every new day brings new choices!

[Elizabeth]

Yuck on bedbugs. I just realized that it is my x in-laws last day in town. In the past, they have always invited me to Sweet Tomatoes (her fave) when they were here. Not sure if they will this time. They will leave, probably early, tomorrow. I would love it if they did - xMIL is a serger queen and could probably tell me exactly what is wrong.

The expert on the daily loads has returned, more Hallelujah Chorus. She has told me what I need to do to get the daily loads loaded. She is planning an October retirement NOOOOOOOOOOOO! Not only can she not retire, she should commit to haunting us in the (hopefully far) future.

[Harriet]

Elizabeth, would she appreciate you asking a question and calling her the Serger Queen? Nice compliment.

Twins' the single fact I know is that donated linens, pillows, stuffed toys are always suspect and that's why I've left some really attractive ones behind at consignment or Goodwill type places. Dd37 has had some very disappointed faces looking up at her, but Grandma doesn't mind being the bad guy about the character toys/pillows and insisting on books. I wonder if someone brought things to the home from a donation bin. Here's another thought that just rudely bumped into my head .... ... do walls stop bedbugs? Could it actually be the problem of the neighboring room? Well, my work here is done. I'm almost sure that's all the damage I can do. Perhaps I should run... ...

[Nancy]

I watered the perimeter of the back yard. I was wondering if they make ear muffs for dogs in the during the 4th.

Hens are out. I am tired today might need a nap. Did that.

100* out side here. H is home now.

[Twins' Mom]

Harriet, I know the other lady has been there for awhile - her room was quite cluttered - perhaps it was something her family brought to her? I feel okay about dmom, as long as they are checking for bites. Her bed linens and pillows were new except for a quilt that came from here. The quilt had been stored here for several years. Her bed, mattress and box springs came from my house also - and all are protected by a cover that is supposed to be "bed bug proof." I moved some clothing from her house, and a night table and chest of drawers.

I never finished up this morning what needed to be done, and now things are a mess again anyway with putting away groceries.

-make the bed
-sweep kitchen floor
-take out kitchen trasn
-clear kitchen counters (again)
-empty the dishwasher

[LadyMaverick]

our new Ford F150 pick up truck

Cathy - Congratulations!

LadyM did your AC freeze up and then thaw out by itself over the night? 
Will the repair person still come today to check the a/c out? 

They did come out this afternoon. I had called them this morning and told them to not come because the a/c was working. DH wrapped tape around the wire later this morning then we noticed after lunch the a/c wasn't working again. I called the HVAC company again and asked them to come. They came within 2 hours of my call. It turned out to be the same wire that the puppy chewed up last time. Today I took some friendly ribbing from the HVAC guys because I called them instead of their competition. (they know our DD is living with "the guy") There are 2 HVAC companies in this area. "The guy" family owns/operates one of them and that is where "the guy" works (he works in the office doing buying of equipment). I have used the other HVAC company for years and have no intention of switching even if "the guy" marries into our family. I know I am sounding ridiculous, but I suspect my HVAC needs will outlast "the guy" and I don't want to an uncomfortable HVAC relationship to live with. I would rather grin through the remarks about not using our future son-in-law (as the HVAC guys called him today) family business.

The HVAC fella today wouldn't take money for the repairs. He did that last time too and said DH has given him too many free washes over the years. DH made him take money the last time. I didn't feel comfortable standing up to him today so I told him to send us a bill or I was going to send DH after him.

I took the kids to a "Zoo to you" exotic animal program this morning that was provided by the library. They enjoyed it very much. This afternoon they have been swimming and took a nap. I'm taking them to a local church kids program tonight.

[Twins' Mom]

Got blood work back from doc, only real outlier was A1C at 5.7, which is prediabetes level. Would take 5.6 to be normal. Cholesterol readings were also a little high, but not bad, considering all the stuff I've been eating.

Getting started with dinner, dh running late so I checked in with him. Also called to get a refill on one of my meds.

[Kathryn-in-Canada]

Peeking in after being AWOL all day.

Dee: when you found your money did you find my motivation and will-power? (Just hoping....)

It wasn't a bad day but not worthy of celebrating.

Fun discussion on em-dashes and hyphens this morning with one of dd's friends and his friends on facebook. A good use of social media (although a time waster.)

I also chatted with my senior friend. She sounds depressed. Wished my music friend a happy birthday but with no ! because her father is dying. I haven't heard from her since this morning.

I read 4 bible translations of this week's reading to see if anyone sounded better to me. The sermon is being formed in my head and 2 of the 3 hymns are chosen.

I made myself a healthy brunch and had that plus a little junk food before heading off at 12:30 for our last singing gig with the Canada150 theme. It was at the non-profit apartments where I used to be on the board so it was nice to see the place. No familiar faces, though.

We came home and then walked for fixins for dinner. Dh had fettuccine and I had a chicken stir fry which I've been craving for ages so I'm a happy camper. Have a half portion left for lunch and all but a few of the cut veggies from July 1 are now used up. I got the majority of the dinner dishes into the dishwasher (I had washed up the morning dishes by hand before singing) and dh ran it and washed up the three things that wouldn't fit.

Did walking club while dh did his part of the cleanup.

Watched the end of our tv episode (had to pause it for walking club) and since then I've watered the balcony plants. There are 8 tomatoes now formed on the plants so keeping them watered is essential. The one that was waterlogged is looking really scraggly now and I think it might die despite it having fruit on it.

I've filled the kettle for the morning, put a glass of water in the bedroom and turned on the a/c to chill the room, and then some canned drinks in the fridge from the laundry room. Found that the dryer light was on and realized I'd managed to do a load of laundry through the day without much thinking about it so that is on the bed waiting to be folded and put away.

So it was a steady, busy, day but I don't have a lot to show for myself. Especially on the paperwork front.

All day I've been monitoring my new fitness tracker. It doesn't seem to count as many of my steps inside the apartment so by the time I got home from singing the fitbit had recorded 1900 steps more. Then we walked to the store and back and the delta was still 1900 steps. While cooking dinner my fitbit got 400 more steps ahead of the Withings. Then I went for walking club and the delta remained 2300 steps. Now, after watering plants and fetching water, etc, they are 2500 steps apart. So I have 11400 with the fitbit and am well short of 10K with the Withings. Throughout the day I've been wearing them in the same spot. First dressing gown pocket, then bra, then waist band. It is the type of steps not the location of the tracker that seems to make a difference.

I'll do an experiment while brushing my teeth. I normally pace while doing that and it is good for 200+ steps. We'll see if the Withings has the same count. I know my fitbit ignores any number of steps under 10 (that's why 90 minutes of vacuuming and mopping is only worth 500 steps but 2 minutes of steady pacing while brushing teeth is worth 200 steps.) I'm wondering if the 'ignore' number is larger for the Withings. Another thing I do is pace while waiting for the elevator and I noted yesterday it didn't seem to be counting those either. It seems to really only reliable count longer distance walking, not movement around a room. Which will make getting my 10K steps a day hard since I usually get about 3600 of those inside the apartment.