days_unfolding

I had my Italian lesson today. It went well. We spent half of the time talking about my Sardinia trip. My teacher wants me to go to Sicily!

I made a stupid mistake at work. And I keep making stupid mistakes today. With it, I'm not. I didn't get a lot of sleep. I installed a "countdown to retirement" app on my phone. Currently 2 years, 7 months, and 2 days (assuming that I retire December 31, 2027) :)

Hmm. I found an Amalfi Coast and Tuscany tour that's more what I had in mind. I want to go to Ravello though. On the day in Florence, I could go to the Uffizi Gallery that I missed when I was sick in Florence. I emailed them for more info.

I have a boatload of stuff to do this weekend. I want to go to the garden shops. Plant plants in the garden. Tidy and clean the kitchen and bathrooms. Work on my will and trust documents. (Maybe I should work on them after work because I'll have limited energy.) Oh, and tidy up the upstairs so that I can get someone to clean the carpet. Set up my security cameras.

I’m about to take a nap and am sharing my bed with a dog and a Munchie Bone. I pretended to eat the Munchie Bone, but Bella was unfazed. She knows that they’re for dogs. Had a short nap, but I'm going to be tired tonight. I need to make it an early night, especially because I need to log onto work early to get my half-day in the morning and still leave for my doctor's appointment on time.

I almost got scammed by the best phishing email yet. The login looked believable, but then it asked for my credit card number, and I said, "Wait a minute," closed the Web page, and used Xfinity's Web site to check. I did not owe any money. I should change my password on the site (done, but it has two-factor identification also). I also changed my email password out of an abundance of caution.

Oh man. I have hit the wall with 1.5 hours of work to go. I was going to try to stay up tonight until an early bedtime, but I might need to take a nap. Or go to bed REALLY REALLY early.

I've decided not to go to the island La Maddalena on my Sardinia trip because 1) the cab fare to the ferry is really, really expensive and 2) I will be jet-lagged, so two days at the beach sounds about right. Maybe next time, I could stay closer to the ferry.

I’m redesigning the area next to the garage-to-be. I had thought red buds, soft holly, and lavender. But now I’m thinking red buds, willow shrubs, and creeping thyme. Realistically, I won’t be able to landscape the area until next spring, which will give me a lot of time to clean it up.

sunshine_two, I hope that the fires in Manitoba aren’t near you.

Swapped a clean litter box for one to soak. Started laundry.

Intuit sucks. I used part of my tax refund to get Will and Trust Maker, but I never got a login for it. I called Intuit customer service, and it gave me a bunch of info about my tax refund and hung up on me. Will and Trust Maker doesn't seem to have a customer service number. So I'm screwed.

I guess that I'll use the free Will and Trust tool. I started working on my will, but realized that I need to add all my bank accounts, and I'm too annoyed to have the patience for it. I think that I'll go to bed early and work on it tomorrow. Actually, I might be in the right mood to work on the kitchen. Cleaning is always better when you're pissed off.

I checked into the premiums for Obamacare if I retired before I'm eligible for Medicare, and holy cow. Expensive. I think that my proposed retirement date is solid.

Woke up at 6:30 AM. I was out with Bella when I realized that I hadn’t put my clothes in the dryer. Came in and did so, but it’ll take a while, so I’ll have to take my shower at lunchtime. Decided to go back to sleep for a half hour. It's a rainy, dreary day.

The recycling people didn't take my boxes, probably because it was raining. They left a mess, so I'll need to go out and drag the boxes back into the yard. Bah.

Forgot to mention that I bought a book on Medicare that I need to read. And my trust books.

I've got a paper trading account set up on Schwab, although they don't make it easy to find. I'll start following my dad's system next week.

I had an appointment to take Zara to the vet. When I went in her room, Oliver tried to come in and then Oliver and Bella were fighting outside the door. That freaked Zara out, and she retreated to the closet whenever I went near her. I called the vet, and have a new appointment for next Tuesday. Next time, I'll corral Oliver, Lily, and Bella before I try to get Zara.

I read an article in the BBC about the health benefits of saunas, including reducing the severity of tension headaches, which I get a lot. I’m looking for a sauna in the area but am having no luck. The big gym at the university has one, but I just read a comment about how they don’t keep the gym clean, which doesn’t make me want to go there. The YMCA has one. Maybe when my required membership at the university gym is up, I’ll try there. The membership at the uni gym was a minimum of four months, so it should be over soon if not already. I guess that my next step is to check the date and visit the YMCA to see if I want to switch there. Oh! It has a lap pool! And they have swim lessons! And a "gentle yoga" class! And an indoor walking track! And "learn to play pickleball" in the fall! Okay, I want to join the YMCA (joined). I need to cancel my uni gym membership.

I'm thinking of looking for a part-time job at one of the local public libraries when I retire. It would be fun and bring in a little money.

I've been bouncing back and forth from my work area upstairs to the kitchen. I'm processing videos at work, so I set one off for processing, went downstairs and worked on the kitchen, came back up to process videos, etc. I did get some cleaning done on the kitchen. The boxes are flattened.

Cleaned up the boxes outside. I have a video processing. If it's done after I post, I'll move it to the next step. Otherwise, I'll finish up tomorrow. Okay, I got the second video uploaded. I don't have the energy to start video 3. I'll work on it tomorrow.

I tried my dad’s system for timing the market, and it looks like we’re in a yellow light (basically, hold), although it has to be three days in a row to be official.

Woke up at 6 AM. I want to go back to sleep, but I need to take a shower because I have my appointment with the psychiatrist at noon. I just realized that I need to postpone my dental appointment tomorrow because I don’t have the money. Compromised and dozed for a 1/2 hour.

I’ve created a monster. Bella thinks that she deserves a treat for coming inside the house.

Okay, rescheduled the dental appointment. Nothing like talking on the phone with a dog licking your face :) Oliver is playing with my pen. Now Bella is chewing the pen, sigh.

I had a strong impulse this morning to retire. But I’m getting our Web site accessible, and I should finish that at least.

Bella and Lily are attending my shower. Bella is ripping up rags. Bella was being a little snot. First, she was bugging Lily. Then she tried to eat Oliver's food.

Lily is sleeping on the floor upstairs. I'm not sure where Oliver is, but he was there when I fed them.

I found a chair and ottoman that I want for the library room. The question is, can I get it in the car?

For some reason, I'm thinking of the joke: if you get to a psychiatrist's appointment early, you're anxious; late, you're depressed; right on time, you're obsessive-compulsive :) I was "anxious".

I'm up and down with the hospital at which I have my doctor's appointments. Don't like my primary physician; liked my gynecologist; love my psychiatrist. The psychiatrist listens well and is helpful and caring. She's bumping up one of my meds and wants to see me in a month to see if it helps.

Bella was really excited when I came back. "You were gone and came back!!! I'm so thrilled!!!"

It was okayed for me to take Amtrak to Chicago instead of car pooling when I go to the conference. Yay! I get a chance to read! I'll bring my macroeconomics book!

I have a real taste for carrot cake. I wonder if Meijer has some? I also have a taste for a poke bowl but need to wait until I get the money to order some. Hmm, I wonder if I could take the poke bowl on the train? I need to get some soda to take with me too. Hmm, carrot cake mix is a lot cheaper than an actual cake.

I just found a washable loveseat and armchair. I might get it and get rid of my mom's loveseat and chair because they're a pain to wash the covers.

Lily is sleeping in the guest room window.

Fed us all. Bella was acting really weird. I filled her dish with food, but she wasn’t eating it. Instead, she hid under the bed. I left her in the bedroom with the food and she did eat it. I took her outside, and she was acting normally except for barking a lot at a dog across the street. And she whined when a little dog came by across the street. Does she want to go back to the Doggie Day Care place? I’m going to board her there.

I want to put fresh sheets on the bed, but Bella is camping out there. I guess that I'll get them in the morning. I started cleaning the kitchen. I want to start packing for my trip, but I need to check the weather to figure out what to wear. So that's why I'm online. I'll post now though. I guess that I could wear a tweed jacket on Sunday? 63F/17C? And boots? Black-and-white top, black pants, and a black blazer for another outfit. Light red-and-black blazer, black t-shirt, and black pants for the hottest day. I need one more outfit. And it all has to fit in my carryon. Maybe I could rewear the black blazer with a different top. Hmm, I'm thinking my blue-and-white top, white pants, and a navy blazer? I might need a larger suitcase. Oh, and I found my charger case.

Just posted on Facebook to my Chicago peeps that I'm going to be there.

I need to go to the grocery store.

I overslept, so I need to jam. I got everything done except the bedroom. I'll clean it myself.

Lily was playing with a ball, so I gave Oliver one. So Lily started playing with the one that I gave to Oliver. Cats!

My cleaner is here. Yay! She likes the new-to-her kitties and dog. She found a leak in the toilet, sigh. It probably needs replacing. I need to get a plumber in here also because the faucet in that bathroom is dripping. She says that she gets endorphins from cleaning. I'm the exact opposite. I'm able to walk right by a mess and not "see" it. When I'm cleaning, my back starts hurting and I'm done. She recommended Mrs. Meyers for non-toxic cleaning.

This is great though. Because it's going to rain, I'll get the bedroom and upstairs done and mop the living room floor. Then I'll need to get a carpet cleaner in for the upstairs, but that might have to wait until after my conference trip.

I’m telling Bella that the house looks nicer without shredded toilet paper and paper towels, but she stole the napkin on my lap while I was eating dinner, so I think that she’s not convinced. Now Bella is chewing a stick and getting wood splinters all over the nice clean floor. But I’d rather that she chew that instead of my stuff.

The trust said that they thought that the check would be ready on Tuesday.

Got the forms in for doggie day care.

Okay. Quince has an outfit that I want for the flight. A linen tank top, pants, and blazer in "driftwood" (ecruish). I could wear it to church too when I start going.

At the doctor’s office. I got a blood test that I had been putting off beforehand. The doctor is running really late. And I have stomach cramps. I finally saw the doctor, and she asked me why I was there, and I said, "Because you had me set up a follow-up appointment!" We did talk about my impacted ear wax, and she told me to use Debrox and come back, and they'll have a nurse irrigate my ear.

I’m completely wiped out. I’m thinking of going to bed extremely early. I need to run to the library tomorrow along with planting the bare root ferns.

I discovered where Oliver likes to nap—on one of the chairs in the kitchen. When the chair is pushed in, I can’t see him.

Got us all fed. Noodled around on the Internet. I'm going to feed the beasties and crash.

Woke up around 6:30 AM. It’s looking completely uninviting for raking thus far—gloomy and cold. Fed us all.

It’s predicted to rain today. So much for raking. Maybe in the late afternoon. Napped. It’s seeming dryish out, but I might wait a few hours before raking. I wound up cleaning dog debris from part of the kitchen because I dropped an acetaminophen pill and couldn’t find it. I have a headache, so I’m going to take another nap.

I received my Sardinia book and flipped through part of it. Now I’m thinking of spending the first couple of days at the beginning at the Costa Smeralda (the resort area) and then go to Cagliari. I found a hotel that isn’t ridiculously expensive. I have to figure out how to get from there to Cagliari. Okay, there’s a train. I looked at an airplane, but I’d have to fly through Rome! Going there first will add a pile of money to the airfare though. I think that I still want to go there though. Hmm, luggage on the train may be a problem. I'm trying to find out if I can check luggage, but I'm not getting an answer from Trenitalia's (the train line's) Web site. They just said that I have to be able to handle my luggage and store it on the train. That rules out my big suitcase.

All the sleep seems to have helped.

Oliver is trying to stay away from Bella, who is being bitey. Play-bitey, but still, he doesn’t like it. She doesn’t mess with Lily for some reason, just Oliver.

Showered and put my makeup on, but the cats were hungry and so am I. Oliver has gone inside a tipped-over garbage can, and Bella can’t figure out how to get to him. She’s barking and whining. Okay, fed us all.

Raked the front yard. It’s a start. I’m going to continue to work on it Monday and Tuesday night.

Watched a couple of episodes of The Big Bang Theory for a break. Now I’m yawning. Should I go to sleep early? Oliver is fast asleep on the cat tree. Right, I need to get up early to run over to the car repair place. So, yes, bed.

No Italian. We got snarled up in the time changes. We rescheduled for next week. I guess that I'll start work early after I feed the critters.

I'm feeling kind of chilled. And tired.

I saved the links to some exercise classes (yoga, weight training, pilates). Now I just need to do them.

I overslept my nap, dreaming that I was staying at my mom's house, but my dad was taking me to the airport.

It won't stop raining.

Called Holland America to get my bookings straightened out on their app. I had two IDs, and they are in the process of merging them. I hope that it will be fixed tomorrow.

Oliver and Lily are best buds, except when they're eating. Then it's every cat for himself or herself.

Ordered more canned dog food for delivery.

I have a little over a month to get things in order for a new pet sitter when I go to a conference in May. I need to set goals for myself. I should meet with the life coach to set goals, but I don't want to spend the money right now. Hmm.

I tried some Dubai chocolates from Costco with pistachio and knafeh. Oh, are they ever good. I tend to be picky about chocolate because I don't like chocolate unless it's cut with something, but these are great!

Lily is crashed out on the guest room futon. Not sure where Oliver went. Now she's loving me up because she's hungry.

Bella seems to recognize dogs as dogs, but she is nervous around them. One guy who walks his dogs on our street is trying to get her to say “Hello” to his dogs or him, but she hasn’t quite gotten the nerve up yet.

Hmm. There are some Corgi mixes that like cats and other dogs and are 73 miles away. Their adoption fees are reasonable too.

Huh. I was looking at a Lucid Air, but sheesh. Expensive. I don’t think so.

Got us all fed. I need to clean up the kitchen because Bella shredded toilet paper in here, but I think that I need a nap first. I got up early today. Slept through until 5:30 AM.

I need to make a list of things that I want an electrician to do: motion-sensitive light on porch, outdoor outlets, Nest thermostat and doorbell, outlet in bathroom for bidet, outlet near fish tank….Huh. Should I get the ceiling fan in my bedroom replaced? Might as well because it would be nice to have in the summer.

I didn't get up early to get the recycling out. I need to get it loaded up on the weekend.

Ran out and deposited my check. It's cold out (0F/-18C wind chill this morning), but seeing the temperatures that sunshine_two is dealing with shamed me into going out. It wasn't too bad. However, there was ice glued to my windshield that took forever to get off. I want to have the money available this weekend to go get makeup for my trip. I'm also wondering if I should get my brows waxed and laminated (booked an appointment in a week). Should I get my nails done? Booked an appointment right before the trip. I need to remember to give myself a pedicure too.

Had my therapy session. She's glad that I want to expand my social network. I told her about the political group and also that I want to join the Unitarian Church after I get back from my trip. I also found a tropical fish group that I might join. I wonder if I could join the Friends of the Urbana Library?

Submitted a grocery order.

I think that when I retire, I want to work on a database for planting flowers if I can get the data. Meanwhile, I’ll add entries on my Hotmail calendar.

Fed the dog and myself. I’m about to feed Oliver and Lily. Then I need to corral Oliver to 1) feed Mimi and Zara and 2) bring one of the recycling bins inside the back door so that I can throw stuff in it at 1 AM if I want to (done).

Bella is whining because the cats don’t want to play with her. I told her that if someone larger than me pinned me, I wouldn’t want to play with them either. This is tough for her doggy brain to comprehend. She ran laps around the building until she got tired though.

I should get Bella a job breaking down boxes. She’s good at it, but she tends to break them into small pieces.

Oliver and Lily are filling out nicely. They’re a lot more shaped like a grown cat.

I think that I want to wait for my grocery order (between 9 and 11 PM) and then go to bed. I think that I’ll put stuff on my calendar in the meantime.

I ordered a couple of hardcover books to read on the plane. The rest will be on the Kindle. (I should find my Kindle so that I don’t run down my phone. Oh, I need to pack my battery bank. I need to make a packing list.)

Having a recycling bin inside was a great idea. I have 2/3 of a bin filled. I’m working on Bella’s “lair” outside of the kitchen. She thinks that this is a game and is nipping me. Sigh.

I received my grocery order. I’m going to go up and post and feed the hordes. What is Bella barking at? It's a mystery.

I put wallpaper on my laptop that relates to the cruise (Panama Canal, Puerto Vallarta, Miami). I looked for one with a sloth (Costa Rica), but all the ones that I saw were AI representations. I'm getting excited!

I forgot to do laundry today. I guess that I start work in my pajamas. I can sleep a little later in that case.

I’ve been using the electric toothbrush and WaterPik. I wind up dousing the mirror with the WaterPik, but my teeth do feel squeaky clean.

Woke up at 7:30 AM. The puppy was sleepy but got up. Now she has her squeaky ball. I’m trying to wake up and warm up.

Submitted a Walmart order. My membership in Walmart+ has really paid off.

Oliver was up on the “kitty highway“ above the cabinets. Bella was looking at him like, what are you doing up there? Now she’s chasing the youngsters. It’s a zoo here. I told her that I was told that she was chill. She’s not acting like it :)

Got the clothes in the dryer.

Hmm. There is a “new to CU” mixer in February. Also, Hospice Hearts (the organization that takes care of pets when their owner is sick or dies) is looking for volunteers. I might join. I could do pet transport and work adoption events on the weekend. Hmm, I wonder if I should foster a dog? That would get Bella a friend but I could give it back :) But the dog would need to like cats. Maybe not.

Oy vey. Oliver ate some of Lily's wet food. I gave her some dry food, and he knocked into it and spilled it. I threw my hands up. At least, she got SOME food in her.

I was pondering on how to set up Mimi when I'm gone in March. I might take the gate down so that she can get water if something happens with the pet sitter. Better to deal with Oliver than no water. Yeah, I worry.

Bella is being manic. She’s been squishing Oliver, which he doesn’t like. I told her to cut it out and that I wouldn’t like it either. I’m worried because he’s crying out and she could hurt him.

Napped over lunch. The puppy is still dozing.

The ladder is here. It's tall enough that I should be able to change light bulbs in the living room. And the light in the cold bathroom, which is why I bought it. The critters are like, what is THAT? I also got the binder for my piano music. I forgot to get sheet protectors, so I ordered some from Amazon. And I got my Google Home speaker, so I'm going to set it up and play Bach while I excavate the kitchen.

Mimi has been picking at her food. I wonder if I could ask the vet for an appetite stimulant. She must have heard my thought because she went over to nose at the food.

Bella lay down in the yard to chew on a big stick, so she clearly thinks that it's warm. I talked her into coming inside though.

Hmm. I saw susandennis' post mentioning yoga pants with pockets, and I thought, oh that would be good. But I wear petites. But I found some on Amazon. Excellent.

I want to get Bella one of those round fluffy faux fur beds, but they're kind of expensive. They have them on Amazon though. I would like one myself! They sell small ones for cats too, but I was going to get the cats heated beds. But Oliver would like one because he's been sleeping on the folded faux fur rug from the bedroom.

Now Mimi is seriously eating. Good. And drinking.

Fed the poochka. Now I’m working on the cats (done).

Hmm. I want some white plastic baskets to organize pet stuff. I need to go to Dollar Tree and see what they have.

Got my Google Home speaker set up. It’s a lot easier than Echo Dot. The sound is better too. I decided to play classic rock.

I’ve got 2/3rds of the kitchen floor done. (Yes, it was trashed.) I also soaked and filled a litter box and scooped litter boxes. I need to take out the garbage and recycling. I’m planning to get up early to do more and drag the recycling to the curb.

I’m also planning to fill the fish tank and turn on the heater and filter. Then I’ll post and go to bed. I got a lot done tonight though. The music helped. My goal is to clean the kitchen and bathrooms this weekend. Oh, I forgot to mention that I got the hamper today too. I want to get it set up this weekend too.

Oh crap. The water bucket is in the bathroom with Oliver. I guess that I’ll fill the tank in the morning.

Did dishes. Fed the cats. I had a hard time keeping Bella from eating Lily’s food. And Bella and Oliver charged into Zara’s room. I have to hand it to Zara. Bella kind of got in Zara's face, and Zara went Wap! Wap! Wap! across Bella’s nose. That was gutsy.

More crap. Bella completely chewed up one of my shoes. And now she’s going into the cats’ litter box and digging. She scattered litter all over the floor. I’m feeling annoyed with her and Oliver. I need to get to bed and sleep it off.

Oliver is racking up the nicknames. He’s the “Kamikaze kitten” because he takes a flying leap and skids on the floor or jumps in my lap. My job right now is to entertain him because Zara’s still eating. I’m letting Mimi eat upstairs too to get away from her little bratty brother.

I put on some pajamas with a dangly string, and of course, Oliver was playing with it. I had to hide it under the pajamas! Now he’s asleep on the kitchen table.

It occurred to me that I’ll need to get a coat and boots for Talley (the dog), who is probably going to be named Angel, but I won’t know how big she is until I get her.

I slept alone last night. I don’t know where Oliver slept. He came in this morning. Zara and Mimi were in the room, and Mimi was growling at him. It’s funny to see Zara and Mimi united against a common foe (Oliver).

I’m soaking cat dishes in the sink, and Oliver had to see what I was doing. Feeding the cats is a three-ring circus (soon to be four-ring after I get Lily). Zara was eating Oliver’s food. Then he came over and she ran away. I feed Oliver in the kitchen, Zara in the bedroom, and Mimi upstairs. Oh, and I found Mimi in the bathroom last night. I think that she was eating the kitten food. I hope that everyone has a full stomach.

Oliver was rolling around on the kitchen table and fell off :) I told him that was graceful. Not.

Napped. Apparently, Oliver snuck in and burrowed under the blanket by my feet. I’ve never known a cat who likes to burrow as much as he does. He’s really tired. Not surprised after the excitement of the last couple of days.

Oliver is upstairs with me and Mimi and has the zoomies. Mimi is not amused.

I shut Oliver in the bathroom while I got the garbage and recycling out. He was Not Happy. He doesn’t hold grudges though. He might not have enough memory to hold grudges :) Well, he grabbed my arm and started biting me. I said “No” and hissed. He needs to learn some manners. I ordered a squirt bottle.

I got the gate in back closed for the dog. One side of the gate isn’t attached, and I remembered that I had a bungee cord in the car with which to close it. I’ll have to look to see if I can fix it.

I’m going to get the bare minimum for the dog today (bowls, food, a bed, a brush, poop bags, and a toy) and will take her shopping this coming weekend after I get her. (They said that she will have a collar and a leash. She doesn’t walk on a leash well though, so we’ll have to work on it.)

I’m obviously not going to go to Michigan in January because of all the new critters. I need to help them adjust!

Aww. Oliver is asleep with his head and paw on my arm.

I’ve been tidying up the kitchen. Oliver has been playing while I work. He found the stick toy with feathers and is pulling the feathers off.

I need to stop working on the kitchen and take a shower to give me time at PetSmart. I’ll vacuum and wash the kitchen floor later tonight. (Maybe the cats will unite against a common enemy: the vacuum cleaner.)

Went to PetSmart. I got a dog bed, bowls, food, a brush, and some chew toys. And I forgot the poop bags! Aargh! I left my phone at home, so I couldn’t see the list. I had time to run home, unload the dog stuff, and grab my phone.

Then I went to the Humane Society to pick up Lily. She was quieter than Oliver on the drive home. I put her in the bathroom, which was a good call because she and Oliver aren’t recognizing each other. There has been hissing and growling. Oliver is fascinated by her though. Lily is a climber.

Fed the cats and myself. I’m tired. I’m thinking of going to bed early. Am I going to last until midnight tomorrow night?

I ordered poop bags from Amazon.

Zara has seen Lily. She is not amused.

I'm going to bed.

It's another dreary, rainy day. Mimi is being talkative. She skipped food to talk to me! Now she ran off to go eat.

The doctor's office called, and they want me to get an X-Ray before my appointment.

Happy scary day eve.

The doctor said that my toe is healing well, but it'll take three months (!) to heal completely. She showed me the X-Rays and explained them, which was nice. She said that I could walk, but "no running or jumping". I told her that I was going out of town, and we talked about travel a little. I have another appointment in a month.

I want to learn how to play pickleball on the cruise, but I guess that I'll just watch people who know what they're doing so that I don't run.

I'm freaking exhausted. I'm thinking of staying home from choir rehearsal and napping. The choir director was gracious about it though. I need to go get money though for the pet sitter.

It occurred to me that tomorrow would be a great day to clean because of stress.

I've gained some weight, ugh, but not surprising because I've been eating crap.

The Sierra Club is sending me emails that the election is tomorrow. is there anyone on the planet that doesn't know that the US election is tomorrow?

Went and got cash.

Thunderstorms in November?

Lay down for a nap and Zara came running. She’s snuggled up next to me. Aww. Slept through until 7:30 AM.