer. It wasn't overflowing and it wasn't leaking to shut it off. 
Mike, we got one, see the above note to Jean.

In other news....
Our neighbors moved out. They left dog treats for Izzy. They crack me up.
Izzy runs into their home as soon as their door opens. They let her in, she goes to their pantry and sits and waits for a treat. They have been spoiling her for a few years now.  Apparently, the neighbors moving told him already. 
Yesterday she said I told him the neighbors were Rick and Peg and they are really nice and their dog is the beloved queen of the neighborhood and she will come into the house looking for treats and lovin'.

Oh my gosh, this guy must think we are crazy already.
The young man that bought the TH next to me is 27 yrs old and in IT.
He paid $509K in cash. 
I did something wrong. 
At 27 I was going back to school and could never have paid 509K in cash.
Then again I couldn't today either.

So now my TH is sandwiched between 2 single guys. Young and old. 
The divorced man next door is renting a 2200 sq ft home. WHY?
He has a daughter who lives in the neighborhood with his wife.
He has been divorced for a few years he told us. He was living in MD and decided to be closer to his daughter he had to move to VA. 

I knocked on his door when I needed a man to help me the other day and he wasn't home or didn't hear me. His dog came to the sidelights and never barked, just looked at me and wagged his tail. I saw that he has no furniture on the 1st floor, just a big empty 1st floor. Odd.  He told us he was hoping his daughter would come to live with him. She is 15. 
I bet she would consider it if you made you house a home. Guys just don't think about that stuff I think. She needs her room to be fixed as "her room" and a sofa to sit on in the house would be swell. 
He is always in his Tesla or BMW so I don't think it's because he can't afford it.
I find it curious though. 

I am falling off the wagon tonight. I know I am in the midst of this health shit I am dealing with but I am having a drink to celebrate this freaking week is over!

I promise to be back to normal next week. Well, my normal that is. 

Never Ending

Tuesday was so awful with work, technology and life/health issues that I won't even go into that today. Another day I'll bore you with these issues. But it cleared out my tear ducts and that's somethin' I suppose.

Wednesday -
Email still not working and I spent 7 hrs dealing with techs, aol, and other assorted asshats.
While the above was taking place I hear a sound. 
It sounded like water dripping downstairs. 
Gee the washer is not on. No water is running. I am on hold so I run downstairs.
I see this, only with water pouring out:

I fun back upstairs into the laundry room because this is where it happened last time let's start there. Water on the floor and in the pan under the washer. Washer pan is full and there is some on the floor but not flooding....yet.
WTH?

I run downstairs to the kitchen and turn off the water.
Here we go again.

I call 5 plumbers from my cell because I am on hold on the office landline with a headset with the techie geeks to"help" with my tech issue.
Four plumbers can't come because of short notice or because they don't service my area. One said they could come next week. Great a week with no water, thanks but no thanks.

I'm still on hold with techies mind you.

I run to the garage (thank God for a headset) and grab a plastic drop cloth of Rick's.  I put it over the leather sofa that is now wet.  I move smaller furniture out of the way and put a bucket there as well. I am still on hold. Thank God for the invention of a headset, I love that person.

I take a broom handle and try to move all the water from the bubble to the hole to get it to stop dripping, it was working.  The water is still off.

I find a plumber who would come. He has 5 star rating on yelp and on google. The reviews were amazing. I hope he can help.

In the meantime, I had called my home warranty company the day before because my oven stopped working last week. I figured since both are covered he could look at both if this is a washer issue or a plumbing issue.

Home Warranty man arrives and barely speaks English. I struggled to understand him. AND he is afraid of dogs. Oh boy. 
He went into the laundry room. I finished up with the guys on the phone.
Email is still not working but had to go for now.

Nothing wrong with the washer he says you need a plumber.
Great. Got that covered.  So he looks at my oven. Needs a new ignitor.
I have two oven doors on my range. The small one on the top still works just not the bottom one. It has to be ordered and he leaves after he gets paid.

I finally get a tech who needs to take over my computer to see the issues. He was an idiot. At one point I had to tell him to not do what he wanted. 
I can't get them to understand, probably because they are not in America. He wants to delete this mail box. NO. It is with our calendar and if I lose our calendar we are dead in the water. I explain this is a business I explain how a calendar works for a contractor. He did not get it. I thanked him for his time and told him I needed to get off the phone. I was frustrated. I wanted to scream, kick, cry and say foul things to him. So I  thought it best to just get off the phone we've been dealing with this issue since 8am. I get this guy off my computer and decide to deal with it later.

Now the plumber arrives an hour later. I am back on the phone with the techies because someone I spoke to earlier in the day had an idea and called me back. I asked the nice plumber if he could just wait a few minutes. I tied up things with them. We have a bandaid on the issue but it's still going to be an issue. All I could do for that moment in time so I took the band-aid.  I need to be off the phone to get this plumber fixing things. 

In the meantime the dog needs to go out. I can't leave right now. I called my neighbor for help. No one home. Aargh. Izzy you either shit on the floor or hold it. I can't leave. Poor Izzy. She sat by the door.

This wonderful plumber, Richardo, sees the ceiling and said, Oh Oh.
Not comforting.
I show him to the laundry room and he sees the issue immediately.
Who knew...okay ya'll probably knew but I did not...that the plastic basin under my washer has a drain. That drain was clogged.

Apparently, the HVAC which is on the 3rd-floor utility room that pipe connects to this and then the condensation and water goes out the pipe that is outside the house.  All that condensation couldn't go anywhere with the A/C running 24/7 so it went through my ceiling yet again. It was bubbling up when I saw it in the laundry room. So when it bubbled up with nowhere to go it just went into the pan and onto my floor. 

The plumber couldn't get the snake down the drain. The drain opening was too small. Rick came home at just the right time and sees all this and says, "What the hell happened now?"  Yep, buddy that is exactly how I am feeling.  Try handling this, talking to customers, answering the phones, not having emails, dealing with a dog that has to go outside for a walk and talking to people who I do not understand their language. It's been a baaad day so don't you dare say, "What did I do."  He knows he says this all the time and it pisses me off so he was smart and didn't utter those words. I needed to take my frustrations out on someone and honest to God if he had said that I would have snapped.

He and Richardo talked about all that he had done and what the issues were.
Rick had an idea and he told Richardo and they thought they'd try it.
Rick took his wet vac to the pipe outside and sucked out the clog. It worked.
During all of this the pan was stepped on and now cracked so we must get a new one.  Preferably something that isn't plastic, won't crack and when water is in it won't leak.  He gave us $100 off since Rick actually fixed it with his idea. His next step was going to cost more and it would have been losing some flooring etc. Thank God Rick came home when he did.

I have to say that this plumber was a rock star. He called to tell me he was coming, he sent a text and it showed his picture so I knew who would be at my home. He wore booties and a mask. He was so polite, easier to understand than the guy before him and he explained everything to me and was patient with me when I asked him so many questions.

This plumbing company has an emergency unit and he works in that unit so if I use the plumbing service again I wouldn't see him unless it was an emergency as it was on Wednesday. Great idea to have an emergency unit. I asked him if there were that many emergencies and he laughed and said sadly there are many. And if for some reason we are slower in that area we do regular jobs. I found that interesting for some reason.

Now I must fix and paint my ceiling yet again.

Today I come to work and our voicemail is not working. Apparently, Verizon has an issue in VA, NJ, and CT. 
They did a software update and this happened.
So if I am on a call with a customer it rolls into voicemail telling you I'm on the phone with a customer to leave your name and I'll get back to them. So now people will leave a message and I will have no way of knowing. I will lose money. Lovely. Let's add that to my pandemic list of shit.

Verizon tells me they are aware of this and I got a repair ticket. They expect it to be fixed by this evening. That helps me for tomorrow I suppose. Today is a lost cause as this whole week has been.

Add trump taking the numbers from the CDC to hide how many Americans are dying or that have the disease. What a douchebag. 
Why can't he just die? Yes, I said that. He is an awful human being. 
In fact, he is mentally disabled and evil. Great combo. I saw a press conference that made no sense. He rambled and confused words and then went on to tangents. My father had dementia and was more coherent.

Then we add the dumbells in the south. 
And my husband wants to move south for no winters.
These people are not bright. I can't be around people like this.
They are followers, not thinkers. 
It is obvious they don't read or have never read a book. 
I can't move south, God help me! Yes, that is a stereotype. 
But someone prove it wrong to me. The governor of Georgia is telling his counties to not wear a mask. Why the hell are they making this political? It's a pandemic. 
It's not about how stupid trump is or his election chances,  he did that on his own. 
Maybe with climate change, I can convince Rick we can move north.

So that's my bitching for today, just add health issues to this and it's been awful around these parts. 
Happy Peg is in here somewhere. 
She's drowning and trying like hell to stay afloat. I will leave you with some funnies that are oh so accurate. 

Is it 2021 Yet?

Remember a meme from a few days ago?
Well, I am between gin and walking off a cliff.

Yesterday was the most horrendous day in quite a long time. It would take me 2 days to write all the issues and grief that transpired. After a good cry and a long walk alone it was better but barely.

Add squirrels in Colorado with Bubonic Plague, Covid epicenter in the south where I am convinced there is something in the water that makes them lose brain cells. It's all so much shit being thrown at me that I think I need a mental health day or two.

I will 'talk' to you lovely people later in the week.

Happy Hump Day.  

Got Nothin'

If this year couldn't get any worse, I am having connectivity email issues and I just don't have time for this crap.

I will share with you a quickie.
Rick order Charmin TP many many months ago when we just couldn't get any Charmin. (still can't find it in grocery stores only hardware stores)

There was a photo online of Luxury TP Charmin - on Amazon. So the fool that is Rick ordered it. 4 months later this arrives

Rick took this photo but I don't think it really shows the actual size of how damn small these are. These are rolls for elves or Barbie and Ken, not humans.

My husband has a habit tendency of not reading where it's coming from, size etc.
He sees what he thinks he needs and hits click and orders it. 
The paper is the size of a roll of paper they put in the cash register at the grocery store. He paid $30 or $40 for this. Idiot!

I was at the kitchen sink unloading the dishwasher when I hear him say, Oh No. then Oh God and he is chuckling.
I turn to ask him what he was "oh God'ing" He said, nothing. 
I knew by the look in his eyes he was trying not to laugh. 
I said, "Fess up, what are you hiding."
He laughed and showed me these. I asked, "are those rolls of calculator paper or register tape? Why do you need that?" 
He said, "it's toilet paper can't you tell?"  Ah, no.

I stopped what I was doing to walk over to him and said, "Why on earth did you buy this?"  He explained, "well I saw a picture of Charmin back in very early March before lockdown and knew we couldn't get it so I ordered it. It had a picture of Charmin and it was called luxury toilet paper so I assumed it was Charmin. Why wouldn't I?" 

He went on, "See I debated whether to hide this or not I know what you are going to say, I need to pay attention to what I am buying and where it is coming from, etc."
I just nodded and the cloud over my head was saying, "You dumb ass!"  
But it is funny.
What a dufus.  Hey, he has lots of rolls if you need one. 
We can spare one or 6. 


I think this describes Covid-19 perfectly. At least this is how I am right now.

Blow this one up if you have to. If I made it the next size up it went outside of the blog. I thought this was insightful.

I can't imagine having lived all this. My goodness we (my) are a spoiled pampered generation.

$700...are ya'll happy?

Boy, ya'll want to know about the $700 we didn't get paid for a small job done.
Yep, I get a nice person and then 5 shit heads. Life right?

Okay, I'll share. It's not all that exciting, just fucking annoying.
Our company policy is payment upon completion. Period. 
Have you ever called a painter, plumber, electrician to fix something and they say, Oh just pay me when you can? 
No, they don't get out of your house until you pay them. That simple. 
Can you imagine your hairdresser not being paid after they did their job? You just leave and say, I'll catch you when I catch you.
It's really just common sense, but I know, I know, if sense were common more people would have it.

We get asked by other contractors to fix the damage they have done to a tub or other fixtures in a home all day long. 
This was a brand new tub and vanity top. 
Both very cheap but the contractors installed it and then did damage to it. 
They had scratches on the ledge of the tub that they couldn't get out. 
The vanity was a cheap contractor grade vanity top that they call cultured marble but it's just plaster.  No marble involved.

The contractor was freaking out and they wanted this fixed because the homeowner (female) was very very difficult. (difficult is a nice way of describing her, oh she made Rick angry). 
When the contractor called he asked for a quote/estimate. 
We couldn't get into the property so they took photos. 
Rick gave them a quote and I sent an estimate via email on our invoices. 
When the contractor got it approved they called to book the appointment. 

I repeated company policy and asked if Ray (contractor) was going to be there to approve the job and pay, etc. He said he would. 
I called the day before to remind them of their appointment and he said he wouldn't be able to get there at 9a but he'd be there later in the day. So I explained how it will work if he's not there.
I need a credit card when I see the after photos showing the job is completed I will send them to you, charge your card and send the paid receipt all via the email you've given me. He said perfect. But I don't have the company card right now I'll call you in the morning after I get it.

Now I know to never let that happen but for some reason, I felt I could.
So I guess this is all my own fault now, isn't it?

The next morning he tells me he can't get a credit card from the company and gave me someone to call. 
They gave me a credit card and it was declined.
That person (Ray's boss) told me the office manager would call me.
She did.  

This woman who I will say is T so I don't say her name. T was bitchy.
She asked why we expected to be paid when we finished, that wasn't their policy.
I explained our policy and how Ray was informed and agreed. (I sent her the email confirming this conversation after we spoke on the phone so she could see he understood and agreed)

She said, 'well he's newer and he shouldn't have told you this."
She asked for a copy of the invoice. 
I sent it via email while on the phone with her.
She said well I need a COI, W9, and your worker's comp.

I told her that the COI will be emailed from our insurance company after I get off the phone.  I will send the W9.  
As for workers comp, it is only held on employees. 
As you know in the state of VA owners can't have workers comp on themselves. She then said we can't pay you then.
WHAT? To not delve into the whole conversation she said I know that is a law but we require it IF you wish to be paid.

I wanted to call her the c word at that point. She was snarky in her tone and was condescending. So because I am a bitch I sent her the law spelled out that I got online and sent it to her. She said it didn't matter to her, that is their policy.

I then asked, "can we meet in the middle somehow? I am more than willing to work with you and find a spot in the middle for us both.
You are asking me to go through hoops for your company policy yet you won't even consider ours" 
She said, "too bad"  
NO SHIT SHE SAID THAT. MY TONGUE WAS BLEEDING FROM BITING IT!!

I got off the phone before I got rude. (I save that for the blog.)` 
I called my insurance company and asked if there was anything I could do.
Yes, I could buy a ghost policy ($750 a year) and they would insert that on the COI and back date it for the date of your job. Perfect. Done!
It's called a ghost policy and google explains it like this:
A ghost policy is an attempt to show proof of workers' comp coverage when bidding on a job—but without offering the certificate holder access to any benefits in the event of an accident.

I hate that we had to pay $750 for a $700 job but in the future, I won't have to explain this anymore. 
Rick works now, before he did not, only Gary and William did all the work and we had workers comp on them both. So it was never an issue.
Rick, being the owner, now does all the work and doesn't have workers comp. If he did we'd be paying ourselves if he got hurt. Makes no sense on a lot of levels. We have been asked for workers comp again recently and when I explained it was the owner, they just said they understood.  So I think this was smart to get for the future anyway.

So my insurance company sent T the COI, I had already sent the W9 and we'll see if we get paid. It was just a friggin' repair. 
This was not a big kitchen that cost $12,000 no, just a repair of $695 to be exact. 
A lot of time wasted for this.
Will we ever do business with them? Doubtful. 
We don't need them, they need us. We know there are no companies who can fix/repair what we did. Hence why we do so many of them. 
We just did another for a Ferguson Showroom. (do you have them where you live?) 
I have never been to one, you must make an appointment to view their products. To me, that just means it's going to be way more expensive and I can find the same thing elsewhere. When they get damaged pedestal tubs lets say, for example, they can't send them back. So if a chip is taken out or some other damage we fix it, they use it on the showroom floor since they can't sell it. But they are under bright lights so it must be flawless. No one else can do this apparently. We even had a competitor call us to tell us he was sending someone our way because he knows we can do this. So they need us more than we need them is my point.

We understand they have a policy but they were unwilling to work with us. Their attitude is what we both found annoying.
Do you know how many companies we work with that have policies that are the exact opposite of ours? We do work with them. Everyone just talks it through until we get to a good place for all involved. 
NEVER has this been an issue. I recall one woman I had to work with that we got to laughing about how we were juggling this around to make the powers that be happy. She did not know I was the owner, she thought we were both just trying to keep our bosses happy. In essence, we were. 
But the point is we all worked together to make it work for everyone. 
It has never once been a problem. Never has anyone behaved like they just did. (During a pandemic no less when money is so tight.)

No matter what I said T told me "if I want to get paid" 
So it had to be done (getting the ghost policy) but we don't have to work with them. If they are so difficult with something that could have been taken care of easily in a number of ways then how difficult will they be with a big job?  No thanks. I am thankful we can refuse work when we want. Not that we have big money but we now know it is okay to walk away because more often than not in the past we realized later we just should have walked but we were fearful of losing the money. 
And then, in the end, it cost us more in a variety of ways.
Does that make sense to you? 

We never used to turn away business. 
Ah, but we're old and cranky now and just don't want to waste our time, energy and money working with people like that. 
We have been blessed that we have been able to keep working (of sorts) during this pandemic. But here is the best part - when the contractor, Ray,  did get to the home and he saw the work he was blown away. Couldn't believe they couldn't see the damage any longer and he called to thank me. He had no idea what I was going through and I didn't say. 
I just said I would pass it on to Rick and thanked him.

I really do not enjoy people.

Double Post on Hump Day.

Okay, this is weird.
My earlier post if read in Chrome was normal.
If read in Explorer it looked like all italics and very difficult to read.
What is up with that? I am sorry, I do not know how to make it revert to normal. I tried all things that should have done it. Aargh!
Blogger is so damn frustrating for me.

My girlfriend sent this meme to me last night with the comment, 'Margaret this made me think of you.'  
I wrote back - because this woman's breasts are not up where they should be or just how in general I hate wearing a bra? LOL

She wrote back...' Both?'  
That made me laugh. 
I said to her, Melanie if I am wearing a bra and mine are ever that low, please tell me to buy a  good bra for Pete's Sake!
But this is damn funny and right on!

Tuesday evening Rick and I dvr'd Ringo Starr's 80th birthday celebration.
We watched it at 5:30a this morning. That's normal right?

My God, Ringo's 80. That seems so old and yet, Ringo Starr. 
Mentally I am still 25 so when I hear or see a person I think of as my age it flips me out. Okay, I am not close to 80 but closer to 80 than 25. So there is that sucky tidbit. White-haired men came up on the screen and we were asking, "who is that?"  Peter Frampton was the only one who looked like himself with white hair. Will this happen when I go gray? 
Joe Walsh who I adore, is Ringo's brother in law. (come on, James Gang!)

I heard a 2 hr interview with these 2 men on Stern one day and it was a fabulous interview. I did not know Joe was married to Ringo's wife's sister.
Apparently, the women are both fluent in Italian, and when they don't want the "boys" to know what they are talking about they dive into Italian. I find that funny. Being of 100% Italian descent my only conversation would be filthy bad words and gestures. I learned a lot from my elders :-) 
They'd be so proud...tee hee
Gary Clark Jr was on as well. God, I love this man's talent.

Also on Tuesday night, I saw this photo of what this pitcher that I love was doing during quarantine. (Aroldis Chapman)

Do you really need arms like this to pitch these days? Holy crap! I don't think his old jersey is going to fit! Fat ole Babe Ruth would never make it today.

Anyone on Instagram? If so, tanksgoodnews is only good news. It's a breath of fresh air for me. I am trying to surround myself with the positive and it is so damn difficult. but I'm plugging away. Mango Mussolini doesn't make it easy for us does he?

Rick was at a home on Tuesday afternoon that I was a bit concerned about.
The man called and he was so certain we couldn't do what he was asking. I wanted to say, then why the hell did you call us?  
But of course, I refrained.
He sounded older. He sounded frustrated. I asked for the whole story.
Apparently, he was doing a science project with his granddaughter.
He was using a bottle of peroxide. It left a ring on his granite and when he slide the bottle, it left a trail. He can not get it out. He shared with me all things he used. Then he said something that made me chuckle.
"When the lights are out it looks fine"   Yep, I'm sure it looks even better with your eyes closed.

He has called every granite company etc. He has called handymen and then a contractor. They all told him it couldn't be done! The contractor told them we could do this so that is why he was calling me. 
He was not convinced. He was being a bit ornery but I understood this very expensive piece of granite was bothering him with a big white ring and a trail.

I explained that I believe Rick could sand/polish this out if granite. 
He said, "we'll see" 
Rick got there and saw this gorgeous 12 ft slab of what the thought was marble on their kitchen island.
The man said it was granite ($15,000 worth of granite he shared just for the island piece that looked like marble) 
Rick explained what he was going to do and why. 

When he got to a certain point Rick realized that he just could not go further down into the granite or it would leave a divet. Some of this may still be showing. He sealed and polished when he was done. He called the man in the kitchen and he looked at it from every angle. He then said I know we are to social distance but I really want to hug you. 
Of course, that made Rick laugh. 

Rick pointed out an area he felt could be better but explained why he couldn't go further. 
The man told him if you hadn't pointed it out I'd have never seen it. 
Then he called in his wife. That is always the person we must make happy. She was thrilled as well. Whew.

They paid him and then told him that everyone said it couldn't be done, you're awesome and then tried to tip him. Rick doesn't like getting tips he feels he shouldn't accept them being the owner. He always told the guys to be sure when you take it to thank them but he doesn't like to do it.
But yesterday the guy shoved it in his hand and Rick took it. He bought gas for his truck. Win-win, the man was happy with his $15,000 granite being restored to new and Rick got a free tank of gas. That was very nice of him. 

Then later in the day, I get a call from this man. I knew Rick had been there but I didn't know what transpired as yet. So when I saw his name on caller ID I got a bit worried. He called to tell me that this was the best company experience in his life and he added, and I'm old. I laughed. 
He then said from beginning to end it was a pleasure, you walked me through it all and gave me comfort. The man who came was so nice and he explained everything to us along the way. It looks magnificent, I am going to tell everyone I know all the things you do. Then he wished me great health and a good day. 

Now c'mon how nice was that? I get so many shit heads that this one made my week. And it was only Tuesday.
Since I bitch and vent here for my own mental health about the mean people on a daily basis, I thought I'd share a nice person story for a change.

Happy Hump Day!
(and this better not post in some transcript shit like the last post.)_

No, to Baseball

While you all know I am obsessed with baseball I don't think we should be coming back. We are not on our 2nd wave....we've never left our 1st wave and if people don't wake up we will never leave it.

Players are opting out every day. Most of the Washington Nationals are either sick with Covid-19 or they have opted out. The Nats even closed down their training at their home stadium because so many are sick. I am hearing rumblings that Mike Trout will opt out as well. On my team, there are none who have opted out , but they sure are vocal. I wish there were more. Can't play with the 2nd string can you? Owners will do anything for the money, but this is stupid with a capital S.

Here is a comment from Washington Nationals Player, Sean Doolittle (relief pitcher)

“We’re trying to bring baseball back during a pandemic that’s killed over 130,000 people. We’re way worse off as a country than we were in March when we shut this thing down... We haven’t done any of the things that other countries have done... Sports are like the reward of a functioning society. And we’re trying to just bring it back, even though we’ve taken none of the steps to flatten the curve.”

I couldn't agree more with the above statement. If I had a job where I had the option of opting out I would do so. I read where one guy was losing 6 million by doing so and the reporter asked him about that and he said he will be fine and chuckled. Yes, he will be fine. I'd be fine too if you took away 6 million but I had another 15 so what the hell. Oh boy, would that be nice? I'd be writing to you from a nice warm beach in Hawaii. But he's smart. His wife is pregnant, his mother is in poor health. He just didn't see the reward being worth the risk. I couldn't agree more.

I read yesterday about all these businesses who took the PPP money. They won't have to pay it back and they are letting small business close their doors. Man this fries my ass. Here are a couple of the articles if you are so inclined.

https://www.nbcnews.com/business/business-news/here-are-some-billionaires-who-got-ppp-loans-while-small-n1233041

https://www.motherjones.com/2020-elections/2020/07/brad-parscale-ppp-loan/

I'd sure love to get this money and not have to follow the rules too.

But in the meantime I need laughter.  

Have yourself a giggle.  We all need some. 
I honestly can't fathom not being able to tell time from an analog clock. 😀