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.

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.

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.

IBS Gobsmacked and other crap

Crocus before the rabbits got dinner.

I had plans today and then IBS Billy Goats came and changed my day.

Zoey cat has been stalking the kitchen. We thought it was a game because she hunts all the time and we tore the kitchen apart looking for evidence of "rodents". No evidence and she was starting to slack. Then yesterday I heard the tinkle of flatware and dishes. I thought to myself, nah. Then I looked and the critters were with me. What to my wondering eye should "disappear" but a grey mouse and tail across my kitchen counter.

Well, we all know there is not enough Clorox Clean Up for that little snafu. And it seems there is a run on rodent trapping paraphernalia as Big Daddy had to fight for a spot at the Ace Hardware display. A huge bag of stuff and overnight we have captured one little mouse.

I gotta give Zoey her due, with no front claws it is prolly not easy to snag those little suckers.

I finished the OJ show on FX and must say it was great. I remember so much of it from the real time watching and this show just nailed it. And I really hope at some moment OJ did feel bad, or as bad as that asshole could feel,  and I feel bad for Bob Kardashian having to live with the truth.

I have the trip planned for mom and that was a pain in the ass. More on that later. Right now I am dreaming of vanilla muffins with Cacao nibs from Trader Joe's.

Settling back in at the Old Homestead

A Portland garden.

Well, we are now caught up on sleep and just fine.  I am losing my cat sitter, she is allergic to cats. Rats.

Getting unpacked and organized and thinking I need to freeze all the last minute purchases at the Portland airport. Scottish Shortbread made with real butter. Biscoff from the Delta flight. Big Daddy did not eat the Salmon jerky from Trader Joe's, he can eat that at work next week.

I am not going back until Tuesday. I figured out I spent 2 weekends a month working on shit to take  care of Monday because no one working weekends will do so. So, I am never going back from a vacation on a Monday. Works for me. And there were some shitty emails I can't wait to hear about, on Tuesday.

Miss Curly, but she is too tiny to miss Grandmama yet. Gotta work on the photo's for the Great Grands. They want old fashion prints for brag books and refrigerators.

Figured out we cannot reasonably go to Vermont for Thanksgiving so trying to figure out where we can go or should we stay home. Ticket prices are high and it is such a short time frame. Gotta be an in and an out, no layovers eating at that precious time.

We had a glorious weekend

Dinner at Elizabeth's on the Park.

We do clean up when it is necessary. Golly gee I am a short fat thing.

The weekend was fabulous. Now that things are calmer we are going back to traditions. Magazines and wine in the "Parlor", snacks and animals snuggled in for Friday late afternoon. I stopped and bought some flowers from Trader Joes and a couple of orchids for the bedrooms. And TJ's had no Fiji water. Heavens, what is the world coming to?

Sammy Dog is excited to sit on the chair on the porch and watch the world go by. Zoey cat discovered a window sill she can sit at when the window is open and she is in ecstasy.

The yard is 90% ready for planting and it is in the 70's, that teaser time. If you plant now, it will all die in 2 weeks. Damn. Maybe next week we can get the boston ferns for the outside. And if Big Daddy puts the pots out we can plant the lettuce and onion sets.

Punkin Head has exciting news but I cannot breathe a word in case it does not work out. I sent some presents to my girls. And one for PH. And now doing the flowers for Mother's Day. I think I want a camera for Mother's Day. I remember one year I got a camera for Mother's Day and I was pissed. It was not really a camera for me, BD wanted a camera and used it for an excuse. And I never did get to use the camera. But with Curly coming, I think I want better photos of what is sure to be the most beautiful baby ever.

Randomness

A boat from Holland Michigan in the Savannah River. That is where my niece lives.

Saturday was pedicure day and after that I hobbled around Trader Joe's making groceries. Buy of the day were the dry daffodils you put them in water and they bloom. Beautiful yellow in the kitchen. Second was the pot of herbs for the kitchen sill. Makes it seems more like Spring.

Grosse Pointe is famous for the Estate Sales. There are companies that take care of this and this is the season. The best are the sales where someone died because the house is usually older and the stuff is much more interesting. This weekend was just a moving sale and quite overpriced. The stuff left behind was not at all interesting and I was looking around upstairs before trying to get down without a hand rail-aesthetics versus safety me thinks, when the sale lady tells me the owner of the house is an artist and I was seeing one of her paintings for sale. Yee Gads, selling your own paintings in a garage sale with your broken caned chairs?

Got a text on Saturday of a problem at work. This is a bad problem and there is a nasty meeting on Monday morning that I have to attend and explain this shit. And there is no answer other than we are a terrible supplier and why do you keep sourcing us business. And for the first time no one is emailing me because they do not want to go to the meeting-- so I guess I have carte blanche until Monday afternoon. This is when they will tell me I handled this badly. I am hopeful this is when the customer tells them to haul their happy asses in their and explain.

Big Daddy and I are not speaking. We had a big fight. I went to the pantry to get out the dog's leash and a pack of cigs fell on my head. I do not care if you smoke, but dammit it all do not lie to me about it. I am not amused. Enough said.

Weekend roundup

I am about to let out a long guarded secret, I am going to be 60 years old on my next birthday. I have been very sensitive about my age for years and then suddenly this year it has become less important. Not so unimportant I am telling people I work with, but I am loosening up a bit. I told Big Daddy I want a great and special birthday even though he and I are the only ones left here in the rusted out city in the rust belt. Since he was worried he had to have something special made for me he showed me some pics for my opinion. On the above I told him no, too fussy and not me. I want something I can wear every day.

Punkin Head asked for pics of the gorgeous hand loomed towels from Joanne, Cup on the Bus blog. She sent these to me and I am touched that someone would send me something so wonderful. I am saving them for Thanksgiving when we take food to my MIL's and I can show off my lovely towels. And yes, I will no doubt hand wash and press them. They are the bee's knees.

Went to get my pedicure yesterday and as always half awake as it a 9 am appointment on a Saturday and she is telling me she has this new product to try on me. And as I am leaving she tells me to report back if it lasts and is okay and doesn't chip. Wait a minute I just paid full price to be a test subject? No, I want OPI at these prices.

Watching the Lions at Wembly Stadium, 21-0 Atlanta at half time, WTF. Late breaking news, Lions won 22-21 on a kick when weeks ago they had no kicker. Must have been the tea.

Made the Trader Joe's pumpkin bread mix with added chopped walnuts. Not too bad, I mean nothing is as good as scratch but for a mix, as Miss Verita would say, not too shabby.

Got a call this morning asking if I knew that the vehicles were leaking. As in water leaking. No, I did not know that. I guess I am the only one and now this is the new big thing. Wet feet.

Big Daddy has a question for Esby, he is one of my long time readers and an owner of a dog. BD is convinced that dogs have been proven to have an internal compass to poop with the poles, they poop north south or south north, aligned with the poles. Can anyone confirm this? This has something to do with that circling that they do when they get ready for bed.

Gotta get my galoshes ready for tomorrow, that would be for inside not outside.

I wobble along like the Michelin Man

I found the old Dennis Basso coat. That coat took me through the coldest winter in Europe in years when I was in Graz. It is missing a button but it is warm. I also acquired a trapper hat with faux fur flaps from Moose Jaw and it snaps below my chin. Then we got the tall Ugg boots in the plain suede and sheepskin. My big savings of the day, my hairdresser told me about No Nonsense cotton leggings. Thin enough to wear under pants/jeans and $ 12.00 a pair. That and my scarf and sunglasses (whether you need them or not) and I made through the day. However we did not dip below 10 degrees. Tomorrow the high is supposed to be 0 with high winds.

I did not feel well all weekend so got nothing accomplished. I need to finish taking pictures for the hand softer than soft post, finish the chili recipe for Badger and do some work around here.

Big Daddy got a recipe out of the Sunday paper for a pork extravaganza. He is taking photos so I can show Punkin Head how this turns out. Yesterday we had a pork roast with roasted root veggies, acorn squash, and brussel sprouts. It was all very good. Tonight is stir fry pork and a green salad. Did I tell you about the sugar snap peas from Trader Joe's? I am all over those for salads and just for snacking they are great. Wednesday is pork tacos and Finally on Thursday is a soup finishing up the pork. I told BD if this turns out well-in the future I think the portions should go into the freezer and maybe a once a week pork dish. If the recipes are keepers. But you could always use it for hash too. We will see.

Well, four more days and this month will be over and then February is pretty short so maybe this will be okay.

Sunday Snippets

Gotta love a GTO

Big Daddy for some odd reason runs into a guy he works with, much higher on the food chain, every now and again at Trader Joe's. Today he left them with the advice, "Watch out for Bugger." The guy looked  puzzled while the wife said, "Bugger is our neighbor and he is a terror." The hilarious part of this story is that everyone knows this kid by the name Bugger. Come on, that is just not right.

I am within ounces of my new weight, ounces I tell you. This is not making me happy.

Oh, and Big Daddy agrees, we had scant photos in the wedding album, 2 or 3 of each of us and they were all horrid. When Big Daddy says I don't look that bad, well, I don't look that bad. He said he looks like shit too. That photo guy did us no favor in his couple of pics he took.

We have our reservations started for Thanksgiving in St. Augustine. We will see how this goes. Big Daddy said Delta, and the rest of the airlines, are tightening up the requirements to be a Big Deal, and we will never reach that status again. So we must use up our miles very soon.

We went from 100 degrees to chilly ass 60's overnight. I have to get my winter clothes ready.

I can't make this stuff up

A while back I went to Trader Joe's and returned home horrified by a family of obnoxious children and a useless parent. I always was quite put out with the tiny carts for the children and those kids who thought they were in the Grand Prix. To my horror I saw this family walking down the sidewalk not far from my home. I was so hoping they lived in the Park and not in my neck of the Woods.

Not long after Big Daddy came home with a story that matched the same family I had been repelled by. His tale was more shocking than mine. Well today he returned from Trader Joe's with another tale of the Cart Cuties. Of course I had to inquire as what a Cart Cutie might be. Well, it is the snot faced little beastly tykes that all the parents stand around and say isn't he/she cute while they push the miniature carts into every one's ankles.

BD said to me, "You remember Buggar". Oh my goodness, Buggar, that is what his mama calls him. Buggar is the head of the beastly children of the useless parent. Well today Buggar was helping his mama pick out wine. A 4 year old putting wine in his mini-cart, how charming.

So in honor of Mother's Day, help your mama pick out some wine.

Tulips

Big Daddy found tulips at Trader Joe's.

Fuggedaboutit

So here in the midwest we have been having some windy conditions. Not as bad as east of us where the 737 aeroplane was pushed into a fuel truck, but bad enough to say it is pretty damn windy. And for the second time since I have been home my green recycling bin flew the coop. It is nowhere to be found. It is green and holds shit in its innards and is soon to be replaced by a big ass bin with wheels.

We called the city to say our bin was lost in the last wind storm and they informed us it would cost 15 U.S. dollars to replace the bin. We asked how soon we would be switching to the new bins and we were told soon. So we decided not to invest the whopping 15 U.S. dollars to replace a plastic-petroleum product-soon to be obsolete bin. Then the resourceful Big Daddy found a similar type bin in the garage. It is green, a lighter green but green. A tad smaller. He put it out filled with objects for recycling.

No one took it.

WTF.

Now when I put bottles into the Trader Joe's paper sacks (they are really great for this) the garbage men take them instead of leaving them for the recycle dudes. When I put the Trader Joe's sacks in the recycle bin the recycle dudes take them. Now I have a faux recycle bin full of shit shunned by all the garbage type peeps.

So, I have to put the recycle shit in a huge black plastic bag and make sure it is not to heavy to carry. Then I have to put the faux recycle bin a black plastic bag to be whisked away by the garbage people.

And people wonder why I hate the greenies. Is it such a big sin to take the recycle shit in a slightly different bin? Would it kill ya to just be a citizen and take the fucking trash?

Back to abnormal

Trader Joe's rice and Mexican chocolate.

Once again I have a craaazy idea to cook food for others to consume. After getting my hair back to the proper shade of red and having a hair washing conference. I went to the store for supplies. I am making Mole Rice and another surprise dish. That Mole word needs an accent and I do not know how to do that.

Now Big Daddy tells me he has a mandatory 3-5 meeting with the design and product engineers over timing. This meeting could go to 7 as these engineers cannot make a decision which is why they have timing problems. They promise the moon and can't do a map to the nearest rest room. That is the loo, washroom, banyo, WC, or outhouse for those speaking other languages. I like to brag about my command of many foreign tongues.

Surprise of the day, we are the only ones in our little area with an American flag out today. Is it how soon they forget or how soon they get complacent?

No surprise of the day, I broke the radio in my car. I do not have time to figure this out today so no music or talk for me.

And Netflix is a mystery. I think we have an account and are charged for it. They sent us a movie in the mail. It is the same movie we watched on the television.  We really need to look into this.

Another fish, I have more.

I cannot believe I got this pic on here and I doubt I can ever do this again. Windows 7 is not my friend. This pic was taken with my new phone. It is a free Motorola. I paid for the computer but not the phone. I had to take the fish pictures twice as the first time I did not click the right button and never took a photo. Paid under 400 for the computer and nothing for the phone with a 20 dollar reduction in my bill and more shit than I will ever use. I have unlimited WIFI and that kind of stuff and what would I use that for anyway. I am not going to sit on the train and look at a phone for 4 hours. Big Daddy is jealous, he says my free phone is better than his new Blackberry-company issued-and he is having fun playing on it.

We had a wonderful lunch at Roma Cafe and went shopping at Trader Joe's. Tomorrow the furnace people are coming for a check up and it is election day. Who to vote for?

Bits and Pieces

 

This Crab Apple tree just got the haircut of a life time. 3 years growth gone in 90 minutes.

Punkin Head I bet you are falling over laughing on this one. Big Daddy started at 7 Am and battled through the jungle until about 8:30.

We got a new outdoor thermometer at Ace this weekend and it was cracked so he is returning that and when he gets home he is starting to wash windows. Woohoo.

We tried the new Almond Croissants from Trader Joe's, I had the chocolate ones with PH earlier, and BD was very happy with the finished product. He is not used to me shopping and picking out shit on my own. Back in the day I never set foot in a grocery type store. I think it is weird for him to come home and find stuff in the refrigerator and the cupboards that he did not pick out.

We are having Smothered Chicken and Butter Beans for dinner, yes, I found the recipe, and I think that is gonna be fun. First we fight over how to cook it and then we fight over the leftovers. I found 2 new blogs for New Orleans style recipes and this is from one of them, will let you now if it is good enough to share.

Have my replacement cards, and replacement wastebasket and storage containers. Not that anyone cares.

Sad news from my niece, she was separated from the Navy due to an injury. She, all 110 pounds of her (dripping wet) was not able to consistently do 100 jumping jacks with her 120 pound sea bag on her shoulders. She has Plan B and I am proud of her, she tried and lived to try something else.

Gotta have a dream. Sometimes it is no more than some pepper jelly on a cracker with a smear of cream cheese, but any dream is better than no dream at all.

Looks can be deceiving

Some look innocent and some chew on a pizzle.

Don't know what a pizzle is, well it is a dog chewy made out of a bull's penis. Mine, or should I say Sammy's, is braided. Yep, dried and braided bull penis. No wonder Sammy wants to bring it to bed every night. Good thing they are cheap at Trader Joe's.

Punkin Head and The Lady came and helped carve a path in the front jungle. Now in addition to the garbage bags and the recycling shit I now have to drag out yard waste bags on Friday mornings. Yea for me.

And my cheap fat clothes are still not here, guess Old Navy are big fat liars in addition to being smart asses.

Big Daddy is supposed to be home Friday afternoon, we will see.

Out and About

Sammy

Had my hair appointment this morning, 8 AM and just got my stuff together and left, no need to upset the dog. I was gone about 3 hours, after hair went to Trader Joe's. Bought some new items at TJ's and I am anxious to try them.

When I got home and came in the side door, you would have thought I left this dog alone for 10 years. He barked, he danced, he cried, he ran and got his toy and did it all-all over again. He carried on for about 10 minutes. I guess this is love. Big Daddy never did this when I came home from business trips much less a hair appointment. I mean my hair looks good, but really not good enough to dance for.

Well, tomorrow he has a spa day and we will see how that works out.

Big Daddy has lots of snake news in India, an Anaconda and a Black Mamba, I really hate this kind of information. He also ate Jack Fruit.

Jack Fruit in the tree.

He said it comes in some sorta pod type thing and to only eat a little until you see how this works out for yourself. Huh?

March got really confused today

I really had to go shopping, there was no choice in the matter. When I left it was cool and breezy. When I got out of the first store it was cold, windy, and raining. On the way to Trader Joe's it started hailing. And I still had one more stop to make. Big Daddy wanted me buy a lottery ticket and it had to be from Jerry's, an old fashioned party store here in the Pointe's. Jerry's is never busy in the early afternoon and there I went. There was no parking and inside you could hardly get down the aisle. Everyone and his cousin was buying a lottery ticket. Got BD's tickets so I won't be my fault when we don't win.

BD is telling me that Foxconn workers are angry about the Apple investigation and turning in every other company that works by the same rules. Apparently it is against the law to work 7 days in a row and all the migrants took these jobs for the huge hours. If they can't work the hours then "by Mao", neither will anyone else. And Mark Zuckerburg has been in Shanghai for quite a while now doing "Mao knows what".

Next week is Tomb Sweeping and China said everyone has to work Saturday and Sunday so they can have Monday-Wednesday off. Does anything of this make sense, no it is China.

So instead of leaving like a lamb, March is leaving like a lion or in Chinese, like an angry Dragon. Can't wait to see what April brings.

And, Punkin Head I got the fireplace lighted and it is nice.

The Fancy Lady

The fancy lady is signed by someone that may be named Peter Morgan dated 31 or 37, hard to read and I do not have a magnifying glass. I fell in love with the lady and Big Daddy had to pay more than he wanted as the frame and the glass are original. That is how I would look if I had an ounce of propriety. It is damned hard taking pictures of pictures with glass covering the pictures.

I have made my way to the Master Bedroom, master meaning it is my room and I am taking it back over. No room is thoroughly clean yet, too many nooks and cranny's. And shit to clean.

If anyone is worried about me feeding myself, well you should. I made a tuna salad last night and I was not a happy camper. The Trader Joe's fresh peas did not freshen up according to the directions on the package. It said to boil them for 90 seconds. I think 90 years may have fixed that little problem.

Big Daddy is still interviewing his heart out, kinda sad that the one guy is in remission (good for him and bad for us), and one headhunter was so shady that BD called his boss (of course no "root cause"  from the boss but a new plan and the boss is handling him now), and comments from 2 of his better headhunters that being on another continent just fucks it all up. He has a good lead now, and the one in the hip pocket and we will see. May be better to get home and then get a better job. That sounds so cold, but it is what it is.

Tomorrow is my favorite day, garbage day, and then I am getting my hair done. I am going to Farm's Market to pick up a case of wine and I might buy fresh meat. I have not had any since BD left and I am quite afraid to buy and cook it. If I can't cook peas what the hell am I going to do with meat.