FIVE MINUTE FRIDAY

[Kathryn-in-Canada]

Pissed off a resident who slammed the mail room door after our conversation. She can't get on an elevator with another person (due to lungs she claimed were damaged at her work.) She lives on the 21st floor. So she didn't travel down with me. I went to the car to put in the grocery bags, to the office in the next building to drop off rent cheques, to the store and visited and then to pick up my mail. While in the mail room she tried to enter and had to step back because I was there.

She would not even pass close enough to me to allow me to hold the door for her. She was explaining to me about her lungs (I was 10' away by then) but when I asked if she had considered moving to a lower floor, she blasted me for suggesting she move out to the country away from everyone. I was just thinking about her constant long waits for the elevator both up and down. And having to get off any time she's going down and someone below her wants on. I figured she could use the stairs (since she doesn't appear to have any problems moving, nor does she use oxygen.)

She took great offense at me suggesting she had no right to live in an apartment and she can't afford to buy a house.

Sheesh. I only asked if she had considered a lower floor, not to move out of the building. An answer could be, "up high I'm above most pollen so it is easier for me to breathe" but instead she scolded me and then slammed the door. Another resident from her floor came into the lobby at that moment and guessed what the problem was immediately. He grows a night flower on his balcony (it opens at night to release its scent.) I'm guessing there's bad blood between them!

OK, I've run my errands and shut up the apartment so I should get to work.

[lucylee]

How strange, Kathryn...
She cannot breathe the same air as anyone else, yet she does not need oxygen?
That is certainly a new one for me....

[Twins' Mom]

Ah, I am finally coming back through. I had forgotten that I had planned to have lunch with dfriend M today, and we were going to the auction house to see her grandparent's china that will be auctioned tomorrow. She has multiple sets of china already and her sister had this china stored for years - place settings for 12, 55 pieces total, plus a few other pieces that will be auctioned separately. Loved seeing all the pretty items up for auction - her china is expected to bring $6500 - 7500. She is going tomorrow to the auction.

Vet called to say that Muffin was awake after surgery and that she did well. I can pick her up between now (3 p.m.) here and 6:30.

First I am going to do some work here at home in five minute increments with a timer...

[LadyMaverick]

Stop one and two went as DS8 planned. He is thrilled. We are 4 minutes ahead of his schedule. Lol The hotel is 1.5 hour drive on the interstate. When did I become such a whimp? I absolutely hate being on road where over half the vehicles are semi trucks. They drive like they own the road and it makes me very uncomfortable. Several times they have switched lanes and get close enough to our SUV that it feels like I could reach out and touch them. I like SPACE between vehicles when driving 75mph. The interstate we topically drive has about 1/10th this many semitrucks.. I'm keeping my head down and trying to not look at all the semis in front, behind and beside us. Thinking Calm thoughts.

[Elizabeth]

HI again! The spacing on this report is driving me absolutely bonkers! The hard part is done, it's just the cosmetic stuff now. However, it is impossible for people to read double layers of text and cut off text. ACK!!!

For those of you with the ability to see partial or total eclipse: While the eclipse is still partial, look at the shadows under a tree. Notice something interesting? Way cool and memorable demonstration of diffraction. Great for kids. Great for adults too. Universities and museums and even labs often have sun-viewing telescopes set up for the public. They may call it outreach, but it's really geeks having fun. Seriously though, don't forget to look under trees.

I can't imagine a lung condition that would preclude someone from sharing an elevator (unless of course the other person is a smoker or perfumer).

No news on the Briggs front. Last I heard he is annoyed about staying in a bathroom instead of exploring territory. An annoyed cat is a healthier cat.

So glad it's payday.

[Twins' Mom]

Elizabeth, I'm looking forward to the eclipse. I think I am driving about 50 or so miles north to a church and graveyard that I know of - will have two minutes of totality there.

And nodding along with Elizabeth and Lucy:

I can't imagine a lung condition that would preclude someone from sharing an elevator (unless of course the other person is a smoker or perfumer)

I am taking a 10 minute break and going again for 30 min. I guess I'll get the ddog after that.

[Harmony]

Well I have read about people who have extreme environmental allergies are allergic to just about all scents and many foods. They really suffer. I saw such a case on the ZLiving channel recently. We have a woman in church who had lots of allergies like that and has claimed a healing and is slowly adding to her food menus. I remember years ago when we had a choir, the members (women mostly) were asked not to wear perfume because of those who had allergies.

Sorry about Briggs. He sounds like a nice cat.

Been just puttering around, but things keep happening that I end up at my desk a lot. Just got the mail and spent a long while unraveling my bank account and getting it straightened out. I have a lot of outstanding checks. Expenses exceeded income for a while and I wrote the checks but didn't cash. Now that income caught up and I can do this, I don't want to take a big truck to the bank. I'll be so glad to get the car back. Part was supposed to come today or sooner. It hasn't arrived yet.

Going to go work on the kitchen.

[lucylee]

AAAUAUGUGGGHHH!!!

Well THAT certainly took more than 5 minutes!

Grrrrr....

For two days now, we have had problems signing on to our internet account -- the one that "no one" uses anymore that starts with an a...
Sometimes you'd get on, and then when you opened an email, just a blank screen. FINALLY today I called them on the phone.
I was on hold almost a full 90 minutes.
(I know y'all are thinking how stupid could one person be, but while I was waiting, I scanned and labeled all the pictures duncle brought me the other day.)
THEN, when the girl finally answered, she spoke so softly I could barely hear her, she let me sit with long periods of silence and I thought she'd forgotten me, and to top it all off, the home page came up just fine. Email, just fine...
* SIGH *

[Kathryn-in-Canada]

Ds and I are really excited about the eclipse.

Last time we put sheets of paper on the ground under trees to take photos of the effect. As Elizabeth said it is super cool.

As for my weird neighbour, I suspect it is perfume or smoke that affects her. But why she is in our building is a mystery since smoking is allowed and it goes from unit to unit. Last night I was awoken by pot smell coming in my bedroom window around 1:15. As well, I cannot spend time in the lobby and the elevator chokes me up after it has been cleaned (which is a daily occurrence.) I'm allergic to their cleaning supplies. So I can sympathize with her to a certain extent. But at the same time she takes it to the extreme (not passing by me while I hold the door open for her, for instance.) But, in that case, why not move lower and take the stairs? I've only ever come across someone in the stairwell when the fire alarm is going. That's why I was upset she took offense at me. It was a legit question to help improve her life by working within her limitations.

This reminds me: I need to take an allergy pill before my church service this week! I keep forgetting and then my throat gets a bad catch in it from the flowers by the pulpit.

I have done a heck of a lot of tidying and the apartment looks great. On the other hand, haven't even started the service/sermon yet. I've been emailing with ds and we had the following exchange:

Ds: I'm getting really excited for this trip

Me: Me too! And panicked over my service on Sunday because I haven't written it or the sermon yet; I've been busy doing the trip planning. Really hope you haven't inherited all my bad traits!

Ds: I just woke up and started packing for my Spartan weekend. I think I may have!

[Nancy]

I have kidN here 2day and mid week next week. The boys will arrive in a while.
H. is off early had him bring home chicken I had been craving yum!
I watered, then mopped the main bathroom. Master bath x. Then start laundry. x
I gave h. a trim.