Having a surprise zoom birthday party for my oldest stepdaughter shortly.

Putting mirrored window tint on my son's west facing windows to help make the house more energy efficient.

JAS, how was the birthday party?

The seed shop that I did is an ongoing project. Today, I picked up 50 packages of flower seeds that I will get reimbursed for, and pay my credit card minimum to boot.

It was really strange. Easter zoom was great, but this was different. I think the major dynamic is that the ex-wife and her new husband were on the zoom, and my MIL can't stand her especially. My husband isn't a big fan, either. I am indifferent, though the kids also seem more chatty and giggly when it's just our side of the family. It just seemed tense like no one could loosen up, and it was awkward.

Good luck with the seeds!

This weekend a state-wide organization I belong to had a business meeting that should have happened halfway across the state. The meeting got converted to Zoom-from 10-5 today with an hour break for lunch (and tomorrow from 1-3). I appreciated sleeping in my own bed, but am not a fan of sitting in front of a computer for so many hours. And I'm the treasurer, so I'll have to pay attention the whole time!

Going for a walk with my sister since it's going to be 72 today. Staying out of the park since it will be crowded, we will just walk the backroads instead.

Satsang via zoom and then I planted some of my tomato seedlings in pots and did some various other yard duties. A couple of trips to the attic and made dinner.

Early job was a little late. I should clean something and sort something. I will watch movies and relax.

*eta*

No 'dat. I have PM's and will read those a few at a time. Apologies for not reading them in a timely manner.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/03/2020 02:28PM by Shop-et-al.

Going walking on the backroads again this afternoon. We have been doing about 2.3 miles a day, I would like to increase that slowly but my sister seems reluctant. I guess I can always go later again by myself.

Picked up a fresh container of Gorilla glue the other day so today is gluing and clamping additional shelf supports to heavily loaded bookshelves and doing lots of small repairs that have been accumulating. I've always found that glue is best within a week of the container being opened--no matter how carefully I clean the dispenser tip and close it up and store it--so now is the time to get those little repairs all caught up.

I'm making about 20 trips to the attic. After reading many articles about the next wave of covid coming in August, supply chain breakdown and why the prices of paper products will be increasing by 10%, I have decided to stock a years supply of those things in the attic. There is just no reason not to, and then I won't have to worry about it anymore at least for a year. I have already gotten in a lot of stuff so today to the attic goes 24 mega rolls of paper towels, 30 boxes of kleenex, and 4 packages of TP. I also have a crib to move there, 10 boxes of paperwork and books, and a couple of trips worth of random stuff. I want to get as much done as I can before it gets hot because it's unimaginably hot in the summer up there. Thankfully there is plenty of room there . We haven't put much stuff there over the years but it's sure been collecting down here. My current wife is a pack rat so to the attic it goes.

How is the search for a new-to-you house going, CQ ?

Well someone was willing to pay more than the house we wanted was worth. So we looked around and didn't find anything else that looked viable. We expect the housing market will crash at some point so we decided to wait and look at that time. In the past few years we have been so busy trying to keep our heads above water that our current house has become a messy disorganized pit. Ann is still working hard but I suddenly have a lot of time I didn't used to have, so I am working on making it nice again. I am just one pudgy middle aged woman but I just do what i can and there are already some bright spots coming along nicely. We will also put a little money into making the second floor more viable for her. Multiple trips up and down aren't an option for her like they are for me, but we do have a sink and a fridge up there. I will put an ice maker and we will get her a desktop for the second floor so she will be able to be comfortable and work, whichever floor she is on. Our dryer went out (it is upstairs) and one of my main problems is that without one I can't keep up with the laundry. I have drying racks but they are far from adequate. Getting a new washer/dryer installed isn't an option while social distancing. I discovered they have electric dryers that don't require venting so I'm thinking about getting one of those but I need to do more research.

CQ, I'm so sorry you lost the house you liked!

I did a wine run yesterday. They were out of my favorite Bota Box red, but they had plenty of my favorite chard. I asked the cashier to fire the distributor. Dude said that since everyone around the country is home and drinking more, they can't get the red.

Now, I have to venture out to find it.

Honny,
My local store told me that all Bola Box wines are in short supply. Try looking at all of the area's total Wine locations on line. You can order on line and do curbside pick-up. Recently the Braddock Road VA location was showing the Bola reds in stock. That would be a fairly short drive for you, I think. There is soooo little traffic on the roads that the small amount of city that you would traverse should be really easy.
enjoy !

Something better will come along for a better price when it's the right time, I am sure.

@CoffeeQueen wrote:

Well someone was willing to pay more than the house we wanted was worth. So we looked around and didn't find anything else that looked viable. We expect the housing market will crash at some point so we decided to wait and look at that time.

No one liked your post, because your store ran out of your red wine. We don't like that. Wales had a good suggestion though. I wish you lived closer, I would drive over and leave some on your doorstep.

@HonnyBrown wrote:

CQ, I'm so sorry you lost the house you liked!

I did a wine run yesterday. They were out of my favorite Bota Box red, but they had plenty of my favorite chard. I asked the cashier to fire the distributor. Dude said that since everyone around the country is home and drinking more, they can't get the red.

Now, I have to venture out to find it.

I sewed squares of cotton into napkins because SOME folks are hording paper goods and paper napkins are out of stock at the grocery stores I shop.

CQ if you are storing packages of items in an attic---take them out of plastic wrap that will melt in the summer heat.

Early last Spring I did a store reset at a Family Dollar. They were discontinuing all of their Vanity Fair paper dinner napkins, you know, the really nice thick ones that are 40 to a package. The store manager discounted them to $1 a package. I bought 20 packages because they are usually $2.50-$3 a package. Guess I am a hoarder, LOL.

It wasn't me. I don't buy napkins. I bought a bunch of really nice unbleached muslin ones a few years ago on clearance and have used them ever since. I am really careful with my hoarding. I've been buying from Amazon and I only buy one item at a time. Of course the items are very large, like a pack of 24 rolls of TP, but I will only buy one so that there is plenty for everyone else.
Thanks for the tip. We spent a fortune to insulate our attic with expensive soy foam insulation. So while it's hot for a human, anything that doesn't need to breathe won't melt.

@Rho* wrote:

I sewed squares of cotton into napkins because SOME folks are hording paper goods and paper napkins are out of stock at the grocery stores I shop.

CQ if you are storing packages of items in an attic---take them out of plastic wrap that will melt in the summer heat.

I understand. And wales gave me an excellent idea because I forgot about Total Wines! The one that I normally go to is out, but it's available at other locations.

I love my chardonnay, but I do miss my red!

@JASFLALMT wrote:

No one liked your post, because your store ran out of your red wine. We don't like that. Wales had a good suggestion though. I wish you lived closer, I would drive over and leave some on your doorstep.

@HonnyBrown wrote:

CQ, I'm so sorry you lost the house you liked!

I did a wine run yesterday. They were out of my favorite Bota Box red, but they had plenty of my favorite chard. I asked the cashier to fire the distributor. Dude said that since everyone around the country is home and drinking more, they can't get the red.

Now, I have to venture out to find it.

Today I went and picked up a few groceries. I did this order with Kroger to take advantage of some coupons. So much stuff was not in stock that (as usual) I have to come home and place another one with Walmart to get the things Kroger didn't have. Oh well. I got the cold stuff cleaned up and in the fridge and now I'm going to have lunch and then start weed eating. The fence line is about a foot high where the mower doesn't reach. That should take care of the rest of the day.
In other news my clematis is blooming gloriously as are my azaleas.

In my wonderment about the city I visited, I forgot to look for a replacement (bigger badder better) microwave. *oops* But in my defense, I just had to look around, see people and things, and find an available restroom. (This was a 3-hr. round trip on the road, after all!) This town is mask-mandated, but not all open places had signs that specifically stated this legal condition. Some posted signs with a thanks for wearing a mask, and one place handed out masks to people who otherwise would have been turned away and barred from entering the store. At one place, I suspected a few people of mystery shopping on a compliance gig. They looked sheepish, pled through puppy dog eyes, and delivered a glib patter.... they were so sorry! they ran out of masks; their dog peed on their bandana; the spouse tried to buy some; masks are in the other car, etc. They were given a polite explanation and a gentle reminder that next time, they must wear a mask in order to comply with the mask mandate. Or, maybe I just have mystery shopping on the brain! Anyway..... I need to spend more time on the forum starting tomorrow. Or the next day. ?

I received a letter from the IRS one day last week. I opened it today. It was a letter from the President telling us about the stimulus check.

The reason I waited so long to open it is because ex has major issues with the IRS. He frequently has mail delivered here.

You moved, he never lived where you live now, but his mail followed you and not him. Ugh.

I have four projects today. That's it!

This leaves time for a longer workout and a book.

JAS, we filed jointly one year. I filed to have a separation of our taxes. His IRS mail gets delivered here for some reason, probably because they can't find him. He's good at staying off the grid, or so he thinks.

I guess better that his mail shows up than him.

I found my wine yesterday.

Verizon's offer of free Showtime ended yesterday just as I was about to start Season 5 of Homeland. I signed up for a 30 day trial, so that will allow me to finish the series.

I knew you would get hooked!