yeahkaren | Reading

A few weeks ago, they reswizzled our security situation at the front door. They moved the office and the sign in post and also moved the whole thing to new software. Today was the first time I saw it in action. The old stuff was slow and clunky and slow and clunky. The new stuff is swift. And it remembers. The shade guy was here once before - I gather a year or two ago - but it remembered him which made the already fast process faster.

I got both a text and an email with his photo the minute he signed in and he got a visitor badge. One process slick as a whistle.

He's a really nice guy and understood what I wanted and what I didn't want immediately. He's got the goods. Roller shades, wifi enabled to an app and to Google Home or Echo. Rechargeable batteries with a dongle I can reach easily. (My ohsoexpensive shades in the condo required AA batteries. 84 of them - about every 9 months and a royal PIA to change out.)

3 to 5 weeks but, he allowed as how it will probably be closer to the 3 week part of that since apparently, people aren't buying big right now... snerk snerk.

He had way too many options but I picked a color close to the window trim and a texture that I hope Julio will have no interest in. I asked for one shade for the three paneled window and one for the door. He was not sure whether they would do a single for the window because it's so wide. Fingers crossed.

He's going to send me a quote. I can sign electronically and pay up and he'll get it going.

He was a very nice guy and I'm happy to be doing biz with him.

Oh, his measuring tool was a laser and he said he had learned how to be very careful using it in cat households. Julio and Biggie were way too busy investigating his cases to see it but he was doing all of his measuring with a cat toy. He said that early on, he was measuring in a house full of cats and inadvertently had them crashing into China and knocking over a book case while he was trying to get measurements.

susandennis

I got home from errands and there were no cats to be seen. Biggie has taken to hanging in the bathroom these days. There's a very large towel that hangs in there and often he pulls it down. I finally got a clue as to why just now when I went in to pee. He doesn't mean to pull it down, just down enough for a cat tent!

Julio has yet to be seen but he has lots of hiding places and he'll be out in a min. Biggie will stay in his hidey hole for hours on end. Julio stays 5 mins or less.

Errands all done. Lunch ordered for pickup. Dinner ordered for pickup. I'll toe soak again after lunch.

So far, the day is ok dokey.

susandennis

Last Wednesday, my big toe started bleeding from a split on the side of it. I don't remember hitting it nor did it hurt. I put a bandaid on it and all was good. Yesterday the bandaid was tired of being on it so I took it off and everything looked fine. This morning I woke up and that toe was one pissed off toe. It's not mad at the joint so I don't think it's gout. The only visual change is that it's red. But only a little. It does hurt when you press on it and it's not too happy about walking. Crocs help.

Dr. Google says soak in Epsom salt for 15 minutes 3 times a day. soak 1 is now halfway done. Dr. Google also recommends anti fungal cream which I actually have on hand. So. hopefully, I can nip this in the bud. I do not want toe issues.

Playing volleyball was fine because my swim shoes have lots of toe room.

I do think I'm going out this morning. Amazon returns and a couple of things at Safeway. Mainly tortillas. The shades guy comes at 2.

I have two small ottomans in the bedroom both of which have storage. They have held stuff I rarely need. The top shelf of my closet holds blankets and quilts. Yesterday I swapped everything so that my blankets and quilts are now far more easy to get to as is my iron. I've now lived here a year and a half. Maybe in another year and a half, I'll have it organized right!

missdiane

House update

( Cut for pictures )

So that's the construction-y progress so far. The cleaner is going to come next week so once that's done, we're going to start slowly moving things over in bits in our zippered moving bags. I also ordered a full size daybed frame, a lumbar pillow for the daybed so I can lean against it when sleeping and a rug for the bedroom. I shopped sales and looked for discounts. I am obviously having them shipped to the new place and will drag them in when they arrive but won't open the boxes if they arrive before the cleaner.

Tomorrow is my annual review and thankfully Josh is going to do it. Hopefully we don't have to track down old bitch Bosslady to have her sign off on anything. We're going to be talking about upgrading my job. We had a surprise last week when Josh had a conversation with the head of the Business/HR/Budget office who mentioned to him that he was hoping that he could pass off the duties of the idiot business guy I've dealt with for a decade.

Um...wut? I mean while he's a dumbass and needs replaced, I wasn't thinking that *I* would be replacing his job. I'm not a business person and I've not done any of it though I guess I could learn it. Well, I'll be telling Josh that anything that doesn't have to do with the land-grant stuff can be passed to someone else in the business office. Also, one of the other people on my "team" is going to take some of it. We're going to talk about that. They also may have her report to me which woo, minion, I suppose. Though not really, probably more on paper. I don't like that it's also not being proposed to make me the same level as Elaine or as my equivalent in the Extension office. We'll see.

Oh and no, I won't feel one bit bad that idiot business guy will lose his job. He's been a burden and a waste of space for more than a decade. He does the bare minimum and does it badly and he STILL saves the shit from his side gig on our shared drive.

It's a lot, though. Everything's a lot right now and it's quite the Jenga stack with missing bits.

susandennis

I love raw pie crust. Yeah, I know, weird. They sell them all rolled up into log shapes at the grocery. I take a long and chop it up into one inch pieces and put it in a plastic container in the fridge and, when I need a snack, I grab one. I'm sure I'm not the only one. But maybe I am.

I went down to get brunch from the buffet line yesterday and the line was way way way too long and not moving fast so no thanks. I had a lovely day up here. Knitting and watching TV.

I was not overly sleepy when I went to bed but had no problem drifting off. A little after 9. I did not wake up again until 5:30 and then, after a pee, went back to sleep for another hour and a half. 95 on my bed's sleep scale.

John, who is 88, says everyone dies at 88. Clearly not everyone but he sure nailed the pope. John turns 89 in a few weeks so he feels like he'll be in the clear.

I have another Amazon return but also a week to return it so probably won't be going today. Tomorrow the shades guy comes. He's a recommendation from my designer friend and has done shades here at Timber Ridge but weirdly, I cannot find any details about his shades. Good yelp,etc reviews on his service but nothing on the shades. I want wifi connected shades. And I'm really not interested in shades that aren't. I could call him and get more details but I think I'll just let him come out and 'sell' me. Wednesday I think I might go to Goodwill. I might go to the one in Bellevue as opposed to my old stomping grounds in Seattle.

Back when air fryers were a brand spanking new thing, I got one. It was gynormous and loud and had fiddly parts. And fun to play with but soon it broke. The plastic bit that held the basket in broke off. But, by then, they had toaster ovens that also did air frying. Ok. So I got one of those and have had variations of those ever since. Til now. My latest is small because my needs are small and my space is small. But it's honestly too small to really keep clean and has other issues. So I put it away. And bought a straight forward, simple air fryer. And I love it. This one is way smaller overall than my first one with a larger basket! And it is so simple to just toss the basket into the dishwasher. At some point I may get the toaster oven out again but maybe not.

Yesterday was mini monsters day but today it's back to dolls.

susandennis

The Sunday brunch here is served from 9-1. Today's a special brunch but I figured the hours were the same. Nope. Just looked and it's 11-1:30. Glad I looked. I did tell Hazel that I wouldn't be joining them in the elbow. Baseball is such a good excuse.

Yesterday in Elbow Coffee they announced Yet Another Emergency Drill. We are to bring our Go Bags (empty is fine) and Pet Carriers (empty is preferred) and meet in the elbow on Monday the 28th at 2 pm to test elevator capacity. There are a lot of questions there but those are not the questions everyone in the elbow killed 45 minutes asking. "What if I don't have a Go Bag?" "Ingrid's walker is bigger than mine so I bring mine?" "How will we know when to come to the elbow?" "My cat has two carriers. Should I bring both?" etc etc etc.

I am very weary of disaster preparedness. And of stupid questions.

According to the emails I got, the power went out at the condo yesterday about 8:30 am. The power company first said it would be restored by 2:30. Then 4:30. Then 8:30. I'm guessing it probably came on about 9ish because the emails stopped. But boy were they entertaining. When they put in the key fob system, they didn't bother with a backup. I actually suggested it but they said that the system would run for 8 hours after a power outage so no need. Turns out, it actually runs for about 3, then no way to get into the building unless someone lets you in. They also had several electrical things - a pump and something else I don't remember - that no one turned off which then triggered a fire alarm. Each email got less informative and more ridiculous. And the garage doors were also not working except someone manually tried one of them and broke it.

I spent all day yesterday sooooooo grateful to be here. Our four days of power outage were way less traumatic than their 8 hours. I haven't heard officially, but I'm guessing no buyers yesterday.

I'm going to get dressed and then walk downstairs before anyone gets up and about. The point is to get some steps in without peopling. Then I think I'll hole up in here with my knitting needles and baseball. Yesterday I ended up listening to the Mariners game against the Blue Jays which turned out to be a great listen. And 12 innings of a fun game.

I've only got 5 more days of my Netflix month and I haven't even started the new season of Night Agent. May have to pop for another month. I have several Prime things I want to watch but their stuff is darkly lit that I'm kind of saving them for when I get the blinds in here and can block the daylight some. I'm not sure that's going to help but it's worth a try.

susandennis

Part of maybe most of the reason I enjoyed working the jigsaw puzzles in the elbow was the traffic there. I could see who was going where and interact minimally with my neighbors. But, I think now, I'm over that. I had lunch with Hazel and John yesterday and remembered why that was no longer fun. They are sweet but fairly clueless. Their conversation is repetitive and borderline racist and not at all interesting. Making the effort to maintain relationships needs to pay off for me. And I'm not getting a big enough pay off. I'm just not kind enough or nice enough. The other neighbors are nice but not the people I want to hang with. Plus, Noelle has taken to leaving me Jesus shit on my shelf. Hopefully, it's just because of Easter but NoThankYou.

Hazel and John want us all to go to the Easter Buffet and get our food and then eat up here together. 1. They don't want to do it until after they get out of church at 11 which means the time the buffet line with be the longest. 2. There is no longer much 'us'. and 3. They aren't Myrna. Myrna would organize it and bully every one and rally everyone into joining her and it was great. Hazel and John will put out place mats and wonder why no one shows. I'm going to tell them this morning that I need to go down early because I have a baseball game.

I hope the new people coming in are lovely. But, if not, they won't be spoiling a perfect little group cause that ship has sailed.

I have gotten several things lately with rechargeable batteries. They all come with a short USB A to USB C cable. Which I do not need. I now have an over flowing drawer of those cables. And charging warts. I've given away a million charging warts. And, still, my charging warts drawer over floweth. It's the wire hangers of today.

I just caught Biggie chewing on some foam. I don't think he got enough to do damage but at least I know for sure that he has not entirely lost his skill in EatingCrapThatCausesSurgery.

And speaking of ingesting... I keep grape juice in the fridge. Once or twice a day, I'll reach in and take a swig. I buy it in big bottles and then pour it into mason jars for easier swigging. Yesterday I swigged the rest of one of the jars and then noticed something in the remainder. MOLD!! I drank moldy grape juice. Ugh. It's been nearly 24 hours and I'm not dead so I'm guessing it wasn't fatal but ugh.

I have only been putting out one doll a day and then one at night. The one at night often makes it to the day. I hoard the rest for the weekend. Today I put them all out and they are cracking me up.

The tweak I've done to the doll pattern enables them to 'stand' if they are propped. The only ones toppled unless supported on 3 sides. But these just line up like a street gang. I didn't realize they were all looking in different directions until I saw the picture. That's cracking me up, too.

I did laundry yesterday and a little closet reorg so all there is today after elbow coffee is knitting and baseball. My kind of day.

susandennis

I found a short cut to both UPS and Safeway. Win! And return done. Then back here for the big tackle.

Much more brutle a job than I anticipated but it's done. Most everything is now very easily accessible and like stuff is with like stuff and stuff I will never ever want again is gone. Oh and I can see everything through the mesh.

And I have two hands now full of senile purpula (ugly old people blood bruises) that will take weeks to heal but will blend in nicely with everyone else's hands here.

Just fell down a rabbit hole of cookware. I need to get to the Goodwill Store soon. Sorry, Amazon. Your prices are just too high.

I think I'll go wash my hands and go do some puzzling.

susandennis

I started yesterday. On my storage unit. I filled two tall kitchen bags with clothes to be donated. And got a good look at the stuff and a plan to arrange it so that I can easily get to the stuff I might want to more often.

I still have the mobility scooter which I really really do not need but can't seem to part with so I'll put it at the very back with the doors (which Timber Ridge made me keep). Then I'll arrange the rest in pop up see through hampers that I can grab easily.

First I need to get rid of the clothes, so first thing I'm going to take them to the donation bin downstairs and then run one more item to UPS for returns, then come home and do the rest.

Today is also menu day. This week's menu has not been at all interesting and I'm already falling behind my monthly meal spending. So, here's hoping there are some delicious meals next week!

Time now to get dressed and get to work.

susandennis

I really do not like socks. I don't mind wearing them but I think putting them on and taking them off is unnecessarily fussy and I hate them in the laundry. A couple of weeks ago I bought some sandals and quit wearing them. They are really way more opened toe shoes than actual sandals but they don't require socks and have good arch support and feel good when I walk in them. Until yesterday. I knew my feet were getting dried and cracked again but I ignored it. Until finally one of the cracked places on my toe just broke right open. Sigh.

So. New plan. I will wear socks on Tuesdays and Thursdays and Saturdays. After my feet stay wet for a good two hours in the pool, I'll come home and cream them up and put on socks. The rest of the days, I'll sandal. I think that will work.

The new lamps for the living room came yesterday. I spent way too much time fiddling with the fucking screws and anchors than was necessary. But, I finally got the plates onto the wall. The lights are magnetized so that you just slap 'em onto the plates and can easily take them down to recharge. No cords. It's way less cluttered than the floor lamps and Julio won't be messing with them. I'm not sure I love them functionally speaking but they sure do look nicer.

One of our volleyballers is Tina who is 96. She's lived here 15 years. Her good friend, Denise, who lived here about as long, died last week. Denise would have been 97 on Wednesday. She'd been dying for a year so everyone was kind of relieved when she finally went. She didn't have family but had a gynormouse pack of friends here. She was adamant, for some reason, that they not have any kind of funeral or memorial service. But, as Tina explained this morning 'she did not say anything about not having a birthday party!' So all of her friends are throwing her a birthday party here on Wednesday. I think it is delightfully hilarious.

I don't really get why people get so adamant about controlling their friends and family after their death. I had a long time friend, Earl. Earl had a totally best friend, Jim for years and years and years. When they got to be old men, Earl asked Jim to do something after he died. I forget what it was - sprinkle his ashes or something silly. Anyway Jim refused. And they had a giant falling out over it and never spoke again.

I never got why Jim just didn't say yes and then not do it? Was Earl coming back from the dead to chastise him??? Ridiculous. On both their parts.

No service. I understand setting expectations - 'please don't feel you need to have any kind of service' but forgodsake let people mourn you in the best way for them. You aren't even going to fucking know.

Myrna said no service and I told her that she'd be dead and would have no say and we would do what we wanted. And we did.

No big plans today. I might see if Hazel and John will have me for lunch. And/or there is baseball on all day starting at 9. I watched the Twins/Mets game yesterday because one of my favorite players - Ty France - was having a good run now playing for the Twins. I watched the Twins broadcast for a lot of it. Those two old white guys doing the broadcasting are more boring that drying paint. And the game had some lulls, too. I was going to switch it off but then tried the Mets broadcasters. They were great. Very lively and interesting and then one of the Mets players hit a fast and furious foul ball right down the first base line into the head of long time umpire Hunter Wendelstedt. It was wild and scary. He ended up walking off the field with a towel to his head but yikes. And then the game picked up some action and was tied and my man, France got the run that won the game for the Twins!

I tried to make curly hair come out from this guy's cap but I'm not wild about the result. It was worth a shot.

susandennis

Martha's suggestion about curly hair sent me to the charity shop to find a sweater. I had tried, previously, to make curly hair and managed it but it was way too fussy and tedious. But an unraveled sweater???? Kinky for days. This is not the right time of year to be hunting a sweater at a charity shop but I not only managed to find one, I got out of there with NOTHING ELSE! I have a tendency to over spend in second hand places so I was tickled to get out with only 1 item.

And that item has to be one of the ugliest sweaters known to man. $6.

I came home to unravel and perfection. The yarn is so soft and fluffy.

It's a bit of a bother to unravel but the results are spectacularly worth it.

I've only unraveled half and probably have enough for 50 dolls. In 6 colors. What a score.

When I was choosing apartments here, the one thing I did not want was direct sunlight. My condo had it twice a day and not only did it make the place overly hot, the glare was horrible. Because most people want direct sunlight, most of the apartments here get a lot of it at least once a day. I was assured that mine got none.

Wrong. of course. It's not bad but, for about 3 months, in the mornings, I get glare and sun in the living room. And, this is one of those months. Next Tuesday, I have a guy coming to sell me shades. Alexa, block the sun, please. They probably will take a month or six weeks to get and get installed but I didn't want to order earlier cause I didn't want to spend the money. So, I suffer - hahahaha

Yesterday, they put up the small, discreet, "sold, New Neighbors Coming Soon" signs on both Myrna's and Gail's apartments. Sometimes those signs don't stick. We've seen them go up on other apartments and then come down so only time will tell for sure. My guess is six weeks until they move in so Memorial Day-ish.

I never got to Safeway yesterday. I did get to Trader Joes and discovered two things I had actually known and forgotten about. 1. They sell perfectly excellent washed and ready to go green beans. In a package that is just the right size. I'm going to try them with salad dressing, no blanching. Cut, splash, eat. I think I actually used to do that. 2. They sell perfectly excellent frozen mushrooms. I got raw ones last time, cooked and froze them. I think I'm going to let Joe do it from here on out.

I did get some chicken mole to try. And it's not bad. So I did parcel it out in burrito shapes and froze it. Tortilla, mole and cheese will make good little meals.

But I need mayo and I don't like Trader Joe's mayo. But the tipping point for today's Safeway trip is that I am out of Temptations. Biggie has his needs.

And I need to go get dressed.

susandennis

I need to keep my fingernails short for volleyball. Not good to puncture the ball. But, man, when you want short nails, those suckers grow like topsey! I feel like I have to cut them down at least once a week. I know I did it last week and now they need it again.

I thought I wanted slippers that have arch support and are easy to walk in. I have some that have good arch support but they are mules that flop when I walk and if I'm going more than 10 steps they drive me nuts. But they are soft. Yesterday I got to thinking that fur lined Crocs would do the trick and so went shopping. Dang, those suckers are expensive. Wait Wait! Don't I have a bin of shoes in the storage unit???

And... in the bin are not one, not two but three pairs of fur lined crocs. Totally free with free (or almost free) shipping.

My storage unit had hit the limit. It's an unorganized mess. And, of course the shoes required emptying out a bunch of shit to get to them. And it killed my back. It did lead to a new plan of org for the storage unit. The goal is to have a space for stuff BUT not have too much space and not have it too easy to get to. I think I have a good idea of what stuff is storage unit worthy and it will all fit in there with access. But it means I need to get everything out and reswizzle.

Not today but soon.

Today is house cleaning day. And while the cleaner works, I need to go to UPS to return stuff, and Safeway for mayo and oil spray and then I'm going to pop into the second hand store. Martha, inadvertently gave me an idea for doll hair. But I need an old sweater.

I got an order of Fancy Feast yesterday a box of 30. The box had 28 and some had no labels and some were beat to hell. It was so weird. It was from Amazon and they fixed the problem quickly but so weird.

There's a fountain in the courtyard outside my window. It's been off all winter and yesterday they turned it on. They removed all the furniture last Fall ahead of the bomb cyclone storm we had. They have returned it but not really set it out properly or brought out the cushions yet. I suspect that is next on the hit parade.

My hair is growing into a decision point. Cut or grow. I think I'm going with cut. I love the luxury of it's always looking the same no matter what I do to it. Wake up. Same. Swim or shower. Same. Always the same and I never have to mess with it. Perfect hair.

I might not wait for the house cleaners. I might just go run my errands now. I can start a new puzzle in the elbow while she cleans.

Martha - who is the fairy godmother of all little knitted things - brought me these hearts and I love them. I have about 20 and they are my new thing.

missdiane

Former Bosslady (FB) sent a zoom link yesterday afternoon to what should have been a pretty big audience at the entire University and Josh forwarded it to Elaine and I so we could attend this morning. Mind, Bosslady is now the Vice Provost for Research and making an obnoxious $300K.

This zoom has had a max of 20 people on it, four of them being FB, Elaine, Josh and myself. That is a pathetic number. Also, this was a camera on type situation and she greeted Josh and Elaine and not me. Fuck you, ho. I hope that you lose your job since you are clearly USELESS. Come crawling back to faculty and don't expect any favors from me if you're on the Ag Experiment Station dime.

susandennis

I woke up at 5:30 and got up to pee and went back to sleep and had a really stressful dream about oversleeping. Seems like there's a lesson there.

I'm now up and dressed and have done several things on my todo list. I have a call in a minute with my finance guy. Sure wish I'd charged up my headphones yesterday. oh well.

I have aqua yoga this afternoon. I might do laundry. I have several Amazon returns but I think I'll wait on those until tomorrow when the housecleaner is here.

Ok so finance call is done and all is cool. He's had a fun few weeks. We have a plan for until the condo sells and one for when I accept a condo offer and then one for when I get the $$. I am grateful to have him in charge of me. The IRS came and got their $ today.

I just saw that AARP members get a huge discount on their Walmart Shopper thing so I investigated. $65 gets me all of their perks. Which is a heck of a deal except. I don't use/want any of their perks! I am not comfortable ordering from them online*, I do use Paramount+ streaming but I want the no ads version and their offer isn't that. I don't travel. I'd rather go to McDonalds than Burger King and I don't do movie theaters.

*I shop in their stores when I'm near one but that's rare. I've had a few bad experiences shopping online with them but that's really just me. I find what I want at Amazon and I'm so very familiar with their quirks and policies and bad vendors. I know how to work the system. I don't know how to work the Walmart system.

So I think I'll pass on the good deal.

My brother found another new (to us), prolific author - Nick Louth. I have an hour left on book 1 of one of his series and it's very good. I think I might just get out my knitting and find out all the answers to The Body in the Marsh.

Yesterday was monster day.

missdiane

Emily got a quote of a little over $3000 for the basement demo work, including getting rid of stairs that are NOT to code (we suspected) and it also includes putting in a new set of stairs. Sounds like a reasonable start to me. We weren't sure when it was going to be scheduled and then she got a message today that he had a cancellation and can he start this Tuesday. YOU BET YOU CAN. They're going to put the dumpster in the driveway tomorrow and then one of us will need to make sure we're there on Tuesday to let him in to get work started.

After the demo and the stair reconstruction, since the ceiling the previous owners slapped in will be down and things will be exposed, then the contractor will call in the electrician to see what needs done there (only half of the basement has power at the moment). Our goal here is not anything fancy, make it safe and functional. Also half of the floor is dirt so that'll have to be taken care of too. Our aim is to have laundry, freezer and mini fridge (Emily has that at her current house) and storage, mostly wire racks and boxes.

It would be awesome if all of the work could be done by summer since I loathe being in this apartment in summer. Her sister still needs to clear some things out and near the end of this month, her sister's cleaning lady Millie will be doing a deep clean - thank goodness because it NEEDS it. Once her sister has cleared out the rest of her bits, Emily and I will be bringing over the contents of our places bit by bit to clear space for proper packing of the bigger stuff. We'll probably keep Millie coming every two weeks as long as we both stay gainfully employed. Maybe when I get my surgery, we'll have her come weekly to help out with cleaning.

I have a bag hanging out in my kitchen with two extra long shower curtains and extra long liners that I ordered - 84" since that's what the walk in shower needs. I also got new metal hooks. I'm wondering what I can do to restore the bar that they're hanging from without having to replace it? It looks old and rough. Well, I guess I can just clean it as good as I can and then put WD40 on it so things slide along ok.

I have to replace the bar and shelves in my bedroom closet to be and so I'm going to get this.
https://www.homedepot.com/p/ClosetMaid-Selectives-12-in-W-White-Custom-Tower-Wall-Mount-6-Shelf-Wood-Closet-System-7033/100597846
I won't have shelves on top because the top bars are about 82"-ish high and the while the inner part of the closet is 92", the outer part is 80" so it would be a pain to put anything on top. But they'd be high enough that I'd be able to use the floor space

This is the listing with pictures on the house from when Emily purchased it for her sister and the kids in 2020. The room with the daybed and the bathroom with the flowery curtain are next to each other downstairs so that'll be mostly my domain. The upstairs bathroom is honestly...well...not great so if Emily wants to use my shower, I've no issue sharing. I've measured and have some plans for the best use of the space.

With her sister, three teens and then her sister getting a new wife, the house is...well...kind of beat up. So we're going to do our best to make it clean and nice before we bring our stuff into it.

I only took photos of the bedroom and bathroom that I feel responsible for making nice. I'll take pictures of the living/dining areas when I go over next time so that I can do some better before/after shots. But here's some of the before of the bedroom and bathroom:

( Snip for Pics )

So that's the so far. Wish us luck!

susandennis

For months and months, I have shopped on Amazon and bought very little. Unless it was cat foods or something I just could not continue life without, I shopped but did not buy. That time is over and I have Amazon buyer whiplash. My finger hits Complete Order before I even tell it to. There are a few things I have wanted and have bought - replacement lights for my cheap living room lamps. Sconces that Julio will not fuck with and that will look way tidier. But some stuff is just indulgent becauseIfinallycan purchases that may well go right back.

But even in this volatile stock market, I'll bet you see a little peak in the stock price and that's all me, baby.

The brunch menu today includes lox and bagels. So I placed an order to be picked up at 11. They do a pretty decent job of it. Not Blazing Bagels good but not bad and way cheaper and ohhhh so convenient. I get in some steps and I get an excellent lunch.

I used up all of Martha's 4th of July buttons and made her a doll and a monster. Done. Today I am going back to monster Sunday. Just monsters or, as Steve calls them, robots. And watching baseball.

susandennis

Volleyball done - not a lot of players but it was still fun. Elbow Coffee done - full house pretty much and no terribly boring drama.

Phillies game on now.

Martha found some wonderful little heart buttons for my dolls. But... she also found some flag buttons and wants a red, white and blue doll for 4th of July. Frankly, if it were anyone else, I'd say no. Patriotic crap has annoyed me since the Vietnamese war. But, she is a good friend and the heart buttons are adorable. So. Ok. But I am not putting such a thing out on my shelf! I think I'll make it this afternoon so I can put it behind me.

I was thinking about a quick trip to Safeway for fried chicken but then remembered I still had a thigh in the freezer. I found it and also found a good dinner option so no need to go anywhere.

No commitments today so I plan to just knit and TV and maybe a stroll down to get the mail later.

susandennis

Soooo I went down to get the letter from the IRS and it had nothing at all to do with 2024's return but was all about 2022's amended return. They aren't done yet. They need 90 more days (July 7th) and if I hear nothing by then, I'm to call Ms. Kite (as in kiting checks????). Weirdo.

I went back to my IRS account to see if there was any record of this in my tax transcripts and there is not. It shows they got the amended return and that's it.

BUT... I sent in two amended returns 2022 and one for 2023. And in checking 2023, I got some pretty interesting, yet confusing information.

Love their tenses. Refund issued 3 weeks from now. But, also interest which stumped me at first but Reddit says Credit interest appears as a negative figure on a transcript, just like any payments or withholding so +? Whatever. I'll be happy to get the cash.

I really would like to go back to the old days when the IRS and I did not know or care about each other.

No news on the red scissors.

susandennis

I went down to get Amazon packages and the door to the unit that is two floors below me was open. It has the exact same floor plan (except, I turned the half bath into a utility room). The door was wide open because they were cleaning it so I looked in... Wow. She's done a beautiful job of decorating it minimally. It's bright and airy and totally uncluttered.

I came back home and got to work. I have a large, handy pantry cupboard with shelves that pull out easily. I took all the stuff off the one that is easiest to access and put it on the other shelves. That easy access shelf is now by Place To Put Shit That I Have Been Cluttering The Counter With! I put some other stuff way away. And the counter clutter on the new shelf. It looks great. Whew.

I have a basket by the front door that has post its and pens and tissues and all manner of weird other little shit that just accumulates. It looks a mess and has no lid. So I emptied out the top drawer of the little chest it sits on and put it in there. NICE!!

I got the most hopeful note yet from my realtor. He's doing a fair amount of showing and has another open house on Saturday. PLUS... One of these showings this past week was a buyer who called me, and wanted to view. He lives down in Gig Harbor, and wants a 2nd home next to the stadiums. He is a big Seahawk fan. Seem to like the unit, had me get him a bunch of information on the building, and where he could plug in his EV car. I am staying in touch with him. I think it sounds perfect for him!

I have an appointment with the guy for shades a week from Tuesday. I have a call with my finance guy on Monday morning.

Now all I have to do is find my red scissors. I only use these scissors for my knitting. They never leave the couch area. I had them this morning and now they have left the area. They are not under the cushions or under the couch or mixed up in the yarn. They have just vanished. I love those scissors.

Oh crap, I just remembered I forgot to go get the mail to make sure that IRS thing isn't a deal.

Guess I'll go and do that then come back and watch more bake off* until baseball starts at 4. The Roku channel has a new season (3) of the American Bake Off and I haven't seen any of it. Yummy!!

susandennis

Yesterday I got the check. And then proceeded to do the most stupid thing ever. I endorsed it. And didn't even use 'for deposit only'. I just wrote my name on the check. I put it into my pocked with my ATM card and went on my merry way. I got into the car and proceeded to the dollar store.

I got my stuff and was in line. The woman in front of me had about $40 worth of adorable Easter shit. She had candy and toys and even a pair of very small pink faux Crocs. I told her I wanted to go to her house for Easter. Then on to UPS to return Amazons.

Then on to BECU where I had to park a little ways away. I got to the ATM and reached in my pocket and my card was there. WITHOUT the check. Yep. The endorsed and so nearly equal to cash, check was MIA. I raced out of BECU and back to the car looking everywhere. By the time I got to the car I was hoping that SteveTheLawyer knew how to stop payment and could/would do it in time. FuckFuckFuckFuck

The I heard "are you Susan?"... A wonderful man - middle aged - was there in his truck with my check in his hand.

Stupid people should not be rewarded. AND I used up all my luck right then and there but fucking WHEW.

I could not get to that ATM fast enough.

But it is there now, safe and sound.

I sent a note to my finance guy but I can't send him the money til next week as they put a hold on all but 5% of it. And I sent a note to my designer guy cause I want blinds. In the living room. Smart blinds. Mostly for TV watching.

No response from either yet. Why don't people answer my emails? I often wonder about how people manage their inboxes and emails. I know it's different from me but I'm not clear on the why or how. No big deal just a wonder. [edit: just heard from Christian and got the info on 'the best guy' for shades - Tuesday, 22nd 2:30]

Oh! I just got my USPS email of what's in my snail mail and there is a letter from the IRS so I hopped over to my IRS account and yahoo! It shows my return was received and processed. Just yesterday I checked and it still showed nothing and I was getting antsy so I went to the IRS subreddit and asked and basically got no new info - finally someone said I just had to wait 21 days.

If you are getting a refund, there are several ways to confirm, online, that they have gotten the return. But, if your tax is $0 or you owe, like me, no way to get just a 'received' confirmation.

But, now I have complete records that they have it, their numbers match mine. The $$ is in the account ready for them to come suck it out. So the mail is probably just confirmation.

I finally got tired of bunnies and switched back to dolls.

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yeahkaren

Curious Lyle

March 2022

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Page generated Apr. 23rd, 2025 12:56 pm

Curious Happenings and Probably Some Rambling

Reading

Shade guy

Where oh where

Toe to toe

Progress and stuff

Weirdest snack

Sunday

Disengaging

9:30 and done

Clean out day

Sox

Such a win!

Lots to do today. Kinda.

You are SO overpaid, bitch

Monday

Dumpster on the way! Yay!

Time to buy Amazon stock

Saturday

More IRS fun

Inspiration and updates

Friday

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March 2022

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