Wednesday with Smoke on the Water?

[Harriet]

Do you sometimes have to watch out for "smoke screens" that just cover up a problem, so you can get to real solutions?

Do you have to be suspicious of "smoke and mirrors" if there is some less-than-honest claim for a product or method?

Do you have obstructions to get past, but need to blink a while to believe what gets thrown at you?

Sometimes, we can't exactly sing, "I Can See Clearly Now", can we?

But maybe, if we are thoughtful, an idea will come to us and we can say, "Put that in your pipe and smoke it!"

No matter what we get out of this
I know, I know we'll never forget
Smoke on the water
fire in the sky.

Can you hear that oft-repeated strain (and I do mean strain) of the one guitar riff every amateur can just almost play? In a local guitar shop here, there is a sign forbidding the playing of Smoke on the Water. And the really funny thing is, it's not a homemade sign.

[CathyS]

We have a high AQI today and tomorrow will be higher. We are a day behind Kathryn I think. This morning the sun was just a red ball in the sky until it turned into an orange ball. Very, very hazy here.

All 3 cats are inside and so am I. Work paperwork is progressing with numerous stops to do other things. Today I have vacuumed most of the house and mopped the bathroom and part of the bedroom.

I have 3 table lamps on in my office along with the ceiling fixture. It just seems too dark today.

No idea what is for supper.

[Lady Maverick]

Harriet - Thank you for the start today. It is perfect in so many ways.

(((Dee))) Thinking of you.

I got a short night's sleep. My mind kept coming up with responses to the neighbor's visit. I feel like I am trying to put together a puzzle when there are some pieces missing. I can try all I want but the end result will still have missing pieces. It is time for me to stop thinking about the broken puzzle and get on with life.

We are supposed to pick up our 40ish year old vehicle from the body shop at 10am today. I say supposed to because this is the 4th time they have said it will be ready. The other 3 times they said it was ready to pick up, we went to get our vehicle and they changed their minds and said they had one more thing to do. This is the pickup we took to get painted in March 2020. They have been working on it for over three years! This is a busy and highly successful body shop that has multiple vehicles in/out each week. For some reason, the owner has been fixated on our pickup. ANYway, hopefully today this pickup painting saga will come to an end.

[CathyS]

LadyM even though you have told us about the neighbor, have you written down anything at home just in case the local police come to talk to you about any of it. I have the feeling that this neighbor will either call the police on the boys (being boys) or her conversation (confrontation) with you. We all know you are a fabulous person and an even more fabulous mom, but I have a feeling that this neighbor is "off" somehow. Maybe off her meds or off balance in some way. It's just sometimes safer to be more than wary about this person.


(((Dee and family))) you are on my mind.

[Nancy]

Harriet I luv that quote!
Not smoky here today just a bit of haze I did water out front and worked on my daily journal page, just a brain dump really. It has prompts that I ignore. I like the pages b/c the paper is thick and good quality. No bleed through oor ghosting. It is a place I can embrace my task list, congratulate myself on accomplishments. Like calling a friend for example did that yesterday. Got 10,000 steps in too. It was laundry day.

I had some black coffee. Vits. are next. I have not walked yet or much else. It is a lovely morning here! I see my vits. habit tracker in my planner and that is a great prompt to help me remember to do that. Done! I can tell they are helping me to have a better outlook on life too! Yea! So I told my sis and dfriend to take there's as well!

My focus room this week is the creativity room aka stash n dash room it is a priority! Yea I can see progress already. That makes me happy!
Doing grateful list of 6 things I like to do 8 but there are only 6 lines in my gratitude book. So that has been inspiring me lately.
I have not been doodling in my journal in the spot for that so I want to do some drawing.
I need to work up some affirmations as well maybe I can think on that on my walk today.

When it was smokey here last year I went to the basement and did clean out of those room and used my gazelle instead of my outside walks. Sort of explains why the garden was in such dire need of attn. this spring.

I am excited to add some things to my done list later on today!
I have walked ddog, Lots of folks were out at that time too.
I rounded up rocks & paints to do some fun rock painting soon.
The last day of school here is Fri.

I called the water co. up the street there is water in the road from a seepage.
Been meaning to do that. Counting for my anti. p. task today.
Got two areas of clutter dealt with yea for progress, been putting that off as well.

[Lady Maverick]

The conversation with the neighbor happened in our front yard/porch/driveway. It was captured on 3 of our cameras. The cameras didn't pick up the audio perfectly, but the video is very clear. When the neighbor came over asking why DS14 goes on the road in front of her home (dead end street) I explained the 3 places he goes at the end of that street. She kept repeating her question, so I said, "Let's ask him!" DS14 was at a neighbor's house behind our home so I called DS14 on the phone and ask him to come home because this neighbor had a question for him. I told him to bring his friends so everyone could answer her why they are on that road. The dad of one of the teenage boys came with them to talk to this neighbor. The dad and other teenage boys didn't say anything during the conversation but just stood and listened. Between the camera videos and multiple witnesses, I feel comfortable we can give a truthful account of the conversation.

I do expect her to call the cops and complain. I hope she does because it gives another witness to her unreasonable anger. I don't know what she expects the cops to do about people using a public road. Last night while she was complaining about the teenage boys she also complained about "old people walking their dogs on that road". I didn't respond to her complaint about that. It is true. I see neighbors walking for exercise on that road and some have dogs on a leash. Some of the neighbors have grey hair so I guess she considers them to be old. Being old and walking a dog on public road apparently makes her mad too.

I need to make a plan for today.
8:30 - make breakfast smoothies
9:30 - get vehicle and stop by grocery store
11:30 - DD12 to school lunch
12:30 - salad bar with DH
2:00 - take DD12 and friends swimming
5:30 - family meal - smoked sausage & potatoes
6:00 - gather with church family

[Ramblinrose]

Taking a break

Went to class this morning, though I would rather have stayed in bed.

Came home a did all my morning routines. Did my foot prints last night so that part was easy.

Hung a big picture in my guest bedroom with the help of Sweetie. He tried to do the measurements but got confused, so up the ladder I went and got everything laid out on the wall, then took the nails, hammered them in and hung the picture on my first try.

Have a fan in that room that is remote controlled and somehow I missed placed it. I hated the idea for just that reason. Anyway I've been through all the drawers in my house, decluttering as I went and still didn't find it. Even looked under the bed. I have one closet that I want to go through just in case it ended up on a shelve, but I'm leaving that till tomorrow,

LadyM...I think you did very well handling last night's conversation with your neighbor. Sounds like she's a bit off balanced, but you listened to what her concerns were, validation her feelings, and I think that will go a long ways, at least for a while. Also glad you are giving yourself a break from all the food you've been preparing. No wonder you're to tired.

BBl...

[Harmony]

LadyM, you said gripey neighbor was surprised to learn you had cameras. She might have realized she was being recorded during her tirade of complaints. It does sound like she has some mental issues going on. I would be mindful and concerned, but other than having the boys be quiet and respectful around her house there's not a lot you can do. I'm glad you have a record of what was happening.

People want a very quiet place to live, then they move into a place that's active and busy, and they complain. That's why some people move into an over 50 neighborhood with associations and lots of rules.

Funny story, DH was out working in the side yard, pulling weeds and our neighbor was outside setting up chairs and a little pavilion and stuff for a party. His son graduated from high school and a lot of people were coming for the weekend. He talked with DH, asking if we could hear his music, concerned he was bothering us. Our neighborhood is insanely quiet. Occasionally a couple will walk by with a dog but not very often. Mostly, we are the only ones outside a lot. They are a blended family next door and don't have all the kids there all the time. And when they do we rarely hear them. DH came in and told me what he said. We laughed about it...I said it was about time somebody woke this place up around here and DH said, yeah, and I'm a rocker from way back. Our house is so soundproof we never hear anything outside anyway. LadyM, I wish your kids could come here, I'd have fun watching them.

I went with DH to his cardiologist appointment. The office staff is friendly. I gave them the last 2 lab reports in case they didn't have them. I gave them the list of meds. The nurse came into the office and talked with us. The nurse practitioner came in and did an EKG, then the dr. came in and we chatted. All good. Approved for knee surgery whenever it happens, will fill out paperwork when it arrives. He has 1 less med to take now. I told them on the way out while getting appointment how nice and organized their office is. The girls all looked surprised and thanked me for saying it. I wish all the drs. we went to were like this one.

I've done all the things I can so far today. I desperately need to go get groceries but DH has the car down in the next town. We are eating bits and things from the freezer as I find them... I don't think I've ever been this far down in groceries. Oh, we're not going to starve, but all the fun stuff is gone!

Our air quality is moderate now. Even here we are getting a bit of this air stuff. Apparently it's going to stay bad for a while.

[lucylee]

Still OMM...

[ ] vacuum, dust
[ ] clean bathrooms
[x] s/s kitchen
[/] help dh with towel laundry

[ ] make phone calls --
-- dermatologist appointment
-- mammogram appointment

[x] tickets for Graceland, etc. (This was just doing research -- checking prices, times, etc.)
[x] gifts for dgs' birthday
[ ] type minutes
--last night's meeting
[x] --teacher group meeting
[ ] paperwork for dmom
-- making copies,
-- contact insurance company

~~~
DH is having a rough day with arthritis pain, and I'm feeling kinda "off" stomach-wise. We did get the first load started, and went to the post office. Ant Man has been here (we think it's funny because when we say that we think about the superhero) but we never saw him. He treats the yard for fire ants every three months. I've written that check and will mail it later.

I never did erase any footprints last night, spent too much time playing/mediating with dgrands and then too much time talking with dh's cousin on the phone. We were all four talking at once, LOL -- her and her husband, me and dh. We are all strongly in agreement that the church needs to take a "straw poll" vote to see what the general thinking is re: disaffiliation. I hope he (cousin's husband) will push the Powers That Be to get this done soon. He said he would. He is 80 years old, although he certainly seems 10-15 years younger, and one of the older, more respected members of the congregation, IMHO.
Smoke and mirrors, smoke screens... yes... all of the above apply here, Harriet.
Hmmm... I don't believe I've ever heard ds play that riff, unless maybe someone asked him to specifically. Doesn't really fit the bluegrass/old-time country style, does it? It's true though; I don't think I've ever been in a guitar shop without hearing it.

Hope you find the remote, Rose!

You have received a lot of wise advice, LadyM, re: the neighbor, and it certainly seems like you responded perfectly. Never a bad idea to have written notes for future reference, but from the way she reacted when you said you also had security cameras, I think maybe she will think twice about bothering you again. * Hope so, anyway! *

It is a place I can embrace my task list, congratulate myself on accomplishments. Like calling a friend for example did that yesterday. Got 10,000 steps in too.

That is a great idea, Nancy! "congratulate myself" -- I need to practice that more in my planner. That's kinda what I'm doing with the OMM list above, too. I try to do a "best thing" of the day every day, but I have good intentions for a gratitude list every day. I never seem to follow through on that.
If you don't mind my asking, what vitamins are you taking? My mother is very interested in trying Balance of Nature supplements, but a friend (dmom's age) told me just recently that she took them for two months and couldn't tell a bit of difference in how she felt. I have another friend who sells Juice Plus gummies, and she is a HUGE believer in that product. Another similar product is Texas Super Foods, I think. They are all pretty pricey, though, and I am hesitant to try any of them, even though I know dh and I definitely do not get enough vegetables and fruits in our diet.

We are trying to use up what's in the freezer also, but I'm wondering, how long can you keep chicken fingers? I really have no idea how long they've been there! They look okay, but one package has some freezer burn, I think. These came in a large pack, and I divided them into 2-3 per zip-lock bag, so they are not vacuum-sealed like the fish were.

Harmony, I'm glad the doctor visit went well. I know y'all are not looking forward to dh's surgery, but hopefully, it will all go well and it will be good to have behind you. (((Prayers)))

Waving to you all, and as always, every day -- holding you close in my heart and in my prayers, (((Dee))).

[CathyS]

One complaint that we hear (read) about a LOT around here is the train. You came here to buy a house, there are level train crossings on very street in this area, yet you didn't think you would hear a train? Also, sometimes, there is a smell from the manure being spread in the fields. This town is surrounded by farms. It's part of living in the country. Just like people walking. Kids playing... Dogs barking...


Dh has 2 doctor appointments in the next 2 days. The times are written on the calendar. Neither appointment is that far away. It shouldn't be so hard to explain this to him. I wish it wasn't. He's telling me what time he thinks they are. I tell him it's on the calendar. Lather, rinse, repeat, repeat, repeat.

I have most of 2022 done and balanced for work paperwork. Just part of one month to finish up. I also want to take the first quarter of 2023, just so it can be filed for HST.