days_unfolding

I got up at 7:30 AM with my alarm. I’ve been secretly hoping that it would rain so that I could go back to sleep for a little while. One forecast has rain all day (it’s raining very lightly) and another has rain at 9 AM. So I think that I can go back to sleep after I feed the critters and get my yoga clothes together (done).

Napped. It was raining when I woke up. Sigh. Bella did not want to come in even though it was raining. I really want to go back to sleep (it’s a sleepy kind of day) but I’d miss yoga. Found out where the yoga place is. Hmm, I’m really thinking of skipping yoga. It’s pouring rain and I don’t know where my yoga bag is. Probably in the pile of stuff in the back of the car. And I have the concert tonight. I’m going back to bed. Oops, Oliver is in here. I hate to take vacation time, but I might take Tuesday off to rake. No rain predicted then thus far.

I did one thing that was constructive and changed the battery on my smoke alarm. Now it’s nap time. Had a nice nap. It’s still raining.

Oliver is looking for trouble. He tried to chew my phone’s case and the straw for my cup.

I’m feeling not like going to the concert. I don’t know. I’ll eat dinner, take a shower, and see. Honestly, what I feel like doing is watching A Real Pain. Okay, I dug out clothes to wear if I don’t go to the concert.

I’m telling Bella that she’s a goofball dog. She has no sense of dignity whatsoever. Everyone is fed and is quiet.

Got my TV in the bedroom set up finally. Hulu was sending me in circles asking me to change my password, but I finally got it to give me a code to enter. I watched A Real Pain. It was good, but I expected to be devastated by it and I wasn't. While Kieran Culkin was good, I think that Jesse Eisenberg had the tougher role.

I'm going to go to bed early, I think. I don't feel like starting anything new.

I napped again for an hour and a half. Then I took Bella out and fed the beasts. Now I'm at work. Oliver and Lily have been chasing each other and unplugged the docking station for my work computer. Sigh. They love my mom's wingback chair, so I'm looking for a new one for the library. I found a new one, but I would like to get a used one but have found nothing so far. I found a new one that I like with a footstool, but it's $500. Yikes.

Getting both Oliver and Lily was a great idea though. They keep each other entertained.

It might rain both Saturday AND Sunday. Terrific (NOT!)

I never mentioned that the door to the basement and back door is not shutting, I guess because the wood has swelled. It occurred to me to get a hook and eye for each side to close it to keep the cats out. I ordered them from Lowe's and also ordered a cordless drill because the one that I have doesn't have all the pieces. I received the hook and eye packages, but the drill will get here on Saturday. Now the door is working. I only live here.

My glasses fell off of the table, and I stepped on them. Sigh. I need to order another pair of glasses for around the house that are tight for bending over. My other glasses are more fragile and slip. I tried Glasses USA, thinking that they would be cheaper than Zenni, but not really.

Oliver and Lily have finally settled down.

I attended a Webinar about the relationship between physical activity and the immune system. It's inspiring me to get more exercise. I registered for a yoga class this Saturday and will take Bella for a walk.

Bella, Oliver, and Lily were attending my shower. Lily was trying to take a nap with all the chaos swirling around her. She's tough.

I'm feeling like crying for no good reason. I'm feeling overwhelmed. I think that I'm having a delayed reaction over how the trip worked out. Plus I have a dental appointment this afternoon, and I almost forgot about it.

I'm using my new Holland America glass for soda. Now I can wash the other one!

Note to self: check supply of 9-volt batteries

The dental appointment went well. I got two fillings and a CT scan of my mouth. They were very efficient. I'm hungry but I'm waiting for the numbness to wear off. I’m taking advantage of the wait by making pizza.

I have been bringing out recycling when I take Bella out, so all I have to do is roll the bin and flatten cardboard boxes and take the boxes out (done).

The pizza is knocking me out, so I'm going to go to bed and get up early to walk Bella.

I’m flagging a bunch of meals in my Meal Prep book. Yum!

I overslept, but it’s okay. It just means that I can’t take a nap after breakfast.

Will wonders never cease! Zara and Mimi went nose to nose with no hissing!

I booked the walk in the cloud forest in Costa Rica. I plan to go back to Costa Rica, so maybe I can see sloths then. Though hmm, Road Scholar’s trips do not include sloths, so maybe I should switch. Yeah, okay, I switched.

I need to go get cash to tip the massage person before I go to the memorial service.

Yeah, it looks like the Urbana Park District isn’t continuing the yoga program that I like. Champaign has one on Thursdays that I could do. I tried to register but was having issues on my phone. I need to go upstairs. Though hmm, the one at the yoga center is closer. I need to think about this. I enrolled in Pilates in Urbana. Oh, but the class that I want at the yoga center is online. I think that I need a face-to-face class. I'll enroll in Champaign's class (done). I'm going to have to leave early to get there. I’m not sure about Zumba (in Urbana). I think that they let you try the first class for free?

I chugged down a protein shake because I won’t have time for lunch.

I wonder when they’re going to send the Dial-A-Carol instructions. It starts tomorrow.

I got to the Funeral Home for the memorial service early. We (the choir) wound up sitting in the back. Our first song went well. The second song was a singalong to “Amazing Grace,” and everyone got lost at the beginning of the third verse. However, I thought the memorial service was an hour, but they were still going strong at 1.5 hours, so I left. I think that I stepped on someone’s foot on the way out though :( Then when I parked the car, I pulled in too close and scratched my mom’s car. What a sucky day.

The massage was pretty good, not awesome. I wound up leaving a fairly large tip because I didn’t have change.

I thought about going to Lowe’s to get extra keys made and a lockbox, but the rain is COLD (39F/4C) and yucky. I think that I’ll feed the cats and myself and take a nap.

Sucky day is continuing to suck. I had a Walmart order delivered, and over half the order was missing. And they left the stuff that I did get out in the rain. They're giving me a refund for the missing items, but meanwhile, I need the missing items. I'm going to try Meijer later. Well, maybe I should do it now and then go to sleep so that I'll get up early. I have a singing lesson at 11 AM tomorrow. And the recital at 5 PM. And Dial-A-Carol at 8. (I need to go to one of the dorms for Dial-A-Carol. It's going to be kind of a pain.)

It's looking like Florida largely dodged a bullet, though for those who did lose relatives, it still is a tragedy.

The app that the State of Illinois wants me to use wants me to log my weight. Well, my scale is broken so no dice. I ordered a new one from Amazon using my Flexible Spending Account (an account that uses pre-tax dollars for medical expenses) funds. I didn't want one from the FSA store because 1) it's expensive, and 2) that's the one that broke.

It's kind of been a zoo of a day at work. Lots of meetings.

Ran out to drop off my paperwork to join the University gym.

Got some recycling out. (I didn't get it picked up yesterday because I was asleep.)

Did some work that I meant to do last night.

Ow, my neck hurts. I'm feeling the effects of no yoga. I need to do chair yoga.

I canceled my renter's insurance from the old place. I'm going through my automatic payments and canceling a lot of them.

I want to lie down and stretch out my neck. Plus, I'm yawning (although I don't know why because I got a ton of sleep last night).

Overslept but made it to work. I managed to take a shower before work.

I ate lunch at 3 PM, which says something about how the day is going. Busy, busy. Lots of meetings plus class.

Had my therapy session. She thinks that it’s important to get my mom’s house up for sale to get some resolution and closure in my grief. She suggested that I get another real estate agent if they don’t list it soon. She also said that it’s not certain that I will have the same mobility problems that my mom did because I’m more physically active. I told her about my fall, and she wants me to talk to the doctor about it. While we were talking, I realized that I could do chair yoga while my knee and foot heal. She sent me links to some chair yoga videos that she likes. She also said that because I’m worried about dementia, I should ask my doctor to take a baseline reading of my cognitive state.

Had my singing and piano lessons, and they were kind of a fiasco. My voice was “tight” in singing. I was tripping over myself in piano. I’m really tired, which might be part of it. The French have a saying about feeling uneasy in your skin, which is kind of how I feel. I need to get to bed early.

Got my clothes together for tomorrow. I need to wear a sleeveless shirt under my hoodie because I’m getting shots.

Oh crap! It's supposed to rain Saturday and Sunday, but I need to seed the lawn! Though it's a low chance on Saturday.

Made up my class time for work. I think that I'm going to bed now and, I hope, feel more together tomorrow.

Oh, wait a minute. I need to pay some bills.

Overslept this morning. I was a little late for work.

Well, hell. The mower guy hasn't showed up so far. Apparently he sent a message asking to mow on Sunday, but I missed it. Now the cleaner hasn't shown up.

Oh crap. I had an Italian lesson this morning and completely forgot about it. I sent a message to the teacher apologizing.

The cleaner showed up and she said that I need a "deep cleaning," which costs a lot extra but I said okay. The lawn mower guy said that he was coming, but now he wants to reschedule for tomorrow.

Hmm, it just occurred to me that we're coming up on my favorite season of the year! Autumn is a good time for long walks, crunching leaves under my feet. Champaign-Urbana looks especially lovely in Autumn.

I was thinking about the war in Gaza and the protests in Israel, and wanting to learn more, when a word popped up in my mind, Haaretz. So I googled Haaretz and found that it was an Israeli newspaper, and they have an edition in English. I have no idea how it popped up in my mind and where it came from. I poked around Haaretz's site enough to get the idea that it's a left-wing paper and they are not fans of Netanyahu. I balked at the price, but subscribed month-to-month so that I can cancel it when the war is over or when I get too horribly depressed, whichever comes first. Well, you think we have been scathing about Netanyahu, but it's nothing that compares to what they're saying. I can't find the exact quote, but it was something like calling him "the Messiah of lies" and something else derogatory. All right then.

All of this is distracting me from our elections. I really need to volunteer for Harris' campaign. I can only imagine the combo of Trump and Netanyahu. They'd probably drop an atomic bomb on Gaza except for the fact that the fallout would impact Israel. I need to figure out how to volunteer. I like creating content, but I need to find out what that entails. Okay, I signed up for a couple of events. I really would like to attend one that is about how to talk to people who disagree with you or don't care, but it conflicts with my voice lesson. Oh wait a minute. it's right before my lesson. I'm so there.

My Web programming class is moving fast. I need to bring a CSS book with me to Michigan and work on it in my hotel room.

The cleaners have spent hours cleaning! They're doing a better job than I had planned. The cats are decidedly unhappy and are hanging out with me upstairs. Zara wants to eat.

Apparently the house cleaners left without saying that they were leaving. I was still hiding out upstairs with the cats, but decided to check on them, and the floors were dry, so they had been gone for a while. They did a fantastic job. They even made my bed! (I kind of like how they made the bed, so I'll try it.) The rooms that they did look like a hotel! I just need to get the rest of the place unpacked and organized.

I was starving because I didn't eat lunch because they were cleaning. And the cats wanted to be fed. I fed us all, but I had forgotten that I had yoga tonight and couldn't find my yoga pants and it was late to be going, so I decided to skip tonight.

Oh. I forgot to mention that I will need to check luggage on my flight to Detroit because I want to bring pruning shears with me to take cuttings from the plants in the yard. I'll take the cuttings right before I leave so that they'll stay fresh. Actually, it would be cheaper to buy shears when I get there. I’ll do that and give them away on Buy Nothing when I get back.

I took a nap and slept for four hours. Zara was with me and made a fuss over me when I woke up.

Oh crud. Today is Tuesday, and I need to get the garbage out (done). At least most of it is out already. I’ve been thinking that today is Monday all day.

Put some Buy Nothing stuff out. Studied Italian. My flash card app knew that I skipped yesterday and was reminding me to study! Packaged up my eBay sale. I'll mail it at the post office that's open late tomorrow.

Got up in time for my Italian lesson. My teacher is working me hard on pronunciation, which is good. My accent sucks :) Mimi walked on my laptop keyboard during the lesson. Cats!

I had my meeting with the personal trainer, finally! She's going to work on exercises that I can do from home. That way, I have no excuse not to exercise. I might add the gym later.

My Web programming class is going to be online after all. Yay! I don't have to find a place to park! Today was the first day. It looks like a good class and that they will be flexible, which bodes well for my cruise. I just ordered $250 worth of Web programming books because we can use any source that we have. My professor said that I could turn in the assignment due during my trip early. Yay!

I was debating whether to go to yoga today. It's really hot, but if I go, I can spend time in air conditioning instead of upstairs in hell. I would like for it to cool down before I come back up here. On the other hand, I don't really want to go out in 95F/35C heat. I'd rather just lie down in the cool downstairs. My Jenny Craig order has arrived, so I need to bring it in though (done).

I’m not feeling quite as tired down here in the cool air. I should get things done. I need to stage the items that the assembly guy will assemble tomorrow. And take out the garbage.

I feel like my life is taking shape. I'm living in Urbana. I’m losing weight. I’m planning to go swimming and am taking yoga. I plan to take singing lessons again and piano. I’m going to study Web programming, which I’ve wanted to study for a long time. Now I just need to get the house in order (in progress). The point is that my therapist said that my life can be anything that I want, and I’m doing what I want to do.

I got the garbage out. I still need to get the bookcase pieces upstairs, but my knee and back hurt and it’s hot, so I’m going to go to bed early and get up early.

I’m looking at getting an exercise coach to better meet my goals.

Woke up at 6:30 AM. Went back to sleep, overslept, and got up right before 9.

I am really stiff this morning for no good reason.

I got the check from the trust. Yay.

Well, crap. The pool at the uni and in Urbana have hours during which I can't go, unless I go at lunchtime and on the weekend. Oh, the uni has evening hours starting October 7th and hours until 7 PM in their outdoor pool from next week to October 7th. Also, I found a swimsuit.

I forgot to mention that I finally got the rooting mixture way after the cuttings had died. I'll have to take more cuttings when I go up to Mom's house again, and I'll put them in rooting hormones for the drive. I'm wondering if I should dig up one of Mom's ferns too for my place. Speaking of which, I should check on the hosta. The hosta looks very unhappy. Sigh.

I fell in love with this cabinet on Overstock.com. It's not cheap, but I like the green for my gardening tools and the design. I also found one on Amazon with a lotus on it that I like, and it's a little cheaper.

Deposited the check. Stopped back home to feed the cats.

The good news: there was a yoga class tonight after two weeks off. I felt a difference in my body during the time off. The bad news: I strained a muscle in my lower back. That’s the end of exercise for me today. And I’ll have to do decluttering tasks that don’t require lots of walking. Oh crud, I need to get the garbage out. I think that I'll work on the papers upstairs otherwise.

Hmm. Ask and you shall receive. I'm joining a six-week shred program by Gravity. The program is free, but you need to put down a deposit that you will get back if you meet your goals. I'll need to do so tomorrow after the money from the check clears. I will need to cancel Jenny Craig and cook, sigh. But there is a ton of accountability (both diet and exercise) built in. Hmm. People on Reddit are saying don't do it. I think that I'll follow my initial plan of Jenny Craig (which I know works) and a personal trainer. Hmm. They offer personal training at the gym at the university, which I'm joining to get access to the pool. But I'll try the virtual personal trainer first.

Got the garbage out.

I found a new app to use on my phone to study Italian. It has the top 5000 words.

Oh, I forgot to mention that I got the Ikea fabric box. It's smaller than I thought, but it'll work for the sweaters. I'll order more when I get the check from the trust. Actually, Target has bins that I like better and are cheaper.

I'm investigating Rent My Equipment so that I can rent the tiller when I'm not using it.

I’m feeling dizzy and want to lie down, but I need to get the recycling out. It’s supposed to rain though most of the day. I guess that I’ll just get the bins out and skip the boxes. I did lie down and overslept. Took the world's fastest shower. Ducked out of work to take the recycling out. (It took 8 minutes.)

I have some sock organizers that I bought a long time ago. I found some underwear and bra organizers by the same company on eBay. I’ll buy them when I have money. Actually, I had money in my PayPal account, so I ordered a set.

I've decided to get an Apple Watch when I get the check from the trust (after all, I spent $700 of my own money on Mom's car), and sell mine when I find it. I want a way to track my walks. Target has one on sale for a good price.

One of my decluttering books suggested getting the Closet+ app to document your clothes. Then you have a list of what you have when you shop. I just downloaded it. Though given that I'm losing weight, maybe I should wait to use it.

I can feel a difference in my neck and shoulders when I don't have yoga. I should do some yoga stretches on my own.

Placed a grocery order.

Had a quick therapy session. I didn't have a lot to say, so we cut it short. I'm in a good place for the most part.

Well, crud. I was trying to put together a rack for the dumbbell plates, but it is missing parts. I just emailed the company. I guess that the weights will just lie around until then. I also brought the exercise bench upstairs, which was a workout in and of itself :)

Started putting away my t-shirts in an organizer that I put in a drawer. I might have too many t-shirts for one drawer though. I did dump some clothes in a bag for the thrift store though.

Got the grocery order. I'm running out of steam, so I'm going to study Italian (done--I'm getting back in the groove).

I think that I'll go to bed early and get up early.

I'm really tired. I overslept and need to take a shower and get money during lunch.

Hmm. Someone is getting rid of a cube organizer that I could use as a bookcase upstairs. But first I need to get the dresser out of my car. Oops, someone else wants it. But a cube organizer is a good idea for bookcases for upstairs. It would be cheaper than formal bookcases. Yeah, a two-cube by four-cube is the perfect size for upstairs. Note to self: Target has the best price.

Got the dishes done while the girls were eating.

I'm trying to figure out a way to get some more vitamin C in my diet. I need to pick up some oranges. (My dad thought that my nasty bruise was partially due to lack of vitamin C.)

No yoga today because my teacher is out of town.

Now I'm thinking that I should leave on Thursday for Michigan and work tomorrow because the handyman isn't available until Friday. I'd take Thursday and Friday off. It'll give me more time to get stuff done around here and rest before the long drive. Okay, plans changed. I have a meeting set up with the real estate guy on Friday too.

Have I mentioned lately that I love Urbana? My bank is 2 minutes away by car. (I could walk it but no time.)

I was looking for the basket that I have for mail. Found it. I need to start using it and stop putting the mail on the kitchen table.

I just occurred to me to look on Facebook Marketplace for patio furniture for the front porch. I found something that I like and is cheaper than new ones. I found one that is REALLY cheap, but I'd have to drive to St. Louis (about 150 miles) to get it. Probably not. Actually, I found a set that I love, but it's in Chicago. Probably not.

I want this sign for the garden.

The mover guys sent me a text that I missed confirming that I wanted them to come today. I saw it close to the time that they were to come, so they were late. They made quick work though of moving the mattress downstairs and bringing in the dresser. Now I can start packing the car for Michigan. I was looking at knobs for the dresser because it is missing a knob, but I need to measure the existing knobs first.

Took a nap and had a tough time getting up. Now I'm working again to make up the time that I spent with the movers.

It's late, and I need to get up early to go get the new plates for Mom's car. Damn, it's humid.