Done Since 2022-03-13

[mdlbear]

The last week was much less of a disaster than I expected, given that it included what would have been Colleen's 70th birthday. My 75th as well; the family celebration was low-key, which was probably exactly what I needed. Both cake and pie, because I was on the island on my birthday, and the day after my birthday is Pi Day.

The week included a lot less time than usual in Seattle -- I went back to Whidbey on Thursday because I had a doctor's appointment Friday morning. Probably the last one I'll have on the island; Dr. Dixon's upcoming move to Hawaii provides a good excuse to switch to UW on the mainland. Now I have to find a doctor there. My old one, who I liked, isn't taking new patients and I've been gone too long to qualify as returning. Grump. Every time I have to make a change like that I worry -- I have no basis for making a choice, and I know that if I choose wrong I'll be very unlikely to try again. See above.

I did a trivial amount of decluttering. I'll have to do a lot more and I'm not looking forward to it. Too many memories -- stuff of Colleen's, unfinished projects, stuff I love but won't have space for, stuff I'll have to sell, stuff I'll have to hire movers for... Selling stuff and hiring movers are both things that, like choosing a doctor (see above), are going to be difficult and will get put off for as long as possible.

Japanese Researcher Publishes Study on Quality of Sleep When Pet Cats Choose Location of Slumber made me wonder whether the Journal of Irreproducible Results is still being published. Apparently not. I used to subscribe to it, back in the day.

Notes & links:
0313Su My 75th birthday; DST starts 2am
  * up 7ish; S=7:22; 
  * c starts work at 10
  @ Could Congress let you seize this Russian oligarch’s yacht? - The Washington Post
    (tip of the hat to siliconshaman; queue up Barrett's Privateers)
  @ George Wachsmuth on Twitter:"[...] After I was harassed for wearing a mask by a guy
    when I was out shopping ….I replied: “I wear a mask because of the deep state’s facial
    recognition system”. This froze the person for quite a while. I think I caused a
    meltdown."  this reply (NSFW/NSFK) is even better.
  % DAMN!  My glasses apparently slipped off my face, which they've been doing all day,
    but now I can't find them.
  : ... and there is definitely still a leak somewhere near the back toilet.
  ~ 8pm zoom with the kids -> which I actually joined at 8:30 because I forgot about it
  : we seem to be out of cat litter.  EEEK!  -> update chewy order; should ship Tu

0314Mo my birthday (observed); pi day
  & awake 4:30ish; down 5:30ish
  * up 7am (alarm); S=7:42; brief but really bad emotional attack.
    % possible trigger:  financial messes (Mom's accounts, taxes)
    % 8ish lots of tension across chest
  x see if I can find cat litter at the Country Store
    -> actually, there were already two cases there; didn't see them because it was dark
  * Try tightening the fitting at the tank end of the toilet supply line.
  * find glasses prescription -> still missing -> on garage floor next to wine case
  : email from Phillips re: CPAP recall.
    CPAP recall portal: https://www.philipspatientportal.expertinquiry.com/?ulang=en
  : checked my fiber cookie order.  Not my fault.  The outside of the box says
    "chocolate", which is what I ordered, but the 4 boxes inside are labeled "apple crisp"
    -> ordered replacement.  No need to return item.
  @ my post on LinkedIn about Colleen noted for inclusion on her memorial page
    (On LI working through a few of the birthday wishes and so on.  What does one say to
    someone who asks "are you enjoying retirement?"...?)
    % not really having a good day
  & re-authorized autopay at Express Scripts (apparently lost after merging with Cigna)
  * opened one of the KLM/Bols house-shaped gin bottles that N brought back from her trip.
    Bols Genever is good stuff.
  * family party.  Steak and cake.  Also pi(e) - marionberry.  Yum.  Slightly overstuffed.
    As a present, N found an organization that will sponsor a sea turtle _that I will be
    able to track with an app!_
  % meloxicam 10ish with pm drugs

0314Tu
  & awake 2:30;  % itching, heartburn  ->powder, tums  -> down 3:20
  * up 7am; S=6:04; exercises
  * Walk: to end of block
  @ 10 years of Raspberry Pi: The $25 computer has come a long way | TechRepublic
  @ post On the Water
    redo About Us using blocks
    -> ... and spent all afternoon getting it into the header.  Because Woodmark theme.
  & realize that I haven't signal-boosted the previous two posts on Dreamwidth.  So
    @ Signal Boost: The latest posts
  % why is my left arm tingling?
  * work on GS /TRIPS.  Saved the africa itinerary as a new page, but haven't
    linked it yet.  Should link the itinerary to the corresponding posts.
  @ Kawasaki Debuts a Deranged Rideable Goat Robot (C')

0316We Colleen's Birthday
  * up 5am; S=6:03;
    % dream involved filk or something like it, at a college that was probably based on
      Carleton; some shenanegans involving rooms. Before that there was something about a
      walking/driving trail/dirt road; general feel was the woods behind the Norwalk house
    % 5:45 lie doown, cuddle Platy, try to sleep, fail
  * up 6:15; S=6:22;
  * walk around block.  Hip pain, possibly caused by the downhill segment
  % chocolate fiber cookies some time in the am
  * */15   pay AX cards, Molly
  & listen to "Anna" with N - try to find lyrics and contact info
    -> Anna | Vixy & Tony
       Vixy & Tony
       Vixy & Tony | contact form
    % very strong emotional reaction to that one.  Gleep.
  : From myORCA ORCA@public.govdelivery.com
    " If you have a reduced fare card (Youth, Senior, Disabled, LIFT) it will need to be
      replaced to keep using it at stores. You can request a new card for free by visiting
      a customer service location or calling customer service at 888-988-6722. "
    -> so I can order a replacement card without having to find a transit center
  % 3:15 a little sleepy after lunch
  * had the second house-shaped bottle of Bols genever in Colleen's honor for her birthday
    later, had a little of the Glenlivet (last bottle from the anniversary case)
  : According to COVID-19 by County | CDC, community level is LOW in King and Island counties
  @ Announcement: gcobol [LWN.net]
    " should not be confused with GnuCOBOL (https://savannah.gnu.org/projects/gnucobol).
      That project is a Cobol translator: it compiles Cobol to C, and invokes gcc to
      produce executable code. "
  % 9:15 -- I haven't really been able to think for at least the last half hour
    I should go to bed.
  % 9:40ish meloxicam with pm drugs

0317Th St. Patrick's Day, Purim (starts sundown on the 16th), St. Gertude's Day
  * up 6:30ish; S=6:41, BP=124/79, P=68;
  * guitar:  Eyes Like the Morning, Millennium's Dawn
  * before leaving RS collect:  drugs, CPAP (leave humidifier tub); Sable
  @ Gertrude of Nivelles
    Meet St. Gertrude, cat lady of the church - U.S. Catholic
  @ His software sang the words of God. Then it went silent.
  @ Popular NPM Package Updated to Wipe Russia, Belarus Systems to Protest Ukraine
    Invasion
  & found email from WhidbeyHealth.  The checkin software they're using is phreesia.net
    Damned glad I decided not to attempt checkin by phone
    The text they sent had an incorrect phone number: 360-321-5060 (actual 331)
    Didn't put supplements on med list.
  * Got email from Mom's executor complaining about not receiving statements; followed up
    with request for account info.
  % Who the frack is Ashley Hanks, and why did they join my Colleen album on gPhoto?
  * Back on Whidbey:  let N know that I'm home.
  * print out  * test results for tomorrow;  * make BP record;  *  print med list
  * pack: business cards (for notes)
  * */15   CPAP:  change paper filter  * wash tub  * extra CPAP filters
  * after arrival:  ~ water orchids  * sort mail
  % my left eyelids have been itching most of the afternoon.  Outer corner.
  * 15min: a little sorting
  : tightening the connection on the toilet supply hose seems to have worked.

0318Fr  * litter boxen
  & Awake 3am; S=4:17; politics -> down 4:30
  * up 7:30; S=6:40; 
  * c needs to be at work by 10
  * 18th 10:30 Dr. Dixon  * fasting labs before then
    * add supplements to med list  * tell someone about bad phone# in text
    -> use moisturizing lotion after bath;  cornstarch rather than Gold Bond
  * buy: pulse oximeter
  : Orlanda (formerly Whidbey Home Health) recognized me in Payless.
  * post GS:  Being Eleven Again - GoingSideways.blog
  @ How Long Should It Take to Grieve? Psychiatry Has Come Up With an Answer. - NYT
    APA Offers Tips for Understanding Prolonged Grief Disorder
  * make chicken tikka masala for dinner, using leftover rice.  Bloom's Winery Ambrosia,
    (made with rubarb) because I saw it in the display at Payless.
  & rabbit hole: ring theory
  % try weighted blanket

0319Sa
  & awake 1:30ish; feeling rather overheated
  * up 7am; S=4:57; Took me another 20m to get out of bed.  The weighted blanket plus the
    mattress overhang made it difficult.
  @ Tahneal Hawke on Twitter: "We’ve been working with @LLSRiverina to assess platypus
    abundances and health in fire impacted rivers, prior to rehabilitation works. We
    captured 4 platypuses last week, including this big male 🤩@PlatypusCI
    platypus  PLATY!
  & discussed razors with c.  Safety razors are a rarity these days.  What I use:
    Feather Double Edge Blades
    VIKINGS BLADE The Crusader Adjustable Safety Razor kept in Seattle
    Merkur Razor Adjustable Futur MK-700002 kept in Freeland
  * driving practice for c -- Langley, Clinton mostly back roads
  : trying to update images in GS's upcoming trips widget.  Failing.  Caching probably.
  @ Japanese Researcher Publishes Study on Quality of Sleep When Pet Cats Choose Location
    of Slumber | Spoon & Tamago
  * 15min:  throwing out stuff in bathroom that won't be used and can't be donated
  * start on Tuesday's GS post

Comments

[spiffyvoxel]

I'm going to be doing some decluttering of my own soon. Bookshelves could do with reorganising, and I need to clear out and reorganise my wardrobe too, to make better use of the space and hopefully make it last a bit longer. (That was a self-assembly job from nearly two decades ago, which never quite came together properly, and will eventually need replacing with something sturdier.) Oh, and finally rip those old cassette tapes to MP3s.

I recently got a used 2020 iPhone SE to replace the 2016 refurbished model I've been using for the last four years. I'm going to sell the old phone, while it's still usable it struggles with some apps that just aren't designed for a screen that small. The new phone is only slightly bigger but a lot more usable! So much so that I'm considering whether I still need the iPad Mini 4.

(I bought before Apple's recent event where they announced the new 5G iPhone SE, but considering the paucity of 5G coverage here I don't think I'll suffer too much.)

[cellio]

Can your current doctor help with a referral? (Would your old one accept you via that path, since you're not completely new?)

[mdlbear]

Probably not, and I've already asked my old doctor directly -- I got away with making one appointment through the website.

[freyjaw]

If I could get off the floor without the help of two strong, young EMTs, I'd try sleeping where my cats sleep. Luckily, they spend a lot of time in our recliners and our bed. Thanks for the link! I'm sending it to Chris.

[mdlbear]

My cats mostly sleep on our bed too.