Ain't it grand

First pedi in 4 and 1/2 months.

At a private salon with no one else in the room but me and Meghan. And she did a great job.

I am still not ready to go out for much. No restaurants, just not ready. Maybe shopping soon, maybe not.

I received an email from the Dewbury in Charleston that they are opening back up. I have been debating on trying Charleston or going back to Savannah for our fall trip, if we have one. Can't plan on seeing the girl as really nothing can be planned now and not seeing her hurts too much.

Big Daddy is in second round of the cleansing and disinfecting contact implants to prepare for the cataract surgery. That surgery starts in mid July.

Well it has been a while.

The furnace got fixed and then we lost power. For a few days.

Teeth got cleaned and no harm was done.

Big Daddy needs work done from the chemo and we lost power when he was supposed to in for the fix.

We got the downed tree limbs pulled around front and there they sit at the curb. Our limbs are nothing to the huge trees downed in our little city.

Update: Hate the new format, including that the pic is now at the bottom. Still have broken limbs outside. Still have Comcast going out almost every day.

Now the hot water tank died. One good thing about this BLog I can go back and check on when I last put in a water tank. January 2010. Three Grand. Then there was a problem with the city later and they refunded 1500.00 WTF. 

Too damn cute

Wow more that 30 years ago. Such a cutie.

Teeth cleaning during the Covid 19

Just a little Sancerre

So in 2012 I had a new furnace put in thinking that would be the end of my heating and cooling problems. Hah. The fan seems to be broken. And right now it won't cool and in a couple days I am gonna be bitching because it will be too cold. Oh fiddlesticks.

I am going to get my teeth cleaned on Monday. I think it is odd I have been told not to leave my house for quite some time and now I am getting my teeth cleaned. Hmmm. I have only made the one trip out since March 2 and I am not sure about all this. I am also getting a laser treatment for TMJ, we will see but I guarantee I have been grinding my ass off. I meant teeth. Grinding my teeth off.

My mom announced she is not coming back north. And she is getting new doctors. I wonder how long this will last and how fucked up this will get. Not gonna worry about it now. It is going into the rainy season down there.

Big Daddy is getting his teeth cleaned the following week and we know he needs some extra work due to the chemo, it was not kind to his teeth. Then he is supposed to go back to work but Gretchen keeps putting that off.

Oh, just in case you were wondering the last thing she said, on television, was that when her husband asked if being married to the Governor would get his boat on the water faster---he was joking.

An Immodium Story or diarrhea is no fun

Our Dinner At Antoines

There are lots of people with diarrhea. All of those people are pissed off at the makers of Imodium and the secondary sellers of said product. Why do you ask, well let me tell you. Those asshats packaged their tiny little ass pills in a sorry blister pack that no one can open. Don't believe me, google it. The stories will make you sob. People with shit running all over themselves and they cannot open the blister packs to save their ass. IF you get my drift.

OK, just back had to take a break. Yep, in the bathroom.

Big Daddy and I both live on Imodium. I have IBS and BD has a sliced and diced anus from cancer. I go between serious and not and BD is a regular user, at least every day. We know our Imodium. The first time BD brought home the blister pack I told him, dude that will never work in your lifetime. You cannot get that damn thing open ever, and especially in the stall at the Sky Club when you really need it. So when life proved me right we sat down and cut all those damn blisters open with scissors and BD swore to never buy them again.

And then this happened. There are only blister packs available in the stores. And on line. The only thing the clerk could figure is that the manufacturers figured out no one would buy that shit and now with all of us cut off at our knees and Gretchen keeping us locked up at home they are gonna get rid of those fucking blister packs. Yep, that is all that is available.

Those bastards.

So we got the scissors back out and cut up the blisters. Fie on you bastards.

And Gretchen said her husband was only joking when he asked if he got special privileges cos he was married to the jailer. Yea, right.

People need to lose weight and celebs could help dammit

Gross picture of freezing warts. I had these tiny warts, I did not know what they were, and they irritated me. I was always playing and scratching and just could not leave them alone. Finally I went to the dermatologist and she froze them. It hurt like the dickens for a long time. A long time. 

Well yesterday I went out for the first time since March 2. I drove Big Daddy to the eye surgeon to have his cataracts looked at. This was about a 30 minute drive with no traffic and we had the first appointment of the day. It was a beautiful day, 55 degrees and bright sunshine. Parking lot was wide open with only a few cars for staff here and there. I parked kinda back and in the middle so I could see the entry day but away from the few cars. No need to get too close to anyone. 

Now one of the things they are telling us is that we could use some sunshine. And some exercise. And stay the hell away from each other. 

So with my wide open view I watched everyone who came after me vie and struggle to get in the front row closest to the door. Parking was tight, so tight many had to try a few times to get into their tiny slot. As they shuffled in, and I am not kidding no one walked with purpose or ease-actually some of them seemed to be stiff and not used to walking-I noticed every one of them was overweight. The very thing that is the worst for Covid 19 survival. None of these people were obese, just too much fat.

I think the needed change is going to take more that just lip service. Everyone had on masks and gloves. But parking close is ingrained. Walking is not. Getting in quick, not enjoying the sunshine and pretty weather. Cramming into the first row instead of spreading out. Maybe the celebs should do some PSAs on this stuff. 

Although I must say as you had to go in, check in and go back out to your car to wait at least they had to walk the little short distance twice. And bang each others car doors twice. And we will talk about those nasty gloves next time. 

Cat Harnesses

New Orleans pics before Katrina. The last one is at Antoine's Restaurant.

Big Daddy is set to go back to work on June 1. We will see. 

We are having steak on the grill for dinner, I am hopeful I can eat. My reflux is getting really out of hand.

I need to get back to reading the highly sensitive books. I am no longer in contact with my mom, she really wants my brother and his family to be ---damn I don't know what she wants but she wants it to be them. We are only supposed to take care of her and keep our thoughts to ourselves. We voted out for now.

I have found a cat harness that I think may work. BD is in charge of checking this out and purchasing this. I will get back to you on this.

The Navajos versus the homeless during Covid-19

Still alive.

So I saw an article in the Washington Post about how horrible it is the way the Navajo tribe lives without proper water or sewage in this time of Covid-19.

The tribes of many nations have lived this way since the Trail of Tears. No one has really rallied to help people on the reservations. No one has helped when the Native American Tribes were pillaged by the gambling creepos and signed them into contract that gained no monies for the people who did not have a clue they were being screwed. And no one stepped up to help with any of the problems in the past.

So it seems we are still gonna let the homeless lay in the streets during Covid-19 but we are now gonna feel bad that the reservations still don't have decent places to wash their hands since 1832.

As if feeling bad is really going to help with either one of these problems. Seems that is all most Norte Americanos are good at, feeling bad about shit.

Where did we go so wrong?

Missing Sam Walton or his kids suck

My Granddaughter the artist

I remember when I discovered Walmart. It was down south, Mississippi I think and it had the most interesting stuff. And it was all made in the USA. It was the best store ever. And then his kids took over and it was worse than KMart, dirtier than KMart and the people were all nasty and filthy and scary.

WTF. It seemed to happen overnight. That is why KMart closed, all the people went to Walmart so they did not have to dress up. It is just nasty.

And Sam's Club, don't get me started, who the hell goes there? No, no, no. It makes me itchy just to think about that store. My sister-in-law the queen went there and I was just appalled that she brought that nasty shit in her house, you knew people were peeing on that stuff out back. And don't tell me that does not happen because I used to have to go review auto parts that people peed on and those fuckers actually kept the containers of pee for me to review. And you people wonder why I drink.

Anyhoo, the moral of this story is do all the people who buy from Walmart and Amazon, who get their shit from China, realize that they are the ones causing extreme climate change because China does not worry about that EPA garbage. People, all you did was transfer your responsibilities to people who do not have toilets and running water.

Yep in a bad mood today. 

Bless her heart

I make menus so we shop within reason. Big Daddy is known to go overboard so I try and help him, plus he gets tired of thinking up stuff to cook. So my new thing is to cook from a different cookbook each week. This is French week. Two different cookbooks but all Francais.

Last night was roast chicken. It was delish. You roast it with a piece or so of bread on the bottom of the pan and set the chicken on the bread. The bread itself comes out crispy and chicken flavored, just perfect. The cook gets this special tidbit.

Also lots of lentils, soups and salads. With slivered red onions. Delish.

I am also taking care of the old folks in Florida, my mom and her cohorts. Mostly I am trying to keep my mom away from them. She is in quarantine caused she did not follow the rules. One of her buds thought her air conditioner was making a strange noise at 2 AM and she could not get it to shut off. So she called 911. Bless her heart, they told her to pull the breakers.

Jolene, please come get this asshat

Lily dog is crying for her cookies.

Fed ex destroyed the box and sent it back to me. It was not that bad, they should have called and I would have sent it on. Now it is repacked and on its second journey to Florida. This is not the way it was shipped and I now have spent a fortune to send some dog cookies BFE, Florida.

Well the garbage people are not wearing masks, not staying 6 feet apart and are high-fiving each other. WTF is there to high five about garbage.

Big Daddy finally got some dirt. He is happy. He washed my front window, I am happy.

So Gretchen, the GOV has shut us down to the end of May and the legislature is gonna sue her. And all the farmer's markets are opening this month but I think it is illegal to shop at them. Gretch keeps saying she is saving lives but that was never the point, the point was not to overwhelm the hospitals. If I have to stay in the house until the virus is gone or there is a vaccine I could be here a damn long time.

And Dolly Parton is wrong, if BD doesn't quit trying to piss me off I am gonna pay Jolene to come get his ass.

Michigan Beer

Lenten Rose from my yard.

Big Daddy had a Zoom meeting with 3000 participants. Nancy Pelosi cannot get Congress on line.

My yard got mowed today, good thing our Governor is now drinking beer. Michigan beer not Canadian beer. It is on You Tube.

Covid-19 or what doesn't kill us makes us stronger

Me in front of the clock tower in Graz, Austria. Yes it was cold.

I will never forget when I got on the plane. There were 13 windows and I was in seat 13. I was not a happy camper to get on this shit little airplane in the dreary weather, I was not yet a good flyer. When the rattletrap took to the skies and broke through the clouds and I could see the tops of the Alps in the sunshine I was thrilled to see such a beautiful sight. I flew from Vienna to Graz in amazement.

Well now I am gonna bitch, first to all the asshats that take the whole family shopping on the weekends to Trader Joe's. You are so damn lucky I am the one staying at home during the lockdown. If I had to stand in line and wait for you and your spouse and the kids to exit the store I would be calling the damn Governor and telling that witch to get her ass over here and take care of this shit. This is not the time to be "those people". If I can't buy a gallon of paint you don't need to be bringing all your snotty ass kids to the store. Got it?

I am seeing a huge amount of people on Facebook whining about this virus and lockdown. All seem to be in their twenties. I am gonna say this one time. There is a reason they say only the strong survive. If this nonsense is gonna do you in, well you need to get help. This is nothing, it is irritating, it is boring and yes it is killing people. If you work in hospitals you see people die every day. If you are a mom you see new messes every day. If you are over twenty you know there is way worse shit out there and you will probably see it close up and personal at some point. Quit whining. Life is not fair. As the over used phrase says-put on your big girl/boy panties and get on with it, whatever you have to do.

If you need to hide, go hide, get help. The rest of us have shit to do.

Gotta have a plan

Oh my gosh, a wine cellar in Austria in the winter. Yes it was cold and yes that is my glass. Kidding.

Trying to get unbored. Trying to get Big Daddy on a schedule. I am just in the rut and can't seem to get out. BD needs a firm schedule or he just wanders about. After I finish this I am forcing myself to do one damn thing that is important. Just one.

I am planning a trip for when this is over. Don't care how long it takes someday we will again go on a pleasure trip. I have picked Charleston, SC. We have never been, they have a lot of history to explore, great food and a nice sounding hotel, The Dewberry.

There are great houses to explore in town but one outside of town, a plantation house intriques me. It is called Drayton Hall and it is currently being restored. It was never restored in the past and seems to have hosted both the original owners family and the freed slaves at least until the 1970's. It is a Palladian style home and I know nothing of architecture so I am investigating this. Something to do. And I must find out what a cooper is, or was.

Lockdown update

Hyacinths after the snow and freezing temps.

Yes it has been cold here, snowing and blowing. Today in the mid 40's and then in the 50's more or less for the next week.

Big Daddy had the big conference call and his company and job are in great shape, for now. Should be re-opening soon as the car companies are talking and working that way. They can't run without car parts. And Big Daddy makes car parts.

Our landscaping dude is having fits as he can't do shit. And even if he did there is no disposing of the flora crap. I am just glad he and we do not own a boat. And I am wondering what the hell the parks are gonna do about the boat slip fees. No one is gonna pay for putting there boat in a place they can't use. Of course, first you gotta get your boat out of storage. No one around here keeps their boat at home, it is pretty much prohibited to store that kinda stuff on private property unless it is in a structure. And you gotta have a decent size boat on these waters.

New rules, so we can tell the days apart we have coffee trays in bed on the weekend. And video cocktails with my mom on Friday and Saturday--then Sunday brunch. Gotta get it together as it is getting warm enough to think about going outside. again.

Anxiety

The main reason I go to the shrinkage or the Psychologist is very high anxiety. This causes acid reflux in me, which is currently very bad. So no peppers for me. Oh well.

I have been reading books on High Sensitivity, some say this also causes high anxiety. I think it does.

I always wonder why I can't be like others, those people that nothing seems to bother them. They shrug off stuff that would make me feel horrible. Things that would haunt me, some people do not even notice. I cannot understand that.

My IBS is about the same, my hives are about the same and my rosacea is about the same.

My mother has a dog walker. This guy that I am not sure of from which he came. He is older and his mom drives him around. Update: this is a week or so later, mom had to can the dog walker, he started getting too familiar. Asking for money out of turn, telling her he was making more elsewhere, shorting her on time. Well, we were discussing a nice way to get rid of him and the Florida Gov announced a lockdown and mom canned him on her own. Good woman.

I was going to volunteer at the Salvation Army food service then I investigated and it is recommended that with my Afib I do not get out and about. So I guess I will wait until this is easing up but I am really concerned about the homeless in this shit. No one is talking about them and they have to be the most vulnerable of us all. They have no where to shelter. They have no where to die. And no one is talking about this. Big Daddy says they are spraying the migrants in India down with bleach, and now just people on the street going for food are being sprayed with bleach. What have we become.

Surprise!!! There is nothing new.

Trying to blend in the grey with a toner. Hmmm.

Not so sure this home hair care method is going to be a big success. Nope, does not make me happy.

We have a new weekend routine, coffee in bed. I bought us a great tray, Big Daddy makes the coffee and hauls it upstairs on the snazzy tray, we turn on the crap news programs--make no mistake, they are all crap--and the cat joins in. So this morning mom calls me at 8 AM. I am still waking up and no coffee. Yes, in the past I used to get up at 4 to 4:30, today is new times. Her dog is itching and she can't sleep, her sister-in-law of the dead brother is losing her mind and she has not had her coffee. She has been up since 4. WTF, why did she not make coffee. She has one of those Keurig things, it is not hard.

We all agree that we do not quite believe the news or anyone working for the news, reporting the news or appearing on the news. Something about all this is just sketchy. Contrary to the NYT I do not know anyone who has died from Covid-19. I do not know anyone who is sick. I do not know anyone who knows anyone who is either of the above. What's up with that? And that includes people in 8 states and 5 countries. I don't get it. There is definitely some reason that some die and some do not and they gotta find out what that little factor is. Why are they dropping dead like crazy in NYC and Prince Charles is virtually unscathed, and the Prince is in the bad zone.

Is this some Chinese cluster or what.

And why is anyone surprised by 3M being dickwads, they have always been dickwads. Back in the day they were they worst to work with. Extra big egos and asshats to wear them.

We went to The Hill last night for takeout, they are still having 2 for one. We got a lovely bottle of Girard Chardonney for 25.00, their special burgers and fries with tomato soup for 38 bucks. Included tip. BYW this is a very nice white table cloth restaurant and BD told them to add the tip to the tab as it is 1 easier 2 cleaner 3 stops the non tipping assholes from skating. This week the tip was added. 

I must add we are very blessed. Plus the above mentioned this has not touched us, BD is working from home and receiving full pay and benes, son is the same and mom is good. Brother that lives in mom's house is at least rent free and his kids are all okay. Same for rest of the family. We are blessed.

Oldies

I still cannot get the damn phone to sync for new pics, so once an old one. When I was younger, thinner and in New Orleans.

This is why this will never work

Need way more wine for this shit.

Trying to talk to kids in Vermont. Not working as Internet sucks. Also trying to set all this shit up is a nightmare. This will never work in its current form.

By the way, have Apple TV The Morning Show for free right now on the Fire Stick and it was fabulous. Who knew Jennifer Aniston could really act.

Time for a good old fashioned rant

An old pic from an assembly plant smoking area.

This one is for the talking heads on TV saying how they are setting up assembly lines to make ventilators. No, that is not happening. They are gonna build that shit at the pilot plants with the pilot teams. That is because there are union contracts and the pilot plants are already set up for this. There are white collar engineers looking at the prints, logistics specialists getting the parts and then they will hand build these things in the cells at the pilot plants. It will be fine.

This one is for all the people concerned for the Instacart strike. Those people are Independent Contractors. I was a different type of Independent Contractor on my last job. The reason companies hire ICs is because they do not have to pay any benefits, only an hourly fee. The sticker is companies are not allowed to direct the work of ICs--they can only dictate outcomes. But because everyone in the House and Senate has no balls they get away with treating ICs like direct hires. That is why I quit, the guy I direct reported to wanted me to work for free answering calls and emails like the direct hires did. What a doofus. They also wanted certain forms filled out, databases kept up, meetings attended, things they were directing. Nope that is not what an IC does.

And these snowflakes all crying cause they have to give birth alone. Trust me you are not gonna be alone. There will be a host of people there, more that you will ever want to see.

I killed my month old cactus. I watered it once and it rotted.

Remember the expensive smelly shoes. There is a FB account of someone having one of her shoes stolen at a hotel. She is getting a police report.

And what about the nurse who is saying there are way more dead people from the Covid-19 than they are reporting. Where are all these unreported dead people. I would think they would have to handle these corpses a certain way due to contamination? 

Shrinking on the phone

Gee I gotta take some new pics. This is the snow globe Big Daddy brought home from the Paris airport for Curly. She loves all things French and this came with a small doll named Francoise. Curly said Francoise loves hamburgers.

Well the shrinking on the phone went about as well as I thought it would, mostly shitty. Next we will try video on the phone. Can't wait. The only thing interesting was that people are currently building up anti-bodies and this must continue later. Why is she the only one talking about this. It is not like we can infect people a few at a time.

And can someone tell me who is really in charge of making a stockpile of stuff for the hospitals. FEMA has been awful since Katrina and I don't know that it improved. Then the put FEMA and TSA under the same group and we all know TSA has never been a prize. And I thought the state governments were supposed to know how much stuff they needed and had. Does no one know how to do an audit?

Ordered my mom's stuff from Publix for delivery again and they had most everything but the sanitary wipes for the bathroom. I wish I knew what all these people are doing in their bathrooms that requires all this immense stock of cleaning and wiping products. This is not right.

I found some haircolor online I am thinking about. I am really due for some work, the photo yesterday was not the most current.

Michigan on Lockdown

Ah yes, the making of the horseradish.

Well good ole Gretch, the gov, shut the state down today. Because people are not taking this seriously. She knows this because she saw pics of kids on beaches in Florida. No wait, it gets better. And these kids that don't take this seriously are getting sick more here--maybe Michigan maybe not she wasn't clear--because of the vaping. Yep, vaping and beaches is why Michigan needs to go on lockdown. I think it really may be because she really wants to be Joe's running mate.

We are gonna try a Walgreens order for mom but I have little hope there. I tried yesterday for a few things and they are just not available. No such stuff in the stores. Does not matter what Gretch, Trump and everybody says it is just not available.

Mom says to tell Gretch they did shut the beaches and the kids won't go home. That is a tough one. Have the National Guard haul them out, not a good look on the TV.

It snowed today, just enough to call it snow. Then back up to 57 on Wednesday.

At 5:30 Trump will be on TV with his report and everyone will be watching Dr. Fauci for his reactions. He is the big news, him and his reactions. Great TV. 

Enough of the depressing stuff, lets talk about my hair

Okay not a great photo, but look at the hair.

This is the beginning of going gray/grey. I prefer grey. This is much shorter than it is has been for awhile. When BD got sick with the cancer I grew my hair longer so I could just whip it up and not worry about fooling with it. I wore it that way for a few years. After BD was mom and again not fooling with the hair was great.

When I decided to bite the bullet and quit coloring I thought to myself "there is nothing more aging than long hanging grey hair. Looks like a hag from an Aesop Fable. Cannot do that. So we cut it and I like it shorter. So far the roots are not making me run for the hills. And this self quaratine keeps people from seeing this if it goes south. In desperation I found a hair color online I can do myself if things get bad. Of course we know that will be a disaster, but again in quarantine.

A few years ago my hairdresser and I tried a new color. It did not work. I wore a hat for one month. Been there done that on bad hair.

Just a Covid-19 Mishmash

My mom sent me her important papers. Stockbroker statements and foot therapy.

I do not feel great today. Considering I have not left the house for 11 days and when out stayed away and clean I should be fine. Big Daddy goes to work every day but he is clean and fine. Who knows. My temp is okay. I do tend to have allergy issues and we have been opening the windows at night. The newly renovated upstairs master suite--that sounds way better than reality--or maybe I am just being a bitch--tends to warm up and not cool down at night. I know the insulation is good and we put in a separate heat pump for the upstairs, it just does not cool down unless we open a window.

I have a new book, a real book with paper pages. The Day Ends At Dawn by David Fulmer. This is the newest Valentin St. Cyr mystery; the stories take place in New Orleans back in the day. Storyville and the start of the Jazz Era. I have read everyone of these books. Love them. He writes about other towns and characters but this is the one that caught on with me.

Skyped with my granddaughter today, it is a good thing she can get out and ride her bike or she would be going crazy. Child has huge energy and with no school she needs a lot of interaction. Her parents are great at this but everyone needs a break when all are locked up in the same house.

Talked to my mom and she is not all that happy but then again who is. BD is out shopping for whatever he can find. Trader Joe's is now limiting entry to a certain number of people. BD got cuts in line as he is using a cane. Don't forget he did not get all his physical therapy. He is keeping up but there is no replacement for the machines to help the muscles hold that knee in place.

Hopefully more tomorrow, and Oh yea the NTY Sunday puzzle was not a favorite but I finished in normal time. I still do the puzzle every day.

Living the Covid-19 life

Yea, you.

Well let us see what is up.

Mom went to the tax people and left off her documents. She could not stop herself from stopping at the bakery on the way home. Only 2 other people there. Her docs aren't right but the stockbroker is faxing papers and all should be good.

Big Daddy paid 1.41 for gas.

My mother's helper which is walking the dog seems to be wanting money more often and bringing the dog back sooner and sooner. He was supposed to be paid at the end of the week and now wants paid daily. And he is supposed to walk for 30 minutes and just can't make that time. Next week I need to get serious on watching this shit.

My shrink, I am sorry my Psychologist wants to do phone therapy. Not sure if I think this will be productive but I said I would give it a try.

Big Daddy is still working, they are still handing out hand sanitizer and life goes on.

Oh, and I filled out my US Census on line. Hope that worked out.

Yes, this kinda sucks

Bringing mom and the dog home to my house last July 4. Mom hates to fly, Lily had never flown and everything went fine. Flew first class, mom had breakfast and a movie and I had a Bloody Mary.

That trip was surreal. Her PA in Florida called me and said the doctor had reviewed her chart and wanted her in the hospital. Yea, the docs don't check the patients or their charts in a timely manner. As I had experienced Florida medicine before I was not going down that road. I called mom and told her after her needle biopsy on Wednesday I would be there, load her bags and dog and take her to Orlando to fly home to Michigan. She did not ask one question, just said okay.

So she went in and had the biopsy, finished packing, and Big Daddy and I arrived. I knew I could not do this alone. We packed the car and went to the breast clinic to pick up her records. This took one hour but the doctor was so nice and gave me his personal mobile number and said text if I can help. Best doctor in Florida.

Then we drove to Orlando, got rooms at the airport Holiday Inn and crashed. Fed mom and us and that was it. The next morning I loaded up the car, gave everyone a Dramamine and we were off. I dropped BD and mom at the curb and turned in the rental car. When I got to Delta First Class they were waiting and ready with the wheelchair and mom had TSA Precheck thanks to BD, or Mr. Diamond as he likes to call himself.

I was amazed how well this went. Only hiccup was I had to take Lily out of her crate and carry her through the machine. Well now, Lily had never before been in a crate and taking her out in the middle of TSA was kinda scary for me. She loved it, really loved it. Problem was at the other side I had to put her back in the crate all by myself. 'Cos of course I did not have the leash handy.

When we got to the gate I let BD go to the Sky Club as he was looking stressed. Everything was fine until we got back and BD had a problem getting the car back at Airlines Parking, they get shitty when you don't have your parking ticket. So from Tuesday's put her in the hospital, Wednesday's needle biopsy and Thursday's flight--Friday she was at my Internist and Monday at the Oncologist. What a trip.

As I predicted the UAW shut down the assembly plants.

New news everyone is unhappy with the "kids" not taking this seriously. HMMM.

Whats a little/lotta dirt

Present from Punkin Head. I love fountain pens.

Well the UAW is not happy about the state of dirt in the assembly plants. To say the least, neither was I.

Cleanliness was not their forte. There were times I hated to touch things. Once I did touch something and my hand came away completely black. No one cleaned what they did not have to and then not really thoroughly.

Once I was sitting in the cafeteria and I asked someone who washed the windows, they answer was a question back at me: Inside or Outside? The filthy inside windows were washed by the plant local, the outside was contracted to window washers. Same with the grass and trash, inside the fence or out. I remember the one hallway to downstairs by body shop, it smelled sour and disgusting because they never changed the water in the mop bucket nor did they clean the mop. I had housekeeping volunteering to--at this time contracted out-- show me pictures of how the workers left the restrooms, unbelievable and shocking even to me.

Once there was a major effort to clean up and maintain the office area and they had folks adopt areas. I went to the ladies and on the back of the door was a note taped up that said "if you sprinkle when you tinkle be a sweetie and wipe the seatie. I could not get past the start, this was in a professional environment.

So the fact that there was always a shortage of soap, hot water and working water should not be a surprise. In some plants people brought in soap from the dollar stores. And left notes begging people not to steal it.  It was reported yesterday some people walked off the job due to the water soap situation. After an intense negotiation management agreed to clean up the plants.

Really? It takes Covid-19 to get soap.

Self preservation or take care of your own damn self, if you can

Harbor across from the Hilton Hotel downtown St. Augustine, this was the view from my balcony. God I will miss Susie my dear friend who died this January. We were best friends since Sophomore year in high school.

This is not what I set out to write about but what the hell, it is what my fingers are typing. When Susie moved here she was so happy. Northern Michigan was not her friend, never had been really and when the economy went to shit she and her hubs had to declare bankruptcy on their jewelry store and they moved to St. Augustine. They had jobs, a trailer, friends and a pool. They were fine.

And they loved Florida.

We saw them when we could and Susie and I  were always on the phone, except when we weren't. She could be prickly and a bitch and I do not always have the patience of Job or whoever the Bible guy is. She got breast cancer around 2013, then a year or so later it metastasized to bone cancer. She was on chemo maintenance for around 6 years. I started noticing the last year she seemed not right. I was not sure if I was correct, if maybe the pain meds were taking a toll, the chemo was taking a toll or just what the fuck was wrong. And at first it was too little to talk about and later I did not know what to say to whom. Her sister-in-law was supposed to visit in October and I thought great, someone else to check.

That visit did not happen. Family problems and shit. When I took mom home in November we stopped and had breakfast with Susie. She seemed tightly wound but okay. She was driving and making sense. Just before Christmas she started telling me she was having problems. It had been over a year since I saw my granddaughter due to all mom's problems so I was not anxious to say ya, I can do this for you. I wanted to see my family.  She started falling down and I talked to her sister-in-law when we were certain she needed medical care. I was not the person on the decision list, I was only her friend of 50 years. Then she told me she had water on the brain. Then it got crazy, because when you are talking to someone that has a messed up brain things do not come out clearly.

Our last conversation was so strange and then they loaded her into the ambulance. And then she died.

January 17,2020. Her birthday was the 15th of January and she saw nothing of her cards and heys on FB.

 It was actually brain cancer. From the breast cancer. That is how it works, the breast cancer cells seem to just roam around and find a new place to settle in some people.

I had to tell her SIL that I was not sure if they would have a easy time finding her stuff as she was really sketchy the last year and I know for a fact could not find things. I told her to put some things in the freezer and who knew if she did. I wore a ring, pink sapphires in a black setting and she just loved it, could not stop talking about it. I said  she could wear it, I never saw it again, it disappeared into the void.

Oh, I forgot to mention the year before her husband  died of lung, liver and brain cancer after a short illness. None of this was easy.

And thinking back how much of what she told me was correct, when did the brain mass really start making her reality suspect? God I miss her.

 And I am so glad she is not going through this current bullshit.

It is all about Big Daddy's knee

One thing Curly and I agree on is sparkly shoes, she loves them and I buy them.

The end of February Big Daddy got his right knee replaced.

 A couple years ago he had the left one replaced and that was the worst one. It was terrible, the recovery was long and painful and nothing about it was pleasant. It was a real horror story. He was back to work in about 2 weeks and he should have stayed home longer.

He had the last surgery on a Thursday and was home Friday late afternoon. Not by choice but it worked out okay. He was planning to spend an extra day and his doctor wanted him gone. BD thinks it is his reputation, I burn em and turn em in 24 hours. I think it is because the hospital has gone downhill with the new owners and it is a cost save. The doctor and I almost had words and I think everyone in the joint knew we were not happy so they got us out of there fast. Which is what I wanted and my major complaint. When they were good the discharge was a hot mess. This one was unbelievable.

This hospital used to be the best and the downhill slide is hard to see. The volunteer in the surgery waiting room is having some sort of flirty relationship with a doctor, in the hall, away from her station and just waves people in--Go on in I will catch you later. Yea right. When they brought BD back to his room I was reading and he wanted his glasses and the TV. No TV thing. So about 20 minutes or so later a nurse comes in and starts loudly demanding to know how long BD had been there. She was furious, she is supposed to be contacted to sign off on the transfer. She was writing everyone up and one hot badass woman. Problem was I was her whipping boy and I don't work there. Then things went downhill.

So God was with us and I got him in the house without his falling on his ass. Our house is not user friendly for people with a walker and it was the coldest day of the year after a snow storm. This was Friday night. He cooked dinner. Monday he went to the eye doctor and picked up his glasses and went to the market. Friday he went to the doctor, took me to lunch and was back to work on Monday. This was a piece of cake.

Then Gov Gretchen Whitmer, not my favorite person, closed his Psychical Therapy Place Which is at his Doctors Office and ONLY used by his doctor's patients. This place is not Planet Fitness or Gold's Gym, (which she also closed) it is a damn place for surgery patients to rehab so the damn surgery does not fail. What is wrong with this asshat.

This is also the woman that wanted to add a 45 cent a gallon gas task to fix the damn roads. We already have the highest gas in the nation and she wants more and trust me the money for the roads never goes to the roads. Been there done that.

Oh and everyone in town is talking shit about the hospital.

My mom is dictating manicures

Lily dog watching for squirrels on the porch.

My mom is upset that people are not wearing their nails short. With all this hand washing she believes everyone should know that short nails make the most sense. And if you can't figure that out someone, like the government, should be telling you how to trim your nails.

Now I admit the long nails do make me queasy sometimes. Did you see the KUWTK show where Kim is saying she can't have long nails with the baby coming, something about diapers I think. The you see Khloe with the long nails and the baby and just cringe for awhile.

I mean really how do you get all that "feces" outta that kids butt with those long ass daggers and not get poop in there?

This also makes me queasy when I see it on waitstaff and the polish is chipped. If you don't notice the chipped polish how do notice whether the nails are clean or not? Especially the underneath. Yucko.

And there is no good substitute word for queasy.

Trader Joe's stripped to the barest shelves

Zoey cat was ecstatic when we finally let her go upstairs. The access doors were the last thing finished. Well in truth that hot mess will never be truly finished, it was what the asshats called finished.

So Big Daddy goes to TJ's and there is nothing but wine. I am okay with him getting the wine but damn we need some food too. There was a lady with crazed eyes and 3 carts, she was throwing everything she could touch into the carts. When she checked out she told them she was coming right back. WTF, that woman never ate canned hominy in her life and now she has a lifetime supply.

Village Market and Fresh Farms Market, the expensive stores did have things in stock. Village Market said there was a run on chicken but they were keeping up. This is really crazy town.

But gasoline at Costco was a buck 75. Yes, $1.75. Not too shabby, wonder how long Putin is gonna fight with MBS, or should I just call him BS.

Making plans for the future, am I alone

Darn I don't think my video works so this instead. She speaks in real life.

That is my Halloween witch. She is hilarious and scares the cat and dog. When the dog barks it sets her off.  It is the only thing they agree on, besides 3 o'clock is cookie time.

When the dog goes out to pee the cat hides and waits and then chases Lily in, Lily knows this and runs in like she is in the derby. The cat also hisses and swats. The cat is declawed and can do no harm, Lily does not know this. Fun times. (Cat is a rescue and came this way)

I bought my aeroplane ticket to go get my mom. Not going until mid April but the prices are fantastic and no fee to change dates. Gotta do it. And I have to go get her, I cannot leave her there alone. I am the only one who will do this and not beg for money at the same time. I am just hoping and praying she does not get sick before I need to bring her back.

BTW, flying into Orlando this time. With Disney shut down and no kids the tickets are the cheapest to get to Florida right now. No need to fly into Jacksonville since Susie died, Ft. Myers prices are up and Palm Beach has lots of Covid-19 cases. Also lots of old people to spread these germs around.

Last year she was there until July 4 and she was sick. The heat was miserable, the doctors not great and appointments with specialists months in the future. She needs to see her oncologist and internist up here in early May. We want all this cancer to stay away. She also needs another mammogram and a follow-up with the breast surgeon. And I hope I can get her to the special bra place. The mastectomy has been very hard on her and the healing very slow.

Very soon mom and I will need to place her first Internet order at Publix for curb pick up. Fun times I can hardly wait to tell you about this.

My life lately or how boring I am

My favorite sign right by the dog walk in Florida. This one is on I95 south of Jacksonville. Like that chain fence is gonna keep the poisonous snakes in.

So now my life consists of treatment for depression, social media, TV and reading. None of that seems to be doing the trick to happiness.

Reading is not making me happy, the few authors I like do not write more than a book a year. And some of them suck. I am currently trying to slog through a book about the Vanderbilt mansion in Asheville, NC., some crap by a writer of lesser talent about a woman in France with no job married to a con man, and some books on Highly Sensitive People of which I think I am one. So is my son in my opinion. Do not like any of them.

TV is not great, Star Trek's Picard can not carry the entire genre. There are only so many news/political programs you can watch without pulling out your hair. There is the guilty pleasure of one soap opera but that show can take a week to say an entire sentence much less a story. And there only a few people and they are all exes. Yes, everyone sleeps with everyone and it seems often. Kinda sicko. The latest Bachelor should be sent to Survivor and burned at the stake.

However there is one thing that just keeps on giving, FaceBook. There are groups. One group of women are obsessively buying not cheap shoes that do not fit and make their feet smell. They talk about this for hours. They order 600 dollars worth of these shoes at a time and then post pictures asking how these crap fitting shoes look. And not one of them is a leg or foot model. When that gets old you have the people searching for treasure buried 40 years ago from a book with crappy graphics. They are the most fun. You have to read the book and study the picture and figure out where to dig up the cask and the key. And then you post your theory because you cannot figure out how to dig the hole to find the cask and the key. And then everyone tells you you are wrong. This has been going on for 40 years.

There was one FB group about Southern Manners but it got so nasty they had to shut it down.

Well, it's Friday night and Big Daddy is gonna surprise me with dinner. IF there is food at the store, he can make it home through the lines of tanks keeping us safe (joking) and we still have gas and electric. Cos if no one works we have no goods and services. Anybody think about this shit.

My take on the Prince Harry and Meghan mess

Christmas tree at the hotel this past December.

Yes we spend Christmas in a hotel so we can see our family. That is because no one else can, or will travel. Yes we are the crappy parents.

So, in my world children who announce they are going out in the world to gain employment and make money are applauded. We even give them parties to encourage this shit. If they also want to do good works and support charity, well damn sometimes we even put their picture in the media.

We also do not make them quit their jobs, such as the army, especially when that is all we allowed to be trained for, just because they are special snowflakes.

So this guy did everything he was told to do for all his life and then he has to explain to his wife that no he cannot make any money on his own. His money is an allowance from dad and then from his brother. He will have to ask his brother, the one that treats the both of them like shit, for an allowance and a place to live. And yea his dad might leave him some money but it will be tied up in the trust he can't readily get funds from. Cos when Granny dies he does not get that house, he is just allowed to live there for now. Now maybe when they pay off the renovations he may get a long term lease, that he will have to pay for.

And people are questioning why he would want to leave?

How much can they actually cancel

Christmas tree here at the house. I like it.

Well here are the latest cancellations I know about: The Sebring 12hour race, The Masters, All k-12 school in the state of Michigan, my husband's work travel in NA.

Now I have a few things to say. The Masters cancellation is bullshit. They had already cancelled the gallery and those are just a few rich people, not that many folks hang out in Augusta. It is very elite. And the golfers don't really touch each or get close. So really?

Just before Gov Whitmer came on the radio about cancelling the schools doctors were on the air saying the youngest were the safest and least likely to be in trouble. And don't forget we feed these kids one or two meals a day because no one else can or will. So now the hungry kids are at home with whom I might ask.

Which brings me to my next thought. The UAW I knew would not be happy about this. See, if they get sent home or shut down they get paid, it is in the contract. Not full pay but paid. So why should they be going to work when their kids are stuck at home and no one wants the old folks taking care of the kids, you see the kids can be carriers and exposers even if they don't get sick.

And who is gonna get together and pack that food and those lunchs and the snacks and backpacks to take food home? Not the old folks who should not be gathering together in this risky behavior. WTF. You know the old folks are gonna stand up and take care of this and get sick. Your government at work here in Michigan.

Oh by the way, the doctor that stole Granmma's money called to see if she was okay. I told mom she is just trying to find out if she needs to keep paying that 25 dollars a month.

My mom is scared of Covid-19

Upstairs refrigerator, works most of the time.

One day I will have to tell you about the renovation from hell in detail. I am not ready to relive that nightmare yet.

My mom is not sleeping well because of the virus. She worries. She is 86 so she has reason to worry when they say the old folks are the most vulnerable.

Today is the ladies lunch club monthly lunch. The ladies are mostly old. This lunch is at ChiCanes my favorite restaurant in her town. And it is at the nice hotel where all the golfers stay. This week all the race fans will be staying there.

And mom is afraid to go. And so is her friend. And I have to agree with her given the facts. Lots of transient people from all over in the hotel, bar, and restaurant. Last year when we had her health debacle--cancer and the bumps--I learned about the Florida medical community. And it was not pretty.

You do not want to get sick in Florida. There are no doctors and the very few they have cannot get jobs anywhere else. The PA's run the health system. Specialist are few and nowhere near where she lives. And how will I get her home if she is sick, her oncologist does not want her to fl;y healthy and no one wants a sick person on the plane. What a damn mess.

So I told her to stay home. And if everyone's hope that warm weather may have a positive effect on this thing she is in the best place, sunny Florida.

Oh No, My state is now on the Covid-19 list.

New hair.

I have decided I am tired of coloring my hair to pretend I am not gray. I have had gray hair since my twenties and I have spent many hours and much money to cover that up. Haha. No more, I am going natural. Unless it looks horrible and makes me cry, then I will color it again.

My state is now involved in the Covid madness, yes we have 2 and maybe 3 cases in this huge state and a major university has gone to no face to face teaching. Yea, that is gonna work.

My mom is now worried as all get out as the paper sent her a bill and she does not recall when she paid it the last time. She pays for 13 weeks and she got there just before Thanksgiving. Yea mom, I think you owe them some money. This is also the big race weekend coming up, Sebring 12 hour. Wonder what is gonna come from this as her county is good but people come from all over for this race. I should tell her to stock up on a few groceries but she hates to be told what to do and I do not have the strength to take responsibility for the entire world right now.

Yea, I am the only one taking care of mom, taking care of hubs, taking care of the homefront and for goodness sakes--taking care of the cat. And now my mom wants me to take care of my millionaire brother who hides from all us because he thinks we are after his money This guy is so cheap he complains years later for picking up a lunch tab for his nieces. No I do not have time right now to take on a new project. And as my son let me know I am no good at being a family member. WTF.

Crazy Ass Shit

Granddaughter loves to swim.

So after yesterday's rant I thought I should get back here and if nothing else vent.

So whats new?

 Well moving backward, my uncle died-massive heart attack-he fell in the pool-was on a ventilator and then he died He had a stroke a few weeks ago so this has been a huge cluster. I called all his kids as they don't get along with the second wife, the one he had the affair with on their mom. Who knew they would feel this way.

My mom had a nail in her tire. She is in Florida 1000 miles away. It took hours on the phone to get this replaced and fixed. 4 calls to her to get the specs on the car and tire. This is the car she has no title to because my brother fucked her over. Then she went in and it was not a nail, it was a nothing. At least they did not charge her, yea Tire King.

Her best friend is moving away because she is old, her other friend has a hole in his bladder, and all the other ones died. Except the ones who moved away and all their kids are dying. It seems everyone has cancer.

My best friend died, she also had cancer. First breast cancer, then it went to her bones and then her brain. It was not fun.

My mom had breast cancer and leukemia. Then she had a mastectomy and when on a pill to get rid of the estrogen and her bumps went away. Oh yea, she had this skin rash/bump situation from hell. These bumps were the size of walnuts and really awful. She had every test out there and they were painful and negative but the biophys all said leukemia. The bumps started going away. Now she has no bumps. Her oncologist says Bethesda should see this shit, Bethesda says she has leukemia. What she had was rare and I cannot tell you name and we think it is gone. Scary stuff.

And the renovation is still the stuff from hell, the devil just keeps on giving. Couple months ago we found ceiling leaking downstairs from the tub upstairs. Yep, don't even need to talk about the little shit.

Oh yes, the virus. Covid-19. I just want everyone to realize one thing. Most people in China do not wash their hands. They do not have running water. They live in one room apartments with poor or shared toilets/showers or they visit a communal bath/shower. This is the well off people. The factory workers live in dormitories and share facilities. These people were never raised to wash their hands or anything else on a regular basis. Only rich people and expats have running water as a rule.  And I do not want to offend anyone but when I have been to Europe, they have running water. They do not seem to have soap and do not seem prone to use it on a regular basis. See Italy. The only people I know that routinely wash, scrub, shower and obsess about clean, clean, clean is in the US and Canada. Do not fret, just wash your damn hands.

Total failure as a human being and a mother

Zoey Cat in her comfort bed.

Well my son called and hung up on me. I am not exactly sure why except that I had not called and wished him a happy birthday by 2 PM. I had however made sure he got the air fryer he wanted purchased and shipped to him. I also bought a card that was amusing enough for him and my granddaughter and enclosed a check. But that was not enough. 

I also spent a large portion of the day the same as usual this past week, comforting my 86 year old mother over the death of her brother, the last of her immediate family. Explaining to her that she cannot take care of the entire world, especially the ones she hires to help her and the ones that take advantage of her. You know, the ones who don't show up and then call and borrow money. The ones whose entire family group rotates out of jail and prison on a regular basis. Explaining that I do not think she will die of the new virus, she will die from the stress of not eating and sleeping from worrying about dying from the virus. Organizing her life from a 1000 miles away for her doctor appointments, blood work, new tires and suing her granddaughter. Yea, the one who reneged a quarter million dollar loan, the one for medical school. Yea, that one, the doctor. 

I also am monitoring and caring for hubs, a week out of surgery for his knee replacement. And waiting to make the appointment for his eye surgery. This after being treated like shit by his surgeon and the hospital staff. Yes, everyone is talking about how bad the hospital has gone downhill since the takeover by the new company. 

Oh and yea, I went to my Psychologist for the crazies these people push on me. 

So I have decided I am done. Yes, done. I do not want to hear anymore shit from anybody for a while. I am sorry all Y'all are in such a sorry state that you cannot survive a moment without me wiping your asses. And I am sorry that I can no longer wipe your asses. And I am the only person with toilet paper because I plan ahead, something all Y'all laugh at. Yes, done. 

Tomorrow my take on the new virus. You'll love it.