Thoughtfully Thursday

[Kathryn-in-Canada]

Up from my rest. I only slept a few minutes but was on my back for 2+ hours and seem to be as energetic as I usually am after a sleep.

Ds called. I nagged him to mail his sister's student card.

Dd put on facebook that she's been emailing and phoning all the daycares within an hour on transit in order to do an observation assignment and had no luck. I asked if she remembered the daycare at Faith Lutheran Church (across the park from her place.) Answer back: I'm only looking for a secular day care. That is irritating me so much. First, I believe it is a secular daycare, it is just in a church because their mission is to help community and the community needs daycare. Secondly, she's observing for an hour. Does she really think she'll be tarred and feathered for not believing in God while setting foot in a daycare on church property or that they'll spend that time trying to convert her? I bet they let Sikh, Muslim and Jewish people come in to observe as well. How bigoted does she think mainline Christian communities are, and how bigoted is she to not bother to learn anything about them but make assumptions instead?

[BookSaver]

Hello, villagers ~
Kathryn ~ Hooray for good report from the doctor!
Okay ~ Storm Yikes!

Ugh. Unless there is a disputed amount in the future, today was the last time I'll pay the property taxes in person. They finished remodeling the building so now it is beautiful and easy to navigate inside. Unfortunately, I did not think it possible, but the condition of the roads, traffic patterns, road construction, and state of the parking lot are all worse. Ugh.

Stopped at IHOP for lunch and had coffee, turkey bacon, eggs over hard, and whole wheat crepes with fresh blueberries. So good! Usually crepes are much too sweet for my taste, but these were perfect.

Then went to WM and found everything on my list that I couldn't get last week at other stores. I had let the cupboards and freezer get rather bare, and now they are back to full.

Chili is almost ready for supper.

Tonight I need to get back into the library group's financial stuff. Tomorrow morning I will need to make a bank deposit for them.

Oh, you gals are brave to venture into the man caves! I have helped DH clean his several times in the past, but a couple of years ago I decided enough was enough. I don't cause any of the mess in that room, and he doesn't help clean any of the rest of the house. The most I will do these days is to gingerly walk in every now and then to retrieve dirty dishes and throw away obvious trash like empty snack bags. I've learned to put on blinders when I walk past to go to the laundry room.

Grrr! another robot phone call leaving a message on our machine! The political calls started way early here in Iowa, in fact weeks ago. I read in the paper that when people vote early via absentee ballot, that stops the calls. We've always voted in person because it's kind of fun to go see people at the polling place, but this is annoying enough that I'm seriously considering the absentee ballot. We're getting 2-3 calls every day. That doesn't count the hang-ups from live callers who won't leave a message.

[Kathryn-in-Canada]

We get about 4 calls a day that are telemarketers. In fact my answering message now says that if you are a real person, we'd love to hear from you and please leave a message - if you are not a real person, don't. And we are on the Do Not Call Registry. I can't imagine how bad it must be for you - with all that extra SuperPac money floating around, they literally have it to burn so I can't see the calls going away for you folks.

We have rotary dial phone service so can't have call display on the house phone (the business phone does) so when I get really frustrated, I put the answering machine on call screening.

[Harmony]

We're getting all those calls too. Another swing state. We're on the do not call list, but it doesn't appear to help much. All you have to do is make one internet inquiry etc. and you're free game for them to keep calling, them and their associates, and sister companies. I made the mistake of googling to find health insurance one time. We get loads of insurance calls now. Plus the political stuff. And we don't have number display, and because it's a business we have to answer. Thus, my angst with the phone.

OKay, I loved your story. I hope you are able to retrieve your stuff and most of it will be undamaged. Great to get rain too. You think you could send me some of your optimism?

Harriet, that dream was precious. I think the dr. didn't have much to say to you because you were there just doing what you normally do, supporting, helping, being helpful, offering advice, just being a friend. I think you're psychic!

I didn't get out today because I was all bummed out after all the phone calls this afternoon. I didn't say here what was the problem, but I guess it's ok because it's very common. I have hypothyroid. The feel tired kind. Hopefully I will feel better when I take something. I have a new-to-me doctor (gulp!) and an appointment for next week, Wednesday.

Kathryn, I'm very happy to see you can travel and are recovering. I wonder if you will ever find out what caused all this.

Gotta run and clean up kitchen and make lunches.

[Ivy]

Kathryn, It sounds like you got good news and a good rest today, too. That's GR8!

OKay, You're lucky to get rain!

Harriet, Your dream sure was cute.

BookSaver, Do you save books, hence your user name? I have tons of books.

MysteryWoman, I was going to ask if it was an ice rink, for skating? Or hockey?

Waving hello to Elizabeth and to Dee, too!

Nancy, Sorry about missing that 2nd knitting show. Yes, #1 show is good you didn't miss it. Your chicken book sounds interesting.

I took a 1 1/4 hour nap this morning, felt better, but not energetic today. Did manage to donate more clothes to the bags, got my weekly meds fixed, sorted the mail. I paid $25 to a pal for a $20 packet of sticker sheets, 2 sets of cards, sheets of computer paper, and was so IMPRESSED AND HAPPY with everything! I need to write her a great big thank you! It was a highlight of the day.

My kitty cat catches mice, but she lets them "go" so she can chase them down again, sort of playing with it. The mouse is hiding in the utility room, behind my washer, which is also the same room where our cat sleeps at night. It's a large room, with food, water, toys, bed, etc... Last night, the mouse was brought to the great room, DH put on his welding gloves, to catch the mouse and put it outdoors. The cat let it go. I was flossing my teeth in the recliner with my feet up, the mouse ran in under the recliner where I was sitting, and this was all going on while we were trying to watch new season shows. The mouse traps that DH got, which are under the main bathroom sink, where they get in, don't work. He's going to the store tomorrow, will see if he can find a better trap or 2, because the cat's not working right. I guess all that excitement led me to bed early, and I've been tired all day. I wish there wasn't a mouse in the house. Our house is only 8 years old, but it's in the country. I love the country; hate the mice. I'm so scared they'll get into my yarn and have babies.

Everyone, have a great night. Sorry about my mouse story. It's "bugging" me!

[MysteryWoman]

Back from hockey; had dinner -- decided on a stir-fry.

dd is still working on her homework; if she spent half as much time working on her HW as she does avoiding it, she'd have been done long ago.

Oh, my! We're watching the Browns game, and it looks like Josh Cribbs was knocked cold -- he was hit from both sides darn near simultaneously; the hit from one side knocked his helmet off, and the hit from the other side knocked him down. Thank heavens -- he seems to be OK.

I should probably start a load of wash -- never got one started today, and I think dd may need something for school tomorrow. I don't dare ask her, or she'll leave her homework, go upstairs, and not be seen for half an hour.

Sounds like my misery at too many political calls has company. I feel sorry for Harmony, especially, who must answer them all.

Sounds like the zeal of a convert, Kathryn, even if a convert to nonbelief.

Both my girls play hockey, Ivy. (Yes, that would be a hockey scoreboard in my avatar.) dd still plays for our local program; DH is an assistant coach for her team, and I am the team manager. DD ended up leaving our local program for another nearby program last year, when our program didn't have enough for a second team (DD being very much a second-team player), but the other program did. This year, neither had enough players for a second team in her age bracket, so we've ended up with a girls' program (one of only two in the area). I think we singlehandedly caused the mild winter here last year by attempting to build a rink in our yard -- the ice was solid enough to skate on only two days all winter, and one of those days, we were gone all day at away games.

dd is finally done with her math, which I think is the only part of her homework that is due tomorrow. She's not going to like having to do homework on the weekend, but unless she changes her tune rather quickly, I think that's what she's going to end up doing.

OK, laundry!

[Ivy]

Wow! MysteryWoman, It's awesome your DD's play hockey! I have a grandson who played when he was younger, but then it got too expensive and the schedule was hectic with 2 divorced career parents, so he stopped.

Oh! I need to check my laundry basket! At least I can get it sorted out tonight to plan on doing it tomorrow. I didn't want to hear it today. Napped, etc...

We're not getting political calls here, but get an occasional telemarketer who says something about lowering credit card bills. Occasionally on the evening news it talks about scams like this though. /color]

[Kathryn-in-Canada]

Long evening. Dishes haven't been washed up yet because I spent it on the the phone and internet. I called my music friend, my senior friend and my sister. Plus I booked the hotels for Nova Scotia. Our usual one for 3 days and then the free night dh won for our last night. That includes an executive suite room, plus dinner and breakfast for two, about a $250 value.

My sister is thinking she'll stay at the second hotel the whole time because she likes it and doesn't worry about money like I do. Not because she shouldn't, just because she isn't a tightwad like I am. The first hotel if $80 a night including breakfast, the second is $140, not including breakfast. And the first has better views and closer to the ferry if I want to take it to Halifax. She claims she can walk to the ferry too, and she can, but I won't be strong enough to walk that far by then.

I'll wait until the weekend to book all my air flights, although I might book the second one tomorrow since I need to be on the same plane as dh and it is cheap right now. I suspect there will be a Canadian Thanksgiving sale of some sort next week, so will chance it and wait for a cheaper flight on the way down. The timing of the flights is poor for me on the way down. Not great on the way back but I have no one to blame but myself because I told dh to take the 5:20 flight, thinking I'd be up from my nap at 3. Forgetting we'll have to be out of the hotel at noon.

[helia]

Full day - good day. I did take a wee nap this afternoon, for about 20 minutes. I didn't feel too great afterward, though. I managed to get living areas picked up, island hot spot cleared - although right now, there are already several items sitting on it again (it is a true hotspot, just begging for stuff to be left on it. . . ), did a quick vacuum of living areas, jogged with dh - 3 miles at a slower time than last time I clocked myself, helped dh pull together dinner: pasta w/ shrimp in cream sauce, mini-baguettes, salad. Dfriend A came over. After the kitchen was cleaned up, I took care of the lol, which is folded and put away. Then, everyone but me helped dd14 finish the flower cupcakes for dfriend S. They came out super cute, petals made out of mini-marshmallows cut in half diagonally and covered in colored sprinkles, which dd14 had to make herself b/c we don't have any sprinkles in the house. (She just mixed sugar and food coloring.) I took a photo; maybe I'll post somewhere. Then, we all, including dfriend A, trooped over to S and R's house to sing happy bday and give her the cupcakes. Her parents are visiting; we ate cupcakes and chatted for a while and then came home.

I skimmed and am happy for the good report from Kathryn's Dr.! Also, ((Harriet's dd14)). Old wound? Or just 2nd injury in the same place? Or maybe the distinction isn't that clear. I hope she heals quickly.

Not many political calls here either, thank goodness; I tend to not pick up the phone if I don't recognize the name/number on the caller i.d. I think we're on a no-call list too -- not sure if we're supposed to renew at some point?

I'm tired. Jogging usually makes me tired. I think I'm going to call it a day and go to bed. Tomorrow, is a busier day for me: WW meeting, 2 Dr. appts. (one for each girl 1:40 apart; perhaps bad planning on my part), I need to go to the high school to finish the band uniform project. The woman in charge of uniforms will be there at 12:30, so I'll aim to show up then. And now dh wants to meet me for coffee too. . . . I still have things on my weekly list that I need to finish.

G'night SHEs! Good morning Lynlee!

[Harriet]

I'm so amused - I just read in The Decluttered Home that Ivy was surprised. She said something like "I didn't know there were mice over here, too". This was because I had just responded to blessed finding some mouse damage in a box, without knowing Ivy had her own mouse story in PWYC. I'll repost here for Ivy's sake and ALL of us.

Mice - don't be embarrassed. Remember, in theory, there is no human who is more than a matter of feet from a mouse, assuming they do not live at some astonishing place like the Arctic, or at some place where rats have taken over from the mice (Londoners sometimes complain of this and WISH they had mice back). I've read that we are all kidding ourselves if we don't think mice know the cubbies, inner walls, attics and underneath of ALL our houses quite well, the cabin or the castle. So we do our best and accept that sometimes we will have damage, no matter how hard we try for tight construction or perfect housekeeping. It's all good.


helia - "maybe the distinction isn't that clear" - yep, that one. Sigh. How fun to make flower cupcakes! Post a photo in Creative Home if you get a chance. Your daughters are so full of ideas! Good job on the jogging. (no offence on the rats comment - individually adorable of course )

Man caves - kinda bad here. I was a little embarrassed when HRH's brother brought darling niece upstairs with him to hang out and instead of the usual guy visitor in a chair she was on the carpeted floor playing near all the computer furniture and paraphenalia - it didn't look so clean all of a sudden when the visitor was a little girl. Aunt Harriet better take over a bit in those spots, 'cause I don't think Uncle HRH sees his own "realm" clearly.