mdlbear: blue fractal bear with text "since 2002" (Default)
[personal profile] mdlbear

The last pod has been emptied -- it will be hauled off on Wednesday -- so I guess that means we're officially moved in. So many things we really shouldn't have taken! (And a few we should have, but gave away instead...)

We decided not to go to Oregon to see the eclipse. Just didn't start soon enough; maybe we can get to 2024? Tough decision, but we hadn't planned far enough ahead; with the expected traffic we probably wouldn't have made it, we would have had to scramble to find someone to care for the cats, and the room was expensive.

A lot of overload/stress/depression/anxiety problems, especially Monday and yesterday. Yesterday was particularly bad -- I felt drained pretty much all day after a morning meltdown. I probably need to bunny more.

There are continuing problems with the cats. Bronx is still pretty sick, and Ticia spent much of the week hiding under the bed. We finally set Colleen up in the brown recliner, with her usual bowls of water and treats. That seems to have worked, or at least helped. She's still awfully skittish. May have to do with the kittens. Especially Bronx.

Notes & links:

0813Su
  * Up 6:35; W=202.2;
  * 15min: 9:15 played with kittens.  Some nice petting on the bed before Bronx got a
    little overexcited, at which point I gave him some dangle-toy time.
  * 15min:  pulled Ikea and yard trash bags out of linen shelf corner of MBR.  Found the
    rest of the curtains.  Still hoping for shelf brackets.
  @ Whidbey Life Magazine | Your Guide To Whidbey Island Arts And Culture
  % it's cloudy and cold.  Normally I wouldn't mind, but  right now I feel a little
    depressed and lethargic.  SAD?  C wants to go out; I just want to bunny.
  * country store:  LED bulbs, lysol spray, L hooks, glides (gardening gloves)
  * Out with Colleen - Country Store and dinner.  Ended up at Freeland Cafe after going
    through Langley and having trouble finding usable parking given that we forgot C's
    placard.
    % Very depressed through most of that process; C thinks maybe I needed food.  
  : Logistics for the next couple of days are going to be complicated.
  : a bit of rain
  @ Learn to Code and Help Nonprofits | freeCodeCamp
  # long talk with N about Ticia and Cricket.  We're going to have to keep t in our room
    for a couple of weeks.  That will be difficult; my total lack of self-confidence will
    not help.  I'll have to get the bedroom cleared enough for a chair, preferably the
    brown lift chair, and I'll want to spend a lot of my computer time there.
  * down midnight

0814Mo
  * up 7ish; ;
  * 8:20 get kids - 9am ferry -> meaning, apparently, the ferry that _sails_ at 9
  : The rain really cleaned the air.  Hopefully we won't get much more smoke.
  * paid what I hope is the final Seattle City Light bill.  Called to verify.
    -> in fact, it had not been cancelled.  I'll get a (very small) credit for 0801-4
  * cancelled ophthalmology appointment; C called to reschedule the dentist appointments
  % somewhat worried about cat-wrangling.  They need to all end up in N's room, assuming
    Cricket is well enough to stay with the kittens.
  * 15min:  clearing clutter in bedroom.  Still a lot left.
  % still stressed, even now that I've talked with Colleen about keeping Ticia in, and
    cancelled or rescheduled tomorrow's appointments.  Something else is wrong.
    Definitely overwhelmed with the amount of stuff that still has to be done, and a lot
    of it is probably stress over unpaid bills, and unfinished paperwork.  Taxes will be
    due in a couple of months.  Some is concern about cat care, possibly because my self-
    confidence is shot to hell.
  : Ticia in our room - she went in while N and I were about to go medicate Bronx, so I
    took advantage of that and closed the door.
  & discussion with Colleen about wine rack.  We'll need to study options.  Need storage
    for both wine and hard stuff; the latter will be odd sizes, and some opened, so needs
    to go on shelves   I think probably wire for the wine section -- Wayfair has a
    42-bottle wire rack for $11, so that's kind of a benchmark.
  % occasional back (QL) twinges.  Been going on all week.
  * Walk:  To Skybird; back via Upper Harbor  A bit under 45min., so I'd guess 2mi
    -> actually, according to GMaps, more like 1.4 miles.  My walking speed has gone down
       by a lot.  I was using a cane, so that may mean it was doing its job.  That, or the
       hill on Nautilus slowed me down by that much.  Possibly all three.
  : the heat wave has finally broken -- temperatures were comfortable all day, and it was
    even a little too cool for my walk.
  * 8:30ish fed the cats.  Ticia hid under the bed; Cricket was under the bed when I came
    in but came out and drank some water eventually.  Didn't let me pet her.
  % very sleepy around 9:30
  * down 10:30ish?
  % pretty cold -- decided to haul out the electric blanket tomorrow.

0815Tu
  * up 8:15; W=197;
  & put on long sleeved shirt.  Most of them are apparently still in a box.
  * Paid COBRA (just barely in time) account# COB2137612 
  ~ order replacement placard for C - DOL customer service 360.902.3770 8-5 except Th 9-5
    -> all we have to do is go into any vehicle licensing office with C's ID card.
      Freeland Vehicle Licensing Office 1504 S. State Highway 525 Freeland WA 98249
  : Many of my shirts have lost a button.  I should probably give up on expecting Colleen
    to sew them back on, and simply track down needle and thread myself.  Some of the
    buttons are probably lost forever, which could be a problem if I want them to match.
  * 15min:  brought up some boxes from our closet.
  : The door to our room is going to be a problem - it takes extra effort to get it to
    latch after closing.  Extra vigilance will be required.  Time to make some signs.
  * 15min: bring in a box of fabric from pod (labeled "wool")
  * 15min: bring up sewing chair and baker's rack  from garage.
    -> forgot the shelf -> probably still in pod; can't find in garage.
  @ Insight Timer - The most popular free meditation app (jesse_the_k)
  x 11:15 shoreline clinic ophthalmology Dr. Ross
  * 15min: desk faked on two tray tables.  It seems to work
  # the surface is a little higher than I would like (i.e. higher than the laptop desk)
    but couldn't be more than half an inch lower and still have room for the rolling file.
    Alternative, of course, would be to find a 24" deep 2-drawer file cabinet.  It's wide
    enough for the laptop, trackball, and a glass of gin, but narrow enough that it's
    unlikely to attract much clutter.  Lengthwise there's room for a monitor, printer, and
    maybe even both printers.  25.5" would be the right height.
  ~ Went to make caprese with the mozzerella that N got at TJ's, but what I originally
    took for tomatoes turned out to be nectarines.  Made it anyway, and it turned out
    amazingly well.  I actually like it better, but I was never a fan of raw tomatoes.
  & took a camp chair into the bedroom for Colleen; we're now hanging out there.  Ticia is
    still miffed at us, but she let me skritch her a while ago.4
    N gave us Bronx because he was bothering Cricket; he and Ticia seem to be getting
    along better.  And it's a lot better than having _two_ kittens in here!
  * down 10:40ish

0816We
  * up 6:30ish; W=199.2;
  * spent some time in the bedroom, mostly updating Raven.
  ~ trying to set up Colleen's ExpressScripts account:
    "Oops! We are unable to verify your information. Please call us at 800.282.2881 for
    assistance."
  : Accent dental new address: 11511 NE 195th St., Suite 104, Bothell WA 98011
  * 15min: went through a few bills.  Still need to go through the rest; it's been way too
    long and some have undoubtedly accumulated problems.
  * out shopping (Payless)
  ~ It's been decided that we can't make the eclipse.  We'll see it at the 99%.  Could
    have worked if I'd made reservations early enough to get into the totality zone.
    -> N and C have decreed that I have to start making a bucket list for real.
    % a lot less to worry about now.
  * cancel hotel reservation  Total we'll be saving ~$1500 to put toward stuff.
  x cleaner coming -> flaked again.
  @ Future Tense (jesse_the_k)
    "Future Tense is a partnership of Slate, New America, and Arizona State University."
  * noodling.  N requested "Lilly, Rosemary and the Jack of Hearts" and provided prompts.
    Followed it with "Desolation - Oh No"
  
0817Th
  * Up 6ish; W=199.2; (awakened 5:30ish by Bronx)
  @ You Can't Win! 20 reasons an American Christian... - Basic Atheism - Quora
  @ ePrivacy and marketing budgets
    LUMAscapes
  @ dnasec.pdf - encoding malware in DNA
  @ Moving Forward from the Tragic Events in Charlottesville, Virginia | Andrew
    N. Liveris | Pulse | LinkedIn
    " Every member of the Manufacturing Jobs Initiative condemns racism and bigotry, and
      there cannot be moral ambiguity around the driving forces of the events in
      Charlottesville. However, in discussions I had with the White House earlier today, I
      indicated that in the current environment it was no longer possible to conduct
      productive discussions under the auspices of the Initiative. And so, as proud as I
      am of the efforts we were taking on behalf of the American worker, disbanding the
      Manufacturing Jobs Initiative was the right decision. "
  @ LingPipe Home natural language processing
  * correct C's mailing address conf# for July's 1-time payment: medmpa005221564
    Relieved to verify that all payments but the first are withheld from SS payments.
    Don't need preauth; it's on file and valid until 2020-06
    Some idiocy about a medical power of attorney, but not actually needed as long as I
    can get C on the line to verify things as needed.  Unclear which things need that.
  * call Seattle City Light about bill.  Previous payment returned, current payment
    unsuccessful due to being unable to find the account.  Because closed?  Got an email
    notification yesterday (0816) Last payment showing as approved, but there's still an
    amount due. -> after an hour on the phone (45min on hold) it seems there's a $25
    returned check fee.  But I'm not showing it.  May check later.
  * Reuben sandwitch for Colleen's lunch; I had plain corned beef on rye.  Also had a
    small horseradish on rye; old comfort food from my high school days.  not the same;
    the bread isn't quite right and the horseradish maybe a little (lot?) too fresh
  * moving guys coming
  @ Aug. 17 is Black Cat Appreciation Day (The Mad Filkentist)
  @ Drew Kampion: The Man Behind Drewslist | Whidbey Life Magazine (G)
  @ I Voted for Trump. And I Sorely Regret It. - The New York Times (Robert Reich (N))
  @ gridlore | Damn, people are dumb. (epic put-down)
  : Moving guys (awesome!) left ~7; they'll be back tomorrow to clear out the pod, haul
    the recycling, etc.  We have a recliner and jewelery armoire in our bedroom, chairs
    and a CD tower in the living room, and most of Colleen's tea collection in boxes by
    her chair.  The garage has been compactified.
  : Apparently I don't have as many hanger strips as I thought I did -- that's almost
    certainly because I left up the ones in the closet.  I'll have to order some, which is
    annoying.  There are definitely some brackets missing, though, from the sewing corner
    shelves. 
  @ mdlbear | Announcement: RainbowCon 2.1
  @ Eclipse traffic in Oregon is already awful and we're still four days away
  : The French press that C uses for her iced tea is broken.  And of course we got rid of
    the other one.

0818Fr
  * up 6:06; W=197.6
  * 15min:  Two boxes (brought up yesterday) cleared, though things still need to be hung
    up (coat, two display boxes, cat carrier).  The display boxes were in a box labeled
    "Kitchen" -- many boxes were apparently reused without being relabeled.
  @ How to mount your Google Drive on Linux with google-drive-ocamlfuse
    How to sync your Google Cloud on Linux with Grive2 - TechRepublic
  @ SPLC releases new edition of Ten Ways to Fight Hate guide after Charlottesville
    attack | Southern Poverty Law Center
  @ beatrice_otter | Disabled People Destroy Science fiction! (backed - $10)
  @ President’s arts and humanities committee resigns over Trump’s Charlottesville
    response - POLITICO -> Arts & Humanities Committee Resignation Letter - Google Docs (elf)
  @ Disabled People Destroy Science Fiction - Personal Essay: "Move Like You’re From
    Thra, My People" by Haddayr Copley-Woods 
  : one of the cats -- most likely Bronx -- has been using the linen in the bags on the
    floor and the bottom shelf as a litter box.  :P  Tossed everything into the laundry
    room for now, and sprayed the area with Clorox.

0819Sa
  * Up 5:30; W=200;
  : Bronx clawed Colleen's hand while she was on the toilet.
  : Found the electric blanket, which I had cleverly put in a large plastic under-bed bin
  @ The new iPhone update will help prevent cops from searching your locked device.
  % overloaded very badly between laundry, Bronx, Colleen, just plain worry, and
    damned if I know what else.
    -> told C I needed to go for a walk, then got sidetracked making her tea and another
       pot of coffee.
    " N: A wailed "I'm sorry!" is not an appropriate response to a polite request. "
    Trigger was Colleen asking for something -- ice, I think -- that my broken brain
    apparently thought I had forgotten or should have thought of.  C. crying, which often
    sets me off.
    -> told C I was going into the bedroom to spend some time with Ticia, then got
       sidetracked because the laundry needed doing.  (see last item yesterday)
    -> N took over the laundry and praised me for recognizing that I needed self care.
  * Went into the bedroom, puttered and read Science.  Ticia came out once for food, and
    once for a brief skritch.  Other than that she's been staying under the bed.  I'm
    worried about her.
  * 15min:  hung up shirts in closet
  * 15min:  set up cordless phones; handsets charging on kitchen counter, main unit
    plugged in in bedroom.  Should have had a jack put in in the living room.
  @ kjn | The origins of Mary O'Meara
  @ Schwarzenegger Terminates Hate in Epic Trump Takedown Video. It will give you
    chills.
  % 3:25 still feeling rather washed out after this morning.
  * out shopping.  Forgot my backpack so had to go back.  The pharmacy can't get Colleen's
    saline in any useful format.
  : Mom sent us a package.  A couple of books -- one the pictures from the library
    dedication, the other a book about labyrinths --  and a piece of computer art.
    The latter is by a friend of hers, a retired lawyer; Mom suggests that I might be
    interested in taking up art in my retirement.  If I do it's likely to be sculpture.
  * made caprese and baguette for dinner.
  * called Mom to thank her for the package.
  : kittens in j's room tonight.
  : Ticia came up on the bed once, accepted a skritch, then went back under it.  I'm
    worried about her.

Date: 2017-08-21 08:45 am (UTC)
acelightning: a generic sewing machine with purple fabric (sewing)
From: [personal profile] acelightning
Even if you can't find the button that came off of a given garment, the chances are very good that you can find one just like it in any fabric store - even JoAnn stores each have a Big Wall O' Buttons, plus others in strange places within the store (ask an employee). If you can't find an exact match, you may still be able to find one that will blend in. And if you can't find anything that even vaguely matches... that's an excuse to buy a whole new set of buttons and update the look of your shirt! :-)

Date: 2017-08-21 10:43 am (UTC)
madfilkentist: My cat Florestan (gray shorthair) (Default)
From: [personal profile] madfilkentist
I hope the cats manage to get calmed down and past their problems quickly.

Date: 2017-08-21 10:13 pm (UTC)
kellan_the_tabby: My face, reflected in a round mirror I'm holding up; the rest of the image is the side of my head, hair shorn short. (Default)
From: [personal profile] kellan_the_tabby
I'm not sure what you mean by 'I probably need to bunny more' but that just lets me imagine you doing the happy-bunny-fliphopzoom thing, so that's pretty cool.

...okay, caprese with nectarines instead of tomatoes sounds ASTONISHING. (I'd probably put tomatoes in too, but that's me...)

Ugh, you have SO MUCH STUFF going on, I'm impressed you're managing anything much other than hiding under the bed with Ticia. I hope she's feeling better soon. :/

Date: 2017-08-21 11:04 pm (UTC)
kellan_the_tabby: My face, reflected in a round mirror I'm holding up; the rest of the image is the side of my head, hair shorn short. (Default)
From: [personal profile] kellan_the_tabby
o.O I believe I'll be stealing that one, if you're okay with that. Although on days I can't even human I tend to cat. Plenty of good examples nearby, y'see.

Cats are smart. When there's too much Thing, they hide under the bed. Just gotta make more room under there for humans. Or bunnies, as the case may be.

Date: 2017-08-21 11:18 pm (UTC)
kellan_the_tabby: My face, reflected in a round mirror I'm holding up; the rest of the image is the side of my head, hair shorn short. (Default)
From: [personal profile] kellan_the_tabby
> It's not original -- feel free to steal.

I shall do that!

> Cat works, too.

Not around here they don't, they're a buncha lazy buggers.

;)

Date: 2017-08-22 05:29 pm (UTC)
jcfiala: (Default)
From: [personal profile] jcfiala
I skipped the eclipse as well, even though I'd originally thought of heading up to Wyoming for it - it really was just one thing too far to deal with with my wife still in the hospital and all.

Which is fine - I enjoyed the partial eclipse and then got back to work.

Totally understand some of what you're going through - with Tammy still in the hospital and probably needing more chemo, and me having to take care of the kid, I'm spending the end of the day dithering over tasks to do and diving into youtube to find something to distract me with. I can't drama, I have trouble AMVing.

Thank goodness my in-laws are in town to help out with stuff.

Date: 2017-08-22 08:06 pm (UTC)
amaebi: black fox (Default)
From: [personal profile] amaebi
Good God, you're quick.

I wish comfort to your cats.

Most Popular Tags

Style Credit

Page generated 2025-07-07 06:41 pm
Powered by Dreamwidth Studios