Name Three Things - 2022

[micknsnicks2mom]

artiemom -- it's usually really quiet in my building, generally as well as during quiet hours (10pm to 8am). that night was unusual. it has not been noisy again like that.


today i did laundry first thing this morning, received a Safeway home delivery order of cat litter, signed up for the once a month 'shredding party' (we schedule a time, then have 10 minutes to shred followed by a 20 minute 'cool down' for the shredder). i didn't have much to shred, and got that done. i spent some time on a jigsaw puzzle, and now in the community's computer room.

 

[vansX2]

Hmm. Made a deposit at the bank this morning. Then picked up some Artwork that I had in for framing. Washed a load of clothes. Lastly will take the trash to the curb before bed.

 

[Winchester]

Our Covid booster vaccine appts were cancelled due to lack of vaccines. I'll call this morning to try to schedule new appts. I'm sure Rick will still get his pneumonia shot (I had mine a while back).

They've started work on Clarence. He just called. Add another $450 for a new clutch; he won't charge me for labor because the car is already torn apart. When the tranny died, it did something to the clutch, too. I know, I know, I'm going to have to get rid of the car at some point.

• Breakfast for the girls, emptied the dishwasher, and am enjoying my coffee.
• The first of three loads of laundry is in the washer; changing sheets today after Rick gets out of bed.
• We are going to do our errands today. There are things I want to get done before the weekend as we stay home on weekends now when everybody else is out and about.

My sister called last night to ask if I would make Mom's cranberry relish for Easter. It was specifically requested by her SIL. She asked him if he wanted the stuff in cans and he said he wanted the stuff Pam makes. We have another convert! For years, it was just me, my sister, my brother and my son who ate the stuff. Rick prefers from the can. I always have cranberries in the freezer, so I can do that. Will just need a couple apples and oranges.

 

[micknsnicks2mom]

today i made two phone calls, got my medical treatment done early ( ), faxed some documents, did the treadmill. now in the community's computer room, will move to the craft room for jigsaw puzzles shortly.

today i got the grabber that i had ordered -- those poles with grabbing things at the end, for getting at hard to reach things/places. really a useful thing!

 

[strider rose]

bag up some laundry for wednesday morning to wash
write some military letters
read my books or color in my adult books

 

[susanm9006]

today i made two phone calls, got my medical treatment done early ( ), faxed some documents, did the treadmill. now in the community's computer room, will move to the craft room for jigsaw puzzles shortly.

today i got the grabber that i had ordered -- those poles with grabbing things at the end, for getting at hard to reach things/places. really a useful thing!

They most certainly are!

 

[gilmargl]

Yesterday:

1. Text message from my partner's nephew telling me he has Corona and has been moved to intensive care. Felt bad!
2. Had my new (not-yet-paid-for) hearing aids readjusted and new functions added (next appointment after Easter)
3. One-to-one discussion with the psychiatrist with the hospice movement to discuss what I could do and what I was willing to do as voluntary helper. She already had a possible "patient" lined up for me - a care-home resident suffering from severe dementia, who is not expected to die in the next few weeks but needs someone to try to improve her quality of life at this difficult stage of her life. I accepted the job and will learn more next week.

Today:

1. Stripped the bed, laundered sheets and towels
   
   
2. Against all my better judgment (and everyone's advice) I went to the hospital to visit my ex-partner in the Corona intensive care unit. I had to make a prior appointment for an hour's visit mid-afternoon but did not expect to stay so long. I must admit I was not looking forward to the visit. But, I surprised myself. I had to wear protective clothing from head to foot, so, with his face concealed behind an oxygen mask it was difficult for us to recognise each other. He was extremely weak. The nurse asked him if he wanted his lunch (at 3 o'clock in the afternoon!) He said he would try to eat something. I finished up spoon-feeding him about half a small portion of cauliflower, pasta and braised steak. I then peeled and segmented 2 satsumas (not easy wearing rubber gloves). He managed to pick up and eat all the segments. When his monitor started bleeping, I helped the nurse lie him down again and she put the mask back on him. We talked about the cats, the new kitchen, the recent snow and I tried unsuccessfully to take a selfie of us both together. The hour passed quickly. Somehow, I felt happy that I had visited. Although I know I could never take him back into my house, where I would rebel at the mere thought of having to spoon-feed him, I now know for sure, were he in a home, I would happily visit and spend time with him and not just for old times sake. Have I gone completely mad?
   Phoned his brother in USA so that they at least realise the seriousness of the situation. I also contacted his nephew here in Germany who first told me about his Corona infection. He then asked me why he needed oxygen! Perhaps it's not just me who's a bit slow on the uptake! (But I at least have my age as an excuse!)
   
   
3. Ordered a rather unique chest of drawers for the hall. It will be delivered completely mounted - no chance of my glueing the 9 small drawers together wrongly! Bought more birdseed and an airtight container so that I can store it outside but well-protected from rain, flies and mice.

No idea what tomorrow will bring.

 

[artiemom]

today i got the grabber that i had ordered -- those poles with grabbing things at the end, for getting at hard to reach things/places. really a useful thing!

Those Grabbers really come in handy! I have 2... One from my Dad, which is shorter... and one from when I broke my arm, which is much longer. I use my dads a lot...

gilmargl Just (((Hugs))) You are an angel... that is all I have to say.....
~~~~~~~~~
today was a 'day'..
**** Allergies are so bad.. Eyes constantly tearing, nose dripping.. occasional sneezing. It is no fun. I do tay Xyzal every night! I feel as if I need another allergy pill in the morning.. perhaps Claritin?? I give up
* Geoffrey had really soft poops... only eating dry now... he is refusing the canned.. What can I do.. he sees the IMVet,
May 3... I had to change his appointment, due to financial reasons and I am so busy with many important things which need to be down the next week .....dam

*took a while due to allergies and asthma, but regular morning stuff.. Did a really good vacuuming and Swiffering of floors
*Changed bed sheets
*Wiped down bathroom
* quick once over dusting
* Cleaned out Liter Genie
* Dumped trash
* Ran to ATM and Bakery~~ stuff for brunch (too tired/busy to bake---have fresh berries)
*Went to Palm Sunday Mass at 4pm

So wiped out.. company tomorrow morning..
Knee started hurting and going out on my when the rain began.. and the shoulder started up also..

The weather changed dramatically. The temperature dropped from a balmy 60 --to a chilly, raw Rain.. weird.

I am currently keeping windows closed and have 2 Air purifiers going. One in bedroom and one in living room...Hope they help.
I wore a mask in Church. I think it really helped my allergies!!! Good to know.

 

[catapault]

Bed sheets in the washing machine. Himself, who always feels cold, wants flannel sheets on the bed. Again. Enough already.

Our intermittent / occasional handyman is supposed to come this morning so he and Himself can take storm doors down and put screen doors up.

Close to the end of sorting through box after box after box of paperback books. These are sci-fi and fantasy, everything from this century back to the 1950s.You remember, I think I mentioned all the ones that were on the shelves at the very bottom of the stairs that were removed when the painter was here. Turns out the library will take them for their book sale. I can bring them to the County Fairgrounds this Saturday and someone will even unload them from my car. Some are disintegrating and those will go into the garbage. Meanwhile the back of my car is filling up with boxes. There is a much lesser quantity of mystery / detective / historical / etc.

Went to a houseplant and seed swap at the library on Saturday. I brought several divisions of Aspidastra minor 'Milky Way'. Labeled them. On offer were a large quantity of spider plant offsets, other bits and bobs. Didn't take anything but that's O.K. I really need to tidy up in the greenhouse. And the garden. And check pots of dormant tender bulbs in the basement. An, and, and . . .

'Bye for now.

 

[Winchester]

C catapault We still have flannels on our bed, too. Not quite ready for regular linens yet!
artiemom How did you make out with your router? Get it all connected?
gilmargl It was a good idea for you to see him. I'm one who thought you shouldn't. I will gladly eat crow. You're a good woman.

Not much went on over the weekend. We are boring. I did receive the cooling racks that I ordered last week. Very nice. Dishwasher-safe and oven-safe. Dear Richard immediately wanted to know when I planned to test them out.

• Rick is going to pick up his new glasses today. And then take the Kindle to his mom. (I need to put new audiobooks on it for her.) And then take our tax papers back in to file.
• Vacuum, swiffer, water/mist the seedlings. We put the tray of Carmen peppers in the bay window in the living room. The cats aren't particularly amused, but they're leaving it alone. At night, we put it in the bathroom. The warmth from the south-facing window and all the light made them pop up.
• The eye doctor never called me last week, so I'll have to give them a call for an appt for the cataract.

 

[artiemom]

Winchester Comcast---ugh!! It was a nightmare!! Int the store, they told me all I had to do was plug it in, and follow the on line instructions.. or call them. That it was easy!!!

Friday, it took me 2 hours; 3 phone calls to Comcast/Xfinity, to get the MODEM connected. I was livid!

1:05pm. First call: got disconnected while I was put on hold... 1/8 way through installation.

1:25 pm. Second Call: took forever to connect.. modem not on my account!! I saw the store person put it in!!! Was on hold Many times... Do not ask me why, but I HAD to change my modem password!! and he had a difficult time getting it set up. It would just not do so... took a good 45 minutes!!

Sat down for a nice hot bowl of soup for supper, since it was a cold day. At the table--sitting down, put TV on---Got an error screen!! Asked for a reset.. I hit the reset on my remote... screen flashed, back to retry and phone number!! UGHGHGH

4;20 pm Third phone call: Could barely understand him.. accent and so soft on phone due to HIS head piece mike.
I should have knows something would go wrong because he ASSURED me by saying, He has worked with Comcast for 7 years and has solved many problems, so not to worry!! I was getting living...
I explained my situation at the beginning.. they have transcripts of calls...

He made me RE-install the modem!! I was getting mad because I had already spent an hour doing so.. I just wanted to concentrate on the fact that I have NO TV service!! Kept putting me on hold.. as if he was asking someone for help.
I was really loosing it.. tried to remain calm; re-iterating what I had said in the beginning; while I was eating my soup. He wanted me to pull the cabinet out, get down on my knees and unplug everything. I said absolutely not! I had done so before, and now my back was killing me from sitting down on the floor.... I told him, HE has to handle this, not me!

I was on hold for so many times.. He was a broken record, reading from a script!! I had to stop him from making em reset my modem's name and password, since I had already done so!! I was furious... I told him I wanted his supervisor or the person with whom he was talking to for advice.

Last straw was this: I was on terminal hold.. finished soup, the TV came back on. It was working. It flashed off for a second, then came back. I tried to change stations with my remote.. It was working.. all of it... while I was on hold...
He came back on---- told me to refresh my TV.. I told him I had already done so. It was working... He was surprised!!
Then--- the last straw.... He said to me: Now we have to register/sync your remote with your box!!!
I lost it!! I saw WHY?? It is working.. he did. not 'hear' me.. He insisted on me re-syncing my remote. Again, I said:
WHY? The box never changed, It is the original box, and synced with the remote!! The remote was working.. He did not believe me.. I insisted on synching it.. I insisted and said NO.. that part has never changed! WHY...

Then he finally said, well. WE SOLVED Your ISSUES! and then went into his spell--listing all he did..
I interrupted him and said NO, you did not do this.. not this---on and on... Said, You are reading from a book, putting me on hold, asking someone else what to do.. I also told him that he did not LISTEN to what I was saying. He was on a 'mission'--reading a book,....... Then I hung up ...

I do have a new box to install.. I am not doing so... I am taking the old modem, and the new box; back to the store---
If they insist I install it.. I am going to insist a tech come out---free... to do so... after the experience I had...

UGH...
~~~~`
And after all of that---because I changed my modem password, I had to re-synch my phone, my Alexa, and my printer!!

 

[vansX2]

artiemom; Do you have several choices for internet providers? I doubt that they can be a troublesome as Comcast. A few months ago I upgraded my modem adding 2 eerie devices to extend the internet distance. Medicom came and had everything up in running in 15 minutes. No issues since.

 

[artiemom]

We have a couple of unreliable options in here: Verizon (slow) and RCN-which was bought out by another company.

My Friends who have Verizon are leaving for Comcast. The ones in this building who have RCN (whatever new name) are very unhappy with them.

I went to the Comcast store. They took the old Modem. I had the new box with me. They said to get a tech in to set it up would cost me a service call of $100! I asked to speak to the manager... He said the same thing. In order for that fee to be waved, I would have to call Comcast-- myself, and speak to Customer Service!! He said this was just a 'store".... OMG.. I kept my temper.. I did not lose it. I even asked as he was manager, would he call for me... He said No!!

Ok---that was that... I gave them the box... walked out...

Ridiculous.. Only if I was installing a new service would the tech come out... asinine...

The box they sent me would allow for 'streaming' services, like Apple TV... I have that on my Fire Stick... nope, not going there with Comcast..
Box not needed. It is only a slight upgrade from my present one..

The next update would be a 4K box... nope. I have a 4K Firestick.

 

[gilmargl]

I wish I could help you artiemom , I understand your frustration only too well. I have a suspicion that electronics and entertainment technology is slowly becoming so complicated that even the "experts" are bewildered and it won't be too long before either nobody will bother with it any longer or it will become even more expensive with the companies charging what they like for installing and synchronising the devices and insisting that we only use their products or else it won't work.

My 3 things before I go to bed:

1. Threw out lettuce, cumcumber, spring onions and rocket which was starting to rot in the fridge. Now that I'm on my own, cooking for one, I'm buying far less but still can't eat all the fresh stuff. Washed the fridge. Fried the wrinkled tomatoes with an omelette for lunch.
2. The sun shone - no rain expected so I decided to cycle to work. It's only 4.5 miles away; the area is flat so I wasn't expecting a problem. But it was windy. I had the impression I was hardly moving and felt very wobbly cycling on the road. Fortunately there isn't much traffic but I was worried about cars getting too close. I was glad to reach the cycling track which is normally protected by tall crops growing in the fields. It's too early for maize - the fields were bare and I felt as though it was a very long uphill struggle. I was overtaken by a couple flying past on their pedelecs.
3. Tested myself for COVID. I may have been wearing protective clothing at the hospital on Saturday but afterwards I panicked as on arriving home I didn't immediately shower and wash all my clothes. Test was negative. Worked for 5 hours and then the dreaded journey back home on my bike. But it was lovely - it felt like downhill all the way. The sun was still shining, the wind hadn't changed direction - it helped me home.

Now I'm tired and the cats are waiting for me to take them to bed! So goodnight!

 

[vansX2]

I wish I could help you artiemom , I understand your frustration only too well. I have a suspicion that electronics and entertainment technology is slowly becoming so complicated that even the "experts" are bewildered and it won't be too long before either nobody will bother with it any longer or it will become even more expensive with the companies charging what they like for installing and synchronising the devices and insisting that we only use their products or else it won't work.

My 3 things before I go to bed:

1. Threw out lettuce, cumcumber, spring onions and rocket which was starting to rot in the fridge. Now that I'm on my own, cooking for one, I'm buying far less but still can't eat all the fresh stuff. Washed the fridge. Fried the wrinkled tomatoes with an omelette for lunch.
2. The sun shone - no rain expected so I decided to cycle to work. It's only 4.5 miles away; the area is flat so I wasn't expecting a problem. But it was windy. I had the impression I was hardly moving and felt very wobbly cycling on the road. Fortunately there isn't much traffic but I was worried about cars getting too close. I was glad to reach the cycling track which is normally protected by tall crops growing in the fields. It's too early for maize - the fields were bare and I felt as though it was a very long uphill struggle. I was overtaken by a couple flying past on their pedelecs.
3. Tested myself for COVID. I may have been wearing protective clothing at the hospital on Saturday but afterwards I panicked as on arriving home I didn't immediately shower and wash all my clothes. Test was negative. Worked for 5 hours and then the dreaded journey back home on my bike. But it was lovely - it felt like downhill all the way. The sun was still shining, the wind hadn't changed direction - it helped me home.

Now I'm tired and the cats are waiting for me to take them to bed! So goodnight!

It sounds like your bike journey was well worth the effort.

 

[micknsnicks2mom]

today i sliced a loaf of bread machine bread, gave kitties their 'salon day' (claw trimming, with treats as my 'thank you for allowing me to'). except for my Punky, who was napping and preferred not to have salon day right then. we'll get hers done soon. i washed the few dishes i had in the sink, scooped the litter boxes, then took out the trash and recycling. i did the treadmill, too.

now in the community's computer room, soon to be moving on to the craft room for jigsaw puzzles.

 

[Winchester]

artiemom , I have heard that Comcast can be such a pain to work with. Most of the people I know who have Comcast hate it. A couple years back, I bought a new router/modem, simply because my old one was, well, simply too old. And it was pretty much plug it in and work with it. Yeah, it was a pain because of the new passwords for the new modem and, hence, for our wireless system. It took me longer to change all the passwords than it did to set the modem up! Phones, iPads, printer, Firestick, all that good stuff. And when we got new TVs and when I did the WeShed passwords, well, it was ridiculous. I have a list "this" long of stuff that's on our router. And then our son's and GS's phones, too. Geez. But I finally got it all done....although I used some language that wasn't suitable for kitty ears. Nothing is easy. When it came to setting up the WeShed, I finally gave in and called somebody to help me. My BIL and I spent so much time trying to get everything to work, it wasn't funny. The tech guru had it done in less than an hour. (And poor Rick is no help at all when it comes to computers. His idea of fixing it is, "Pam! Dear, the router is wonky!" Or "Pam, how I do......?!" So if I'm having trouble with something, I usually tell him to stay out of the room. No matter what he hears, just stay out of the room.) I feel your pain. I really do.

Got most of our errands done yesterday, except for the Kindle for Evelyn. And then she called me last night. "Are you making hot cross buns?" Well, yeah, I guess I am. So that's on my list for today.

• Breakfast for the girls, emptied the dishwasher, and am back here enjoying my coffee. I put Muffin in the bedroom with Dear Richard before I grabbed a quick shower; she and Molli can never be left alone together. So when I was done making my coffee, Molli came back and said, "Mom! I want to go to bed!" I opened the bedroom door, Molli sauntered in, and I said, "Mama is listening! Behave!"
• Make the hot cross buns this morning. I don't have dried fruit, other than raisins, so raisins will have to do.
• Trash night tonight. Scoop boxes, clean out fridge (although there's really not much in there)

 

[susanm9006]

I took advantage of our short break of decent weather and in the last couple days gathered, sawed up and took to the waste site two carloads of fallen pine branches. (Car is going to smell like Christmas til next year). Today, before another stretch of bad weather gets here , I loaded and hauled to the dump all the ceiling panels that were taken down in the basement last winter. My little HRV was literally loaded to the ceiling and required a serious cleaning when I returned. Arms are very sore, but I am feeling quite satisfied with getting some things off of the must do list.

 

[Winchester]

I was so peeved yesterday. Ready to smack someone silly. Honest. I had charged Rick's mom's Kindle. Turned it on and it would no longer connect to our router. Tried to do manually and had to enter the password for Parental Controls. It wouldn't work either. SOMEBODY CHANGED THE BLOODY PASSWORD! I know I had the right password because I have it written down. And the ONLY way for me to change the password is to put the wrong password in five times, then it'll ask me if I want to change the password. Yes. OK. Only I had to delete the entire Kindle account and start over on a "new" Kindle. The words coming out of the living room in our house weren't suitable for anyone's ears, let alone kitty ears. Got it all set up (with a new Parental Control password), then downloaded Overdrive again and set that up for her. Put 5 audiobooks on it. Then I had to reset her Parental Controls: no Alexa, no Amazon, no nothing. She can listen to her books and that's it. I also re-grouped apps and such into one group that says DO NOT USE.

Somebody had tried to set up Disney+ on her Kindle. Somebody has tried to set up Amazon and, since they changed the password, God knows what happened. I immediately went to our Amazon account and it seems OK. But Disney+? Seriously? Rick's mom is pretty much blind at this point. She didn't do it. And the reason I have everything blocked out is simply because she can't see well enough to really do much of anything. She can figure out how to open her audiobooks, sit back, and listen. That's it. Don't get me wrong; she's a very intelligent woman and she still has her mental acuity at 100 years old. I hope that, if I live to be that old, I have even half of her mind. But there's no way she did this. No way.

I have had instances before where somebody in the home used her Kindle to check on different things online, things that we know she didn't do. She wouldn't check on a Kelly Blue Book price for a car, for example. But somebody did. She wouldn't read our local newspaper online; she can't see the print. But somebody did. It got to the point where, every week when I got the Kindle something was screwy. And whoever is doing it, doesn't even bother to hide what they're doing. Rick has gone into the home more than once to complain about the Kindle. It's not fair to his mom.

And his mom really doesn't care all that much. She leaves the Kindle lying around. Goes down to lunch or dinner and it's on her bed. Goes to bed and it's on her nightstand. Grabs a shower and it's right there. Anybody could come in and use it. Rick took the Kindle back yesterday and told his mom that, if it happens again, we're going to stop the Kindle. We can't take a chance on somebody doing something really serious. And it's not fair that, whenever I get the Kindle, I have to go in and fix stuff. This time, they changed passwords. That takes serious balls.

So that's my rant for the day (actually yesterday).

• I just put the second of three loads of laundry in the washer
• Did a quick vacuum about the house
• Going for our COVID boosters this afternoon (we both received confirmations this morning that we're still good to go)

 

[susanm9006]

Winchester , does your MIL have an email account on her Kindle or is it linked to your email account. Usually you can’t change any kind of passcodes without someone getting an email confirmation. You may also be able to set up two factor confirmation if they offer it so that you get a text with a code that has to be entered before a change can be made.