We're planning a short driving vacation for mid-September. Youngest Son cannot cat sit, so we're contracting with a company to come in twice a day and do it. Sitter is coming by tomorrow to introduce herself, so tonight I washed the worst of the cat drool off the couch. It's taking longer to dry than I thought it would; I might be sitting on the floor for the rest of the night.

@guysmom.. You must have done a fantastic job with those burgers because when I made them, I didn't like them so much. Mum suggested swapping lentils with chickpeas and potatoes and they turned out finger licking.

I had one phone shop and then it was just cooking and more homeschooling. I made apple and coconut fudge today after a long time. Almost finished with People Vs OJ on Netflix. Ross from Friends is Robert Kardashian and every time he says something, I hear Rachel snickering in my mind

Little road trip, finish a Trixie and Evangeline book (having finished the Bryant & May a few days ago), fit in a workout, and work at the talking head job.

Early trip to grocery store before the backwash from Ida brings 3 days of constant, heavy rain to this area. Glad to have a few phone shops at a time like this.

I am thinking of looking into checking out the Bryant and May Series from the library. They look like my kind of books. @walesmaven. where are you?

Mum,
I am in MD, just 1 mile north of DC.

My plants and I are eagerly awaiting Ida!

Grocery shopping, taking cat to vet. Meet and greet with new cat sitter.

Forget what you read earlier. I finished the book during the little road trip that went more than a a little wonky. As someone here says, it went sideways. I re-arranged the rest of the week accordingly. Have been thinking about people who might experience Ida. Oh, my.

@Mum: Please know that the author considers each book to be a stand-alone and no one will mind if you read them in publication order, as you can find them, or any other way, The main thing is to have fun, enjoy the bits of history, mystery, ooky, spooky, office memos, and etc. If I could not be an IC or a talking head, I might want to worm my way into that odd place and do... something... to be of service...

Picking chokecherries.
Bike ride. So hard on gravel, must be a work out!
Hopefully make chokecherry juice before bed.

I woke up early this morning to angry thunder. I put my big plants and windowsill basil outside. Nine hours later, no rain.

My fiddle leaf fig doesn't like the wind, but is enjoying the humidity. My dragon plant doesn't like the light. My basil is confused. My snake plant doesn't seem to care.

@prince. I googled Chokecherries and just realized I see them in the Forest Park everyday. I thought they were some kind of berries but didn't know the name. Our park is loaded with these berries.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/01/2021 07:22PM by Mum.

I water all of my plants on the first of the month. After I brought the big plants inside, I put an aluminum roasting pan outside to collect rainwater. My succulents are benefiting from that.

For half the day I had no voice. I felt badly for the people who had to listen to me for necessary personal conversations. I still think this is the Universe telling me to shut up, already and do something else. I did something else. I listened. Now, I am looking for enough gigs and reduced expenditures to offset shifts that I think I should not attempt at the talking head job for a season. How long is a season of voice healing? Who knows?

@Mum wrote:

@prince. I googled Chokecherries and just realized I see them in the Forest Park everyday. I thought they were some kind of berries but didn't know the name. Our park is loaded with these berries.

They are planted here in local parks. And also grow wild. Great jelly or syrup. Not for pie or things like that

Doing happy dances because September has arrived and we are starting at least 10 days where daytime temps will be below (some well below) 84 and we can sleep with windows open at night. I have brought out of storage my supply of jeans, my preferred cooler weather duds.

Also county just notified me that they miscalculated my 2017 and 2018 property taxes and are about to send me more than $2000.

@walesmaven: is that found money or free money? Either way, it is a boon!
@KathyG: lol about the cat drool on the couch. The cat sitter should not mind hair, a trail of kibble crumbs,or drool.

I accomplished something at home today. How long has it been? It feels strange... but seriously. I made time for my endocrine overhaul & consideration of root causes of factors in Hashimoto's/hypothyroid and ended up with a solid action plan. I got this.

Good having a plan @Shop-et-al.
Hurray @walesmaven

Today I am making tomato sauce.
Eating fried green tomatoes for lunch.
Also using garden lettuce and carrots for supper.

And hopefully cleaning and decluttering the whole house!

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/02/2021 06:06PM by prince.

Great news Wales!! Glad for ya!

Worked through part of a chapter in our city scavenger hunt book. Ended up at the farmer's market, where I bought the kale I went in there for as well as a big bag of Roma tomatoes and a small box of mangoes. (The extras were at a REALLY good price.) Came home and processed all 10 of the mangoes. When I was done my hands were stick and slimy. I couldn't get them washed fast enough

Errands,work the afternoon shift, and perhaps learn more about bro & sil who have Covid. Most recent news was that bro was still hospitalized and sil was able to stay at home. *hopes, prays, waits*

Not to brag, but to show how speculative the stock market is right now, my spouse and I show an increase of our NW (net worth) by over $40K in just the first two days of Sept. alone. Something has to give. In the meantime, we're letting our accounts including our 401K's ride it out. I suspect that when the "Infrastructure" spending party, the "eviction prohibition", "helicopter money" and reality of the "green new deal" progressively come back to Earth, a correction will become imminent. I'm still mystery shopping...

Oh @Shop-et-al. I hope they get well quickly.

I spent my day so far, getting pension papers notarized, and wandering shop to shop while Hubby played hockey. Didn't get the steps I planned as now that I've bought too much to carry around, I am sitting in the sun at Safeway.

I picked up a lovely piece of art from Freecycle today. Now, I have to find a place for it.

Thank you. Still no news. Picturing sitting in the sun at Safeway near me.... I would not last long. I would scurry down the strip mall and get mani/pedi or a haircut. Or both!

@prince wrote:

Oh @Shop-et-al. I hope they get well quickly.

I spent my day so far, getting pension papers notarized, and wandering shop to shop while Hubby played hockey. Didn't get the steps I planned as now that I've bought too much to carry around, I am sitting in the sun at Safeway.

Long weekend, yay! Marathon for 3 DD's cancelled for tomorrow due to IDA. She wreaked some havoc and danger but has long ago exited. Sunday family Pool party. Monday plans cancelled due to our friend's knee emergency problems. We are blessed. Happy holidays to all who celebrate.

Packed dinner to take to an outdoor concert and food truck event. The band was unimpressive and there were only three trucks. None of them had a dessert on the menu. At the band's first break we left and drove to get gelato. While we sat outside the restaurant to eat it two friends walked by. Haven't seen them since before Covid. Had a nice catch-up.

Intended to go to the last outdoor concert tonight. Didn't make it. One of my faves, Motown.

@Shop-et-al
I don't think that strip mall has those things.
I bought too much to traipse into other stores and just sat with my cart until Hubby came.

@prince: My Safeway strip mall got it goin' opoooooooooonnnnnn! Sort of. The empty former KMart space sits there, like a lump on a log. I keep hoping that a Target, Jax, or new-to-here supermarket will move in. Another option is to enjoy a year-round event center for things like farmers' market events, craft sales, craft days, presentations, performances, come-on-in-and-get-your-yayas-out, and other uses for adaptable space.

Meanwhile, I have heard nothing more regarding bro & sil.*hopes, prays, waits*

I am supposed to be at the talking head job. I could not get there. This is the opening day of football season. People are everywhere, and there was no legal parking near enough for me. It is already hot (too hot for me, anyway). If I walked the two or so miles from nearest legal parking to work in the middle of the day, one of two things would happen: I would faint somewhere along the way and cause a scene. Or, I would get there and need the rest of the shift for icing down and preparing myself to work. I did not think of this soon enough to make a sensible plan such as arriving at 8 AM and parking in shade next to the building. For a few hours, I would have my version of pre-game fun. It would be called pre-work activities. Rah, rah, ree, kick 'em in the knee, rah, rah rass, turn me over when I snore and let me sleep in the well-tended grass... oh, my... I need to re-think game days...



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/04/2021 07:56PM by Shop-et-al.